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Poem

Jacques Roubaud

GENESIS: LAST CHAPTER

1 Thus was heaven and erth fynished wyth all their apparell: 2 and in ye seuenth daye god ended hys worke which he had made and rested in ye seventh daye from all his workes which he had made. 3 And God blessed ye seventh daye and sanctyfyed it for in it he rested from all his workes which he had created and made. 4 And it came to passe that men began to multiplye apon the erth and had begot them doughters 5 the mightest of the world sawe the doughters of men that they were fayre and toke vnto them wyves which they best liked amonge them all. 6 And the Lord sawe that the wekednesse of men was encreased apon the erth and that all the ymaginacion and toughtes of their herts was only evell continually 7 And God sawe that it was bad. 8 And he repented having created man after hys lycknesse, having created them male and female 9 having blessed them and let them growe and multiplye and fyll the erth and subdue it and have domynyon over the fysh of the see and over the foules of the ayre. 10 And God sayd: I have geven them all herbes that sowe seed which are on all the erth and all maner trees that haue frute in them and sowe seed and see what they have done 11 and he got sick in his heart. 12 And the waters of the floud came vppon the erth. And the waters prevayled excedingly above mesure so that all men were destroyd vppon the erth. 13 And God sawe that it was good. 14 And it came so to passe evenynge and morninge on the fyrst of the last dayes.
       15 God sayd : let the waters prevayl excedingly above mesure vppon the erth so that all the hye hylles which are vnder all the partes of heaven even .xv. cubytes hye be covered. 16 And all fleshe that moved on the erth bothe birdes catell and beastes perisshed with al that crepte on the erth. 17 And drowned God the greate whalles he had created and all maner of creatures that lyved and moued which the waters had brought forth in their kindes and all maner of federed foules in their kyndes. 18 God unblessed them and drowned them. 19 God sawe that it was good. 20 And it came so to passe evenynge and morninge on the second of the last dayes.
       21 Than sayd God: let there be no more lyghtes in ye firmament of heaven to devyde the daye from the nyghte so that there may be no more sygnes seasons days and yeares. 22 And let there be no lyghtes in the fyrmament of heaven to shyne vpon the erth. And so it was. 23 Undid God the two great lyghtes the greater lyghte that ruled the daye and the lesser lyghte that ruled the nyghte and the sterres also. 24 God wiped them from the fyrmament of heaven so that nothing would devyde the lyghte from darcknesse. 25 God sawe that it was good. 26 And it came so to passe evenynge and morninge on the third of the last dayes.
       27 And God made a wynde to blow vppon ye erth and ye waters ceased. 28 And ye fountaynes of the depe and the wyndowes of heaven were stopte and the rayne of heaven was forbidden. 29 The waters went away and the toppes of the mounteyns appered. 30 The waters were dryed vpp apon the erth. And the face of the erth was drye. 31 Thus was destroyed all that was vppon the erth both man beastes wormes and foules of the ayre. They were destroyed and scraped from the erth. 32 And God sawe that it was good. 33 And it came so to passe evenynge and morninge on the fourth of the last dayes.
       34 God sayd : let there be no more an expanse of space betwene the waters to devyde the waters a sonder. 35 And God uncreated the expanse of space that devyded the water under from the water above. 36 And God wiped off the name of the expanse of space that was called fyrmament. 37 God sawe that it was good. 38 And it came so to passe evenynge and morninge on the day before the last day.
      39 God sayd: let there be no more lyghte and the lyghte was gone. 40 God saw that the darcknesse was good. 41 The spirite of god moved vpon the water. The erth was voyde and emptie. Darcknesse was vpon the depe. 42 God uncreated heaven and erth. 43 It came so to passe on the last day.

