fro abuuen cam to him bi-neðen,
Word in herte ðat[380] he ſal queðen;
God's word
comes to Balaam,
Q_u_an he cam to balaac a-gen,
Swilc wurdes he let vt-ten. 4004
[Fol. 78.]
"Hu mai ic ðat folc curſen on,
and he blesses
Israel.
ðor lou_er_d haueð[381] bliſcing don?
ðiſ folk ſal waxen wel and ðen,
And ou_er_ al oðer migtful ben, 4008
Hiſ lif beð bliðe, hiſ ending ſal,
ðe timeð al-ſo ðiſ time_n_ ſal."
Balak is greatly
displeased.
Balaac miſliked al ðiſ q_ue_ðe,[382]
And ledde he_m_ ðeðen on oðer ſtede, 4012
To munt faga, for to ſen wel
Of folc iſrael ðe oðer del.
He brings the
prophet to another
place.
He wente on oðer ſtund or ſtede,
Betre timi_n_g ðor-fore he it dede, 4016
And wende wenden godes ðogt,
Oc al he ſwinked him for nogt.
Again seven
altars were
raised, and offerings
made.
Hef[t] haueð he mad her .vii. alter,
And on ilc brend eft twin der. 4020
Gede eft balaam up on-rum,
ðo ſeide ðuſ q_u_anne hem ca_m_ dun,
The parable of
Balaam.
"ðis folc, ſprungen of iſrael,
Iſ vnder god timed wel; 4024
Al-ſo leun iſ migtful der,
Israel is compared
to a lion.
So ſal ðiſ folc ben migtful her;
ðiſ leun ſal oðer folc freten,
Lond canaan al preige bi-geten." 4028
Balak was ill
pleased with the
priest's words.
Ille liked ðanne balaac
Eu_er_ilc word ðe p_re_ſt balaam ſpac.
[Fol. 78b.]
Balak brings
Balaam to Mount
Peor.
Get he ledde him to munt fegor,
And efte he ſacrede deres mor; 4032
ðor[383] ſpac balaam mikel mor
Of ðiſ folckes migt, or he dede or.
"folc ebru," q_u_að he, "ðat ic ſe,
Again he blesses
the Israelites,