Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/60

Hatton MS.] alteres, ðylæs ænig unclænsod dorste on swa micelne haligdom fón ðære clænan ðegnenga ðæs sacerdhades, oððe eft ænig durre on eaðmodnesse hiwe hit ofermodlice forcweðan, swelce he licette eaðmetto, & doo ðeah for gilpe, gif hine gecist sio uplice gifu. Ac forðæmðe hit swa earfoðe is ænegum menn to witanne hwonne he geclænsod sie, he mæg ðy orsorglicor forbugan ða ðegnunga; ond næs swaðeah to anwillice ne forbuge he, swa we ær cwædon, ðonne he óngiete ðone ufancundan willan ðæt he hit dón scyle. Ægðer ðissa gefylde Moyses ða he wiðsóc swa miclum ealdordome. Ægðer ge he wolde ge he nolde, & ðeah for eaðmodnesse geðafode. We witon ðæt he nære eaðmod, gif he underfenge ðone ealdordom swelces unrimfolces buton ege; & eft he wære ofermod, gif he [wið-]cwæde ðæt he nære underðidd his Scippende. Ac ægðer ðissa he dyde for eaðmodnesse & for underðidednesse. He sceawode hine selfne, & pinsode, ða ða him ðuhte ðæt he hit doon ne meahte, & swaðeah geðafode, forðamðe he getruwode ðæs mægene ðe hit him bebead. Hwat se haliga wer ongeat þæt he hæfde Godes fultom, & swaðeah ondred ðæt he underfenge ðone lattiowdóm ðæ[s] folces, & nu him ne ondrædað ða dolan for hiera agnum scyldum ðæt hie sien ofer oðre, & ne magon him gegaderian on ðyllicum biwene hu micel synn & hu micel frecennes hit bið. God selfa tyhte Moyses on ðone folgoð, swaðeah he him óndred; ond nu fandiað swelce wræccan & teoð to, woldon underfon ðone weorðscipe & eac ða byrðenne; & ða ðe beoð mid hira agnum byrðennum ofðrycte ðæt hie ne magon gestondan, hie willað lustlic[e] underfōn oðerra monna, ond unniedige hie underlutað

would have been presumptuous, if he had refused to be subject to his Maker. But he did both out of humility and docility. He contemplated himself, and thought that he could not do it, and yet consented, for he trusted in the might of him who offered it him. The holy man saw that he had God's help, and yet feared to undertake the leadership of the people, and yet fools are not afraid because of their own sins to rule others, and cannot infer from such an example how great sin and presumption it is. God himself encouraged Moses to rule, yet he feared; and yet such wretches try for, and aspire to undertake the dignity and burden; and those who are oppressed with their own burdens so that they cannot keep their footing, are