for gef he don ðad god for-bead,
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ðat ſal hem bringen to ðo dead, | For if they do what God forbiddeth they shall die. |
And ſal get ðis ilke dai,
ðor buten hunte if ic mai | This I will without delay bring about to-day. |
Ic wene ðat ic and eue hiſe wif
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ſulen adam bilirten of hiſe lif.
Ic wene ðat ic and eue
ſulen alle is bliſſe dreue.” | [Fol. 7.]
I think that Eve and I shall deprive Adam of his life.” |
Ðus he ðhogte, and up he ſteg,
320
And eſten til dat erð he teg, | Thus he thought, and up he went, and to the earth he came. |
Wente in to a wirme, and tolde eue a tale;
And ſenkede hire hure aldre bale. | He went into a “worm” and told Eve a tale. |
“Eue,” ſeide he, ðat neddre bold,
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“Quat oget nu ðat for-bode o-wold,
ðat a tre gu forboden is, | “Eve,” he said, “what meaneth it that a tree is forbidden you, |
ðat ouer alle oðre bered pris?
for iſ fruit ſired mannes mood, | a tree that surpasses all others, |
328
To witen boðen iwel and good,
Sone ge it ðor-of hauen eten,
Al ge it ſulen witent and nogt forgeten, | which shall teach you evil and good, |
And ben ſo wiſe alle euene
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So ðo ðe wunen a-buuen in heuone.” | and make you as wise as those who dwell above in heaven?” |
Ðanne ðogte eue on hire mod,
ðanne iſ tiſ fruit wel ſwiðe good,
fair on ſigðhe and ſofte on hond,
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Of ðiſ fruit wile ic hauen fond. | When Eve saw that it was fair to the sight and soft to the hand, |
Sum ghe ðer at, and ſum ghe nam,
And bar it to her fere adam;
So manie times ghe him ſcroðt, | she ate thereof, and took some and brought it to Adam. |
340
Queðer so him was lef or loðt,
for to forðen iſ fendes wil, | [Fol. 7b.] |
At he dat fruit, and dede unskil;
Sone it was under breſt numen; | He ate that fruit and did foolishly. |
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Dedes two bondes on hem ben comen; | Then death’s two bonds came upon them. |