Matthew · Chapter 6

[ edit] Take ȝee hede, leſt ȝe don ȝour riȝtwiſneſſe before men, þat ȝee be ſeen of hem, ellis ȝe ſhule nat han meed at ȝoure fadir þat is in heuenes. Þerfore when þou doſt almeſſe, nyle þou ſynge byfore þee in a trumpe, as ypocritis don in ſynagogis and ſtreetis, þat þei ben maad worſhipful of men; forſoþe Y ſaye to ȝou, þei han reſceyued her meede. But þee doynge almeſſe, knowe nat þe left hond what þi riȝt hond doþ, þat þi almes be in hidlis, and þi fadir þat ſeeþ in hidlis, ſhal ȝelde to þee.

And when ȝe ſhuln preye, ȝee ſhuln nat be as ypocritis, þe whiche ſtondynge louen to preye in ſynagogis and corners of ſtreetis, þat þei be ſeen of men; trewly Y ſay to ȝou, þei han reſſeyued her meede. But whan þou ſhalt preye, entre in to þi couche, and þe dore ſchet, preye þi fadir in hidlis, and þi fadir þat ſeeþ in hidlis, ſhal ȝeelde to þee. Soþely preyinge nyle ȝee ſpeke moche, as heþen men don, for þei geſſen þat þei ben herd in þeire moche ſpeche. Þerfore nyl ȝe be maad liche to hem, for ȝoure fadir woot what is need to ȝou, before þat ȝe axen hym.

Forſoþe þus ȝe ſhulen preyen, Oure fadir þat art in heuenes, halwid be þi name; þi kyngdom cumme to; be þi wille don as in heuen and in erþe; ȝif to vs þis day oure breed ouer oþer ſubſtaunce; and forȝeue to vs oure dettis, as we forȝeue to oure dettours; and leede vs nat in to temptacioun, but delyuere vs fro yuel. Amen, þat is, ſo be it. Forſoþe ȝif ȝee ſhulen forȝeue to men her ſynnys, and ȝoure heuenly fadir ſhal forȝeue to ȝou ȝoure treſpaſſis. Soþely ȝif ȝee ſhulen forȝeue not to men, neiþer ȝoure fadir ſhal forȝeue to ȝou ȝoure ſynnes.

But when ȝee faſten, nyl ȝe be maad as ypocritis ſorweful, for þei putten her facis out of kyndly termys, þat þei ſeme faſtynge to men; trewly Y ſay to ȝou, þei han reſſeyued her meede. But whan þou faſtiſt, anoynte þin hede, and waſhe þi face, þat þou be nat ſeen faſtynge to men, but to þi fadir þat is in hidlis, and þi fadir þat ſeeþ in hidlis, ſhal ȝeelde to þee. Nyle ȝe treſoure to ȝou treſours in erþe, wher ruſt and mouȝþe diſtruyeþ, and wher þeeues deluen out and ſtelen; but treſoure ȝee to ȝou treſouris in heuene, wher neiþer ruſt ne mouȝþe diſtruyeþ, and wher þeues deluen nat out, or undirmyne nat, ne ſtelen. Forſoþe wher þi treſour is, þere and þin herte is.

Þe lanterne of þi body is þin eȝe; ȝif þin eiȝe be ſymple, al þi body ſhal be liȝtful; bot ȝif þyn eiȝe be weyward, al þi body ſhal be derkful. Þerfore ȝif þe liȝt þat is in þee be derkneſſis, how grete ſhulen þilk derkneſſis be? No man may ſerue to two lordis, forſoþe eþir he ſhal haat þe toon, and loue þe toþer; oþer he ſhal ſuſteyn þe toon, and diſpiſe þe toþir. Ȝe mown nat ſerue to God and richeſſis. Þerfore Y ſay to ȝou, þat ȝe ben nat beſie to ȝoure lijf, what ȝe ſhulen ete; oþir to ȝoure body, wiþ what ȝe ſhuln be cloþid. Wher ȝoure lijf is nat more þan mete, and þe body more þan cloþe?

Beholde ȝe þe fleeȝinge foulis of þe eir, for þei ſowen nat, ne repyn, neiþer gadren in to bernys; and ȝoure fadir of heuen fediþ hem. Wher ȝe ben nat more worþi þan þei? Soþely who of ȝou þenkinge may putte to to his ſtature oo cubite? And of cloþing what ben ȝe beſye? Beholde ȝe þe lilies of þe feelde, how þei wexen. Þei traueilen nat, neþer ſpynnen; trewly I ſay to ȝou, for whi neiþer Salamon in al his glorie was keuerid as oon of þes. For ȝif God cloþiþ þus þe heye of þe feeld, þat to day is, and to morwe is ſente in to þe fourneyſe, how moche more ȝou of litil feiþ? Þerfore nyl ȝe be biſie, ſayinge, What ſhulen we ete? or, What ſhulen we drynke? or, Wiþ what þing ſhulen we be keuered?

Forſoþe heiþen men ſechen alle þeſe þingis; trewly ȝoure fadir wote þat ȝe han need to alle þeſe þingis. Þerfore ſeke ȝee firſt þe kyngdam of God and his riȝtwiſneſſe, and alle þeſe þingis ſhulen be caſt to ȝou. Þerfore nyle ȝe be beſie in to þe morwe, for þe morew day ſhal be beſie to it ſelf; ſoþely it ſufficiþ to þe day his malice.