1. THᴇ same time Iudas going downe from his brethren, turned in to a man an Odollamite,
named Hiras.
2. And he sawe there the daughter of a man of Chanaan, called Sue: and taking her to
wife, he did companie with her.
3. Who conceaued, and bare a sonne, and called his name Her.
4. And conceauing a childe againe, she called her sonne after he was borne, Onan.
5. She bare also the third: whom she called Sela, after whose birth, she ceased to
beare any more.
6. And Iudas gaue a wife to Her his first begotten, named Thamar.
7. Also Her the first begotten of Iudas, was wicked in the sight of our Lord: and was
slaine of him.
8. Iudas therfore said to Onan his sonne: companie with thy brothers wife, and be
ioyned to her, that thou mayest rayse seede to thy brother.
9. He knowing that the children should not be borne to himselfe, companying with his
brothers wife, shed his seede vpon the ground, lest children might be borne in his brothers name.
10. And therfore our Lord stroke him, because he did a detestable thing.
11. For the which cause Iudas said to Thamar his daughter in lawe: Be a widowe in thy
fathers house, til Sela my sonne growe vp: for he feared lest he also might dye, as his brethren.
Who went her way and dwelt in her fathers house.
12. And after many dayes were come and gone: the daughter of Sue the wife of Iudas died:
who after his mourning hauing receiued consolation, went vp to the shearers of his sheepe, himselfe
and Hiras his shepheard of his flocke, the Odolamite, into Thamnas.
13. And it was told Thamar that her father in law came vp into. Thamnas to sheare
his sheepe.
14. Who putting of the garments of her widowhood, tooke a veile: and changing her habite,
sate in the crosse way, that leadeth to Thamnas: because Sela was growne, and she had not taken
him to her husband.
15. Whom when Iudas had seene, he supposed her to be an harlot: for she had couered her
face, lest she should be knowen.
16. And going vnto her, he said: Suffer me to lye with thee: for he knew her not to be
his daughter in law. Who answering: What wilt thou geue me that thou maiest enioy my companie?
17. He said: I wil send thee a kid out of the flockes. And when she said againe: I wil
suffer that thou wilt, if thou geue me a pledge, til thou send that which thou doest promise;
18. Iudas said: What wilt thou to be geuen thee for a pledge? She answered: Thy ring,
and bracelet, and staffe which thou holdest in thy hand. The woman therfore by once companying
conceaued,
19. and rising she went her way: and putting of the apparel which she had taken, put
on the garments of her widowhood.
20. And Iudas sent a kid by his shephard the Odolamite, that he might receiue the pledge
againe, which he had geuen to the woman: who when he had not found her,
21. he asked the men of that place: Where is the woman that sate in the crosse way? Al
making answere: There was no harlot in this place.
22. He returned to Iudas, and said to him: I haue not found her: yea the men also of
that place said vnto me, that there neuer sate harlot there.
23. Iudas said: Let her take it to her, surely she can not charge vs with a lye, I
sent the kid which I promised: and thou didest not find her.
24. And behold after three moneths they told Iudas, saying: Thamar thy daughter in law
hath played the harlot, and her bellie semeth to swel. And Iudas said: Bring her forth
that she may be burnt.
25. Who when she was led to execution, she sent to her father in law, saying: By that
man, whose these things are, haue I conceaued: looke whose the ring is, and the bracelet, and
the staffe.
26. Who acknowledging the giftes, said: She is iuster then I: because I did not geue her
to Sela my sonne. But he knew her no more.
27. And when she was readie to be brought to bed, there appeared twinnes in her bellie:
and in the verie deliuerie of the infants, one put forth the hand, wherin the midwife tyed a
skarlet string, saying:
28. This shal come forth the former.
29. But he drawing backe his hand, the other came forth: and the woman said: Why is the
partition diuided for thee? and for this cause called his name Phares.
30. Afterward his brother came forth, in whose hand was the skarelet string: whom she
called Zara.