“ But
bid Agar depart elsewhere, and take Ismael with her.2785
We should no longer be together, for my pleasure, if I
might have my way. Never shall Ismael share the
heritage with Isaac, my own son, after thee, when thou
yieldest up thy spirit from the body."2790
Then was Abraham heavy at heart, because he must
drive away his own son into exile; then speedily the
True God came to his aid, for He knew that the heart
of the man was in dire straits. ”

“ Many haughty
men spoke of the beauty of his wife in their remarks,
men distinguished by their wealth: to many high-spirited1850
men, vassals of the king, his wife seemed noble in counte-
nance. They brought the news to their liege-lord, and [22]
few women did they repute fairer before the king, but
they lauded exceedingly Sarra's countenance for its1855
great beauty, until he bade them bring the lovely woman
to his own hall. The ruler of the people and chief of
the nobles bade them enrich Abraham with treasures. ”

“ Sodoma came, young and old, hateful to God, to demand
the strangers, with a great throng so that they surrounded2455
Loth and his guests by the multitude of their force;
they bade [him] lead out of the lofty hall the holy mess-
engers [and put] the men in their power; they said
openly in words that they would have intercourse with
the men shamefully, and had no regard for decency. Then2460
Loth, who often knew what was best, quickly arose in his
house, and went out at once; and the son of Aron, mindful
of his cunning, spoke thus over all the mass of people ”

“ I
must have thee; be a faithful friend to us; we will give2725
thee riches."
Then quickly the dispenser of treasure spoke further
to Sarra, in other words:
"Nor need Abraham, thy lord and master, set it in
reproach against thee that thou hast trodden the ways
of my dwelling, O woman goddess-fair: for I have richly2730
repaired thine offence with him, with white silver. Do
not trouble yourselves to seek riches and strange friends
away from this land, but dwell here."
Abraham did as his king bade him, and at the ruler's2735
behest accepted friendship, love, and peace. ”

“ The
enemy seized upon gold, robbed with devastation the
Page 175 treasure-cities of the people, Sodoma and Gomorra. Then
misery requited the great strongholds; the maidens,2010
wives, and widows, deprived of friends, departed from
their homesteads. The enemy led out with them from
the city of Sodoma, with their spoils, the kinsman of
Abraham.
We may now relate this true history further, as to
what was the fate of the war-wolves after the battle,2015
who carried off Loth and the goods of the people, the
treasures of the southlanders, [and] exulted in victory. ”

“ Thereupon Cain set
out and departed sorrowing from before the face of God,1050
a joyless exile, and built himself a dwelling to the east,
a habitation far from his fatherland: there a fair maiden,
a woman of the country, bore him offspring.
The eldest was called Enos, first-born of Cain; he1055
began at once to build a city, with his kinsfolk: that
was the first beneath the clouds of all the fortifications
which heroes and swordsmen have caused to be built.1060
Therein his offspring first arose, born of his wife in the
citadel: the eldest son of Enos was called Jared. ”

“ I will now
bless with my grace Ismael, as thou art petitioner, for
thy first born, so that he may dwell many days in the
kingdom of this world with spreading progeny; be thou2360
sure of that! But Isaac thy son, the young child who
has not yet come into the world, I will distinguish ex-
ceedingly with abundance of joys and every kind of
riches, in his days, and certainly leave in his heart my2365
pledge and holy faith, and be kind to him. ”

“ He saw the
reek of death and destruction ascending widely from
the earth. Riches and feasting preoccupied [the people]
to such an extent that they had become bold in wicked2580
deeds, eager for sin: they forgot the Truth and God's
commandments, and who had given them prosperity
and wealth in their cities; therefore the King of the
Angels sent his fervid fire to punish them. Our faithful2585
Lord then remembered Abraham mercifully, the dear
man, as he often had done, and saved his kinsman, Loth,
when the multitude perished. ”

“ Almighty Keeper of Mankind became mild in heart
towards Abimeleh, as Abraham entreated Him.
Then the Almighty Lord came to Sarra, as He Himself2760
promised: Our Master, the Ruler of Life, had fulfilled His
promise to the dear man and woman. A son was be-
gotten of Abraham upon his wife, whom the Prince of
the Angels named Isaac even before the mother was great2765
with child by the chieftain. Abraham with his own hand
set the sign upon him, as the Lord glorious in splendor
bade him, about a week from the time when his mother2770
brought him into the world to mankind. ”

