1 If Y speke with tungis of men and of aungels, and Y haue not charite, Y am maad as bras sownynge, or a cymbal tynkynge.

2 And if Y haue prophecie, and knowe alle mysteries, and al kunnynge, and if Y haue al feith, so that Y meue hillis fro her place, and Y haue not charite, Y am nouyt.

3 And if Y departe alle my goodis in to the metis of pore men, and yf Y bitake my bodi, so that Y brenne, and if Y haue not charite, it profitith to me no thing.

4 Charite is pacient, it is benygne; charite enuyeth not, it doith not wickidli, it is not blowun,

5 it is not coueytouse, it sekith not tho thingis that ben hise owne, it is not stirid to wraththe, it thenkith not yuel,

6 it ioyeth not on wickidnesse, but it ioieth togidere to treuthe;

7 it suffrith alle thingis, it bileueth alle thingis, it hopith alle thingis, it susteyneth alle thingis.

8 Charite fallith neuere doun, whether prophecies schulen be voidid, ethir langagis schulen ceesse, ethir science schal be distried.

9 For a parti we knowun, and a parti we prophecien;

10 but whanne that schal come that is parfit, that thing that is of parti schal be auoidid.

11 Whanne Y was a litil child, Y spak as a litil child, Y vndurstood as a litil child, Y thouyte as a litil child; but whanne Y was maad a man, Y auoidide tho thingis that weren of a litil child.

12 And we seen now bi a myrour in derknesse, but thanne face to face; now Y knowe of parti, but thanne Y schal knowe, as Y am knowun.

13 And now dwellen feith, hope, and charite, these thre; but the most of these is charite.