Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/253

21+ GREGORY'S PASTORAL. [Cotton MSS. & wisran ðonne hie, forðamþe hie ne gedenceað ða ðearlan edlean, ac fægniað iermingas hiera agnes dyseges & hearmes. Gehieren eac þa ilcan mid hwelcum ymbeðonce godcundes anwaldes hie ðreade Soffonias se witga, ða he cwæð: Git cymð se micla & se mæra & se egeslica Godes dæg, se dæg bið ierres dæg & ðiestra dæg & mistes & gebreces & biemena dæg & gedynes ofer ealla truma ceastra & ofer ealle hea hwammas. Hwæt getacniað ðonne ða truman ceastra buton hwurfulu mod, getrymedu & ymbtrymedu mid lytelicre ladunge, ðæt him ne magon to cuman ða speru ðære soðfæstnesse, ðæt sindon haligra gewrita manunga? Wið ða speru ðære soðfæstnesse hie hie scieldað, ðonne hie mon tælan wile & arasian for hiera unðeawum. Hwæt tacniað [get.] ðonne ða hean hwammas buton unclænu & twyfeald mod? Forðæm ælc wag bið gebigged twyfeald on ðæm heale. Swæ bið ðæs monnes heorte : ðonne he ða bilwitnesse & ða anfealdnesse flihð, he gefielt his mod mid wore & mid unnyttre twyfealdnesse, & eac ðætte wierðe bið, he hiene ahefð on his geðohte on gielp & on ofermetto for ðæm wærscipe his agenre scylde, & ðe his agenne unðeaw him to weorðscipe. Ðonne cymð se Dryhtnes domes dæg & wrace dæg ofer ða truman ceastra & ofer ða hean hwammas, ðonne ðæt ierre ðæs ytemestan domes ða menniscan heortan towierpð, ða þe nu sindon betynede & getrymede mid lytelicum ladungum wið ða soðfæstnesse, & arafað ðæt cliwen ðære twyfealdan heortan. Đonne feallað ða truman ceastra, ðonne þa mod þe Dryhtne ungeferu sint weordað gescended. Đonne feallað fa hean hwammas, ðonne ða

they were much more cunning and wise than they; for they do not consider the severe requital, but the wretches rejoice at their own folly and sorrow. Let the same also hear with what consideration of divine authority the prophet Zephaniah threatened them, saying: “Yet will come the great and famous and terrible day of God, which will be a day of wrath, and darkness, and mist, and clamour, and trumpets, and din over all strong cities, and over all high corners.' What signify the strong cities but fickle minds, strengthened and fortified with cunning excuses, so that the spears of truth cannot approach them, which are the admonitions of holy writ? They shelter themselves against the spears of truth, when men wish to blame and chide them