The Project Gutenberg EBook of Genesis A, by Anonymous This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: Genesis A Translated from the Old English Author: Anonymous Release Date: April 13, 2005 [EBook #15612] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GENESIS A *** Produced by David Starner, Jason Isbell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. Transcribers Note: Typographic errors in the original have been retained. In the table of contents there are two sets of page numbers. The first appears to be the page numbers from the original MS. The second set in parentheses are the page numbers from this facsimile. As the body of the text is referred to by line numbers, that section has not been rewrapped. YALE STUDIES IN ENGLISH ALBERT S. COOK, EDITOR XLVIII GENESIS A TRANSLATED FROM THE OLD ENGLISH BY LAWRENCE MASON, PHD. INSTRUCTOR IN ENGLISH IN YALE COLLEGE NEW YORK HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY 1915 Page 134 Page 135 Page 136 PREFACE The purpose of the translator in offering to the public this version of the Genesis is to aid in forwarding—be it by but one jot or tittle—the general knowledge and appreciation of Old English literature. Professed students in this department will always have an incentive to master the language; but to the public at large the strangeness of this medium will prove an insurmountable barrier, and the general reader must therefore either remain in ignorance of our older literary monuments or else employ translations. The present contribution[1] to the growing body of such translations possesses, perhaps, more than a single interest or appeal, in that it renders accessible not only a poem of considerable intrinsic worth, a poem associated with the earliest of the great names in English literary history, and a forerunner and possible source of Paradise Lost, but also an important example of a literary genre once immensely popular, though now quite fallen into abeyance—namely, the lengthy versified Scriptural paraphrase. For some idea of the prominent part played by this form, even so late as the seventeenth century, the reader is referred to any comprehensive manual of English literature. In this translation, prose has been employed instead of verse, for two reasons. In the first place, no metrical form has yet been found which, in the writer's judgment, at all adequately represents in modern English the effect of the Old English alliterative verse, or stave-rime. And in the second place, to the writer's thinking, no one but a poet should attempt to write verse: and on that principle, translations would be few and far between, unless prose were used. But even granting the value of the Genesis as a fit subject for translation, and the necessity for the employment of prose, the reader may still quarrel with the particular kind of prose hereinbelow essayed; so a brief explanation and, it is hoped, vindication of the theory of translation here followed would seem desirable, inasmuch as considerable divergence is intended from the methods adopted by the various translators of the Beowulf, for example. First, Biblical phraseology has been eschewed, partly because in a modern writer it savors of affectation, but chiefly because his Bible was the point of departure for the Old English author, and to return now in the translation to our Bible would be a stultification of his purposes by a sort of argumentum in circulo. Secondly, archaisms, poetic diction, and unusual constructions (the "translation English" anathematized by the Rhetorics) have been so far as possible avoided, contrary to the practice of most translators from Old English poetry, because it is felt strongly that such usages will not produce upon modern readers the effect that this poetry produced originally upon the readers or hearers for whom it was intended. For this poetry could not have seemed alien or exotic to its original public: either through familiar poetic convention, or owing to the staccato and ejaculatory character of ordinary spoken language at the time, this spasmodic, apostrophic poetry must have seemed natural and beautiful, in the seventh or eighth century. But— Why take the style of those heroic times? For nature brings not back the mastodon, Nor we those times. To translate is to modernize. This rendering, therefore, is not an artificial, pseudo-antique hybrid, but frankly endeavors to convey its original to modern readers in idiomatic modern literary English, devoid of any conscious mannerisms whatsoever. The writer has aimed at the utmost literal fidelity consistent with the observance of all the usages of current standard English; he has not attempted, however, to convert the explosive appositions, with prevailing asyndeton and excessive synonymy, of his original into the easy, flowing sentences more familiar to modern eyes and