The Story of Isaac from Genesis A

Ed. Murray McGillivray. Online Corpus of Old English Poetry (OCOEP). Edition in progress. This file last updated 21/8/09.

Þa þæs rinces    se rica ongan
cyning costigan,    cunnode georne
hwilc þæs æðelinges    ellen wære,
stiðum wordum    spræc him stefne to:

2850

"Gewit þu ofestlice,    Abraham, feran,
lastas lecgan    and þe læde mid
þin agen bearn.    Þu scealt Isaac me
onsecgan, sunu ðinne,    sylf to tibre.
Siððan þu gestigest    steape dune,

2855

hrincg þæs hean landes,    þe ic þe heonon getæce,
up þinum agnum fotum,    þær þu scealt ad gegærwan,
bælfyr bearne þinum,    and blotan sylf
sunu mid sweordes ecge,    and þonne sweartan lige
leofes lic forbærnan    and me lac bebeodan."

2860

Ne forsæt he þy siðe,    ac sona ongann
fysan to fore.    Him wæs frea engla,
word ondrysne,    and his waldend leof.
Þa se eadga    Abraham sine
nihtreste ofgeaf.    Nalles nergendes

2865

hæse wiðhogode,    ac hine se halga wer
gyrde grægan sweorde,    cyðde þæt him gasta weardes
egesa on breostum wunode.    Ongan þa his esolas bætan
gamolferhð goldes brytta,    heht hine geonge twegen
men mid siðian.    Mæg wæs his agen þridda

2870

and he feorða sylf.    Þa he fus gewat
from his agenum hofe    Isaac lædan,
bearn unweaxen,    swa him bebead metod.
Efste þa swiðe    and onette
forð foldwege,    swa him frea tæhte

2875

wegas ofer westen,    oðþæt wuldortorht,
dæges þriddan up    ofer deop wæter
ord aræmde.    Þa se eadega wer
geseah hlifigan    hea dune
swa him sægde ær    swegles aldor.

2880

Ða Abraham spræc    to his ombihtum:
"Rincas mine,    restað incit
her on þissum wicum.    Wit eft cumað,
siððan wit ærende    uncer twega
gastcyninge    agifen habbað."

2885

Gewat him þa se æðeling    and his agen sunu
to þæs gemearces    þe him metod tæhte,
wadan ofer wealdas.    Wudu bær sunu,
fæder fyr and sweord.    Ða þæs fricgean ongann
wer wintrum geong    wordum Abraham:

2890

"Wit her fyr and sweord,    frea min, habbað;
hwær is þæt tiber,    þæt þu torht gode
to þam brynegielde    bringan þencest?"
Abraham maðelode    (hæfde on an gehogod
þæt he gedæde    swa hine drihten het):

2895

"Him þæt soðcyning    sylfa findeð,
moncynnes weard,    swa him gemet þinceð."
Gestah þa stiðhydig    steape dune
up mid his eaforan,    swa him se eca bebead,
þæt he on hrofe gestod    hean landes

2900

on þære stowe    þe him se stranga to,
wærfæst metod,    wordum tæhte.
Ongan þa ad hladan,    æled weccan,
and gefeterode    fet and honda
bearne sinum    and þa on bæl ahof

2905

Isaac geongne,    and þa ædre gegrap
sweord be gehiltum,    wolde his sunu cwellan
folmum sinum,    fyre sencan
mæges dreore.    Þa metodes ðegn,
ufan engla sum,    Abraham hlude

2910

stefne cygde.    He stille gebad
ares spræce    and þam engle oncwæð.
Him þa ofstum to    ufan of roderum
wuldorgast godes    wordum mælde:
"Abraham leofa,    ne sleah þin agen bearn,

2915

ac þu cwicne abregd    cniht of ade,
eaforan þinne!    Him an wuldres god!
Mago Ebrea,    þu medum scealt
þurh þæs halgan hand,    heofoncyninges,
soðum sigorleanum    selfa onfon,

2920

ginfæstum gifum.    Þe wile gasta weard
lissum gyldan    þæt þe wæs leofra his
sibb and hyldo    þonne þin sylfes bearn."
Ad stod onæled.    Hæfde Abrahame
metod moncynnes,    mæge Lothes,

2925

breost geblissad,    þa he him his bearn forgeaf,
Isaac cwicne.    Ða se eadega bewlat,
rinc ofer exle,    and him þær rom geseah
unfeor þanon    ænne standan,
broðor Arones,    brembrum fæstne.

2930

Þone Abraham genam    and hine on ad ahof
ofestum miclum    for his agen bearn.
Abrægd þa mid þy bille;    brynegield onhread,
reccendne weg,    rommes blode,
onbleot þæt lac gode,    sægde leana þanc

2935

and ealra þara    þe he him ær and sið,
gifena drihten,    forgifen hæfde.