 Chapter 51 through 60 of the first book of Adam and Eve. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Anne Boulet. The first book of Adam and Eve, translated by Rutherford Hayes Platt. Chapters 51 through 60. Chapter 51. What is his beauty that you should have followed him? When Adam heard these words from God, he took Eve and went from the northern end of the garden to the south of it, by the river of water where they once fasted. But as they were going on their way and before they got there, Satan, the wicked one, had heard the word of God communing with Adam respecting his covering. It grieved him and he hastened to the place where the sheepskins were, with the intention of taking them and throwing them into the sea, or of burning them with fire, so that Adam and Eve would not find them. But as he was about to take them, the word of God came from heaven, and bound him by the side of those skins until Adam and Eve came near him. But as they got closer to him, they were afraid of him and of his hideous look. Then came the word of God to Adam and Eve and said to them, This is he who was hidden in the serpent and who deceived you and stripped you of the garment of light and glory in which you were. This is he who promised you majesty and divinity. Where then is the beauty that was on him? Where is his divinity? Where is his light? Where is the glory that rested on him? Now his figure is hideous, he has become abominable among angels, and he has come to be called Satan. Oh Adam, he wished to take from you this earthly garment of sheepskins and to destroy it, and not let you be covered with it. What then is his beauty that you should have followed him? And what have you gained by obeying him? See his evil works, and then look at me, at me your creator, and at the good deeds I do you. See I bound him until you came and saw him and beheld his weakness, that no power is left with him. And God released him from his bonds. Chapter 52 Adam and Eve sewed the first shirt. After this Adam and Eve said no more, but cried before God on account of their creation and of their bodies that required an earthly covering. Then Adam said to Eve, Oh Eve, this is the skin of beasts with which we shall be covered, but when we put it on, behold, we shall be wearing a token of death on our bodies, just as the owners of these skins have died and have wasted away. So also shall we die and pass away. Then Adam and Eve took the skins and went back to the cave of treasures, and when in it they stood and prayed as they were accustomed, and they thought of how they could make garments of those skins, for they had no skill for it. Then God sent to them his angel to show them how to work it out, and the angel said to Adam, Go forth and bring some palm thorns. Then Adam went out and brought some, as the angel had commanded him. Then the angel began before them to work out the skins, after the manner of one who prepares a shirt. He took the thorns and stuck them into the skins before their eyes. Then the angel again stood up and prayed God that the thorns in those skins should be hidden, so as to be, as it were, sewn with one thread. And so it was by God's order. They became garments for Adam and Eve, and he clothed them therewith. From that time the nakedness of their bodies was covered from the sight of each other's eyes. And this happened at the end of the fifty-first day. Then when Adam and Eve's bodies were covered, they stood and prayed, and sought mercy of the Lord and forgiveness, and gave him thanks for that. He had had mercy on them, and had covered their nakedness, and they ceased not from prayer the whole of that night. Then when the morning dawned at the rising of the sun, they said their prayers after their custom, and then went out of the cave. And Adam said to Eve, Since we don't know what is there to the west of this cave, let us go out and see it today. Then they came forth and went toward the western border. Chapter 53 The Prophecy of the Western Lands and of the Great Flood They were not very far from the cave when Satan came towards them and hid himself between them and the cave, under the form of two ravenous lions three days without food, that came towards Adam and Eve as if to break them into pieces and devour them. Then Adam and Eve cried and prayed to God to deliver them from their pause. Then the word of God came to them and drove away the lions from them. And God said to Adam, Oh Adam, what do you seek on the western border, and why have you left of thine own accord the eastern border in which was your living place? Now then, turn back to your cave and remain in it. So that Satan won't deceive you or work his purpose over you. For in this western border, oh Adam, there will go from you a descendant that shall replenish it, and that will defile themselves with their sins and with their yielding to the commands of Satan and by following his works. Therefore I will bring over them the waters of a flood and overwhelm them all. But I will deliver what is left of the righteous among them and I will bring them to a distant land, and the land in which you live now shall remain desolate and without one inhabitant in it. After God had spoke thus to them, they went back to the cave of treasures, but their flesh was dried up, and they were weak from fasting and praying, and from the sorrow they felt at having trespassed against God. Chapter 54. Adam and Eve go exploring. Then Adam and Eve stood up in the cave and prayed the whole of that night until the morning dawned. And when the sun was risen they both went out of the cave, their heads were wandering from heaviness of sorrow and they didn't know where they were going. And they walked in that condition to the southern border of the garden, and they began to go up that border until they came to the eastern border beyond which there was no more land. And the cherub, who guarded the garden, was standing at the western gate and guarding it against Adam and Eve, lest they should suddenly come into the garden. And the cherub turned around, as if to put them to death, according to the commandment God had given him. When Adam and Eve came to the eastern border of the garden, thinking in their hearts that the cherub was not watching, as they were standing by the gate as if wishing to go in, suddenly came the cherub with a flashing sort of fire in his hand, and when he saw them, he went forth to kill them. For he was afraid that God would destroy him if they went into the garden without his order. And the sword of the cherub seemed to shoot flames a distance away from it. But when he raised it over Adam and Eve, the flame of the sword did not flash forth. Therefore the cherub thought that God was favorable to them and was bringing them back into the garden, and the cherub stood wondering. He could not go up to heaven to determine God's order regarding their getting into the garden. He therefore continued to stand by them, unable as he was to part from them. For he was afraid that if they should enter the garden without permission, God would destroy him. When Adam and Eve saw the cherub coming towards them with a flaming sort of fire in his hand, they fell on their faces from fear and were as dead. At that time the heavens and the earth shook, and another cherub came down from heaven to the cherub who guarded the garden, and saw him amazed and silent. Then again other angels came down close to the place where Adam and Eve were. They were divided between joy and sorrow. They were glad because they thought that God was favorable to Adam and wished him to return to the garden, and wished to restore him to the gladness he once enjoyed. But they sorrowed over Adam because he was fallen like a dead man, he and Eve. And they said in their thoughts, Adam has not died in this place, but God has put him to death for his having come to this place and wishing to get into the garden without his permission. Chapter 55 The Conflict between God and Satan. Then came the Word of God to Adam and Eve and raised them from their dead state, saying to them, Why did you come up here? Do you intend to go into the garden, from which I brought you out? It cannot be today, but only when the covenant I have made with you is fulfilled. Then Adam, when he heard the Word of God, and the fluttering of the angels whom he did not see, but only heard the sound of them with his ears, he and Eve cried and said to the angels, Oh, spirits, who wait on God, look at me, and that my being unable to see you. For when I was in my former bright nature, then I could see you. I sang praises as you do, and my heart was far above you. But now that I have transgressed, that bright nature is gone from me, and I am come to this miserable state. And now I have come to this, that I cannot see you, and you do not serve me like you used to, for I have become animal flesh. Yet now, O angels of God, ask God with me, to restore me to that wherein I was formerly, to rescue me from this misery, and to remove from me the sentence of death he passed on me for having trespassed against him. Then when the angels heard these words, they all grieved over him, and cursed Satan who had misled Adam, until he came from the garden to misery, from life to death, from peace to trouble, and from gladness to a strange land. Then the angels said to Adam, You obeyed Satan and ignored the word of God who created you, and you believe that Satan would fulfill all he had promised. But now, O Adam, we will make known to you what came over us through him before his fall from heaven. He gathered together his hosts and deceived them, promising to give them a great kingdom, a divine nature, and other