Se ealda man Symeon, þe we ær embe spræcon, ne gyrnde ná þæt he moste Crist gehyran sprecan, forðan ðe he hine gecneow þæt he God wæs, ðeah ðe he ða-gyt on þære menniscnysse unsprecende wære. Sprecan he mihte, gif he wolde; and ealswa wis he wæs ða, þaþa he wæs anre nihte, swa swa he wæs, þaþa he wæs ðrittig geara; ac he wolde abídan his wæstma timan on ðære menniscnysse, swa swa hit gecyndelic is on mancynne. Symeon cwæð þa, "Drihten, þu forlætst me nu on sibbe of ðysum life, forðon þe míne eagan habbað gesewen ðinne Halwendan." Se Halwenda þe he embe spræc is ure Hælend Crist, seðe com to gehælenne ure wunda, þæt sindon ure synna. He cwæð þa Symeon, "Ðone þu gearcodest ætforan gesihðe ealles folces." Hine {144} ne gesawon na ealle men lichomlice, ac he is gebodod eallum mannum, gelyfe seðe wylle. Se þe on hine gelyfð, he gesihð hine nu mid his geleafan, and on þan ecan life mid his eagum. Symeon cwæð þa-gyt, "He is leoht to onwrigennysse ðeoda, and wuldor þinum folce Israhel." Ealle ðas word spræc se Symeon be ðam cilde to þam heofenlican Fæder, þe hine to mannum sende. He is soð leoht þe todræfde þa þeostra ðises lifes, swa swa he sylf cwæð on his godspelle, "Ic eom leoht ealles middangeardes, se ðe me fyligð, ne cymð he na on þystrum, ac he hæfð lifes leoht." Swa swa leoht todræfð þeostra, swa eac todræfð Cristes lufu and his geleafa ealle leahtras and synna fram ure heortan: and he is wuldor and bliss ealles gelyfedes folces. Þa Maria, þæt halige mæden, and þæs cildes fostor-fæder, Ioseph, wæron ofwundrode þæra worda þe se ealda Symeon clypode be ðam cilde. And se Symeon him ða sealde bletsunge, and witegode gyt mare be þam cilde, and cwæð, "Þis cild is gesett manegum mannum to hryre, and manegum to æriste and to tacne, and þam bið wiðcweden." Swa swa ða men þe on Crist gelyfað beoð gehealdene þurh his to-cyme, swa eac þa þe nellað gelyfan on Crist beoð twyfealdlice fordemde. Anfealdlice hi sind scyldige ðurh Adames synne, and twyfealdlice hi beoð fordemde, þonne hí wiðsacað Cristes to-cymes, and nellað gelyfan on ðone soðan Hælend. Ðam ungeleaffullum mannum com Crist to hryre, and þam geleaffullum to æriste; and eac anum gehwilcum gelyfedum men wæs Cristes to-cyme ægðer ge hryre ge ærist. Hu ðonne? He com to ðy þæt he wolde ælc yfel towurpan, and ælc góod aræran. Nu towyrpð he on ús leahtras, and arærð mihta. He towyrpð modignysse, and arærð eadmodnysse. He towyrpð galnysse, and arærð clænnysse. And ealle unðeawas he towyrpð on his gecorenum mannum, and arærð on him ealle godnysse. Ne mæg þæt gód beon getymbrod buton þæt yfel beo ær toworpen. "To tacne com Crist, and þam is wiðcweden." His acennednys is wundorlic tacn, forðan ðe {146} he wæs of mædene acenned, swa swa nan oðer nis; and þæt wiðcwædon þa ungeleaffullan men, and noldon gelyfan. And eac his æriste of deaðe, and his upstige to heofenum, and ealle ða wundra þe he worhte, ealle hit wæron tacna, and ðam wiðcwædon þa ungeleaffullan, and þa geleaffullan gelyfdon.