HE INTERPRETS THE PRISONERS' DREAMS.
| An litel ſtund, quile he waſ ðer, | |
| So gan him luuen ðe priſuner, And him de[[211]] chartre haueð bi-tagt, | The gaoler loved Joseph. |
|
2044
wið ðo priſunes to liuen in hagt. Or for miſdede, or for on-ſagen, ðor woren to ðat priſun dragen, | In this prison, either for misdeed or bad words, |
| On ðat ðe kingeſ kuppe bed, 2048 And on ðe made ðe kingeſ bred; | were placed the chief butler and baker. |
| Hem drempte dremes boðen onigt, And he wurðen ſwiðe ſore o-frigt; Ioſeph hem ſeruede ðor on ſel, 2052 At here drink and at here mel, | Both dreamt dreams in one night, |
| He herde hem murnen(.) he hem freinde for-quat; Harde dremes ogen awold ðat. | which caused them to become very sorrowful. |
| ðo ſeide he to ðe butuler, 2056 "Tel me ðin drem, mi broðer her. | Joseph inquired the reason of their grief. |
| Queðer-ſo it wurðe ſofte or ſtrong, ðe reching wurð on god bi-long." | [Fol. 40b.] |
| "Me drempte, ic ſtod at a
win-tre, | The butler's dream. |
|
2060
ðat adde waxen buges ðre, Oreſt it blomede, and ſiðen bar | A vine with three branches |
| ðe beries ripe wurð ic war; ðe kinges [kuppe] ic hadde on hond, | bore grapes; |
|
2064
ðe beries ðor-inne me ðhugte ic wrong, And bar it drinken to pharaon, Me drempte, alſ ic waſ wune to don." | the juice the butler squeezed into Pharaoh's cup, and gave him to drink as he was wont. |
| "Good is," quað
Ioſeph, "to dremen of win, 2068 heilneſſe an bliſſe iſ ðer-in; | "Good it is," said Joseph, "to dream of wine. |
| ðre daies ben get for to cumen, ðu ſalt ben ut of priſun numen, And on ðin offiz ſet agen; | In three days thou shalt be restored to thy office, |
|
2072
Of me ðu ðhenke ðan it ſal ben, Bed min herdne to pharaon, ða[t] ic ut of prisun wurðe don, | then think of me and bear my errand to Pharaoh, |
| for ic am ſtolen of kinde lond, 2076 and her wrigteleſlike holden in bond." | for I am here wrongfully held in prison." |
ðe?