,transcribers ,note3 ,typographic errors
 in the original have been retained4 ,in
 the table of contents there are two    
sets of page numbers4 ,the first appears
 to be the page numbers from the        
original ,,ms4 ,the second set in       
parentheses are the page numbers from   
this facsimile4 ,as the body of the text
 is referred to by line numbers1 that   
section has not been rewrapped4   ,,yale
 ,,studies ,,in ,,english  ,,albert ,s4 
,,cook1 ,,editor  ,,xlviii  ,,genesis ,a
  ,,translated ,,from ,,the ,,old       
,,english  ,,by  ,,lawrence ,,mason1    
,,ph4,d4  ,,instructor ,,in ,,english   
,,in ,,yale ,,college  ,,new ,,york     
,,henry ,,holt ,,and ,,company  #aiae   
,,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           
literature4 ,professed students in this 
department will always have an incentive

 to master the language2 but to the     
public at large the strangeness of this 
medium will prove an insurmountable     
barrier1 and the general reader must    
therefore either remain in ignorance of 
our older literary monuments or else    
employ translations4 ,the present       
contribution#a to the growing body of   
such translations possesses1 perhaps1   
more than a single interest or appeal1  
in that it renders accessible not only a
 poem of considerable intrinsic worth1 a
 poem associated with the earliest of   
the great names in ,english literary    
history1 and a forerunner and possible  
source of ,paradise ,lost1 but also an  
important example of a literary genre   
once immensely popular1 though now quite
 fallen into abeyance--namely1 the      
lengthy versified ,scriptural           
paraphrase4 ,for some idea of the       
prominent part played by this form1 even
 so late as the seventeenth century1 the
 reader is referred to any comprehensive
 manual of ,english literature4  ,in    

this translation1 prose has been        
employed instead of verse1 for two      
reasons4 ,in the first place1 no        
metrical form has yet been found which1 
in the writer's judgment1 at all        
adequately represents in modern ,english
 the effect of the ,old ,english        
alliterative verse1 or stave-rime4 ,and 
in the second place1 to the writer's    
thinking1 no one but a poet should      
attempt to write verse3 and on that     
principle1 translations would be few and
 far between1 unless prose were used4   
,but even granting the value of the     
,genesis as a fit subject for           
translation1 and the necessity for the  
employment of prose1 the reader may     
still quarrel with the particular kind  
of prose hereinbelow essayed2 so a brief
 explanation and1 it is hoped1          
vindication of the theory of translation
 here followed would seem desirable1    
inasmuch as considerable divergence is  
intended from the methods adopted by the
 various translators of the ,beowulf1   

for example4 ,first1 ,biblical          
phraseology has been eschewed1 partly   
because in a modern writer it savors of 
affectation1 but chiefly because his    
,bible was the point of departure for   
the ,old ,english author1 and to return 
now in the translation to our ,bible    
would be a stultification of his        
purposes by a sort of argumentum in     
circulo4 ,secondly1 archaisms1 poetic   
diction1 and unusual constructions 7the 
translation ,english anathematized by   
the ,rhetorics7 have been so far as     
possible avoided1 contrary to the       
practice of most translators from ,old  
,english poetry1 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 intended4 ,for this poetry could not
 have seemed alien or exotic to its     
original public3 either through familiar
 poetic convention1 or owing to the     
staccato and ejaculatory character of   

ordinary spoken language at the time1   
this spasmodic1 apostrophic poetry must 
have seemed natural and beautiful1 in   
the seventh or eighth century4 ,but--   
,why take the style of those heroic     
times8   ,for nature brings not back the
 mastodon1   ,nor we those times4  ,to  
translate is to modernize4 ,this        
rendering1 therefore1 is not an         
artificial1 pseudo-antique hybrid1 but  
frankly endeavors to convey its original
 to modern readers in idiomatic modern  
literary ,english1 devoid of any        
conscious mannerisms whatsoever4 ,the   
writer has aimed at the utmost literal  
fidelity consistent with the observance 
of all the usages of current standard   
,english2 he has not attempted1 however1
 to convert the explosive appositions1  
with prevailing asyndeton and excessive 
synonymy1 of his original into the easy1
 flowing sentences more familiar to     
modern eyes and ears1 for the change    
would sacrifice altogether too much of  
the distinctive character and flavor of 

,old ,english poetry4  ,the text upon   
which this work is based is that of the 
,grein-,wuelker ,bibliothek der         
,angelsaechsischen ,poesie1 #ahid1 save 
for a few minor changes in punctuation  
and the few departures recorded in the  
,notes4 ,grein's translation of the poem
 into modern ,german stave-rime1 #aheg1 
has been frequently consulted1 but the  
writer's real indebtedness to it is felt
 to be slight4 ,he takes great pleasure1
 finally1 in acknowledging his deep     
sense of obligation1 on many grounds1 to
 the general editor of this series1     
,professor ,albert ,s4 ,cook2 the work  
was undertaken at his suggestion1 and he
 has been most kind in giving advice and
 criticism4  ,lawrence ,mason4    ,,yale
 ,,university1   ,july #ag1 #aiac4      
,,table ,,of ,,contents    ,with        
,specification of the ,biblical         
,chapters and ,verses                   
represented in each ,section of the     
,poem                                   
,,page    ,,preface                     

,,iii 7#ace7    ,,table ,,of ,,contents 
,,vi 7#ach7    ,,genesis ,a3    ,section
 ,i#b                                   
#a 7#ada7   ,section ,,ii 7,gen4 #a4a-e7
                                   #c   
7#adc7   ,section ,,iii 7,gen4 #a4d-aj7 
#d 7#add7   ,lines #afi-bcd 7,gen4      
#a4bh1 #ca2 #b4aj-ad1 #ah1 #ba1 #bb7    
#e 7#ade7   ,lines #heb-hga 7,gen4      
#c4h-aj7                                
#g 7#adg7   ,section ,x 7,gen4 #c4aa-ae7
                                  #g    
7#adg7   ,section ,,xi 7,gen4 #c4af1    
#ag1 #ai1 #ba1 #bd2 #d4a-e1 #h7         
#i 7#adi7   ,section ,,xii 7,gen4       
#d4i-ai1 #ba7                           
#aa 7#aea7   ,section ,,xiii 7,gen4     
#d4bb-bf2 #e4c-ad7                      
#ac 7#aec7   ,section ,,xiv 7,gen4      
#e4ae-bi1 #cb7                          
#ae 7#aee7   ,section ,,xv 7,gen4       
#f4a-h1 #aa-ai1 #bb7                    
#ag 7#aeg7   ,section ,,xvi 7,gen4      
#g4a-g1 #aa1 #ab1 #af-bc7               
#ah 7#aeh7   ,section ,,xvii 7,gen4     

#h4a-d1 #f-ab7                          
#bj 7#afj7   ,section ,,xviii 7,gen4    
#h4ae-ah1 #bj2 #i4a-i1 #aa-ai7          
#bb 7#afb7   ,section ,,xix 7,gen4      
#i4bj-bh2 #aj4a1 #b1 #f1 #h-aj2 #aa4a7  
#bd 7#afd7   ,section ,,xx 7,gen4 #aj4a1
 #bj1 #ba2 #aa4b1 #d-h1 #aj1 #bf1 #bg7  
#bf 7#aff7   ,section ,,xxi 7,gen4      
#aa4bi-cb2 #ab4a-h7                     
#bh 7#afh7   ,section ,,xxii 7,gen4     
#ab4h1 #aj-bj2 #ac4a-d7                 
#cj 7#agj7   ,section ,,xxiii 7,gen4    
#ac4e-ac7                               
#cb 7#agb7   ,section ,,xxiv 7,gen4     
#ad4a1 #b1 #d1 #aj-af7                  
#cc 7#agc7   ,section ,,xxv 7,gen4      
#ad4ag-bd2 #ae4a7                       
#cg 7#agg7   ,section ,,xxvi 7,gen4     
#ae4b-e1 #g1 #ah2 #af4a-f7              
#ci 7#agi7   ,section ,,xxvii 7,gen4    
#af4f-ab1 #ae1 #af2 #ag4a1 #b1 #aj-ad1  
#ai7 #da 7#aha7   ,section ,,xxviii     
7,gen4 #ag4ag-ba1 #bc1 #bd1 #bg2        
#ah4ab-ad7     #dc 7#ahc7   ,section    
,,xxix 7,gen4 #ah4af1 #ag1 #bj-bb7      

#dd 7#ahd7   ,section ,,xxx 7,gen4      
#ai4a-ac1 #ah-bf7                       
#de 7#ahe7   ,section ,,xxxi 7,gen4     
#ai4bg-cj1 #cc1 #ce-ch7                 
#di 7#ahi7   ,section ,,xxxii 7,gen4    
#bj4a-aj7                               
#ej 7#aij7   ,section ,,xxxiii 7,gen4   
#bj4aa1 #ac-ah2 #ba4a-d7                
#ea 7#aia7   ,section ,,xxxiv 7,gen4    
#ba4e1 #h-ad1 #bb-bd1 #bg7              
#ec 7#aic7   ,section ,,xxxv 7,gen4     
#ba4cc1 #cd2 #bb4a-ac7                  
#ee 7#aie7   ,,notes                    
#eh 7#aih7     ,,genesis ,a     ,i4     
,ours is a great duty--to praise in word
 and love at heart the heavens' ,ruler1 
the glorious ,king of ,hosts3 ,he is the
 substance of all power1 the head of all
 high things1 the ,lord ,almighty4      
,origin or beginning was                
#e never made for ,him1 nor shall an end
 ever come to the eternal ,god3 but1 on 
the contrary1 ,he is for ever supreme by
 ,his high puissance over the heavenly  
kingdoms2 just and mighty1 ,he rules the

 mansions of the sky1                   
#aj which were established far and wide 
through the power of ,god for the sons  
of glory1 the keepers of souls4  ,these 
angelic hosts were wont to feel joy and 
rapture1 transcendent bliss1 in the     
presence of their ,creator3 their       
beatitude was measureless4 ,glorious    
ministers                   #ae         
magnified their ,lord1 spoke his praise 
with zeal1 lauded the ,master of their  
being1 and were excellently happy in the
 majesty of ,god4 ,they had no knowledge
 of working evil or wickedness1 but     
dwelt in innocence                      
#bj forever with their ,lord3 from the  
beginning they wrought in heaven nothing
 but righteousness and truth1 until a   
,prince of angels through pride strayed 
into sin3 then they would consult their 
own advantage no longer1 but turned away
 from ,god's lovingkindness4 ,they had  
#be vast arrogance1 in that by the might
 of multitudes they sought to wrest from
 the ,lord the celestial mansions1      

spacious and heaven-bright4 ,then there 
fell upon them1 grievously1 the envy1   
presumption1 and pride of the ,angel who
 first began to carry out the evil plot1
              #cj to weave it and       
promote it1 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 north4   
,thereupon ,god became angered and      
hostile                       #ce       
towards the beings whom he had formerly 
exalted in beauty and glory3 he created 
for the traitors a marvelous abode as   
penalty for their action1 namely the    
pangs of ,hell1 bitter afflictions2 ,our
 ,lord called forth that                
#dj abysmal joyless house of punishment 
to wait for the outcast keepers of      
souls4#c ,when he knew that it was      
ready1 he enveloped it in eternal night 
and equipped it with torment1 filling it
 with fire and fearful cold1 with fume  
and red flame3 then he commanded the    
terrors of suffering to increase        

throughout that hapless place4          
#de  ,they had committed a dire sin     
against ,god3 on that account dire      
punishment befell them4 ,they asserted1 
in fierce mood1 that they wished to     
seize the kingdom and could easily do   
so3 but this presumption mocked them    
when their ,lord1 the high ,king of     
heaven1 lifted                 #ej up   
his almighty hand against the throng4   
,the mad rebels1 accursed ones1 could   
not make head against ,god1 but the     
,highest troubled their spirits and     
humbled their pride1 for he was         
incensed2 he stripped the sinners of    
#ee victory and might1 of dominion and  
honor1 and further took from his foes   
happiness1 peace1 and all joys1 as well 
as bright glory1 and finally1 with his  
own exceeding power1 wreaked his wrath  
on his adversaries in mighty ruin4      
#fj ,he was stern in mood1 grimly       
embittered1 and seized upon his foes    
with resistless grasp and broke them in 
his grip1 enraged at heart1 and deprived

 his opponents of their native seat1#d  
their bright abodes on high4 ,for       
#fe our ,creator dismissed and banished 
from heaven the overweening band of     
angels3 the ,lord sent away on a long   
journey the faithless multitude1 the    
hateful host1 the miserable spirits2    
their pride was broken1 their threat    
#gj overthrown1 their glory shattered1  
and their beauty dimmed2 thenceforth    
they abode in desolation1 because of    
their dark exile4 ,they did not dare to 
laugh aloud1 but lived wearied by the   
torments of hell and became familiar    
with woes1 bitterness1 and sorrow2      
covered with              #ge darkness1 
they bore their pain1--a heavy sentence1
 because they had begun to battle       
against ,god4  ,then1 as formerly1 true 
peace existed in heaven1 fair amity3 for
 the ,lord was dear to all1 the         
,sovereign to his             #hj       
servants2 and the majesty of the joyful 
angelic hosts increased1 through the    
favor of the ,almighty4     ,,ii4   ,so 

those who inhabited the sky1 home of    
glory1 were at peace2 hatred was gone1  
as well as sorrow and strife among      
angels1 ever since the rebellious hosts1
 bereft of the          #he light1 had  
relinquished heaven4 ,behind them stood 
in grandeur their seats rich in glorious
 workmanship1 teeming with blessings in 
,god's kingdom1 bright and perennially  
bountiful1--but all devoid of occupants1
 ever since the               #ij       
miserable spirits had gone to their     
place of punishment1 their vile prison4 
,then our ,lord bethought him1 in       
meditative mood1 how he might people    
again1 and with a better race1 his high 
creation1 the noble seats and glory-    
#ie crowned abodes which the haughty    
rebels had left vacant1 high in heaven4 
,therefore ,holy ,god willed by his     
plenteous power that under the circle of
 the firma- ment the earth should be    
established1 with sky above and         
#ajj wide water1 a world-creation in    
place of the foes whom in their apostasy

 he hurled from bliss4  ,as yet there   
was nothing at all created here1 except 
shadows1 but this broad earth stood deep
 and dim1 idle               #aje and   
useless1 alien even to ,god himself2 on 
it the ,king whose purpose never falters
 turned his eyes and beheld the place   
void of joy2 he saw dark clouds1 black  
under the firmament1 throng in the      
eternal night1 dun and                  
#aaj waste1 until this world-creation   
came to pass through the word of the    
,king of ,glory4 ,first the everlasting 
,lord1 protector of all things1 created 
heaven and earth2 as the almighty ,king 
put forth the firmament and with        
#aae victorious might established this  
ample world4 ,the earth was as yet      
unadorned by vegetation3 the ocean      
covered it far and wide1 turbid waves in
 the eternal night4 ,then was the       
glorious ,spirit of heaven's guardian   
#abj borne over the sea with sovereign  
virtue4 ,for the ,king of the angels    
commanded ,light1 dispenser of life1 to 

come forth over the broad expanse3      
quickly was the ,arch-,king's mandate   
fulfilled1 and ,holy ,light appeared    
#abe over the waste spaces1 as the      
,creator had ordained it4 ,the ,wielder 
of ,victory next sundered light from    
darkness1 shadow from radiance1 over the
 surge of the sea4 ,then he formed the  
two names of the dispensers of life3    
light was first called ,day by the word 
of the ,lord1 a                    #acj 
beauteous creation4 ,this period of     
creation greatly pleased ,god1 in the   
beginning3 the first day saw the dark   
shadows duskily flee away over the wide 
earth4     ,,iii4   ,time now went forth
 over the frame-work of the             
#ace world3 after this shining splendor1
 the ,lord our ,creator fashioned the   
first evening1 but on its track rushed a
 thronging welter of darkness which the 
,lord himself called by the name of     
,night4 ,our ,saviour sundered          
#adj these two3 ever since then they    
have ceaselessly wrought and fulfilled  

