Here’s the next section of Exodus,
with the big show: the parting of the Red Sea (ll. 278 ff. ). Leading up
to this "green sign" (l. 280), is a fairly breathless description of
the flight of the Israelites, and the hot pursuit of the Egyptians.
Wolves
sang
165 a terrifying evening-song in expectation of food:
ruthless animals, death-bold, waited
on the track of (i.e., behind) the
enemies for the troop-force’s fall.
The border-guards bellowed in the
middle of the night;
the fated/doomed spirit fled; the troops
were attacked.
170
Sometimes proud thanes measured the mile-paths (i.e., tracks)
away from the host on the backs of
horses.
There the banner-king rode in front
with the banner, prince of men, with
the border-troop;
the battle-guardian of men fastened
on (his) war-helmet,
175 the king, (his) chin-guard—standards
flashed—
in expectation of war, rattled (his)
battle-links (i.e., chain mail),
commanded the sturdy army-platoon to
hold carefully
his select-battalion. Comrades looked
with hostile eyes on the coming of
the land-men (i.e., Egyptians).
180 Around him (i.e., Pharaoh) fearless fighters
moved,
gray/seasoned battle-wolves attacked
in a skirmish,
thirsty for fury-battle, prince-loyal (i.e., loyal to their leader).
(He) had picked out for himself from
the throng of people
two thousand glory-blessed (ones)
185 --those were kings and close-kin—
by the ancient right, dear to the
nobles:
then (he) led out each one,
every male warrior,
those that he could find at that
time.
190 The native men (i.e., Egyptians) were all
together,
kings in a corps. In that crowd,
the familiar horn often announced to
young warriors,
* the battle-force of men, where they
should carry their gear.
So the dark host brought
reinforcements there,
195 (an) enemy against (their) enemies, a
multitude of nation-troops,
in the thousands; (they) were ready
(to rush) there.
They had resolved to shatter with
swords
the tribe of Israel in the pre-dawn
among the mighty multitudes for
their brother-payment (i.e., in revenge for their brothers).
200 Therefore in the dwellings a wailing went
up,
a horrific evening-song, terrors
hovered,
slaughter-nets (i.e., corslets?)
slowed (them); then came a cry,
bold speeches flew. The foe was
single-minded/resolute,
the host was war-bright, until a
mighty angel,
205 he who looked on the multitudes, pushed
apart the proud ones,
so that the enemies there no longer
could
see together among themselves:
(their) path was divided.
The fugitive (lit., one forced to
travel) had a night-long space
although furious enemies lay in wait
on either side:
210 (whether) troops or the sea-stream; they
had no other way out.
(They) were despairing of (their)
homeland-right (i.e., their rightful homeland),
sat (down) along the hills in bright
clothes,
expecting woes; watching, all that kin-troop
awaited, gathered together
215 the greater force until Moses ordered
the earls at twilight with brass
bugles,
the people to gather, the bold
(ones) to rise up,
to take their corslets (lit., links),
to think on courage,
to bear bright equipment, to summon
with standards
220 the troop near the sand. Swiftly the guards
remembered (their) war-song—the host
was ready—
dashed over the hills—heard bugles—
the sailors to the tents (lit.,
field-houses): the army was in haste.
Then they amassed (lit., counted)
against that malice-hate (i.e., malicious hatred)
225 twelve
foot-patrols/tribes of (men) brave at heart
in the advancing army; the force was
stirred up.
There was in each one of the noble tribes
fifty choice platoons in folk-number
(i.e., in number)
with shields selected from the
armies of the people.
230 Each of the choice platoons of this famous
host
of spear-bearers, war-makers,
had, all told, ten hundred
glory-blessed (ones):
that was a warlike host. The weak
did not attack
in that soldier-count of army leaders,
235 --those who might not yet because of
(their) youth
protect the chest-net (i.e.,
corslet) of men
from the enemy’s arrow behind
board-shields
nor had they (yet) experienced a
harm-wound for themselves
over the shield’s rim, the mark of a
body-cut,
240 in the glory-sport (i.e., battle) of spears.
The old were not allowed,
grizzled battle-warriors, to thrive
(i.e., participate) in war
if (their) strength diminished in
the courage-heap (i.e., troop),
but the war-band was chosen for
(their) prowess,
how they would accomplish for the
nation
245 (their) courage with honor, also (how) by
the skill of their strength
(they) could handle the grip of the spear-shaft.
??
Then the army of hand-brave (ones)
was gathered,
ready for the forward-path (i.e.,
attack). The banner travelled up,
the brightest of beams; then all (of
them) waited still
250 for (the moment) when the journey-messenger
near the sea-streams,
light over the shields, would
break/pierce the air-roof.??
The war-caller (herald) then leapt
up before the heroes
the bold battle-announcer, heaved up
his shield
ordered the folk-commanders in the
army to be quiet
255 as long as they listened to the brave man’s
decree.
The shepherd of the kingdom wanted
to speak
over the best in battle with a holy
voice,
the leader of the hosts spoke with
honor-memory (i.e., honor):
“Do not be the more afraid, although
Pharaoh has brought
260 against you vast armies of sword –fighters,
a countless number of earls. To all
of them
the mighty Lord will, by my hand,
pay them back for (their)
deed-damages on this day.
so that they might live no longer
265 to thrash the tribe of Israel with troubles.
Do not fear the dead foot-troops,
(their) doomed soul-containers
(i.e., bodies): the time is at end
for their fleeting (lit., loaned)
lives. The teaching of God
has been pulled out of your hearts. I will give you better advice:
270 that you should honor the Prince of glory
and ask the Life-Lord for delights
for yourselves,
the salvation of victories, wherever
you may travel.
