He bad hiſ ſtiward gerken iſ meten,
2256
He ſeide he ſulden wið him alle eten;
He ledde hem alle to Ioſepes biri,
Her non hadden ðo loten miri.
"Louerd," he ſeiden ðo euerilc on,
| and bids his steward prepare a feast for them. |
2260
"Gur ſiluer iſ gu brogt a-gon,
It was in ure ſeckes don,
Ne wiſte ur non gilt ðor-on."
"Beð nu ſtille," quad ſtiward,
2264
"for ic nu haue min forward."
| They tell Joseph that they have brought back the
silver which they found in their sacks. |
ðor cam ðat broðer ſymeon
And kiſte iſ breðere on and on;
Wel fagen he was of here come,
2268
for he was numen ðor to nome.
| [Fol. 44b.]
Simeon was brought out unto them. |
It was vndren time or more,
Om cam ðat riche louerd ðore;
And al ðo briðere, of frigti mod,
| Joseph came home about noon, |
2272
fellen bi-forn ðat louerd-iſ fot,
And bedden him riche preſent
ðat here fader hi[m] adde ſent;
And he leuelike it under-ſtod,
2276
for alle he weren of kinde blod.
| and the brethren offered him their present. |
"LIueð," quad he, "ðat
fader get,
ðat ðus manige ſunes bi-gat?"
| He inquires after his father. |
"louerd," he ſeiden, "get he liueð,
2280
Wot ic ðor non ðat he ne biueð;
| They answer that Jacob is well, |
And ðiſ iſ gunge beniamin,
Hider brogt after bode-word ðin."
ðo Iosep ſag him ðor bi-foren,
2284
Bi fader & moder broðer boren,
| and that Benjamin stands before him. |
Him ouer-wente his herte on-on,
Kinde luue gan him ouer-gon;
| Joseph was overcome. |
Sone he gede ut and ſtille he gret,
2288
ðat al his wlite wurð teres wet.
| He went out and wept secretly. |
After ðat grot, he weiſ iſ wliten,
And cam ðan in and bad hem eten
| After a while he returned to them and bade them
eat. |