the will of the ,lord over the earth4   
,then the second day advanced1 light    
after darkness2 and the ,ruler of ,life 
straightway commanded a glad            
#ade sky-substance to appear in the     
midst of the flood3 our ,master parted  
the waves and wrought there the found-  
ations of the firmament3 this the       
,mighty ,one1 omnipotent ,king1 reared  
aloft from the earth through his own    
word4              #aej ,the flood was  
divided under the high heavens by holy  
power1 the waters from the waters1 and  
still they remain so under the firmament
 which roofs all nations4  ,then swiftly
 came advancing over the world the third
                 #aee great morn4 ,nor  
were the spreading lands and ways yet   
deemed needful by our ,lord1 but the    
earth stood girt fast by water4 ,through
 his word1 the ,ruler of the angels bade
 the waters be gathered together1 which 
now hold their course beneath the skies 
in an appointed              #afj place4
 ,then speedily the broad ocean stood   

all together under heaven1 as the ,holy 
,one commanded1 for the flood was       
sundered from the dry land4 ,thereupon  
,life's ,ruler looked upon the dry land1
 the ,preserver of mankind found it     
widely visible1 and the ,king of        
#afe ,glory called it ,earth4 ,he       
established a proper channel for the    
waves1 the broad flood1 and fettered4444
         99       99       99       99  
99  7,lacuna in ,,ms4#e7         99     
99       99       99       99  ,the     
,ruler of ,heaven did not think it      
fitting that                    #agj    
,adam1 the keeper of ,paradise and      
shepherd of the new creation1 should be 
alone any longer3 so the supreme ,king1 
,ruler ,almighty1 made a companion for  
him-- created ,woman1 and gave this     
helpmate to his cherished               
#age ,man as the first and fruitful     
light of his life4 ,he took his material
 from ,adam's body and skilfully removed
 a rib from his side3 the latter was    
deep in repose and slumbered peacefully2

 he felt no pain1 though a little       
#ahj uneasiness1 nor did a drop of blood
 come from the wound1 but the ,prince of
 the ,angels took from his body a living
 bone while the man was unwounded4 ,from
 this ,god fashioned a noble woman1 and 
put into her the breath of life and an  
immortal soul3 these two were like the  
#ahe angels4 ,thus was ,adam's bride#f  
endowed with a living spirit4 ,they were
 both radiantly beautiful in their      
youthfulness1 in the world prepared by  
the might of the ,lord3 they did not    
know how to undertake or                
#aij work evil1 but on the contrary     
there was in the breast of each a       
burning love of ,god4 ,then the benign  
,king1 ,ruler of everyone born of the   
race of man1 blessed these first two    
creatures1 father and mother1 woman and 
man4 ,thereafter he spoke these words3  
#aie  ,be fruitful now and increase2    
fill the verdant earth with progeny1    
your race1 both sons and daughters4     
,under your sway shall be the salt water

 and all the created world4 ,enjoy      
prosperous days1 ruling over both       
#bjj the fishes of the deep and the     
fowls of the air4 ,into your power are  
given the sacred herd and the wild      
beasts and every living thing that walks
 the earth2 all breath- ing creatures1  
whatsoever the sea brings forth over the
              #bje whale-paths1 all     
things belong to you two4  ,then our    
,maker beheld the beauty of his works   
and the fullness of his abundance1 his  
new creations4 ,pa- radise stood1 good  
and holy1 filled with blessings1 ever-  
#baj lasting bounty4 ,that kindly soil  
was beauteously watered by the rushing  
seas and springing fountains2 for never 
yet had clouds dark with wind brought   
down rains over the broad earth3 but    
none the less the ground stood crowned  
with its harvest4 ,from this new ,garden
                 #bae four noble        
river-streams have their outflow3 these 
were all partitioned out of one         
fair-shining water by the might of the  

,lord1 when he created the earth1 and   
were thus              #bbj sent out    
into the world4 ,men dwelling on the    
earth1 the peoples of the nations1 call 
one of these ,fison1 which broadly      
girdles with its bright streams a       
quarter of the earth beyond ,hebeleac#g3
 in that ancestral soil the sons        
#bbe of men1 nations near and far1 find 
the best gold and precious stones1#h as 
the books tell us4 ,then the second     
river1 whose name is ,geon1 girdles the 
land and govern- ment of ,ethiopia1 an  
ample kingdom4 ,the third is            
#bcj ,tigris1 a foaming stream which    
encircles the people of ,assyria4 ,such 
likewise is the fourth1 which men among 
many a nation now widely call           
,eufrates4444#i         99       99     
99       99       99  7,genesis ,b      
intervenes here47         99       99   
99       99       99  ,then the         
,almighty ,king1 the great ,lord1 came  
forth into the garden about mid-day1 by 
his divine will2 for               #hee 

our ,saviour and merciful ,father wished
 to find out what his children were     
doing3 he knew that they were sinful to 
whom he had given perfection4 ,bereft of
 their beatitude and stricken in spirit1
 they avoided his presence by retreating
 among the shadows of the trees2        
#hfj they hid themselves in dark        
recesses1 when they heard the holy word 
of the ,lord and feared him4 ,straight- 
way the ,king of ,heaven began to call  
for the keeper of the newly created     
world2 the mighty ,lord bade his son    
come to him forthwith4 ,he answered him 
then1                 #hfe the wretched 
one himself1 destitute of clothing1 and 
said3  ,lord of my life1 ,i am hiding   
myself here because unclothed2 basely   
sinful1 ,i am covering my shame with    
leaves3 my pain is cruel1 most bitter in
 my heart4 ,i dare            #hgj not  
now go forth before thy presence3 ,i am 
all naked6     ,x4#aj   ,to him then    
,god at once replied3  ,tell me this1 my
 son3 why do you seek the shadows1 in   

shame8 ,you certainly received no       
disgrace at my                   #hge   
hands1 but on the contrary delight in   
all things6 ,how come you to know evil  
and hide shame and behold sor- row and  
cover your body with leaves and1        
saddened and crushed by the woes of     
life1 say that you need clothing1 unless
 you have tasted of an apple from the   
tree which               #hhj ,i forbade
 to you by express command8  ,adam then 
answered him again3  ,the woman1 my     
,lord1 the fair woman gave into my hand 
this fruit1 which ,i accepted in sin    
against thee4            #hhe ,now ,i   
bear this manifest sign in myself3 ,i   
know so much the more of sorrow6  ,then 
,almighty ,god asked ,eve about this3   
,why did you forfeit these plenteous    
delights1 daughter1 the new creations of
 paradise1 abundant blessings1 when     
#hij 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 me1 and gave of the apple

 to ,adam1 when you both by my          
prohibition were so strictly for-       
#hie bidden to do so8  ,then the fair   
maiden1 the woman overcome by shame1    
answered him3  ,the serpent tempted me  
and urgently prompted me to sin2 through
 fair words the worm goaded me into     
accursed frowardness1 until ,i basely   
performed the                   #ijj    
deadly act1 committed the crime1 and    
robbed the tree in the grove1 as it was 
not lawful to do1 and ate the fruit4    
,then our ,saviour1 the ,lord ,almighty1
 ordained wide wanderings for the       
serpent1 the venomous worm1 and         
#ije spoke further in these words3  ,to 
far distant times shalt thou1 an        
outcast1 crawl over the broad earth on  
thy breast1 thy belly2 without feet     
shalt thou move about1 so long as life  
and breath remain in thee4 ,dust shalt  
thou eat all the days of thy            
#iaj life1 since thou hast accomplished 
so evil a deed here4 ,thee the woman    
shall war against1 and hate thee worse  

than anything else under heaven1 and    
shall tread upon thine accursed head    
with her feet2 thou shalt lie in wait at
 her heels1 in ever-new conflict3 for   
there shall be war between thy offspring
 and her offspring                 #iae 
always1 as long as the earth exists     
under the cloudy skies4 ,now dost thou  
understand and know1 baleful destroyer  
of mankind1 how thou shalt live6        
,,xi4   ,then ,god wrathfully spoke to  
,eve3  ,depart now from bliss6 ,thou    
shalt be ever under the sway of men2    
with fear of men cruelly oppressed1     
#ibj thou shalt sorrowfully endure the  
heinousness of thine offence and wait   
for death1 and with weeping and wailing 
and great anguish bring into the world  
thy sons and daughters6  ,likewise to   
,adam did the ,eternal ,lord1 ,source of
                     #ibe ,light and    
,life1 declare a cruel edict3  ,thou    
shalt seek another country1 a joyless   
dwelling- place1 and wander in exile1   
naked and needy1 driven                 

#icj away from the blessings of         
paradise2 the separation of soul and    
body is now ordained for thee4 ,lo1 thou
 hast wickedly originated sin3 therefore
 thou shalt toil1 and win thy sustenance
 on earth by thyself1 acquire it by the 
sweat of thy face1 and thus eat thy     
bread so long                #ice as    
thou livest here1--until ungentle       
disease1 which thou didst recently take 
to thyself with the apple1 strikes thee 
cruelly to the heart3 then shalt thou   
die4  ,behold1 we learn thus how bitter 
afflictions and uni-                #idj
 versal miseries came upon us4          
,thereupon the ,guardian of ,glory1 our 
,creator1 girded them with clothing2 the
 ,lord bade them cover their nakedness  
with some simple garments1 and bade them
 set forth and depart from paradise into
 a harder life4 ,behind them1 by ,god's 
command1 a holy angel with a            
#ide fiery sword shut the gate of their 
blissful home of peace and joy2 nor may 
any guileful sin-stained man ever fare  

thither again1 for the warder has might 
and strength                 #iej who   
keeps for the ,lord that greater life   
rich in glories4 ,yet the ,almighty1 our
 ,first ,father1 would not take away all
 comforts from ,adam and ,eve1 though   
they had fallen away from him3 but he   
still let the lofty roof                
#iee studded with holy stars stand as a 
solace for them1 and gave them ample    
possessions1 and bade the seas and land 
bring forth for the pair multitudes of  
each of the young-producing species     
necessary for the sustenance            
#ifj of this life4 ,so1 after their sin1
 they inhabited a more sorrowful land1 a
 dwelling and country less fertile in   
every kind of blessing than their former
 abode had been1 from which they had    
been driven out after their misdeed4    
,then they began1 by ,god's command1 to 
produce                        #ife     
children1 as the ,lord had charged them4
 ,to begin with1 by ,adam and ,eve were 
brought into the world two fair         

first-born sons1 ,cain and ,abel4 ,the  
books tell us how these first toilers1  
loving brothers1 gained             #igj
 their subsistence1 riches and food3 the
 one who was elder born tilled the earth
 with his strength2 the second kept the 
flocks1 helping his father1 until a     
great number            #ige of days    
passed4 ,they both brought an offering  
to the ,lord3 the ,prince of the        
,angels1 ,king of all things1 looked    
upon ,abel's offering with favorable    
eyes1 but would not consider the        
sacrifice of ,cain2 that caused strong  
indignation in the heart of the man3    
rage arose in the               #ihj    
youth's breast1 livid hatred1 and wrath 
by reason of envy3 then he wrought evil 
deeds with his hands1 slew his kinsman1 
his own brother1 shed his blood1--yea1  
#ihe ,cain shed ,abel's4 ,and the earth 
soaked up this blood shed by murder1 the
 life-blood of a man4  ,after this fatal
 blow woe was aroused1 the long train of
 afflictions3 since then from this twig 

have hatefully sprouted ever longer and 
stronger bitter branches3 these         
#iij branches of calamity spread far and
 wide over the nations of men3 hardly   
and sorely did the twigs of misery      
strike the sons of men 7and so they     
still do71 from which the broad leaves  
of all suffering began to spring4 ,we   
may                #iie tearfully lament
 this account1 this death-bringing      
fatal- ity1 and not in vain3 but the    
fair woman injured us more severely     
through the first sin which men dwelling
 on earth ever committed against the    
,lord1 since ,adam                #ajjj 
was filled with the breath of life by   
the mouth of ,god6     ,,xii4   ,then   
the ,master of ,splendor asked ,cain    
through his word1 where ,abel was1 upon 
the earth4 ,quickly there- upon the     
wicked worker of slaughter answered him3
                   #ajje  ,i know not   
,abel's coming or going1 my kinsman's   
course3 ,i was not my brother's keeper6 
,then the ,prince of ,angels1 the       

,spirit rich in good things1 spoke to   
him again3  ,why didst thou cast that   
virtuous man1 thy brother1              
#ajaj on his death-bed with thy violent 
hands1 and his blood now calleth and    
crieth unto me8 ,for this murder shalt  
thou undergo punishment and wander in   
exile                   #ajae accursed  
unto distant ages3 nor shall the earth1 
fair for all necessary sustenance1 yield
 thee harvest1 for it drank sacred blood
 at thy hands3 therefore the earth1     
verdant in beauty1 denies thee its      
bounties4 ,infamous1 thou shalt         
sorrowfully wander from thy native land1
 because thou hast been ,abel's         
murderer3 thou shalt                    
#ajbj go forth an outcast over a long   
road1 hateful to all thy relatives6     
,then ,cain answered him#aa3  ,now ,i   
dare not hope for any grace in the      
kingdoms of the world1 for ,i have      
forfeited1 ,o high ,king of heaven1     
#ajbe thy favor as well as love and     
peace3 therefore shall ,i travel far    

ways in expectation of woes1 whensoever 
any one far or near shall find me1 in my
 guilt1 who may remember my crime1 my   
brother's murder3 ,i shed his           
#ajcj blood1 his life-blood on the      
ground4 ,on this day thou dost banish me
 from comfort and drive me from my      
native land3 someone of my foes shall be
 my murderer2 accursed1 ,o ,god1 shall  
,i wander from thy sight4               
#ajce  ,then the ,lord of ,victory spoke
 to him3  ,thou needst not as yet dread 
the terror of death and murder1 though  
thou shalt depart far from thy friends1 
an outcast4 ,if any man by his own hand 
#ajdj deprives thee of life1 then shall 
come upon him sevenfold vengeance for   
his sin1 as penalty for his deed4  ,our 
,ruler and glorious ,lord set on him a  
sign1 the                  #ajde ,master
 set a symbol of immunity1 so that none 
of his foes far or near might dare to   
approach him with warlike intent2 then  
he bade the wicked one leave forever his
 mother and sons1 all his family4       

,thereupon ,cain set out and departed   
sorrowing from before the face of ,god1 
#ajej a joyless exile1 and built himself
 a dwelling to the east1 a habitation   
far from his fatherland3 there a fair   
maiden1 a woman of the country1 bore him
 offspring4  ,the eldest was called     
,enos1 first-born of ,cain2 he          
#ajee began at once to build a city1    
with his kinsfolk3 that was the first   
beneath the clouds of all the           
fortifications which heroes and         
swordsmen have caused to be built4      
#ajfj ,therein his offspring first      
arose1 born of his wife in the citadel3 
the eldest son of ,enos was called      
,jared4 ,thence arose the tribe of      
,cain1 which increased the numbers      
#ajfe of its race4 ,next to ,jared1     
,malalehel was the keeper of the        
heritage after his father1 until he     
passed away4 ,afterwards ,mathusal      
shared the royal treasures with his     
kinsfolk1 with his brothers1 scion after
 scion1 until           #ajgj wise      

through length of days he had to        
consummate his departure from the world 
and forsake life4 ,after his father's   
day1 ,lamech received the household     
goods and domestic wealth3 two wives1   
,ada and                       #ajge    
,sella1 women of the country1 bore      
offspring to him3 of these one was      
,jabal by name1 son of ,lamech1 who     
through skilful cunning first of        
dwellers here below awoke by his hands  
the song of the harp1 that melo-        
#ajhj dious sound4     ,,xiii4          
,likewise1 at this same time1 there was 
in this family a man called ,tubal      
,cain1 a son of ,lamech1 who through the
 abundance of his skill was a           
master-smith1 and first            #ajhe
 among men through the craft of his mind
 he was the inventor of agricultural    
implements upon earth3 since then the   
sons of men dwelling in cities have     
known far and wide how to use brass and 
iron4  ,once on a time ,lamech himself  
made in words a wicked                  

