Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/161

152 GREGORY'S PASTORAL. [Cotton MSS. scylda openlice wietona beoð to forberanne, ðonne ðæs ðinges tima ne bið ðæt hit mon sidelice gebetan mæge. Swæ se læce, ðonne he on untiman lacnað wunde, hio wyrmseð & rotað. Forðæm buton he ðone timan aredige ðæs læcedomes ðonne bið hit swutol ðæt se lacnigenda forlist ðone kræft his læcedomes. Ac ðonne se lareow ieldende secð ðone timan þe he his hieremen sidelice on ðreagean mæge, ðonne bið hit swutol ðæt he birð on his geðylde ða byrðenne hiera scylda. Be ðæm is [wæs] swiðe wel gecweden ðurh ðone salmscop, þa he cwæð: Đa synnfullan bytledon uppe on minum hrycge. He sarette ðætte ða synfullan sceoldon bytlan onuppan his hryege, swelce he openlice cwæde: Đonne ic mann geryhtan ne mæg & hiene gelæran, ðonne bið me swelce ic hiene bere uppe on minum hrycge. Ac monegu diglu ðing sindon nearolice to smegeanne, ðæt se reccere mæge ongietan be sumum tacnum on his hieremonna mode eall ðæt ðær gehyddes lutige, & on ðæm anbide þe he hiera fandige, ðæt he mæge hwilum ongietan micel of lytlum. Be ðæm wæs swiðe ryhte to Ezechiele ðæm witgan gecweden: Đu monnes sunu ðurhðyrela ðone wah. Đa ic ða ðone wah ðurhðyrelodne hæfde, cwæð se witga, ða eowde he me ane duru beinnan ðæm wealle, & cwæð to me: Gang inn, geðeoh ða scande & ða wirrestan ðing ðe ðas men her doð. Ic ða eode inn, & geseah ðær ða anlicnessa ealra creopendra wuhta & ealra anscunigendra [anscunigendlicra] nietena, & ealle ða heargas [hearga] Israhela folces wæron atifred on ðæm wage. Hwæt elles meahte beon getacnod ðurh Ezechiel buton ða scirmenn, & ðurh ðone wah sio heardheortnes ðara hieremonna? Hwæt is ðonne sio ðyre-

silently told them of it. But many sins, although openly known, are to be tolerated, when it is not the right time to reform them properly. As when a physician doctors a wound at the wrong time, it corrupts and putrefies. Therefore unless he arrange the time of treatment it is evident that the physician loses his medical skill. But when the teacher delays, and watches for a suitable opportunity of reproving his subjects, it is evident that he bears in his patience the burden of their sins. Therefore it was very well spoken through the Psalmist; he said: “The sinful built on my back.” He was annoyed at the sinful building on his back, as if he had openly said: “When I cannot reform and teach a man, it is as if I carried him on my back.” But there are many hidden things to be considered narrowly, that the