promises he made them. His hosts believed that his word was true, so they yielded to him and renounced the glory of God. Then he sent for us, according to the orders in which we were, to come under his command, and to accept his vain promise. But we would not, and we did not take his advice. Then after he had fought with God, and had dealt forwardly with him, he gathered together his hosts, and made war with us. And if it had not been for God's strength that was with us, we could not have prevailed against him to hurl him from heaven. But when he fell from among us, there was great joy in heaven, because of his going down from us. For if he had remained in heaven, nothing, not even one angel, would have remained in it. But God in his mercy drove him from among us to this dark earth, for he had become darkness itself and a worker of unrighteousness. And he has continued, O Adam, to make war against you, until he tricked you and made you come out of the garden to this strange land, where all these trials have come to you. And death, which God brought to him, he has also brought to you, O Adam, because you obeyed him and trespassed against God. Then all the angels rejoiced and praised God, and asked him not to destroy Adam this time, for his having sought to enter the garden, but to bear with him until the fulfillment of the promise, and to help him in this world until he was free from Satan's hand. Chapter 56 A Chapter of Divine Comfort Then came the word of God to Adam and said to him, O Adam, look at that garden of joy and at this earth of toil, and behold the garden is full of angels, but look at yourself alone on this earth with Satan whom you obeyed. Yet if you had submitted and been obedient to me, and had kept my word, you would be with my angels in my garden. But when you transgressed and obeyed Satan, you became his guests among his angels that were full of wickedness, and you came to this earth that brings forth to you thorns and thistles. O Adam, ask him who deceived you to give you the divine nature he promised you, or to make you a garden as I had made for you, or to fill you with the same bright nature with which I had filled you. Ask him to make you a body like the one I made you, or to give you a day of rest as I gave you, or to create within you a reasonable soul as I created for you, or to take you from here to some other earth than this one which I gave you. But O Adam, he will not fulfill even one of these things he told you. Acknowledge then my favor towards you and my mercy on you, my creature, that I have not avenged you for your transgression against me, but in my pity for you I have promised you that at the end of the great five and a half days I will come and save you. Then God said again to Adam and Eve, Get up, go down from here, before the cherub with the sword of fire in his hand destroys you. But Adam's heart was comforted by God's words to him, and he worshipped before him. And God commanded his angels to escort Adam and Eve to the cave with joy, instead of the fear that had come over them. Then the angels took up Adam and Eve and brought them down from the mountain by the garden, with songs and songs, until they arrived at the cave. Here the angels began to comfort and to strengthen them, and then departed from them towards heaven to their Creator, who had sent them. But after the angels had departed from Adam and Eve, Satan came with shame-faceness and stood at the entrance of the cave in which were Adam and Eve. He then called to Adam and said, Oh Adam, come, let me speak to you. Then Adam came out of the cave, thinking he was one of God's angels that was come to give him some good counsel. After fifty-seven, therefore I fell. But when Adam came out and saw his hideous figure, he was afraid of him and said to him, Who are you? Then Satan answered and said to him, It is I who hid myself within the serpent, and who spoke to Eve, and who enticed her until she obeyed my command. I am he who sent her, using my deceitful speech, to deceive you, until you both ate of the fruit of the tree and abandoned the command of God. But when Adam heard these words from him, he said to him, Can you make me a garden as God made for me? Or can you clothe me in the same bright nature in which God had clothed me? Where is the divine nature you promised to give me? Where is that slick speech of yours that you had with us at first when we were in the garden? Then Satan said to Adam, Do you think that when I have promised once something that I would actually deliver to him or fulfill my word? Of course not. For I myself have never even thought of obtaining what I promised. Therefore I fell, and I made you fall by that for which I myself fell, and with you also, whosoever accepts my counsel, falls thereby. But now, O Adam, because you fell, you are under my rule, and I am king over you, because you have obeyed me and have transgressed against your God. Neither will there be any deliverance from my hands until the day promised you by your God. And again, he said, Because we do not know the day agreed upon with you by your God, nor the hour in which you shall be delivered, for that reason we will multiply war and murder on you and your descendants after you. This is our will and our good pleasure that we may not leave one of the sons of men to inherit our orders in heaven. For as to our home, O Adam, it is in burning fire, and we will not stop our evil doing. No, not one day, nor one hour. And I, O Adam, shall set you on fire when you come into the cave to live there. When Adam heard these words, he cried and mourned and said to Eve, Hear what he said, that he won't fulfill any of what he told you in the garden. Did he really then become king over us? But we will ask God who created us to deliver us out of his hands. Chapter 58, about sunset on the 53rd day, then Adam and Eve spread their hands before God, praying and begging him to drive Satan away from them so that he can't harm them or force them to deny God. Then God sent to them at once his angel, who drove away Satan from them. This happened about sunset on the 53rd day after they had come out of the garden. Then Adam and Eve went into the cave and stood up and turned their faces to the ground to pray to God. But before they prayed, Adam said to Eve, Look, you have seen what temptations have befallen us in this land. Come, let us get up and ask God to forgive us the sins we have committed. And we will not come out until the end of the day next to the 40th. And if we die in here, he will save us. Then Adam and Eve got up and joined together in entreating God. They continued praying like this in the cave. Neither did they come out of it by night or by day until their prayers went up out of their mouths like a flame of fire. Chapter 59, 8th apparition of Satan to Adam and Eve. But Satan, the hater of all good, did not allow them to finish their prayers, for he called to his hosts and they came, all of them. Then he said to them, Since Adam and Eve, whom we deceived, have agreed together to pray to God night and day and to beg him to deliver them. And since they will not come out of the cave until the end of the 40th day. And since they will continue their prayers as they have both agreed to, that he will deliver them out of our hands and restore them to their former state. See what we shall do to them. And his host said to him, Power is thine, O our Lord, to do what you list. Then Satan, great in wickedness, took his hosts and came into the cave in the 30th night of the 40 days and won. And he beat Adam and Eve until he left them dead. Then came the word of God to Adam and Eve, who raised them from their suffering. And God said to Adam, Be strong and be not afraid of him who has just come to you. But Adam cried and said, Where were you, oh my God, that they should punish me with such blows and that this suffering should come over us, over me and over Eve, your handmaiden. Then God said to him, Oh, Adam, see, he is Lord and master of all you have. He who said he would give you divinity. Where is this love for you? And where is the gift he promised? Did it please him just once, oh, Adam, to come to you, comfort you, strengthen you, rejoice with you, or send his host to protect you because you have obeyed him and have yielded to his counsel and have followed his commandment and transgress mine. Then Adam cried before the Lord and said, Oh, Lord, because I transgressed a little, you have severely punished me in return for it. I ask you to deliver me out of his hands or else have pity on me and take my soul out of my body now in this strange land. Then God said to Adam, if only there had been this sighing and praying before, before you transgressed, then would you have rest from the trouble in which you are now. But God was patient with Adam and let him and Eve remain in the cave until they had fulfilled the 40 days. But as to Adam and Eve, their strength and flesh withered from fasting and praying, from hunger and thirst, for they had not tasted either food or drink since they left the garden, nor were the functions of their bodies yet settled, and they had no strength left to continue in prayer from hunger until the end of the next day to the 40th. They were fallen down in the cave, yet what speech escaped from their mouths was only in praises. Chapter 60 The devil appears like an old man. He offers a place of rest. Then on the 89th day Satan came to the cave, clad in a garment of light, and girt about with a bright girdle. In his hands was a staff of light, and he looked most awful, but his face was pleasant and his speech was sweet. He thus transformed himself in order to deceive Adam and Eve