#ajij confession to his two wives1 his  
dear bed-fellows1 ,ada and ,sella3  ,in 
murder ,i have slain a certain one among
 my near relations2 ,i stained my hands 
with the gory death of                  
#ajie ,cain1 destroyed with my hands the
 father of ,enos1 the slayer of ,abel1  
and poured on the ground the life-blood 
of a man4 ,well knew ,i that for this   
shall come at last the sevenfold        
vengeance of the ,king of ,truth1 great 
#aajj according to the crime3 my fall   
and destruction shall be more sternly   
meted out1 with grim horror1 when ,i    
depart6--  ,now1 there came to ,adam in 
,abel's place another                   
#aaje heir born in legal wedlock1 an    
upright son1 whose name was ,seth3 he   
was happy and contributed greatly to the
 comfort of his parents1 ,adam and ,eve1
 his father and mother1 and took ,abel's
 place in worldly affairs4              
#aaaj  ,then the first of men spoke     
these words3  ,the ,eternal ,lord of    
,victory and ,ruler of ,life has given  

me a son in place of the dear one whom  
,cain slew1 and our ,god has driven my  
grievous sorrow from                    
#aaae my heart with this man-child3 to  
,him be praise for this6 ,when he began 
again to raise up another son to him-   
self by his wife1 to be his heir1 ,adam 
the vigorous cham- pion had numbered    
#acj winters of this life in the world4 
#aabj ,the ,scriptures tell us that on  
earth here for #hjj years after that1   
,adam increased his family with maidens 
and youths3 in all he had #icjab        
winters1 when he had to           #aabe 
give over this world through the        
departure of his spirit4 ,after him     
,seth ruled over the people1#ac the son 
held the heritage after the parents1 and
 took unto himself               #aacj a
 wife3 he counted #aje winters when he  
first began to increase the numbers of  
his family by sons and daughters4 ,the  
eldest son of ,seth was called ,enos3 he
 first of all             #aace the     
children of man called upon ,god1#ad    

since ,adam stepped upon the green      
grass1 endowed with the spirit of life4 
,seth was happy1 and afterwards begot   
sons and daughters for #hjg winters3 in 
all he had #iab1 when              #aadj
 the time was fulfilled that he should  
accomplish his departure4  ,after him1  
when he departed out of the world1 ,enos
 held the heritage1 after the earth had 
received the body            #aade of   
,seth1 fruitful in the ,lord4 ,he was   
dear to ,god1 and lived here #ij winters
 before he begot children here by his   
wife through intercourse3 to him then   
was ,cainan first born1 an heir in his  
ancestral home4 ,afterwards             
#aaej for #hae winters#ae in the peace  
of ,god1 the wise hero begot offspring1 
sons and daughters3 he died1 the sage   
patriarch1 when he had fulfilled #ije   
years4  ,after ,enos1 ,cainan was       
chieftain1 keeper1 and leader           
#aaee of his race3 he had numbered #gj  
winters before a son was born to him3   
when an heir was born for the patri-    

mony1 this son of ,cainan was called    
,malalehel4 ,there-               #aafj 
after for #hdj years he increased the   
number of his family by begetting       
children4 ,in all1 the son of ,enos had 
lived #iaj winters1 when he left this   
world1 when              #aafe the      
number of his appointed days under the  
expanse of the skies was fulfilled4     
,,xiv4   ,after him ,malalehel kept the 
land and inheritance for many seasons4  
,the chieftain had lived #fe winters1   
#aagj when he began to beget children by
 his wife4 ,his wife brought a son to   
him1 the woman to the man3 this son in  
his childhood1 as ,i have heard1 the    
man-child in his youth1 was called      
,jared4 ,after this ,malalehel lived    
#aage long and rejoiced in his          
blessings1 all the delights of men here 
below and worldly treasures3 #hie       
winters had he numbered when he         
departed2 to his son he left the        
#aahj land and the government4  ,after  
him for a long while ,yeared dispensed  

gold to the people2 the chieftain was   
noble1 a pious hero1 and a ruler dear to
 his subjects2 #afe expectant winters he
                #aahe lived his life in 
this world1 when his happiness arrived1 
for his wife brought a son into the     
world3 this son was called ,enoch1 his  
fair first-born4 ,but the father still  
added descendants to the number of his  
race1 for #hjj                #aaij     
years3 in all he had counted #ife years 
by night- reckoning when he departed1   
the ancient patriarch1 when he gave up  
this world4 ,and ,yeared left land and  
#aaie government to his wise son1 the   
dear leader4  ,after this ,enoch raised 
aloft the sovereignty1 the sagaci- ous  
leadership of the people3 in no wise did
 he let fall the dominion and           
authority#af while he was guardian of   
his             #abjj kinsfolk3 he      
enjoyed days of happiness1 and begot    
sons1 for #cjj winters2 the ,lord1 the  
,ruler of the ,skies1 was gracious to   
him4 ,from this world the hero sought in

 the body the joy and bliss of the      
,lord2 in no wise did              #abje
 he die the death of this earth1 as men 
ordinarily do here1 young and old1 when 
,god takes away from them their         
possessions and substance1 all earth's  
treasures1 and their life as well3 but  
while living he set forth with          
#abaj the ,king of ,angels out of this  
transitory life into bliss1#ag clad in  
the robes which his spirit received     
before his mother brought him forth to  
men4 ,he left the people to his to his  
eldest son1 his first-born2 #cfe winters
 had he        #abae numbered when he   
left the world4  ,for some time after   
him1 his son ,mathusal held the         
inheritance1 who for the longest space  
of time enjoyed              #abbj the  
pleasures of the world in this body3 he 
begot a multitude of sons and daughters1
 before the day of his death4 ,when he  
had to depart from among men1 the       
venerable hero had enjoyed #igj winters4
  ,after him1 his son ,lamech held the  

government3 for                  #abbe a
 long time thereafter he ruled over the 
world2 he had lived #ajb winters when   
the season came for the chief- tain to  
begin to beget noble heirs1 sons and    
daughters4  ,after this the lord and    
chief of the people lived #eie          
#abcj years1 enjoyed many a winter under
 the skies1 ruled the race well1 and    
begot children3 youths and maidens arose
 as heirs to him4 ,the eldest of them he
 named ,noe1 who reigned over the land  
among men after ,lamech                 
#abce departed4  ,this sage ruler of the
 noblemen was #ejj years old when he    
first began to beget children1 as the   
books tell4 ,the eldest son of ,noe was 
called ,sem1 the next ,cham1            
#abdj the third ,jafeth4  ,the people   
multiplied widely under the skies3 the  
race of men increased in number over the
 earth1 by                  #abde the   
birth of sons and daughters4 ,now the   
descendants of ,seth1 that beloved      
leader of the people1 were still very   

much cherished1 dear to the ,lord and   
prosperous4     ,,xv4   ,but when the   
sons of ,god began to seek brides among 
the race of ,cain1 the accursed folk1   
and chose wives                #abej    
from among them against the will of     
,god1 the children of men from among the
 sinful maidens1 beautiful and bright1  
then the ,ruler of the heavens          
pronounced his wrath against mankind and
 spoke these words3  ,the men of ,cain's
 race have not been absent from         
#abee my mind1 but that stock has sorely
 offended me4 ,now the sons of ,seth    
renew my wrath and take to themselves   
the maidens of my enemies as wives3 the 
fairness of the             #abfj women1
 the maidens' faces1 and the eternal    
,fiend have shamefully captivated the   
multitude of men who were formerly in   
peace4  ,after that1 for #abj winters1  
duly numbered1 exile afflicted the      
accursed race in this world2 then the   
,lord            #abfe wished to inflict
 punishment upon the covenant-breakers1 

and to smite with death the doers of    
evil1 the giant folk unloved by ,god1   
the great and sinful foes hateful to the
 ,lord1 when the ,wielder of ,victory   
himself saw what                  #abgj 
was man's wickedness on earth1 and how  
they all were bold in crime and utterly 
vicious4 ,he thought to punish          
rigorously the races of men1 to seize   
upon the               #abge peoples    
grimly and sorely1 with cruel might3 he 
repented exceedingly that he had ever   
created the author of the nations1 the  
source of the peoples1 when he fashioned
 ,adam4 ,he said that on account of the 
sins of men he would utterly blot out   
all that there was on earth1            
#abhj destroy every one of the bodies in
 whose bosom the breath of life was     
concealed3 all that came near to the    
sons of men1 the ,lord determined to    
annihilate4  ,noe1 the son of ,lamech1  
just and honorable1 was dear            
#abhe to ,god1 the ,preserver4 ,the     
,lord knew that the virtue of the true  

man prevailed in the innermost thoughts 
of his breast2 therefore the ,lord1 holy
 in helpfulness1 ,pro-           #abij  
tector of all men1 told him by          
revelation what he pur- posed inflicting
 upon the wicked ones3 for he saw the   
earth full of unrighteousness1 the broad
 plains laden with sin1 polluted with   
foulness4 ,then spoke the ,al-          
#abie mighty1 our ,saviour1 and said to 
,noe3  ,i am resolved to destroy        
humanity by means of a deluge1 and also 
every kind of living thing that the air 
and waters produce and support1 both    
beast and bird3 but thou shalt have     
shelter1 with thy sons1 when the        
#acjj dark waters1 the black floods of  
death1 destroy mankind1 the vile        
sinners4 ,begin to build thee a ship1 a 
mighty sea-house1 in which thou shalt   
give a place of refuge to many a one and
 a safe home to every species on earth1 
#acje after thine own4 ,build partitions
 in the midst of the ship4 ,make the    
boat fifty cubits wide1 thirty high1    

three hundred long1 and joint it stoutly
 against the                #acaj       
assault of the waves4 ,there shall be a 
creature of every living species1 a     
scion of every race on earth1 led within
 that wooden fortress2 so must the ,ark 
be the greater6  ,noe did as the ,lord  
commanded him1 obeyed the               
#acae holy ,king of ,heaven1 began at   
once to build that ,ark1 the mighty     
sea-chest2 he told his kinsmen that     
there was a horrible thing impending    
over the people1 dire punishment3 but   
they heeded this not at all4 ,then1     
#acbj after several winters1 the        
,changeless ,lord saw that the vast     
sea-house1 ,noe's vessel1 towered up in 
readiness1 strengthened within and      
without with the best earth- lime1      
against the waves2 it is unique in its  
kind3 the harder the fierce waters of   
the dark billows beat it1 the           
#acbe stouter does it ever become4      
,,xvi4   ,then our ,preserver spoke to  
,noe3 ,i give thee my pledge for this1  

,o dearest of mankind1 that thou mayst  
now take up thy course with the         
creatures of all kinds                  
#accj which thou shalt bear across the  
deep water for many days1 in the bosom  
of thy vessel4 ,lead on board the ,ark1 
as ,i bid thee1 thy sons1 the three     
first-born1 and your four wives4 ,and do
 thou take into the sea-house           
#acce seven members duly counted of each
 of the species that live to supply     
nourishment for men1 and two of each of 
the others3 likewise take on the ,ark   
some of all plants growing on earth used
 for food by the people who are         
#acdj to sail over the floods with thee4
 ,feed freely the differ- ent species of
 animals1 until ,i shall prepare a place
 under heaven by my ,word for those who 
are saved from this watery journey4     
,depart now with thy household into     
#acde the ,ark1 with the multitude of   
dependent things2 ,i know thee for a    
good and true man3 thou art worthy of   
safety and mercy1 with thy sons4 ,in    

seven nights now ,i shall let the deadly
 rain fall from above upon the face     
#acej of the broad earth4 ,for forty    
days will ,i set my ven- geance against 
mankind1 and with a deluge blot out all 
the possessions and possessors that are 
beyond the sides of the ,ark1 when the  
black storm begins to descend4          
#acee  ,then ,noe left him1 as our      
,preserver commanded1 in order to lead  
his children on board the ,ark1 men and 
their wives together on the great ship2 
and all that ,god ,al- mighty wished to 
preserve for perpetuating their spe-    
cies1 went on board to their food-giver1
 as the ,almighty            #acfj ,lord
 of ,hosts bade them through his word4  
,with his own hands1 the ,guardian of   
,heaven1 ,wielder of ,victory1 locked   
the entrance of the sea-house behind    
them1 and               #acfe our       
,saviour blessed all within the ,ark    
with his own grace4 ,noe1 the son of    
,lamech1 had #fjj winters when he       
embarked with his sons1 at ,god's       

command1--that                  #acgj   
wise man1 with the young people1 his    
dear kinsfolk4  ,the ,lord sent rain    
from heaven1 and likewise let the       
springs from every source rush upon the 
world far and wide1 let the dark        
ocean-streams burst forth in            
#acge tumult3 the seas rose up over the 
boundaries of the shore4 ,strong and    
stern was ,he who ruled the waters1 for 
he covered and shrouded with wan waters 
the accursed wickedness of the sons of  
the earth and devastated the            
#achj land and homes of men3 the ,lord  
wreaked his fury upon men for their     
offences4 ,the sea cruelly gripped the  
wretched folk for forty days1 and nights
 as many bitter was the suffering then1 
cruelly fateful to men4 ,the waves of   
the ,king of ,glory drove the souls of  
the               #ache vicious ones    
forth from their bodies4 ,the flood     
covered everything2 turbid under the sky
 it covered the high mountains over the 
broad earth1 and on its crest raised the

