An.vii. kinge-riches lond
Ic ſal hem bringen al on hond. | and to bring them into the land of seven kingdoms. |
Cum, ðu ſalt ben min ſondere man,
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Ic ſal ðe techen wel to ðan; | Come, thou shalt be my messenger, |
ðu ſalt min folc bringen a-gen,
And her ðu ſalt min migte ſen;
And ðu ſalt ſeien to faraon,
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ðat he lete min folc ut-gon; | and bid Pharaoh release my people. |
If he it werne and be ðor-gen,
Ic ſal ðe techen hu it ſal ben;
for ic ſal werken ferlike ſtrong, | If he refuse, I shall work great marvels, |
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And maken min folc frelike ut-gong;
Ge ſulen cumen wið feteles & ſrud, | and cause my people to go out freely. |
And reuen egipte ðat iſ nu prud.
Werp nu to token dun ðat wond.”
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And it warp vt of hiſe hond,
And wurð ſone an uglike ſnake,
And moyſes fleg for dredes ſake; | As a sign, throw down thy wand.” The wand then became an ugly snake. |
God him bad, bi ðe tail he it nam,
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And it a-non a wond it bi-cam, | God bade Moses take it by the tail, and anon it became a wand. |
And in hiſe boſum he dede his hond,
Quit and al unfer he it fond; | [Fol. 55.]
He put his hand into his bosom and it became leprous. |
And ſone he dede it eft agen,
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Al hol and fer he wiſte it ſen. | He put it in again and it became whole and sound. |
“If he for ðiſe tokenes two
Ne liſteðe ne troweð to,
Go, get ðe water of de flod
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On ðe erðe, and it ſal wurðen blod.” | “If they believe not these tokens, pour out the water of the flood on the earth, and it shall become blood.” |
“Louerd, ic am wanmol, vn-reken
Of wurdes, and may ic Iuel ſpeken.
Nu iſ forð gon ðe ðridde dai,
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Sende an oðer; bettre he mai.” | “Lord! I am not eloquent, and cannot speak well,” said Moses. |
“Quo made domme, and quo ſpecande?
Quo made bisne, and quo lockende?
Quo but ic, ðat haue al wrogt?
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Of me ſal fultum ben ðe brogt.” | Quoth God, “Who made the dumb, the speaking, the blind, and the seeing?” |