ears, for the change would sacrifice altogether too much of the distinctive character and flavor of Old English poetry. The text upon which this work is based is that of the Grein-Wülker Bibliothek der Angelsächsischen Poesie, 1894, save for a few minor changes in punctuation and the few departures recorded in the Notes. Grein's translation of the poem into modern German stave-rime, 1857, has been frequently consulted, but the writer's real indebtedness to it is felt to be slight. He takes great pleasure, finally, in acknowledging his deep sense of obligation, on many grounds, to the general editor of this series, Professor Albert S. Cook; the work was undertaken at his suggestion, and he has been most kind in giving advice and criticism. YALE UNIVERSITY, July 17, 1913. Lawrence Mason. TABLE OF CONTENTS With Specification of the Biblical Chapters and Verses represented in each Section of the Poem PAGE PREFACE III (136) TABLE OF CONTENTS VI (139) Page 137 Page 138 Page 139 GENESIS A: Section I[2] 1 (141) Section II (Gen. 1.1-5) 3 (143) Section III (Gen. 1.4-10) 4 (144) Lines 169-234 (Gen. 1.28, 31; 2.10-14, 18, 21, 22) 5 (145) Lines 852-871 (Gen. 3.8-10) 7 (147) Section X (Gen. 3.11-15) 7 (147) Section XI (Gen. 3.16, 17, 19, 21, 24; 4.1-5, 8) 9 (149) Section XII (Gen. 4.9-19, 21) 11 (151) Section XIII (Gen. 4.22-26; 5.3-14) 13 (153) Section XIV (Gen. 5.15-29, 32) 15 (155) Section XV (Gen. 6.1-8, 11-19, 22) 17 (157) Section XVI (Gen. 7.1-7, 11, 12, 16-23) 18 (158) Section XVII (Gen. 8.1-4, 6-12) 20 (160) Section XVIII (Gen. 8.15-18, 20; 9.1-9, 11-19) 22 (162) Section XIX (Gen. 9.20-28; 10.1, 2, 6, 8-10; 11.1) 24 (164) Section XX (Gen. 10.1, 20, 21; 11.2, 4-8, 10, 26, 27) 26 (166) Section XXI (Gen. 11.29-32; 12.1-8) 28 (168) Section XXII (Gen. 12.8, 10-20; 13.1-4) 30 (170) Section XXIII (Gen. 13.5-13) 32 (172) Section XXIV (Gen. 14.1, 2, 4, 10-16) 33 (173) Section XXV (Gen. 14.17-24; 15.1) 37 (177) Section XXVI (Gen. 15.2-5, 7, 18; 16.1-6) 39 (179) Section XXVII (Gen. 16.6-12, 15, 16; 17.1, 2, 10-14, 19) 41 (181) Section XXVIII (Gen. 17.17-21, 23, 24, 27; 18.12-14) 43 (183) Section XXIX (Gen. 18.16, 17, 20-22) 44 (184) Section XXX (Gen. 19.1-13, 18-26) 45 (185) Section XXXI (Gen. 19.27-30, 33, 35-38) 49 (189) Section XXXII (Gen. 20.1-10) 50 (190) Section XXXIII (Gen. 20.11, 13-18; 21.1-4) 51 (191) Section XXXIV (Gen. 21.5, 8-14, 22-24, 27) 53 (193) Section XXXV (Gen. 21.33, 34; 22.1-13) 55 (195) NOTES 58 (198) GENESIS A I. Ours is a great duty—to praise in word and love at heart the heavens' Ruler, the glorious King of Hosts: He is the substance of all power, the head of all high things, the Lord Almighty. Origin or beginning was never made for Him, nor shall an end ever come to the eternal God: but, on the contrary, He is for ever supreme by His high puissance over the heavenly kingdoms; just and mighty, He rules the mansions of the sky, which were established far and wide through the power Page 140 Page 141 ToC 5 10 of God for the sons of glory, the keepers of souls. These angelic hosts were wont to feel joy and rapture, transcendent bliss, in the presence of their Creator: their beatitude was measureless. Glorious ministers magnified their Lord, spoke his praise with zeal, lauded the Master of their being, and were excellently happy in the majesty of God. They had no knowledge of working evil or wickedness, but dwelt in innocence forever with their Lord: from the beginning they wrought in heaven nothing but righteousness and truth, until a Prince of angels through pride strayed into sin: then they would consult their own advantage no longer, but turned away from God's lovingkindness. They had vast arrogance, in that by the might of multitudes they sought to wrest from the Lord the celestial mansions, spacious and heaven-bright. Then there fell upon them, grievously, the envy, presumption, and pride of the Angel who first began to carry out the evil plot, to weave it and promote it, when he boasted by word— as he thirsted for conflict—that he wished to own the home and high throne of the heavenly kingdom to the north. Thereupon God became angered and hostile towards the beings whom he had formerly exalted in beauty and glory: he created for the traitors a marvelous abode as penalty for their action, namely the pangs of Hell, bitter afflictions; Our Lord called forth that abysmal joyless house of punishment to wait for the outcast keepers of souls.