Abraham ſtod and q_u_amede hem wel,
Hiſ good[e] wil was hem good mel. 1020
Abraham is promised
a son.
Q_u_uad ðiſ on, "ðiſ time oðer ger,
Sal ic me to ðe taunen her;
Bi ðan ſal ſarra ſelðe timen,
ðat ge ſal of a ſune trimen." 1024
Sarah heard the
words of the
Lord.
ðanne herde ſarra ſwilc tiding,
And it hire ðogte a ſelli ðhing,
for ghe waſ nigenti winter hold,
Abraham on wane of an hundred told; 1028
She did not believe
them.
Ghe glente and ðhogte, migte it nogt ben,
And ghe ðat ſulde her wið childe be ſen;
Abraham, however,
trowed it
full well.
And Abraham trewid it ful wel,
And it wurð ſoð binnen ſwilc ſel. 1032
Then the three
went towards
Sodom.
Fro mambre dale wente ðo ðre,
to-ward ſodome geden he;
Q_u_ad ðe lou_er_ed, "wile ic nogt ſtelen,
The destruction
of Sodom is revealed
to Abraham.
Ne min dede abraham helen; 1036
Ic cume to ſen ðat ſinne dwale
ðat iſ me told of mirieſ dale."
He is in great
grief on account
of Lot.
ðo adde abram iſ herte ſor,
for loth hiſ newe wunede ðor. 1040
He intercedes for
the wicked cities.
"Lou_er_d," q_u_ad he, "hu ſaltu don,
If ðu ſalt nimen wreche ðor on;
[Fol. 21.]
Salt ðu nogt ðe rigt-wiſe weren,
Or for hem ðe toðere með beren?" 1044
God promises to
spare the cities
for the sake of
five righteous.
Q_u_ad god, "find ic ðor ten or mo,
Ic ſal meðen ðe ſtede for ðo."
Durſte Abraham freinen nu_n_mor,
Abraham departs
sore at heart.
Oc wente agen wið herte ſor; 1048
And god at-wot in-to hiſe ligt,
ðo to gon to ſodome rigt.
At even two angels
came to
Sodom.
Sunne iſ weſt under erðe numen,
Q_u_ua_n_ne he ben to ſodome cumen; 1052
Lot sat at the
city's gate, and
seeing them,
Get ſat loth at ðe burges gate,
After ſum geſte ſtod him quake;[138]
[138] _read_ quate