Matthew · Chapter 25

[ edit] Thanne þe kyngdam of heuenes ſhal be lic to ten virgynys, þe whiche, takynge her laumpis, wente out meetynge þe ſpouſe, or huſbonde, and þe ſpouſeſſe, or wijf; forſoþe fyue of hem weren foolis, and fyue prudent. But þe fyue foolis, her laumpis taken, token nat oyle wiþ hem; forſoþe þe prudent token oyle in her veſſels wiþ laumpis. Forſoþe þe ſpouſe, or houſbonde, makynge dwellynge, alle nappiden and ſlepten. Soþely at myd niȝt a cry was maad, Loo! þe ſpouſe cummeþ, go ȝee out metynge to hym. Þanne alle þe virgynys ryſen vp, and anourneden her laumpis. Soþely þe foolis ſeiden to þe wiſe, Ȝeue ȝee to vs of ȝoure oile, for oure laumpis ben qwenchid.

Þe prudent anſwereden, ſeyinge, Leſt perauenture it ſuffiſe nat to us and to ȝou, go ȝee raþer to men ſellynge, and bye to ȝou. Forſoþe þe while þei wenten for to bye, þe ſpouſe came; and þo þat weren redy, entriden in wiþ hym to þe weddyngis; and þe ȝate is ſhit. Soþely at þe laſt and þe oþer virgynys camen, ſeyinge, Lord, lord, opene to vs. And he anſwerynge ſeiþ, Treuly I ſeie to ȝou, I knowe nat ȝou. And ſo wake ȝee, and preye, for ȝee witen nat þe day ne þe hour.

Soþely as a man goynge fer in pilgrimage, clepide his ſeruauntis, and bitoke to hem his goodis; and to oon he ȝaue fyue talentis, or beſauntis, forſoþe to an oþer two, but to an oþer oon, to eche after his owne vertu; and wente forþ anoon. Forſoþe and he þat hadde take fyue talentis, wente forþ, and wrouȝte in hem, and wan oþer fyue. Alſo and he þat hadde taken two, wan oþer two. Soþely he þat hadde taken oon, goynge forþ, dalf in to þe erþe, and hidde þe mone of his lord. Bot after muche tyme, þe lord of þo ſeruauntis came, and puttide reſoun wiþ hem. And he þat hadde taken fyue talentis, cummynge to, offride oþer fyue, ſeyinge, Lord, þou bitokiſt me fyue talentis, or beſauntis, loo!

I haue geten ouer oþer fyue. His lord ſeiþ to hym, Wel be þou, good ſeruaunt and feiþful, or trewe; for vpon fewe þingis þou haſt ben trewe, I ſhal ordeyne þee vpon many þingis; entre þou in to þe ioye of þi lord. Forſoþe and he þat hadde taken two talentis, came to, and ſeiþ, Lord, þou bitokiſt to me two talentis; loo! I haue geten ouer oþer two. His lord ſeiþ to him, Wel be þou, good ſeruaunt and trewe; for vpon fewe þingis þou haſt ben trewe, I ſhal ordeyne þee vpon many þingis; entre þou in to þe ioye of þi lord.

Forſoþe and he þat hadde taken oo talent, cummynge to, ſeiþ, Lord, I wote þat þou art an hard man; þou repiſt wher þou haſt nat ſewen, and þou gederiſt to gidre wher þou haſt nat ſpreedde abrood; and I dredynge wente, and hidde þi talent in þe erþe; loo! þou haſt þat þat is þin. Soþely his lord anſwerynge, ſeide to hym, Yuel ſeruaunt and ſlowe, wiſtiſt þou þat I repe wher I ſewe nat, and gedere to gidre wher I ſpradde nat abrood? Þerfore it bihouyde þee to ſende, or betaken, my monee to chaungers, þat and I cummynge ſhulde haue reſceyued forſoþe þat þat is myn wiþ vſuris. And ſo take ȝe awey fro hym þe talent, and ȝeue ȝe it to hym þat haþ ten talentis.

For to euery man hauynge it ſhal be ȝouen, and he ſhal haue plente; and to hym þat haþ nat, and þat þat he ſemeþ to haue, ſhal be taken fro hym. And caſte ȝee out þe vnprofitable ſeruaunt, and ſend ȝee hym in to vttermore derkneſſis; þere ſhal be weepynge, and betyng to gidre of teeþ. Forſoþe whanne mannes ſone ſhal cume in his mageſte, and alle his angelis wiþ hym, þanne he ſhal ſitte on þe ſege of his mageſtee; and alle folkis ſhulen be gederid before hym, and he ſchal departe hem atwynne, as a ſheperde departiþ ſcheep fro kidis; and ſoþli he ſchal ſeette þe ſcheep on his riȝþalf, þe kidis forſoþe on þe lefþalf.

Þanne þe kyng ſchal ſeie to hem, þat ſhulen be on his riȝþalf, Come ȝee, þe bleſſid of my fadir, welde ȝee, or take ȝee in poſſeſſioun, þe kyngdam maad redy to ȝou fro þe bygynnynge, or makynge, of þe world. Forſoþe I was hungry, and ȝe ȝauen to me for to ete; I þriſtide, and ȝee ȝeuen to me for to drynke; I was herberleſſe, and ȝee gederiden, or herberden, me; nakid, and ȝee heliden me; ſeik, and ȝee viſitiden me; I was in priſoun, and ȝe camen to me.

Þanne iuſt men ſhulen anſwere to hym, ſeyinge, Lord, whenne ſyȝen we þee hungry, and we fedd þee; þriſty, and we ȝeuen to þee drynke? whenne forſoþe ſeien we þee herberleſſe, and we gedriden þee; or nakid, and we heliden þee? or whenne ſeien we þee ſeek, or in priſoun, and we camen to þee? And he anſwerynge ſhal ſeie to hem, Treuly I ſeie to ȝou, as long as ȝee diden to oon of þeſe my leſte breþren, ȝee diden to me. Þanne þe kyng ſhal ſeie and to hem, þat ſhulen be on his left half, Depart fro me, ȝee curſid, in to euerlaſtynge fijr, þe whiche is maad redy to þe deuyl and his angelis.

Soþely I hungeryde, and ȝe ȝauen nat to me for to ete; I þriſtide, and ȝee ȝauen nat to me for to drynke; I was herberleſſe, and ȝee gedriden nat me; nakid, and ȝee couereden nat me; ſeik, and in priſoun, and ȝee viſitiden nat me. Þanne and þei ſhulen anſwere to hym, ſeyinge, Lord, whanne ſeien we þee hungrynge, or þriſtynge, or herberleſſe, or nakid, or ſeik, or in priſoun, and we ſeruyden nat to þee? Þanne he ſhal anſwere to hem, ſeiynge, Treuly I ſeie to ȝou, hou longe ȝee diden nat to oon of þeſe leſte, neþere ȝee diden to me. And þeſe ſhulen go in to euerlaſtynge tourment; forſoþe þe iuſt men in to euere laſtinge lyf.