< Genesis 4 >
1 Forsothe Adam knewe Eue his wijf, which conseyuede, and childide Cayn, and seide, Y haue gete a man bi God.
And Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man,” she said.
2 And efte sche childide his brother Abel. Forsothe Abel was a kepere of scheep, and Cayn was an erthe tilyere.
Later she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil.
3 Sotheli it was don after many daies, that Cayn offride yiftis to the Lord of the fruytis of erthe;
So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD,
4 and Abel offride of the first gendrid of his floc, and of the fatnesse of tho. And the Lord bihelde to Abel and to the yiftis of hym;
while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
5 sotheli he bihelde not to Cayn and to hise yiftis. And Cayn was wrooth greetli, and his cheer felde doun.
but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.
6 And the Lord seide to hym, Whi art thou wrooth, and whi felde doun thi face?
“Why are you angry,” said the LORD to Cain, “and why has your countenance fallen?
7 Whether not if thou schalt do wel, thou schalt resseyue; but if thou doist yuele, thi synne schal be present anoon in the yatis? but the desir therof schal be vndur thee, and thou schalt be lord therof.
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”
8 And Cayn seide to Abel his brother, Go we out. And whanne thei weren in the feeld, Cayn roos ayens his brother Abel, and killide him.
Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
9 And the Lord seide to Cayn, Where is Abel thi brother? Which answerde, Y woot not; whether Y am the kepere of my brothir?
And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 And God seide to Cayn, What hast thou do? the vois of the blood of thi brother crieth to me fro erthe.
“What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.
11 Now therfor thou schalt be cursid on erthe, that openyde his mouth, and resseyuede of thin hond the blood of thi brothir.
Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
12 Whanne thou schalt worche the erthe, it schal not yyue his fruytis to thee; thou schalt be vnstable of dwellyng and fleynge aboute on erthe in alle the daies of thi lijf.
When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”
13 And Cayn seide to the Lord, My wickidnesse is more than that Y disserue foryyuenesse; lo!
But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14 to dai thou castist me out fro the face of the erthe; and Y schal be hid fro thi face, and Y schal be vnstable of dwellyng and fleynge aboute in erthe; therfore ech man that schal fynde me schal slee me.
Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
15 And the Lord seide to hym, It schal not be don so, but ech man that schal slee Cayn shal be punyschid seuenfold. And the Lord settide a signe in Cayn, that ech man that schulde fynde hym schulde not slee hym.
“Not so!” replied the LORD. “If anyone slays Cain, then Cain will be avenged sevenfold.” And the LORD placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him.
16 And Cayn yede out fro the face of the Lord, and dwellide fleynge aboute in erthe, at the eest coost of Eden.
So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17 Forsothe Cayn knewe his wiif, which conseyuede, and childide Enoth; and Cayn bildide a citee, and clepide the name therof of the name of hise sone Enoth.
And Cain had relations with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain built a city and named it after his son Enoch.
18 Forsothe Enoth gendride Irad, and Irad gendride Manyael, and Manyael gendride Matusael, and Matusael gendride Lameth;
Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methusael, and Methusael was the father of Lamech.
19 that took twei wyues, the name to o wijf was Ada, and the name to the tother was Sella.
And Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah.
20 And Ada gendride Jabel, that was the fadir of dwellers in tentis and of shepherdis;
Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and raise livestock.
21 and the name of his brother was Tubal, he was the fadir of syngeris in harpe and orgun.
And his brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute.
22 And Sella gendride Tubalcayn, that was an hamerbetere, and smyyt on alle werkis of bras and of yrun; forsothe the sistir of Tubalcayn was Neoma.
And Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain, a forger of every implement of bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23 And Lameth seide to his wyues Ada and Sella, Ye wyues of Lameth, here my vois, and herkne my word; for Y haue slayn a man bi my wounde, and a yong wexynge man bi my `violent betyng;
Then Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, listen to my speech. For I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me.
24 veniaunce schal be youun seuenfold of Cayn, forsothe of Lameth seuentisithis seuensithis.
If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
25 Also yit Adam knewe his wijf, and sche childide a sone, and clepide his name Seth, and seide, God hath put to me another seed for Abel, whom Cayn killide.
And Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another seed in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”
26 But also a sone was borun to Seth, which sone he clepide Enos; this Enos bigan to clepe inwardli the name of the Lord.
And to Seth also a son was born, and he called him Enosh. At that time men began to call upon the name of the LORD.