Al abuten ðis walkne went; 136
ðe ſeuene he bad on fligte faren,
for signs and for
seasons.
And toknes ben, and times garen.
Sun and moon
are the greatest
of all these
tokens.
Sunne and mone ðe moſte ben
Of alle ðe toknes ðat men her ſen; 140
The moon is
greater than the
earth.
ðe mone iſ more bi mannes tale,
ðan al ðis erðe in werldes dale;
The sun's brightness
is greater
than the moon's
light.
And egeſt ſwilc ðe ſunnes brigt,
Iſ more ðanne ðe mones ligt. 144
The moon's light
is the measure of
a month.
ðe mones ligt is moneð met,
ðor-after iſ ðe ſunne ſet;
In the equinox
was it made.
In geuelengðhe worn it mad,
In Reke-fille, on ſunder ſhad; 148
Two equinoxes
and two solstices
are in the year.
Two geuelengðhes timen her,
And two ſolſtices i_n_ ðe ger.
In four parts the
year is divided,
each part being of
three months.
On four doles delen he
ðe ger, ilc dole of moneð ðhre; 152
Euere ſchinen ðo toknes brigt,
And often giuen iſ on erðe ligt;
wel wurðe his migt lefful ay,
ðe wroutis on ðe ferðe day! 156
Forð glod ðis ferðe daiſ nigt,
ðo cam ðe fifte dais ligt;
On the fifth day,
God made of
water each fowl
and fish,
[Fol. 4.]
ðe fifte day god made ywis
of water, ilc fuel and eru_er_ilc[83] fiſ, 160
And tagte fuel on walkene his fligt,
Ilc fiſ on water his flotes migt,
and bad them
multiply.
And bliſced he_m_, and bad hem ðen
And tuderande on werld[e] ben. 164
This fifth day
took its flight,
Ðiſ fifte dai held forð his fligt,
And forð endede ðat fifte nigt;
and on the sixth
day God made all
cattle, reptiles,
and wild deer
(beasts).
And [cam] ðe ſexte dais ligt,
So made god wid[84] witter migt, 168
[82] _read_ knoweð
[83] So in MS.
[84] _read_ wið