ſwilc hail was her or neuere nomen
3040
So ſal ðiſ ſel to-morgen cumen;
Do men and erue in huſe ben,
If ðu wilt more hem liues ſen.” | He threatens the king with hail-storm. |
ðo men, ðe weren in eige and dred,
3044
ben borwen, and erue, ðurg ðiſ red. | [Fol. 59b.] |
O morgen, al ſwilc time al ſir,
ðhunder, and hail, and leuenes fir,
Cam wel vnghere; al ðat it fond | On the morrow came thunder, hail, and lightning. |
3048
Bergles, it ſloge in ðat lond;
Treeſ it for-brac, and greſ, and corn,
ðat waſ up-ſprungen ðor bi-foren;
Oc ðe ebrius in lond gerſen
3052
ne derede it, coren, ne erf, ne men;
ðo ſeide ðe folc to pharaon, | It slew many men, broke down trees, grass, and corn. |
“Nu ic wot we haue miſ-don;
Moyſes, do ðiſ weder charen,
3056
And gu ſal [ic] leten ut-faren.”
Moyſes gede vt, helde up iſ hond,
And al ðiſ vnweder ðor atwond, | The Egyptians beseech Moses to remove this plague. |
And wurð ðiſ weder ſone al ſtille,
3060
And al after ðe kinges wille. | The storm ceased, |
ðiſ weder iſ ſofte, And ðiſ king hard,
And brekeð him eft ðat forward.
MOyſes ſiðen, and aaron, | but though the weather was soft, the king’s heart was hard. |
3064
Seiden bi-foren pharaon, | Then said Moses, |
“To-morgen ſulen greſſeoppes cumen,
And ðat ail ða bileaf ſal al ben numen;
So ſal ðin hardneſſe ben wreken,
3068
ðat men ſulen longe ðor-after ſpeken.” | “To-morrow shall the grasshoppers come into the land.” |
“Goð vt,” quað he, “red ic ſal taken,
And gu ſiðen i ſal anſwer maken.” | [Fol. 60.] |
Qvað ðiſ folc, “beter iſt laten hem vt-pharen,
3072
Al ſal egipte elles for-faren.” | The Egyptians advise the king to let the Israelites go. |
He calde hem in; quad pharaon,
“Quilc ben ðo ðe ſulen vt-gon?” | Pharaoh is at first inclined to let them go, |