 ,ark aloft from the ground1 and its    
noble crew with it1 the ,ark which the  
,lord ,himself1 our ,creator1 blessed1  
#acij when he locked the ship4          
,thereafter this best of ships rode     
widely under the skies over the circle  
of the sea1 fared forth with its        
freight3 the terrors of the flood       
#acie would have seized them with       
violence in the sea-traver- sing vessel1
 but the ,holy ,god led and preserved   
them4 ,fifteen ells deep1 by man's      
measure1 stood the deluge over the      
hills4 ,that is a memorable occurrence3 
there               #adjj was nothing at
 hand for the ,ark but destruction1     
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 ,ark1 when the ,holy ,god    
everlasting1 the steadfast ,king1 let   
#adje the flood rise up with            
ever-increasing#ah stream4     ,,xvii4  
,then ,god1 ,wielder of ,victory1 was   

mindful of those floating on the deep1  
the son of ,lamech and all his          
#adaj family1 whom the ,source of ,light
 and ,life had locked up against the    
water in the bosom of the ship4 ,the    
,lord of mankind led the heroes by his  
,word over far lands4 ,soon the flood   
began to abate2 the deluge ebbed1 dark  
under the sky3 the true ,god had turned 
back again              #adje the       
foaming waves1 for his children2 the    
,glorious ,one had stilled the cataracts
 of rain4 ,for #aej nights under the    
skies the foamy ship floated1 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 
#adbj had passed4 ,then the ,ark of     
,noe1 greatest of ocean- homes1 settled 
on high with its burden on the hills    
which are called ,armenia3 there the    
pious son of ,lamech                    
#adbe awaited the sure promises for a   
long time1 when the ,keeper of ,life1   
the ,almighty ,king1 gave him relief    

from the perilous chances which he had  
long undergone1 when the dark waves bore
 him abroad on the deep over            
#adcj far countries4  ,the flood was    
sinking2 the sea-farers1 the heroes and 
their wives1 longed for the time when   
they might venture to step out of their 
straitened quarters over the well-nailed
 side out on the bank1 and take their   
goods              #adce out of their   
crowded home4 ,so the guardian of the   
ship tried to find out whether the      
waters were still sinking under the     
clouds3 accordingly1 after many days    
from the time the high mountain-sides   
received the possessions                
#addj and persons of the races of earth1
 the son of ,lamech let a black raven   
fly out of the ,ark over the high flood4
 ,noe believed that if it found no land 
in its flight1 it             #adde     
would zealously seek him again on the   
ship over the wide water4 ,but this hope
 failed him2 for the evil bird alighted 
upon a floating corpse3 the             

dark-feathered fowl would not seek      
further4 ,then again after a week he    
sent from the ,ark a purple dove to fly 
over the high water               #adej 
after the dark raven1 for the purpose of
 finding out whether the foamy sea1 the 
ocean1 had given up any portion of the  
green earth1 as yet4 ,widely she sought 
#adee her desired object1 and flew afar3
 nowhere did she find a resting-place1  
since she could not settle on land on   
foot because of the flood1 nor alight on
 a leaf of a tree because of the waves2 
for the steep mountain-sides were       
#adfj hidden by the waters4 ,the wild   
bird set out in the evening to seek the 
,ark over the dusky flood1 and sank     
weary and famished in the hands of the  
pious hero4 ,then after a week the      
wild-dove was again sent out            
#adfe from the ,ark3 she flew far1 until
 greatly rejoicing she found a fair     
place for rest and settled with her feet
 on a tree2 she exulted glad at heart1  
because exceedingly weary as she was she

 could sit in the bright branches       
#adgj of a tree3 she shook out her wings
 and started to fly back again with her 
gift1 for she brought in her flight an  
olive twig1 green leaves1 into the hands
 of one on board4 ,then quickly the     
leader of the voyagers per-             
#adge ceived that solace had come1      
relief from their perilous experience4  
,so again after a third week the happy  
man sent out a wild dove2 it did not    
come flying back to the ship1 for it    
found land1 green groves3 the glad      
#adhj creature did not wish to show     
itself ever again under the             
pitch-smeared roof on the ,ark1 when    
there was no need4     ,,xviii4   ,then 
to ,noe spoke our ,preserver1 ,ruler of 
,heaven1 with holy voice3  ,for you is a
 dwelling-place again appointed1 fair   
#adhe on the dry land1 joys on earth and
 rest after your voyage4 ,depart in     
peace out of the ,ark1 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          #adij from the peril 
of the flood1 while the deluge held sway
 and covered your home with its         
abundance4#ai  ,he did so1 and obeyed   
the ,lord1 stood forth upon the strand1 
as the ,voice bade him1 and with great  
joy led               #adie out of the  
ship the survivors of these perils4     
,then ,noe began to institute a         
sacrifice to our ,preserver1 and        
immediately took a part of all his      
possessions which the ,lord had given to
 him for his comfort1 and then1         
#aejj zealous for the offering1 even to 
,god ,himself1 ,king of the ,angels1 the
 clear-souled man proffered the         
sacrifice4 ,certainly our ,saviour let  
it be known1 when he blessed            
#aeje ,noe and his sons too1 that the   
patriarch had given ,him this offering  
acceptably and in his youth had merited 
by his good deeds that ,almighty ,god1  
,glorious in ,splendor1 should be       
gracious to him with all blessings4     

#aeaj ,then again the ,lord1 ,ruler of  
,glory1 spoke a word to ,noe3  ,increase
 now and multiply1 enjoy your honor1    
with the gladness of peace3 fill the    
earth1 make all things teem4 ,into your 
possession is given a noble heritage1   
the produce         #aeae of the sea1   
the fowls of heaven1 and the wild       
beasts1-- the verdant earth and every   
treasure4 ,you shall never dishonorably 
procure your food through bloodshed1    
#aebj sinfully stricken in its          
life-blood4 ,each one first of all      
injures himself in the riches of the    
spirit1 who with the edge of the sword  
takes the life of another3 nor shall he 
dare to rejoice in thought over the     
spoils1 for ,i will avenge a man's death
 all the more severely upon the         
#aebe slayer and upon the fratricide1 in
 proportion as blood- shed1 the         
slaughter of a man with weapons1 or     
murder by violent hands1 seems to       
succeed4 ,man was first created in the  
likeness of ,god3 every man has the form

 of the               #aecj ,lord and of
 the ,angels1 whose virtues follow my   
holy will4 ,increase and multiply1 enjoy
 riches and honor on earth4 ,fill the   
countries of the world with people1 your
 offspring1 sons and daughters4 ,i will 
set up for you this           #aece my  
pledge1 that ,i will never again let    
loose the floods upon the earth1 the    
waters over the broad lands3 you may see
 this witness frequently upon the       
clouds1 when               #aedj ,i show
 my rainbow1 as proof that ,i will      
certainly keep this bond with men1 while
 the world lasts4  ,thus was the prudent
 son of ,lamech1 the keeper of the      
heritage1 disembarked from his ship     
after the flood             #aede with  
his three sons2 and their four wives    
were named ,percoba1 ,olla1 ,olliva1 and
 ,ollivani1#bj saved from the waters by 
the true ,god4 ,the stout-minded heroes1
                    #aeej the sons of   
,noe1 were called ,sem and ,cham1 and   
the third ,iafeth3 from these warriors  

the nations sprang and all this earth   
was filled with the children of men4    
,,xix4   ,then for the second time ,noe 
began to establish his                  
#aeee home1 with his kinsfolk1 and to   
till the earth for food2 he struggled   
and toiled1 planted a vineyard1 sowed   
many seeds and tended them carefully1 so
 that the green                  #aefj  
earth1 with its fertile boon1 brought   
him fair harvests4  ,then it befell once
 that the blessed man was in his        
dwelling1 drunken with wine2 weary of   
feasting he slept1 and thrust the robe  
from his body1 as was not fitting1 and  
#aefe lay there with naked limbs3 little
 he noticed that it went so ill with him
 in his hall1 when intoxication in his  
breast gripped his heart in the holy    
house4 ,in this torpor his              
#aegj intelligence was cruelly crippled1
 so that he could not call to mind the  
necessity for covering himself with his 
clothing and concealing his nakedness1  
as was ordained for men and women1 ever 

since the minister of ,glory            
#aege locked the native abode of life   
behind our first father and mother1 with
 a fiery sword4 ,now ,cam1 the son of   
,noe1 chanced to come in where his      
father lay bereft of consciousness3     
thereupon would he dutifully no honor   
#aehj show to his own father nor at     
least conceal the dis- grace from his   
kinsmen2 but laughing aloud he told his 
brothers how the patriarch rested in the
 house4 ,they repaired thither speedily1
 their faces carefully                  
#aehe veiled under cloaks1 so that they 
bore aid to the dear man3 they were both
 good men1 ,sem and ,iafeth4  ,then the 
son of ,lamech awoke from his sleep and 
soon perceived that ,cham would not show
 him1 the nobly              #aeij born1
 any affection and duty1 when honor was 
due him4 ,that was bitter to the heart  
of the holy man1 and he began to curse  
his son with harsh words3 he said that  
,ham should be humbled under the        
heavens1 the servant                    

#aeie of his kinsfolk on earth3 on him  
and his race those baneful words have   
fallen heavily1 ever since4 ,then ,noe  
enjoyed his broad heritage with his     
sons1 free men1 for #cej winters of this
 life after the flood3 then he passed   
#afjj away4  ,after that his sons       
dispensed the treasures3 they begot     
children3 great was their wealth4 ,thus 
to ,iafeth was progeny born1 a pleasing 
family of promising young               
#afje ones1 sons and daughters4 ,he was 
a good man and ever prosperously held   
his patrimony1 sharing his abundance    
with his children1 until the treasure of
 his breast1 his spirit longing for     
release1 was summoned to                
#afaj the judgment of ,god3 thereupon   
,geomor1 ,iafeth's son1 shared his      
father's property with his friends1 dear
 ones1 and relatives2 with his          
descendants was filled by genera- tion  
no small portion of the earth4--  ,sons 
of ,cham were born1 likewise1 heirs for 
the pa-                 #afae trimony3  

the eldest were called ,chus and ,cham1 
very noble of soul1 the first-born of   
,cham4 ,chus was the chief of the       
leaders1 dispenser of treasure and      
worldly             #afbj riches to his 
brothers1 the private property of his   
father1 after ,cham fared forth from the
 body when death fell to his lot4 ,this 
leader of the people delivered judgments
           #afbe for his race until the 
number of his days had run3 then the    
hero yielded up this world's goods and  
sought another life4 ,after that1 the   
son of ,chus1 first-born of the         
brothers1 ruled the paternal#ba         
heritage1 a widely known           #afcj
 man4 ,so the ,scriptures tell us1 that 
he had the greatest might and strength  
of all mankind1 in those days3 he was a 
prince of the ,babylonian ,empire1 and  
first of the nobles raised1 spread1 and 
exalted its fame4 ,at that              
#afce time one tongue was still common  
to all dwellers on earth4     ,,xx4     
,likewise from ,cam's stock sprang many 

descendants1 and to these numerous      
people great families were born4--      
,furthermore many sons and daughters    
were born into                  #afdj   
the world to ,sem1 noble folk1 before   
the ruler of men took to his death-bed1 
in the course of years4 ,in this family 
were good men1 of whom one was called   
,eber1 a                #afde son of    
,sem3 from this chief sprang a multitude
 of people1 whom all nations and        
earth-dwellers now call ,hebrews4  ,they
 set out then to take their posssesions 
from the eastward1 live-stock and       
treasure2 the people were un-           
#afej animous3 the vigorous heroes      
sought a less crowded land1 until the   
migrating folk in great multitudes came 
where their noble leaders firmly took   
possession4 ,the rulers                 
#afee of the people settled with their  
dear followers in ,sennar1 ample and    
broad2 in the years of their life the   
fields were ever verdant and the earth  
fair for the people at that time1 with  

increasing abundance of each kind of    
#affa treasure4  ,then many a man argued
 with his dear friend1 one resolute hero
 with another1 that for their greater   
glory1 before the masses of the people  
should scatter again over               
#affe the earth1 numbers of the nation  
in search of land1 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 race1 the           
patriarchs1 long           #afgj lived  
there with pleasure3 with craft the     
people wrought1 in labor and industry1  
until in arrogance and rashness they    
showed their skill1 built a fortress and
 raised aloft scaling-      #afge       
ladders towards heaven1 mightily erected
 a solid stone wall beyond man's        
measure1 eager for glory3--all this did 
the heroes with their hands4 ,then ,holy
 ,god came to inspect the work of the   
race of men1 the fortress of the        
warriors1          #afhj and that       

beacon-tower likewise which the sons of 
,adam began to rear up to the skies2 and
 the steadfast ,king achieved the       
prevention of this evil design1 when in 
wrath he distributed different languages
 among the                  #afhe       
inhabitants of earth1 so that they no   
longer had control of their speech4     
,they found then multitudes at the tower
 with victorious strength1 leaders of   
work in vast battalions3 but not one of 
the tribes understood what              
#afij another was saying4 ,it could not 
be1 that they should build up the stone 
wall further2 but they wretchedly parted
 in bands separated by their speech3 one
 had become to another a strange race1  
after the ,lord by the             #afie
 fullness of his might had confused the 
speech of men4 ,the disunited sons of   
the patriarchs then parted in four      
directions to seek land3 behind them1   
both the                 #agjj mighty   
tower of stone and the lofty city stood 
on ,sennar plain together1              

half-finished4  ,then the race of ,sem  
increased and multiplied under the      
clouds1 until a man arose in the number 
of that kingly people1 a sagacious man1 
prudent in habit4 ,to                   
#agje this nobleman sons were born1 two 
free children were born in ,babylon1 and
 these chieftains1 strong-minded heroes1
 were called ,abraham and ,aaron4 ,the  
,sovereign                #agaj of the  
,angels was friend and guide to both    
these leaders4 ,then to ,aaron was born 
a son1 upright in life1 whose name was  
,loth4 ,thereafter the righteous heroes1
 ,abraham and ,loth1 throve nobly in the
 ,lord's sight1 as              #agae   
the inheritance in the kingdom came to  
them from their parents2 therefore they 
widely glorified the sons of men with   
gifts4     ,,xxi4   ,now the period of  
time had come when ,abraham             
#agbj brought a wife1 a fair and        
free-born bride to his house1 where he  
possessed a dwelling3 the woman was     
named ,sarra1 as the books tell us4     

,they enjoyed life thus for many        
winters1 held the property together in  
peace for               #agbe many      
years4 ,but it was not vouchsafed to    
,abraham as yet that his bright-faced   
bride should bring into the world a     
guardian for his heritage1 that ,sarra  
should bear sons and daughters to       
,abraham4  ,then ,abraham's father set  
out with his family and                 
#agcj all his substance to pass through 
the ,caldean country3 he wisely wished  
to seek the land of ,canan1 with his    
household4 ,the cousins chosen by the   
,lord1 ,abraham and ,loth1 went with him
 out of their heritage4 ,then           
#agce the nobly-born sons of the        
patriarchs took up their dwelling in    
,carran1 the men with their wives4 ,in  
his home here ,abraham's father departed
 this life1 the                  #agdj  
steadfast worthy3 he had told #bje      
winters1 in all1 when he fared forth    
ripe in years to meet his fate4  ,then  
the holy ,guardian of the heavenly      

kingdom1 the                 #agde      
,eternal ,lord1 spoke to ,abraham3  ,set
 forth now1 and take thy movable        
possessions and fertile herds with thee4
 ,give up ,carran1 thy father's         
dwelling-place4 ,depart1 as ,i bid thee1
 ,o dearest of men1 and heed well my    
instructions1 and seek the land         
#agej which ,i shall show thee1 a broad 
verdant country4 ,thou shalt live       
blessed under my protection3 if any of  
the dwellers on earth greet thee with   
evil1 ,i will set upon             #agee
 them my curse and my hatred1           
long-lasting affliction2 and ,i shall   
give favors1 abundance of blessings1 to 
those who treat thee well4 ,through thee
 shall all earth- dwellers1 sons of man1
 receive peace and friendship1          
#agfj my grace and blessing1 in this    
world4 ,far spreading under the sun     
shall be the number of thy race by the  
birth of sons and daughters1 until many 
a region of the            #agfe earth  
shall be filled with thy progeny4  ,then

