The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church/VI

by Ælfric

KL. JAN.	JANUARY I.
OCTABAS ET CIRCUMCISIO DOMINI NOSTRI.	THE OCTAVES AND CIRCUMCISION OF OUR LORD.
Se Godspellere Lucas beleac þis dægþerlice godspel mid feawum wordum, ac hit is mid menigfealdre mihte þære heofenlican gerynu afylled. He cwæð, "Postquam consummati sunt dies octo ut circumcideretur puer, uocatum est nomen ejus Iesus, quod uocatum est ab angelo, priusquam in utero conciperetur." Þæt is on ure geðeode, "Æfter þan ðe wǽron gefyllede ehta dagas Drihtnes acennednysse þæt he ymbsniden wære, þa wæs his nama geciged Iesus, þæt is Hælend, ðam naman he wæs geháten fram ðam engle, ærðam þe hé on innoðe geeacnod wære."	The evangelist Luke concluded the gospel of this day with few words, but they are filled with a manifold power of the heavenly mysteries. He said, "Postquam consummati sunt dies octo ut circumcideretur puer, vocatum est nomen ejus Jesus, quod vocatum est ab angelo, priusquam in utero conciperetur." That is in our tongue, "After that the eight days were accomplished from the Lord's birth, that he should be circumcised, his name was called Jesus, that is Saviour, by which name he was called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb."
Abraham se heahfæder wæs ærest manna ymbsniden, be Godes hæse. Abraham wæs Godes gespreca, and God to him genam geþoftrædene æfter Noes flóde swiðost, and him to cwæð, "Ic eom Ælmihtig Drihten, gang beforan me, and beo fulfremed. And ic sette min wed betwux me and ðe; and ic ðe þearle gemenigfylde, and þu bist manegra þeoda fæder. Cyningas aspringað of ðe, and ic sette min wed betwux me and ðe, and þinum ofspringe æfter ðe, þæt ic beo ðin God and ðines ofspringes." Abraham hine astrehte eallum limum to eorðan, and God him to cwæð, "Heald þu min wed, and þin ofspring æfter ðe on heora mægðum. Ðis is min wed, þæt ge healdan sceolon betwux me and eow; þæt ælc hyse-cild on eowrum cynrene beo ymbsniden: þæt tácn sy betwux me and eow. Ælc hyse-cild, þonne hit eahta nihta eald bið, sy ymbsniden, ægðer ge æþelboren ge þeowetling; and seðe þis forgæið his sawul losað, forðan þe hé min wed aýdlode. Ne beo ðu geciged heonon-forð Abram, ac Abraham, forðan þe ic gesette ðe manegra þeoda fæder. Ne ðin wif ne beo gehaten Saraí, ac beo gehaten Sarra; and ic hí gebletsige, and of hire ic ðe sylle sunu, þone ðu gecigest Isaac; and ic sette min wed to him and to his ofspringe on ecere fæstnunge. And æfter ðære spræce se Ælmihtiga up gewende." On þam ylcan dæge wæs Abraham ymbsniden, and eal his hyred, and syððan his sunu Isaac, on ðam eahtoðan dæge his acennednysse.	The patriarch Abraham was the first man circumcised by God's command. Abraham spake with God, and God held converse most with him after Noah's flood, and said, "I am the Lord Almighty; walk before me and be perfect. And I will set my covenant betwixt me and thee, and I will exceedingly multiply thee, and thou shalt be the father of many nations. Kings shall spring from thee, and I will set my covenant betwixt me and thee, and thy offspring after thee, that I am the God of thee and of thy offspring." Abraham prostrated himself with all his limbs to the earth, and God said to him, "Hold thou my covenant, and thy offspring after thee in their tribes. This is my covenant, which ye shall hold betwixt me and you; that every male child in your tribe shall be circumcised: be that a sign betwixt me and you. Let every male child, when it is eight nights old, be circumcised, both the noble-born and the slave; and he who neglecteth this, his soul shall perish, because he hath disregarded my covenant. Now be thou henceforth called not Abram, but Abraham, because I will establish thee as the father of many nations. Nor be thy wife called Sarai, but be called Sarah; and I will bless her, and of her I will give thee a son whom thou shalt call Isaac; and I will set my covenant with him and his offspring for everlasting duration. And after this speech the Almighty went up." On the same day Abraham was circumcised, and all his household, and afterwards his son Isaac, on the eighth day from his birth.