It is the eternal God of Abraham,
the Lord of first-creation, who
protects this army,
275 heroic and power-brave, with His great
hand.”
The Prince of the living lifted up
a loud voice when he spoke to the
peoples:
“What you now look on with (your)
eyes,
most precious of peoples, (is) a
sudden-miracle
280 how I myself and this right hand struck
the depths of the sea with a green
(i.e., growing?) sign.
A wave travels up, the water quickly
works (itself) into a wall-fortress.
The ways/paths are (now) dry,
the glistening war-streets, the
ocean opened up,
285 (its) ancient foundations, on which I have
not heard
men over middle-earth ever to have
traveled,
mottled fields, which afterwards
waves have covered over for all
eternity,
the sealed over sea-floor. A
south-wind drove away
290 the bath-way’s (i.e., the sea’s) blasting;
the brine was ripped off;
the sea-retreat spat up sand. I know the truth for certain,
that mighty God has made known to
you his mercy,
you ancient-happy (i.e., blessed as
of old) earls! Urgency/haste is best
that you get out of the grip of
enemies
295 now that the Possessor has piled up
the red streams into a shield-refuge
(i.e., protecting barrier).
The fore-walls are then built up,
amazing wave-passage, up to the
clouds’ roof.”
After these words all the throng arose,
300 that force of courageous (ones); the sea
waited quietly.
Battle-select (ones) raised white linden-shields
banners in the sand. The sea-wall
climbed high,
stood vertical next to the
Israelites
for
the period of a day. The troop of earls was
305 of
one mind [….]
They
kept the peace-agreement in a firm embrace:
not
at all did they hate the holy (one’s) teaching
when
the beloved (one’s) melody, near the (moment) of action,
the
sound and the harmony of (his) song grew stronger.
310 Then the fourth tribe went first,
waded
into the wave-stream, warriors in a throng,
over
the green ground. A foot-soldier of Judah,
(walked)
in a hurry (over) the strange pathway
before
his close-kin. So mighty God
315 paid
him a vast reward for his day-work,
afterwards
granted him the triumph of victory-deeds,
that
he would have authority
over
the royal-kingdom, the riches of (his) family-kin/knee-kin.
They had erected a beacon for themselves
as a banner/sign
320 when
they climbed into the sea, over the shield-wall
into
the spear-throng, the greatest of troop-folk:
a
golden lion, the fiercest of beasts.
They did not wish to endure for long
any humiliation by the side of their
army-leader (i.e. Judah), while still alive,
325 when they raised up their spear-shafts for
battle
against any nation. A storm was
starting (lit., in its beginning)
hard hand-sport; (there were) brave
boy-soldiers
warriors unafraid of the death-blows
of weapons,
bloody sword-swaths, the onrush of
the battle-force,
330 !!grinding of grim-helmets!!, wherever
Judah went.
Behind the army a boat-crew, Reuben’s sons,
showed their bravery: the
sea-vikings bore
shields over the salt marsh,
a multitude of men, a vast
counter-army
335 advanced unafraid. He (i.e., Ruben) had
destroyed (lit., put to sleep)
his authority/rule with sins so that
later he went
behind the loved one (i.e., Judah)--his
noble brother
had taken away from him the right of
the first born
in land-sharing, wealth and nobility;
for all that, though, he was not a coward.
340
The sons of Simeon set off after them
with battalions of people, came with
platoons,
the third folk-force (banners fluttered
over that spear-procession), the
battle-select pressed on,
their spear-shafts moist (with
sweat). Morning-sounds came
345 over the sea, a certain one of God’s
beacons,
a sea-bright morning. The men went forward.
Then one folk-troop advanced there after the other
in iron-armies. One (man) guided
the greatest of might-glories/hosts—for
that he became famous—
350 onto the forward-paths, the people after
the cloud(pillar),
tribe after tribe. Each (clan) recognized
the right of descent (lit.,
kin-city), as Moses taught them,
the lineage of earls. They had one
father,
beloved folk-prince, (his)
land-rights flourished,
355 old/wise in spirit, dear to (his)
noble-kinsmen.
He brought forth a nation (lit.,
knee-kin) of fierce men,
a holy people, that very
high-father,
the tribe of the Israelites, “the
upright of God,”
so that ancient (ones) with skill
reckon (him to be),
360 those who had heard most about lineages
(lit., kin-city),
the origin of souls, of every
father-line.
Noah floated over the fresh floods,
glory-firm prince, with his three
sons,
(over) the deepest of
drowning-floods
365 which (ever) occurred in this
world-kingdom.
He had in his heart holy faith;
for that reason he led over the
sea-streams
the greatest of treasure-hoards, to
my knowledge.
(He) had in life-protection all
earth-kind
370 in the world, the everlasting survivors,
the first-generation of each, father
and mother
of those brood-producing (ones). The
wise seafarer
counted up by number more diverse
(creatures)
than men know. (Those) warriors also transported
375 every seed in the embrace (i.e., hold) of
their ship
which heroes under the heavens make
use of.
Thus with words wise men say this:
that Abraham’s father in the
folk-line
was ninth from Noah.
380 That is the Abraham for whom the God of
angels
made a new name; also near and far
He gave into his holding holy
troops,
authority over warrior-nations. In
exile he lived his days.
Then he led the most lovely of
living souls
385 at the Holy (one’s) behest; (they) climbed
up to high land,
those close-kinsmen, onto the cliff/mountain
of Zion.
