The Sibyl · a new plain-English translation from the original language
The Most High appeared, and again he cried out and spoke:
"Now the time is come, Noah, to declare each thing,
all that on that day I promised you and pledged,
all the countless evils that generations before have wrought,
to do to the boundless world because of a disobedient people.
But quickly go aboard with your sons and your wife
and your daughters-in-law. And call, as many as I bid you summon,
the tribes of four-footed beasts, and creeping things, and birds.
Into their breasts I myself will afterward cast
the willing impulse to come, as many as I ordain to live."
So he spoke; and Noah went, and cried out greatly and spoke.
And then in turn his wife and his sons and his daughters-in-law
entered into the house of timber; and thereafter
the rest went in, each kind, all that god willed to bring to pass.
But when the fitted bolt was set about the lid,
joined crosswise into the smooth-planed wall,
then indeed the counsel of the heavenly god was accomplished.
He gathered the clouds together, and hid the fire-bright disk,
and with the stars the moon, and heaven's crown of light,
and wrapping all things round he thundered greatly, a terror to mortals,
sending storm-blasts; and the winds rose up together,
all of them, and every vein of the waters was loosed,
as the great cataracts of heaven were opened wide,
and from the hidden depths of earth and the tireless abyss
countless waters appeared, and the earth was covered,
the whole boundless earth. And upon the flood there floated
the god-fashioned house; and by many raging waves
buffeted, and swimming beneath the gusts of the winds,
it was driven in terror; its keel cut through boundless foam
of the stirred waters as they rushed and roared.
But when god had drowned the whole world with rains,
then in turn he put it into Noah's mind, that he might look forth
to see the will of the immortal, and behold the flood's abating,
swiftly he opened the lid from the smooth-planed wall,
skillfully fitted with joints set opposite each other.
And seeing the great multitude of boundless waters
everywhere before his eyes, appearing to be seen,
terror seized him and shook his heart greatly. And then the air,
having drawn in a little, since for many days it had labored
drenching the whole world, then, toward evening, pale and wan,
showed the great blood-red vault and the fire-bright disk
worn out and weary; and scarcely did Noah regain his courage.
And then, setting apart a raven alone,
he sent it forth, that he might know in his mind whether the earth
yet appeared solid. But it, wearying its wings,
flying about everywhere, turned back again; for the water
had not yet abated, for it had filled every place completely.
But he, waiting quietly, again after some days sent forth a dove
once more, that he might know whether the great waters had ceased.
And she, on the wing, flew forth, and went out over the earth,