GENESIS, HET LAETSTE CAPITTEL

1 Also zijn volbracht de hemel ende de aerde, ende al haer heyr. 2 Als nu Godt op den sevensten dach volbracht hadde sijn werck, dat hy gemaekt hadde, heeft hy gerust op den sevensten dach van al sijn werck, dat hy gemaeckt hadde. 3 Ende Godt heeft den sevenden dach gesegent, ende dien geheyligt, om dat hy op den selven gerust heeft van al sijn Werck, ’t welck Godt geschapen hadde. 4 Ende het geschiedde, als de menschen op den aerdbodem begonnen te vermenichvuldigen, ende hen dochters geboren werden, 5 dat Godes sonen de dochteren der menschen aensagen, dat sy schoon waren, ende sy namen hen wijven uyt alle, die sy verkoren hadden. 6 Ende Godt sach, dat de boosheyt des menschen menichvuldich was op der aerde, ende al het gedichtsel der gedachten sijnes herten t’allen dage alleenlick boos was. 7 Ende Godt sach dat het slecht was. 8 Doe berouwde het Godt, dat hy den mensche op der aerde gemaeckt hadde nae sijnen beelde, gemaeckt hadde Man ende Wijf. 9 Ende se gesegend te hebben; vruchtbaer, ende vermenichvuldigend, ende vervullend de aerde, ende onderwerpend, ende hebbend heerschappye over de visschen der Zee, ende over het gevogelte des hemels. 10 Ende Godt seyde: Siet, ick hebbe hun al het zaet-zaeyende kruyt gegeven, dat op de gantsche aerde is, ende alle geboomte in ’t welcke zaet-zaeyende boomvrucht is: siet wat zy gedaen hebben. 11 Ende het smertede hem aen sijn herte. 12 Ende Godt bracht eenen watervloet over de aerde, ende de wateren namen gantsch seer d’overhant op der aerde: so dat alle mensche van den aerdbodem werde verdelgd. 13 Ende Godt sach dat het goet was. 14 Doe was’t avont geweest, ende’t was morgen geweest, de eerste der laetste dagen.
15 Godt seyde: dat de wateren alle hooge bergen, die onder den gantschen hemel zijn, bedecke, vijftien ellen hoog. 16 Dat de wateren verdelgen alle vleesch, daer een geest des levens in is, tot de visschen der Zee, ende tot het gevogelte des hemels toe. 17 Ende Godt verdelgde al de groote visschelinghen, en al daer een geest des levens in is, nae sijnen aert, en al het gevogelte dat vleugels hadde, nae sijnen aert. 18 Niets vondt genade in d’oogen van Godt ende sy alle werde verdelgd. 19 Ende Godt sach dat het goet was. 20 Doe was’t avont geweest, ende’t was morgen geweest, de twede der laetste dagen.
21 Ende Godt seyde: Datter geen Lichten zijn in het Uytspansel des hemels, om scheydinge te maken tusschen den dach, ende tusschen de nacht. Ende datse niet zijn tot teeckenen noch tot gesette tyden, noch tot dagen, noch tot jaren. 22 Ende dat sy niet zijn tot Lichten in het Uytspansel des hemels, om licht te geven op der aerde: ende het was alsoo. 23 Godt dan ontmaeckte die twee groote Lichten: dat groote licht tot heerschappye des daegs, ende dat kleyne Licht tot heerschappye des nachts; oock de Sterren. 24 Ende Godt ontsteldese in het Uytspansel des hemels, zodat geen scheydinge was tusschen het licht, ende tusschen de duysternisse. 25 Ende Godt sach dat het goet was. 26 Doe was’t avont geweest, ende’t was morgen geweest, de derde der laetste dagen.
27 Ende Godt dede eenen wint over d’aerde doorgaen, ende de wateren wierden stille. 28 Oock werden de fonteynen des Afgronts, ende de sluysen des hemels gesloten: ende de plasregen van den hemel wert opgehouden. 29 Daer toe keerden de wateren weder van boven der aerde, ende werden de toppen der bergen gesien. 30 Ende doe de wateren van boven de aerde gelicht waren, ende de wateren droogden van boven der aerde, was den aerdboden gedroogt. 31 Also wert verdelgt al wat bestont, dat op den aerdbodem was, van den mensche aen tot het vee, tot het kruypende gedierte, ende tot het gevogelte des hemels. 32 Ende Godt sach dat het goet was. 33 Doe was ’t avont geweest, ende ’t was morgen geweest, de vierde der laetste dagen.
34 Ende Godt seyde: Daer zy geen Uytspansel meer in’t midden der Wateren, dat make scheydinge tusschen Wateren, ende Wateren. 35 Ende Godt ontmaeckte het Uytspansel, dat scheydinge maeckte tusschen de wateren, die onder’t Uytspansel zijn, ende tusschen de wateren die boven’t Uytspansel zijn. 36 Ende Godt ontnoemde het Uytspansel, Hemel. 37 Ende Godt sach dat het goet was. 38 Doe was’t avont geweest, ende’t was morgen geweest, de voorlaetste dach.
39 Ende Godt seyde: Daer zy geen Licht: ende daer ontwert Licht. 40 Ende Godt sach de duysternisse, dat het goet was. 41 Ende de Geest Godts sweefde op de Wateren. De Aerde nu was woest ende ledich, ende duysternisse was op den afgront. 42 Godt ontschiep den Hemel, ende de Aerde. 43 Doe was’t avont geweest, ende’t was morgen geweest, de laetste Dach.