 ,abraham1 preeminently upright1 rich1  
and blessed with gold and silver1 set   
out to take his flocks and possessions  
from ,carran into the country of ,egipt1
 as               #aggj the ,warder of  
,victory1 our ,ruler1 bade him through  
his ,word3 they sought the land and     
nation of ,canan4 ,thus the man dear to 
,god came to lead his wife1 his dear    
bed-            #agge fellow1 and his   
nephew's wife1 into this inheritance1   
into happiness4 ,he had numbered #ge    
winters when he had to fare forth1 to   
give up ,carran and his kinsfolk4 ,so   
,abraham set out1 mindful of the        
instructions of the              #aghj  
,father ,almighty1 to look for the broad
 land beyond these nations1 at his      
,lord's command1 until prospering in his
 journey the courageous man came to     
,siem1 of the ,cananite race4 ,then the 
,lord and ,king of the ,angels1         
,sovereign of men1 manifested himself to
 ,abraham and                 #aghe     
said3  ,this is the country1 verdant and

 bright and adorned with fruits1 that ,i
 intend to give into the power of thy   
descendants1 an ample kingdom6          
#agij  ,then the good man built an altar
 and offered sacrifice to the ,ruler of 
,life and ,source of ,light1 the        
,protector of souls4 ,thereupon ,abraham
 traveled still further from the east in
 order to search with his eyes for the  
choicest          #agie of lands 7he    
remembered the favors1 ,god's promises1 
which the ,king of ,victory ,himself    
truthfully declared to him through his  
holy word71 until the people came with  
their possessions to the place where the
 town is called ,bethlem3 the           
glad-hearted chieftain and his brother's
               #ahjj son1 pious men1    
went forward over the storied land from 
the east1 with their possessions1 over  
the precipitous mountain-sides1 and     
chose a dwelling-place for them- selves 
where the fields seemed bright and fair 
to them4             #ahje     ,,xxii4  
,there ,abraham for the second time     

built an altar3 there he called upon    
,god with noble words1 and offered      
sacrifice to the ,lord of his life4 ,not
 at all sparingly did ,god1 through ,his
 own hand1 give him reward for          
this1--rich bounty1 in the very place of
 sacrifice4                 #ahaj       
,there for a while the wise leader dwelt
 in his home and enjoyed happiness1 the 
hero with his bride1 until a frightful  
calamity began to press upon the        
,cananite race1 cruel hunger1 deadly to 
home-staying men4 ,then                 
#ahae the wise ,abraham1 chosen by the  
,lord1 went into ,egypt to seek         
sustenance2 the sage fled before evil3  
the plague was too strong4 ,abraham     
spoke1--for he saw the white            
#ahbj pinnacled halls of ,egypt and the 
tall cities shining brightly1--and then 
the ruler1 the sagacious man1 began to  
instruct his wife1 in these words3      
,when many haughty ,egyptians shall gaze
 with their eyes upon thy countenance1  
then should the nobly-             #ahbe

 born chieftains suppose1 ,o woman fair 
as a goddess1 that thou art my bright   
bed-fellow whom some one of the warriors
 will wish to have for himself1 then ,i 
may well fear for myself lest some one  
of my foes may deprive                  
#ahcj me of life with the edge of his   
sword by reason of his amorous desire4  
,say then1 ,sarra1 that thou art my     
sister1 my blood-relation1 when the     
strange men ask thee what degree of     
familiarity may exist between us        
#ahce two foreigners1 who come from so  
far away3 hold fast true speech from    
them1 and thus thou shalt preserve my   
life1--if the ,lord of ,peace1 our      
,almighty ,ruler1 grant me longer life  
in this world1 as he did before1 who    
#ahdj ordained these travels for us in  
order that we might seek aid and secure 
sustenance for ourselves in ,egipt4     
,thereupon ,abraham1 the vigorous       
leader1 proceeded                       
#ahde with his possessions into ,egypt1 
where the people were strange to him1   

and friends unknown4 ,many haughty men  
spoke of the beauty of his wife in their
 remarks1 men distinguished by their    
wealth3 to many high-spirited           
#ahej men1 vassals of the king1 his wife
 seemed noble in counte- nance4 ,they   
brought the news to their liege-lord1   
and#bb few women did they repute fairer 
before the king1 but they lauded        
exceedingly ,sarra's countenance for its
                 #ahee great beauty1    
until he bade them bring the lovely     
woman to his own hall4 ,the ruler of the
 people and chief of the nobles bade    
them enrich ,abraham with treasures4    
,but the ,lord ,god became aggrieved and
 incensed against              #ahfj    
,farao for his love of the woman3 the   
joy of his house- hold#bc bore this     
wrath hardly with his intimates4 ,how-  
ever1 the ruler of the people perceived 
what the ,lord was sending upon him for 
punishment3 urged on by                 
#ahfe fear1 the king of ,egipt called   
,abraham to him and gave him his bride1 

returned his wife into his keeping1 bade
 him seek friends elsewhere1 noblemen of
 another race4 ,then the ruler of the   
country ordered his vassals and         
#ahgj ministers to escort him out of    
their land again1 honor- ably1 uninjured
 in any respect1 so that he might be in 
peace4  ,then ,abraham took all his     
possessions out of the country of       
,egypt3 these worthy heroes took their  
wives1             #ahge both brides and
 rings1 while they brought their flocks 
to ,bethlem1 a familiar dwelling-place1 
brought their womenfolk and treasures   
and their worldly goods4                
#ahhj ,then they began to build there1  
and to erect their city and settle their
 homes1 and renew their prosperity4 ,the
 men built an altar in the meadows near 
the one that ,abraham had formerly      
reared to his ,lord1 when he came to    
this western land3 there the fortunate  
man                  #ahhe exalted the  
,name of the ,eternal ,lord once more2  
the high-minded ruler offered sacrifice 

to the ,king of the ,angels1 thanked    
exceedingly the ,source of ,light and   
,life for his happiness and honor4      
,,xxiii4   ,abraham and ,loth lived in  
these dwellings and had                 
#ahij abundance of prosperity1 ruled    
over their heritage1 until they could   
not enjoy plenty together any longer in 
that land and keep the possessions of   
both there1 but the worthy warriors had 
to seek broader seats elsewhere4        
#ahie ,there were often dissensions     
among the followers of the steadfast    
heroes1 quarrels among the herdsmen4    
,then the blessed ,abraham1 mindful of  
their honor1 began to speak fairly to   
,loth3                                  
#aijj  ,i am thy father's born brother1 
thou art my nephew2 quarrels shall not  
wax great between us1 nor anger grow3   
may ,god forbid that6 ,but we are       
blood-re- lations3 between us shall     
nothing be except1 most fit-            
#aije tingly1 long-enduring love4 ,now  
bethink thee1 ,loth1 that about our     

borders dwell mighty men1 powerful      
peoples with lords and vassals1 the     
,cananite and ,feretite nations1 with   
energetic warriors3 their landed        
property             #aiaj will not make
 any more room for us4 ,therefore shall 
we remove our differences from this     
place and seek broader dwelling-places  
for ourselves3 ,i speak what is best for
 us both1 son of ,aron1 a true saying4  
,i leave               #aiae the choice 
to thee1 dear friend4 ,ponder with      
thyself and consider in thy heart in    
which direction thou wilt take thy      
departure1 go forth with thy herds3 now 
,i have yielded thee the choice6  ,then 
,loth left him to seek land by the      
,iordan1 fertile              #aibj     
country3 it was refreshed with waters   
and enriched with fruits1 bright with   
rivers1 and like to the earthly par-    
adise of ,god1 until ,god the ,saviour  
because of men's                #aibe   
sins gave ,sodoma and ,gomorra to       
destruction1 to the dark flames4 ,so the

 son of ,aron chose his dwelling- place 
there1 a settlement in the city of      
,sodoma1 and brought#bd thither all his 
possessions1 rings and private          
#aicj property from ,bethlem1 goods1 and
 wrought gold4 ,for many years          
thereafter he dwelt by the ,iordan3 fair
 dwelling-places were there1 but vicious
 men also1 hateful to the ,lord4 ,the   
people of ,sodoma were bold in sin1     
#aice shameful in their deeds3 they     
brought upon themselves eternal woe4    
,loth would never adopt the customs of  
the country1 but he always eschewed the 
habits of this people1 their evil and   
sin1 even though he had to live         
#aidj in their land1 and kept himself   
pure1 virtuous1 and pa- tient1 even in  
this nation1 just as if--mindful of his 
,lord's teaching--he did not know what  
these people were doing4  ,abraham dwelt
 by the habitations of the ,cananites3  
#aide the ,king of the ,angels1 ,lord of
 mankind1 held him under his protection1
 with abundance of good things and      

worldly treasures1 love and joy2        
therefore the races of             #aiej
 men1 children of baptism1 sing his     
praise widely under the clouds4 ,pious  
and prudent1 he freely obeyed the ,lord 
in his land as long as he enjoyed the   
heritage3 never need a defenceless human
 being ever become in any way a         
terrified and fearful man before the    
,lord1                #aiee if he will  
always1 until his departure from life1  
thank ,him heedfully in speech and in   
heart1 by word and deed1 with wise mind 
after every favor4#be     ,,xxiv4       
,then ,i found that the king of the     
,elamites1 ,orlahomar1                  
#aifj a pious leader1 made an           
expedition3 in aid of him ,am- brafel   
set forth from ,sennar with a great     
multitude4 ,four kings then set out with
 mighty power to seek                   
#aife ,sodoma and ,gomorra1 southward   
from there4 ,then was the country of the
 men by ,iordan widely besieged by      
warriors1 the land was surrounded by    

foes4 ,many a terrified pale-cheeked    
maiden would have to go trem-           
#aigj bling to the embrace of a         
stranger3 the defenders of the brides   
and rings would fall1 weak with wounds4 
,against them with warlike zeal five    
kings came forth                #aige   
from the south1 with their armies1 who  
wished to rid the city of ,sodoma of its
 foes3 for twelve winters before of     
necessity they had had to yield tribute 
and pay indemnity to the men of the     
north1 until the people no longer would 
enrich the king of the ,elamites with   
#aihj their own treasures1 but revolted 
from him4  ,in rage the slaughter-hordes
 came together3 the jav- elins were     
loud2 the dark fowl sang among the      
flying weapons1 the dewy-feathered raven
 looked for the slain4           #aihe  
,the warriors rushed on in cohorts with 
unfaltering cour- age1 until the        
nations' armies had come together       
widely1 from south and north1 protected 
by their helmets4 ,there was bitter     

struggle1 exchanges of deadly spears1   
great              #aiij tumult of war1 
loud din of conflict4 ,the heroes drew  
from the sheath with their hands the    
ring-mailed sword1 keen of edge4 ,then  
was booty easy to find for the chieftain
 who before this was not readily sated  
with                #aiie battle6 ,the  
northern men were fatal to the southern 
men3 the men of ,sodoma and ,gomorra1   
dispensers of gold1 were bereft of their
 dear allies at the shield-clash- ing4  
,they went forth from their homesteads  
to save                  #bjjj          
themselves by flight2 behind them the   
youths of the race fell1 slain by the   
sword1 and their allies were cleft with 
the edge4 ,the leader of the army of the
 ,elamites had                #bjje     
victory in battle1 was master of the    
battlefield4 ,the survivors of the      
weapons fled to seek fastnesses4 ,the   
enemy seized upon gold1 robbed with     
devastation the treasure-cities of the  
people1 ,sodoma and ,gomorra4 ,then     

misery requited the great strongholds2  
the maidens1                 #bjaj      
wives1 and widows1 deprived of friends1 
departed from their homesteads4 ,the    
enemy led out with them from the city of
 ,sodoma1 with their spoils1 the kinsman
 of ,abraham4  ,we may now relate this  
true history further1 as to what was the
 fate of the war-wolves after the       
battle1               #bjae who carried 
off ,loth and the goods of the people1  
the treasures of the southlanders1 and  
exulted in victory4  ,a warrior1 a      
survivor of the sword who was spared in 
battle1 escaped from them suddenly1 to  
seek ,abraham3             #bjbj he     
reported to the ,ebrew chieftain the    
outcome of the fray1--the people of     
,sodoma sorely stricken1 the nation's   
wealth1 and ,loth's situation4          
,thereupon ,abraham re- ported the evil 
tidings to his friends2 the steadfast   
hero          #bjbe requested aid of his
 favorite companions1 ,aner1 ,mamre1 and
 thirdly ,escol1 saying that it would be

 gall to his heart and bitterest grief  
if his nephew should have to            
#bjcj suffer slavery3 bade the warriors 
famed in battle think of some plan so   
that his dear kinsman might be freed1   
the hero with his bride4 ,in reply the  
three brothers1 famed in war1 with great
 readiness assuaged his grief by their  
#bjce hardy words1 and pledged their    
troth to ,abraham that they would avenge
 his injury upon his foes1 with him1 or 
else fall in battle4  ,then the holy man
 bade his companions take their         
#bjdj weapons3 he found there #cah      
spear-bearing warriors1 loyal to their  
ruler1 of whom he knew that every one   
could well support the tawny            
linden-shield in an onset4              
#bjde ,so ,abraham set out with the     
three chieftains who had just pledged   
their troth to him1 and the band of     
their followers4 ,he wished to rescue   
his kinsman at least1 ,loth1 from       
suffering4#bf ,these warriors were      
famous3 they bore their shields forth   

boldly on the march4 ,the               
#bjej war-wolves1 meanwhile1 had nearly 
reached their camping-place3 then the   
prudent man1 the son of ,thare1 spoke to
 his war-leaders in these words1 7great 
was his need671 that they#bg should     
advance on the enemy in two             
#bjee divisions with grim conflict and  
hard swordplay3 said1 further1 that the 
,holy ,lord ,everlasting might easily   
give him success in the spear-fight4    
,then ,i heard how under the cover of   
night the heroes                #bjfj   
ventured on into battle3 the din of     
shields and shafts arose in their       
sleeping-quarters1 the slaughter of     
archers and impact of battle-arrows2    
sharp swords smote hate- fully under the
 breast of men1 and the bodies of foes  
#bjfe fell thickly1 where the exulting  
heroes and comrades were bringing       
together the spoil4 ,victory1 men's     
glory in war1 turned aside again from   
the battle of the north- men4 ,abraham  
gave armed conflict and not in any      

#bjgj wise wrought gold1 as ransom for  
his nephew2 he slew and felled the enemy
 in fair fight3 to aid him1 the ,guard- 
ian of the heavenly kingdom took a part 
in the fray4 ,the four armies were put  
to flight1 with the kings and leaders of
 the people3 behind them pressed the    
joyful               #bjge band and     
there the heroes were slain2 the others 
were given over to flight1--those who   
had stolen the gold of ,sodom and       
,gomorra1 and robbed the stewards3      
fiercely did            #bjhj the uncle 
of ,loth requite them for it4 ,the noble
 leaders of the ,elamites were fleeing1 
bereft of power1 until they were not far
 from ,domascus4 ,then ,abraham set out 
on                 #bjhe the war-track  
to see the retreat of the wicked men4   
,lot was freed1 the chieftain with his  
possessions1 while the women and wives  
were restored to joy4 ,far and wide they
 saw the birds of prey rending the      
murderers of free- men in               
sword-slaughter4 ,abraham brought back  

again                  #bjij the        
treasure and brides of the southlanders1
 the children of the nobles nearer their
 homes1 the maidens to their families4  
,of all men living here on earth1 no one
 ever achieved a more worthy military   
expedition with a                       
#bjie small force which was attacking so
 great a multitude4     ,,xxv4   ,then  
the people of ,sodoma was southward from
 there1 to bear the news as to what rout
 of their fierce foes had occurred4     
,forthwith the king of the people1      
bereft of his nobles and stripped of    
friends1 went out to meet ,abraham2 he  
brought with him the master of the      
#bajj treasure of ,solomia3 that was the
 great ,melchisedec1 bishop of the      
people4 ,he came with gifts to greet    
fairly the prince of the warriors1 to   
approach ,abraham honor-                
#baje ably1 and he pronounced upon him  
the blessing of ,god and spoke thus3    
,highly wert thou exalted among the     
number of heroes before the eyes of ,him

 who gave thee the glory of the ash-    
spear in battle3 that is ,god himself1  
who mightily de- stroyed the forces of  
the hostile armies and let thee with    
#baaj thy weapons hew out bloody paths  
broadly through the foe1 regain the     
booty1 and fell the warriors4 ,they were
 encamped by the way3 nor could the     
withdrawing army prevail in hand-to-hand
 conflict1 but ,god put it to flight1   
#baae who with ,his own hands preserved 
thee with thy warriors in the fight1    
against the terror of superior numbers1 
and so likewise the sacred pledge       
preserved thee which thou rightfully    
holdest with the ,keeper of the skies4  
,with his own hand the hero gave him a  
return for this               #babj     
blessing1 and ,abraham bestowed upon the
 bishop of ,god the value of every tenth
 part of the army's booty4 ,then spoke  
the war-king1 ruler of ,sodoma1 bereft  
of his people1 to ,abraham1 7to him     
mercy was needful73                     
#babe  ,give me back the maidens of my  

people1 whom thou by the might of thy   
army hast snatched from the deadly bonds
 of the foe4 ,keep thou the wrought gold
 which formerly was the property of our 
people1 keep the                 #bacj  
herds and the treasure4 ,only let me    
lead back again in freedom1 to their    
hearths and desolated homes1 the        
children of the people1 the wives and   
boys and wretched widows4 ,the young    
men1 my companions1 who should have     
#bace held the borders with me1 are     
dead1 all but a very few4  ,then        
,abraham answered him straightway1 in   
the pres- ence of the chieftains exalted
 in valor1 power1 and vic- tory1 and    
nobly said3  ,ruler of the people1 ,i   
pledge to thee this my word1            
#badj before the ,holy ,one who is sole 
,master of heaven and this earth3 there 
is no worldly treasure that ,i will take
 for my own1 neither riches nor money of
 thine which ,i have rescued from the   
hostile bowmen1 ,o great king1 protector
 of thy nobles1 lest thou oft hereafter 

say that           #bade ,i became rich 
on earth through the treasure and former
 wealth of the kingdom of ,sodom2#bh but
 thou shalt take hence the booty which  
,i regained for thee in battle1         
#baej all except the shares of these    
noble warriors1 ,aner1 and ,mamre1 and  
,escol4 ,i am unwilling to deprive these
 warriors of their rights3 for they     
stood by me in the combat1 and fought in
 your behalf4 ,go now and take home the 
wrought gold and the beloved maidens1   
the                  #baee womenfolk of 
thy people4 ,thou needst not fear for a 
while the attack of the hostile         
warriors1 the battle of the northmen1   
for the birds of prey sit all smeared   
with blood1 among the fastnesses of the 
mountains1 well             #bafj gorged
 with the slaughter of the armies4  ,so 
the king set out on his return home with
 the spoils which the pious lord of the 
,hebrews1 regardful of honor1 gave up to
 him4  ,then again to ,abraham the      
,high-,king of ,heaven                  

