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"'More haf we served, uus thynk so, That suffred han the dayes hete, Thenn thyse that wroghte not houres two, And thou dos hem uus to couuterfüte." Thenne sayde the lordü to on of tho: "Frende, no waning I wyl the yete; Take that is thyn owne, and go. And I hyred the for a peny agrete, Quy byginnes thou now to threte? Was not a pene thy covenaunt thore? Fyrre then covenaunde is noght to plete. Wy schalte thou thenne ask more?"' "'More, wether louyly is me my gifte, To do wyth myn quat-so me lykes? Other elles thyn yye to lyther is lyfte For I am goude and non byswykes?" "Thus schal I,' quod Kryste, 'hit skyfte: The laste schal be the fyrst that strykes, And the fyrst the laste, be he never so swyft; For mony ben called, thagh fewe be mykes.'" Thus pore men her part ay pykes, Thagh thay com late and lyttel wore; And thagh her sweng wyth lyttel atslykes, The merci of God is much the more.'
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"'We deserve more, and that you owe; We suffered in the dust and heat; These men worked but an hour or so, You use them now poor men to cheat !" Then said the lord, "Friends, well you know That I have practised no deceit; Take what is rightly yours and go; A penny is the payment meet. What reason have you now to bleat? Was not the wage agreed before? Is not the covenant now complete? What right have you to ask for more?'" "'And more, does not the law imply That I may do what pleases me? Does evil then corrupt your eye Because I act so scrupulously?" "And thus," said Jesus Christ, '"do I Ordain the last the first shall be, And first the last, though swift he tüy. And each poor man I will supply Though he comes late, and small his store; His work may little justify; God's mercy is still much the more.'"
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"'We have deserved more, we believe, who have endured the heat of the day than those who have worked not two hours, and [yet] you liken them to us. Then said the lord to one of them, "Friend, I do not wish to make any reduction in what is owed to you; take what is your own and go. I hired you for a penny without distinction. Why do you now begin to complain ? Was not a penny the agreement then ? You have no right to claim more than the agreed [sum]. Why do you demand more ?'" "'Moreover, is it not lawful for me to give or to do with my own as I please ? Or is your eye turned to evil because I am good and cheat no one?" "Thus will I, " says Christ, "arrange it. The last shall be the first who comes, and the first the last, however swift [he may be], for many are called though few are chosen." Thus poor men get their share though they come late and were insignificant [on earth] and though their labour is soon spent. The mercy of God is much greater.'
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