Abrahames nama wæs æt fruman mid fif stafum gecweden, Abram, þæt is, 'Healic fæder'; ac God geyhte his naman mid twam stafum, and gehet hine Abraham, þæt is, 'Manegra ðeoda fæder'; forðan þe God cwæð, þæt he hine gesette manegum ðeodum to fæder. Saraí wæs his wíf gehaten, þæt is gereht, 'Min ealdor,' ac God hi het syððan Sarra, þæt is, 'Ealdor,' þæt heo nære synderlice hire hiredes ealdor geciged, ac forðrihte 'Ealdor'; þæt is to understandenne ealra gelyfedra wifa moder. Hund-teontig geara wæs Abraham, and his gebedda hund-nigontig, ærðan ðe him cild gemæne wære. Þaða him cild com, þa com hit mid Godes foresceawunge and bletsunge to þan swiðe, þæt God behet eallum mancynne bletsunge þurh his cynn. Ða heold Abrahames cynn symle syððan Godes wed; and se heretoga Moyses, and eal Israhela mægð ealle hi ymbsnidon heora cild on þam eahtoðan dæge, and him naman gesceopon, oð þæt Crist on menniscnysse acenned wearð, seðe fulluht astealde, and ðære ealdan ǽ getacnunge to gastlicere soðfæstnysse awende.	Abraham's name was at first spoken with five letters, 'Abram,' that is High father; but God increased his name with two letters, and called him Abraham, that is Father of many nations: for God said that he had appointed him for father of many nations. His wife was called Sarai, which is interpreted, My chief; but God called her afterwards Sarah, that is Chief; that she might not be exclusively called her family's chief, but absolutely chief; which is to be understood, mother of all believing women. An hundred years old was Abraham, and his consort ninety, before they had a child between them. When a child came to them, it came so much with God's providence and blessing, that God promised blessing to all mankind through his kin. Then Abraham's kin ever held God's covenant; and the leader Moses, and all the tribe of Israel, circumcised their children on the eighth day, and gave them names, until Christ was born in human nature, who established baptism, and changed the token of the old law to spiritual righteousness.
Wén is þæt eower sum nyte hwæt sy ymbsnidennys. God bebead Abrahame, þæt he sceolde and his ofspring his wed healdan; þæt sum tacn wære on heora lichaman to geswutelunge þæt hi on God belyfdon, and het þæt he náme scearpecgedne flint, and forcurfe sumne dæl þæs felles æt foreweardan his gesceape. And þæt tacn wæs ða swa micel on geleaffullum mannum, swa micel swa nu is þæt halige fulluht, buton ðam anum þæt nan man ne mihte Godes rice gefaran, ærðan þe se come þe ða ealdan ǽ sette, and eft on his andwerdnysse hí to gastlicum þingum awende: ac gehwylce halgan andbidodon on Abrahames wununge buton tintregum, þeah on helle-wite, oðþæt se Alysend com, þe ðone ealdan deofol gewylde, and his gecorenan to heofenan rice gelædde.	It is probable that some of you know not what circumcision is. God commanded Abraham, that he and his offspring should hold his covenant; that there might be some sign on their bodies to show that they believed in God, and commanded him to take a sharp-edged flint, and cut off a part of the foreskin. And that token was then as great among believing men as is now the holy baptism, excepting only that no man could go to God's kingdom, before He came who should confirm the old law, and afterwards, by his presence, turn it to a spiritual sense: but every holy man abode in Abraham's dwelling, without torments, although in hell, until the Redeemer came, who overcame the old devil, and led his chosen to the kingdom of heaven.