and to make them come out of the cave before they had fulfilled the 40 days. For he said within himself, now that when they had fulfilled the 40 days of fasting and praying, God would restore them to their former state. But if he did not do so, he would still be favorable to them, and even if he had not mercy on them, he would yet give them something from the garden to comfort them as already twice before. Then Satan drew near the cave in this fair appearance and said, oh, Adam, get up, stand up, you and Eve, and come along with me to a good land. And don't be afraid. I am flesh and bones like you. And at first I was a creature that God created. And it was so that when he had created me, he placed me in a garden in the north, on the border of the world. And he said to me, stay here. And I remained there according to his word. Neither did I transgress his commandment. Then he made slumber to come over me, and he brought you, oh, Adam, out of my side, but did not make you stay with me. But God took you in his divine hand and placed you in a garden to the eastward. Then I worried about you. For that while God had taken you out of my side, he had not let you stay with me. But God said to me, don't worry about Adam, whom I brought out of your side. No harm will come to him. For now I have brought out of his side a help meat for him. Footnote, the existence of the two words help meat and help mate, meaning exactly the same thing, is a comedy of errors. God's promise to Adam, as rendered in the King James Version of the Bible, was to give him a help meat for him, that is, a helper fit for him. In the 17th century, the two words help and meat, in this passage, were mistaken for one word, applying to Eve. And thus help meat came to mean a wife. Then in the 18th century, in a misguided attempt to make sense of the word, the spelling help mate was introduced. Both errors are now beyond recall, and both spellings are acceptable. And footnote, and I have given him joy by so doing. Then Satan said again, I did not know how it is you are in this cave, nor anything about this trial that has come over you, until God said to me, behold, Adam has transgressed, he whom I have taken out of your side, and Eve, too, whom I took out of his side. And I have driven them out of the garden. I have made them live in a land of sorrow and misery, because they transgress against me and have obeyed Satan. And look, they are in suffering until this day, the 80th. Then God said to me, get up and go to them, and make them come to your place, and suffer not that Satan come near them and afflict them, for they are now in great misery, and lie helpless from hunger. He further said to me, when you have taken them to yourself, give them to eat of the fruit of the tree of life, and give them to drink of the water of peace, and clothe them in a garment of light, and restore them to their former state of grace, and leave them not in misery, for they came from you, but grieve not over them, nor repent of that which has come over them. But when I heard this, I was sorry, and my heart could not patiently bear it for your sake, oh my child. But, oh Adam, when I heard the name of Satan, I was afraid, and I said within myself, I will not come out because he might trap me as he did my children, Adam and Eve. And I said, oh God, when I go to my children, Satan will meet me in the way and war against me as he did against them. Then God said to me, fear not when you find him, hit him with the staff that is in nine hand, and be not afraid of him, for you are of old standing, and he will not prevail against you. Then I said, oh my Lord, I am old and cannot go, send your angels to bring them. But God said to me, angels verily are not like them, and they will not consent to come with them. But I have chosen you because they are your offspring and are like you, and they will listen to what you say. And God further said to me, if you don't have enough strength to walk, I will send a cloud to carry you and set you down at the entrance of their cave, then the cloud will return and leave you there. And if they will come with you, I will send a cloud to carry you and them. Then he commanded a cloud, and it bear me up and brought me to you, and then went back. And now, oh my children, Adam and Eve, look at my gray hair and at my feeble state, and at my coming from that distant place. Come, come with me to a place of rest. Then he began to cry and to sob before Adam and Eve, and his tears poured on the ground like water. And when Adam and Eve raised their eyes and saw his beard and heard his sweet talk, their hearts softened towards him. They obeyed him, for they believed he was true. And it seemed to them that they were really his offspring, when they saw that his face was like their own, and they trusted him. End of chapters 51 through 60. Chapters 61 through 70 of the first book of Adam and Eve. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Anne Boulet. The first book of Adam and Eve translated by Rutherford Hayes Platt. Chapters 61 through 70. Chapter 61. They begin to follow Satan. Then he took Adam and Eve by the hand and began to bring them out of the cave. But when they had come a little ways out of it, God knew that Satan had overcome them and had brought them out before the 40 days were ended to take them to some distant place and to destroy them. Then the word of the Lord God again came and cursed Satan and drove him away from them. And God began to speak to Adam and Eve, saying to them, what made you come out of the cave to this place? Then Adam said to God, did you create a man before us? For when we were in the cave, there suddenly came to us a friendly old man who said to us, I am a messenger from God to you to bring you back to some place of rest. And we believed, oh God, that he was a messenger from you. And we came out with him and knew not where we should go with him. Then God said to Adam, see, this is the father of evil arts who brought you and Eve out of the garden of delights. And now indeed, when he saw that you and Eve both joined together in fasting and praying and that you came not out of the cave before the end of the 40 days, he wished to make your purpose vain to break your mutual bond to cut off all hope from you and to drive you to some place where he might destroy you because he couldn't do anything to you unless he showed himself in the likeness of you. Therefore he came to you with a face like your own and began to give you tokens as if they were all true. But because I am merciful and am favorable to you, I did not allow him to destroy you. Instead, I drove him away from you. Now therefore, oh Adam, take Eve and return to your cave and remain in it until the morning after the 40th day. And when you come out, go towards the eastern gate of the garden. Then Adam and Eve worshipped God and praised and blessed him for the deliverance that had come to them from him. And they returned towards the cave. This happened in the evening of the 39th day. Then Adam and Eve stood up and with a fiery passion, prayed to God to give them strength. For they had become weak because of hunger and thirst and prayer. But they watched the whole of that night praying until morning. Then Adam said to Eve, get up, let us go towards the eastern gate of the garden as God told us. And they said their prayers as they were accustomed to do every day. And they left the cave to go near to the eastern gate of the garden. Then Adam and Eve stood up and prayed and appealed to God to strengthen them and to send them something to satisfy their hunger. But after they finished their prayers, they were too weak to move. Then came the word of God again and said to them, oh Adam, get up, go and bring the two figs here. Then Adam and Eve got up and went until they came near to the cave. Chapter 62, two fruit trees. But Satan the wicked was envious because of the consolation God had given them. So he prevented them and went into the cave and took the two figs and buried them outside the cave so that Adam and Eve should not find them. He also had in his thoughts to destroy them. But by God's mercy, as soon as those two figs were in the ground, God defeated Satan's counsel regarding them and made them into two fruit trees that overshadowed the cave. For Satan had buried them on the eastern side of it. Then when the two trees were grown and were covered with fruit, Satan grieved and mourned and said, it would have been better to have left those figs where they were. For now, behold, they have become two fruit trees, whereof Adam will eat all the days of his life. Whereas I had in mind when I buried them to destroy them entirely and to hide them forever. But God has overturned my counsel and would not that this sacred fruit should perish. And he has made plain my intention and has defeated the counsel I had formed against his servants. Then Satan went away ashamed because he hadn't thought his plans all the way through. Chapter 63, the first joy of trees. But Adam and Eve, as they got closer to the cave, saw two fig trees, covered with fruit and overshadowing the cave. Then Adam said to Eve, it seems to me that we have gone the wrong way. When did these two trees grow here? It seems to me that the enemy wishes to lead us the wrong way. Do you suppose that there is another cave beside this one in the earth? Yet, oh Eve, let us go into the cave and find in it the two figs, for this is our cave, in which we were. But if we should not find the two figs in it, then it cannot be our cave. Then they went into the cave and looked into the four corners of it, but found not the two figs. And Adam cried and said to Eve, did we go