| Bi ðat time ðat he was guð, | By that time that he was a youth (young man), |
| Wið faigered and ſtrengthe kuð, | For beauty and strength renowned, |
| folc ethiopienes on egipte cam, | Ethiopian folk on Egypt came, |
| And brende, & ſlug, & wreche nam, | And burnt, and slew, and vengeance took, |
|
Al to memphin ðat riche cite,
| All to Memphis that rich city, |
| And a-non to ðe reade ſe; | And anon to the Red Sea; |
| ðo was egipte folc in dred, | Then was Egypt's folk in dread, |
| And aſkeden here godes red; | And asked their gods' advice; |
| And hem ſeiden wið anſweren, | And they said to them in answer, |
| ðat on ebru cude hem wel weren. | That one Hebrew could them well defend. |
| | |
| Moyſes was louered of ðat here, | Moses became leader of that (Egyptian) army, |
| ðor he wurð ðane egyptes were; | There he became then Egypt's protector; |
| Bi a lond weige he wente rigt, | By a land-way he went right, |
| And brogte vn-warnede on hem figt; | And brought unwarned on them fight; |
| He hadden don egipte wrong, | They had done Egypt wrong, |
| He bi-loc hem & ſmette a-mong, | He compassed them and smote among, |
| And ſlug ðor manige; oc ſumme flen, | And slew there many; but some fled |
| Into ſaba to borgen ben. | Into Sheba to be saved. |
| Moyſes bi-ſette al ðat burg, | Moses beset all that borough (city), |
| Oc it was riche & ſtrong ut-ðhurg; | But it was rich and strong out-thorough (throughout); |
| Ethiopienes kinges dowter tarbis, | Tarbis, the Ethiopian king's daughter, |
| Riche maiden of michel priſ, | Rich maiden of great renown, |
| Gaf ðiſ riche burg moyſi; | Gave this rich city to Moses; |
| Luue-bonde hire ghe it dede for-ði. | As love-bond's hire she did it, therefore. |
| ðor iſe fon he leide in bonde, | There his foes he laid in bond, |
| And he wurð al-migt-ful in ðat lond; | And he became all-powerful in that land; |
| He bi-lef ðor(.) tarbis him ſcroð, | He remained there, Tarbis him urged, |
| ðog was him ðat ſurgerun ful loð; | Yet was to him that sojourn full loath; |
| Mai he no leue at hire taken | May he no leave of her take |
| but-if he it mai wið crafte maken: | Unless he it may with craft make: |
|
He waſ of an ſtrong migt [&] wiſ,
| He was of a strong might and wise, |
| He carf in two gummes of priſ | He carved in two gems (stones) precious, |
| Two likeneſſes, ſo grauen & meten, | Two likenesses alike carved and depicted, |
| ðis doð ðenken, & ðoðer forgeten; | This one causes to remember, and the other to forget; |
| He feſt is in two ringes of gold, | He fastened them in two rings of gold, |
| Gaf hire ðe ton, he was hire hold; | Gave her the one, he was dear to her; |
| [And quan awei nimen he wolde | [And when depart he would |
| Gaf hire ðe toðer, he was hire colde] | Gave her the other, and was distasteful to her] |
| Ghe it bered and ðiſ luue iſ for-geten, | She it beareth and this love is forgotten, |
| Moyſes ðus haued him leue bi-geten; | Moses thus hath for himself leave begotten; |
| Sone it migte wið leue ben, | Soon it might with leave be, |
| Into egypte e wente a-gen. | Into Egypt he went again. |
| —(ll.
2665-2708.) |