Genesis B

Question 1

Þa spræc se ofermoda cyning þe ær wæs engla scynost / hwitost on heofne ond his hearran leof

Answer 1

Then the proud king, who was previously the angels’ brightest, most radiant in heaven and dearest to his lord

Question 2

Drihtnedyre oð hie to dole wurdon / þæt him for galscipe God sylfa wearð / mihtig on mode yrre.

Answer 2

Precious (to Him) until he turned to folly, because of that wantonness mighty God himself became angry at heart.

Question 3

Wearp hine on þæt morðer innan, /

Answer 3

(He) threw him into the torment within,

Question 4

het hine þære sweartan helle / grundes gyman nalles wið God winnan.

Answer 4

(And) commanded him to control the black Hell, (his) abyss, to not contend against God.

Question 5

Satan maðelode, sorgiende spræc, / se ðe helle forð healdan sceolde / gieman þæs grundes.

Answer 5

Satan spoke out, a sorrowing speech, he henceforth must possess Hell, control the abyss.

Question 6

Wæs ær Godes engel, / hwit on heofne, oð hine his hyge forspeon / ond his ofermetto ealra swiðost / þæt he ne wolde wereda Drihtnes / word wurðian.

Answer 6

(He) was God’s angel before, bright in heaven, until his pride seduced him and his presumption most of all, that he would not respect the Lord of host’s power.

Question 7

Weoll him oninnan / hyge ymb his heortan, hat wæs him utan / wraðlic wite.

Answer 7

Anger welled within him, in his heart, there was hot and cruel punishment.

Question 8

He þa worde cwæð / “is þæs ænga styde ungelic swiðe / þam oðrum þe we ær cuðon

Answer 8

He then spoke these words, “is this constricted place the most unlike the other place that we knew before

Question 9

þe me min hearra onlag,
þeah we hine for þam alwaldan agan ne moston,
romigan ures rices.

Answer 9

High in heavenly kingdom there my lord granted to me, though because of the Almighty we could not possess it, extend our kingdom.

Question 10

… Næfð he þeah riht gedon /
Þæt he us hæfð befælled fyre to botme /
Helle þære hatan, heofonrice benumen.

Answer 10

However, has he not rightly done that he has struck us down to the fiery bottom, there we call Hell, deprived of the heavenly kingdom.

Question 11

… /
Hafað hit gemearcod mid moncynne /
to gesettanne.

Answer 11

Has it designated with mankind to be settled.

Question 12

… Wala, ahte ic minra handa /
ond moste ane tid ute weorðan /
wesan ane winterstunde, þonne ic mid þys weode - /
…

Answer 12

Alas! Had I my hands and was able to come to be outside one time, be outside one winter’s hour, me with this troop then -

Question 13

… /
ac licgað me ymbe irenbenda, /
rideð racentan sal.

Answer 13

And yet my iron bonds lie around me, a loops of chains swing.

Question 14

… Her is fyr micel /
ufan ond neoðone. Ic a ne geseah /
laðran landscipe; lig me aswamað /
hat ofer helle. …

Answer 14

Here is a great fire from above and below.
I have never seen a more loathsome region;
the flame does not blow past. It is hot throughout hell

Question 15

… Me habbað hringa gespong /
sliðhearda sal siðes amyrred, /
afyrred me min feðe;

Answer 15

I have savagely cruel rings fastenings haltering my movements, removed my power of walking from me;

Question 16

… Synt þissa heldora /
wegas forworhte swa ic mid wihte ne mæg /
of þissum lioðobendum. …

Answer 16

Is this way through the gates of Hell obstructed so that I cannot escape in any form this limb-bound.

Question 17

… Licgað me ymbe /
hearses irenes hate geslægene /
grindlas greate. …

Answer 17

Yet around me cruel iron hotly struck great bolts.

Question 18

… Mid þy me God hafað /
gehæfted be þam healse, swa ic wat he mine hige cuðe
ond þæt wiste eac, weorda Drihten, /
Þæt sceolde unc Adame yfele gewurðan
ymb þæt heofonrice, þæt ic ahte minra handa geweald.”

Answer 18

Though God has me shackled about the neck, as I know he knew my intention and that he knew as well, Lord’s company, that it must turn out evilly for me and Adam, concerning that heavenly kingdom, if I had control of my hands.

Question 19

niðer on þæt niobedd, ond sceop him naman siððan /

Answer 19

down in that corpse-bed, wrought him a name ever since

Question 20

cwæð se hehsta hatan sceolde / Satan siððan

Answer 20

and then created a name for him (that) the highest one must be called Satan from then on

Question 21

Þæt me sorga is mæst /
Þæt Adam sceal, þe wæs of eorðan geworht, /
mine stronglican stol behealdan, /

Answer 21

That is my biggest sorrow that Adam, who was made of earth, is to occupy my mighty throne,

Question 22

wesan him on wynne ond we þis wite þolien /

hearm in þisse helle…

Answer 22

and to be in bliss whilst we suffer this punishment, harm in Hell.

Question 23

fet synt gebundene, /

handa gehæfte. …

Answer 23

my foot is fettered; hands shackled.

Question 24

Ic eom rices leas /
habbað me swa hearde helle clommas /
fæste befangen. …

Answer 24

I am without my kingdom, hell’s hard fetters so tightly having grasped me.