Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/78

Hatton MS.] flæsclican weorc. Hwæt on ðæs siwenigean eagum beoð ða æpplas hale, ac ða bræwas greatigað, forðam hie beoð oft drygde for ðæm tearum ðe ðær gelome offlowað, oððæt sio scearpnes bið gewird ðæs æpples. Swa sindon wel monege ðara ðe gewundiað hiera mod mid ðæm weorcum ðisses flæsclican lifes, ða ðe meahton smealice & scearplice mid hiera &gíte ryht geseon, ac mid ðæm gewunan ðara wona weorca ðæt mod bið adimmod. Se bið eallinga siwenige ðonne his mod & his &git ðæt gecynd ascirpð, & he hit ðonne self gesci[e]nt mid his ungewunan & wom wilnungum. Be ðæm wæs wel gecweden ðurh ðone ængel: Smiriað eowre eagan mid sealfe ðæt ge mægen geseon. Đonne we smierewað ure heortan eage mid sealfe ðæt we mægen ðy bet geseon, ðonne we mid ðæm læcedome godra weorca gefultumað urum ondgite ðæt hit bið ascirped to ongietenne ða bierhtu ðæs soðan leohtes. Se ðonne hæfð eallinga fleah on his modes eagum, ðe on nane wisan ne mæg ryhtwisnesse geseon, ac bið áblend mid unwisdone ðæt he ne ongit ða uplican ryhtwisnesse. Đurh ðone æpl ðæs eagan mon mæg geseon, gif him ðæt fleah on ne gæð, gif hine ðonne ðæt fleah mid ealle ofergæð, ðonne ne mæg he noht geseon. Sua eac bi ðæs modes eagum is gecueden, gif ðæt ondgit ðæs menniscan geðohtes ongiett ðæt hit self dysig sie & synfull, ðonne [ge]grip hit ðurh ðone wenan ðæt andgit ðære incundan byrhto; gif he ðonne self wenð ðæt he sie wis & gescadwíslice ryhtwis, mid ðy he hiene bedælð ðære oncnawnesse ðæs uplecan leohtes, & micle ðy læs he ongiet ða bierhto ðæs [s]oðan leohtes ðonne he hiene upahefeð on his mode on suelc

so that he does not understand celestial righteousness. A man can see with the pupil of the eye if it is not covered with albugo, but if it is entirely covered with albugo, he cannot see anything. So also it is said of the mind's eyes that if the understanding of human thought perceives that it is itself foolish and sinful, through that idea it grasps conception of inner brightness; but if he himself thinks that he is wise and prudently righteous, he thereby deprives himself of the recognition of celestial light, and he understands so much the less of the brightness of true light by extolling himself in spirit with such pride and egotism; as is said of certain men: "They said they were wise, and therefore they became foolish." He is afflicted with chronic scabbiness who never refrains