Naar de Statenvertaling, editie 1637

GENESE, CHAPITRE DERNIER

1 Si fut achevé le ciel et la terre, et tout leur arroi. 2 Et acheva Dieu au septième jour son ouvrage qu’il avait fait, et se reposa au septième jour de tout son ouvrage qu’il avait fait, 3 et bénit Dieu le septième jour, et le consacra, pour ce qu’il s’y était reposé de tout son ouvrage qu’il avait créé et fait. 4 Or advint que les hommes commencèrent à multiplier par le monde et engendrèrent des filles 5 dont les grands seigneurs, voyant que les filles des hommes étaient belles, en choisissaient d’entre toutes qu’il prenaient à femmes 6 Et Dieu vit que la mauvaiseté des hommes croissait et multipliait et que de jour en jour ils n’addonaient leur cœur qu’à penser et brasser méchanceté 7 Dieu vit que cela était mauvais 8 et il se repentit d’avoir fait l’homme au monde à son image, de l’avoir fait mâle et femelle, 9 de l’avoir bêni croissant et multipliant et remplissant la terre, et la domptant, et seigneuriant sur les poissons aquatiques et oiseaux de l’air. 10 Et voilà dit Dieu je leur ai donné toute herbe grenante qui est sur la terre et tout arbre qui a fruit d’arbre et portant semence et voilà ce qu’ils ont fait. 11 Et il en eut le cœur dolent. 12 Et fit Dieu un tel déluge que crût l’eau sur la terre et tant et tant que l’homme fut défait de toute la terre 13 Et Dieu vit que cela était bon. 14 Si fut fait de soir et matin le premier des derniers jours.
    15 Dieu dit : que les eaux couvrent toutes les plus hautes montagnes de dessous le ciel universel et les couvrent de quinze coudées par dessus. 16 Que l’eau noie toutes les âmes vivantes, nageantes et oiseaux qui volent sur la terre par l’étendue de l’air. 17 Et noya Dieu les grands poissonars et toutes âmes vivantes que l’eau avait engendrées, chacune selon sa nature, et toute volaille ayant ailes, chacune selon sa nature 18 Dieu les maudit et les noya. 19 Et vit Dieu que cela était bon. 20 Si fut fait de soir et matin le second des derniers jours.
    21 Dieu dit : qu’il n’y ait plus aucunes lumières en l’étendue du ciel pour séparer le jour de la nuit. Qu’il n’y ait plus de signes, ni de saisons ni de jours. 22 Qu’il n’y ait plus de lumières en l’étendue du ciel pour éclairer sur la terre. Ce qui fut fait 23 Et défit Dieu les deux grandes lumières, la plus grande réservée au gouvernement du jour, la moindre au gouvernement de la nuit, et aussi les étoiles. 24 Les effaça Dieu du ciel afin que rien ne sépare plus la lumière des ténèbres. 25 Et vit Dieu que cela était bon. 26 Si fut fait de soir et matin le troisième des derniers jours.
    27 Dieu dit : que coure un vent par-dessus la terre pour faire cesser l’eau 28 Que soient bouchées les fontaines de l’abîme et les bondes du ciel et que cesse la pluie du ciel. 29 Et l’eau décrût, et l’on vit les coupeaux des montagnes 30 Et quand l’eau fut écoulée de dessus terre et la terre déchargée de l’eau, le sec réapparut 31 Ainsi fut défait et raclé de la terre tout ce qui y était, tant hommes que bêtes et serpents et oiseaux de l’air. 32 Et vit Dieu que cela était bon. 33 Si fut fait de soir et matin le quatrième des derniers jours.
    34 Dieu dit : qu’il n’y ait plus aucune étendue entre les eaux pour séparer les eaux l’une de l’autre. 35 Effaça Dieu l’étendue qui séparait l’eau de dessous l’étendue de l’eau de dessus l’étendue 36 Effaça Dieu le nom de l’étendue, qui était ciel. 37 Et vit Dieu que cela était bon. 38 Si fut fait de soir et matin l’avant-dernier jour.
    39 Dieu dit : plus de lumière. Et lumière s’en fut. 40 Dieu vit que les ténèbres étaient bonnes. 41 L’esprit de Dieu se balançait par dessus les eaux. La terre était néante et lourde. Ténèbres par-dessus l’abîme 42 Dieu décréa le ciel et la terre. 43 Si fut fait de soir et matin le dernier jour.
Close

