“When many haughty Egyptians shall gaze with their eyes upon thy countenance, then should the nobly- 1825 born chieftains suppose, O woman fair as a goddess, that thou art my bright bed-fellow whom some one of the warriors will wish to have for himself, then I may well fear for myself lest some one of my foes may deprive 1830 me of life with the edge of his sword by reason of his amorous desire.  Say then, Sarra, that thou art my sister, my blood-relation, when the strange men ask thee what degree of familiarity may exist between us 1835 two foreigners, who come from so far away:  hold fast true speech from them, and thus thou shalt preserve my life,—­if the Lord of Peace, our Almighty Ruler, grant me longer life in this world, as he did before, who 1840 ordained these travels for us in order that we might seek aid and secure sustenance for ourselves in Egipt.”

Thereupon Abraham, the vigorous leader, proceeded 1845 with his possessions into Egypt, where the people were strange to him, and friends unknown.  Many haughty men spoke of the beauty of his wife in their remarks, men distinguished by their wealth:  to many high-spirited 1850 men, vassals of the king, his wife seemed noble in counte-nance.  They brought the news to their liege-lord, and[22] few women did they repute fairer before the king, but they lauded exceedingly Sarra’s countenance for its 1855 great beauty, until he bade them bring the lovely woman to his own hall.  The ruler of the people and chief of the nobles bade them enrich Abraham with treasures.  But the Lord God became aggrieved and incensed against 1860 Farao for his love of the woman:  the joy of his house-hold[23] bore this wrath hardly with his intimates.  How-ever, the ruler of the people perceived what the Lord was sending upon him for punishment:  urged on by 1865 fear, the king of Egipt called Abraham to him and gave him his bride, [returned] his wife into his keeping, bade him seek friends elsewhere, noblemen of another race.  Then the ruler of the country ordered his vassals and 1870 ministers to escort him out of their land again, honor-ably, uninjured in any respect, so that he might be in peace.

Then Abraham took [all his] possessions out of the country of Egypt:  these worthy heroes took their wives, 1875 both brides and rings, while they brought their flocks to Bethlem, a familiar dwelling-place, [brought] their womenfolk and treasures and their worldly goods. 1880 Then they began to build there, and to erect their city and settle their homes, and renew their prosperity.  The men built an altar in the meadows near the one that Abraham had formerly reared to his Lord, when he came to this western land:  there the fortunate man 1885 exalted the Name of the Eternal Lord once more; the high-minded ruler offered sacrifice to the King of the Angels, thanked exceedingly the Source of Light and Life for his happiness and honor.