First Book of Adam and Eve Part 4

2 And when they saw the light returned to them, they retrained from fear, and strengthened their hearts.

3 Then Adam began to come out of the cave. And when he came to the mouth of it, and stood and turned his face towards the east, and saw the sunrise in glowing rays, and felt the heat thereof on his body, he was afraid of it, and thought in his heart that this flame came forth to plague him.

4 He then cried and beat his chest, then he fell on the ground on his face and made his request, saying:--

5 "O Lord, plague me not, neither consume me, nor yet take away my life from the earth."

6 For he thought the sun was G.o.d.

7 Because while he was in the garden and heard the voice of G.o.d and the sound He made in the garden, and feared Him, Adam never saw the brilliant light of the sun, neither did its flaming heat touch his body.

8 Therefore he was afraid of the sun when flaming rays of it reached him. He thought G.o.d meant to plague him therewith all the days He had decreed for him.

9 For Adam also said in his thoughts, as G.o.d did not plague us with darkness, behold, He has caused this sun to rise and to plague us with burning heat.

10 But while he was thinking like this in his heart, the Word of G.o.d came to him and said:--

11 "O Adam, get up on your feet. This sun is not G.o.d; but it has been created to give light by day, of which I spoke to you in the cave saying, 'that the dawn would come, and there would be light by day.'

12 But I am G.o.d who comforted you in the night."

13 And G.o.d ceased to commune with Adam.

Chapter XVII - The Chapter of the Serpent.

1 The Adam and Eve came out at the mouth of the cave, and went towards the garden.

2 But as they went near it, before the western gate, from which Satan came when he deceived Adam and Eve, they found the serpent that became Satan coming at the gate, and sorrowfully licking the dust, and wiggling on its breast on the ground, by reason of the curse that fell on it from G.o.d.

3 And whereas before the serpent was the most exalted of all beasts, now it was changed and become slippery, and the meanest of them all, and it crept on its breast and went on its belly.

4 And whereas it was the fairest of all beasts, it had been changed, and was become the ugliest of them all. Instead of feeding on the best food, now it turned to eat the dust. Instead of living, as before, in the best places, now it lived in the dust.

5 And, whereas it had been the most beautiful of all beasts, all of which stood dumb at its beauty, it was now abhorred of them.

6 And, again, whereas it lived in one beautiful home, to which all other animals came from elsewhere; and where it drank, they drank also of the same; now, after it had become venomous, by reason of G.o.d's curse, all beasts fled from its home, and would not drink of the water it drank; but fled from it.

Chapter XVIII - The mortal combat with the serpent.

1 When the accursed serpent saw Adam and Eve, it swelled its head, stood on its tail, and with eyes blood-red, acted like it would kill them.

2 It made straight for Eve, and ran after her; while Adam standing by, cried because he had no stick in his hand with which to hit the serpent, and did not know how to put it to death.

3 But with a heart burning for Eve, Adam approached the serpent, and held it by the tail; when it turned towards him and said to him:--

4 "O Adam, because of you and of Eve, I am slippery, and go on my belly." Then with its great strength, it threw down Adam and Eve and squeezed them, and tried to kill them.

5 But G.o.d sent an angel who threw the serpent away from them, and raised them up.

6 Then the Word of G.o.d came to the serpent, and said to it, "The first time I made you slick, and made you to go on your belly; but I did not deprive you of speech.

7 This time, however, you will be mute, and you and your race will speak no more; because, the first time My creatures were ruined because of you, and this time you tried to kill them."

8 Then the serpent was struck mute, and was no longer able to speak.

9 And a wind blew down from heaven by the command of G.o.d and carried away the serpent from Adam and Eve, and threw it on the seash.o.r.e where it landed in India.

Chapter XIX - Beasts made subject to Adam.

1 But Adam and Eve cried before G.o.d. And Adam said to Him:--

2 "O Lord, when I was in the cave, I said this to you, my Lord, the beasts of the field would rise and devour me, and cut off my life from the earth."

3 Then Adam, because of what had happened to him, beat his chest and fell on the ground like a corpse. Then the Word of G.o.d came to him, who raised him, and said to him,

4 "O Adam, not one of these beasts will be able to hurt you; because I have made the beasts and other moving things come to you in the cave.

I did not let the serpent come with them because it might have risen against you and made you tremble; and the fear of it should fall into your hearts.

5 For I knew that the accursed one is wicked; therefore I would not let it come near you with the other beasts.

6 But now strengthen your heart and fear not. I am with you to the end of the days I have determined on you."

Chapter XX - Adam wishes to protect Eve.

1 Then Adam cried and said, "O G.o.d, take us away to some other place, where the serpent can not come near us again, and rise against us. For fear that it might find Your handmaid Eve alone and kill her; for its eyes are hideous and evil."

2 But G.o.d said to Adam and Eve, "From now on, don't be afraid, I will not let it come near you; I have driven it away from you, from this mountain; neither will I leave in it the ability to hurt you."

3 Then Adam and Eve wors.h.i.+pped before G.o.d and gave Him thanks, and praised Him for having delivered them from death.

Chapter XXI - Adam and Eve attempt suicide.

1 Then Adam and Eve went in search of the garden.