1 Timothy · Chapter 5

[ edit] Blame þou not an elder man, but biſech as a fadir, ȝonge men, as briþeren; olde wymmen, as modris, ȝonge wymmen, as ſiſtris, in al chaſtite. Honoure þou widewis, þat ben verrey widewis. Forſoþ if ony widew haþ ſone, or children of ſones, lerne ſche firſt for to gouerne hir hous, and chaungable while, or ech to oþir, ȝelde to fadir and modir; ſoþli þis þing is aceptid bifore God. Forſoþ ſhe þat is a widowe verily, and deſolat, or diſcomfortid, hope into God, and wake, or be byſi, in biſechingis and preieris nyȝt and day. Forwhi ſche þat is lyuynge in delycis, is deed. And þis þing comaunde þou, þat þei be wiþoute reprof.

Forſoþ if ony man haue not cure of his owne, and mooſt of his houſhold men, he haþ denyed þe feiþ, and is worſe þan an vnfeiþful, or heþen, man. A widewe be not choſun leſſe þan ſixty ȝeer, þat was wyf of oon hoſebonde, hauynge witneſſinge in goode workis, if ſhe noriſche ſones, if ſhe reſſeyue pore men to herbore, if ſhe haþ waiſchyn þe feet of hooly men, if ſhe vndirmyniſtride to men ſuffringe tribulacioun, if ſhe folowide al good work. Forſoþ eſchewe ȝongere widewis; forſoþe whanne þei han don leccherie in Criſt, þei wolen be weddid, hauynge dampnacioun, for þei han maad þe firſte feiþ voide.

Alſo forſoþe and þei ydel lernen for to enuyrowne houſis, not oonly forſoþ ydel, but and ful of wordis and curiouſe, ſpekinge what þing it bihoueþ not. Þerfore I wole, ȝongere for to be weddid, for to brynge forþ ſones, for to be hoſewyues, for to ȝyue noon occaſioun to þe aduerſarie, bicauſe of curſid þing. Now forſoþ ſumme ben turned abac aftir Saþanas. If ony feiþful man haþ widewis, vndirmyniſtre he to hem, þat þe chirche be not greuyd, þat it ſuffice to hem þat ben verri widewis. Þe preſtis þat ben wel bifore, þat is, treuly kepen preſþod, be þei hadd worþi double honour; mooſt þei þat trauelen in word and teching.

Soþli þe ſcripture ſeiþ, Þou ſchalt not bridele þe mouþ to þe oxe þreiſchinge, and, A werkman is worþi his hyre. Nyle þou reſceyue accuſyng aȝens a preſt, no but vndir tweye or þre witneſſis. Forſoþe repreue þou men ſynnynge bifore alle men, þat and oþere haue drede. I preie, or coniure, þee bifore God, and Criſt Jheſu, and his choſne angels, þat þou kepe þes þingis, and wiþouten bifore dom doynge noþing, bowynge into anoþer part. To no man ſoone þou ſchalt putte hondis, neþer þou ſchalt comune wiþ oþere mennis ſynnes. Kepe þi ſilf chaſt. Nyle þou ȝit drynke watir, but uſe a litil wyn for þi ſtomak, and þin ofte falling infirmytees.

Sum mennis ſynnes ben opyn, bifore goynge to dom; forſoþ of ſum men and þei ſuen. Alſo and goode dedis ben opyn, and þo þat han hem oþirwyſe, mown not be hid.