diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:47:10 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:47:10 -0700 |
| commit | 6c475c89a028d5406c3c4a110d5b3aae862b23e4 (patch) | |
| tree | 119d4b77b88db32c6743c0c3aab8e57906c14d62 /15612.txt | |
Diffstat (limited to '15612.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 15612.txt | 3032 |
1 files changed, 3032 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/15612.txt b/15612.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a944c13 --- /dev/null +++ b/15612.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3032 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Genesis A, by Anonymous + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Genesis A + Translated from the Old English + +Author: Anonymous + +Release Date: April 13, 2005 [EBook #15612] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GENESIS A *** + + + + +Produced by David Starner, Jason Isbell and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. + + + + + +Transcribers Note: Typographic errors in the original have been +retained. In the table of contents there are two sets of page numbers. +The first appears to be the page numbers from the original MS. The +second set in parentheses are the page numbers from this facsimile. +As the body of the text is referred to by line numbers, that section +has not been rewrapped. + + +YALE STUDIES IN ENGLISH + +ALBERT S. COOK, EDITOR + +XLVIII + +GENESIS A + +TRANSLATED FROM THE OLD ENGLISH + +BY + +LAWRENCE MASON, PH.D. + +INSTRUCTOR IN ENGLISH IN YALE COLLEGE + +NEW YORK + +HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY + +1915 + + + + +PREFACE + + +The purpose of the translator in offering to the public this +version of the _Genesis_ is to aid in forwarding--be it by but one +jot or tittle--the general knowledge and appreciation of Old English +literature. Professed students in this department will always have +an incentive to master the language; but to the public at large the +strangeness of this medium will prove an insurmountable barrier, and +the general reader must therefore either remain in ignorance of our +older literary monuments or else employ translations. The present +contribution[1] to the growing body of such translations possesses, +perhaps, more than a single interest or appeal, in that it renders +accessible not only a poem of considerable intrinsic worth, a poem +associated with the earliest of the great names in English literary +history, and a forerunner and possible source of _Paradise Lost_, but +also an important example of a literary _genre_ once immensely popular, +though now quite fallen into abeyance--namely, the lengthy versified +Scriptural paraphrase. For some idea of the prominent part played by +this form, even so late as the seventeenth century, the reader is +referred to any comprehensive manual of English literature. + +In this translation, prose has been employed instead of verse, for two +reasons. In the first place, no metrical form has yet been found which, +in the writer's judgment, at all adequately represents in modern English +the effect of the Old English alliterative verse, or stave-rime. And in +the second place, to the writer's thinking, no one but a poet should +attempt to write verse: and on that principle, translations would be few +and far between, unless prose were used. + +But even granting the value of the _Genesis_ as a fit subject for +translation, and the necessity for the employment of prose, the reader +may still quarrel with the particular _kind_ of prose hereinbelow +essayed; so a brief explanation and, it is hoped, vindication of the +theory of translation here followed would seem desirable, inasmuch as +considerable divergence is intended from the methods adopted by the +various translators of the _Beowulf_, for example. First, Biblical +phraseology has been eschewed, partly because in a modern writer it +savors of affectation, but chiefly because his Bible was the point +of departure for the Old English author, and to return now in the +translation to our Bible would be a stultification of his purposes by a +sort of _argumentum in circulo_. Secondly, archaisms, poetic diction, +and unusual constructions (the "translation English" anathematized by +the Rhetorics) have been so far as possible avoided, contrary to the +practice of most translators from Old English poetry, because it is +felt strongly that such usages will not produce upon modern readers the +effect that this poetry produced originally upon the readers or hearers +for whom it was intended. For this poetry could not have seemed alien +or exotic to its original public: either through familiar poetic +convention, or owing to the staccato and ejaculatory character of +ordinary spoken language at the time, this spasmodic, apostrophic poetry +must have seemed natural and beautiful, in the seventh or eighth +century. But-- + + Why take the style of those heroic times? + For nature brings not back the mastodon, + Nor we those times. + +To translate is to modernize. This rendering, therefore, is not an +artificial, pseudo-antique hybrid, but frankly endeavors to convey its +original to modern readers in idiomatic modern literary English, devoid +of any conscious mannerisms whatsoever. The writer has aimed at the +utmost literal fidelity consistent with the observance of all the usages +of current standard English; he has not attempted, however, to convert +the explosive appositions, with prevailing asyndeton and excessive +synonymy, of his original into the easy, flowing sentences more familiar +to modern eyes and ears, for the change would sacrifice altogether too +much of the distinctive character and flavor of Old English poetry. + +The text upon which this work is based is that of the Grein-Wuelker +_Bibliothek der Angelsaechsischen Poesie,_ 1894, save for a few minor +changes in punctuation and the few departures recorded in the Notes. +Grein's translation of the poem into modern German stave-rime, 1857, has +been frequently consulted, but the writer's real indebtedness to it is +felt to be slight. He takes great pleasure, finally, in acknowledging +his deep sense of obligation, on many grounds, to the general editor of +this series, Professor Albert S. Cook; the work was undertaken at his +suggestion, and he has been most kind in giving advice and criticism. + +Lawrence Mason. + + YALE UNIVERSITY, + _July 17, 1913._ + + + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS + + With Specification of the Biblical Chapters and Verses + represented in each Section of the Poem + + PAGE + + PREFACE III (135) + + TABLE OF CONTENTS VI (138) + + GENESIS A: + + Section I[2] 1 (141) + Section II (Gen. 1.1-5) 3 (143) + Section III (Gen. 1.4-10) 4 (144) + Lines 169-234 (Gen. 1.28, 31; 2.10-14, 18, 21, 22) 5 (145) + Lines 852-871 (Gen. 3.8-10) 7 (147) + Section X (Gen. 3.11-15) 7 (147) + Section XI (Gen. 3.16, 17, 19, 21, 24; 4.1-5, 8) 9 (149) + Section XII (Gen. 4.9-19, 21) 11 (151) + Section XIII (Gen. 4.22-26; 5.3-14) 13 (153) + Section XIV (Gen. 5.15-29, 32) 15 (155) + Section XV (Gen. 6.1-8, 11-19, 22) 17 (157) + Section XVI (Gen. 7.1-7, 11, 12, 16-23) 18 (158) + Section XVII (Gen. 8.1-4, 6-12) 20 (160) + Section XVIII (Gen. 8.15-18, 20; 9.1-9, 11-19) 22 (162) + Section XIX (Gen. 9.20-28; 10.1, 2, 6, 8-10; 11.1) 24 (164) + Section XX (Gen. 10.1, 20, 21; 11.2, 4-8, 10, 26, 27) 26 (166) + Section XXI (Gen. 11.29-32; 12.1-8) 28 (168) + Section XXII (Gen. 12.8, 10-20; 13.1-4) 30 (170) + Section XXIII (Gen. 13.5-13) 32 (172) + Section XXIV (Gen. 14.1, 2, 4, 10-16) 33 (173) + Section XXV (Gen. 14.17-24; 15.1) 37 (177) + Section XXVI (Gen. 15.2-5, 7, 18; 16.1-6) 39 (179) + Section XXVII (Gen. 16.6-12, 15, 16; 17.1, 2, 10-14, 19) 41 (181) + Section XXVIII (Gen. 17.17-21, 23, 24, 27; 18.12-14) 43 (183) + Section XXIX (Gen. 18.16, 17, 20-22) 44 (184) + Section XXX (Gen. 19.1-13, 18-26) 45 (185) + Section XXXI (Gen. 19.27-30, 33, 35-38) 49 (189) + Section XXXII (Gen. 20.1-10) 50 (190) + Section XXXIII (Gen. 20.11, 13-18; 21.1-4) 51 (191) + Section XXXIV (Gen. 21.5, 8-14, 22-24, 27) 53 (193) + Section XXXV (Gen. 21.33, 34; 22.1-13) 55 (195) + NOTES 58 (198) + + + + +GENESIS A + + + + +I. + + +Ours is a great duty--to praise in word and love at +heart the heavens' Ruler, the glorious King of Hosts: +He is the substance of all power, the head of all high +things, the Lord Almighty. Origin or beginning was 5 +never made for Him, nor shall an end ever come to the +eternal God: but, on the contrary, He is for ever supreme +by His high puissance over the heavenly kingdoms; +just and mighty, He rules the mansions of the sky, 10 +which were established far and wide through the power +of God for the sons of glory, the keepers of souls. + +These angelic hosts were wont to feel joy and rapture, +transcendent bliss, in the presence of their Creator: +their beatitude was measureless. Glorious ministers 15 +magnified their Lord, spoke his praise with zeal, lauded +the Master of their being, and were excellently happy +in the majesty of God. They had no knowledge of +working evil or wickedness, but dwelt in innocence 20 +forever with their Lord: from the beginning they wrought +in heaven nothing but righteousness and truth, until +a Prince of angels through pride strayed into sin: then +they would consult their own advantage no longer, but +turned away from God's lovingkindness. They had 25 +vast arrogance, in that by the might of multitudes they +sought to wrest from the Lord the celestial mansions, +spacious and heaven-bright. Then there fell upon +them, grievously, the envy, presumption, and pride +of the Angel who first began to carry out the evil plot, 30 +to weave it and promote it, when he boasted by word-- +as he thirsted for conflict--that he wished to own the +home and high throne of the heavenly kingdom to the +north. Thereupon God became angered and hostile 35 +towards the beings whom he had formerly exalted in +beauty and glory: he created for the traitors a marvelous +abode as penalty for their action, namely the pangs of +Hell, bitter afflictions; Our Lord called forth that 40 +abysmal joyless house of punishment to wait for the +outcast keepers of souls.[3] When he knew that it was +ready, he enveloped it in eternal night and equipped it +with torment, filling it with fire and fearful cold, with +fume and red flame: then he commanded the terrors +of suffering to increase throughout that hapless place. 45 + +They had committed a dire sin against God: on that +account dire punishment befell them. They asserted, +in fierce mood, that they wished to seize the kingdom +and could easily do so: but this presumption mocked +them when their Lord, the high King of heaven, lifted 50 +up his almighty hand against the throng. The mad +rebels, accursed ones, could not make head against God, +but the Highest troubled their spirits and humbled their +pride, for he was incensed; he stripped the sinners of 55 +victory and might, of dominion and honor, and further +took from his foes happiness, peace, and all joys, as well +as bright glory, and finally, with his own exceeding power, +wreaked his wrath on his adversaries in mighty ruin. 60 +He was stern in mood, grimly embittered, and seized +upon his foes with resistless grasp and broke them in +his grip, enraged at heart, and deprived his opponents of +their native seat,[4] their bright abodes on high. For 65 +our Creator dismissed and banished from heaven the +overweening band of angels: the Lord sent away on a +long journey the faithless multitude, the hateful host, +the miserable spirits; their pride was broken, their threat 70 +overthrown, their glory shattered, and their beauty +dimmed; thenceforth they abode in desolation, because +of their dark exile. They did not dare to laugh aloud, +but lived wearied by the torments of hell and became +familiar with woes, bitterness, and sorrow; covered with 75 +darkness, they bore their pain,--a heavy sentence, +because they had begun to battle against God. + +Then, as formerly, true peace existed in heaven, fair +amity: for the Lord was dear to all, the Sovereign to his 80 +servants; and the majesty of the joyful angelic hosts +increased, through the favor of the Almighty. + + + + +II. + + +So those who inhabited the sky, home of glory, were +at peace; hatred was gone, as well as sorrow and strife +among angels, ever since the rebellious hosts, bereft of the 85 +light, had relinquished heaven. Behind them stood in +grandeur their seats rich in glorious workmanship, teeming +with blessings in God's kingdom, bright and perennially +bountiful,--but all devoid of occupants, ever since the 90 +miserable spirits had gone to their place of punishment, +their vile prison. Then our Lord bethought him, in +meditative mood, how he might people again, and with +a better race, his high creation, the noble seats and glory- 95 +crowned abodes which the haughty rebels had left +vacant, high in heaven. Therefore Holy God willed by +his plenteous power that under the circle of the firma- +ment the earth should be established, with sky above and 100 +wide water, a world-creation in place of the foes whom +in their apostasy he hurled from bliss. + +As yet there was nothing at all created here, except +shadows, but this broad earth stood deep and dim, idle 105 +and useless, alien even to God himself; on it the King +whose purpose never falters turned his eyes and beheld +the place void of joy; he saw dark clouds, black under +the firmament, throng in the eternal night, dun and 110 +waste, until this world-creation came to pass through +the word of the King of Glory. First the everlasting +Lord, protector of all things, created heaven and earth; +as the almighty King put forth the firmament and with 115 +victorious might established this ample world. The +earth was as yet unadorned by vegetation: the ocean +covered it far and wide, turbid waves in the eternal +night. Then was the glorious Spirit of heaven's guardian 120 +borne over the sea with sovereign virtue. For the King +of the angels commanded Light, dispenser of life, to +come forth over the broad expanse: quickly was the +Arch-King's mandate fulfilled, and Holy Light appeared 125 +over the waste spaces, as the Creator had ordained it. +The Wielder of Victory next sundered light from darkness, +shadow from radiance, over the surge of the sea. Then +he formed the two names of the dispensers of life: light +was first called "Day" by the word of the Lord, a 130 +beauteous creation. This period of creation greatly +pleased God, in the beginning: the first day saw the +dark shadows duskily flee away over the wide earth. + + + + +III. + + +Time now went forth over the frame-work of the 135 +world: after this shining splendor, the Lord our Creator +fashioned the first evening, but on its track rushed a +thronging welter of darkness which the Lord himself +called by the name of "Night." Our Saviour sundered 140 +these two: ever since then they have ceaselessly wrought +and fulfilled the will of the Lord over the earth. +Then