Se ylca Hælend, þe nu egefullice and halwendlice clypað on his godspelle, "Buton gehwa beo ge-edcenned of wætere and of þam Halgum Gaste, ne mæg he faran into heofenan rice," se ylca clypode gefyrn þurh ða ealdan ǽ, "Swa hwylc hyse-cild swa ne bið ymbsniden on þam fylmene his flæsces his sawul losað, forðan þe he aydlode min wed." Þis tacen stód on Godes folce oð þæt Crist sylf com, and he sylf wæs þære halgan ǽ underþeod þe he gesette, þæt he ða alysde þe neadwislice ðære ǽ underþeodde wæron. He cwæð þæt he ne cóme to ðy þæt he wolde þa ealdan ǽ towurpan, ac gefyllan. Þa wearð he on þam eahtoðan dæge his gebyrd-tide lichamlice ymbsniden, swa swa he sylf ær tæhte; and mid þam geswutelode þæt seo ealde ǽ wæs halig and gód on hire timan, þam ðe hire gehyrsume wæron. Hit wæs gewunelic þæt þa magas sceoldon þam cilde naman gescyppan on ðam eahtoðan dæge mid þære ymbsnidennysse, ac hí ne dorston nænne oðerne naman Criste gescyppan þonne se heah-engel him gesette, ærðan þe hé on his modor innoðe geeacnod wære, þæt is, Iesus, and on urum gereorde, Hælend, forðan ðe he gehælð his folc fram heora synnum.	The same Saviour, who now awfully and salutarily cries in his gospel, "Unless anyone be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot go to the kingdom of heaven," the same cried of old, through the old law, "Whatever male child shall not be circumcised in the foreskin of his flesh, his soul shall perish, because he hath disregarded my covenant." This sign stood among God's people until Christ himself came, and he himself was subject to the holy law that he had established, that he might release those who had necessarily been subjected to the old law. He said that he came not to overthrow, but to fulfil the old law. Then on the eighth day from his birth he was bodily circumcised, as he himself had before taught, and thereby manifested that the old law was holy and good in its time for those who were obedient to it. It was usual that the parents should give a name to the child on the eighth day, with circumcision, but they durst not give any other name to Christ than what the archangel had fixed on for him, before he was conceived in his mother's womb, that is, Jesus, and in our tongue, Saviour, because he shall save his people from their sins.
Nis nu alyfed cristenum mannum þæt hi þas ymbsnidennysse lichamlice healdan, ac þeah-hwæðere nan man ne bið soðlice cristen, buton he ða ymbsnidennysse on gastlicum ðeawum gehealde. Hwæt getacnað þæs fylmenes of-cyrf on ðam gesceape, buton galnysse wanunge? Eaðe mihte þes cwyde beon læwedum mannum bediglod, nære seo gastlice getacning. Hit ðincð ungelæredum mannum dyselig to gehyrenne; ac gif hit him dyslic þince, þonne cide he wið God, þe hit gesette, na wið us, þe hit secgað. Ac wite gehwa to gewissan, buton he his flæsclican lustas and galnysse gewanige, þæt he ne hylt his cristendóm mid rihtum biggenge. Be ðysum ðinge ge habbað oft gehyred, ac us is acumendlicere eower gebelh, þonne þæs Ælmihtigan Godes grama, gif we his bebodu forsuwiað. Gif ge willað æfter menniscum gesceade lybban, þonne sind ge gastlice ymbsnidene; gif ge þonne eowere galnysse underþeodde beoð, þonne beo ge swa se witega cwæð, "Se mann ðaða he on wurðmynte wæs he hit ne understod; he is forðy wiðmeten stuntum nytenum, and is him gelíc geworden."	It is not now allowed to christian men to observe circumcision bodily, but, nevertheless, no man is truly a christian, unless he observe circumcision in spiritual conduct. What does the amputation of the foreskin betoken but decrease of lust? This discourse might easily be concealed from the laymen, were it not for its spiritual signification. To unlearned men it seems foolish to hear; but if it seems foolish to him, let him chide God, who established it, not us, who say it. But let everyone know for certain, unless he diminish his fleshly lusts and wantonness, that he holds not his christianity with right observance. Of this matter ye have often heard, but to us your displeasure is more tolerable than the anger of Almighty God, if we announce not his commandments. If ye will live according to human reason, then are ye spiritually circumcised; but if ye will be subjected to your libidinousness, then will ye be as the prophet said, "Man, when he was in dignity understood it not; he is, therefore, compared with the foolish beasts, and is become like unto them."
