[verse 22] Beþ also doeres of þe word & wyrcheres, but not only þe hereres, disceyuynge ȝoure-selfe. [verse 23] For who-so is herere of Godes worde, & not doere, he may be lykkened to a man þat byldeþ þe semblaunt of his birþe in a myroure: [verse 24] he byhelde him soþly, & ȝede a-wey, & a-noon he haþ forȝete what he was. [verse 25] For-soþe he þat lokeþ in þe lawe of parfite frenesse, and dwelliþ þer-inne, he is not maked a forȝetful hyrer, but a doere of þe worke: here in his deede he schal be blessid. [verse 26] Soþely who-so wenyþ him-self þat he be religyous, noȝt wiþ-holdynge his tunge but disseyuynge his herte, veyne is his religyoun. [verse 27] Clene religioun & vnfiled as [folio 59] to God & þe Fadur is þis, to vysite fadurles children, & wydows in here tribulacyoun, & from al þis worlde to kepe hem clene, vnfouled. [Capitulum ii follows.]
[verse 1] My breþeren, ne wele ȝe noȝt be oute-takeres of persones (þat [gl... in margin.] is, take mannys persone in more state a-ȝens God for his hye kyn, ne for his riches, ne powere in þis worlde, hauynge feiþ þat God takeþ more hede to hem for here gentil kyn, or here grete richesse, or here muchel myȝt, or here sotil witte þan he doþ to þe pore þat loueþ him as welle)g. [verse 2] & þerfore if eny man come in-to ȝoure siȝt (that is, in-to ȝoure cumpenye þat beþ Godes religiouse men in what degre so ȝe be) [underlined in red ink.] , þe whuche haþ gold rynge on his fynger & schynynge cloþus, & anoþer pore man in symple & feble cloþinge come also to ȝow; [verse 3] & ȝe take hede to him þat is in schynynge cloþinge, & ȝe sey to him, Sitte þou here wel a-boue; & soþely to þe pore ȝe seye, Þou stonde þere, or sitte vndir þe stole of oure fete; [verse 4] in þis ȝoure-self beþ demed, & ȝee beþ maked iustises of ȝoure wickede þouȝtes.
[verse 5] Hereþ & take hede, my ful welle loued breþeren; ne haþ not God chosen þe pore in þis worlde to be riche in þe feiþ, & eyres of þe kyngdom, þat God haþ by-hyȝt to alle þat him loueþ. [verse 6] & soþly ȝee vnworschupe þe pore. Ne ouerlye [folio 59b] nouȝt þe riche ȝow þorow here power? & þei drawe ȝow to domes. [verse 7] Ne blasfeme þei nouȝt þe goode name þat is ouer ȝow called? (þat is, cristene men of Criste) [underlined in MS.] . [verse 8] Nouȝt forþi if þou fulfille þe kynges lawe of heuene aftir holy writte, Þou schalt loue þi neyȝebore ryȝt as þi-self, þan þou doost wel, [verse 9] soþeli if ȝee any mennys persones accepte, þan ȝee doon gret synne, & ȝee schal be blamyd of God as trespaseres aȝeyn þe lawe. [verse 10] Who-so-euere soþly keepe al þe lawe, & trespaseþ in o þinge, þat is forbodyn in þe lawe, he is maked gilty of alle. [verse 11] For he þat bad ȝow not synne in leccherye, he bad þat þou schuldest not slee. If þat þou do no leccherye, and sleist any man, þou art þanne trespasere & brekere of þe lawe. [verse 12] So speke ȝee, & so dowte ȝee, so þat by þe lawe of frenes (þat is, þe lawe of mercy) [underlined in MS.] ȝee schal mowe be demed. [verse 13] For soþly to him þat dooþ no mercy schal be do[m]e wiþ-oute mercy: but soþly mercy ouergoþ dome. [verse 14] What schal profyte to man, my lef breþeren, ȝif eny seye þat he haþ feiþ, & he soþely haue nouȝt þe deede? ne may not feiþ saue him? [verse 15] Soþly if eny broþer or sister ben naked, & neden eche day sustynaunce, [verse 16] and if eny of ȝow sey to hem, Goþ forþ in pees, & be ȝee hole & ȝee fedde; & ȝee ȝeue hem nouȝt þat nedeful is to here body, what schal it profyte hem?