to the wrong cave then, oh Eve, it seems to me these two fig trees were the two figs that were in the cave. And Eve said, I, for my part, do not know. Then Adam stood up and prayed and said, oh God, you commanded us to come back to the cave to take the two figs and then to return to you. But now we have not found them. Oh God, have you taken them and sewn these two trees? Or have we gone astray in the earth? Or has the enemy deceived us? If it be real then, oh God, reveal to us the secret of these two trees and of the two figs. Then came the word of God to Adam and said to him, oh Adam, when I sent you to fetch the figs, Satan went before you to the cave, took the figs and buried them outside, eastward of the cave, thinking to destroy them and not sowing them with good intent. Not for his mere sake then have these trees grown up at once, but I had mercy on you and I commanded them to grow. And they grew to be two large trees that you be overshadowed by their branches and find rest. And that I made you see my power and my marvelous works. And also to show you Satan's meanness and his evil works. For ever since you came out of the garden, he has not ceased, no, not one day, from doing you some harm, but I have not given him power over you. And God said, from now on, oh Adam, rejoice on account of the trees, you and Eve and rest under them when you feel weary, but do not eat any of their fruit or come near them. Then Adam cried and said, oh God, will you again kill us or will you drive us away from before your face and cut our life from off the face of the earth? Oh God, I beg you, if you know that there be in these trees either death or some other evil, as at the first time, root them out from near our cave and with them and leave us to die of the heat of hunger and of thirst. For we know your marvelous works, oh God, that they are great and that by your power you can bring one thing out of another without one's wish. For your power can make rocks to become trees and trees to become rocks. Chapter 64, Adam and Eve partake of the first earthly food. Then God looked at Adam and at his strength of mind, at his endurance of hunger and thirst and of the heat. He changed the two fig trees into two figs as they were at first and then said to Adam and to Eve, each of you may take one fig and they took them as the Lord commanded them. And he said to them, you must now go into the cave and eat the figs and satisfy your hunger or else you will die. So as God commanded them, they went into the cave about sunset and Adam and Eve stood up and prayed before the setting sun. Then they sat down to eat the figs but they knew not how to eat them for they were not accustomed to eat earthly food. They were afraid that if they ate, their stomach would be burdened and their flesh thickened and their hearts would take to liking earthly food. But while they were thus seated, God out of pity for them sent them his angel so they wouldn't perish of hunger and thirst. And the angel said to Adam and Eve, God says to you that you do not have the strength that would be required to fast until death. Eat therefore and strengthen your bodies for you are now animal flesh and cannot subsist without food and drink. Then Adam and Eve took the figs and began to eat of them. But God had put into them a mixture of savory bread and blood. Then the angel went from Adam and Eve who ate of the figs until they had satisfied their hunger. Then they put aside what was left but by the power of God, the figs became whole again because God blessed them. After this, Adam and Eve got up and prayed with a joyful heart and renewed strength and praised and rejoiced abundantly the whole of that night. And this was the end of the 83rd day. Chapter 65, Adam and Eve acquired digestive organs, final hope of returning to the garden is lost. And when it was day, they got up and prayed after their custom and then went out of the cave. But they became sick from the food they had eaten because they were not used to it. So they went about in the cave saying to each other, what has our eating caused to happen to us that we should be in such pain? We are in misery. We shall die. It would have been better for us to have died keeping our bodies pure than to have eaten and defiled them with food. Then Adam said to Eve, this pain does not come to us in the garden. Neither did we eat such bad food there. Do you think, oh Eve, that God will plague us through the food that is in us or that our innards will come out or that God means to kill us with this pain before he has fulfilled his promise to us? Then Adam besought the Lord and said, oh Lord, let us not perish through the food we have eaten. Oh Lord, don't punish us, but deal with us according to your great mercy and forsake us not until the day of the promise you have made us. Then God looked at them and then fitted them for eating food at once as to this day so that they should not perish. Then Adam and Eve came back into the cave sorrowful and crying because of the alteration of their bodies and they both knew from that hour that they were altered beings, that all hope of returning to the garden was now lost and that they could not enter it. For that now their bodies have strange functions and all flesh that requires food and drink for its existence cannot be in the garden. Then Adam said to Eve, behold, our hope is now lost and so is our trust to enter the garden. We no longer belong to the inhabitants of the garden, but from now on we are earthly and of the dust and of the inhabitants of the earth. We shall not return to the garden until the day in which God has promised to save us and to bring us again into the garden as he promised us. Then they prayed to God that he would have mercy on them after which their mind was quieted, their hearts were broken and their longing was cooled down and they were like strangers on the earth. That night Adam and Eve spent in the cave where they slept heavily by reason of the food they had eaten. Chapter 66, Adam does his first day's work. When it was morning, the day after they had eaten food, Adam and Eve prayed in the cave and Adam said to Eve, look, we asked for food of God and he gave it, but now let us also ask him to give us a drink of water. Then they got up and went to the bank of the stream of water that was on the south border of the garden in which they had before thrown themselves and they stood on the bank and prayed to God that he would command them to drink of the water. Then the word of God came to Adam and said to him, oh, Adam, your body has become brutish and requires water to drink. Take some and drink it, you and Eve then give thanks and praise. And Adam and Eve then went down to the stream and drank from it until their bodies felt refreshed. After having drunk, they praised God and then returned to their cave after their former custom. This happened at the end of 83 days. Then on the 84th day, they took the two figs and hung them in the cave, together with the leaves thereof to be to them a sign and a blessing from God and they placed them there so that if their descendants came there, they would see the wonderful things God had done for them. Then Adam and Eve again stood outside the cave and asked God to show them some food with which they could nourish their bodies. Then the word of God came and said to him, oh, Adam, go down to the westward of the cave until you come to a land of dark soil and there you shall find food. And Adam obeyed the word of God, took Eve and went down to a land of dark soil and found their wheat growing in the ear and ripe. Footnote, in this book, the terms corn and wheat are used interchangeably. The reference is possibly used to indicate a type of ancient grain, resembling Egyptian corn, also known as dura. Dura is a wheat-like cereal grain frequently cultivated in dry regions such as Egypt. And footnote, and figs to eat and Adam rejoiced over it. Then the word of God came again to Adam and said to him, take some of this wheat and make yourself some bread with it to nourish your body therewith. And God gave Adam's heart wisdom to work out the corn until it became bread. Adam accomplished all that until he grew very faint and weary. He then returned to the cave, rejoicing at what he had learned of what is done with wheat until it is made into bread for one's use. Chapter 67, then Satan began to lead astray Adam and Eve. When Adam and Eve went down to the land of black mud and came near to the wheat, God had showed them and saw that it was ripe and ready for reaping. They did not have a sickle to reap it with. So they readied themselves and began to pull up the wheat by hand until it was all done. Then they heaped it into a pile and faint from heat and from thirst. They went under a shady tree where the breeze fan them to sleep. But Satan saw what Adam and Eve had done. He called his hosts and said to them, since God has shown to Adam and Eve all about this wheat, wherewith to strengthen their bodies. And look, they have come and made a big pile of it and faint from the toil are now asleep. Come, let us set fire to that heap of corn and burn it and let us take that bottle of water that is by them and empty it out so that they may find nothing to drink and we kill them with hunger and thirst. Then when they wake up from their sleep and seek to return to the cave, we will come to them in the way and we'll lead them astray so that they will die of hunger and thirst. When they may perhaps deny God and He destroy them, so shall we be rid of them. Then Satan and his hosts set the wheat on fire and burned it up. But from the heat of the flame, Adam and Eve awoke from their sleep and saw