Forðy sealde God mannum gesceád, þæt hi sceoldon oncnawan heora Scyppend, and mid biggenge his beboda þæt ece lif geearnian. Witodlice se fyrenfulla bið earmra ðonne ænig nyten, forðan þe þæt nyten næfð nane sawle, ne næfre ne ge-edcucað, ne þa toweardan wita ne ðrowað. Ac we ðe sind to Godes anlicnysse gesceapene, and habbað únateorigendlice saule, we sceolon of deaðe arísan, and agyldan Gode gescead ealra ura geðohta, and worda, and weorca. Ne sceole we forðy sinderlice on anum lime beon ymbsnidene, ac we sceolon ða fulan galnysse symle wanian, and ure eagan fram yfelre gesihðe awendan, and earan from yfelre heorcnunge; urne múð fram leasum spræcum, handa fram mándædum; ure fotwylmas fram deadbærum siðfæte, ure heortan fram facne. Gif we swa fram leahtrum ymbsnidene beoð, þonne bið ús geset níwe nama; swa swa se wítega Isaías cwæð, "God gecígð his ðeowan oðrum naman." Eft se ylca wítega cwæð, "Þu bist gecíged niwum naman, þone ðe Godes múð genemnode." Se níwa nama is 'Cristianus,' þæt is, Cristen. Ealle we sind of Criste cristene gehátene, ac we sceolon ðone arwurðfullan naman mid æðelum þeawum geglengan, þæt we ne beon lease cristene. Gif we ðas gastlican ymbsnidennysse on urum ðeawum healdað, þonne sind we Abrahames cynnes, æfter soðum geleafan; swa swa se þeoda lareow Paulus cwæð to geleaffullum, "Gif ge sind Cristes, þonne sind ge Abrahames sǽd, and æfter behate yrfenuman." Petrus eac se apostol tihte geleaffulle wíf to eadmodnysse and gemetfæstnysse, ðus cweðende, "Swa swa Sarra gehyrsumode Abrahame, and hine hlaford het, ðære dohtra ge sind, wel donde and na ondrædende ænige gedrefednysse."	Therefore has God given reason to men that they might acknowledge their Creator, and by observance of his commandments, merit eternal life. Verily the wicked man is more miserable than any beast, because the beast has no soul, nor will ever be quickened again, nor suffer future punishments. But we, who are created after God's likeness, and have an unperishable soul, we shall arise from death, and render to God an account of all our thoughts, and words, and works. Therefore we should not merely be circumcised in one member, but should constantly diminish foul libidinousness, and turn our eyes from evil seeing, and ears from evil hearing; our mouth from leasing speeches, hand from wicked deeds; our footsteps from the deadly path, our hearts from guile. If we are thus circumcised from sins, then will a new name be given us, as the prophet Isaiah said, "God will call his servants by other names." Again, the same prophet said, "Thou shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of God hath named." That new name is 'Christianus,' that is, Christian. We are all from Christ called christians, but we should adorn that honourable name with exalted morals, that we be not false christians. If we observe this spiritual circumcision in our morals, then are we of Abraham's kin, in true faith; as the apostle of the gentiles, Paul, said to the faithful, "If ye are Christ's, then are ye of Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Peter the apostle also exhorted faithful women to humility and modesty, thus saying, "As Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord, whose daughters ye are, well doing and not fearing any affliction."
Se eahtoða dæg, þe þæt cild on ymbsniden wæs, getacnode ða eahtoðan ylde ðyssere worulde, on þære we arisað of deaðe ascyrede fram ælcere brosnunge and gewemmednysse ures lichaman. Þæt stænene sex, þe þæt cild ymbsnað, getacnode ðone stán ðe se apostol cwæð, "Se stán soðlice wæs Crist." He cwæð wæs for ðære getacnunge, na for edwiste. Þurh Cristes geleafan, and hiht, and soðe lufe, beoð singallice estfulle heortan mid dæghwonlicere ymbsnidenysse afeormode fram leahtrum, and ðurh his gife onlihte.	The eighth day, on which the child was circumcised, betokened the eighth age of this world, in which we shall arise from death, parted from every earthly corruption and pollution of our body. The stone knife, which circumcised the child, betokened the stone of which the apostle said, "The stone verily was Christ." He said was, meaning a type, not in substance. Through belief, and hope, and true love of Christ, are pious hearts cleansed, by daily circumcision, from their sins, and through his grace enlightened.