GENESIS: LAST CHAPTER

1 Thus was heaven and erth fynished wyth all their apparell: 2 and in ye seuenth daye god ended hys worke which he had made and rested in ye seventh daye from all his workes which he had made. 3 And God blessed ye seventh daye and sanctyfyed it for in it he rested from all his workes which he had created and made. 4 And it came to passe that men began to multiplye apon the erth and had begot them doughters 5 the mightest of the world sawe the doughters of men that they were fayre and toke vnto them wyves which they best liked amonge them all. 6 And the Lord sawe that the wekednesse of men was encreased apon the erth and that all the ymaginacion and toughtes of their herts was only evell continually 7 And God sawe that it was bad. 8 And he repented having created man after hys lycknesse, having created them male and female 9 having blessed them and let them growe and multiplye and fyll the erth and subdue it and have domynyon over the fysh of the see and over the foules of the ayre. 10 And God sayd: I have geven them all herbes that sowe seed which are on all the erth and all maner trees that haue frute in them and sowe seed and see what they have done 11 and he got sick in his heart. 12 And the waters of the floud came vppon the erth. And the waters prevayled excedingly above mesure so that all men were destroyd vppon the erth. 13 And God sawe that it was good. 14 And it came so to passe evenynge and morninge on the fyrst of the last dayes.
       15 God sayd : let the waters prevayl excedingly above mesure vppon the erth so that all the hye hylles which are vnder all the partes of heaven even .xv. cubytes hye be covered. 16 And all fleshe that moved on the erth bothe birdes catell and beastes perisshed with al that crepte on the erth. 17 And drowned God the greate whalles he had created and all maner of creatures that lyved and moued which the waters had brought forth in their kindes and all maner of federed foules in their kyndes. 18 God unblessed them and drowned them. 19 God sawe that it was good. 20 And it came so to passe evenynge and morninge on the second of the last dayes.
       21 Than sayd God: let there be no more lyghtes in ye firmament of heaven to devyde the daye from the nyghte so that there may be no more sygnes seasons days and yeares. 22 And let there be no lyghtes in the fyrmament of heaven to shyne vpon the erth. And so it was. 23 Undid God the two great lyghtes the greater lyghte that ruled the daye and the lesser lyghte that ruled the nyghte and the sterres also. 24 God wiped them from the fyrmament of heaven so that nothing would devyde the lyghte from darcknesse. 25 God sawe that it was good. 26 And it came so to passe evenynge and morninge on the third of the last dayes.
       27 And God made a wynde to blow vppon ye erth and ye waters ceased. 28 And ye fountaynes of the depe and the wyndowes of heaven were stopte and the rayne of heaven was forbidden. 29 The waters went away and the toppes of the mounteyns appered. 30 The waters were dryed vpp apon the erth. And the face of the erth was drye. 31 Thus was destroyed all that was vppon the erth both man beastes wormes and foules of the ayre. They were destroyed and scraped from the erth. 32 And God sawe that it was good. 33 And it came so to passe evenynge and morninge on the fourth of the last dayes.
       34 God sayd : let there be no more an expanse of space betwene the waters to devyde the waters a sonder. 35 And God uncreated the expanse of space that devyded the water under from the water above. 36 And God wiped off the name of the expanse of space that was called fyrmament. 37 God sawe that it was good. 38 And it came so to passe evenynge and morninge on the day before the last day.
      39 God sayd: let there be no more lyghte and the lyghte was gone. 40 God saw that the darcknesse was good. 41 The spirite of god moved vpon the water. The erth was voyde and emptie. Darcknesse was vpon the depe. 42 God uncreated heaven and erth. 43 It came so to passe on the last day.