#bafe showed himself1 with holy speech  
comforted the wise- hearted man1 and    
spoke to him thus3  ,great are thy      
rewards4 ,let not now thy heart grow    
idle1 thou steadfast doer of my will4   
,nor needst thou fear anyone1 while thou
 heedest my commandment1 for with my own
 hands will ,i shelter and shield thee  
#bagj during thy life-time here against 
every woe3 thou needst not be fearful4  
,,xxvi4   ,then ,abraham1 famed for his 
deeds1 answered his ,lord and asked     
,him1 in the fullness of his days3  ,o  
,ruler of spirits1 what dost thou give  
me for free-               #bage men's  
solace1 now that ,i am thus solitary8 ,i
 have no need to found an ancestral seat
 for any sons of mine1 but after me     
shall my distant kinsmen dispose of my  
goods2 thou hast not given me a son1 and
 therefore sorrows weigh upon me very   
heavily in my heart2 ,i myself can      
#bahj not devise any counsel4 ,my       
steward goes rejoicing in his sons1 and 
is firmly persuaded in his thoughts that

 after me his sons shall be the keepers 
of the heritage3 they see that no       
children are born to me of my bride4    
,to him then at once ,god answered3     
#bahe  ,never shall thy steward possess 
the heritage of thy sons3 but thine own 
children shall hold the treasure1 when  
thy flesh lies in the grave4 ,behold the
 sky4 ,count those jewels1 the stars of 
heaven1 which now freely scatter        
#baij their glorious radiance far and   
wide to shine brilliantly over the broad
 surface of the sea4 ,such shall be the 
multitude of thy descendants1 rich in   
progeny4 ,let not thy heart be bound by 
sorrow4 ,a son shall yet be born        
#baie to thee1 a child born of thy wife 
by ordinary birth1 who after thee shall 
be the keeper of the inheritance1 rich  
in property4 ,grieve no more3 ,i am the 
,lord1 who many winters ago led thee out
 of the stronghold of ,caldea           
#bbjj with but few followers1 and       
promised thee a broad dwelling-place for
 thy possession3 ,i give thee now my    

pledge1 man of the ,hebrews1 that many a
 broad land on this earth shall be      
peopled with thy progeny1 regions       
#bbje of the world as far as ,eufrates  
even from the borders of ,egypt1 as many
 men and as wide a kingdom as the ,nile 
cuts off and the sea bounds3 all this   
shall thy sons           #bbaj own1 each
 of the countries1 as these three waters
 sur- round with their streams the lofty
 cities of stone1 the foamy floods      
surround the refuge of the people4      
,then ,sarra was grieved at heart that  
no son had come                #bbae to 
,abraham through their wedlock1 a       
free-born heir for their solace2 so the 
sorrowful one began to speak to her     
husband in these words3  ,the ,ruler of 
heaven has denied me this1 that ,i      
#bbbj might augment the number of thy   
family under the skies with sons of     
thine own4 ,now ,i am hopeless that an  
heir will ever be given us together3 ,i 
am too old1 in my misery4 ,my lord1 do  
as ,i bid thee4 ,here is a              

#bbbe woman1 a fair damsel1 an ,egiptian
 maid in our possession3 bid her now    
repair to thy bed forthwith1 and see if 
the ,lord will allow any heir for thy   
goods to come into             #bbcj the
 world through this woman6  ,then the   
holy man yielded to the advice of his   
wife1 and bade the handmaiden go to his 
couch as a bride4#bi             #bbce  
,her spirit exalted itself1 when she had
 become pregnant with a man-child by    
,abraham2 stiff-necked in scorn she     
began to despise her mistress1 showed   
insolence1 was overweening1 and was     
unwilling to endure servitude but       
#bbdj boldly began to resist ,sarra     
strongly4  ,then ,i heard how the wife  
spoke to her husband in the sorrow of   
her heart1 with these words2 sad in mind
 she spoke1 and said bitterly3  ,thou   
dost not deal properly and rightfully   
with me4                #bbde ,thou hast
 hitherto allowed it to happen that my  
hand- maiden afflict me every day by    
deed and word1 ever since ,agar entered 

thy bed in place of thy wife1 as was my 
entreaty3 she shall pay for this        
mercilessly1 if ,i               #bbej  
may still control mine own before thee1 
dear ,abraham2 of this may the ,almighty
 ,lord of ,lords be judge between us    
two6  ,the wise-minded man then answered
 her at once in                    #bbee
 these words3  ,never shall ,i leave    
thee without honor1 while we both live2 
but thou must manage thine own maid as  
pleases thy heart6     ,,xxvii4   ,then 
,abraham's queen became unkind1 wrathful
 in                     #bbfj heart     
towards her serving-maid1 hard and      
cruel1 spoke bitter insults to the      
woman4 ,thereupon the latter fled from  
threat and thraldom3 she would not      
endure evil and retribution for what she
 had formerly done to ,sarra1           
#bbfe but went forth on a journey to go 
into the wilderness4 ,there a servant of
 glory1 an angel of the ,lord1 found her
 sorrowing2 he eagerly asked her3       
,whither do you intend to push your     

journey1 my                     #bbgj   
poor woman8 ,sarre owns thy service6    
,she answered him at once3  ,deprived of
 every pleasure1 jeered out of the house
 by the hatred of my mistress1 ,i have  
fled from woes1 afflictions1 and        
injuries4 ,now with tear-stained cheek  
must ,i await my fate#cj in the         
wilderness1 the time              #bbge 
when hunger or a wolf removes life and  
sorrow together from my heart4  ,then   
the angel answered her3  ,seek not thou 
in flight far hence to avoid thy con-   
#bbhj cubinage1 but return again1 earn  
honor for thyself1 begin submissively to
 cultivate dutifulness1 become dear to  
thy master4 ,thou shalt1 ,agar1 bring a 
son into the world to ,abraham3 with my 
word ,i tell thee now that this         
#bbhe man-child shall be called         
,ismahel1 among men4 ,he shall be rough1
 warlike1 hostile to the races of men   
and to his own kinsfolk3 many a one     
shall struggle against                  
#bbij him in wrath1 with assault of     

arms4 ,from this prince nations shall   
spring1 numberless peoples4 ,depart now 
to seek thy master again3 live with     
those who own thee6  ,in accordance with
 the angel's command1 she at once       
returned to her lord1 as the holy       
spirit-messenger of ,god           #bbie
 bade her1 in sapient speech4 ,thus was 
,ismael born to ,abraham1 even when he  
had lived #hf winters in the world4 ,the
 son grew and flourished1 as the angel1 
the               #bcjj true minister of
 peace1 had promised to the woman by his
 own word4  ,about thirteen years after 
that1 the ,lord and ,ever- lasting ,king
 spoke with ,abraham3  ,dear man1 as ,i 
command thee1 so do thou keep well our  
covenant3 ,i will to all time exalt thee
 in blessings4           #bcje ,be thou 
zealously observant of my will in thy   
deeds3 ,i will still further confirm    
with truth the pledge which ,i gave to  
thee as earnest of comfort1 when thy    
spirit grieved4 ,thou shalt hallow thy  
household3 set a true                   

#bcaj sign of victory on each one of the
 male sex1 if thou wilt have in me a    
,master or dear ,friend of thy race4 ,i 
shall always be keeper and sustainer of 
this people1 if thou            #bcae   
dost obey me in thy innermost thoughts  
and art willing to fulfil my commands4  
,in his infancy shall every individual  
of the male sex in this race1 about     
seven nights after he comes into the    
world1 be marked for me with            
#bcbj the sign of victory1 or from the  
face of the earth be driven far through 
my hostility1 thrust out from his       
possessions4 ,do as ,i bid3 ,i will be  
true to you all1 if ye bear that sign   
with true faith4 ,thou shalt possess    
#bcbe a son1 a child by thy wife1 whom  
men shall all call ,isaac4 ,nor needst  
thou be ashamed of this son3 but ,i will
 give to this man-child my divine gifts1
 by the might of the spirit1 abundance  
of friends1 with prosperity4 ,he shall  
#bccj receive my grace and blessing1    
love and favor4 ,from this prince shall 

come broad nations1 shall arise many    
famous warriors1 keepers of kingdoms1   
world-kings widely            #bcce     
renowned4     ,,xxviii4   ,then ,abraham
 in haste laid his cheek on the earth1  
and with scorn turned over these words  
in his mind1 the thoughts of his heart3 
at that period of time he himself       
#bcdj did not believe that ,sarra1 his  
grey-haired bride1 could bring a son    
into the world to him2 he knew well that
 his wife had already numbered at least 
one hundred winters1 by actual          
reckoning4 ,so then1 wise in years1 he  
spoke               #bcde thus to the   
,lord3  ,may ,ismael live according to  
,thy commandments1 ,lord1 and give thee 
thanks with wise and steady mind and    
stout heart1 doing ,thy will day and    
night in word               #bcej and   
deed6  ,then the ,almighty ,king and    
,everlasting ,lord an- swered him       
fairly3  ,though much worn in years1    
,sarra shall bring a son into the world 
to thee2 the future shall truly proceed 

in           #bcee accordance with these
 words here pronounced4 ,i will now     
bless with my grace ,ismael1 as thou art
 petitioner1 for thy first born1 so that
 he may dwell many days in the kingdom  
of this world with spreading progeny2 be
 thou               #bcfj sure of that6 
,but ,isaac thy son1 the young child who
 has not yet come into the world1 ,i    
will distinguish ex- ceedingly with     
abundance of joys and every kind of     
riches1 in his days1 and certainly leave
 in his heart my            #bcfe pledge
 and holy faith1 and be kind to him4    
,abraham did as the ,eternal bade him1  
set the sign of peace on his son1 by the
 ,lord's command1 and bade              
#bcgj every one of his household of the 
male sex bear that high sign1--wise in  
heart1 and mindful of the pledge which  
,god had given him as assurance of good 
faith1-- and then himself received the  
exalted sign4 ,the ,lord                
#bcge and ,just ,king continually       
advanced his glory in the kingdom of    

this world1 with blessings3 ,he wrought 
this for him as soon as he might first  
perform the will of his ,master in every
 expedition4444#ca  ,then the woman     
laughed at the ,lord of ,mankind not    
#bchj at all mirthfully1 but full of    
years she laid away this promise in her 
mind with much scorn3 she did not       
believe it true that the fulfilment of  
this promise was to follow4 ,but when   
the ,ruler of ,heaven heard that the    
#bche wife of ,abraham had given way to 
hopeless laughter1 in her bower1 then   
the ,holy ,god said3  ,sarra will not   
believe in the truth of my word3        
nevertheless this decree shall be       
fulfilled1 as ,i promised          #bcij
 thee at first4 ,i tell thee truth1 at  
this very season a son shall be born of 
thy wife3 when ,i return to this same   
dwelling another time1 then shall my    
promise of increase be fulfilled3 thou  
shalt look upon a son1 thine own child1 
#bcie dear ,abraham6     ,,xxix4   ,then
 at once1 after this speech1 they       

departed with speed1 eager to be gone2  
from the place of the confer- ence1 the 
holy spirits made their way 7the        
power#cb of             #bdjj light     
itself was in their midst67 until they  
could look upon ,sodom1 the lofty city3 
they saw palaces tower up above         
treasures1 halls above red gold4 ,then  
the right- eous ,ruler of the skies     
began to speak with ,abraham1           
#bdje gave him no little information4   
,in this city ,i hear tumult1 the din of
 sinners ex- ceedingly loud1 the        
vain-glory of those drunk with ale2 evil
 speech have the people1 behind their   
walls3 for the            #bdaj sins of 
the race1 of the treacherous apostates1 
are heavy4 ,i will now find out what the
 men are doing1 ,o man of the ,hebrews1 
to see whether they actually commit sins
 so grossly in their habits and thoughts
 as they perversely speak of crimes and 
vices3 sulphur and black                
#bdae flame1 sorely and grimly1 hotly   
and vehemently1 shall avenge this on the

 heathenish people4     ,,xxx4   ,the   
men with their wives were approaching   
their punishment1 sufferings within     
their walls3 arrogant in riches1 they   
requited the ,lord for their prosperity 
with            #bdbj insult1 until the 
,protector of spirits1 the ,source of   
,light and ,life1 would tolerate their  
offence no longer3 but to them the      
steadfast ,king sent two strong         
messengers of his1 who arrived at       
eventide at the fortress of ,sodoma1    
#bdbe in their traveling4 ,at the       
city-gate they found the warrior1 the   
son of ,aron1 sitting by himself1 so    
that they appeared before the eyes of   
the wise man as young men4 ,then the    
servant of the ,lord arose before the   
spirits1              #bdcj went forward
 to greet the strangers civilly1 thought
 their demeanor very proper and         
agreeable1 and invited the men to be his
 guests for the night4 ,the noble       
messengers of our ,preserver answered   
him thus3  ,for the courtesy which you  

have extended to us1                    
#bdce accept our thanks4 ,in this street
 we expect quietly to wait for the time 
when the ,lord shall let the sun go     
forth again for the morning4  ,then     
humbly ,loth#cc bowed at the feet of the
 strangers             #bddj and eagerly
 offered them the repose and            
refreshments and shelter and service of 
his dwelling4 ,they accepted thankfully 
the benevolence of the good man1 and    
followed him forthwith inside his walls1
 as the ,hebrew chieftain invited them4 
,there in his hall the generous wise-   
#bdde souled man gave them fair         
hospitality1 until twilight departed3   
then came night1 after the close of day1
 and veiled with darkness the           
lake-streams1 seas1 and broad           
#bdej land1 and all the pomp of this    
life4 ,then the men of ,sodoma came1    
young and old1 hateful to ,god1 to      
demand the strangers1 with a great      
throng so that they surrounded          
#bdee ,loth and his guests by the       

multitude of their force2 they bade him 
lead out of the lofty hall the holy     
mess- engers and put the men in their   
power2 they said openly in words that   
they would have intercourse with the men
 shamefully1 and had no regard for      
decency4 ,then             #bdfj ,loth1 
who often knew what was best1 quickly   
arose in his house1 and went out at     
once2 and the son of ,aron1 mindful of  
his cunning1 spoke thus over all the    
mass of people3  ,here are within two   
spotless maidens1 my daughters3         
#bdfe neither of these damsels knows    
intercourse as yet through sleeping with
 a man3 do then as ,i bid you1 and cease
 from this sin4 ,i give them both to    
you1 before you commit this vileness    
against nature1 heinous evil against    
#bdgj the sons of men4 ,receive these   
maidens and let my guests go free1 since
 ,i will defend them against you as well
 as ,i can1 before ,god6  ,thereupon the
 crowd1 the shameless race1 answered    
#bdge him through common consent3  ,it  

seems very right and fitting that thou  
shouldst depart out of this             
neighborhood1 thou who bereft of friends
 and with the step of an exile soughtest
 this people from afar1 in thy need3    
wilt thou1 if thou mayst1 be our        
#bdhj ruler here1 the teacher of the    
people8  ,then ,i heard of ,loth how the
 heathen masses gripped him with their  
hands1 with hostile grasp3 his guests   
aided him well and the righteous        
strangers drew him                 #bdhe
 out of the clutches of the enemy back  
within the walls1 and then speedily     
closed fast the eyesight of every one of
 the people of ,sodoma standing around3 
the whole                  #bdij crowd  
of citizens forthwith became blind2 nor 
could they1 in their evil rage1 break   
into the house after the guests1 as they
 intended1 but the messengers of ,god   
were too active for them2 the stranger  
had power1 irre-           #bdie        
sistible vigor1 and was very severe upon
 the people in inflicting punishment4   