the wheat burning and the bucket of water by them poured out. Then they cried and went back to the cave. But as they were going up from below the mountain where they were, Satan and his hosts met them in the form of angels praising God. Then Satan said to Adam, oh, Adam, why are you so pained with hunger and thirst? It seems to me that Satan has burned up the wheat. And Adam said to him, yes. And again Satan said to Adam, come back with us. We are angels of God. God said us to you to show you another field of corn, better than that. And beyond it is a fountain of good water and many trees where you shall live near it and work the cornfield to better purpose than that which Satan has consumed. Adam thought that he was true and that they were angels who talked with him and he went back with them. Then Satan began to lead astray Adam and Eve eight days until they both fell down as if dead from hunger, thirst and faintness. Then he fled with his hosts and left them. Chapter 68, how destruction and trouble is of Satan when he is the master. Adam and Eve established the custom of worship. Then God looked at Adam and Eve and at what had overcome them from Satan and how he had made them perish. God therefore sent his word and raised up Adam and Eve from their state of death. Then Adam when he was raised said, oh God, you have burnt and taken from us the corn you have given us and you have emptied out the bucket of water and you have sent your angels who have caused us to lose our way from the cornfield. Will you make us perish? If this be from you, oh God, then take away our souls but punish us not. Then God said to Adam, I did not burn down the wheat and I did not pour out the water of the bucket and I did not send my angels to lead you astray. But it is Satan your master who did it. He to whom you have subjected yourself, my commandment being meanwhile set aside. He it is who burnt down the corn and poured out the water and who has led you astray and all the promises he has made you were just a trick, a deception and a lie. But now, oh Adam, you shall acknowledge my good deeds done to you. And God told his angels to take Adam and Eve and to bear them up to the field of wheat, which they found as before with a bucket full of water. There they saw a tree and found on it solid manna and wondered at God's power. And the angels commanded them to eat of the manna when they were hungry. And God admonished Satan with a curse, not to come again and destroy the field of corn. Then Adam and Eve took of the corn and made of it an offering and took it and offered it up on the mountain, the place where they had offered up their first offering of blood. And they offered this offering again on the altar they had built at first. And they stood up and prayed and besought the Lord saying, thus, oh God, when we were in the garden, our praises went up to you like this offering and our innocence went up to you like incense. But now, oh God, accept this offering from us and don't turn us away, deprived of your mercy. Then God said to Adam and Eve, since you have made this offering and have offered it to me, I shall make it my flesh when I come down on earth to save you. And I shall cause it to be offered continually on an altar for forgiveness and for mercy, for those who partake of it duly. Then God sent a bright fire over the offering of Adam and Eve and filled it with brightness, grace and light. And the Holy Ghost came down on that offering. Then God commanded an angel to take fire tongs like a spoon and with it to take an offering and bring it to Adam and Eve. And the angel did so as God had commanded him and offered it to them. And the souls of Adam and Eve were brightened and their hearts were filled with joy and gladness and with the praises of God. And God said to Adam, this shall be to you accustomed to do so when affliction and sorrow come over you. But your deliverance and your entrance into the garden shall not be until the days are fulfilled as agreed between you and me. Were it not so, I would, of my mercy and pity for you, bring you back to my garden and to my favor for the sake of the offering you have just made to my name. Adam rejoiced at these words which he heard from God and he and Eve worshiped before the altar to which they bowed and then went back to the cave of treasures. And this took place at the end of the 12th day after the 80th day from the time Adam and Eve came out of the garden. And they stood up the whole night praying until morning and then went out of the cave. Then Adam said to Eve with joy of heart because of the offering they had made to God and that had been accepted of him. Let us do this three times every week on the fourth day Wednesday, on the preparation day Friday and on the Sabbath Sunday, all the days of our life. And as they agreed to these words between themselves, God was pleased with their thoughts and with the resolution they had each taken with the other. After this came the word of God to Adam and said, Oh Adam, you have determined beforehand the days in which suffering shall come over me when I am made flesh, for they are the fourth Wednesday and the preparation day Friday. But as to the first day, I created in it all things and I raised the heavens. And again, through my raising again on this day, I will create joy and raise them on high, who believe in me. Oh Adam, offer this offering all the days of your life. Then God withdrew his word from Adam. But Adam continued to offer this offering thus every week three times until the end of seven weeks. On the first day, which is the 50th, Adam made an offering as he was accustomed and he and Eve took it and came to the altar before God as he had taught them. Chapter 69, 12th apparition of Satan to Adam and Eve, while Adam was praying over the offering on the altar, when Satan beat him. Then Satan, the hater of all good, envious of Adam and of his offering through which he found favor with God, hastened and took a sharp stone from among the sharp iron stones, appeared in the form of a man and went and stood by Adam and Eve. Adam was then offering on the altar and had begun to pray with his hand spread before God. Then Satan hastened with the sharp iron stone he had with him and with it pierced Adam on the right side from which flowed blood and water. Then Adam fell on the altar like a corpse and Satan fled. Then Eve came and took Adam and placed him below the altar and there she stayed crying over him while a stream of blood flowed from Adam's side over his offering. But God looked at the death of Adam, he then sent his word and raised him up and said to him, fulfill your offering for indeed Adam, it is worth much and there is no shortcoming in it. God said further to Adam, thus will it also happen to me on the earth when I shall be pierced and blood and water shall flow from my side and run over my body, which is the true offering and which shall be offered on the altar as a perfect offering. Then God commanded Adam to finish his offering and when he had ended it, he worshiped before God and praised him for the signs he had shown him. And God healed Adam in one day which is the end of the seven weeks and that is the 50th day. Then Adam and Eve returned to the mountain and went into the cave of treasures as they were used to do. This completed for Adam and Eve 140 days since they're coming out of the garden. Then they both stood up that night and prayed to God and when it was morning, they went out and went down westward of the cave to the place where their corn was and there rested under the shadow of a tree as they were accustomed. But when there, a multitude of beasts came all around them, it was Satan's doing in his wickedness in order to wage war against Adam through marriage. Chapter 70, 13th apparition of Satan to trick Adam into marrying Eve. After this, Satan, the hater of all good, took the form of an angel and with him two others so that they looked like the three angels who had brought to Adam gold incense and myrrh. They passed before Adam and Eve while they were under the tree and greeted Adam and Eve with fair words that were full of deceit. But when Adam and Eve saw their pleasant expression and heard their sweet speech, Adam rose, welcome them and brought them to Eve and they remained all together. Adam's heart the while, being glad because he thought concerning them that they were the same angels who had brought him gold incense and myrrh. Because when they came to Adam the first time, there came over him from them peace and joy through their bringing him good tokens. So Adam thought that they had come a second time to give him other tokens for him to rejoice therewith. For he did not know it was Satan. Therefore he received them with joy and consorted with them. Then Satan, the tallest of them said, rejoice, O Adam, and be glad. Look, God has sent us to you to tell you something. And Adam said, what is it? Then Satan answered, it is a simple thing, yet it is the word of God. Will you accept it from us and do it? But if you will not accept it, we will return to God and tell him that you would not receive his word. And Satan again said to Adam, don't be afraid and don't tremble. Don't you know us? And Adam said, I do not know you. Then Satan said to him, I am the angel that brought you gold and took it into the cave. This other angel is the one that brought you incense and that third angel is the one who brought you myrrh when you were on top of the mountain and who carried you to the cave. But as to the other angels, our fellows, who bear you to the cave, God has not sent them with us this time. For he said to us, you will be enough. So when Adam heard these words, he believed them and said to these angels, speak the word of God that I may receive it. And Satan said to him, swear and promise me that you will receive it. Then Adam said, I do not know how to swear and promise. And Satan said to him, hold out your hand and put it inside my hand. Then Adam held out his hand and put it into Satan's hand. When Satan said to him, say now, so true as God is living, rational and speaking, who raised the stars in heaven and established the dry ground on the waters and has created me out of the four elements. Footnote, see the previous footnote in chapter 34 regarding the four elements. And footnote, and out of the dust of the earth, I will not break my promise nor renounce my word. And Adam swore thus. Then Satan said to him, look, it is now sometimes since you came out of the garden and you know neither wickedness nor evil. But now God says to you to take Eve who came out of your side and to marry her so that she will bear you children, to comfort you and to drive from you trouble and sorrow. Now this thing is not difficult. Neither is there any scandal in it to you. End of chapter 61 through 70. Chapter 71 through 79 of the first book of Adam and Eve. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Ann Boulet. The first book of Adam and Eve translated by Rutherford Hayes Platt. Chapter 71 through 79. Chapter 71, Adam is troubled by the thought of marrying Eve. But when Adam heard these words from Satan, he sorrowed much because of his oath and of his promise and said, shall I commit adultery with my flesh and my bones and shall I sin against myself for God to destroy me and to block me out from off the face of the earth? Since when at first I ate of the tree, he drove me out of the garden and into the strange land and deprived me of my bright nature and brought death over me. If then I should do this, he will cut off my life from the earth and he will cast me into hell and will plague me there a long time. But God never spoke the words that you have said and you are not God's angels and you weren't sent from him. But you are devils that have come to me under the false appearance of angels. Away from me, you accursed of God. Then those devils fled from before Adam and he and Eve got up and returned to the cave of treasures and went into it. Then Adam said to Eve, if you saw what I did, don't tell anyone, for I sinned against God in swearing by his great name and I have placed my hand another time into that of Satan. Eve then held her peace as Adam told her. Then Adam got up and spread his hands before God, beseeching and in treating him with tears to forgive him what he had done. And Adam remained thus standing and praying 40 days and 40 nights. He neither ate nor drank until he dropped down on the ground from hunger and thirst. Then God sent his word to Adam who raised him up from where he lay and said to him, oh Adam, why have you sworn by my name and why have you made agreement with Satan another time? But Adam cried and said, oh God, forgive me for I did this unwittingly, believing they were God's angels. And God forgave Adam saying to him, beware of Satan. And he withdrew his word from Adam. Then Adam's heart was comforted and he took Eve and they went out of the cave to prepare some food for their bodies. But from that day, Adam struggled in his mind about marrying Eve, afraid that if he was to do it, God would be angry with him. Then Adam and Eve went to the river of water and sat on the bank as people do when they enjoy themselves. But Satan was jealous of them and planned to destroy them. Chapter 72, Adam's heart is set on fire. Satan appears as beautiful maidens. Then Satan and Ten from his hosts transformed themselves into maidens unlike any others in the whole world for grace. They came up out of the river in presence of Adam and Eve and they said among themselves, come, we will look at the faces of Adam and Eve who are of the men on earth. How beautiful they are and how different is their look from our own faces. Then they came to Adam and Eve and greeted them and stood wondering at them. Adam and Eve looked at them also and wondered at their beauty and said, is there then under us another world with such beautiful creatures as these in it? And those maidens said to Adam and Eve, yes, indeed, we are an abundant creation. Then Adam said to them, but how do you multiply? And they answered him, we have husbands who have married us and we bear them children who grow up and who in turn marry and are married and also bear children and thus we increase. And if so be, oh Adam, you will not believe us. We will show you our husbands and our children. Then they shouted over the river as if to call their husbands and their children who came up from the river, men and children and every man came to his wife, his children being with him. But when Adam and Eve saw them, they stood dumb and wondered at them. Then they said to Adam and Eve, see all our husbands and our children. You should marry Eve as we have married our husbands so that you will have children as we have. This was a device of Satan to deceive Adam. Satan also thought within himself, God at first commanded Adam concerning the fruit of the tree saying to him, eat not of it, else of death you shall die. But Adam ate of it and yet God did not kill him. He only decreed on him death and plagues and trials until the day he shall come out of his body. Now then, if I deceive him to do this thing and to marry Eve without God's permission, God will kill him then. Therefore Satan worked this apparition before Adam and Eve because he sought to kill him and to make him disappear from off the face of the earth. Meanwhile, the fire of sin came over Adam and he thought of committing sin. But he restrained himself, fearing that if he followed this advice of Satan, God would put him to death. Then Adam and Eve got up and prayed to God while Satan and his hosts went down into the river in presence of Adam and Eve to let them see they were going back to their own world. Then Adam and Eve went back to the Cave of Treasures as they usually did about evening time. And they both got up and prayed to God that night. Adam remained standing in prayer, yet not knowing how to pray. My reason of the thoughts in his heart regarding his marrying Eve and he continued so until morning. And when light came up, Adam said to Eve, get up, let us go below the mountain where they brought us gold and let us ask the Lord concerning this matter. Then Eve said, what is that matter, oh Adam? And he answered her, that I may request the Lord to inform me about marrying you, for I will not do it without his permission or else he will make us perish, you and me. For those devils have set my heart on fire with thoughts of what they showed us in their sinful apparitions. Then Eve said to Adam, why need we go below the mountain? Let us rather stand up and pray in our cave to God to let us know whether this council is good or not. Then Adam rose in prayer and said, oh God, you know that we transgress against you and from the moment we transgress, we were stripped of our bright nature and our body became brutish, requiring food and drink and with animal desires. Command us, oh God, not to give way to them without your permission for fear that you will turn us into nothing because if you do not give us permission, we shall be overpowered and follow that advice of Satan and you will again make us perish. If not, then take our souls from us, let us be rid of this animal lust and if you give us no order respecting this thing, then sever Eve from me and me from her and place us each far away from each other. Then again, oh God, if you separate us from each other, the devils will deceive us with their apparitions that resemble us and destroy our hearts and defile our thoughts towards each other. Yet if it is not each of us towards the other, it will, at all events, be through their appearance when the devils come to us in our likeness. Here, Adam ended his prayer. Chapter 73, The Marriage of Adam and Eve. Then God considered the words of Adam that they were true and that he could long await his order, respecting the counsel of Satan. And God approved Adam in what he had thought concerning this and in the prayer he had offered in his presence and the word of God came to Adam and said to him, oh Adam, if only you had had this caution at first before you came out of the garden and into this land. After that, God sent his angel who had brought gold and the angel who had brought incense and the angel who had brought myrrh to Adam that they should inform him respecting his marriage to Eve. Then those angels said to Adam, take the gold and give it to Eve as a wedding gift and promise to marry her. Then give her some incense and myrrh as a present and be you, you and she, one flesh. Adam obeyed the angels and took the gold and put it into Eve's bosom in her garment and promised to marry her with his hand. Then the angels commanded Adam and Eve to get up and pray 40 days and 40 nights when that was done. Then Adam was to have sexual intercourse with his wife for then this would be an act pure and undefiled so that he would have children who would multiply and replenish the face of the earth. Then both Adam and Eve received the words of the angels and the angels departed from them. Then Adam and Eve began to fast and pray until the end of the 40 days and then they had sexual intercourse as the angels had told them. And from the time Adam left the garden until he wedded Eve were 223 days, that is seven months and 13 days. Thus was Satan's war with Adam defeated. Chapter 74, the birth of Cana Lulua, why they