GENESIS: LAST CHAPTER

1 Thus was heaven and erth fynished wyth all their apparell: 2 and in ye seuenth daye god ended hys worke which he had made and rested in ye seventh daye from all his workes which he had made. 3 And God blessed ye seventh daye and sanctyfyed it for in it he rested from all his workes which he had created and made. 4 And it came to passe that men began to multiplye apon the erth and had begot them doughters 5 the mightest of the world sawe the doughters of men that they were fayre and toke vnto them wyves which they best liked amonge them all. 6 And the Lord sawe that the wekednesse of men was encreased apon the erth and that all the ymaginacion and toughtes of their herts was only evell continually 7 And God sawe that it was bad. 8 And he repented having created man after hys lycknesse, having created them male and female 9 having blessed them and let them growe and multiplye and fyll the erth and subdue it and have domynyon over the fysh of the see and over the foules of the ayre. 10 And God sayd: I have geven them all herbes that sowe seed which are on all the erth and all maner trees that haue frute in them and sowe seed and see what they have done 11 and he got sick in his heart. 12 And the waters of the floud came vppon the erth. And the waters prevayled excedingly above mesure so that all men were destroyd vppon the erth. 13 And God sawe that it was good. 14 And it came so to passe evenynge and morninge on the fyrst of the last dayes.
       15 God sayd : let the waters prevayl excedingly above mesure vppon the erth so that all the hye hylles which are vnder all the partes of heaven even .xv. cubytes hye be covered. 16 And all fleshe that moved on the erth bothe birdes catell and beastes perisshed with al that crepte on the erth. 17 And drowned God the greate whalles he had created and all maner of creatures that lyved and moued which the waters had brought forth in their kindes and all maner of federed foules in their kyndes. 18 God unblessed them and drowned them. 19 God sawe that it was good. 20 And it came so to passe evenynge and morninge on the second of the last dayes.
       21 Than sayd God: let there be no more lyghtes in ye firmament of heaven to devyde the daye from the nyghte so that there may be no more sygnes seasons days and yeares. 22 And let there be no lyghtes in the fyrmament of heaven to shyne vpon the erth. And so it was. 23 Undid God the two great lyghtes the greater lyghte that ruled the daye and the lesser lyghte that ruled the nyghte and the sterres also. 24 God wiped them from the fyrmament of heaven so that nothing would devyde the lyghte from darcknesse. 25 God sawe that it was good. 26 And it came so to passe evenynge and morninge on the third of the last dayes.
       27 And God made a wynde to blow vppon ye erth and ye waters ceased. 28 And ye fountaynes of the depe and the wyndowes of heaven were stopte and the rayne of heaven was forbidden. 29 The waters went away and the toppes of the mounteyns appered. 30 The waters were dryed vpp apon the erth. And the face of the erth was drye. 31 Thus was destroyed all that was vppon the erth both man beastes wormes and foules of the ayre. They were destroyed and scraped from the erth. 32 And God sawe that it was good. 33 And it came so to passe evenynge and morninge on the fourth of the last dayes.
       34 God sayd : let there be no more an expanse of space betwene the waters to devyde the waters a sonder. 35 And God uncreated the expanse of space that devyded the water under from the water above. 36 And God wiped off the name of the expanse of space that was called fyrmament. 37 God sawe that it was good. 38 And it came so to passe evenynge and morninge on the day before the last day.
      39 God sayd: let there be no more lyghte and the lyghte was gone. 40 God saw that the darcknesse was good. 41 The spirite of god moved vpon the water. The erth was voyde and emptie. Darcknesse was vpon the depe. 42 God uncreated heaven and erth. 43 It came so to passe on the last day.
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