< Genesis 4 >

1 Forsothe Adam knewe Eue his wijf, which conseyuede, and childide Cayn, and seide, Y haue gete a man bi God.
And the man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived and bore Cain, and said: 'I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.'
2 And efte sche childide his brother Abel. Forsothe Abel was a kepere of scheep, and Cayn was an erthe tilyere.
And again she bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3 Sotheli it was don after many daies, that Cayn offride yiftis to the Lord of the fruytis of erthe;
And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto 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;
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering;
5 sotheli he bihelde not to Cayn and to hise yiftis. And Cayn was wrooth greetli, and his cheer felde doun.
but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
6 And the Lord seide to hym, Whi art thou wrooth, and whi felde doun thi face?
And the LORD said unto Cain: 'Why art thou wroth? and why is thy 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 thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up? and if thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door; and unto thee is its desire, but thou mayest rule over 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.
And Cain spoke unto Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew 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 unto Cain: 'Where is Abel thy brother?' And he said: 'I know not; 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.
And He said: 'What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto 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.
And now cursed art thou from the ground, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy 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 thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth.'
13 And Cayn seide to the Lord, My wickidnesse is more than that Y disserue foryyuenesse; lo!
And Cain said unto 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, Thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the land; and from Thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whosoever findeth me will slay 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.
And the LORD said unto him: 'Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.' And the LORD set a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should smite him.
16 And Cayn yede out fro the face of the Lord, and dwellide fleynge aboute in erthe, at the eest coost of Eden.
And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the 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 knew his wife; and she conceived, and bore Enoch; and he builded a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son Enoch.
18 Forsothe Enoth gendride Irad, and Irad gendride Manyael, and Manyael gendride Matusael, and Matusael gendride Lameth;
And unto Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begot Mehujael; and Mehujael begot Methushael; and Methushael begot Lamech.
19 that took twei wyues, the name to o wijf was Ada, and the name to the tother was Sella.
And Lamech took unto him two wives; the name of one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
20 And Ada gendride Jabel, that was the fadir of dwellers in tentis and of shepherdis;
And Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of such as dwell in tents and have cattle.
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 such as handle the harp and pipe.
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, she also bore Tubal-cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of brass 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;
And Lamech said unto his wives: Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech; for I have slain a man for wounding me, and a young man for bruising me;
24 veniaunce schal be youun seuenfold of Cayn, forsothe of Lameth seuentisithis seuensithis.
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and 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 knew his wife again; and she bore a son, and called his name Seth: 'for God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel; for Cain slew 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, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh; then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

< Genesis 4 >