The angel went
further, and
stood in a narrow
place,
forð and narwere ðiſ aſſe hi_m_ bar,
And ðe ðridde ſiðe wurð ðe angel war.
ðo ne migte ðes aſſe flen,
and the ass fell
down under
Balaam,
Ne he ne durſte forðere ten, 3968
Oc fel ðor dun(.) ðan ðis was don,
who smote her
with his staff.
Balaam it ſpureð and ſmit ðor-on;
And god vndede ðiſ aſſes muð,
God opened the
mouth of the ass,
and she spoke to
her master.
So ſoð it iſ(.) ſo it is ſelcuð. 3972
Q_u_uað ðiſ aſſe ðus wið vn-miðe,
"Qui betes ðu me ðis ðridde ſiðe?"
Q_u_að balaam, "for ðu tregeſt me;
Had ic an ſwerd, ic ſluge ðe." 3976
Nevertheless this
infatuated man
was not frightened.
So was ðis were to wunder brogt,
ðhog ðe aſſe ſpac, frigtede he nogt;
[Fol. 77b.]
ðe let god[375] him ðat angel ſen,
The angel tells
Balaam,
wið ðe ſwerd dragen him agen. 3980
Q_u_að ðe angel, "ðin weige iſ me loð,
that but for the
ass he would have
slain him.
ðor-fore am ic wið ðe ðuſ loð;[376]
If ðin aſſe ne were wið-dragen,
Her ſuldes ðu nu wurðen ſlagen." 3984
The prophet
offers to return.
Q_u_að balaam, "q_u_ane ic haue miſ-faren,
If ðu wilt, ic agen ſal charen."
He is cautioned
by the angel.
"far forð," q_u_að ðe angel, "oc loc ðe wel,
for-bi min red, q_u_að ðu non del." 3988
Balak entertains
Balaam.
forð-na_m_ balaa_m_, and balaac king
Cam him a-gen for wurðing,
Gaf him giftes of mikil priſ;
And balaam ſeide him to wiſ, 3992
"Sal ic non wurd[377] mugen forð-don,
Vten ðat god me leið on."
Balak causes
seven altars to be
built.
Balaac him leddede[378] heg on an hil,
And .vii. alteres wrogte in his wil, 3996
On ilc alter fier alðerneðer,
On each altar
was offered a
bullock and a
wether.
And ðor-on an calf and a weðer,
And he bad balaac ſtonden ðor-bi,
And gede on-rum q_u_i[379] bute for-ði, 4000
[375] MS. goð.
[376] wroð?
[377] MS. wurð.
[378] ledde?
[379] q_u_ile?