the second day advanced, light after darkness; +and the Ruler of Life straightway commanded a glad 145 +sky-substance to appear in the midst of the flood: our +Master parted the waves and wrought there the found- +ations of the firmament: this the Mighty One, omnipotent +King, reared aloft from the earth through his own word. 150 +The flood was divided under the high heavens by holy +power, the waters from the waters, and still they remain +so under the firmament which roofs all nations. + +Then swiftly came advancing over the world the third 155 +great morn. Nor were the spreading lands and ways +yet deemed needful by our Lord, but the earth stood +girt fast by water. Through his word, the Ruler of +the angels bade the waters be gathered together, which +now hold their course beneath the skies in an appointed 160 +place. Then speedily the broad ocean stood all together +under heaven, as the Holy One commanded, for the +flood was sundered from the dry land. Thereupon +Life's Ruler looked upon the dry land, the Preserver of +mankind [found it] widely visible, and the King of 165 +Glory called it "Earth." He established a proper +channel for the waves, the broad flood, and fettered.... + + * * * * * + +(_Lacuna in MS._[5]) + + * * * * * + +The Ruler of Heaven did not think it fitting that 170 +Adam, the keeper of Paradise and shepherd of the new +creation, should be alone any longer: so the supreme +King, Ruler Almighty, made a companion for him-- +created Woman, and gave this helpmate to his cherished 175 +Man as the first and fruitful light of his life. He took his +material from Adam's body and skilfully removed a +rib from his side: the latter was deep in repose and +slumbered peacefully; he felt no pain, though a little 180 +uneasiness, nor did a drop of blood come from the wound, +but the Prince of the Angels took from his body a living +bone while the man was unwounded. From this God +fashioned a noble woman, and put into her the breath +of life and an immortal soul: these two were like the 185 +angels. Thus was Adam's bride[6] endowed with a +living spirit. They were both radiantly beautiful in their +youthfulness, in the world prepared by the might of +the Lord: they did not know how to undertake or 190 +work evil, but on the contrary there was in the breast +of each a burning love of God. Then the benign King, +Ruler of everyone born of the race of man, blessed these +first two creatures, father and mother, woman and +man. Thereafter he spoke these words: 195 + +"Be fruitful now and increase; fill the verdant earth +with progeny, your race, both sons and daughters. Under +your sway shall be the salt water and all the created +world. Enjoy prosperous days, [ruling over] both 200 +the fishes of the deep and the fowls of the air. Into +your power are given the sacred herd and the wild beasts +and every living thing that walks the earth; all breath- +ing creatures, whatsoever the sea brings forth over the 205 +whale-paths, all things belong to you two." + +Then our Maker beheld the beauty of his works and +the fullness of his abundance, his new creations. Pa- +radise stood, good and holy, filled with blessings, ever- 210 +lasting bounty. That kindly soil was beauteously +watered by the rushing seas and springing fountains; +for never yet had clouds dark with wind brought down +rains over the broad earth: but none the less the ground +stood crowned with its harvest. From this new Garden 215 +four noble river-streams have their outflow: these were +all partitioned out of one fair-shining water by the might +of the Lord, when he created the earth, and [were thus] 220 +sent out into the world. Men dwelling on the earth, +the peoples of the nations, call one of these Fison, which +broadly girdles with its bright streams a quarter of the +earth beyond Hebeleac[7]: in that ancestral soil the sons 225 +of men, nations near and far, find the best gold and +precious stones,[8] as the books tell us. Then the second +[river], whose name is Geon, girdles the land and govern- +ment of Ethiopia, an ample kingdom. The third is 230 +Tigris, a foaming stream which encircles the people of +Assyria. Such likewise is the fourth, which men among +many a nation now widely call Eufrates....[9] + + * * * * * + +(_Genesis B intervenes here_.) + + * * * * * + +Then the Almighty King, the great Lord, came forth +into the garden about mid-day, by his divine will; for 855 +our Saviour and merciful Father wished to find out +what his children were doing: he knew that they were +sinful to whom he had given perfection. Bereft of +their beatitude and stricken in spirit, they avoided his +presence by retreating among the shadows of the trees; 860 +they hid themselves in dark recesses, when they heard +the holy word of the Lord and feared him. Straight- +way the King of Heaven began to call for the keeper +of the [newly] created world; the mighty Lord bade +his son come to him forthwith. He answered him then, 865 +the wretched one himself, destitute of clothing, [and] +said: + +"Lord of my life, I am hiding myself here because +unclothed; basely sinful, I am covering my shame with +leaves: my pain is cruel, most bitter in my heart. I dare 870 +not now go forth before thy presence: I am all naked!" + + + + +X.[10] + + +To him then God at once replied: + +"Tell me this, my son: why do you seek the shadows, +in shame? You certainly received no disgrace at my 875 +hands, but on the contrary delight in all things! How +come you to know evil and hide shame and behold sor- +row and cover your body with leaves and, saddened and +crushed by the woes of life, say that you need clothing, +unless you have tasted of an apple from the tree which 880 +I forbade to you by express command?" + +Adam then answered him again: + +"The woman, my Lord, the fair woman gave into +my hand this fruit, which I accepted in sin against thee. 885 +Now I bear this manifest sign in myself: I know so much +the more of sorrow!" + +Then Almighty God asked Eve about this: + +"Why did you forfeit these plenteous delights, daughter, +the new creations of paradise, abundant blessings, when 890 +in your cupidity you seized on the trunk and took the +fruit from the branch of the tree and ate the accursed +thing in defiance of me, and gave of the apple to Adam, +when you both by my prohibition were so strictly for- 895 +bidden to do so?" + +Then the fair maiden, the woman overcome by shame, +answered him: + +"The serpent tempted me and urgently prompted me +to sin; through fair words the worm goaded me into +accursed frowardness, until I basely performed the 900 +deadly act, committed the crime, and robbed the tree in +the grove, as it was not lawful to do, and ate the fruit." + +Then our Saviour, the Lord Almighty, ordained wide +wanderings for the serpent, the venomous worm, and 905 +spoke further in these words: + +"To far distant times shalt thou, an outcast, crawl +over the broad earth on thy breast, thy belly; without +feet shalt thou move about, so long as life and breath +remain in thee. Dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy 910 +life, since thou hast accomplished so evil a deed here. +Thee the woman shall war against, and hate thee +[worse than anything else] under heaven, and shall tread +upon thine accursed head with her feet; thou shalt lie +in wait at her heels, in ever-new conflict: for there +shall be war between thy offspring and her offspring 915 +always, as long as the earth exists under the cloudy +skies. Now dost thou understand and know, baleful +destroyer of mankind, how thou shalt live!" + + + + +XI. + + +Then God wrathfully spoke to Eve: + +"Depart now from bliss! Thou shalt be ever under +the sway of men; with fear of men cruelly oppressed, 920 +thou shalt sorrowfully endure the heinousness of thine +offence and wait for death, and with weeping and wailing +and great anguish bring into the world thy sons and +daughters!" + +Likewise to Adam did the Eternal Lord, Source of 925 +Light and Life, declare a cruel edict: + +"Thou shalt seek another country, a joyless dwelling- +place, and wander in exile, naked and needy, driven 930 +away from the blessings of paradise; the separation of +soul and body is now ordained for thee. Lo, thou hast +wickedly originated sin: therefore thou shalt toil, and +win thy sustenance on earth by thyself, acquire it by +the sweat of thy face, and thus eat thy bread so long 935 +as thou livest here,--until ungentle disease, which thou +didst recently take to thyself with the apple, strikes +thee cruelly to the heart: then shalt thou die." + +Behold, we learn thus how bitter afflictions and uni- 940 +versal miseries came upon us. + +Thereupon the Guardian of Glory, our Creator, girded +them with clothing; the Lord bade them cover their +nakedness with some simple garments, and bade them +set forth and depart from paradise into a harder life. +Behind them, by God's command, a holy angel with a 945 +fiery sword shut the gate of their blissful home of peace +and joy; nor may any guileful sin-stained man ever fare +thither again, for the warder has might and strength 950 +who keeps for the Lord that greater life rich in glories. +Yet the Almighty, our First Father, would not take +away all comforts from Adam and Eve, though they had +fallen away from him: but he still let the lofty roof 955 +studded with holy stars stand as a solace for them, and +gave them ample possessions, and bade the seas and +land bring forth for the pair multitudes of each of the +young-producing species [necessary] for the sustenance 960 +of this life. So, after their sin, they inhabited a more +sorrowful land, a dwelling and country less fertile in +every kind of blessing than their former abode had +been, from which they had been driven out after their +misdeed. + +Then they began, by God's command, to produce 965 +children, as the Lord had charged them. To begin +with, by Adam and Eve were brought into the world +two fair first-born sons, Cain and Abel. The books +tell us how these first toilers, loving brothers, gained 970 +their subsistence, riches and food: the one who was +elder born tilled the earth with his strength; the second +kept the flocks, helping his father, until a great number 975 +of days passed. They both brought an offering to the +Lord: the Prince of the Angels, King of all things, looked +upon Abel's offering with [favorable] eyes, but would +not consider the sacrifice of Cain; that caused strong +indignation in the heart of the man: rage arose in the 980 +youth's breast, livid hatred, and wrath by reason of +envy: then he wrought evil deeds with his hands, slew +his kinsman, his own brother, shed his blood,--yea, 985 +Cain [shed] Abel's. And the earth soaked up this blood +shed by murder, the life-blood of a man. + +After this fatal blow woe was aroused, the long train +of afflictions: since then from this twig have hatefully +sprouted ever longer and stronger bitter branches: these 990 +branches of calamity spread far and wide over the nations +of men: hardly and sorely did the twigs of misery strike +the sons of men (and so they still do), from which the +broad leaves of all suffering began to spring. We may 995 +tearfully lament this account, this death-bringing fatal- +ity, and not in vain: but the fair woman injured us +[more] severely through the first sin which men dwelling +on earth ever committed against the Lord, since Adam 1000 +was filled with the breath of life by the mouth of God! + + + + +XII. + + +Then the Master of Splendor asked Cain through his +word, where Abel was, upon the earth. Quickly there- +upon the wicked worker of slaughter answered him: 1005 + +"I know not Abel's coming or going, my kinsman's +course: I was not my brother's keeper!" + +Then the Prince of Angels, the Spirit rich in good +things, spoke to him again: + +"Why didst thou cast that virtuous man, thy brother, 1010 +on his death-bed with thy violent hands, and his blood +now calleth and crieth unto me? For this murder +shalt thou undergo punishment and wander in exile 1015 +accursed unto distant ages: nor shall the earth, fair +for all necessary sustenance, yield thee harvest, for it +drank sacred blood at thy hands: therefore the earth, +verdant in beauty, denies thee its bounties. Infamous, +thou shalt sorrowfully wander from thy native land, +because thou hast been Abel's murderer: thou shalt 1020 +go forth an outcast over a long road, hateful to all thy +relatives!" + +Then Cain answered him[11]: + +"Now I dare not hope for any grace in the kingdoms +of the world, for I have forfeited, O high King of heaven, 1025 +thy favor as well as love and peace: therefore shall I +travel far ways in expectation of woes, whensoever any +one far or near shall find me, in my guilt, who may +remember my crime, my brother's murder: I shed his 1030 +blood, his life-blood on the ground. On this day thou +dost banish me from comfort and drive me from my +native land: someone of my foes shall be my murderer; +accursed, O God, shall I wander from thy sight." 1035 + +Then the Lord of Victory spoke to him: + +"Thou needst not as yet dread the terror of death +and murder, though thou shalt depart far from thy +friends, an outcast. If any man by his own hand 1040 +deprives thee of life, then shall come upon him sevenfold +vengeance for his sin, as penalty for his deed." + +Our Ruler and glorious Lord set on him a sign, the 1045 +Master [set] a symbol of immunity, so that none of his +foes far or near might dare to approach him with warlike +intent; then he bade the wicked one leave forever his +mother and sons, all his family. Thereupon Cain set +out and departed sorrowing from before the face of God, 1050 +a joyless exile, and built himself a dwelling to the east, +a habitation far from his fatherland: there a fair maiden, +a woman of the country, bore him offspring. + +The eldest was called Enos, first-born of Cain; he 1055 +began at once to build a city, with his kinsfolk: that +was the first beneath the clouds of all the fortifications +which heroes and swordsmen have caused to be built. 1060 +Therein his offspring first arose, born of his wife in the +citadel: the eldest son of Enos was called Jared. Thence +arose the tribe of Cain, which increased the numbers 1065 +of its race. Next to Jared, Malalehel was the keeper +of the heritage after his father, until he passed away. +Afterwards Mathusal shared the royal treasures with +his kinsfolk, with his brothers, scion after scion, until 1070 +wise through length of days he had to consummate +his departure from the world and forsake life. After +his father's day, Lamech received the household +goods and domestic wealth: two wives, Ada and 1075 +Sella, women of the country, bore offspring to him: of +these one was Jabal by name, son of Lamech, who +through skilful cunning first of dwellers here below +awoke by his hands the song of the harp, that melo- 1080 +dious sound. + + + + +XIII. + + +Likewise, at this same time, there was in this family +a man called Tubal Cain, a son of Lamech, who through +the abundance of his skill was a master-smith, and first 1085 +among men through the craft of his mind he was the +inventor of agricultural implements upon earth: since +then the sons of men dwelling in cities have known far +and wide how to use brass and iron. + +Once on a time Lamech himself made in words a wicked 1090 +confession to his two wives, his dear bed-fellows, Ada +and Sella: + +"In murder I have slain a certain one among my near +relations; I stained my hands with the gory death of 1095 +Cain, destroyed with my hands the father of Enos, the +slayer of Abel, and poured on the ground the life-blood +of a man. Well knew I that for this shall come at last +the sevenfold vengeance of the King of Truth, great 1100 +according to the crime: my fall and destruction shall +be more sternly meted out, with grim horror, when I +depart!"