We habbað oft gehyred þæt men hatað þysne dæg geares dæg, swylce þes dæg fyrmest sy on geares ymbryne; ac we ne gemetað nane geswutelunge on cristenum bocum, hwí þes dæg to geares anginne geteald sy. Þa ealdan Romani, on hæðenum dagum, ongunnon þæs geares ymbryne on ðysum dæge; and ða Ebreiscan leoda on lenctenlicere emnihte; ða Greciscan on sumerlicum sunstede; and þa Egyptiscan ðeoda ongunnon heora geares getel on hærfeste. Nu onginð ure gerím, æfter Romaniscre gesetnysse, on ðysum dæge, for nanum godcundlicum gesceade, ac for ðam ealdan gewunan. Sume ure ðening-béc onginnað on Aduentum Domini; nis ðeah þær forðy ðæs geares ord, ne eac on ðisum dæge nis mid nánum gesceade; þeah ðe ure gerím-béc on þissere stówe ge-edlæcon. Rihtlicost bið geðuht þæt þæs geares anginn on ðam dæge sy gehæfd, þe se Ælmihtiga Scyppend sunnan, and mónan, and steorran, and ealra tida anginn gesette; þæt is on þam dæge þe þæt Ebreisce folc heora geares getel onginnað; swa swa se heretoga Moyses on ðam ælicum bocum awrát. Witodlice God cwæð to Moysen be ðam monðe, "Þes monað is monða anginn, and he bið fyrmest on geares monðum." Nu heold þæt Ebreisce folc ðone forman geares dæg on lenctenlicere emnihte, forðan ðe on ðam dæge wurdon gearlice tida gesette.	We have often heard that men call this day the day of the year, as if this day were first in the circuit of the year; but we find no explanation in christian books, why this day is accounted the beginning of the year. The old Romans, in heathen days, begun the circuit of the year on this day; and the Hebrew nations on the vernal equinox; the Greeks on the summer solstice; and the Egyptians begun their year at harvest. Now our calendar begins, according to the Roman institution, on this day, not for any religious reason, but from old custom. Some of our service-books begin on the Lord's Advent; but not on that account is that the beginning of the year, nor is it with any reason placed on this day; though our calendars, in this place, repeat it. Most rightly it has been thought that the beginning of the year should be observed on the day that the Almighty Creator placed the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the beginning of all the seasons; that is on the day that the Hebrew people begin the calculation of their year; as the leader Moses has written in the books of laws. Verily God said to Moses concerning that month, "This month is the beginning of months, and it is first of the months of the year." Now the Hebrew people held the first day of the year on the vernal equinox, because on that day the yearly seasons were set.
Se eahteteoða dæg þæs monðes þe we hátað Martius, ðone ge hatað Hlyda, wæs se forma dæg ðyssere worulde. On ðam dæge worhte God leoht, and merigen, and æfen. Ða eódon þry dagas forð buton tída gemetum; forðan þe tunglan næron gesceapene, ær on þam feorðan dæge. On ðam feorðan dæge gesette se Ælmihtiga ealle tungla and gearlice tída, and hét þæt hí wǽron to tácne dagum and gearum. Nu ongynnað þa Ebreiscan heora geares anginn on þam dæge þe ealle tida gesette wæron, þæt is on ðam feorðan dæge woruldlicere gesceapenysse; and se lareow Beda telð mid micclum gesceade þæt se dæg is XII. KL, ðone dæg we freolsiað þam halgum were Benedick to wurðmynte, for his micclum geðincðum. Hwæt eac seo eorðe cyð mid hire ciðum, þe ðonne ge-edcuciað, þæt se tima is þæt rihtlicoste geares anginn, ðe hí on gesceapene wæron.	The eighteenth day of the month that we call March, which ye call Hlyda, was the first day of this world. On that day God made light, and morning, and evening. Then three days went forth without any measure of times; for the heavenly bodies were not created before the fourth day. On the fourth day the Almighty fixed all the heavenly bodies, and the yearly seasons, and commanded that they should be for a sign, for days, and for years. Now the Hebrews begin their year on the day when all the seasons were appointed, that is on the fourth day of the world's creation, and the doctor Beda reckons, with great discretion, that that day is the twenty-first of March, the day which we celebrate in honour of the holy man Benedict, for his great excellencies. Aye, the earth also makes known by her plants, which then return to life, that the time at which they were created is the most correct beginning of the year.
Nu wígliað stunte men menigfealde wígelunga on ðisum dæge, mid micclum gedwylde, æfter hæðenum gewunan, ongean heora cristendom, swylce hí magon heora líf gelengan, oþþe heora gesundfulnysse, mid þam ðe hí gremiað þone Ælmihtigan Scyppend. Sind eac manega mid swa micclum gedwylde befangene, þæt hí cepað be ðam monan heora fær, and heora dæda be dagum, and nellað heora ðing wanian on monan-dæg, for anginne ðære wucan; ac se monan-dæg nis na fyrmest daga on þære wucan, ac is se oðer. Se sunnan-dæg is fyrmest on gesceapenysse and on endebyrdnysse, and on wurðmynte. Secgað eac sume gedwæsmenn þæt sum orfcyn sy þe man bletsigan ne sceole, and cweðað þæt hí þurh bletsunge misfarað, and ðurh wyrigunge geðeoð, and brucað þonne Godes gife him on teonan, buton bletsunge, mid deofles awyrigednysse. Ælc bletsung is of Gode, and wyrigung of deofle}}. God gesceop ealle gesceafta, and deofol nane gesceafta scyppan ne mæg, ac he is yfel tihtend, and leas wyrcend, synna ordfruma, and sawla bepæcend.	Now foolish men practise manifold divinations on this day, with great error, after heathen custom, against their christianity, as if they could prolong their life or their health, while they provoke the Almighty Creator. Many are also possessed with such great error, that they regulate their journeying by the moon, and their acts according to days, and will not undertake anything on Monday, because of the beginning of the week; though Monday is not the first day in the week, but is the second. Sunday is the first in creation, in order, and in dignity. Some foolish men also say, that there are some kinds of animals which one should not bless; and say that they decline by blessing, and by cursing thrive, and so enjoy God's grace to their injury, without blessing, with the devil's malediction. Every blessing is of God, and curse of the devil. God created all creatures, and the devil can create no creatures, for he is an inciter to evil, and worker of falsehood, author of sins, and deceiver of souls.
