thank thee, through thy might,
Thy bidding shall be done in hight,[42]
And, as fast as I may dight[43]
I will do thee honour.
And to thee offer sacrifice,
Therefore comes in all wise,
For of these beasts that be his
Offer I will this stower.[44]

[_Then leaving the ark with his whole family, he shall take the animals
and birds, make an offering of them, and set out on his way._

Lord God, in majesty,
That such grace has granted me,
When all was borne safe to be,
Therefore now I am boune.[45]
My wife, my children, my company,
With sacrifice to honour thee,
With beasts, fowls, as thou may see,
I offer here right soon.

_God._ Noah, to me thou art full able,
And thy sacrifice acceptable,
For I have found thee true and stable,
On thee now must I myn.[46]
Curse earth will I no more
That man's sin it grieves sore,
For of youth man full of yore
Has been inclined to sin.
You shall now grow and multiply
And earth you edify,
Each beast and fowl that may flie
Shall be afraid for you.
And fish in sea that may flitt
Shall sustain you--I you behite[47]
To eat of them you not lett[48]
That clean be you may know.
There as you have eaten before
Grasses and roots, since you were born,
Of clean beasts, less and more,
I give you leave to eat.
Save blood and fish both in fear
Of wrong dead carrion that is here,
Eat not of that in no manner,
For that aye you shall lett.[49]
Manslaughter also you shall flee,
For that is not pleasant to me
That sheds blood, he or she
Ought where among mankind.
That sheds blood, his blood shall be
And vengeance have, that men shall see;
Therefore now beware now all ye
You fall not in that sin.
And forward now with you I make
And all thy seed, for thy sake,
Of such vengeance for to slake,
For now I have my will.
Here I promise thee a behest,[50]
That man, woman, fowl, nor beast
With water while the world shall last,
I will no more spill.
My bow between you and me
In the firmament shall be,
By very tokens, that you may see
That such vengeance shall cease.
That man, nor woman, shall never more
Be wasted by water, as is before,
But for sin that grieveth sore,
Therefore this vengeance was.
Where clouds in the welkin
That each bow shall be seen,
In token that my wrath or tene[51]
Should never this wroken be.
The string is turned toward you,
And toward me bent is the bow,
That such weather shall never show,
And this do I grant to thee.
My blessing