Luke · Chapter 16

[ edit] Forſoþe he ſeide alſo to his diſciplis, Þer was ſum riche man, þat hadde a fermour, eþir a baily; and þis was defamyd anentis him, as he hadde waſtid his goodis. And he clepide him, and ſeide to him, What heere I þis þing of þee? ȝeld reſoun of þi ferme, for now þou ſchalt not mowe holde þi ferme. Forſoþ þe fermour ſeide wiþ ynne him ſilf, What ſchal I do, for my lord takiþ awey fro me þe ferme? I may not delue, I am aſchamyd to begge. I woot what I ſchal do, þat whanne I ſchal be remouyd fro þe ferme, þei receyue me in to her houſis. And alle þe dettours of þe lord clepid to gidere, he ſeide to þe firſte, Hou moche owiſt þou to my lord?

And he ſeide to him, An hundrid barelis of oyle. And he ſeide to him, Taak þin obligacioun, and ſitte ſoon, and wryt fyfti. Aftirward he ſeyde to anoþer, Soþli hou moche owiſt þou? Which ſeide, An hundrid meſuris of whete. And he ſeide to him, Tak þi lettris, and wryt foure ſcore. And þe lord preiſide þe fermour of wickidneſſe, for he hadde don prudently; for þe ſones of þis world ben more prudent in her generacioun þan þe ſones of liȝt. And I ſeie to ȝou, make to ȝou frendes of þe richeſſe of wickidneſſe, þat whan ȝe ſhulen fayle, þei receyue ȝou in to euerlaſtynge tabernaclis.

He þat is feiþful in þe leeſte þing, is feiþful alſo in more; and he þat is wickid in a litil þing, is wickid alſo in þe more. Þerfore if ȝe weren not trewe in wicked riches, who ſchal bitake to ȝou þis þat is verri? And if ȝe weren not trewe in alien þing, who ſchal ȝyue to ȝou þis þat is ȝoure? No man ſeruaunt may ſerue twey lordis; forſoþe eþer he ſchal hate oon, and loue þe toþir; eþer he ſchal cleue to oon, and diſpiſe þe tohir. Ȝe mown not ſerue to God and to riches. Forſoþ Fariſees, þat weren coueytouſe, herden alle þes þingis, and þei ſcornyden him.

And he ſeide to hem, Ȝe it ben, þat iuſtifyen ȝou bifore men; ſoþli God knowiþ ȝoure hertis, for þat þing þat is hiȝ to men, is abominacioun anemptis God. Þe lawe and prophetis til to John; fro þat tyme þe rewme of God is prechid, and ech man makiþ violence in to it. Forſoþe it is liȝter heuene and erþe to paſſe ouer, þan o titil falle fro þe lawe. Ech man þat forſakiþ his wyf, and weddiþ anoþer, doiþ auoutrie; and he þat weddiþ þe wyf forſakun of þe hoſebonde, doiþ auoutrie. Sum man was rich, and was cloþid in purpur, and biys, eþer whit ſilk, and he eet ech day ſchynyngli.

And þer was ſum beggere, Lazarus by name, þat lay ful of bylis at his ȝate, coueytinge to be fillid of þe crummes, þat felden doun fro þe riche mannis boord, and no man ȝaf to him; but and houndis camen, and lickiden his bylis. Forſoþe it was don, þat þe beggere deiede, and was borun of aungels in to Abrahams boſum. Forſoþe and þe riche man is deed, and is biried. In helle, forſoþe he reyſinge his yȝen, whanne he was in turmentis, ſyȝ Abraham afer, and Lazarus in his boſum. And he criynge ſeyde, Fadir Abraham, haue mercy on me, and ſend Lazarus, þat he dippe þe laſte part of his fyngur in watir, and kele my tunge; for I am turmentid in þis flawme.

And Abraham ſeide to him, Sone, haue mynde, for þou haſt receyued good þingis in þi lyf, and Lazarus alſo yuele þingis; ſoþli he is now comfortid, but þou art turmentid. And in alle þes þingis a greet derk place, eþer depþe, is ſtabliſchid by twixe vs and ȝou; þat þei þat wolen fro hennis paſſe to ȝou, mown not, neþer fro þennis paſſe ouer hidur. And he ſeide, Þerfore I preye þee, fadir Abraham, þat þou ſende him in to þe hous of my fadir. For I haue fyue breþeren, þat he witneſſe to hem, leſt alſo þei come in to þis place of turmentis. And Abraham ſeide to him, Þei han Moyſes and þe prophetis; heere þei hem.

And he ſeide, Nay, fadir Abraham, but if ony of deede men ſchal go to hem, þei ſchulen do penaunce. Forſoþe he ſeyde to him, If þei heere not Moyſes and þe prophetis, neiþer if ony of deede men ſchal ryſe aȝen, þei ſchulen bileue to him.