Exodus 1

1 These ben the names of the sones of Israel, that entriden into Egipt with Jacob; alle entriden with her housis;

These are the names of the sons of Israel that came into Egypt together with Jacob their father; they came in each with their whole family.

2 Ruben, Symeon,

Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Judas,

3 Leuy, Judas, Isachar, Zabulon, and Benjamin,

Issachar, Zabulon, Benjamin,

4 Dan, and Neptalim, Gad, and Aser.

Dan and Nephthalim, Gad and Aser.

5 Therfor alle the soules of hem that yeden out of `the hipe of Jacob weren seuenti and fyue.

But Joseph was in Egypt. And all the souls [born] of Jacob were seventy-five.

6 Forsothe Joseph was in Egipt; and whanne he was deed, and alle hise brithren, and al his kynrede,

And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.

7 the sones of Israel encreessiden, and weren multiplied as buriounnyng, and thei weren maad strong greetli, and filliden the lond.

And the children of Israel increased and multiplied, and became numerous and grew exceedingly strong, and the land multiplied them.

8 A newe kyng, that knewe not Joseph, roos in the meene tyme on Egipt, and seide to his puple, Lo!

And there arose up another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.

9 the puple of the sones of Israel is myche, and strongere than we;

And he said to his nation, Behold, the race of the children of Israel is a great multitude, and is stronger than we:

10 come ye, wiseli oppresse we it, lest perauenture it be multiplied; and lest, if batel risith ayens vs, it be addid to oure enemyes, and go out of the lond, whanne we ben ouercomun.

come then, let us deal craftily with them, lest at any time they be increased, and whenever war shall happen to us, these also shall be added to our enemies, and having prevailed against us in war, they will depart out of the land.

11 And so he made maistris of werkis souereyns to hem, that thei schulden turmente hem with chargis. And thei maden citees of tabernaclis to Farao, Fiton, and Ramesses.

And he set over them taskmasters, who should afflict them in their works; and they built strong cities for Pharao, both Pitho, and Ramesses, and On, which is Heliopolis.

12 And bi hou myche thei oppressiden hem, bi so myche thei weren multiplied, and encreessiden more.

But as they humbled them, by so much they multiplied, and grew exceedingly strong; and the Egyptians greatly abhorred the children of Israel.

13 And Egipcians hatiden the sones of Israel, and turmentiden, and scorneden hem;

And the Egyptians tyrannized over the children of Israel by force.

14 and brouyten her lijf to bitternesse bi hard werkis of cley and to tijl stoon, and bi al seruage, bi which thei weren oppressid in the werkis of erthe.

And they embittered their life by hard labors, in the clay and in brick-making, and all the works in the plains, according to all the works, wherein they caused them to serve with violence.

15 Forsothe the kyng of Egipt seide to the mydwyues of Ebrews, of whiche oon was clepid Sefora, the tother Fua;

And the king of the Egyptians spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews; the name of the one was, Sepphora; and the name of the second, Phua.

16 and he commaundide to hem, Whanne ye schulen do the office of medewyues to Ebrew wymmen, and the tyme of childberyng schal come, if it is a knaue child, sle ye him; if it is a womman, kepe ye.

And he said, When you do the office of midwives to the Hebrew women, and they are about to be delivered, if it be a male, kill it; but if a female, save it.

17 Forsothe the medewyues dredden God, and diden not bi the comaundement of the kyng of Egipt, but kepten knaue children.

But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt appointed them; and they saved the male children alive.

18 To whiche clepid to hym the kyng seide, What is this thing which ye wolden do, that ye wolden kepe the children?

And the king of Egypt called the midwives, and said to them, Why is it that you have done this thing, and saved the male children alive?

19 Whiche answeriden, Ebrew wymmen ben not as the wymmen of Egipt, for thei han kunnyng of the craft of medewijf, and childen bifore that we comen to hem.

And the midwives said to Pharao, The Hebrew women are not as the women of Egypt, for they are delivered before the midwives go in to them. So they bore children.

20 Therfor God dide wel to medewyues; and the puple encreesside, and was coumfortid greetli.

And God did well to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very strong.

21 And for the mydewyues dredden God, he bildide `housis to hem.

And as the midwives feared God, they established for themselves families.

22 Therfor Farao comaundide al his puple, and seide, What euer thing of male kynde is borun to Ebrewis, `caste ye into the flood; what euer thing of wymmen kynde, kepe ye.

And Pharao charged all his people, saying, Whatever male [child] shall be born to the Hebrews, cast into the river; and every female, save it alive.