received those names. And they lived on the earth working in order to keep their bodies in good health and they continued so until the nine months of Eve's pregnancy were over and the time drew near when she must give birth. Then she said to Adam, the signs placed in this cave since we left the garden indicate that this is a pure place and we will be praying in it again sometime. It is not appropriate then that I should give birth in it. Let us instead go to the sheltering rock cave that was formed by the command of God when Satan threw a big rock down on us in an attempt to kill us with it. Adam then took Eve to that cave. When the time came for her to give birth, she strained a lot. Adam felt sorry and he was very worried about her because she was close to death and the words of God to her were being fulfilled. In suffering shall you bear a child and in sorrow shall you bring forth a child. But when Adam saw the distress in which Eve was, he got up and prayed to God and said, oh Lord, look at me with the eye of your mercy and bring her out of her distress. And God looked at his maid servant Eve and delivered her and she gave birth to her firstborn son and with him a daughter. Then Adam rejoiced at Eve's deliverance and also over the children she had born him. And Adam ministered to Eve in the cave until the end of eight days when they named their son Cain and the daughter Lulua. The meaning of Cain is hater because he hated his sister and their mother's womb before they came out of it. Therefore Adam named him Cain. But Lulua means beautiful because she was more beautiful than her mother. Then Adam and Eve waited until Cain and his sister were 40 days old. When Adam said to Eve, we will make an offering and offer it up in behalf of our children. And Eve said, we will make one offering for the firstborn son and then later we shall make one for the daughter. Chapter 75, the family revisits the cave of treasures, birth of Abel and Aclea. Then Adam prepared an offering and he and Eve offered it up for their children and brought it to the altar they had built at first. And Adam offered up the offering and asked God to accept his offering. Then God accepted Adam's offering and sent a light from heaven that shone on the offering. Adam and his son drew near to the offering but Eve and the daughter did not approach. Adam and his son were joyful as they came down from on the altar. Adam and Eve waited until the daughter was 80 days old. Then Adam prepared an offering and took it to Eve and to the children. They went to the altar where Adam offered it up as he was accustomed asking the Lord to accept his offering. And the Lord accepted the offering of Adam and Eve. Then Adam, Eve and the children drew near together and came down from the mountain rejoicing. But they returned not to the cave in which they were born but came to the cave of treasures in order that the children should go around in it and be blessed with the tokens brought from the garden. But after they had been blessed with these tokens they went back to the cave in which they were born. However, before Eve had offered up the offering Adam had taken her and had gone with her to the river of water in which they threw themselves at first. And there they washed themselves. Adam washed his body and Eve hers also clean after the suffering and distress that had come over them. But Adam and Eve, after washing themselves in the river of water, returned every night to the cave of treasures where they prayed and were blessed and then went back to their cave where their children were born. Adam and Eve did this until the children had been weaned. After they were weaned, Adam made an offering for the souls of his children in addition to the three times every week he made an offering for them. When the children were weaned, Eve conceived again and when her pregnancy came to term she gave birth to another son and daughter. They named the son Abel and the daughter Aclea. Then at the end of 40 days, Adam made an offering for the son and at the end of 80 days he made another offering for the daughter and treated them as he had previously treated Cain and his sister Lulua. He brought them to the cave of treasures where they received a blessing and then returned to the cave where they were born. After these children were born, Eve stopped having children. Chapter 76. Cain becomes jealous of Abel because of his sisters and the children began to grow stronger and taller but Cain was hard-hearted and ruled over his younger brother. Often when his father made an offering Cain would remain behind and not go with them to offer up but as to Abel he had a meek heart and was obedient to his father and mother. He frequently moved them to make an offering because he loved it. He prayed and fasted a lot. Then came this sign to Abel as he was coming into the cave of treasures and saw the golden rods, the incense and myrrh. He asked his parents, Adam and Eve to tell him about them and asked where did you get these from? Then Adam told him all that had befallen them and Abel felt deeply about what his father told him. Furthermore, his father Adam told him of the works of God and of the garden. After hearing that, Abel remained behind after his father left and stayed the whole of that night in the cave of treasures. And that night while he was praying Satan appeared to him under the figure of a man who said to him, you have frequently moved your father into making offerings, fasting and praying. Therefore I will kill you and make you perish from this world. But as for Abel, he prayed to God and drove away Satan from him and did not believe the words of the devil. Then when it was day an angel of God appeared to him who said to him, do not cut short either fasting, prayer or offering up and offering to your God. For look, the Lord had accepted your prayer, be not afraid of the figure which appeared to you in the night and who cursed you to death and the angel departed from him. Then when it was day, Abel came to Adam and Eve and told them of the vision he had seen. When they heard it, they grieved much over it but said nothing to him about it. They only comforted him. But as to the heart-hearted Cain, Satan came to him by night, showed himself and said to him, since Adam and Eve love your brother Abel so much more than they love you, they wish to join him in marriage to your beautiful sister because they love him. However, they wish to join you in marriage to his ugly sister because they hate you. Now before they do that, I'm telling you that you should kill your brother. That way your sister will be left for you and his sister will be cast away. And Satan departed from him but the devil remained behind in Cain's heart and frequently aspired to kill his brother. Chapter 77, Cain 15 years old and Abel 12 years old grow apart. But when Adam saw that the older brother hated the younger, he endeavored to soften their hearts and said to Cain, oh my son, take of the fruits of your sowing and make an offering to God so that he might forgive you for your wickedness and sin. He also said to Abel, take some of your sowing and make an offering and bring it to God so that he might forgive you for your wickedness and sin. Then Abel obeyed his father's voice, took some of his sowing and made a good offering and said to his father, Adam, come with me and show me how to offer it up. And they went, Adam and Eve with him and they showed him how to offer up his gift on the altar. Then after that, they stood up and prayed that God would accept Abel's offering. Then God looked at Abel and accepted his offering and God was more pleased with Abel than with his offering because of his good heart and pure body. There was no trace of guile in him. Then they came down from the altar and went to the cave in which they lived. But Abel, by reason of his joy at having made his offering, repeated it three times a week after the example of his father, Adam. But as to Cain, he did not want to make an offering but after his father became very angry, he offered up a gift once. He took the smallest of his sheep for an offering and when he offered it up, his eyes were on the lamb. Therefore God did not accept his offering because his heart was full of murderous thoughts. And they all thus lived together in the cave in which Eve had brought forth until Cain was 15 years old and Abel was 12 years old. Chapter 78, jealousy overcomes Cain. He makes trouble in the family, how the first murder was planned. Then Adam said to Eve, behold, the children are grown up. We must think of finding wives for them. Then Eve answered, how can we do it? Then Adam said to her, we will join Abel's sister in marriage to Cain and Cain's sister to Abel. Then said Eve to Adam, I do not like Cain because he is hard-hearted but let them stay with us until we offer up to the Lord in their behalf. And Adam said no more. Meanwhile, Satan came to Cain in the figure of a man of the field and said to him, behold, Adam and Eve have taken counsel together about the marriage of you two and they have agreed to marry Abel's sister to you and your sister to him. But if it was not that I love you, I would not have told you this thing. Yet if you will take my advice and obey me, I will bring you on your wedding day beautiful robes, gold and silver in plenty and my relations will attend you. Then Cain said with joy, where are your relations? And Satan answered, my relations are in the garden in the north where I once meant to bring your father Adam, but he will not accept my offer. But you, if you will receive my words and if you will come to me after your wedding, you shall rest from the misery in which you