“ To translate is to modernize. This rendering, therefore, is not an artificial, pseudo-antique hybrid, but frankly endeavors to convey its original to modern readers in idiomatic modern literary English, devoid of any conscious mannerisms whatsoever. ”

“ Then the ruler of the country ordered his vassals and1870
ministers to escort him out of their land again, honor-
ably, uninjured in any respect, so that he might be in
peace.
Then Abraham took [all his] possessions out of the
country of Egypt: these worthy heroes took their wives,1875
both brides and rings, while they brought their flocks
to Bethlem, a familiar dwelling-place, [brought] their
womenfolk and treasures and their worldly goods.1880
Then they began to build there, and to erect their city
and settle their homes, and renew their prosperity. ”

“ He thought to
punish rigorously the races of men, to seize upon the1275
peoples grimly and sorely, with cruel might: he repented
exceedingly that he had ever created the author of the
nations, the source of the peoples, when he fashioned
Adam. He said that on account of the sins of men he
would utterly blot out all that there was on earth,1280
destroy every one of the bodies in whose bosom the
breath of life was concealed: all that came near to the
sons of men, the Lord determined to annihilate.
Noe, the son of Lamech, just and honorable, was dear1285
to God, the Preserver. ”

“ Through thee shall all earth-
dwellers, sons of man, receive peace and friendship,1760
Page 169 my grace and blessing, in this world. Far spreading
under the sun shall be the number of thy race by [the
birth of] sons and daughters, until many a region of the1765
earth shall be filled with thy progeny."
Then Abraham, preëminently upright, rich, and blessed
with gold and silver, set out to take his flocks and
possessions from Carran into the country of Egipt, as1770
the Warder of Victory, our Ruler, bade him through his
Word: they sought the land and nation of Canan. ”

“ Then the dear ministers of
peace spoke fairly to Loth, in these words:
"If thou hast a son, or dear relative, or any friend
among these people besides these maidens whom we see2500
here, lead out of this city those who are dear to thee, with
great haste, and save thine own life, lest thou perish
with these law-breakers. For the Lord has commanded
us, because of the people's sins, to give over Sodoma and2505
Gomorra to black flame and fire, and to slay these people,
[striking] the race in their cities with deadly horrors,
and so wreak His wrath [upon them] . ”

“ PREFACE The purpose of the translator in offering to the public this version of the Genesis is to aid in forwarding—be it by but one jot or tittle—the general knowledge and appreciation of Old English literature. Professed students in this department will always have an incentive to master the language ”

“ As yet there was nothing at all created here, except
shadows, but this broad earth stood deep and dim, idle105
and useless, alien even to God himself; on it the King
whose purpose never falters turned his eyes and beheld
the place void of joy; he saw dark clouds, black under
the firmament, throng in the eternal night, dun and110
waste, until this world-creation came to pass through
the word of the King of Glory. First the everlasting
Lord, protector of all things, created heaven and earth ”

“ Give back this woman to Abraham, his wife, into2655
his possession, if thou wishest for life any longer in this
world, as protector of the nobles. He is good and wise,
Page 191 and may himself speak with [God] and see the King of
Glory. Thou shalt die, with thy flocks and thy sub-
stance, if thou deniest his wife to the warrior: if he will2660
at once honestly and patiently prefer to me thy earnest
wishes, he may obtain his request that I yet allow thee
living to enjoy pleasures and prosperity in thy days,2665
[allow thee] in sound health [to enjoy thy] riches. ”

“ Sodom and Gomorra, and robbed the stewards: fiercely did2080
the uncle of Loth requite them for it. The noble leaders
of the Elamites were fleeing, bereft of power, until they
were not far from Domascus. Then Abraham set out on2085
the war-track to see the retreat of the wicked men. Lot
was freed, the chieftain with his possessions, [while] the
women [and] wives were restored to joy. Far and wide
they saw the birds of prey rending the murderers of free-
men in sword-slaughter. ”

