Maria, Cristes moder, bær þæt cild, and se ealda Symeon eode hire togeanes, and gecneow þæt cild ðurh onwrigenysse, and hit beclypte and bær into ðam temple. He bær þæt {138} cild, and þæt cild bær hine. Hu bær þæt cild hine? Þone bær se ealda Symeon on his earmum, þe ealle ðing hylt and gewylt. Lytel he wæs ðær gesewen, ac ðeah-hwæðere he wæs swiðe micel and ormæte. Lytel he wæs gesewen, forðan ðe he wolde gefeccan þa lytlan, and gebringan up to his rice. Hwæt synd ða lytlan ðe he wolde habban up to his rice? Þæt synd ða eaðmodan. Ne sohte Crist na ða modigan, þa þa micele beoð on hyra geþance; ac ða ðe beoð lytle and eaðmode on heora heortan, þa cumað to Godes rice; ac ðider ne mæg astigan nán modignys. Þær wæs se deofol ðe modegode, ac his modignes hine awearp into helle grunde; forðy ne mæg ure tyddernes ðyder astigan, gif heo modig bið, þaþa se engel ðær beon ne mihte þaþa he modegode. God bebead, on þære ealdan ǽ, his folce þæt hi sceoldon him offrian ælc frumcenned hyse-cild, oþþe alysan hit ut mid fif scyllingum. Eac on heora orfe, swa hwæt swa frumcenned wære, bringan þæt to Godes huse, and hit ðær Gode offrian. Gif hit þonne unclæne nyten wære, þonne sceolde se hlaford hit acwellan, oþþe syllan Gode oþer clæne nyten. We ne þurfon þas bebodu healdan nú lichamlice, ac gástlice. Þonne on urum mode bið acenned sum ðing gódes, and we þæt to weorce awendað, þonne sceole we þæt tellan to Godes gyfe, and þæt Gode betæcan. Ure yfelan geðohtas oððe weorc we sceolan alysan mid fif scyllingum; þæt is we sceolon ure yfelnysse behreowsian mid urum fif andgitum, þæt synd gesihþ, and hlyst, and swæc, and stenc, and hrepung. Eac swa þa unclænan nytenu getacniað ure unclænan geþohtas and weorc, ða we sceolon symle acwellan, oððe behwyrfan mid clænum; þæt is þæt we sceolon ure unclænnysse and ure yfelnesse symle adwæscan, and forlætan yfel, and dón gód. Seo eadige Maria ða geoffrode hire lác Gode mid þam cilde, swa hit on Godes ǽ geset wæs. Hit wæs swa geset on þære ealdan ǽ þurh Godes hæse, þæt ða þe mihton {140} ðurhteon sceoldon bringan anes geares lamb mid heora cylde, Gode to lace, and ane culfran, oþþe ane turtlan. Gif þonne hwylc wif to ðam unspedig wære þæt heo ðas ðing begytan ne mihte, þonne sceolde heo bringan twegen culfran-briddas, oððe twá turtlan.