-- + +Now, there came to Adam in Abel's place another 1105 +heir born in legal wedlock, an upright son, whose name +was Seth: he was happy and contributed greatly to the +comfort of his parents, Adam and Eve, his father and +mother, and took Abel's place in worldly affairs. 1110 + +Then the first of men spoke these words: + +"The Eternal Lord of Victory and Ruler of Life has +given me a son in place of the dear one whom Cain +slew, and our God has driven my grievous sorrow from 1115 +my heart with this man-child: to Him be praise for this!" +When he began again to raise up another son to him- +self by his wife, to be his heir, Adam the vigorous cham- +pion had [numbered] 130 winters of this life in the world. 1120 +The Scriptures tell us that on earth here for 800 years +after that, Adam increased his family with maidens +and youths: in all he had 930[12] winters, when he had to 1125 +give over this world through the departure of his spirit. +After him Seth ruled over the people,[13] the son held +the heritage after the parents, and took unto himself 1130 +a wife: he counted 105 winters when he first began to +increase the numbers of his family by sons and daughters. +The eldest son of Seth was called Enos: he first of all 1135 +the children of man called upon God,[14] since Adam +stepped upon the green grass, endowed with the spirit +of life. Seth was happy, and afterwards begot sons +and daughters for 807 winters: in all he had 912, when 1140 +the time was fulfilled that he should accomplish his +departure. + +After him, when he departed out of the world, Enos +held the heritage, after the earth had received the body 1145 +of Seth, fruitful in the Lord. He was dear to God, and +lived here 90 winters before he begot children here by +his wife through intercourse: to him then was Cainan +first born, an heir in his ancestral home. Afterwards 1150 +for 815 winters[15] in the peace of God, the wise hero +begot offspring, sons and daughters: he died, the sage +patriarch, when he had [fulfilled] 905 [years]. + +After Enos, Cainan was chieftain, keeper, and leader 1155 +of his race: he had [numbered] 70 winters before a son +was born to him: when an heir was born for the patri- +mony, this son of Cainan was called Malalehel. There- 1160 +after for 840 [years] he increased the number of his +family by [begetting] children. In all, the son of Enos +had [lived] 910 winters, when he left this world, when 1165 +the number of his appointed days under the expanse of +the skies was fulfilled. + + + + +XIV. + + +After him Malalehel kept the land and inheritance for +many seasons. The chieftain had [lived] 65 winters, 1170 +when he began to beget children by his wife. His wife +brought a son to him, the woman to the man: this son +in his childhood, as I have heard, the man-child in his +youth, was called Jared. After this Malalehel lived 1175 +long and rejoiced in [his] blessings, [all] the delights of +men here below and worldly treasures: 895 winters had +he numbered when he departed; to his son he left the 1180 +land and the government. + +After him for a long while Yeared dispensed gold to +the people; the chieftain was noble, a pious hero, and a +ruler dear to his subjects; 165 expectant winters he 1185 +lived his life in this world, when his happiness arrived, +for his wife brought a son into the world: this son was +called Enoch, his fair first-born. But the father still +added descendants to the number of his race, for 800 1190 +[years]: in all he had [counted] 965 [years] by night- +reckoning when he departed, the ancient patriarch, +when he gave up this world. And Yeared left land and 1195 +government to his wise [son], the dear leader. + +After this Enoch raised aloft the sovereignty, the sagaci- +ous leadership of the people: in no wise did he let fall the +dominion and authority[16] while he was guardian of his 1200 +kinsfolk: he enjoyed days of happiness, and begot sons, +for 300 winters; the Lord, the Ruler of the Skies, was +gracious to him. From this world the hero sought in +the body the joy and bliss of the Lord; in no wise did 1205 +he die the death of this earth, as men [ordinarily] do +here, young and old, when God takes away from them +their possessions and substance, [all] earth's treasures, +and their life as well: but while living he set forth with 1210 +the King of Angels out of this transitory life into bliss,[17] +[clad] in the robes which his spirit received before his +mother brought him forth to men. He left the people +to his to his eldest son, his first-born; 365 winters had he 1215 +[numbered] when he left the world. + +For some time after him, his son Mathusal held the +inheritance, who for the longest space of time enjoyed 1220 +the pleasures of the world in this body: he begot a +multitude of sons and daughters, before the day of his +death. When he had to depart from among men, the +venerable hero had [enjoyed] 970 winters. + +After him, his son Lamech held the government: for 1225 +a long time thereafter he ruled over the world; he had +[lived] 102 winters when the season came for the chief- +tain to begin to beget noble heirs, sons and daughters. + +After this the lord and chief of the people lived 595 1230 +[years], enjoyed many a winter under the skies, ruled +the race well, and begot children: youths and maidens +arose as heirs to him. The eldest of them he named +Noe, who reigned over the land among men after Lamech 1235 +departed. + +This sage ruler of the noblemen was 500 years old +when he first began to beget children, as the books tell. +The eldest son of Noe was called Sem, the next Cham, 1240 +the third Jafeth. + +The people multiplied widely under the skies: the +race of men increased in number over the earth, by 1245 +[the birth of] sons and daughters. Now the descendants +of Seth, that beloved leader of the people, were still +very much cherished, dear to the Lord and prosperous. + + + + +XV. + + +But when the sons of God began to seek brides among +the race of Cain, the accursed folk, and chose wives 1250 +from among them against the will of God, the children +of men from among the sinful maidens, beautiful and +bright, then the Ruler of the heavens pronounced his +wrath against mankind and spoke these words: + +"The men of Cain's race have not been absent from 1255 +my mind, but that stock has sorely offended me. Now +the sons of Seth renew my wrath and take to themselves +the maidens of my enemies as wives: the fairness of the 1260 +women, the maidens' faces, and the eternal Fiend have +shamefully captivated the multitude of men who were +formerly in peace." + +After that, for 120 winters, duly numbered, exile +afflicted the accursed race in this world; then the Lord 1265 +wished to inflict punishment upon the covenant-breakers, +and to smite with death the doers of evil, the giant folk +unloved by God, the great and sinful foes hateful to the +Lord, when the Wielder of Victory himself saw what 1270 +was man's wickedness on earth, and how they all were +bold in crime and utterly vicious. He thought to +punish rigorously the races of men, to seize upon the 1275 +peoples grimly and sorely, with cruel might: he repented +exceedingly that he had ever created the author of the +nations, the source of the peoples, when he fashioned +Adam. He said that on account of the sins of men he +would utterly blot out all that there was on earth, 1280 +destroy every one of the bodies in whose bosom the +breath of life was concealed: all that came near to the +sons of men, the Lord determined to annihilate. + +Noe, the son of Lamech, just and honorable, was dear 1285 +to God, the Preserver. The Lord knew that the virtue +of the true man prevailed in the innermost thoughts of +his breast; therefore the Lord, holy in helpfulness, Pro- 1290 +tector of all men, told him by revelation what he pur- +posed inflicting upon the wicked ones: for he saw the +earth full of unrighteousness, the broad plains laden +with sin, polluted with foulness. Then spoke the Al- 1295 +mighty, our Saviour, and said to Noe: + +"I am resolved to destroy humanity by means of a +deluge, and also every kind of living thing that the air +and waters produce and support, both beast and bird: +but thou shalt have shelter, with thy sons, when the 1300 +dark waters, the black floods of death, destroy mankind, +the vile sinners. Begin to build thee a ship, a mighty +sea-house, in which thou shalt give a place of refuge +to many a one and a safe home to every species on earth, 1305 +after thine own. Build partitions in the midst of the +ship. Make the boat fifty cubits wide, thirty high, +three hundred long, and joint it stoutly against the 1310 +assault of the waves. There shall be a creature of every +living species, a scion of every race on earth, led within +that wooden fortress; so must the Ark be the greater!" + +Noe did as the Lord commanded him, obeyed the 1315 +holy King of Heaven, began at once to build that Ark, +the mighty sea-chest; he told his kinsmen that there +was a horrible thing impending over the people, dire +punishment: but they heeded this not at all. Then, 1320 +after several winters, the Changeless Lord saw that the +vast sea-house, Noe's vessel, towered up in readiness, +strengthened within and without with the best earth- +lime, against the waves; it is unique in its kind: the +harder the fierce waters of the dark billows beat it, the 1325 +stouter does it ever become. + + + + +XVI. + + +Then our Preserver spoke to Noe: "I give thee my +pledge for this, O dearest of mankind, that thou mayst +now take up thy course with the creatures of all kinds 1330 +which thou shalt bear across the deep water for many +days, in the bosom of thy vessel. Lead on board the +Ark, as I bid thee, thy sons, the three first-born, and +your four wives. And do thou take into the sea-house 1335 +seven [members] duly counted of each of the species that +live to [supply] nourishment for men, and two of each +of the others: likewise take on the Ark some of all plants +growing on earth used for food by the people who are 1340 +to sail over the floods with thee. Feed freely the differ- +ent species of animals, until I shall prepare a place under +heaven by my Word for those who are saved from this +watery journey. Depart now with thy household into 1345 +the Ark, with the multitude of dependent things; I know +thee for a good and true man: thou art worthy of +safety and mercy, with thy sons. In seven nights now I +shall let the deadly rain fall from above upon the face 1350 +of the broad earth. For forty days will I set my ven- +geance against mankind, and with a deluge blot out all +the possessions and possessors that are beyond the sides +of the Ark, when the black storm begins to descend." 1355 + +Then Noe left him, as our Preserver commanded, in +order to lead his children on board the Ark, men and their +wives together on the great ship; and all that God Al- +mighty wished to preserve for perpetuating their spe- +cies, went on board to their food-giver, as the Almighty 1360 +Lord of Hosts bade them through his word. With his +own hands, the Guardian of Heaven, Wielder of Victory, +locked the entrance of the sea-house behind them, and 1365 +our Saviour blessed [all] within the Ark with his own +grace. Noe, the son of Lamech, had 600 winters when +he embarked with his sons, at God's command,--that 1370 +wise man, with the young people, his dear kinsfolk. + +The Lord sent rain from heaven, and likewise let +the springs from every source rush upon the world far +and wide, [let] the dark ocean-streams burst forth in 1375 +tumult: the seas rose up over the boundaries of the +shore. Strong and stern was He who ruled the waters, +for he covered and shrouded with wan waters the accursed +wickedness of the sons of the earth and devastated the 1380 +land and homes of men: the Lord wreaked [his fury] +upon men for their offences. The sea cruelly gripped +the wretched folk for forty days, and nights as many +bitter was the suffering then, cruelly fateful to men. +The waves of the King of Glory drove the souls of the 1385 +vicious ones forth from their bodies. The flood covered +everything; turbid under the sky [it covered] the high +mountains over the broad earth, and on its crest raised +the Ark aloft from the ground, and its noble crew with it, +[the Ark] which the Lord Himself, our Creator, blessed, 1390 +when he locked the ship. Thereafter this best of ships +rode widely under the skies over the circle of the sea, +fared [forth] with its freight: the terrors of the flood 1395 +would have seized them with violence in the sea-traver- +sing vessel, but the Holy God led and preserved them. +Fifteen ells deep, by man's measure, stood the deluge +over the hills. That is a memorable occurrence: there 1400 +was nothing at hand for [the Ark] but destruction, +except that it was raised aloft into the upper air when +the inundation killed all creatures upon earth other than +those whom the Lord of Heaven saved on board the Ark, +when the Holy God everlasting, the steadfast King, let 1405 +[the flood] rise up with ever-increasing[18] stream. + + + + +XVII. + + +Then God, Wielder of Victory, was mindful of those +floating on the deep, the son of Lamech and all his 1410 +family, whom the Source of Light and Life had locked +up against the water in the bosom of the ship. The +Lord of mankind led the heroes by his Word over far +lands. Soon the flood began to abate; the deluge ebbed, +dark under the sky: the true God had turned back again 1405 +the foaming waves, for his children; the Glorious One +[had] stilled the cataracts of rain. For 150 nights under +the skies the foamy ship floated, from the time when +the well-nailed sides of this best of boats first arose +upon the flood until this number of days of dire time 1420 +had passed. Then the Ark of Noe, greatest of ocean- +homes, settled on high with its burden on the hills which +are called Armenia: there the pious son of Lamech 1425 +awaited the sure promises for a long time, when the +Keeper of Life, the Almighty King, gave him relief from +the perilous chances which he had long undergone, +when the dark waves bore him abroad on the deep over 1430 +far countries. + +The flood was sinking; the sea-farers, the