Oc alle he weren ouer-ðogt,
2220
And hauen it ſo to iacob brogt,
And tolden him ſo of here ſped,
And al he it liſtnede in frigtihed; | Unopened they brought them to Jacob and told him how they had sped. |
And quan men ðo ſeckes ðor un-bond,
2224
And in ðe coren ðo agtes fond,
Alle he woren ðanne ſori ofrigt.
Iacob ðus him bi-meneð o-rigt, | Great was their fear when they saw the money in the sack’s mouth. |
“Wel michel ſorge is me bi-cumen,
2228
ðat min two childre aren me for-numen; | “Much sorrow,” says Jacob, “is come upon me, |
Of Ioſep wot ic ending non,
And bondes ben leid on ſymeon;
If ge beniamin fro me don,
2232
Dead and ſorge me ſegeð on; | since my two children are taken from me. |
Ai ſal beniamin wið me bi-lewen
ðor quiles ic ſal on werlde liuen.”
ðo quað iudas, “us ſal ben hard,
2236
If we no holden him non forward.” | Benjamin shall remain with me.” |
Wex derke, ðis coren iſ gon,
Iacob eſt bit hem faren agon, | The corn is soon consumed, and Jacob bids them go to Egypt for more. |
Oc he ne duren ðe weie cumen in,
2240
“but ge wið uſ ſenden beniamin;” | [Fol. 44.] |
ðo quað he, “quan it iſ ned,
And ne can no bettre red, | Jacob is persuaded to send Benjamin. |
Bereð dat ſiluer hol agon,
2244
ðat hem ðor-of ne wante non, | He sends back the silver, |
And oðer ſiluer ðor bi-foren,
for to bigen wið oðer coren; | and other corn-money, |
fruit and ſpices of dere priſ,
2248
Bereð ðat man ðat iſ ſo wiſ;
God hunne him eði-modes ben,
And ſende me min childre agen.” | together with a present of fruit and spices for Joseph. |
ðo nomen he forð weie rigt,
2252
Til he ben cumen in-to egypte ligt; | The brethren come again to Egypt. |
And quanne Ioſep hem alle ſag,
Kinde ðogt in his herte was [ðag]. | Joseph treats them kindly, |
MS. ðanno