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[1]These ben the names of the sones of Israel, that entriden into Egipt with Jacob; alle entriden with her housis; |
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[2]Ruben, Symeon, |
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[3]Leuy, Judas, Isachar, Zabulon, and Benjamin, |
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[4]Dan, and Neptalim, Gad, and Aser. |
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[5]Therfor alle the soules of hem that yeden out of `the hipe of Jacob weren seuenti and fyue. |
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[6]Forsothe Joseph was in Egipt; and whanne he was deed, and alle hise brithren, and al his kynrede, |
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[7]the sones of Israel encreessiden, and weren multiplied as buriounnyng, and thei weren maad strong greetli, and filliden the lond. |
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[8]A newe kyng, that knewe not Joseph, roos in the meene tyme on Egipt, and seide to his puple, Lo! |
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[9]the puple of the sones of Israel is myche, and strongere than we; |
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[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. |
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[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. |
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[12]And bi hou myche thei oppressiden hem, bi so myche thei weren multiplied, and encreessiden more. |
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[13]And Egipcians hatiden the sones of Israel, and turmentiden, and scorneden hem; |
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[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. |
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[15]Forsothe the kyng of Egipt seide to the mydwyues of Ebrews, of whiche oon was clepid Sefora, the tother Fua; |
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[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. |
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[17]Forsothe the medewyues dredden God, and diden not bi the comaundement of the kyng of Egipt, but kepten knaue children. |
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[18]To whiche clepid to hym the kyng seide, What is this thing which ye wolden do, that ye wolden kepe the children? |
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[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. |
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[20]Therfor God dide wel to medewyues; and the puple encreesside, and was coumfortid greetli. |
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[21]And for the mydewyues dredden God, he bildide `housis to hem. |
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[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. |