The Heavens and the Earth Are Parted

Of watres froren, of yſeſ wal,
ðis middel werld it luket al;—
by frozen waters and wall of ice.

May no fir get melten ðat yſ;

100

He ðe it made iſ migtful and wis,—
No fire has ever yet melted this ice.

It mai ben hoten heuene-Rof;
It hiled al ðis werldes drof,
And fier, and walkne, and water, and lond,

104

Al iſ bi-luken in godes hond,
This enclosure may be called Heaven-roof.

Til domeſ-dai ne ſal it troken.
Al middel-erd ðer-inne is loken,
It shall last until Doomsday.

watres ben her ðer-under ſuuen,

108

And watres ðor a-buuen;
[Fol. 3.]

And ouer ðat ſo ful i-wis,
An oðer heuene ful o blis,
And ful o lif ðe leſted oo,

112

wo may him ben ðe fel ðor-fro.
Above this is another heaven full of bliss and life.

Forð glod ðis oðer daiſ nigt,
ðo cam ðe ðridde dais ligt:
Thus passed this second day's night.

ðe ðridde dai, ſo god it bad,
Then came the third day's light.

116

was water and erðe o ſunder ſad;
God bi-quuad watres here ſtede,
Water and earth became separated.

And erðe brimen and beren dede;
Ilk gres, ilc wurt, ilc birðheltre,

120

Hiſ owen ſed beren bad he;
The earth did bring forth grass, herb, and fruit tree.

Of euerilc ougt, of euerilc ſed,
Waſ erðe mad moder of ſped.
ðe ðridde dai was al ðis wrogt,

124

And erðes fodme on werldes brogt;
An euerilc fodme his kinde quuemeðen.
Thus was earth made mother of wealth.

ðo was it her fair bi-neðen,
Then was all fair here below.

God ſag his ſafte fair and good,

128

And bliſcede it wid milde mood.
God saw that it was so, and blessed it.

Forð glod ðis ðridde daiſ nigt,
ðo cam ðe ferðe daiſ ligt.
ðe ferðe dai made migt

132

Sunne, and mone, and ilc ſterre brigt,
Then came the fourth day's light, and Might made the sun and moon and each bright star.

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