1 Timothy 5
1 Blame thou not an eldere man, but biseche as a fadir, yonge men as britheren; elde wymmen as modris,
Do not reprimand an older man, but plead with him as if he were your father. Treat the young men as brothers,
2 yonge wymmen as sistris, in al chastite.
the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters – with all purity.
3 Honoure thou widewis, that ben very widewis.
Show consideration for widows – I mean those who are really widowed.
4 But if ony widewe hath children of sones, lerne sche first to gouerne her hous, and quyte to fadir and modir; for this thing is acceptid bifor God.
But, if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should learn to show proper regard for the members of their own family first, and to make some return to their parents; for that is pleasing in God’s sight.
5 And sche that is a widewe verili, and desolate, hope in to God, and be bisy in bisechingis and preieris niyt and dai.
As for the woman who is really widowed and left quite alone, her hopes are fixed on God, and she devotes herself to prayers and supplications night and day.
6 For sche that is lyuynge in delicis, is deed.
But the life of a widow who is devoted to pleasure is a living death.
7 And comaunde thou this thing, that thei be withouten repreef.
Those are the points you should teach, so that there may be no call for your censure.
8 For if ony man hath not cure of his owne, and most of hise household men, he hath denyed the feith, and is worse than an vnfeithful man.
Anyone who fails to provide for their own relatives, and especially for those under their own roof, has disowned the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 A widewe be chosun not lesse than sixti yeer, that was wijf of oon hosebonde,
A widow, when her name is added to the list, should not be less than sixty years old; she should have been a faithful wife,
10 and hath witnessing in good werkis, if sche nurschede children, if sche resseyuede pore men to herbore, if sche hath waischun the feet of hooli men, if sche mynystride to men that suffriden tribulacioun, if sche folewide al good werk.
and be well spoken of for her kind actions. She should have brought up children, have shown hospitality to strangers, have washed the feet of her fellow Christians, have relieved those who were in distress, and devoted herself to every kind of good action.
11 But eschewe thou yongere widewis; for whanne thei han do letcherie, thei wolen be weddid in Crist,
But you should exclude the younger widows from the list; for, when they grow restive under the yoke of the Christ, they want to marry,
12 hauynge dampnacioun, for thei han maad voide the firste feith.
and so they bring condemnation on themselves for having broken their previous promise.
13 Also thei idil lernen to go aboute housis, not oneli ydel, but ful of wordis and curiouse, spekynge thingis that bihoueth not.
And not only that, but they learn to be idle as they go about from house to house. Nor are they merely idle, but they also become gossips and busybodies, and talk of what they ought not.
14 Therfor Y wole, that yongere widewis be weddid, and bringe forth children, and ben hosewyues, to yyue noon occasioun to the aduersarie, bi cause of cursid thing.
Therefore I advise young widows to marry, bear children, and attend to their homes, and so avoid giving the enemy an opportunity for scandal.
15 For now summe ben turned abak aftir Sathanas.
There are some who have already left us, to follow Satan.
16 If ony feithful man hath widewis, mynystre he to hem, that the chirche be not greuyd, that it suffice to hem that ben very widewis.
Any Christian woman, who has relatives who are widows, ought to relieve them and not allow them to become a burden to the church, so that the church may relieve those widows who are really widowed.
17 The prestis that ben wel gouernoures, be thei had worthi to double onour; moost thei that trauelen in word and teching.
Those church elders who fill their office well should be held deserving of especial consideration, particularly those whose work lies in preaching and teaching.
18 For scripture seith, Thou schalt not bridil the mouth of the oxe threischinge, and, A werk man is worthi his hire.
The words of scripture are – “You should not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain.” and again – “The worker is worth their wages.”
19 Nyle thou resseyue accusyng ayens a preest, but vndur tweyne or thre witnessis.
Do not entertain a charge against an church elder, unless it is supported by two or three witnesses;
20 But reproue thou men that synnen bifor alle men, that also othere haue drede.
but rebuke offenders publicly, so that others may take warning.
21 Y preie bifor God, and Jhesu Crist, and hise chosun aungelis, that thou kepe these thingis with oute preiudice, and do no thing in bowynge `in to the othere side.
I charge you solemnly, before God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels, to carry out these directions, unswayed by prejudice, never acting with partiality.
22 Put thou hondis to no man, nether anoon comyne thou with othere mennus synnes. Kepe thi silf chast.
Never ordain anyone hastily, and take no part in the wrongdoing of others. Keep your life pure.
23 Nyle thou yit drinke watir, but vse a litil wyn, for thi stomac, and `for thin ofte fallynge infirmytees.
Do not continue to drink water only, but take a little wine because of the weakness of your stomach, and your frequent ailments.
24 Sum mennus synnes ben opyn, bifor goynge to dom; but of summen thei comen aftir.
There are some people whose sins are conspicuous and lead on to judgment, while there are others whose sins dog their steps.
25 And also goode dedis ben opyn, and tho that han hem in othere maner, moun not be hid.
In the same way noble deeds become conspicuous, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.
