Genesis A, B

seo yldre to ær on reste

heora bega fæder. Ne wiste blondenfeax

hwonne him fæmnan to bryde him bu wæron,

on ferhðcofan fæste genearwod

mode and gemynde, þæt he mægða sið

wine druncen gewitan ne meahte.

Idesa wurdon eacne, eaforan brohtan

willgesweostor on woruld sunu

heora ealdan fæder. þara æðelinga

modor oðerne Moab nemde,

Lothes dohter, seo on life wæs

wintrum yldre. Us gewritu secgeað,

godcunde bec, þæt seo gingre

hire agen bearn Ammon hete.

Of þam frumgarum folces unrim,

þrymfæste twa þeoda awocon.

Oðre þara mægða Moabitare

eorðbuende ealle hatað,

widmære cynn, oðre weras nemnað,

æðelinga bearn, Ammonitare.

Gewat him þa mid bryde broðor Arones

under Abimelech æhte lædan

mid his hiwum. Hæleðum sægde

þæt Sarra his sweostor wære,

Abraham wordum (bearh his aldre),

þy he wiste gearwe þæt he winemaga,

on folce lyt freonda hæfde.

þa se þeoden his þegnas sende,

heht hie bringan to him selfum.

þa wæs ellþeodig oðre siðe

wif Abrahames from were læded

on fremdes fæðm. Him þær fylste þa

ece drihten, swa he oft dyde,

nergend usser. Com nihtes self,

þær se waldend læg wine druncen.

Ongan þa soðcyning þurh swefn sprecan

to þam æðelinge and him yrre hweop:

"þu Abrahames idese gename,

bryde æt beorne. þe abregdan sceal

for þære dæde deað of breostum

sawle þine." Him symbelwerig

sinces brytta þurh slæp oncwæð:

"Hwæt, þu æfre, engla þeoden,

þurh þin yrre wilt aldre lætan,

heah beheowan, þæne þe her leofað

rihtum þeawum, bið on ræde fæst,

modgeþance, and him miltse

to þe seceð? Me sægde ær

þæt wif hire wordum selfa

unfricgendum, þæt heo Abrahames

sweostor wære. Næbbe ic synne wið hie,

facna ænig gefremed gena."

Him þa ædre eft ece drihten,

soðfæst metod, þurh þæt swefn oncwæð:

"Agif Abrahame idese sine,

wif to gewealde, gif þu on worulde leng,

æðelinga helm, aldres recce.

He is god and gleaw, mæg self wið god sprecan,

geseon sweglcyning. þu sweltan scealt

mid feo and mid feorme, gif ðu þam frumgaran

bryde wyrnest. He abiddan mæg,

gif he ofstum me ærendu wile

þeawfæst and geþyldig þin abeodan,

þæt ic þe lissa lifigendum giet

on dagum læte duguþa brucan

sinces gesundne." þa slæpe tobrægd

forht folces weard. Heht him fetigean to

gesprecan sine, spedum sægde

eorlum Abimeleh, egesan geðread,

waldendes word. Weras him ondredon

for þære dæde drihtnes handa

sweng æfter swefne. Heht sylf cyning

him þa Abraham to ofstum miclum.

þa reordode rice þeoden:

"Mago Ebrea, þæs þu me wylle

wordum secgean, hu geworhte ic þæt,

siððan þu usic under, Abraham, þine

on þas eðelturf æhta læddest,

þæt þu me þus swiðe searo renodest?

þu ellþeodig usic woldest

on þisse folcsceare facne besyrwan,

synnum besmitan, sægdest wordum

þæt Sarra þin sweostor wære,

lices mæge, woldest laðlice

þurh þæt wif on me wrohte alecgean,

ormæte yfel. We þe arlice

gefeormedon, and þe freondlice

on þisse werþeode wic getæhton,

land to lissum. þu us leanast nu,

unfreondlice fremena þancast!"

Abraham þa andswarode:

"Ne dyde ic for facne ne for feondscipe

ne for wihte þæs ic þe wean uðe.

Ac ic me, gumena baldor, guðbordes sweng

leodmagum feor lare gebearh,

siððan me se halga of hyrde frean,

mines fæder fyrn alædde.

Ic fela siððan folca gesohte,

wina uncuðra, and þis wif mid me,

freonda feasceaft. Ic þæs færes a