Genesis · Chapter 8

[ edit] The Lord forſoþe recordide of Noe, and of alle hauynge ſoulis, and of alle iumentis, þat weren wiþ hym in þe arke; and he brouȝte to a ſpirit vpon þe erþe. And þe watris ben leſſid, and þe wellys of þe ſee and þe goterys of heuene ben cloſid, and reynes fro heuene ben forfendid. And þe wateres fro þe erþe ben turned aȝen, goynge and aȝen goynge; and þei bigunnen to be maad leſſe after an hundrid and fifty daies. And þe arke reſtide þe ſeuenþe moneþ, þe ſeuene and twentiþ day of þe moneþ, vpon þe mowntis of Armonye. And forſoþe þe watres ȝeden and decreeſſeden vnto þe tenþe moneþ, þe tenþe forſoþe moneþ, þe firſte day of þe moneþ, aperyden þe coppis of þe hillis.

And whan fourti dayes weren paſſid, Noe, openynge þe wyndow of his arke þe which he made, ſente out a crow, þe which ȝede out, and turnede not aȝen to þe tyme þat watris vpon þe erþe weren dried. Forſoþe he ſente out a culuer after hym, þat he myȝte ſe, if now hadden ſeſyd waterys vpon þe face of þe erþe; þe which whan he had not foundun where his foot myȝte reſt, is turned aȝen to him into þe arke, watres forſoþe weren vpon al þe erþe; and he ſtrawȝte out his honde, and it takun putte into þe erke. Forſoþe forþermore oþer ſeuene daies abiden, eftſones he lete out of þe arke a culuer; and ſhe come to hym at euen, berynge a brawnche of olyue wiþ grene leeues in hir mouþe.

Þan Noe vndirſtode þat wateres hadden ceſyd vpon erþe; and he abode neuer þe later oþer ſeuene daies, and he ſente out a culuer, þe which is no more turned aȝen to hym. Þanne in þe ſixte hundryd ȝeer and oon of þe lijf of Noe, þe firſt moneþ, þe firſt day of þe moneþ, ben leſſid þe waterys vpon erþe; and Noe, openynge þe roof of his arke, bihelde and ſawȝ þat al out dried was þe ouermoſt of þe erþe. Þe ſecounde moneþ, þe ſeuene and twentiþ day of þe moneþ, þe erþe is maad drye.

Þe Lord forſoþe ſpake to Noe, ſeiynge, Go out of þe arke, þow, and þi wijf, þi children, and þe wyues of þi children wiþ þee; and alle hauynge ſoules þat ben wiþ þee of al flehs, boþe in volatylis, and in beeſtis, and in alle crepynge þat crepen vpon þe erþe, lede out wiþ þee; and go ȝe ynne vpon þe erþe, grow ȝe, and be ȝe multiplied vpon it. Þanne Noe ȝede out, and his children, and his wijf, and þe wyues of his children wiþ hym; but and alle hauynge ſoules, iumentis, and crepynge þat crepen vpon þe erþe, aftir her propre kynde, ben gon out of þe arke. Noe forſoþe bildide an auter to þe Lord, and takinge of alle clene beeſtis and fowlis, offryde brent ſacrifices vpon þe auter.

And þe Lord ſmellid a ſmel of ſwetnes, and ſeide to hym, I ſhal no more curſe to þe erþe for men, þe witt forſoþe and þe þouȝt of mannus herte ben redi in to yuel fro his tyme of waxyng; þerfore I ſhal ſmyte no more ech ſoule lyuynge as Y haue don; alle þe daies of þe erþe, ſeed and ripe, coold and hete, ſomer and wynter, nyȝt and day, ſhulen not reſt.