,then the dear ministers of peace spoke 
fairly to ,loth1 in these words3  ,if   
thou hast a son1 or dear relative1 or   
any friend among these people besides   
these maidens whom we see               
#bejj here1 lead out of this city those 
who are dear to thee1 with great haste1 
and save thine own life1 lest thou      
perish with these law-breakers4 ,for the
 ,lord has commanded us1 because of the 
people's sins1 to give over ,sodoma and 
#beje ,gomorra to black flame and fire1 
and to slay these people1 striking the  
race in their cities with deadly        
horrors1 and so wreak ,his wrath upon   
them4 ,it has nearly reached the        
appointed time4 ,set out on thy way1 to 
save thy life3 the ,lord is merciful to 
thee4444#cd                #beaj  ,loth 
then hastily answered them3  ,i cannot1 
with these womenfolk1 seek my safety so 
far from here in a journey on foot4 ,you
 manifest to me kindness and fair       
friendship1 you grant me grace          
#beae and good-will4 ,i know a lofty    

town near here1 a little fortress3 leave
 me there1 in honor and peace1 so that  
we may seek safety above1 in ,sigor4 ,if
 you will protect that           #bebj  
lofty fastness from the fire1 we can    
abide in that place unharmed1 in safety1
 and so preserve our lives4  ,then the  
righteous angels answered him benevol-  
#bebe ently3  ,thou shalt be successful 
in this petition1 now thou speakest     
about that city3 withdraw immediately to
 that fastness4 ,we shall keep thee in  
peace and safety4 ,we must not wreak the
 wrath of ,god upon these law-          
#becj breakers and destroy the sinful   
race1 before thou hast led thy children 
and wife likewise into ,saegor4  ,then  
the kinsman of ,abraham set out for the 
fastness3 the chieftain did not spare   
the pace for his womenfolk1             
#bece but he pushed his steps most      
hastily until he had brought his wife   
and children to the citadel of ,saegor4 
,when the sun rose1 when the peaceful   
luminary of the nations went forth1     

then1 ,i have heard1 the ,master of     
,glory sent            #bedj sulphur out
 of heaven1 and swart flame for the     
punish- ment of men1 swelling fire1     
since they had offended the ,lord for a 
long period in former days3 thus the    
,ruler of spirits gave them retribution4
 ,utmost terror seized upon             
#bede the heathen race3 tumult arose in 
the city1 the outcry of the accursed    
race over shameful death1 just          
beginning4 ,the flame seized upon all   
that it found green1 in the rich city1  
just as around outside no small portion 
of the broad          #beej earth was   
filled with conflagration and terror3   
trees and earth's harvests turned to    
ashes and embers1 even as far as the    
avenging curse direly extended over the 
#beee broad country of the people4 ,the 
devastating fire rushing on in tumult   
devoured all things together1 far and   
wide1 that men had owned in the cities  
of ,sodoma and ,gomorra3 all this1      
together with the people1 ,god          

#befj the ,lord destroyed4  ,when       
,loth's wife1 his bride in the city1    
heard the din of fire1 the death of the 
people1 then she looked back- ward to   
see this devastation4 ,the ,scriptures  
tell us that she immediately turned into
 the likeness of a pillar of salt3 ever 
since then this statue has stood there  
#befe motion less 7this is a strange    
story71 where she incurred this severe  
penalty because she would not obey the  
ministers of glory in their commands3   
now1 stiff and erect1 she will have to  
await her doom in that place1 at        
#begj the ,lord's ,judgment ,day1 when  
the world has com- pleted its allotted  
number of years4 ,this is one of the    
miracles which the ,king of ,glory has  
wrought4     ,,xxxi4   ,then ,abraham   
went forth alone1 at dawn1 so that he   
#bege again stood in the place where the
 pious leader had formerly spoken with  
his ,lord in words4 ,he saw the reek of 
death and destruction ascending widely  
from the earth4 ,riches and feasting    

preoccupied the people to such an extent
 that they had become bold in wicked    
#behj deeds1 eager for sin3 they forgot 
the ,truth and ,god's commandments1 and 
who had given them prosperity and wealth
 in their cities2 therefore the ,king of
 the ,angels sent his fervid fire to    
punish them4 ,our faithful              
#behe ,lord then remembered ,abraham    
mercifully1 the dear man1 as he often   
had done1 and saved his kinsman1 ,loth1 
when the multitude perished4 ,the latter
 hero1 famed for his deeds1 did not dare
 to tarry longer in the strong-         
#beij hold for fear of the ,lord1 but   
,loth departed from the city with his   
children to seek a dwelling-place far   
from the place of slaughter1 until they 
found a cave in the side of a high dune3
 there the pious ,loth1 dear to his     
#beie ,lord1 dwelt in righteousness for 
a great number of days1 with his two    
daughters4444#ce  ,they did thus with   
the drunken man3 444 the elder of the   
two went first to her father's bed4 ,nor

 did the              #bfjj venerable   
man know when the two maidens 444 were  
with him in the manner of a bride1 fast 
bound as he was in heart1 mind1 and     
memory1 drunken with wine1              
#bfje so that he could not escape the   
enterprise of the maidens4 ,the young   
women became pregnant1 and the devoted  
sisters brought men-children into the   
world1 sons to their old father4 ,one of
 these noble children was called ,moab  
by his mother1 that daughter of ,loth   
who was the               #bfaj elder in
 years of life2 the ,scriptures tell us1
 the sacred ,books1 that the younger    
called her son ,ammon4 ,from these      
princes sprang numberless people1 the   
glories of              #bfae two       
nations3 one of these nations all       
earth-dwellers call ,moabites1 a widely 
famed race2 the other1 men and sons of  
heroes call ,ammonites4     ,,xxxii4    
,then the brother of ,aron set out with 
his wife to take              #bfbj his 
possessions and his household to        

,abimelech4 ,abra- ham told all men that
 ,sarra was his sister1 and thus        
preserved his life by his words3 he knew
 very well that             #bfbe he had
 few relatives and friends among that   
people4 ,then the king sent his         
ministers and bade them bring to him the
 wife of ,abraham4#cf ,thus for the     
second time in a foreign land1 the wife 
of ,abraham was taken                   
#bfcj from her husband to the embrace of
 a stranger4 ,then the eternal ,lord    
assisted him1 as he had often done3 our 
,preserver came himself by night to     
where the king lay drunken with wine4   
,thereupon the ,lord of ,truth          
#bfce began to speak to the king through
 a dream1 and threat- ened him in wrath3
  ,thou hast taken ,abraham's wife1 his 
bride from the hero2 for that deed death
 shall tear thy soul from thy breast6   
,to him thus the sinner1 gorged with    
feasting1 replied               #bfdj in
 his sleep3  ,what6 ,wilt ,thou ever1   
,high ,king of the ,angels1 through thy 

wrath let him be deprived of life who   
lives             #bfde here in         
righteous habits1 who in his counsel is 
upright in mind1 and who asks mercy of  
,thyself8 ,in her own words1 unasked1   
this woman told me first that she was   
#bfej ,abraham's sister4 ,i have not    
sinned against her1 nor wrought any evil
 at all1 up to this time6  ,then again  
the ,eternal ,lord and ,true ,god spoke 
to him straightway through that dream3  
,give back this woman to ,abraham1 his  
wife1 into                    #bfee his 
possession1 if thou wishest for life any
 longer in this world1 as protector of  
the nobles4 ,he is good and wise1 and   
may himself speak with ,god and see the 
,king of ,glory4 ,thou shalt die1 with  
thy flocks and thy sub- stance1 if thou 
deniest his wife to the warrior3 if he  
will         #bffj at once honestly and 
patiently prefer to me thy earnest      
wishes1 he may obtain his request that  
,i yet allow thee living to enjoy       
pleasures and prosperity in thy days1   

#bffe allow thee in sound health to     
enjoy thy riches4  ,then the keeper of  
the people broke forth from sleep1 bade 
his councillors come to him2 shaken with
 terror1 ,abimeleh quickly told the     
nobles the word of the ,master4 ,the men
 dreaded as retribution for this deed1  
blows               #bfgj from the hand 
of the ,lord in accordance with the     
dream4 ,the king himself bade them bring
 ,abraham before him1 in great haste4   
,then the ruler of the kingdom spoke3   
,man of the ,ebrews6 this wilt thou now 
tell me in                   #bfge      
words3 what have ,i done that1 since    
thou broughtest thy possessions into    
this country among us1 ,abraham1 thou   
hast thus bitterly contrived a plot     
against me8 ,thou1 a foreigner1 wouldst 
deceive us in this country              
#bfhj with evil and pollute us with sin3
 thou saidest in plain words that ,sarra
 was thy sister1 thy blood relation2    
through that woman thou wouldst have    
foully put upon me sin1 measureless     

evil6 ,we received thee honorably1      
#bfhe and in friendship gave thee a     
dwelling-place among this people1 land  
at thy pleasure3 now thou makest return 
and thankest us most ungratefully for   
our favors6     ,,xxxiii4   ,abraham    
then answered3                          
#bfij  ,i did that1 not for evil nor for
 hostility nor for any woe that ,i might
 bring upon thee4 ,but by this strat-   
agem1 ,o ruler of men1 ,i protected     
myself against blows of the fierce      
sword1 far from my kinsfolk as ,i was   
,since the ,holy ,one#cg first led me   
from the family of              #bfie   
the prince1 my father1 ,i have sought   
out many peoples1 strange allies1 and   
this woman with me1 destitute of        
friends3 ,i always kept this peril in   
mind1 when some foe            #bgjj    
should deprive me--a stranger--of my    
life1 who wished to have this woman for 
his own4 ,therefore ,i have told        
warriors in plain words that ,sarra was 
my sister1 wher-             #bgje ever 

on this earth we have had to contend    
against foreigners in our exile4 ,i did 
the same thing in this country1 great   
king1 after ,i chose thy protection3 nor
 was there any knowledge in my heart as 
to whether                   #bgaj the  
fear of ,god ,almighty was in this race1
 when ,i first came here2 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 wife4              
#bgae  ,then ,abimaeleh began to enrich 
,abraham with worldly treasures and     
returned his wife to him3 he gave him to
 boot1 when he received his wife1 live  
stock and bright silver and             
serving-folk4 ,the protector of the     
nobles                #bgbj spoke       
further to ,abraham1 in these words3    
,dwell with us and choose thee a        
dwelling-place in this land1 a noble    
site where it is most to thy liking3 ,i 
must have thee2 be a faithful friend to 
us2 we will give            #bgbe thee  

riches4  ,then quickly the dispenser of 
treasure spoke further to ,sarra1 in    
other words3  ,nor need ,abraham1 thy   
lord and master1 set it in reproach     
against thee that thou hast trodden the 
ways of my dwelling1 ,o woman           
goddess-fair3 for ,i have richly        
#bgcj repaired thine offence with him1  
with white silver4 ,do not trouble      
yourselves to seek riches and strange   
friends away from this land1 but dwell  
here4  ,abraham did as his king bade    
him1 and at the ruler's                 
#bgce behest accepted friendship1 love1 
and peace4 ,he was dear to ,god3        
therefore he enjoyed tranquility happily
 and proceeded under the shadow of his  
,creator1 covered              #bgdj by 
,his protecting wings1 while he lived4  
,but ,god was still angry at ,abimeleh  
for the sin which he had committed      
against ,sarra and ,abraham1 when he    
sepa- rated these two loving ones1 the  
wife and the husband4              #bgde
 ,he received a severe penalty for this 

deed3 for neither free nor slave women  
could reward#ch the men their masters   
with children1 for the ,lord prevented  
it1 until the holy ,abraham began to    
pray ,eternal ,god for grace            
#bgej in behalf of his king4 ,the       
,protector of the ,angels granted him   
his prayer1 and restored to the king the
 fertility of the free and the enslaved1
 men and women2 again the ,ruler of the 
skies allowed the number of their off-  
#bgee spring to increase1 their         
prosperity and possessions3 the         
,almighty ,keeper of ,mankind became    
mild in heart towards ,abimeleh1 as     
,abraham entreated ,him4  ,then the     
,almighty ,lord came to ,sarra1 as ,he  
,himself                 #bgfj promised3
 ,our ,master1 the ,ruler of ,life1 had 
fulfilled ,his promise to the dear man  
and woman4 ,a son was be- gotten of     
,abraham upon his wife1 whom the ,prince
 of the ,angels named ,isaac even before
 the mother was great             #bgfe 
with child by the chieftain4 ,abraham   

with his own hand set the sign upon him1
 as the ,lord glorious in splendor bade 
him1 about a week from the time when his
 mother                #bggj brought him
 into the world to mankind4     ,,xxxiv4
   ,the boy grew and throve1 inasmuch as
 noble traits were native to him from   
his ancestors4 ,abraham had numbered    
#ajj years when1 to his joy1 his wife   
bore him a son3 he had waited for this  
for a long time1 since the              
#bgge ,lord first through ,his own word 
foretold this day of happiness4 ,now the
 matter so happened that his wife once  
saw ,ismael playing before ,abraham     
where they were both seated at a        
banquet1 holy in heart1 and all         
#bghj their household retainers were    
drinking and singing4 ,then the noble   
woman spoke1 as wife to husband3        
,forgive me1 my dear lord1 keeper of the
 ring6 ,but bid ,agar depart elsewhere1 
and take ,ismael with her4              
#bghe ,we should no longer be together1 
for my pleasure1 if ,i might have my    

way4 ,never shall ,ismael share the     
heritage with ,isaac1 my own son1 after 
thee1 when thou yieldest up thy spirit  
from the body4                          
#bgij  ,then was ,abraham heavy at      
heart1 because he must drive away his   
own son into exile2 then speedily the   
,true ,god came to his aid1 for ,he knew
 that the heart of the man was in dire  
straits4 ,the ,king of the ,angels1     
#bgie the ,eternal ,lord1 spoke to      
,abraham3  ,let the sorrow and          
heart-felt grief slip from thy breast1  
and obey the woman1 thy wife4 ,bid both 
,agar and ,ismael to go away1 send the  
boy from thy home4                #bhjj 
,i will make his race far-spreading and 
powerful in the number of its sons1     
prosperous in blessings1 as ,i promised 
thee by my word4  ,then the man obeyed  
his ,master and drove from his home the 
sad-minded pair1 drove from his         
patrimony                #bhje the woman
 and his own son4444#ci  ,clear it is   
and manifest that the ,true ,god1 the   

,king of ,glory1 is on thy side1 since  
he gives thee the victory1 with wise    
power1 and strengthens thy heart#dj with
                 #bhaj divine gifts4    
,therefore thou hast succeeded hitherto 
in whatsoever thou hast begun to perform
 against friend or foe1 in word or deed4
 ,the ,lord our ,master thrusteth       
forward thy desires with ,his own hands3
 that is widely known among men4 ,i pray
 thee now1                    #bhae     
chief of the ,ebrews1 by my words1 to   
give me a faithful assurance of thy     
pledge that thou wilt be a true friend  
to me1 in return for the good things    
which ,i have given             #bhbj   
for thy glory1 since thou camest        
solitary from afar into this country    
with the tread of an exile4 ,requite me 
now with thy favor1 so that ,i may not  
be sparing of land and pleasure to thee4
 ,be propitious now to this people      
#bhbe and city of mine1 if ,our         
,almighty ,lord who holdeth the fates   
will grant that thou mayst further      

distribute riches and pleasing          
treasures1 and set up thy landmarks1    
among             #bhcj the warriors in 
this country4  ,then ,abraham gave      
pledges to ,abimeleh that he would do   
thus4     ,,xxxv4   ,after this the holy
 son of ,thare1 chief of the ,ebrews1   
was a dweller in the ,filistine nation  
for a long time1              #bhce     
alone amid strangers4 ,the ,lord of the 
,angels showed him a dwelling-place     
which the men dwelling in the city      
called the land of ,bersaba4 ,there the 
pious man built a high hall1 constructed
 a place of shelter and planted         
#bhdj a grove1 erected an altar and on  
the sacrificial stone made an offering1 
an oblation1 at once1 to his ,master who
 had given him a prosperous life under  
the sky4  ,then the powerful ,king began
 to try this hero1                      
#bhde tested stringently what the noble 
one's fortitude was1 and spoke to him in
 stern words with his voice3  ,go forth 
now speedily1 ,abraham1 hasten thy      

steps1                  #bhej and take  
with thee thine own child4 ,thou shalt  
thyself offer up ,isaac to me1 thy son  
as a sacrifice4 ,after thou ascendest on
 foot the steep dune1 the bordering     
circle of that high land which ,i shall 
show thee from here1 there              
#bhee thou shalt prepare a funeral pyre1
 the death-pile of thy son1 and then    
thyself sacrifice thy son with the edge 
of the sword and then burn his dear body
 with black flame1 and thus make        
offering to me4  ,he did not decline the
 expedition1 but straightway began to   
hasten the procedure3 the word of the   
,king                 #bhfj of ,angels  
was sacred to him1 and his ,master was  
beloved4 ,then the pious ,abraham       
forsook his nightly repose1 with no     
resistance at all to the command of the 
,saviour1 but the holy man girded       
himself with his grey sword             
#bhfe and declared that the fear of the 
,keeper of ,spirits dwelt in his breast4
 ,worn with age1 the dispenser of gold  

began to harness his asses1 and bade two
 young men go with him3 his own son was 
the third and he himself the fourth4    
,without delay he then set out to lead  
,isaac             #bhgj from his own   
home1 the ungrown child1 as the ,lord   
bade him2 hastened exceedingly and      
hurried forth on the way1 as the ,lord  
showed him the paths over the wastes1   
until the glorious beginning of the     
third day               #bhge arose     
across deep water4 ,there the worthy man
 saw a high dune rise1 as the ,king of  
,glory had foretold to him4 ,so ,abraham
 spoke to his servants3  ,my men6       
,remain ye here in this place4 ,we shall
                     #bhhj return1 after
 we have offered to the ,king of        
,spirits what was entrusted to us both4 
,the noble man then departed with his   
own son toward                 #bhhe the
 designated spot which the ,lord showed 
him1 striding through the forest2 the   
son bore the wood1 the father fire and  
sword4 ,then the man young in years     

began to ask ,abraham about the affair1 
in these words3  ,we have here fire and 
sword1 my lord3 where is the            
#bhij noble victim that you expect to   
bring as a burnt-offering to ,god8      
,abraham replied 7he had once for all   
decided that he would do as the ,lord   
directed him73  ,that the ,true ,king1  
,guardian of mankind1 will              
#bhie himself provide1 as it seemeth to 
him meet4  ,then with unfaltering       
purpose he ascended the steep dune1 with
 his son1 as the ,eternal had bidden    
him1 until he stood on the crest of the 
high land1 on the spot#da which the     
mighty1 faithful ,lord had shown him in 
his                #bijj words4         
,forthwith he began to build the        
funeral-pyre and kindle the fire1 and he
 bound his son hand and foot1 and then  
laid young ,isaac on the pile1 and then 
straight- way grasped the sword by the  
hilt3 he was resolved to                
#bije kill his son with his own hands   
and allay the flames with his child's   

blood4  ,at that moment a minister of   
,god1 one of the angels1 called ,abraham
 from above1 with a loud voice4 ,motion-
 less he answered the angel and awaited 
the herald's                 #biaj      
speech4 ,to him then forthwith ,god's   
glorious spirit- messenger spoke from   
above1 out of heaven1 in these words3   
,beloved ,abraham6 ,do not slay thine   
own son1 but take the boy alive from the
 pile1 thy child4 ,the ,god             
#biae of ,glory has spared him4 ,prince 
of the ,ebrews1 through the holy hand of
 the ,king of ,heaven thou shalt thyself
 receive recompense and true rewards of 
victory1 ample gifts3 the ,keeper of    
,spirits will enrich thee with          
blessings1       #bibj because his peace
 and favor were dearer to thee than     
thine own child4  ,the pyre stood there 
blazing4 ,the ,lord of mankind had made 
joyful the breast of ,abraham1 kinsman  
of ,loth1 when he gave him back his son1
 ,isaac1 alive4 ,then             #bibe 
the holy hero looked about over his     

shoulder1 and there not far from him the
 brother of ,aron beheld a ram standing 
alone1 caught fast in the thorn-bushes4 
,abra- ham took this and laid it on the 
pyre with great zeal1              #bicj
 in place of his own son1 brandished the
 sword1 and dec- orated the             
burnt-offering1 the smoking altar1 with 
the blood of the ram1 offered that      
oblation to ,god1 and fin- ally gave    
thanks for these blessings and for all  
those#db mercies which1 late and early1 
the ,lord had bestowed                  
#cice upon him4444#dc     ,,notes       
,footnote #a3 ,thorpe's translation of  
the ,genesis1 published with his        
edition1 in #ahbh1 was not accessible to
 the present writer and presumably will 
not be accessible to the general public1
 so that on the mere score of           
availability it seems high time for the 
appearance of another translation2      
moreover1 in the last eighty-five years 
critical scholarship has produced a     
greatly improved text of the poem4      

,footnote #b3 ,aside from necessary     
omissions made for ,genesis ,b1 the     
,sections are numbered consecutively in 
this translation 7regardless of vagaries
 in the original ,,ms4 numbering71 on   
the assumption that each illuminated    
capital in the ,,ms4 was intended to    
indicate the beginning of a new         
,section4 ,after the excision of        
,genesis ,b1 the numbering has been     
resumed with ,x instead of ,,xv1 because
 the ,,xiii at line #ddj in the ,,ms4   
must really represent ,,viii4--,cf4     
,note #h1 page #ei1 inf4 7page #aii1    
inf47  ,footnote #c3 ll4 #ci;b-#da;a4   
,wraecna1 gen4 pl4 with bidan1          
outcasts2 ,i take weardas as in         
apposition with it 7the acc4 being      
either a scribal error or an            
anacoluthon71 and then translate wraecna
 as an adjective for the sake of        
idiomatic fluency4 ,for gasta weardas as
 an epithet for angels1 though then     
unfallen1 cf4 line #ab;a1 sup4--,the    
passage has given scholars much trouble 

and is unsatisfactory1 at best4         
,footnote #d3 line #fc;b4 ,i take       
aeethele as a form of aeethelu          
nobilitas1 principatus1 natales1 origo1 
genus1 etc4 ,grein's ,sprachschatz1     
#a4eb4  ,footnote #e3 line #afh;a4      
,three pages seem to be missing in the  
,,ms4 ,doubtless the remaining events of
 the third day1 with those of the       
fourth1 fifth1 and perhaps first part of
 the sixth1 days1 including the creation
 of man1 7i4e41 apparently the contents 
of ,gen4 #a4aa-b4ag1 incl47 were retold 
in these pages4  ,footnote #f3 line     
#ahf;b4 ,this line is apparently        
imperfect1 metrically1 for the second   
hemistich seems to be wanting4 ,as the  
sense is complete1 without emendation1  
,i have not followed the various        
scholars who would insert after ,adam's 
bride some such clause as1 ,whom ,god   
named ,eve4  ,footnote #g3 ll4          
#bba-bbd;a4 ,the text here is corrupt   
and scholars differ widely in their     
conjectural emendations and             

interpretations4 ,since none of their   
versions is satisfactory or convincing1 
,i venture upon an independent reading4 
,hebeleac1 of course1 is the ,scriptural
 ,havilah 7,gen4 #b4aa72 ,fison is      
obviously ,pison1 and ,geon1 #bcj;b     
inf41 is ,gihon4  ,footnote #h3 ll4     
#bbf1 #bbg;a4 ,i construe the best with 
gold and gems1 rather than with sons of 
men1 because of ,gen4 #b4ab4  ,footnote 
#i3 ll4 #bce-hea4 ,after line #bcd there
 is a break in the ,,ms4 ,sievers has   
shown that the following #fag lines1    
called ,genesis ,b1 were written and    
interpolated later1 by a different hand1
 and have ,old ,saxon affiliations4     
,genesis ,b describes the ,fall of ,man 
and also gives a new version of the     
revolt and overthrow of ,satan4 ,genesis
 ,a begins again1 at line #heb1 with the
 conversation between ,adam and ,eve and
 ,jehovah 7,gen4 #c4h ff474  ,footnote  
#aj3 line #hgb4 ,i follow the divisions 
of the ,,ms4 ,this line begins with the 
tenth large decorative initial1 the     

others having occurred at ll4 #a1 #hb1  
#ace1 #bdf1 #chi1 #ddb1 #edg1 #fhd1 and 
#hba4 ,where the editors so widely      
disagree as to the proper subdivisions  
of the poem1 it seems safer to follow   
the original initializing 7but not the  
marginal numbering of the original      
,,ms43 this skips from ,,vii to ,,xiii  
at line #ddj--;doubtless accidentally   
substituting ,x for ,v--and is otherwise
 irregular74 ,cf4 footnote1 page vi1    
sup4--,for lines #hfi-gj1 cf4 ,jour4    
,eng4 ,germ4 ,phil41 #ab4beg4  ,footnote
 #aa3 line #ajbb4 ,a hemistich seems to 
be missing here1 metrically4  ,footnote 
#ab3 line #aabe4 ,a hemistich seems to  
be missing here1 metrically4  ,footnote 
#ac3 line #aabh4 ,i here adopt ,grein's 
emendation1 reading leod for leof4      
,footnote #ad3 line #aacg4 ,cf4 ,gen4   
#d4bf1 with cross-references1           
alternative translation1 etc4  ,footnote
 #ae3 line #aaej4 ,i follow ,grein in   
supplying wintra to complete a          
metrically imperfect line4  ,footnote   

#af3 line #aaii4 ,a hemistich seems to  
be missing here1 metrically2 and surely 
the sense requires the interpolation of 
several lines1 to record the birth of   
,methuselah in ,enoch's #feth year4 ,cf4
 ,gen4 #e4ba4  ,footnote #ag3 line      
#abaa4 ,we may restore the last word of 
this line1 fan in the ,,ms41 either as  
tautological frean1 with ,dietrich1 or  
as tautological feran1 with ,grein4     
,footnote #ah3 line #adje4 ,i follow    
,dietrich in reading edniowe            
self-renewing1 for the meaningless      
edmonne in the ,,ms4  ,footnote #ai3    
line #adib4 ,this difficult passage may 
be clarified by reading ethryethe       
strength1 copious power1 in place of the
 meaningless ethridda  third1 in the    
,,ms41 and at the same time making rymme
 the object of haefde 7reading rymmas1  
if necessary74  ,footnote #bj3 line     
#aedi4 ,at least one line is missing1 in
 the ,,ms4 here4 ,i have healed the     
breach by altering the case of waerfaest
 metod1 in preference to supplying      

conjectural material4  ,footnote #ba3   
line #afbh;a4 ,the difficulty here may  
be obviated1 with slight emendation1 by 
letting ,faederne modify yrfestole1 and 
changing breether1 as a genitive plural1
 to broethra4  ,footnote #bb3 ll4       
#aheb;b-#ahec4 ,i follow ,dietrich1 who 
seems to me to make the best of this bad
 business4  ,footnote #bc3 line #ahfb;b4
 ,haegstealdra wyn refers to ,pharaoh1  
of course4  ,footnote #bd3 line #aibi;a4
 ,a hemistich is missing here1 in the   
,,ms41 and a verb must be supplied2 ,i  
adopt ,grein's suggestion1 laedde4      
,footnote #be3 line #aief;b4 ,the       
alliteration is defective1 unless a word
 be supplied2 but the sense may be      
preserved1 without emendation1 by       
construing aefter with sped4  ,footnote 
#bf3 line #bjdg;a4 ,metrically1 a       
hemistich seems to be missing4          
,footnote #bg3 line #bjee;a4            
,metrically1 a word or two seem to be   
missing4  ,footnote #bh3 line #badh;b4  
,metrically1 a hemistich seems to be    

missing4  ,footnote #bi3 line #bbcd;b4  
,larum here seems to be tautological1   
perhaps a scribal error4 ,it might be   
taken with bryde1 in an absolute        
construction3 after the example1 or in  
the manner1 of a bride4 ,the reading    
lastum is supported by line #bgae;a4    
,footnote #cj3 line #bbge;b4 ,i take    
witodes here as equivalent to wyrdes3   
cf4 ,sievers' ,,oe4 ,grammar1 ed4 ,a4,s4
 ,cook1 #aijc1 #bfi1 ,n4 #e4  ,footnote 
#ca3 line #bcgi4 ,grein remarks that a  
page is missing here from the ,,ms4     
,footnote #cb3 line #bdjj;b4 ,i read    
here maegn for maeg2--cf4 line #bdid;b4 
,or1 retaining maeg1 the line might be  
translated3 ,the ,father of ,light      
,himself was etc4 ,cf4 ,gen4 #ah4a1 #af4
  ,footnote #cc3 line #bdci;b4          
,defective metre and sense1 owing to the
 loss of a hemistich1 but the sense is  
complete4 ,grein's suggestion1 feoll on 
foldan1 adds nothing to the following   
hnah4  ,footnote #cd3 line #beaj4 ,a    
passage is missing here in the ,,ms4    

,cf4 #befh;b-#befi;a2 and the ,,xxxvii  
at #begd1 after the ,,xxxv at #bdag4    
,footnote #ce3 lines #beig1 #beih1      
#bfja;b-#bfjb;a4 ,there are several     
lacunae here1 in the ,,ms4  ,footnote   
#cf3 line #bfbh;b4 ,some words are      
evidently missing here4 ,in the brackets
 ,i give the emendation supported by    
most scholars4  ,footnote #cg3 line     
#bfie;b4 ,i follow most of the editors  
in taking hyrde as family and frean as  
an appositive with faeder4  ,footnote   
#ch3 line #bgdg;b4 ,whatever the precise
 form of emendation to be adopted1 this 
is certainly the sense of the word and  
passage4  ,footnote #ci3 line #bhje4 ,a 
passage is missing here1 in the ,,ms4   
,footnote #dj3 line #bhaj;b4 ,a         
hemistich is missing here1 metrically4  
,footnote #da3 line #bhii;a4 ,this word 
7stowe7 is ,dietrich's obviously correct
 emendation4  ,footnote #db3 line       
#bicd;a4 ,grein's emendation1 saeletha  
prosperity1 helps the metre but not the 
sense4 ,i do not adopt it4  ,footnote   

#dc3 line #bice4 ,in the ,,ms41 ,genesis
 ends here and ,exodus follows at once2 
as #bh ,chapters of the ,biblical       
,genesis are passed over1 it seems      
probable that several pages in the ,,ms4
 of the poem have been lost or were not 
transcribed4