are and you shall rest and be better off than your father Adam. At these words of Satan, Cain opened his ears and leaned towards his speech. And he did not remain in the field but he went to Eve, his mother and beat her and cursed her and said to her, why are you planning to take my sister to wed her to my brother? Am I dead? His mother, however, quieted him and sent him to the field where he had been. Then when Adam came, she told him of what Cain had done. But Adam breathed and held his peace and said not a word. Then on the next morning, Adam said to Cain, his son, take of your sheep young and good and offer them up to God. And I will speak to your brother to make to his God an offering of corn. They both obeyed their father Adam and they took their offerings and offered them up on the mountain by the altar. But Cain behaved hotly towards his brother and shoved him from the altar and would not let him offer up his gift on the altar. But he offered his own on it with a proud heart full of guile and fraud. But as for Abel, he set up stones that were near at hand and on that he offered up his gift with a humble heart and free from guile. Cain was then standing by the altar on which he had offered up his gift and he cried to God to accept his offering. But God did not accept it from him. Neither did a divine fire come down to consume his offering. But he remained standing over against the altar out of humor and meanness looking towards his brother Abel to see if God would accept his offering or not. And Abel prayed to God to accept his offering. Then a divine fire came down and consumed his offering and God smelled the sweet savor of his offering because Abel loved him and rejoiced in him. And because God was well pleased with him he sent him an angel of light in the figure of a man who had partaken of his offering because he had smelled the sweet savor of his offering and they comforted Abel and strengthened his heart. But Cain was looking on all that took place at his brother's offering and was angry because of it. Then he opened his mouth and blasphemed God because he had not accepted his offering. But God said to Cain, why do you look sad? Be righteous that I may accept your offering. Not against me have you murmured but against yourself. And God said this to Cain in rebuke and because he abhorred him and his offering. And Cain came down from the altar his color changed and with a sad face and came to his father and mother and told them all that had befallen him. And Adam grieved much because God had not accepted Cain's offering. But Abel came down rejoicing and with a glad some heart and told his father and mother how God had accepted his offering and they rejoiced at it and kissed his face. And Abel said to his father because Cain shoved me from the altar and would not allow me to offer my gift on it I made an altar for myself and offered my gift on it. But when Adam heard this he was very sorry because it was the altar he had built at first and on which he had offered his own gifts. As to Cain he was so resentful and so angry that he went into the field where Satan came to him and said to him since your brother Abel has taken refuge with your father Adam because you shoved him from the altar. They have kissed his face and they rejoice over him far more than over you. When Cain heard these words of Satan he was filled with rage and he let no one know but he was laying wait to kill his brother until he brought him into the cave and then said to him, oh brother the country is so beautiful and there is such beautiful and pleasurable trees in it and charming to look at but brother you have never been one day in the field to take your pleasure in that place. Today, oh my brother I will very much wish you would come with me into the field to enjoy yourself and to bless our fields and our flocks for you are righteous and I love you very much, oh my brother but you have alienated yourself from me. Then Abel consented to go with his brother Cain into the field but before going out Cain said to Abel wait for me until I fetch a staff because of wild beasts. Then Abel stood waiting in his innocence but Cain the forward fetched his staff and went out and they began Cain and his brother Abel to walk in the way Cain talking to him and comforting him to make him forget everything. Chapter 79, a wicked plan is carried to a tragic conclusion. Cain is frightened. Am I my brother's keeper? The seven punishments peace is shattered. And so they went on until they came to a lovely place where there were no sheep. Then Abel said to Cain, behold my brother we are tired from walking for we see none of the trees nor of the fruits nor of the flourishing green plants nor of the sheep nor any of the things of which you told me. Where are those sheep of thine you told me to bless? Then Cain said to him, come on and you will see many beautiful things very soon but go before me until I catch up to you. Then went Abel forward but Cain remained behind him. And Abel was walking in his innocence without Guile not believing his brother would kill him. Then Cain when he came up to him comforted him with his talk walking a little behind him. Then he ran up to him and beat him with the staff blow after blow until he was stunned. But when Abel fell down on the ground seeing that his brother meant to kill him he said to Cain, oh my brother have pity on me by the breasts we have sucked don't hit me by the womb that bore us and that brought us into the world don't beat me to death with that staff. If you will kill me take one of these large stones and kill me outright. Then Cain the hard-hearted and cruel murderer took a large stone and beat his brother's head with it until his brains oozed out and he wallowed in his blood before him. And Cain repented not of what he had done but the earth when the blood of righteous Abel fell on it trembled as it drank his blood and would have destroyed Cain because of it. And the blood of Abel cried mysteriously to God to avenge him of his murderer. Then Cain began at once to dig the ground where in to lay his brother for he was trembling from the fear that came over him when he saw the earth tremble on his account. He then cast his brother into the pit he made and covered him with dust but the ground would not receive him but it threw him up at once. Again Cain dug the ground and hid his brother in it but again the ground threw him up on itself until three times the ground thus threw up on itself the body of Abel. The muddy ground threw him up the first time because he was not the first creation and it threw him up the second time it would not receive him because he was righteous and good and was killed without a cause. And the ground threw him up the third time and would not receive him that there might remain before his brother a witness against him. And so the earth mocked Cain until the word of God came to him concerning his brother. Then was God angry and much displeased at Abel's death and he thundered from heaven and lightnings went before him and the word of the Lord God came from heaven to Cain and said to him, where is Abel your brother? Then Cain answered with a proud heart and a gruff voice. How, oh God, am I my brother's keeper? Then God said to Cain, cursed be the earth that has drunk the blood of Abel your brother and as for you, you will always be trembling and shaking and this will be a mark on you so that whoever finds you will kill you. But Cain cried because God had said those words to him and Cain said to him, oh God, whosoever finds me shall kill me and I shall be blotted out from the face of the earth. Then God said to Cain, whoever finds you will not kill you. Because before this, God had been saying to Cain, I shall put seven punishments on anyone that kills Cain. For as to the word of God to Cain, where is your brother? God said it in mercy for him to try and make him repent. For if Cain had repented at that time and had said, oh God, forgive me my sin and the murder of my brother, God would then have forgiven him his sin. And as to God saying to Cain, cursed be the ground that has drunk the blood of your brother, that also was God's mercy on Cain, for God did not curse him, but he cursed the ground, although it was not the ground that killed Abel and committed a wicked sin. For it was fitting that the curse should fall on the murderer, yet in mercy did God so manage his thoughts as that no one should know it and turn away from Cain. And he said to him, where is your brother? To which he answered and said, I know not. Then the creator said to him, be trembling and quaking. Then Cain trembled and became terrified. And through this sign did God make him an example before all the creation as the murderer of his brother. Also did God bring trembling and terror over him that he might see the peace in which he was at first and see also the trembling and terror he endured at the last so that he might humble himself before God and repent of his sin and seek the peace that he enjoyed at first. And in the word of God that said, I will put seven punishments on anyone who kills Cain. God was not seeking to kill Cain with the sword, but he sought to make him die of fasting and praying and crying by hard rule until the time that he was delivered from his sin. And the seven punishments are the seven generations during which God awaited Cain for the murder of his brother. But as to Cain, ever since he had killed his brother, he could find no peace in any place, but went back to Adam and Eve, trembling, terrified and defiled with blood. End of chapter 71 through 79. End of the first book of Adam and Eve, translated by Rutherford Hayes Platt.