Genesis A, B

freomen æfter flode, and fiftig eac, þa he forð gewat.

Siððan his eaforan ead bryttedon,

bearna stryndon; him wæs beorht wela.

þa wearð Iafeðe geogoð afeded,

hyhtlic heorðwerod heafodmaga,

sunu and dohtra. He wæs selfa til,

heold a rice, eðeldreamas,

blæd mid bearnum, oðþæt breosta hord,

gast ellorfus gangan sceolde

to godes dome. Geomor siððan

fæder flettgesteald freondum dælde,

swæsum and gesibbum, sunu Iafeðes;

þæs teames wæs tuddor gefylled

unlytel dæl eorðan gesceafta.

Swilce Chames suno cende wurdon,

eaforan on eðle; þa yldestan

Chus and Chanan hatene wæron,

ful freolice feorh, frumbearn Chames.

Chus wæs æðelum heafodwisa,

wilna brytta and worulddugeða

broðrum sinum, botlgestreona,

fæder on laste, siððan forð gewat

Cham of lice, þa him cwealm gesceod.

Se magoræswa mægðe sinre

domas sægde, oðþæt his dogora wæs

rim aurnen. þa se rinc ageaf

eorðcunde ead, sohte oðer lif,

fæder Nebroðes. Frumbearn siððan

eafora Chuses yrfestole weold,

widmære wer, swa us gewritu secgeað,

þæt he moncynnes mæste hæfde

on þam mældagum mægen and strengo.

Se wæs Babylones bregorices fruma,

ærest æðelinga; eðelðrym onhof,

rymde and rærde. Reord wæs þa gieta

eorðbuendum an gemæne.

Swilce of Cames cneorisse woc

wermægða fela; of þam widfolce

cneorim micel cenned wæron.

þa wearð Seme suna and dohtra

on woruldrice worn afeded,

freora bearna, ær ðon frod cure

wintrum wælreste werodes aldor.

On þære mægðe wæron men tile,

þara an wæs Eber haten,

eafora Semes; of þam eorle woc

unrim þeoda, þa nu æðelingas,

ealle eorðbuend, Ebrei hatað.

Gewiton him þa eastan æhta lædan,

feoh and feorme. Folc wæs anmod;

rofe rincas sohton rumre land,

oðþæt hie becomon corðrum miclum,

folc ferende, þær hie fæstlice

æðelinga bearn, eard genamon.

Gesetton þa Sennar sidne and widne

leoda ræswan; leofum mannum

heora geardagum grene wongas,

fægre foldan, him forðwearde

on ðære dægtide duguðe wæron,

wilna gehwilces weaxende sped.

ða þær mon mænig be his mægwine,

æðeling anmod, oðerne bæd

þæs hie him to mærðe, ær seo mengeo eft

geond foldan bearm tofaran sceolde,

leoda mægðe on landsocne

burh geworhte and to beacne torr

up arærde to rodortunglum.

þæs þe hie gesohton Sennera feld,

swa þa foremeahtige folces ræswan,

þa yldestan oft and gelome

liðsum gewunedon; larum sohton

weras to weorce and to wrohtscipe,

oðþæt for wlence and for wonhygdum

cyðdon cræft heora, ceastre worhton

and to heofnum up hlædræ rærdon,

strengum stepton stænenne weall

ofer monna gemet, mærða georne,

hæleð mid honda. þa com halig god

wera cneorissa weorc sceawigan,

beorna burhfæsten, and þæt beacen somed,

þe to roderum up ræran ongunnon

Adames eaforan, and þæs unrædes

stiðferhð cyning steore gefremede,

þa he reðemod reorde gesette

eorðbuendum ungelice,

þæt hie þære spæce sped ne ahton.

þa hie gemitton mihtum spedge,

teoche æt torre, getalum myclum,

weorces wisan, ne þær wermægða

ænig wiste hwæt oðer cwæð.

Ne meahte hie gewurðan weall stænenne

up forð timbran, ac hie earmlice

heapum tohlocon, hleoðrum gedælde;

wæs oðerre æghwilc worden

mægburh fremde, siððan metod tobræd

þurh his mihta sped monna spræce.

Toforan þa on feower wegas

æðelinga bearn ungeþeode

on landsocne. Him on laste bu

stiðlic stantorr and seo steape burh