heroes and +their wives, longed [for the time] when they might +venture to step out of their straitened quarters over the +well-nailed side out on the bank, and take their goods 1435 +out of their crowded home. So the guardian of the ship +tried to find out whether the waters were still sinking +under the clouds: accordingly, after many days from the +time the high mountain-sides received the possessions 1440 +and persons of the races of earth, the son of Lamech +let a black raven fly out of the Ark over the high flood. +Noe believed that if it found no land in its flight, it 1445 +would zealously seek him again on the ship over the wide +water. But this hope failed him; for the evil [bird] +alighted upon a floating corpse: the dark-feathered fowl +would not seek [further]. Then again after a week he sent +from the Ark a purple dove to fly over the high water 1450 +after the dark raven, for the purpose of finding out +whether the foamy sea, the ocean, had given up any +portion of the green earth, as yet. Widely she sought 1455 +her desired object, and flew afar: nowhere did she find +a resting-place, since she could not settle on land on foot +because of the flood, nor alight on a leaf of a tree +because of the waves; for the steep mountain-sides were 1460 +hidden by the waters. The wild bird set out in the +evening to seek the Ark over the dusky flood, and sank +weary and famished in the hands of the pious hero. +Then after a week the wild-dove was again sent out 1465 +from the Ark: she flew far, until greatly rejoicing she +found a fair place for rest and settled with her feet on +a tree; she exulted glad at heart, because exceedingly +weary [as she was] she could sit in the bright branches 1470 +of a tree: she shook out her wings and started to fly +back again with her gift, [for she] brought in her flight +an olive twig, green leaves, into the hands of one [on +board]. Then quickly the leader of the voyagers per- 1475 +ceived that solace had come, relief from their perilous +experience. So again after a third week the happy +man sent out a wild dove; it did not come flying back +to the ship, for it found land, green groves: the glad 1480 +creature did not wish to show itself ever again under the +pitch-smeared roof on the Ark, when there was no need. + + + + +XVIII. + + +Then to Noe spoke our Preserver, Ruler of Heaven, +with holy voice: + +"For you is a dwelling-place again appointed, fair 1485 +on the dry land, joys on earth and rest after your voyage. +Depart in peace out of the Ark, and lead forth upon the +bosom of the earth out of this lofty structure your com- +panions and all the creatures which I mercifully preserved 1490 +from the peril of the flood, while the deluge held sway +[and] covered your home with its abundance.[19]" + +He did so, and obeyed the Lord, stood forth upon the +strand, as the Voice bade him, and with great joy led 1495 +out of the ship the survivors of these perils. + +Then Noe began to institute a sacrifice to our Preserver, +and immediately took a part of all his possessions which +the Lord had given to him for his comfort, and then, 1500 +zealous for the offering, even to God Himself, King of +the Angels, the clear-souled man proffered the sacrifice. +Certainly our Saviour let it be known, when he blessed 1505 +Noe and his sons too, that [the patriarch] had given Him +this offering acceptably and in his youth had merited +by his good deeds that Almighty God, Glorious in +Splendor, should be gracious to him with all blessings. 1510 +Then again the Lord, Ruler of Glory, spoke a word to +Noe: + +"Increase now and multiply, enjoy your honor, with +the gladness of peace: fill the earth, make all things teem. +Into your possession is given a noble heritage, the produce 1515 +of the sea, the fowls of heaven, and the wild beasts,-- +the verdant earth and every treasure. You shall +never dishonorably procure your food through bloodshed, 1520 +sinfully stricken in its life-blood. Each one first of all +injures himself in the riches of the spirit, who with the +edge of the sword takes the life of another: nor shall +he dare to rejoice in thought over the spoils, for I will +avenge a man's death all the more severely upon the 1525 +slayer and upon the fratricide, in proportion as blood- +shed, the slaughter of a man with weapons, or murder by +[violent] hands, seems to succeed. Man was first created +in the likeness of God: every man has the form of the 1530 +Lord and of the Angels, whose virtues follow my holy +will. Increase and multiply, enjoy riches and honor on +earth. Fill the countries of the world with people, your +offspring, sons and daughters. I will set up for you this 1535 +my pledge, that I will never again let loose the floods +upon the earth, the waters over the broad lands: you +may see this witness frequently upon the clouds, when 1540 +I show my rainbow, [as proof] that I will certainly keep +this bond with men, while the world lasts." + +Thus was the prudent son of Lamech, the keeper of +the heritage, disembarked from his ship after the flood 1545 +with his three sons; and their four wives were named +Percoba, Olla, Olliva, and Ollivani,[20] saved from the +waters by the true God. The stout-minded heroes, 1550 +the sons of Noe, were called Sem and Cham, and the third +Iafeth: from these warriors the nations sprang and all +this earth was filled with the children of men. + + + + +XIX. + + +Then for the second time Noe began to establish his 1555 +home, with his kinsfolk, and to till the earth for food; +he struggled and toiled, planted a vineyard, sowed many +seeds and tended them carefully, so that the green 1560 +earth, with its fertile boon, brought him fair harvests. + +Then it befell once that the blessed man was in his +dwelling, drunken with wine; weary of feasting he slept, +and thrust the robe from his body, as was not fitting, and 1565 +lay there with naked limbs: little he noticed that it went +so ill with him in his hall, when intoxication in his breast +gripped his heart in the holy house. In this torpor his 1570 +intelligence was cruelly crippled, so that he could not +call to mind [the necessity for] covering himself with his +clothing and concealing his nakedness, as was ordained +for men and women, ever since the minister of Glory 1575 +locked the native abode of life behind our [first father] +and mother, with a fiery sword. Now Cam, the son +of Noe, chanced to come in where his father lay bereft +of consciousness: thereupon would he dutifully no honor 1580 +show to his own father nor at least conceal the dis- +grace from his kinsmen; but laughing aloud he told +his brothers how the patriarch rested in the house. +They repaired thither speedily, their faces carefully 1585 +veiled under cloaks, so that they bore aid to the dear +man: they were both good men, Sem and Iafeth. + +Then the son of Lamech awoke from his sleep and +soon perceived that Cham would not show him, the nobly 1590 +born, any affection and duty, when honor was due him. +That was bitter to the heart of the holy man, and he +began to curse his son with [harsh] words: he said that +Ham should be humbled under the heavens, the servant 1595 +of his kinsfolk on earth: on him and his race those +baneful words have fallen heavily, ever since. Then +Noe enjoyed his broad heritage with his sons, free men, +for 350 winters of this life after the flood: then he passed 1600 +away. + +After that his sons dispensed the treasures: they +begot children: great was their wealth. Thus to Iafeth +was progeny born, a pleasing family of promising young 1605 +ones, sons and daughters. He was a good man [and] +ever prosperously held his patrimony, [sharing his] +abundance with his children, until the treasure of his +breast, his spirit longing for release, was summoned to 1610 +the judgment of God: thereupon Geomor, Iafeth's son, +shared his father's property with his friends, dear ones, +and relatives; with his descendants was filled by genera- +tion no small portion of the earth.-- + +Sons of Cham were born, likewise, heirs for the pa- 1615 +trimony: the eldest were called Chus and Cham, very +noble of soul, the first-born of Cham. Chus was the +chief of the leaders, dispenser of treasure and worldly 1620 +riches to his brothers, the private property of his father, +after Cham fared forth from the body when death fell +to his lot. This leader of the people delivered judgments 1625 +for his race until the number of his days had run: then +the hero yielded up this world's goods and sought another +life. After that, the son of Chus, first-born of the +brothers, ruled the paternal[21] heritage, a widely known 1630 +man. So the Scriptures tell us, that he had the greatest +might and strength of all mankind, in those days: he +was a prince of the Babylonian Empire, and first of the +nobles raised, spread, and exalted its fame. At that 1635 +time one tongue was still common to all dwellers on +earth. + + + + +XX. + + +Likewise from Cam's stock sprang many descendants, +and to these numerous people great families were born.-- + +Furthermore many sons and daughters were born into 1640 +the world to Sem, noble folk, before the ruler of men +took to his death-bed, in the course of years. In this +family were good men, of whom one was called Eber, a 1645 +son of Sem: from this chief sprang a multitude of people, +whom all nations and earth-dwellers now call Hebrews. + +They set out then to take their posssesions from the +eastward, live-stock and treasure; the people were un- 1650 +animous: the vigorous heroes sought a less crowded land, +until the migrating folk in great multitudes came where +their noble leaders firmly took possession. The rulers 1655 +of the people settled with their dear followers in Sennar, +ample and broad; in the years of their life the fields +were ever verdant and the earth fair for the people at +that time, with increasing abundance of each [kind of] 1661 +treasure. + +Then many a man argued with his dear friend, one +resolute hero with another, that for their greater glory, +before the masses of the people should scatter again over 1665 +the earth, numbers of the nation in search of land, they +should build a city and raise up a tower to the stars of +heaven as a sign that they had sought Sennar fields because +the mighty fore-fathers of the race, the patriarchs, long 1670 +lived there with pleasure: with craft the people wrought, +in labor and industry, until in arrogance and rashness they +showed their skill, built a fortress and raised aloft scaling- 1675 +ladders towards heaven, mightily erected a solid stone wall +beyond man's measure, eager for glory:--[all this did] the +heroes with their hands. Then Holy God came to inspect +the work of the race of men, the fortress of the warriors, 1680 +and that beacon-tower likewise which the sons of Adam +began to rear up to the skies; and the steadfast King +achieved the prevention of this evil design, when in +wrath he distributed different languages among the 1685 +inhabitants of earth, so that they no longer had control +of their speech. They found then multitudes at the +tower with victorious strength, leaders of work in vast +battalions: but not one of the tribes understood what 1690 +another was saying. It could not be, that they should +build up the stone wall further; but they wretchedly +parted in bands separated by their speech: one had +become to another a strange race, after the Lord by the 1695 +fullness of his might had confused the speech of men. +The disunited sons of the patriarchs then parted in +four directions to seek land: behind them, both the 1700 +mighty tower of stone and the lofty city stood on Sennar +[plain] together, half-finished. + +Then the race of Sem increased and multiplied under +the clouds, until a man arose in the number of that +kingly people, a sagacious man, prudent in habit. To 1705 +this nobleman sons were born, two free children were +born in Babylon, and these chieftains, strong-minded +heroes, were called Abraham and Aaron. The Sovereign 1710 +of the Angels was friend and guide to both these leaders. +Then to Aaron was born a son, upright in life, whose +name was Loth. Thereafter the righteous heroes, +Abraham and Loth, throve nobly in the Lord's sight, as 1715 +the inheritance in the kingdom came to them from their +parents; therefore they widely glorified the sons of men +with gifts. + + + + +XXI. + + +Now the period of time had come when Abraham 1720 +brought a wife, a fair and free-born bride to his house, +where he possessed a dwelling: the woman was named +Sarra, as the books tell us. They enjoyed life thus for +many winters, held the property together in peace for 1725 +many years. But it was not vouchsafed to Abraham +as yet that his bright-faced bride should bring into the +world a guardian for his heritage, that Sarra [should +bear] sons and daughters to Abraham. + +Then Abraham's father set out with his family and 1730 +[all] his substance to pass through the Caldean country: +he wisely wished to seek the land of Canan, with his +household. The cousins chosen by the Lord, Abraham +and Loth, went with him out of their heritage. Then 1735 +the nobly-born sons of the patriarchs took up their +dwelling in Carran, the men with their wives. In his +home here Abraham's father departed this life, the 1740 +steadfast worthy: he had told 205 winters, in all, when +he fared forth ripe in years to meet his fate. + +Then the holy Guardian of the heavenly kingdom, the 1745 +Eternal Lord, spoke to Abraham: + +"Set forth now, and take thy movable possessions and +fertile herds with thee. Give up Carran, thy father's +dwelling-place. Depart, as I bid thee, O dearest of +men, and heed well my instructions, and seek the land 1750 +which I shall show thee, a broad verdant country. Thou +shalt live blessed under my protection: if any of the +dwellers on earth greet thee with evil, I will set upon 1755 +them my curse and my hatred, long-lasting affliction; +and I shall give favors, abundance of blessings, to those +who treat thee well. Through thee shall all earth- +dwellers, sons of man, receive peace and friendship, 1760 +my grace and blessing, in this world. Far spreading +under the sun shall be the number of thy race by [the +birth of] sons and daughters, until many a region of the 1765 +earth shall be filled with thy progeny." + +Then Abraham, preeminently upright, rich, and blessed +with gold and silver, set out to take his flocks and +possessions from Carran into the country of Egipt, as 1770 +the Warder of Victory, our Ruler, bade him through his +Word: they sought the land and nation of Canan. Thus +the man dear to God came to lead his wife, his dear bed- 1775 +fellow, and his nephew's wife, into this inheritance, into +happiness. He had [numbered] 75 winters when he +had to fare forth, to give up Carran and his kinsfolk. +So Abraham set out, mindful of the instructions of the 1780 +Father Almighty, to look for the broad land beyond +these nations, at his Lord's command, until prospering +in his journey the courageous man came to Siem, of the +Cananite race. Then the Lord and King of the Angels, +Sovereign of men, manifested himself to Abraham and 1785 +said: + +"This is the country, verdant and bright and adorned +with fruits, that I intend to give into the power of thy +descendants, an ample kingdom!" 