Exodus 1

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

Now, these, are the names of the Sons of Israel, who came into Egypt, with Jacob, did each man and his household come in: —

2 Ruben, Symeon,

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;

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

Issachar, Zebulon, and Benjamin;

4 Dan, and Neptalim, Gad, and Aser.

Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

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

And it came to pass that all the persons who were descended from Jacob were seventy souls, —but, Joseph, was already in Egypt.

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

So then 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.

But the sons of Israel, were fruitful and swarmed and multiplied and waxed mighty, with exceeding vigour, —so that the land was filled with them.

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

Then arose a new king over Egypt, —who had not known Joseph.

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

So he said, unto his people, Lo! the people of the sons of Israel are too many and mighty for us!

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 on! let us shew ourselves wise with regard to them, lest they so multiply that it shall come to pass when war befalleth us, that they also, shall join themselves unto them who hate us, and shall make war upon us. and then go up 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.

So they set over them chiefs of tribute, to the end they might humiliate them with their burdens, —and they built store-cities for Pharaoh, even Pithom and Raamses.

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

But the more they were humiliating them, the more, were they multiplying, and, the more, were they breaking forth, so they were filled with alarm because of the sons of Israel.

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

And the Egyptians rigorously made the sons of Israel serve;

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 embittered their lives with harsh service, in clay and in bricks, and in all manner of service in the field, —all their service, wherein they rigorously made them serve.

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

Then said the king of Egypt to the Hebrew midwives, —of whom, the name of the one was, Shiphrah, and, the name of the other Puah; —

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.

then he said—When ye act as midwives unto the Hebrew women, then shall ye look out for the sex, —If it is, a son, then shall ye kill it, But, if it is, a daughter, then shall it live.

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 spake unto them, —but suffered the male children to live.

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

Then called the king of Egypt for the midwives, and said to them—Wherefore have ye done this thing, that ye should let the male children live?

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 unto Pharaoh. Because not like the Egyptian women, are the Hebrew women, for they are full of life, ere yet the midwife can come in unto them, they have given birth,

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

So then God dealt well with the midwives, —and the people multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty.

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

And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made for them households.

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.

Then gave Pharaoh command to all his people saying—Every son that is born to the Hebrews, into the river, shall ye cast him; But every daughter, shall ye suffer to live.