Genesis · Chapter 38

[ edit] Judas deſcendynge þe ſame tyme fro his briþeren, turnede to a man Odollamyte, Hyram bi name; and he ſawȝ þere þe dowȝter of a Chanany man, Sue bi name. And a wijf takun, ȝede into hir, þe which conſeyuede, and bare a childe, and clepide þe name of hym Her. And eftſones conceyued þe kynde, ſhe nemnyde þe born ſone Onam. And þe þridde child ſhe bare, whom ſhe clepide Sela, þe which born, ſeeſide to more bere childe. Judas forſoþe ȝaue a wijf to his firſt getun Her, Thamar bi name. And Her, þe firſt getun of Jude, was wickid in þe ſiȝt of þe Lord, and þerfor was ſlayn of hym.

Þanne Judas ſeide to Onam, his ſone, Go yn to þe wijf of þi broþer, and be þow felawſhipte to hir, þat þow rere ſeed to þi broþer. He wytynge ſones to be born not to hym, goynge to þe wijf of his broþer, ſhede þe ſeed into þe erþe, leſt fre children weren born in name of þe broþer; and þerfor þe Lord ſmote hym, þerþurȝ þat a curſid þing he dide. Wherfore Judas ſeide to Thamar, þe wijf of his ſone, Be þow a widwe in þe hows of þi fader, to þe tyme þat Sela my ſone growe; forſoþe he dredde leſt and he ſhulde dye as þe briþeren of hym. Þe which ȝede, and dwelte in þe hows of hir fader.

And manye ȝerys ouergoon, diede Sue, þe wijf of Jude, þe which after weilyng coumfort takun, ſteiede vp to þe ſheepherdis of his ſheep, he and Yras, þe ſheepherd of þe flok, Odollamyte, in Tampnas. And it was told to Thamar, þat hir houſbonde fader ſteiede vp into Tampnas, to þe ſheep þat ſhulden be clippid. Þe which, þe cloþis of widewhed don down, toke to a roket, and þe abite chaungid, ſat in þe place of two weyes þat ledeþ to Tampnam; þerþurȝ þat Sela was growun, and ſhe hadde not takun hym to houſbonde. Whom whanne Judas hadde ſeen, he trowide hir to ben a ſtrumpet; ſhe forſoþe hadde couerede hir chere, leſt ſhe were knowun.

And he yngoynge to hir, ſeiþ, Lat me, þat Y goo togidere wiþ þee; forſoþe he wiſte not þat ſhe was þe wijf of his ſone. Þe which anſwerynge, What ſhal þow ȝyue me, þat þow vſe me wiþ liggyng? he ſeide, Y ſhal ſende to þee a kidde fro þe flockis. And eft ſhe ſeiynge, I ſhal ſuffre þat þow wolt, if þow ȝyue to me a wedde, to þe tyme þat þow ſende þat þat þow bihotiſt. Judas ſeiþ, What to þee wolt þow be ȝouun for a wedde? She anſweryde, Þi rynge, and þin armſercle, and þe ſtaf þat þow holdiſt in þin hoond. Þanne at oon togiders goynge þe womman conceyuede, and aryſynge, ſhe ȝede a wey; and þe abite doon doun þat ſhe toke, ſhe is cloþid wiþ þe cloþis of widewhod.

Judas forſoþe ſente a kidde bi his ſheepherd Odollomyte, þat he ſhulde take a wedde þat he ȝaue to þe womman; þe which whanne he hadde not foundun hir, aſkide þe men of þat place, Where is þe womman þat ſat in þe two weies? anſwerynge alle men, Þere was not in þis place a ſtrumpet. And he turnede aȝen to Juda, and ſeide to hym, I haue not foundun hir, but and þe men of þat place ſeiden to me, neuer þere to haue ſittun a ſtrumpet. Judas ſeiþ, Haue ſhe to hir ſilf, certis of leſynge vndurnym vs ſhe may not; I haue ſente a kydde þat Y bihiȝte, and þow haſt not foundun hir.

Loo! forſoþe after þre moneþis men tolden to Jude, ſeiynge, Thamar, þi ſones wijf, haþ doon fornycacioun, and þe wombe of hir is ſeen to wexe ful greet. And Judas ſeide, Bryng hir forþ, þat ſhe be brent. Þe which whanne ſhe ſhulde be lad to þe peyne, ſent to her houſbond fader, ſeiynge, Of þe man whos þes ben Y haue conſeyued; know þow whos is þe ryng, and þe arm ſercle, and þe ſtaf? Þe which, þe ȝiftis knowun, ſeiþ, She is more riȝtwiſe þan Y, for I haue not takun hir to Sela, my ſone; and neuerþelater ouer þat tyme he knewe hir not.

Forſoþe inſtondyng þe beryng, gemels apereden in þe wombe, and in þat heeldyng out of þe children, þe toon putte forþ an hoond, in þe which þe medewife bonde a reed þreed, ſeiynge, Þis ſhal goon out raþer. He forſoþe drawynge aȝen þe hoond, ȝede out þe toþer, and þe womman ſeide, Whi is þe wal for þee dyuydid? And for þat cauſe ſhe clepide þe name of hym Phares. Afterwarde ȝede out þe broþer of hym, in whos hoond was þe reed þreed, whom ſhe clepyde Zaram.