Genesis · Chapter 40

[ edit] And ſo þes þingis doon, fel þat two geldyngis ſynneden, þe botler of þe kyng of Egepte, and þe baker, to her lord. And Pharao wroþ aȝens hem, for þe toþer was bifore to botlers, and þe toþir to bakers, putte hem into þe priſoun of þe prince of knyȝtis, in þe which and Joſeph was gyued. And þe kepere of þe priſoun tok hem to Joſeph, þe which and mynyſtryde to hem. A litil of tyme ȝede bitwixe, and þei in keping weren holdun, and boþ ſeen a ſweuen oon nyȝt, aftir couenable vndoyng to hem. To whom whanne Joſeph cam yn eerly, and ſawȝ hem drery, aſkide hem, ſeiynge, Whi dreryer is ȝoure face to day þan it was wonte?

Þe which anſweryden, A ſweuen we han ſeen, and þer is not þat wol vndo it vs. And Joſeph ſeide to hem, Wheþer not of God is þe vndoyng? Telle ȝe to me what ȝe han ſeen. And þe proueſt of botlers bifore tolde his ſweuen; I ſawȝ bifore me a vyne, in þe which weren þre braunchis growun litil mele into cluſtris, and after floures þe grapes to wexe rijp, and þe chalice of Pharao in myn hoond; þanne I toke grapes, and wrong into þe chalice þat Y heelde, and toke drynke to Pharao.

Joſeph anſweryde, Þis is þe vndoyng of þe ſweuen; þre braunches þre ȝit dayes ben, after whiche Pharao ſhal record of þi ſeruyce, and ſhal reſtore þee to þe bifore had gree, and þow ſhalt ȝyue to hym a chalice, after þin office, as þow were wont to do bifore. As myche haue mynde of me, whanne it were wel wiþ þee, and mercy þow ſhalt do wiþ me, þat þow make ſuggeſtioun to Pharao, þat he lede me out of þis priſoun; for þeuelich Y am had a wey fro þe loond of Hebrew, and here an ynnocent Y am ſent into a laak.

Seynge þe mayſter of bakers þat he hadde vndo wiſeli þe ſweuen, ſeiþ, And I ſawȝ a ſweuen, þat I hadde þree baſketis of melow vpon myn heed, and yn þe o baſket, þat was heiȝer, Y trowide me to bere al maner metis þat ben made wiþ bakers craft, and bryddis to eet þerof. And Joſeph anſweride, Þis is þe vndoyng of þe ſweuen; þre baſkettis þre ȝit dayes ben, aftir whom Pharao ſhal take a wey þin heed, and ſhal honge þee in þe croſſe, and fowlis ſhulen teere þi fleiſh.

And fro þens þe þridde day was þe birþe day of Pharao, þe which makynge a greet feeſte to his children, recordid amonge þe meetis of þe mayſter of botlers, and of þe prince of bakers; and reſtoryde þe toþer into his place, þat he brynge forþ drynke to þe kyng, þe toþer he hongide in a gibite, þat þe ſoþnes of þe remener were proued. And neuerþelater after fallynge welſum þingis, þe proueſt of botelers forȝete of his dreem reder.