Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/341

332 libban to ðæm ðæt we æt ytmestan onfon sumne dæl bledsunga. Se ðonne þe wilnað ðæt he wolde on ðæm anginne his lifes woruldspedig weorðan mid unryhte, se hiene wile selfne bedælan ðære bledsunge & ðæs welan on ðæm ytmestan dæge. Ac ðonne hie wilniað ðurh ða nauhtgidsunga ðæt hie hiora worldspeda geicen, ðonne weorðað hie bedælde ðæs ecean eðles ures Fæder. Ac ða þe wilniað fela to begietonne, & eac ða þe magon begietan eall ðæt hie wilniað, gehieren hwæt Crist self cwæð, he cwæð: Hwæt forstent ænegum men, ðeah he gemangige ðæt he ealne ðisne middangeard age, gif he his saule forspildeð? Swelce sio Soðfæstnes openlice sæde: Hwelc fremu bið men ðæt hie gestriene eall ðæt him ymbutan sie, gif he forliest ðæt him oninnan bið, swelce he eall gegaderige ðætte his ne sie, & forspilde hiene selfne? Ac mon mæg ðy hraðor ðara reafera gidsunge gestillan, gif se lareow him gerecð hu fleonde ðis andwearde lif is, & hie gemyndgað ðara welegra þe longe strindon, & lytle hwile brucon; hu hrædlice se færlica deað hie on lytelre hwile bereafode ðæs þe hie on longre hwile mid unryhte striendon. Ðeah hie hit hrædlice ætsomne ne gestriendon, hie hit ðeah swiðe hrædlice ætsomne forluron, & his nauht mid him ne læddon buton ða synne ðara yfelena weorca hie brohton to Godes dome. Ac hit mæg eaðe gesælan, gif we him swelc sæcgeað, ðæt hie eac mid us ða oðre tælen, & hie ðonne eft hiora selfra gescamige, ðonne hie gemunað ðæt hie ðæt ilce doð ðæt hie on ðæm oðrum tældon.

present life, we begin at first to live in order to receive some portion of blessing at the end. He, therefore, who desires to become rich at the beginning of his life by unfair means, will deprive himself of blessing and riches at the last day. When they desire through their wicked avarice ever to increase their worldly riches, they will be deprived of the eternal country of our Father. Those who wish to acquire much, and also those who can acquire all they desire, may hear what Christ himself said ; he said: “What profits it any man to buy up the whole of this world, if he destroy his soul ?” As if Truth had openly said: “What benefits it a man to acquire all that is without him, if he lose what is within him, as if he gatbored all that is not his,