Judas Hit was upon a Scere Thosday that ure Loverd arose [It was upon a Holy Thursday that our Lord arose] Ful milde were the wordes he spec to Judas: [Full mild were the words he spoke to Judas] "Judas thou most to Jurselem, oure mete for to bugge; ["Judas, thou must go to Jerusalem to buy our food;] Thritti platen of selver thou bere upon thi rugge; [Thirty pieces of silver thou bearest upon thy back;] "Thou comest fer i the brode stret, fer i the brode strete; "Thou goest far in the broad street far in the broad street;] 2umme of thin cunesmen ther thou meiht i-mete." "Some of thy kinsmen there thou mightest meet."] Imette wid [h]is soster, the swikele wimon. [He met his sister, that wicked woman.] "Judas, thou were w[u]rthe me stende the wid ston, ["Judas, thou wert worth that people stoned thee with stones.] "Judas, thou were w[u]rthe me stende the wid ston ["Judas, thou wert worth that people stoned thee with stones,] For the false prophete that tou bilevest upon." [For the false prophet that thou believest on."] "Be stille, leve soster, thin herte the to-breke! [Be still, dear sister, may thy heart burst!] Wiste min Loverd Crist, ful wel he wolde be wreke." [If my Lord Christ knew it, full well would he be avenged."] "Judas, go thou on the roc, heie upon the ston, ["Judas, go thou on the rock, high upon the stone,] Lei thin heved i my barm, slep thou the anon." [Lay thy head in my lap, go thou to sleep."] Sone so Judas of slepe was awake, [As soon as Judas awakened from sleep,] Thritte platen of selver from hym weren i-take. [Thirty pieces of silver had been taken from him.] He drou hymselve bi the top, that al it lavede a-blode; [He pulled out his hair so that (his head) was bathed in blood.] The Jewes out of Jurselem awenden he were wode [The Jews of Jerusalem thought he was mad.] Foret hym com the riche Jeu that heihte pilatus [Toward him came the rich Jew that was called Pilate] "Wolte sulle thi Loverd that heite Jesus?" ["Wilt thou sell thy Lord that men call Jesus?"] "I nul sulle my Loverd for nones cunnes eihte, ["I will not sell my Lord for any kind of ware,] Bote hit be for the thritti platen that he me bitaihte." [Unless it be for the thirty pieces that he entrusted to me."] "Wolte sulle thi Lord Crist for enes cunnes golde?" ["Wilt thou sell thy Lord Christ for any kind of gold?"] "Nay, bote hit be for the platen that he habben wolde." ["Nay, unless it be for the (silver) pieces that he entrusted to me."] In him cum ur Lord gon, as [H]is postles setten at mete- [Our Lord came walking in as His apostles sat at table-] "Wou sitte ye, postles, ant wi nule ye ete? ["How is it that ye sit, apostles, and why will ye not eat?] "Wou sitte ye, postles, ant wi nule ye ete? ["How is it that ye sit, apostles, and why will ye not eat?] Ic am abouht ant i-sold to-day for oure mete" [I am bought and sold today for your food."] Up stod him Judas: "Lord, am I that [free]? [Up stood Judas: "Lord, am I that [man]?] I nas never o the stude ther me the evel spec." [I was never in the place where people spoke evil of thee."] Up him stod Peter, ant spec wid al [h]is mihte- [Up stood Peter, and spoke with all his strength-] "Thau Pilatus him come wid ten hundred cnihtes, ["Though Pilate himself came with ten hundred knights,] "Thau pilatus him come wid ten hundred cnihtes, ["Though Pilate himself came with ten hundred knights,] Yet ic wolde, Loverd, for thi love fihte." [Yet I would, Lord, for thy love fight"] "Stille thou be, Peter. Wel I the i-cnowe; ["Be still, Peter. Well I know thee;] Thou wolt fursake nie thrien ar the coc him crowe" ["Thou wilt forsake me thrice ere the cock crow"] Child #23 From Penguin Book of Folk Ballads Recorded about 1300 Text from Trinity College Cambridge manuscript Translation below each line SOF
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