1790 + +Then the good man built an altar and offered sacrifice +to the Ruler of Life and Source of Light, the Protector +of souls. Thereupon Abraham traveled still further from +the east in order to search with his eyes for the choicest 1795 +of lands (he remembered the favors, God's promises, +which the King of Victory Himself truthfully declared +to him through his holy word), until the people came with +their possessions to the place where the town is called +Bethlem: the glad-hearted chieftain and his brother's 1800 +son, pious men, went forward over the storied land from +the east, with their possessions, over the precipitous +mountain-sides, and chose a dwelling-place for them- +selves where the fields seemed bright and fair to them. 1805 + + + + +XXII. + + +There Abraham for the second time built an altar: +there he called upon God with noble words, and offered +sacrifice to the Lord of his life. Not at all sparingly +did God, through His own hand, give him reward for +this,--rich bounty, in the very place of sacrifice. 1810 + +There for a while the wise leader dwelt in his home +and enjoyed happiness, the hero with his bride, until a +frightful calamity began to press upon the Cananite +race, cruel hunger, deadly to home-staying men. Then 1815 +the wise Abraham, chosen by the Lord, went into Egypt +to seek sustenance; the sage fled before evil: the plague +was too strong. Abraham spoke,--for he saw the white 1820 +pinnacled halls of Egypt and the tall cities shining +brightly,--and then the ruler, the sagacious man, began +to instruct his wife, in these words: + +"When many haughty Egyptians shall gaze with +their eyes upon thy countenance, then should the nobly- 1825 +born chieftains suppose, O woman fair as a goddess, that +thou art my bright bed-fellow whom some one of the +warriors will wish to have for himself, then I may well +fear for myself lest some one of my foes may deprive 1830 +me of life with the edge of his sword by reason of his +amorous desire. Say then, Sarra, that thou art my +sister, my blood-relation, when the strange men ask +thee what degree of familiarity may exist between us 1835 +two foreigners, who come from so far away: hold fast +true speech from them, and thus thou shalt preserve +my life,--if the Lord of Peace, our Almighty Ruler, +grant me longer life in this world, as he did before, who 1840 +ordained these travels for us in order that we might seek +aid and secure sustenance for ourselves in Egipt." + +Thereupon Abraham, the vigorous leader, proceeded 1845 +with his possessions into Egypt, where the people were +strange to him, and friends unknown. Many haughty +men spoke of the beauty of his wife in their remarks, +men distinguished by their wealth: to many high-spirited 1850 +men, vassals of the king, his wife seemed noble in counte- +nance. They brought the news to their liege-lord, and[22] +few women did they repute fairer before the king, but +they lauded exceedingly Sarra's countenance for its 1855 +great beauty, until he bade them bring the lovely woman +to his own hall. The ruler of the people and chief of +the nobles bade them enrich Abraham with treasures. +But the Lord God became aggrieved and incensed against 1860 +Farao for his love of the woman: the joy of his house- +hold[23] bore this wrath hardly with his intimates. How- +ever, the ruler of the people perceived what the Lord +was sending upon him for punishment: urged on by 1865 +fear, the king of Egipt called Abraham to him and gave +him his bride, [returned] his wife into his keeping, bade +him seek friends elsewhere, noblemen of another race. +Then the ruler of the country ordered his vassals and 1870 +ministers to escort him out of their land again, honor- +ably, uninjured in any respect, so that he might be in +peace. + +Then Abraham took [all his] possessions out of the +country of Egypt: these worthy heroes took their wives, 1875 +both brides and rings, while they brought their flocks +to Bethlem, a familiar dwelling-place, [brought] their +womenfolk and treasures and their worldly goods. 1880 +Then they began to build there, and to erect their city +and settle their homes, and renew their prosperity. +The men built an altar in the meadows near the one that +Abraham had formerly reared to his Lord, when he +came to this western land: there the fortunate man 1885 +exalted the Name of the Eternal Lord once more; the +high-minded ruler offered sacrifice to the King of the +Angels, thanked exceedingly the Source of Light and +Life for his happiness and honor. + + + + +XXIII. + + +Abraham and Loth lived in these dwellings and had 1890 +abundance of prosperity, ruled over their heritage, until +they could not enjoy plenty together any longer in that +land and keep the possessions of both there, but the +worthy warriors had to seek broader seats elsewhere. 1895 +There were often dissensions among the followers of the +steadfast heroes, quarrels among the herdsmen. Then +the blessed Abraham, mindful of their honor, began to +speak fairly to Loth: 1900 + +"I am thy father's born brother, thou art my nephew; +quarrels shall not wax great between us, nor anger +grow: may God forbid that! But we are blood-re- +lations: between us shall nothing be except, most fit- 1905 +tingly, long-enduring love. Now bethink thee, Loth, +that about our borders dwell mighty men, powerful +peoples with lords and vassals, the Cananite and Feretite +nations, with energetic warriors: their landed property 1910 +will not make any more room for us. Therefore shall +we remove our differences from this place and seek +broader dwelling-places for ourselves: I speak what is +best for us both, son of Aron, a true saying. I leave 1915 +the choice to thee, dear friend. Ponder with thyself +and consider in thy heart in which direction thou wilt +take thy departure, go forth with thy herds: now I have +yielded thee the choice!" + +Then Loth left him to seek land by the Iordan, fertile 1920 +country: it was refreshed with waters and enriched with +fruits, bright with rivers, and like to the earthly par- +adise of God, until God the Saviour because of men's 1925 +sins gave Sodoma and Gomorra to destruction, to the +dark flames. So the son of Aron chose his dwelling- +place there, a settlement in the city of Sodoma, and +brought[24] thither all his possessions, rings and private 1930 +property from Bethlem, goods, and wrought gold. For +many years thereafter he dwelt by the Iordan: fair +dwelling-places were there, but vicious men also, hateful +to the Lord. The people of Sodoma were bold in sin, 1935 +shameful in their deeds: they brought upon themselves +eternal woe. Loth would never adopt the customs of +the country, but he always eschewed the habits of this +people, [their] evil and sin, even though he had to live 1940 +in their land, and kept himself pure, virtuous, and pa- +tient, even in this nation, just as if--mindful of [his +Lord's] teaching--he did not know what these people +were doing. + +Abraham dwelt by the habitations of the Cananites: 1945 +the King of the Angels, Lord of mankind, held him under +his protection, with abundance of good things and +worldly treasures, love and joy; therefore the races of 1950 +men, children of baptism, sing his praise widely under +the clouds. Pious and prudent, he freely obeyed the +Lord in his land as long as he enjoyed the heritage: +never need a defenceless human being ever become in +any way a terrified and fearful man before the Lord, 1955 +if he will always, until his departure from life, thank +Him heedfully in speech and in heart, by word and deed, +with wise mind after every favor.[25] + + + + +XXIV. + + +Then I found that the king of the Elamites, Orlahomar, 1960 +a pious leader, made an expedition: in aid of him Am- +brafel set forth from Sennar with a great multitude. +Four kings then set out with mighty power to seek 1965 +Sodoma and Gomorra, southward from there. Then was +the country of the men by Iordan widely besieged by +warriors, the land [was surrounded] by foes. Many +a terrified pale-cheeked maiden would have to go trem- 1970 +bling to the embrace of a stranger: the defenders of +the brides and rings would fall, weak with wounds. +Against them with warlike zeal five kings came forth 1975 +from the south, with their armies, who wished to rid +the city of Sodoma of its foes: for twelve winters before +of necessity they had had to yield tribute and pay +indemnity to the men of the north, until the people +no longer would enrich the king of the Elamites with 1980 +their own treasures, but revolted from him. + +In rage the slaughter-hordes came together: the jav- +elins were loud; the dark fowl sang among the flying +weapons, the dewy-feathered [raven] looked for the slain. 1985 +The warriors rushed on in cohorts with unfaltering cour- +age, until the nations' armies had come together widely, +from south and north, protected by their helmets. There +was bitter struggle, exchanges of deadly spears, great 1990 +tumult of war, loud din of conflict. The heroes drew +from the sheath with their hands the ring-mailed sword, +keen of edge. Then was booty easy to find for the +chieftain who before this was not readily sated with 1995 +battle! The northern men were fatal to the southern +men: the men of Sodoma and Gomorra, dispensers of +gold, were bereft of their dear allies at the shield-clash- +ing. They went forth from their homesteads to save 2000 +themselves by flight; behind them the youths of the race +fell, slain by the sword, [and] their allies [were] cleft with +the edge. The leader of the army of the Elamites had 2005 +victory in battle, was master of the battlefield. The +survivors of the weapons fled to seek fastnesses. The +enemy seized upon gold, robbed with devastation the +treasure-cities of the people, Sodoma and Gomorra. Then +misery requited the great strongholds; the maidens, 2010 +wives, and widows, deprived of friends, departed from +their homesteads. The enemy led out with them from +the city of Sodoma, with their spoils, the kinsman of +Abraham. + +We may now relate this true history further, as to +what was the fate of the war-wolves after the battle, 2015 +who carried off Loth and the goods of the people, the +treasures of the southlanders, [and] exulted in victory. + +A warrior, a survivor of the sword who was spared +in battle, escaped from them suddenly, to seek Abraham: 2020 +he reported to the Ebrew chieftain the outcome of the +fray,--the people of Sodoma sorely stricken, the nation's +wealth, and Loth's situation. Thereupon Abraham re- +ported the evil tidings to his friends; the steadfast hero 2025 +requested aid of his favorite companions, Aner, Mamre, +and thirdly Escol, saying that it would be gall to his +heart and bitterest grief if his nephew should have to 2030 +suffer slavery: bade the warriors famed in battle think of +some plan so that his dear kinsman might be freed, the +hero with his bride. In reply the three brothers, famed +in war, with great readiness assuaged his grief by their 2035 +hardy words, and pledged their troth to Abraham that +they would avenge his injury upon his foes, with him, +or else fall in battle. + +Then the holy man bade his companions take their 2040 +weapons: he found there 318 spear-bearing warriors, +loyal to their ruler, of whom he knew that every one +could well support the tawny linden-shield in an onset. 2045 +So Abraham set out with the three chieftains who had +just pledged their troth to him, and the band of their +followers. He wished to rescue his kinsman at least, +Loth, from suffering.[26] These warriors were famous: +they bore their shields forth boldly on the march. The 2050 +war-wolves, [meanwhile], had nearly reached their +camping-place: then the prudent man, the son of Thare, +spoke to his war-leaders in these words, (great was his +need!), that they[27] should advance on the enemy in two 2055 +divisions with grim conflict and hard swordplay: said, +[further], that the Holy Lord Everlasting might easily +give him success in the spear-fight. + +Then I heard how under the cover of night the heroes 2060 +ventured on into battle: the din of shields and shafts +arose in their sleeping-quarters, the slaughter of archers +and impact of battle-arrows; sharp swords smote hate- +fully under the breast of men, and the bodies of foes 2065 +fell thickly, where the exulting heroes and comrades +were bringing together the spoil. Victory, men's glory +in war, turned aside again from the battle of the north- +men. Abraham gave armed conflict and not in any 2070 +wise wrought gold, as ransom for his nephew; he slew +and felled the enemy in fair fight: to aid him, the Guard- +ian of the heavenly kingdom took [a part in the fray]. +The four armies were put to flight, [with] the kings and +leaders of the people: behind them pressed the joyful 2075 +band and [there] the heroes were slain; the others were +given over to flight,--those who had stolen the gold of +Sodom and Gomorra, and robbed the stewards: fiercely did 2080 +the uncle of Loth requite them for it. The noble leaders +of the Elamites were fleeing, bereft of power, until they +were not far from Domascus. Then Abraham set out on 2085 +the war-track to see the retreat of the wicked men. Lot +was freed, the chieftain with his possessions, [while] the +women [and] wives were restored to joy. Far and wide +they saw the birds of prey rending the murderers of free- +men in sword-slaughter. Abraham brought back again 2090 +the treasure and brides of the southlanders, the children +of the nobles nearer their homes, the maidens to their +families. Of all men living here [on earth], no one ever +achieved a more worthy military expedition with a 2095 +small force which was attacking so great a multitude. + + + + +XXV. + + +Then the people of Sodoma was southward from +there, to bear the news as to what rout of their fierce +foes had occurred. Forthwith the king of the people, +bereft of his nobles and stripped of friends, went out to +meet Abraham; he brought with him the master of the 2100 +treasure of Solomia: that was the great Melchisedec, +bishop of the people. He came with gifts to greet fairly +the prince of the warriors, [to approach] Abraham honor- 2105 +ably, and he pronounced upon him the blessing of God +and spoke thus: + +"Highly wert thou exalted among the number of heroes +before the eyes of Him who gave thee the glory of the ash- +spear in battle: that is God himself, who mightily de- +stroyed the forces of the hostile armies and let thee with 2110 +thy weapons hew out bloody paths broadly [through the +foe], regain the booty, and fell the warriors. They were +encamped by the way: nor could the withdrawing army +prevail in hand-to-hand conflict, but God put it to flight, 2115 +who with His own