Matthew XX 1-16

Heofona rice is gelic þæm hiredes ealdre þe on ærne-mergen ut eode ahyrian wyrhtan on his win-geard. Gewordenre gecwid-rædenne þæm wyrhtum, he sealde ælcum anne pening wiþ his dæges weorce, and asende hie on his wingeard. And þa he ut eode ymbe undern-tid, he geseah oþre on stræte idle standan. Þa cwæþ he: 'Ga ge on minne wingeard, and ic selle eow þæt riht biþ.' And hie þa ferdon. Eft he ut eode ymbe þa siextan and nigoþan tid, and dyde þæm swa gelice. Þa ymbe þa endleoftan tid he ut eode, and funde oþre standende, and þa sægde he: 'Hwy stande ge her ealne dæg idle?' Þa cwædon hie: 'For þæm þe us nan mann ne hyrode.' Þa cwæþ he: 'And ga ge on minne wingeard.'

Soþlice þa hit wæs æfen geworden, þa sægde se wingeardes hlaford his gerefan: 'Clipa þa wyrhtan, and agief him hiera mede; onginn fram þæm ytemestan oþ þone fyrmestan.' Eornostlice þa þa gecomon þe ymbe þa endleoftan tid comon, þa onfengon hie ælc his pening. And þa þe þær ærest comon wendon þæt hie scolden mare onfon; þa onfengon hie syndrige peningas. Þa ongunnon hie murcnian ongean þone hiredes ealdor, and þus cwædon: 'Þas ytemestan worhton ane tid, and þu dydest hie gelice us, þe bæron byrþenna on þisses dæges hætan.' Þa cwæþ he andswariende hiera anum: 'Eala þu freond, ne do ic þe nanne teonan; hu, ne come þu to me to wyrcenne wiþ anum peninge? Nim þæt þin is, and ga; ic wille þissum ytemestan sellan eall swa micel swa þe. Oþþe ne mot ic don þæt ic wille? Hwæþer þe þin eage man-full is for þæm þe ic god eom? Swa beoþ þa fyrmestan ytemeste, and þa ytemestan fyrmeste; soþlice manige sind geclipode, and feawe gecorene.'