“ Thou, a foreigner, wouldst deceive us in this country2680
with evil and pollute us with sin: thou saidest in plain
words that Sarra was thy sister, thy blood relation;
through that woman thou wouldst have foully put upon
me sin, measureless evil! We received thee honorably,2685
and in friendship gave thee a dwelling-place among this
people, land at thy pleasure: now thou makest return
and thankest us [most] ungratefully for our favors!"
XXXIII.
ToC Abraham then answered:2690
"I did that, not for evil nor for hostility nor for any
woe that I might bring upon thee. ”

“ So, after their sin, they inhabited a more
sorrowful land, a dwelling and country less fertile in
every kind of blessing than their former abode had
been, from which they had been driven out after their
misdeed.
Then they began, by God's command, to produce965
children, as the Lord had charged them. To begin
with, by Adam and Eve were brought into the world
two fair first-born sons, Cain and Abel. The books
tell us how these first toilers, loving brothers, gained970
their subsistence, riches and food: the one who was
elder born tilled the earth with his strength ”

“ Life's Ruler looked upon the dry land, the Preserver of
mankind [found it] widely visible, and the King of165
Glory called it "Earth." He established a proper
channel for the waves, the broad flood, and fettered....
(Lacuna in MS. [5] )
The Ruler of Heaven did not think it fitting that170
Adam, the keeper of Paradise and shepherd of the new
creation, should be alone any longer: so the supreme
King, Ruler Almighty, made a companion for him—
created Woman, and gave this helpmate to his cherished175
Man as the first and fruitful light of his life. ”

“ Noe, who reigned over the land among men after Lamech1235
departed.
This sage ruler of the noblemen was 500 years old
when he first began to beget children, as the books tell.
The eldest son of Noe was called Sem, the next Cham,1240
the third Jafeth.
The people multiplied widely under the skies: the
race of men increased in number over the earth, by1245
[the birth of] sons and daughters. Now the descendants
of Seth, that beloved leader of the people, were still
very much cherished, dear to the Lord and prosperous. ”

“ Thou shalt possess2325
a son, a child by thy wife, whom men shall all call Isaac.
Nor needst thou be ashamed of this son: but I will give
to this man-child my divine gifts, by the might of the
spirit, abundance of friends, with prosperity. ”

“ Then Abraham answered him straightway, in the pres-
ence of the chieftains exalted in valor, power, and vic-
tory, and nobly said:
"Ruler of the people, I pledge to thee this my word,2140
before the Holy One who is sole Master of heaven and
this earth: there is no worldly treasure that I will take
for my own, neither riches nor money of thine which I
have rescued from the [hostile] bowmen, O great king,
protector of thy nobles, lest thou oft hereafter say that2145
I became rich on earth through the treasure and former
wealth of the kingdom of Sodom ”

“ Worn with age, the dispenser of
gold began to harness his asses, and bade two young men
go with him: his own son was the third and he himself
the fourth. Without delay he then set out to lead Isaac2870
from his own home, the ungrown child, as the Lord
bade him; hastened exceedingly and hurried forth on
the way, as the Lord showed him the paths over the
wastes, until the glorious beginning of the third day2875
arose across deep water. There the worthy man saw
a high dune rise, as the King of Glory had foretold to
him. So Abraham spoke to his servants:
"My men! ”

“ Depart now
to seek thy master again: live with those who own thee!"
In accordance with the angel's command, she at once
returned to her lord, as the holy spirit-messenger of God2295
bade her, in sapient speech. Thus was Ismael born to
Abraham, even when he had [lived] 86 winters in the
world. The son grew and flourished, as the angel, the2300
true minister of peace, had promised to the woman by
his own word. ”

“ ToC The men with their wives were approaching their
punishment, sufferings within their walls: arrogant in
riches, they requited the Lord for their prosperity with2420
insult, until the Protector of spirits, the Source of Light
and Life, would tolerate their offence no longer: but to
them the steadfast King sent two strong messengers
of his, who arrived at eventide at the fortress of Sodoma,2425
in their traveling. At the city-gate they found the
warrior, the son of Aron, sitting by himself, so that they
appeared before the eyes of the wise man as young men. ”