hands preserved thee with thy warriors +in the fight, against the terror of superior numbers, and +[so likewise] the sacred pledge [preserved thee] which thou +rightfully holdest with the Keeper of the skies." + +With his own hand the hero gave him a return for this 2120 +blessing, and Abraham bestowed upon the bishop of God +the value of every tenth part of the army's booty. Then +spoke the war-king, ruler of Sodoma, bereft of his people, +to Abraham, (to him mercy was needful): 2125 + +"Give me back the maidens of my people, whom thou +by the might of thy army hast snatched from the deadly +bonds of the foe. Keep thou the wrought gold which +formerly was the property of our people, [keep] the 2130 +herds and the treasure. Only let me lead back again +in freedom, to their hearths and desolated homes, the +children of the people, the wives and boys and wretched +widows. The young men, my companions, who should have 2135 +held the borders with me, are dead, [all] but a very few." + +Then Abraham answered him straightway, in the pres- +ence of the chieftains exalted in valor, power, and vic- +tory, and nobly said: + +"Ruler of the people, I pledge to thee this my word, 2140 +before the Holy One who is sole Master of heaven and +this earth: there is no worldly treasure that I will take +for my own, neither riches nor money of thine which I +have rescued from the [hostile] bowmen, O great king, +protector of thy nobles, lest thou oft hereafter say that 2145 +I became rich on earth through the treasure and former +wealth of the kingdom of Sodom;[28] but thou shalt +take hence the booty which I regained for thee in battle, 2150 +all except the shares of these noble warriors, Aner, and +Mamre, and Escol. I am unwilling to deprive these +warriors of their rights: for they stood by me in the +combat, and fought in your behalf. Go now and take +home the wrought gold and the beloved maidens, the 2155 +womenfolk of thy people. Thou needst not fear for +a while the attack of the hostile warriors, the battle +of the northmen, for the birds of prey sit all smeared +with blood, among the fastnesses of the mountains, well 2160 +gorged with the slaughter of the armies." + +So the king set out on his return home with the spoils +which the pious lord of the Hebrews, regardful of honor, +gave up to him. + +Then again to Abraham the High-King of Heaven 2165 +showed himself, with holy speech comforted the wise- +hearted man, and spoke to him thus: + +"Great are thy rewards. Let not now thy heart +grow idle, thou steadfast [doer] of my will. Nor needst +thou fear anyone, while thou heedest my commandment, +for with my own hands will I shelter and shield thee 2170 +during thy life-time here against every woe: thou +needst not be fearful." + + + + +XXVI. + + +Then Abraham, famed for his deeds, answered his +Lord and asked Him, in the fullness of his days: + +"O Ruler of spirits, what dost thou give me for free- 2175 +men's solace, now that I am thus solitary? I have no +need to found an ancestral seat for any sons of mine, but +after me shall my distant kinsmen dispose of my goods; +thou hast not given me a son, and therefore sorrows +weigh upon me very heavily in my heart; I myself can 2180 +not devise any counsel. My steward goes rejoicing in +his sons, and is firmly persuaded in his thoughts that +after me his sons shall be the keepers of the heritage: +they see that no children are born to me of my bride." + +To him then at once God answered: 2185 + +"Never shall thy steward possess the heritage of thy +sons: but thine own children shall hold the treasure, +when thy flesh lies [in the grave]. Behold the sky. Count +those jewels, the stars of heaven, which now freely scatter 2190 +their glorious radiance far and wide to shine brilliantly +over the broad surface of the sea. Such shall be the +multitude of thy descendants, rich in progeny. Let not +thy heart be bound by sorrow. A son shall yet be born 2195 +to thee, a child born of thy wife by ordinary birth, who +after thee shall be the keeper of the inheritance, rich in +property. Grieve no more: I am the Lord, who many +winters ago led thee out of the stronghold of Caldea 2200 +with but few followers, and promised thee a broad +dwelling-place for thy possession: I give thee now my +pledge, man of the Hebrews, that many a broad land +on this earth shall be peopled with thy progeny, regions 2205 +of the world as far as Eufrates even from the borders +of Egypt, as many men and as wide a kingdom as the +Nile cuts off and the sea bounds: all this shall thy sons 2210 +own, each of the countries, as these three waters sur- +round with their streams the lofty cities of stone, the +foamy floods [surround] the refuge of the people." + +Then Sarra was grieved at heart that no son had come 2215 +to Abraham through their wedlock, a free-born heir for +their solace; so the sorrowful one began to speak to her +husband in these words: + +"The Ruler of heaven has denied me this, that I 2220 +might augment the number of thy family under the +skies with sons of thine own. Now I am hopeless that +an heir will ever be given us together: I am too old, in +my misery. My lord, do as I bid thee. Here is a 2225 +woman, a fair damsel, an Egiptian maid in our possession: +bid her now repair to thy bed forthwith, and see if +the Lord will allow any heir for thy goods to come into 2230 +the world through this woman!" + +Then the holy man yielded to the advice of his wife, +and bade the handmaiden go to his couch as a bride.[29] 2235 +Her spirit exalted itself, when she had become pregnant +with a man-child by Abraham; stiff-necked in scorn she +began to despise her mistress, showed insolence, was +overweening, and was unwilling to endure servitude but 2240 +boldly began to resist Sarra strongly. + +Then I heard how the wife spoke to her husband in the +sorrow of her heart, with these words; sad in mind she +spoke, and said bitterly: + +"Thou dost not deal properly and rightfully with me. 2245 +Thou hast hitherto allowed it to happen that my hand- +maiden afflict me every day by deed and word, ever +since Agar entered thy bed in place of thy wife, as was +my entreaty: she shall pay for this mercilessly, if I 2250 +may still control mine own before thee, dear Abraham; +of this may the Almighty Lord of Lords be judge +between us two!" + +The wise-minded man then answered her at once in 2255 +these words: + +"Never shall I leave thee without honor, while we +both live; but thou must manage thine own maid as +pleases thy heart!" + + + + +XXVII. + + +Then Abraham's queen became unkind, wrathful in 2260 +heart towards her serving-maid, hard and cruel, spoke +bitter insults to the woman. Thereupon the latter fled +from threat and thraldom: she would not endure evil +and retribution for what she had formerly done to Sarra, 2265 +but went forth on a journey to go into the wilderness. +There a servant of glory, an angel of the Lord, found her +sorrowing; he eagerly asked her: + +"Whither do you intend to push your journey, my 2270 +poor woman? Sarre owns thy service!" + +She answered him at once: + +"Deprived of every pleasure, jeered out of the house +by the hatred of my mistress, I have fled from woes, +afflictions, and injuries. Now with tear-stained cheek +must I await my fate[30] in the wilderness, [the time] 2275 +when hunger or a wolf removes life and sorrow together +from my heart." + +Then the angel answered her: + +"Seek not thou in flight far hence to avoid thy con- 2280 +cubinage, but return again, earn honor for thyself, begin +submissively to cultivate dutifulness, become dear to +thy master. Thou shalt, Agar, bring a son into the world +to Abraham: with my word I tell thee now that this 2285 +man-child shall be called Ismahel, among men. He +shall be rough, warlike, hostile to the races of men and +to his own kinsfolk: many a one shall struggle against 2290 +him in wrath, with assault of arms. From this prince +nations shall spring, numberless peoples. Depart now +to seek thy master again: live with those who own thee!" + +In accordance with the angel's command, she at once +returned to her lord, as the holy spirit-messenger of God 2295 +bade her, in sapient speech. Thus was Ismael born to +Abraham, even when he had [lived] 86 winters in the +world. The son grew and flourished, as the angel, the 2300 +true minister of peace, had promised to the woman by +his own word. + +About thirteen years after that, the Lord and Ever- +lasting King spoke with Abraham: + +"Dear man, as I command thee, so do thou keep well +our covenant: I will to all time exalt thee in blessings. 2305 +Be thou zealously observant of my will in thy deeds: +I will still further confirm with truth the pledge which +I gave to thee as earnest of comfort, when thy spirit +grieved. Thou shalt hallow thy household: set a true 2310 +sign of victory on each one of the male sex, if thou wilt +have in me a Master or dear Friend of thy race. I shall +[always] be keeper and sustainer of this people, if thou 2315 +dost obey me in thy innermost thoughts and art willing +to fulfil my commands. In his infancy shall every +individual of the male sex in this race, about seven nights +after he comes into the world, be marked for me with 2320 +the sign of victory, or from the face of the earth be +driven far through my hostility, thrust out from his +possessions. Do as I bid: I will be true to you all, if +ye bear that sign with true faith. Thou shalt possess 2325 +a son, a child by thy wife, whom men shall all call Isaac. +Nor needst thou be ashamed of this son: but I will give +to this man-child my divine gifts, by the might of the +spirit, abundance of friends, with prosperity. He shall 2330 +receive my grace and blessing, love and favor. From +this prince shall come broad nations, shall arise many +famous warriors, keepers of kingdoms, world-kings widely 2335 +renowned." + + + + +XXVIII. + + +Then Abraham in haste laid his cheek on the earth, +and with scorn turned over these words in his mind, the +thoughts of his heart: at that period of time he himself 2340 +did not believe that Sarra, his grey-haired bride, could +bring a son into the world to him; he knew well that his +wife had already numbered at least one hundred winters, +by actual reckoning. So then, wise in years, he spoke 2345 +thus to the Lord: + +"May Ismael live according to Thy commandments, +Lord, and give thee thanks with wise and steady mind +and stout heart, doing Thy will day and night in word 2350 +and deed!" + +Then the Almighty King and Everlasting Lord an- +swered him fairly: + +"Though much worn in years, Sarra shall bring a son +into the world to thee; the future shall truly proceed in 2355 +accordance with these words here pronounced. I will now +bless with my grace Ismael, as thou art petitioner, for +thy first born, so that he may dwell many days in the +kingdom of this world with spreading progeny; be thou 2360 +sure of that! But Isaac thy son, the young child who +has not yet come into the world, I will distinguish ex- +ceedingly with abundance of joys and every kind of +riches, in his days, and certainly leave in his heart my 2365 +pledge and holy faith, and be kind to him." + +Abraham did as the Eternal bade him, set the sign +of peace on his son, by the Lord's command, and bade 2370 +every one of his household of the male sex bear that +high sign,--wise in heart, and mindful of the pledge +which God had given him as assurance of good faith,-- +and then himself received the exalted sign. The Lord 2375 +and Just King continually advanced his glory in the +kingdom of this world, with blessings: He wrought this +for him as soon as he might first perform the will of his +Master in [every] expedition....[31] + +Then the woman laughed at the Lord of Mankind not 2380 +at all mirthfully, but full of years she laid away this +promise in her mind with much scorn: she did not +believe it true that the fulfilment of this promise was to +follow. But when the Ruler of Heaven heard that the 2385 +wife of Abraham had given way to hopeless laughter, +in her bower, then the Holy God said: + +"Sarra will not believe in the truth of my word: +nevertheless this decree shall be fulfilled, as I promised 2390 +thee at first. I tell thee truth, at this very season a son +shall be born of thy wife: when I return to this same +dwelling another time, then shall my promise of increase +be fulfilled: thou shalt look upon a son, thine own child, 2395 +dear Abraham!" + + + + +XXIX. + + +Then at once, after this speech, they departed with +speed, eager to be gone; from the place of the confer- +ence, the holy spirits made their way (the power[32] of 2400 +light itself was in their midst!) until they could look +upon Sodom, the lofty city: they saw palaces tower up +above treasures, halls above red gold. Then the right- +eous Ruler of the skies began to speak with Abraham, 2405 +gave him no little information. + +"In this city I hear tumult, the din of sinners ex- +ceedingly loud, the vain-glory of those drunk with ale; +evil speech have the people, behind their walls: for the 2410 +sins of the race, of the treacherous apostates, are heavy. +I will now find out what the men are doing, O man of +the Hebrews, [to see] whether they [actually] commit +sins so grossly in their habits and thoughts as they +perversely speak of crimes and vices: sulphur and black 2415 +flame, sorely and grimly, hotly and vehemently, shall +avenge this on the heathenish people." + + + + +XXX. + + +The men with their wives were approaching their +punishment, sufferings within their walls: arrogant in +riches, they requited the Lord for their prosperity with 2420 +insult, until the Protector of spirits, the Source of Light +and Life, would tolerate their offence no longer: but to +them the steadfast King sent two strong messengers +of his, who arrived at eventide at the fortress of Sodoma, 2425 +in their traveling. At the city-gate they found the +warrior, the son of Aron, sitting by himself, so that they +appeared before the eyes of the wise man as young men. +Then the servant of the Lord arose before the spirits, 2430 +went forward to greet the strangers civilly, thought their +demeanor very proper and agreeable, and invited the +men to be his guests for the night. The noble messengers +of our Preserver answered him thus: + +"For the courtesy which you have extended to us, 2435 +accept our thanks. In this street we expect quietly +to wait for the time when the Lord shall let the sun +[go] forth again for the morning." + +Then humbly Loth[33] bowed at the feet of the strangers 2440 +and eagerly offered them the repose and refreshments +and shelter and service of his dwelling. They accepted +thankfully the benevolence of the good man, and followed +him forthwith inside his walls, as the Hebrew chieftain +invited them. There in his hall the generous wise- 2445 +souled man gave them fair hospitality, until twilight +departed: then came night, after the close of day, and +veiled with darkness the lake-streams, seas, and broad 2450 +land, and [all] the pomp of