þonne hí feallende hí to þam menniscum Gode gebiddað. Nu we sind getealde Godes ceaster-gewaran, and englum gelíce; uton forði hógian þæt leahtras us ne totwæmon fram {40} ðisum micclum wurðmynte. Soðlice men syndon godas gecigede; heald forði, ðu mann, þinne godes wurðscipe wið leahtras; forðan þe God is geworden mann for ðe. Þa hyrdas ða spræcon him betweonan, æfter ðæra engla fram-færelde, "Uton gefaran to Bethleém, and geseon þæt word þe geworden is, and God us geswutelode." Eala hú rihtlice hí andetton þone halgan geleafan mid þisum wordum, "On frymðe wæs wórd, and þæt word wæs mid Gode, and þæt wórd wæs God"! Word bið wisdomes geswutelung, and þæt Word, þæt is se Wisdom, is acenned of ðam Ælmihtigum Fæder, butan anginne; forðan ðe hé wæs æfre God of Gode, Wisdom of ðam wisan Fæder. Nis hé na geworht, forðan ðe he is God, and na gesceaft; ac se Ælmihtiga Fæder gesceop þurh ðone Wisdom ealle gesceafta, and hi ealle ðurh þone Halgan Gast gelíffæste. Ne mihte ure mennisce gecynd Crist on ðære godcundlican acennednysse geseon; ac þæt ylce Word wæs geworden flæsc, and wunode on ús, þæt we hine geseon mihton. Næs þæt Word to flæsce awend, ac hit wæs mid menniscum flæsce befangen. Swa swa anra gehwilc manna wunað on sawle and on lichaman án mann, swa eac Crist wunað on godcundnysse and menniscnysse, on ánum hade án Crist. Hí cwædon, "Uton geseon þæt word þe geworden is," forðan ðe hí ne mihton hit geseon ær ðan ðe hit geflæschamod wæs, and to menn geworden. Nis þeahhwæðre seo godcundnys gemenged to ðære menniscnysse, ne ðær nan twæming nys. We mihton eow secgan ane lytle bysne, gif hit to wáclic nære; Sceawa nú on anum æge, hú þæt hwite ne bið gemenged to ðam geolcan, and bið hwæðere án æg. Nis eac Cristes godcundnys gerunnen to ðære menniscnysse, ac he þurhwunað þeah á on ecnysse on anum hade untotwæmed.