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 children of Israel, who came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.

2 Ruben, Symeon,

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

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

Issachar, Zebulun, 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 all the souls that descended from Jacob, were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt [already].

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 were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and became exceeding mighty; and 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!

Now there arose a new 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 people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel [are] more and mightier 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, let us deal wisely with them: lest they multiply, and it shall come to pass, that when there falleth out any war, they will join with our enemies, and fight against us, and depart from 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.

Therefore they set over them task-masters, to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure-cities, Pithom, and Raamses.

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

But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

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

And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor.

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 made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service in which they made them serve, [was] with rigor.

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 Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives (of which the name of 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.

And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see [them] upon the stools; if it [shall be] a son, then ye shall kill him; but if it [shall be] a daughter, then she shall 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 commanded them, but 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 for the midwives, and said to them, Why have ye done this thing, and have 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 Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women [are] not as the Egyptian women: for they [are] lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in to them.

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

Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and became very 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 them houses.

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 Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.