this life. Then the men of +Sodoma came, young and old, hateful to God, to demand +the strangers, with a great throng so that they surrounded 2455 +Loth and his guests by the multitude of their force; +they bade [him] lead out of the lofty hall the holy mess- +engers [and put] the men in their power; they said +openly in words that they would have intercourse with +the men shamefully, and had no regard for decency. Then 2460 +Loth, who often knew what was best, quickly arose in his +house, and went out at once; and the son of Aron, mindful +of his cunning, spoke thus over all the mass of people: + +"Here are within two spotless [maidens], my daughters: 2465 +neither of these damsels knows intercourse as yet through +sleeping with a man: do then as I bid you, and cease +from this sin. I give them both to you, before you +commit this vileness against nature, heinous evil against 2470 +the sons of men. Receive these maidens and let my +guests go free, since I will defend them against you as +well as I can, before God!" + +Thereupon the crowd, the shameless race, answered 2475 +him through common consent: + +"It seems very right and fitting that thou shouldst +depart out of this neighborhood, thou who bereft of +friends and with the step of an exile soughtest this people +from afar, in thy need: wilt thou, if thou mayst, be our 2480 +ruler here, the teacher of the people?" + +Then I heard of Loth how the heathen masses gripped +him with their hands, with hostile grasp: his guests +aided him well and the righteous strangers drew him 2485 +out of the clutches of the enemy back within the walls, +and then speedily closed fast the eyesight of every one +of the people of Sodoma standing around: the whole 2490 +crowd of citizens forthwith became blind; nor could +they, in their evil rage, break into the house after the +guests, as they intended, but the messengers of God +were [too] active for them; the stranger had power, irre- 2495 +sistible vigor, and was very severe upon the people in +[inflicting] punishment. Then the dear ministers of +peace spoke fairly to Loth, in these words: + +"If thou hast a son, or dear relative, or any friend +among these people besides these maidens whom we see 2500 +here, lead out of this city those who are dear to thee, with +great haste, and save thine own life, lest thou perish +with these law-breakers. For the Lord has commanded +us, because of the people's sins, to give over Sodoma and 2505 +Gomorra to black flame and fire, and to slay these people, +[striking] the race in their cities with deadly horrors, +and so wreak His wrath [upon them]. It has nearly +reached the appointed time. Set out on thy way, to +save thy life: the Lord is merciful to thee...."[34] 2510 + +Loth then hastily answered them: + +"I cannot, with these womenfolk, seek my safety +so far from here in a journey on foot. You manifest +to me kindness and fair friendship, you grant me grace 2515 +and good-will. I know a lofty town near here, a little +fortress: leave me there, in honor and peace, so that we +may seek safety above, in Sigor. If you will protect that 2520 +lofty fastness from the fire, we can abide in that place +unharmed, in safety, and so preserve our lives." + +Then the righteous angels answered him benevol- 2525 +ently: + +"Thou shalt be successful in this petition, now thou +speakest about that city: withdraw immediately to that +fastness. We shall keep thee in peace and safety. We +must not wreak the wrath of God upon these law- 2530 +breakers and destroy the sinful race, before thou hast +led thy children and wife likewise into Saegor." + +Then the kinsman of Abraham set out for the fastness: +the chieftain did not spare the pace for his womenfolk, 2535 +but he pushed his steps most hastily until he had brought +his wife and children to the citadel of Saegor. When the +sun rose, [when] the peaceful luminary of the nations +went forth, then, I have heard, the Master of Glory sent 2540 +sulphur out of heaven, and swart flame for the punish- +ment of men, swelling fire, since they had offended the +Lord for a long period in former days: thus the Ruler of +spirits gave them retribution. Utmost terror seized upon 2545 +the heathen race: tumult arose in the city, the outcry +of the accursed race over shameful death, just beginning. +The flame seized upon all that it found green, in the rich +city, just as around outside no small portion of the broad 2550 +earth was filled with conflagration and terror: trees +and earth's harvests turned to ashes and embers, even +as far as the avenging curse direly extended over the 2555 +broad country of the people. The devastating fire +rushing on in tumult devoured all things together, far +and wide, that men had owned in the cities of Sodoma +and Gomorra: all this, together with the people, God 2560 +the Lord destroyed. + +When Loth's wife, his bride in the city, heard the din +of fire, the death of the people, then she looked back- +ward [to see] this devastation. The Scriptures tell us +that she immediately turned into the likeness of a pillar +of salt: ever since then this statue has stood there 2565 +motion less (this is a strange story), where she incurred +this severe penalty because she would not obey the +ministers of glory in their commands: now, stiff and +erect, she will have to await her doom in that place, at 2570 +the Lord's Judgment Day, when the world has com- +pleted its [allotted] number of years. This is one of +the miracles which the King of Glory has wrought. + + + + +XXXI. + + +Then Abraham went forth alone, at dawn, so that he 2575 +again stood in the place where the pious leader had +formerly spoken with his Lord in words. He saw the +reek of death and destruction ascending widely from +the earth. Riches and feasting preoccupied [the people] +to such an extent that they had become bold in wicked 2580 +deeds, eager for sin: they forgot the Truth and God's +commandments, and who had given them prosperity +and wealth in their cities; therefore the King of the +Angels sent his fervid fire to punish them. Our faithful 2585 +Lord then remembered Abraham mercifully, the dear +man, as he often had done, and saved his kinsman, Loth, +when the multitude perished. The [latter] hero, famed +for his deeds, did not dare to tarry longer in the strong- 2590 +hold for fear of the Lord, but Loth departed from the +city with his children to seek a dwelling-place far from +the place of slaughter, until they found a cave in the +side of a high dune: there the pious Loth, dear to his 2595 +Lord, dwelt in righteousness for a great number of days, +with his two daughters....[35] + +They did thus with the drunken man: ... the elder +of the two went first to her father's bed. Nor did the 2600 +venerable man know when the two maidens ... were +with him in the manner of a bride, fast bound [as he +was] in heart, mind, and memory, drunken with wine, 2605 +so that he could not escape the enterprise of the maidens. +The young women became pregnant, and the devoted +sisters brought men-children into the world, sons to +their old father. One of these noble children was called +Moab by his mother, that daughter of Loth who was the 2610 +elder in years of life; the Scriptures tell us, the sacred +Books, that the younger called her son Ammon. From +these princes sprang numberless people, the glories of 2615 +two nations: one of these nations all earth-dwellers call +Moabites, a widely famed race; the other, men and +sons of heroes call Ammonites. + + + + +XXXII. + + +Then the brother of Aron set out with his wife to take 2620 +his possessions and his household to Abimelech. Abra- +ham told all men that Sarra was his sister, [and] thus +preserved his life by his words: he knew very well that 2625 +he had few relatives and friends among that people. +Then the king sent his ministers and bade them bring +to him [the wife of Abraham].[36] Thus for the second +time in a foreign land, the wife of Abraham was taken 2630 +from her husband to the embrace of a stranger. Then +the eternal Lord assisted him, as he had often done: +our Preserver came himself by night to where the king +lay drunken with wine. Thereupon the Lord of Truth 2635 +began to speak to the king through a dream, and threat- +ened him in wrath: + +"Thou hast taken Abraham's wife, his bride from the +hero; for that deed death shall tear thy soul from thy +breast!" + +To him thus the sinner, gorged with feasting, replied 2640 +in his sleep: + +"What! Wilt Thou ever, High King of the Angels, +through thy wrath let him be deprived of life who lives 2645 +here in righteous habits, [who] in his counsel is upright +in mind, and who asks mercy of Thyself? In her own +words, unasked, this woman told me first that she was 2650 +Abraham's sister. I have not sinned against her, nor +wrought any evil at all, up to this time!" + +Then again the Eternal Lord and True God spoke to +him straightway through that dream: + +"Give back this woman to Abraham, his wife, into 2655 +his possession, if thou wishest for life any longer in this +world, as protector of the nobles. He is good and wise, +and may himself speak with [God] and see the King of +Glory. Thou shalt die, with thy flocks and thy sub- +stance, if thou deniest his wife to the warrior: if he will 2660 +at once honestly and patiently prefer to me thy earnest +wishes, he may obtain his request that I yet allow thee +living to enjoy pleasures and prosperity in thy days, 2665 +[allow thee] in sound health [to enjoy thy] riches." + +Then the keeper of the people broke forth from sleep, +bade his councillors come to him; shaken with terror, +Abimeleh quickly told the nobles the word of the Master. +The men dreaded [as retribution] for this deed, blows 2670 +from the hand of the Lord in accordance with the dream. +The king himself bade them bring Abraham before him, +in great haste. Then the ruler of the kingdom spoke: + +"Man of the Ebrews! this wilt thou now tell me in 2675 +words: what have I done that, since thou broughtest +thy possessions into this country among us, Abraham, +thou hast thus bitterly contrived a plot against me? +Thou, a foreigner, wouldst deceive us in this country 2680 +with evil and pollute us with sin: thou saidest in plain +words that Sarra was thy sister, thy blood relation; +through that woman thou wouldst have foully put upon +me sin, measureless evil! We received thee honorably, 2685 +and in friendship gave thee a dwelling-place among this +people, land at thy pleasure: now thou makest return +and thankest us [most] ungratefully for our favors!" + + + + +XXXIII. + + +Abraham then answered: 2690 + +"I did that, not for evil nor for hostility nor for any +woe that I might bring upon thee. But by this strat- +agem, O ruler of men, I protected myself against blows +of the fierce sword, far from my kinsfolk [as I was] +Since the Holy One[37] first led me from the family of 2695 +the prince, my father, I have sought out many peoples, +strange allies, and this woman with me, destitute of +friends: I always kept this peril in mind, when some foe 2700 +should deprive me--a stranger--of my life, who wished +to have this woman for his own. Therefore I have told +warriors in plain words that Sarra was my sister, wher- 2705 +ever on this earth we have had to contend against +foreigners in our exile. I did the same thing in this +country, great king, after I chose thy protection: nor +was there any knowledge in my heart as to whether 2710 +the fear of God Almighty was in this race, when I first +came here; therefore I concealed from thy ministers and +from thyself as well as possible the true statement that +Sarra was wont to enter my bed with me as my wife." 2715 + +Then Abimaeleh began to enrich Abraham with worldly +treasures and returned his wife to him: he gave him +to boot, when he received his wife, live stock and bright +silver and serving-folk. The protector of the nobles 2720 +spoke further to Abraham, in these words: + +"Dwell with us and choose thee a dwelling-place in +this land, a noble site where it is most to thy liking: I +must have thee; be a faithful friend to us; we will give 2725 +thee riches." + +Then quickly the dispenser of treasure spoke further +to Sarra, in other words: + +"Nor need Abraham, thy lord and master, set it in +reproach against thee that thou hast trodden the ways +of my dwelling, O woman goddess-fair: for I have richly 2730 +repaired thine offence with him, with white silver. Do +not trouble yourselves to seek riches and strange friends +away from this land, but dwell here." + +Abraham did as his king bade him, and at the ruler's 2735 +behest accepted friendship, love, and peace. He was +dear to God: therefore he enjoyed tranquility happily +and proceeded under the shadow of his Creator, covered 2740 +by His protecting wings, while he lived. But God +was still angry at Abimeleh for the sin which he had +committed against Sarra and Abraham, when he sepa- +rated these two loving ones, the wife and the husband. 2745 +He received a severe penalty for this deed: for neither +free nor slave women could reward[38] the men their +masters with children, for the Lord prevented it, until +the holy Abraham began to pray Eternal God for grace 2750 +in behalf of his king. The Protector of the Angels granted +him his prayer, and restored to the king the fertility +of the free and the enslaved, men and women; again +the Ruler of the skies allowed the number of their off- 2755 +spring to increase, their prosperity and possessions: the +Almighty Keeper of Mankind became mild in heart +towards Abimeleh, as Abraham entreated Him. + +Then the Almighty Lord came to Sarra, as He Himself 2760 +promised: Our Master, the Ruler of Life, had fulfilled His +promise to the dear man and woman. A son was be- +gotten of Abraham upon his wife, whom the Prince of +the Angels named Isaac even before the mother was great 2765 +with child by the chieftain. Abraham with his own hand +set the sign upon him, as the Lord glorious in splendor +bade him, about a week from the time when his mother 2770 +brought him into the world to mankind. + + + + +XXXIV. + + +The boy grew and throve, inasmuch as noble [traits] +were native to him from his ancestors. Abraham had +[numbered] 100 years when, to his joy, his wife bore him +a son: he had waited for this for a long time, since the 2775 +Lord first through His own word foretold this day of +happiness. Now the matter so happened that his wife +once saw Ismael playing before Abraham where they +were both seated at a banquet, holy in heart, and all 2780 +their household retainers were drinking and singing. +Then the noble woman spoke, as wife to husband: + +"Forgive me, my dear lord, keeper of the ring! But +bid Agar depart elsewhere, and take Ismael with her. 2785 +We should no longer be together, for my pleasure, if I +might have my way. Never shall Ismael share the +heritage with Isaac, my own son, after thee, when thou +yieldest up thy spirit from the body." 2790 + +Then was Abraham heavy at heart, because he must +drive away his own son into exile; then speedily the +True God came to his aid, for He knew that the heart +of the man was in dire straits. The King of the Angels, 2795 +the Eternal Lord, spoke to Abraham: + +"Let the sorrow and heart-felt grief slip from thy +breast, and obey the woman, thy wife. Bid both Agar +and Ismael to go away, [send] the boy from thy home. 2800 +I will make his race far-spreading and powerful in the +number of its sons, prosperous in blessings, as I promised +thee by my word." + +Then the man obeyed his Master and drove from his +home the sad-minded pair, [drove] from his patrimony 2805 +the woman and his own son....