912
wolde he nogt him hiſ ſwinc for-geten, | |
oc abram dede ðor meðelike wel,
wid-held he ðor-of neu[er]e on del,
oc al ðat euere fel him to, | [Fol. 18b.]
The patriarch would accept of nothing. |
916
Sac-les he let hin welden it ſo.
Ebruiſ ſeigen, wune hem wex her
To algen ilk fiftene ger,
for loth waſ fifti winter hold,
920
Quan abram him bi-told. | Then first began the custom of keeping the 15th year holy. |
| Abel primiceſ firſt bi-gan, | Abel first began first-fruit. |
And decimas first abram;
Nu iſt ſo boden and ſo bitagt,
924
Quo-ſo hiſ alt him bi agt. | Abram tithes. |
After ðiſ ſpac god to abram:—
“ðin berg and tin werger ic ham.
ðin ſwinc ðe ſal ben gulden wel,
928
wid michel welðe in good[e] ſel.” | After this God spake to Abram, saying, “I am thy safety and thy defence, thy toil shall be requited.” |
Quad he, “quat ſal me welðes ware,
Quane ic child-leſ of werlde fare;
Damak eliezereſ ſune,
932
In al min welðe ſal he wunen?” | Quoth Abram, “What avails wealth, seeing that I am childless, and that Eliezer’s son shall inherit my wealth?” |
Quat god, “ſo ſal it nogt ben,
Of ðe ſelf ſal ðin erward ten.”
Abram leuede ðiſ hot in ſped,
936
dat waſ him [told] to rigt-wiſhed. | God said, “Of thyself shall thine heir come.” |
ðre der he toc, ilc ðre ger hold,
And ſacrede god on an wold; | Abram took three deer each three years old and offered them as a sacrifice. |
| of godeſ bode he nam god kep, | [Fol. 19.] |
940
A net, and a got, and a ſep;
Euerilc of ðeſe he delte on two,
And let hem lin on ſunder ſo,
Vndelt heſ leide quor-ſo heſ tok; | An heifer, a goat, and a sheep he took, and divided them in two and set them apart. |
944
And ðor a duue and a turtul ok
Sat up on-rum til heuene he tok,
And of ðo doles kep he nam | The dove and the turtle he divided not. |
| Gredi foueles fellen ðor-on, | Greedy fowls fell upon the carcases. |