Genesis · Chapter 3

[ edit] But and þe edder was feller þan ony lifers of þe erþe, þe which made þe Lord God. Þe which ſeide to þe woman, Whi comaundide God to ȝow, þat ȝe ſhulden not ete of ech tree of paradis? To whom anſweryde þe woman, Of þe fruyt of trees þat ben in paradis we eten; of þe fruyt forſoþe of þe tree þat is in þe mydil of paradis, commaundide us God, þat we ſhulden not eten, and þat we ſhulden not towche it, leſt perauenture we dien. Forſoþe þe eddre ſeide to þe woman, Þurȝ deþ ȝe ſhal not die; God forſoþe wote, þat in what euer day ȝe eten þerof, ȝoure eiȝen ſhul be openyd, and ȝe ſhal ben as Goddis, knowynge good and yuel.

Þanne þe woman ſaiȝ þat þe tree were good, and ſwete for to ete, and fayre to þe eiȝen and delitable in þe ſiȝt; and ſhe toke of þe fruyt of it, and ete, and ȝaue to hire man, þe which ete. And þe eiȝen of boþ ben openyd; and whanne þei knewen hem ſilf to be nakid, þei ſoweden to gidre leeues of a fige tree, and maden hem brechis. And whanne þei herden þe voys of þe Lord God goynge in paradis at þe ſhynyng after myd dai, Adam hid hym and his wijf fro þe face of þe Lord God in þe myddel of þe tree of paradis. And þe Lord God clepide Adam, and ſeide to hym, Where art þow? Þe which ſeide, Þi voys I herde in paradis, and I dredde, þere þurȝ þat I was nakid, and hidde me.

To whom ſeide þe Lord, Who forſoþe ſhewide þee þat þow was nakid, but þat þow ete of þe tree of þe which Y had comaundid þee þat þow ſhuldiſt not ete? And Adam ſeide, Þe woman whom þow ȝaue me felow, ȝaue to me of þe tree, and I ete. And þe Lord ſeide to þe woman, Whi didſt þow þat? Þe which anſweryde, Þe eddre bigilide me, and Y ete. And þe Lord God ſeide vnto þe ſerpent, For þow haſt do þis, þow ſhalt be curſid among alle þe ſoule hauers and beeſtis of þe erþe; vpon þi breeſt þow ſhalt gon, and erþe þow ſhalt ete alle daies of þi lijf; enemyte I ſhal put bitwix þee and þe woman, and þi ſeed and þe ſeed of hire; ſhe ſhal treed þin hede and þow ſhalt aſpie to hyre heel.

To þe woman forſoþe God ſeide, I ſhal multiply þi myſeſes and þi conceyuyngis; in ſorwe þow ſhalt bere, children; and þow ſhalt be vndre power of þi man, and he ſhal haue lordſhip of þee. To Adam forſoþe he ſeide, For þow haſt herd þe vois of þi wijf, and þow haſt etun of þe tree, of þe which I comaundide þee þat þow ſhuldiſt not etun, curſid is þe erþe in þi werk; in traueyls þow ſhalt ete of it alle þe daies of þi lijf; it ſhal buriown to þee þornes and brembles, and þow ſhalt ete erbis of þe erþe; in þe ſwoot of þi chere, or face, þou ſhalt ete þi brede, to þe tyme þow turne aȝen into þe erþe of þe which þow art take; for powdre þow art, and into powdre þow ſhalt turne.

And Adam clepide þe name of his wijf Eue, þurȝ þat þat ſhe was moder of alle þingis lyuynge. Þe Lord God forſoþe made to Adam and his wijf leþer cootis, and cloþide hem; and ſeide, ſe! Adam is maad as oon of vs, knowynge good and yuel; now þan, leſt perauenture he putte out his hond, and take alſo of þe tree of lijf, and ete, and lyue euermore. And þe Lord God ſente hym out of paradis of delyte, þat he myȝte wyrk þe erþe, of þe which he was takun. And he þrewe out Adam, and he ſette cherubyn bifore paradis of delite, and a flawmynge ſwerd and pleaunt to þe weye of þe tree of lijf to be kept.