[39] + +"Clear it is and manifest that the True God, the King +of Glory, is on thy side, since he gives thee the victory, +with wise power, and strengthens thy heart[40] with 2810 +divine gifts. Therefore thou hast succeeded hitherto +in whatsoever thou hast begun to perform against +friend or foe, in word or deed. The Lord our Master +thrusteth forward thy desires with His own hands: +that is widely known among men. I pray thee now, 2815 +chief of the Ebrews, by my words, to give me a faithful +assurance of thy pledge that thou wilt be a true friend +to me, in return for the good things which I have given 2820 +for thy glory, since thou camest solitary from afar into +this country with the tread of an exile. Requite me +now with thy favor, so that I may not be sparing of land +and pleasure to thee. Be propitious now to this people 2825 +and city of mine, if Our Almighty Lord who holdeth the +fates will grant that thou mayst further distribute riches +and pleasing treasures, and set up thy landmarks, among 2830 +the warriors in this country." + +Then Abraham gave pledges to Abimeleh that he would +[do] thus. + + + + +XXXV. + + +After this the holy son of Thare, chief of the Ebrews, +was a dweller in the Filistine nation for a long time, 2835 +alone amid strangers. The Lord of the Angels showed +him a dwelling-place which the men dwelling in the city +called the land of Bersaba. There the pious man built +a high hall, constructed a place of shelter and planted 2840 +a grove, erected an altar and on the sacrificial stone +made an offering, an oblation, at once, to his Master +who had given him a prosperous life under the sky. + +Then the powerful King began to try this hero, 2845 +tested stringently what the noble one's fortitude was, +and spoke to him in stern words with his voice: + +"Go forth now speedily, Abraham, hasten thy steps, 2850 +and take with thee thine own child. Thou shalt thyself +offer up Isaac to me, thy son as a sacrifice. After thou +ascendest on foot the steep dune, the bordering circle of +that high land which I shall show thee from here, there 2855 +thou shalt prepare a funeral pyre, the death-pile of thy +son, and then thyself sacrifice thy son with the edge +of the sword and then burn his dear body with black +flame, and thus make offering to me." + +He did not decline the expedition, but straightway +began to hasten the procedure: the word of the King 2860 +of Angels was sacred to him, and his Master was beloved. +Then the pious Abraham forsook his nightly repose, +with no resistance at all to the command of the Saviour, +but the holy man girded himself with his grey sword 2865 +and declared that the fear of the Keeper of Spirits +dwelt in his breast. Worn with age, the dispenser of +gold began to harness his asses, and bade two young men +go with him: his own son was the third and he himself +the fourth. Without delay he then set out to lead Isaac 2870 +from his own home, the ungrown child, as the Lord +bade him; hastened exceedingly and hurried forth on +the way, as the Lord showed him the paths over the +wastes, until the glorious beginning of the third day 2875 +arose across deep water. There the worthy man saw +a high dune rise, as the King of Glory had foretold to +him. So Abraham spoke to his servants: + +"My men! Remain ye here in this place. We shall 2880 +return, after we have offered to the King of Spirits what +was entrusted to us both." + +The noble man then departed with his own son toward 2885 +the designated spot which the Lord showed him, striding +through the forest; the son bore the wood, the father +fire and sword. Then the man young in years began +to ask Abraham about the affair, in these words: + +"We have here fire and sword, my lord: where is the 2890 +noble victim that you expect to bring as a burnt-offering +to God?" + +Abraham replied (he had once for all decided that he +would do as the Lord directed him): + +"That the True King, Guardian of mankind, will 2895 +himself provide, as it seemeth to him meet." + +Then with unfaltering purpose he ascended the steep +dune, with his son, as the Eternal had bidden him, until +he stood on the crest of the high land, on the [spot][41] +which the mighty, faithful Lord had shown him in his 2900 +words. Forthwith he began to build the funeral-pyre +and kindle the fire, and he bound his son hand and foot, +and then laid young Isaac on the pile, and then straight- +way grasped the sword by the hilt: he was resolved to 2905 +kill his son with his own hands and allay the flames with +his child's blood. + +At that moment a minister of God, one of the angels, +called Abraham from above, with a loud voice. Motion- +less he answered the angel and awaited the herald's 2910 +speech. To him then forthwith God's glorious spirit- +messenger spoke from above, out of heaven, in these +words: + +"Beloved Abraham! Do not slay thine own son, but +take the boy alive from the pile, thy child. The God 2915 +of Glory has spared him. Prince of the Ebrews, through +the holy hand of the King of Heaven thou shalt thyself +receive recompense and true rewards of victory, ample +gifts: the Keeper of Spirits will enrich thee with blessings, 2920 +because his peace and favor were dearer to thee than +thine own child." + +The pyre stood there blazing. The Lord of mankind +had made joyful the breast of Abraham, kinsman of +Loth, when he gave him back his son, Isaac, alive. Then 2925 +the holy hero looked about over his shoulder, and there +not far from him the brother of Aron beheld a ram +standing alone, caught fast in the thorn-bushes. Abra- +ham took this and laid it on the pyre with great zeal, 2930 +in place of his own son, brandished the sword, and dec- +orated the burnt-offering, the smoking altar, with the +blood of the ram, offered that oblation to God, [and fin- +ally] gave thanks for these blessings and for all those[42] +mercies which, late and early, the Lord had bestowed 3935 +upon him....[43] + + + + +NOTES + + +[Footnote 1: Thorpe's translation of the _Genesis_, published with his +edition, in 1828, was not accessible to the present writer and +presumably will not be accessible to the general public, so that on the +mere score of availability it seems high time for the appearance of +another translation; moreover, in the last eighty-five years critical +scholarship has produced a greatly improved text of the poem.] + +[Footnote 2: Aside from necessary omissions made for _Genesis B_, the +Sections are numbered consecutively in this translation (regardless of +vagaries in the original MS. numbering), on the assumption that each +illuminated capital in the MS. was intended to indicate the beginning of +a new Section. After the excision of _Genesis B_, the numbering has been +resumed with X instead of XV, because the XIII at line 440 in the MS. +must really represent VIII.--Cf. Note 8, page 59, inf. (page 199, inf.)] + +[Footnote 3: ll. 39b-41a. _Wraecna_, gen. pl. with _bidan_, = _outcasts_; I +take _weardas_ as in apposition with it (the acc. being either a scribal +error or an anacoluthon), and then translate _wraecna_ as an adjective +for the sake of idiomatic fluency. For _gasta weardas_ as an epithet for +angels, though then unfallen, cf. line 12a, sup.--The passage has given +scholars much trouble and is unsatisfactory, at best.] + +[Footnote 4: line 63b. I take aeethele as a form of aeethelu = nobilitas, +principatus, natales, origo, genus, etc. Grein's _Sprachschatz_, 1.52.] + +[Footnote 5: line 168a. Three pages seem to be missing in the MS. +Doubtless the remaining events of the third day, with those of the +fourth, fifth, and perhaps first part of the sixth, days, including the +creation of man, (i.e., apparently the contents of Gen. 1.11-2.17, +incl.) were retold in these pages.] + +[Footnote 6: line 186b. This line is apparently imperfect, metrically, +for the second hemistich seems to be wanting. As the sense is complete, +without emendation, I have not followed the various scholars who would +insert after "Adam's bride" some such clause as, "Whom God named Eve."] + +[Footnote 7: ll. 221-224a. The text here is corrupt and scholars differ +widely in their conjectural emendations and interpretations. Since none +of their versions is satisfactory or convincing, I venture upon an +independent reading. _Hebeleac_, of course, is the Scriptural Havilah +(Gen. 2.11); _Fison_ is obviously Pison, and _Geon_, 230b inf., is +Gihon.] + +[Footnote 8: ll. 226, 227a. I construe _the best_ with _gold and gems_, +rather than with _sons of men_, because of Gen. 2.12.] + +[Footnote 9: ll. 235-851. After line 234 there is a break in the MS. +Sievers has shown that the following 617 lines, called _Genesis B_, were +written and interpolated later, by a different hand, and have Old Saxon +affiliations. _Genesis B_ describes the Fall of Man and also gives a new +version of the revolt and overthrow of Satan. _Genesis A_ begins again, +at line 852, with the conversation between Adam and Eve and Jehovah +(Gen. 3.8 ff.).] + +[Footnote 10: line 872. I follow the divisions of the MS. This line +begins with the tenth large decorative initial, the others having +occurred at ll. 1, 82, 135, 246, 389, 442, 547, 684, and 821. Where the +editors so widely disagree as to the proper subdivisions of the poem, it +seems safer to follow the original initializing (but not the marginal +numbering of the original MS.: this skips from VII to XIII at line +440--doubtless accidentally substituting X for V--and is otherwise +irregular). Cf. footnote, page vi, sup.--For lines 869-70, cf. _Jour. +Eng. Germ. Phil._, 12.257.] + +[Footnote 11: line 1022. A hemistich seems to be missing here, +metrically.] + +[Footnote 12: line 1125. A hemistich seems to be missing here, +metrically.] + +[Footnote 13: line 1128. I here adopt Grein's emendation, reading _leod_ +for _leof_.] + +[Footnote 14: line 1137. Cf. Gen. 4.26, with cross-references, +alternative translation, etc.] + +[Footnote 15: line 1150. I follow Grein in supplying _wintra_ to +complete a metrically imperfect line.] + +[Footnote 16: line 1199. A hemistich seems to be missing here, +metrically; and surely the sense requires the interpolation of several +lines, to record the birth of Methuselah in Enoch's 65th year. Cf. Gen. +5.21.] + +[Footnote 17: line 1211. We may restore the last word of this line, +_fan_ in the MS., either as tautological _frean_, with Dietrich, or as +tautological _feran_, with Grein.] + +[Footnote 18: line 1405. I follow Dietrich in reading +_edniowe = self-renewing_, for the meaningless _edmonne_ in the MS.] + +[Footnote 19: line 1492. This difficult passage may be clarified by +reading _ethryethe = strength, copious power_, in place of the meaningless +_ethridda = third_, in the MS., and at the same time making _ūrymme_ the +object of _haefde_ (reading _ūrymmas_, if necessary).] + +[Footnote 20: line 1549. At least one line is missing, in the MS. here. +I have healed the breach by altering the case of _waerfaest metod_, in +preference to supplying conjectural material.] + +[Footnote 21: line 1628a. The difficulty here may be obviated, with +slight emendation, by letting _Faederne_ modify _yrfestole_, and changing +_breether_, as a genitive plural, to _broethra_.] + +[Footnote 22: ll. 1852b-1853. I follow Dietrich, who seems to me to make +the best of this bad business.] + +[Footnote 23: line 1862b. _Haegstealdra wyn_ refers to Pharaoh, of +course.] + +[Footnote 24: line 1929a. A hemistich is missing here, in the MS., and a +verb must be supplied; I adopt Grein's suggestion, _laedde_.] + +[Footnote 25: line 1956b. The alliteration is defective, unless a word +be supplied; but the sense may be preserved, without emendation, by +construing _aefter_ with _sped_.] + +[Footnote 26: line 2047a. Metrically, a hemistich seems to be missing.] + +[Footnote 27: line 2055a. Metrically, a word or two seem to be missing.] + +[Footnote 28: line 2148b. Metrically, a hemistich seems to be missing.] + +[Footnote 29: line 2234b. _Larum_ here seems to be tautological, perhaps +a scribal error. It might be taken with _bryde_, in an absolute +construction: _after the example_, or _in the manner, of a bride_. The +reading _lastum_ is supported by line 2715a.] + +[Footnote 30: line 2275b. I take _witodes_ here as equivalent to +_wyrdes_: cf. Sievers' "OE. Grammar," ed. A.S. Cook, 1903, 269, N. 5.] + +[Footnote 31: line 2379. Grein remarks that a page is missing here from +the MS.] + +[Footnote 32: line 2400b. I read here _maegn_ for _maeg_;--cf. line 2494b. +Or, retaining _maeg_, the line might be translated: "The Father of Light +Himself was" etc. Cf. Gen. 18.1, 16.] + +[Footnote 33: line 2439b. Defective metre and sense, owing to the loss +of a hemistich, but the sense is complete. Grein's suggestion, _feoll on +foldan_, adds nothing to the following _hnah_.] + +[Footnote 34: line 2510. A passage is missing here in the MS. Cf. +2568b-2569a; and the XXXVII at 2574, after the XXXV at 2417.] + +[Footnote 35: lines 2597, 2598, 2601b-2602a. There are several lacunae +here, in the MS.] + +[Footnote 36: line 2628b. Some words are evidently missing here. In the +brackets I give the emendation supported by most scholars.] + +[Footnote 37: line 2695b. I follow most of the editors in taking _hyrde_ +as _family_ and _frean_ as an appositive with _faeder_.] + +[Footnote 38: line 2747b. Whatever the precise form of emendation to be +adopted, this is certainly the sense of the word and passage.] + +[Footnote 39: line 2805. A passage is missing here, in the MS.] + +[Footnote 40: line 2810b. A hemistich is missing here, metrically.] + +[Footnote 41: line 2899a. This word (_stowe_) is Dietrich's obviously +correct emendation.] + +[Footnote 42: line 2934a. Grein's emendation, _saeletha_ = _prosperity_, +helps the metre but not the sense. I do not adopt it.] + +[Footnote 43: line 2935. In the MS., _Genesis_ ends here and _Exodus_ +follows at once; as 28 Chapters of the Biblical Genesis are passed over, +it seems probable that several pages in the MS. of the poem have been +lost or were not transcribed.] + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Genesis A, by Anonymous + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GENESIS A *** + +***** This file should be named 15612.txt or 15612.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/6/1/15612/ + +Produced by David Starner, Jason Isbell and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |