Genesis A, B

Old English · Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records · 2,936 sections

1200
Breac blæddaga, bearna strynde
1201
þreohund wintra. Him wæs þeoden hold,
1202
rodera waldend. Se rinc heonon
1203
on lichoman lisse sohte,
1204
drihtnes duguðe, nales deaðe swealt
1205
middangeardes, swa her men doþ,
1206
geonge and ealde, þonne him god heora
1207
æhta and ætwist eorðan gestreona
1208
on genimeð and heora aldor somed,
1209
ac he cwic gewat mid cyning engla
1210
of þyssum lænan life feran
1211
on þam gearwum þe his gast onfeng
1212
ær hine to monnum modor brohte.
1213
He þam yldestan eaforan læfde
1214
folc, frumbearne; V and syxtig
1215
wintra hæfde þa he woruld ofgeaf,
1216
and eac III hund. þrage siððan
1217
Mathusal heold maga yrfe,
1218
se on lichoman lengest þissa
1219
worulddreama breac. Worn gestrynde
1220
ær his swyltdæge suna and dohtra;
1221
hæfde frod hæle, þa he from sceolde
1222
niþþum hweorfan, nigonhund wintra
1223
and hundseofontig to. Sunu æfter heold,
1224
Lamech leodgeard, lange siððan
1225
woruld bryttade. Wintra hæfde
1226
twa and hundteontig þa seo tid gewearð
1227
þæt se eorl ongan æðele cennan,
1228
sunu and dohtor. Siððan lifde
1229
fif and hundnigontig, frea moniges breac
1230
wintra under wolcnum, werodes aldor,
1231
and V hund eac; heold þæt folc teala,
1232
bearna strynde, him byras wocan,
1233
eaforan and idesa. He þone yldestan
1234
Noe nemde, se niððum ær
1235
land bryttade siððan Lamech gewat.
1236
Hæfde æðelinga aldorwisa
1237
V hund wintra þa he furðum ongan
1238
bearna strynan, þæs þe bec cweðaþ.
1239
Sem wæs haten sunu Noes,
1240
se yldesta, oðer Cham,
1241
þridda Iafeth. þeoda tymdon
1242
rume under roderum, rim miclade
1243
monna mægðe geond middangeard
1244
sunum and dohtrum. ða giet wæs Sethes cynn,
1245
leofes leodfruman on lufan swiðe
1246
drihtne dyre and domeadig,
1247
oðþæt bearn godes bryda ongunnon
1248
on Caines cynne secan,
1249
wergum folce, and him þær wif curon
1250
ofer metodes est monna eaforan,
1251
scyldfulra mægð scyne and fægere.
1252
þa reordade rodora waldend
1253
wrað moncynne and þa worde cwæð:
1254
"Ne syndon me on ferhðe freo from gewitene
1255
cneorisn Caines, ac me þæt cynn hafað
1256
sare abolgen. Nu me Sethes bearn
1257
torn niwiað and him to nimað
1258
mægeð to gemæccum minra feonda;
1259
þær wifa wlite onwod grome,
1260
idesa ansien, and ece feond
1261
folcdriht wera, þa ær on friðe wæron."
1262
Siððan hundtwelftig geteled rime
1263
wintra on worulde wræce bisgodon
1264
fæge þeoda, hwonne frea wolde
1265
on wærlogan wite settan
1266
and on deað slean dædum scyldige
1267
gigantmæcgas, gode unleofe,
1268
micle mansceaðan, metode laðe.
1269
þa geseah selfa sigoro waldend
1270
hwæt wæs monna manes on eorðan
1271
and þæt hie wæron womma ðriste,
1272
inwitfulle. He þæt unfægere
1273
wera cneorissum gewrecan þohte,
1274
forgripan gumcynne grimme and sare,
1275
heardum mihtum. Hreaw hine swiðe
1276
þæt he folcmægþa fruman aweahte,
1277
æðelinga ord, þa he Adam sceop,
1278
cwæð þæt he wolde for wera synnum
1279
eall aæðan þæt on eorðan wæs,
1280
forleosan lica gehwilc þara þe lifes gast
1281
fæðmum þeahte. Eall þæt frea wolde
1282
on ðære toweardan tide acwellan
1283
þe þa nealæhte niðða bearnum.
1284
Noe wæs god, nergende leof,
1285
swiðe gesælig, sunu Lameches,
1286
domfæst and gedefe. Drihten wiste
1287
þæt þæs æðelinges ellen dohte
1288
breostgehygdum; forðon him brego sægde,
1289
halig æt hleoðre, helm allwihta,
1290
hwæt he fah werum fremman wolde;
1291
geseah unrihte eorðan fulle,
1292
side sælwongas synnum gehladene,
1293
widlum gewemde. þa waldend spræc,
1294
nergend usser, and to Noe cwæð:
1295
"Ic wille mid flode folc acwellan
1296
and cynna gehwilc cucra wuhta,
1297
þara þe lyft and flod lædað and fedað,
1298
feoh and fuglas. þu scealt frið habban
1299
mid sunum þinum, ðonne sweart wæter,

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