Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/105

96 lare beoð sæd, & hie gefeallað on ða heortan þe hiera hlyst, swæ nyt swæ unnyt, swæðer hie bioð. Đurh ða earan ða word beoð onfangen, & on ðæm mode hie bioð acende ðurh ðæt ondgit. Forðon heton worldwise men wordsawere ðone æðelan lareow Paulus. Se ðonne se þe ðolað flownesse his sædes he bið unclæne gecweden. Swæ eac se þe oferspræce bið, he bið nohte ðon læs mid ðære besmiten. Gif he ðonne endebyrdlice his spræce forðbringð, ðonne mæg he cennan mid ðæm tæt tuder ryhtes geðohtes on ðara tohlystendra heortan. Gif ðonne unwærlice sio lar toflewð ðurh oferspræce, ðonne bið ðæt sæd unnyt agoten, næs to nanre cenninge ðæs cynrenes, ac to unclænnesse & to ungerisnum. Be ðæm Paulus cwæð, þa he manode his cniht ðæt he sceolde standan on ðære lare, he cwæð: Ic ðe bebeode beforan Gode & ðæm hælendan Criste, se þe demende is cwicum & deadum, & ic ðe bebeode [beode] ðurh his tocyme & ðurh his rice, ðæt ðu stande on ðissum wordum, & hie lære ægðer ge gedæftelice ge eac ungedæftelice. Đeah he cwæde ungedæftelice (Đ.h.c. u. om.), he cwæð ðeah ær gedæftelice, forðæm sio ofersmeaung mirð ða unwisan þe hit gecnawan ne magon, & gedeð ða spræce unnytte ðæm tohlystendum ðonne sio ungedæftnes hit ne can eft gedæftan.

XVI. Hu se lareow sceal beon eallum monnum efnðrowiende & foreðencende on hiera earfeðum.

Ac sie se lareow eallum monnum se nihsta & eallum monnum efnðrowiende on hiera geswincum, & sie he for ealle upaðened mid ðære godcundan foresceawunge his ingeðonces, ðætte ðurh þa

whether they be profitable or not. The words are received by the ears and brought forth in the mind by the understanding. Therefore the noble teacher Paul was called by learned men word-sower. He who suffers overflow of his seed is accounted unclean, so also he who is loquacious is not a whit the less defiled therewith. But if he brings forth his speech seasonably, he can beget therewith the progeny of righteous thoughts in the listeners' heart. But if the instruction is carelessly spilt by loquacity, the seed is discharged to no purpose, not for any procreation of progeny but for uncleanness and indecency. Of which Paul spoke when he admonished his servant to stand firm in doctrine, he said: "I command thee before God and the Saviour Christ, who is to judge the living and dead, and I charge thee