Þa gesceafta ðe sind þwyrlice geðuhte, hí sind to wrace gesceapene yfel-dædum. Oft halige men wunedon on westene betwux reðum wulfum and leonum, betwux eallum deorcynne and wurmcynne, and him nan ðing derian ne mihte; ac hí totæron þa hyrnedan næddran mid heora nacedum handum, and þa micclan dracan eaðelice acwealdon, buton ælcere dare, þurh Godes mihte.	The creatures that are thought monstrous have been created for punishment of evil deeds. Holy men often dwelt in the waste among fierce wolves and lions, among all the beast kind and the worm kind, and nothing might harm them; but they tore the horned serpents with their naked hands, and the great snakes they easily slew, without any hurt, through God's might.
Wa ðam men þe brícð Godes gesceafta, buton his bletsunge, mid deofellicum wíglungum, þonne se ðeoda lareow cwæð, Paulus, "Swa hwæt swa ge doð on worde, oððe on weorce, doð symle on Drihtnes naman, þancigende þam Ælmihtigan Fæder þurh his Bearn." Nis þæs mannes cristendom naht, þe mid deoflicum wíglungum his líf adrihð; he is gehíwod to cristenum men, and is earm hæðengylda; swa swa se ylca apostol be swylcum cwæð, "Ic wene þæt ic swunce on ydel, ðaða ic eow to Gode gebigde: nu ge cepað dagas and monðas mid ydelum wíglungum."	Woe to the man who uses God's creatures, without his blessing, with diabolical charms, when the apostle of the gentiles, Paul, has said, "Whatsoever ye do in word or in work, do always in the name of the Lord, thanking the Almighty Father through his Son." That man's christianity is naught, who passes his life in diabolical charms; he is in appearance a christian man, and is a miserable heathen; as the same apostle said of such, "I believe that I laboured in vain when I inclined you to God, now ye observe days and months with vain auguries."
Is hwæðere æfter gecynde on gesceapennysse ælc lichamlice gesceaft ðe eorðe acenð fulre and mægenfæstre on fullum monan þonne on gewanedum. Swa eac treowa, gif hí beoð on fullum monan geheawene, hí beoð heardran and langfǽrran to getimbrunge, and swiðost, gif hí beoð unsæpige geworhte. Nis ðis nan wíglung, ac is gecyndelic ðincg þurh gesceapenysse. Hwæt eac seo sǽ wunderlice geþwærlæcð þæs monan ymbrene; symle hí beoð geferan on wæstme and on wanunge. And swa swa se mona dæghwonlice feower pricon lator arist, swa eac seo sǽ symle feower pricum lator fleowð.	Every bodily creature in the creation which the earth produces, is, however, according to nature, fuller and stronger in full moon than in decrease. Thus trees also, if they are felled in full moon, are harder and more lasting for building, and especially if they are made sapless. This is no charm, but is a natural thing from their creation. The sea too agrees wonderfully with the course of the moon; they are always companions in their increase and waning. And as the moon rises daily four points later, so also the sea flows always four points later.
Uton besettan urne hiht and ure gesælða on þæs Ælmihtigan Scyppendes foresceawunge, seðe ealle gesceafta on ðrim ðingum gesette, þæt is on gemete, and on getele, and on hefe. Sy him wuldor and lof á on ecnysse. Amen.	Let us set our hope and our happiness in the providence of the Almighty Creator, who hath placed all creatures in three things; that is in measure, and in number, and in weight. Be to him glory and praise ever to eternity. Amen.