Biddi[74] hic ſingen no_n_ oðer led,
ðog[75] hic folgen idel-hed. 28
[Fol. 1b.]
Father, God of
all things,
FAder god of alle ðhinge,
Almigtin louerd, hegeſt kinge,
enable thou me to
sing this world's
creation,
ðu giue me ſeli timinge
To thaunen ðis werdes biginninge, 32
ðe, leuerd god, to wurðinge,
Queðer ſo hic rede or ſinge!
wrought with
wit, wisdom, and
good love.
Wit, and wisdam, and luue godd,
And fer ear biðohte al in his modd, 36
In the Creator's
wisdom was all
devised ere it
came into being.
In his wiſdom was al biðogt
Ear ðanne it was on werlde brogt.
In firme bigini[n]g, of nogt
Heaven and earth
were wrought
when God bad
exist time and
place.
Was heuene and erðe ſamen wrogt; 40
ðo bad god wurðen ſtund and ſtede,
ðis middes werld ðor-inne[76] he dede,
First all was
night.
Al was ðat firme ðroſing in nigt,
Til he wit hiſe word made ligt; 44
Light came by
God's word, that
is, His Son.
Of hiſe word, ðu wiſſike mune,
Hiſe word, ðat is, hiſe wiſe ſune,
ðe was of hin fer ear bi-foren
He existed long
before time.
Or ani werldes time boren; 48
And of hem two ðat leue luuen,
These two rule
all things with
wisdom.
ðe welden al her and abuuen,
ðat heli luue, ða[t] wiſe wil,
ðat weldet alle ðinge wit rigt and [ſ]kil; 52
In the Godhead
there are three
persons of one
counsel and
might.
Migt bat wit word wurðen ligt,
(Hali froure welt oc ðat migt;
[Fol. 2.]
for ðhre p_er_ſones and on reed,
On migt and on godfulhed.) 56
Light came at the
divine command.
ðo ſo wurð ligt ſo god it bad,
fro ðiſterneſſe o ſunde[r] ſad;
Then was the first
morning time
that ever sprang
in the world.
ðat waſ ðe firme morgen tid,
ðat euere ſprong in werld[e] wid. 60
[74] _read_ bidde
[75] 'may' is inserted between 'ðog' and 'hic' in a later hand.
[76] MS. īme.