[3] When he knew that it was ready, he enveloped it in eternal night and equipped it with torment, filling it with fire and fearful cold, with fume and red flame: then he commanded the terrors of suffering to increase throughout that hapless place. They had committed a dire sin against God: on that account dire punishment befell them. They asserted, in fierce mood, that they wished to seize the kingdom and could easily do so: but this presumption mocked them when their Lord, the high King of heaven, lifted up his almighty hand against the throng. The mad rebels, accursed ones, could not make head against God, but the Highest troubled their spirits and humbled their pride, for he was incensed; he stripped the sinners of victory and might, of dominion and honor, and further took from his foes happiness, peace, and all joys, as well as bright glory, and finally, with his own exceeding power, wreaked his wrath on his adversaries in mighty ruin. He was stern in mood, grimly embittered, and seized upon his foes with resistless grasp and broke them in his grip, enraged at heart, and deprived his opponents of their native seat,[4] their bright abodes on high. For our Creator dismissed and banished from heaven the overweening band of angels: the Lord sent away on a long journey the faithless multitude, the hateful host, the miserable spirits; their pride was broken, their threat 15 20 25 30 35 Page 142 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 overthrown, their glory shattered, and their beauty dimmed; thenceforth they abode in desolation, because of their dark exile. They did not dare to laugh aloud, but lived wearied by the torments of hell and became familiar with woes, bitterness, and sorrow; covered with darkness, they bore their pain,—a heavy sentence, because they had begun to battle against God. Then, as formerly, true peace existed in heaven, fair amity: for the Lord was dear to all, the Sovereign to his servants; and the majesty of the joyful angelic hosts increased, through the favor of the Almighty. II. So those who inhabited the sky, home of glory, were at peace; hatred was gone, as well as sorrow and strife among angels, ever since the rebellious hosts, bereft of the light, had relinquished heaven. Behind them stood in grandeur their seats rich in glorious workmanship, teeming with blessings in God's kingdom, bright and perennially bountiful,—but all devoid of occupants, ever since the miserable spirits had gone to their place of punishment, their vile prison. Then our Lord bethought him, in meditative mood, how he might people again, and with a better race, his high creation, the noble seats and glory- crowned abodes which the haughty rebels had left vacant, high in heaven. Therefore Holy God willed by his plenteous power that under the circle of the firma- ment the earth should be established, with sky above and wide water, a world-creation in place of the foes whom in their apostasy he hurled from bliss. As yet there was nothing at all created here, except shadows, but this broad earth stood deep and dim, idle and useless, alien even to God himself; on it the King whose purpose never falters turned his eyes and beheld the place void of joy; he saw dark clouds, black under the firmament, throng in the eternal night, dun and waste, until this world-creation came to pass through the word of the King of Glory. First the everlasting Lord, protector of all things, created heaven and earth; as the almighty King put forth the firmament and with victorious might established this ample world. The earth was as yet unadorned by vegetation: the ocean covered it far and wide, turbid waves in the eternal night. Then was the glorious Spirit of heaven's guardian borne over the sea with sovereign virtue. For the King of the angels commanded Light, dispenser of life, to come forth over the broad expanse: quickly was the Arch-King's mandate fulfilled, and Holy Light appeared over the waste spaces, as the Creator had ordained it. The Wielder of Victory next sundered light from darkness, shadow from radiance, over the surge of the sea. Then he formed the two names of the dispensers of life: light was first called "Day" by the word of the Lord, a 75 Page 143 80 ToC 85 90 95 100 105 110 Page 144 115 120 125 130 beauteous creation. This period of creation greatly pleased God, in the beginning: the first day saw the dark shadows duskily flee away over the wide earth. III. Time now went forth over the frame-work of the world: after this shining splendor, the Lord our Creator fashioned the first evening, but on its track rushed a thronging welter of darkness which the Lord himself called by the name of "Night." Our Saviour sundered these two: ever since then they have ceaselessly wrought and fulfilled the will of the Lord over the earth. Then the second day advanced, light after darkness; and the Ruler of Life straightway commanded a glad sky-substance to appear in the midst of the flood: our Master parted the waves and wrought there the found- ations of the firmament: this the Mighty One, omnipotent King, reared aloft from the earth through his own word. The flood was divided under the high heavens by holy power, the waters from the waters, and still they remain so under the firmament which roofs all nations. Then swiftly came advancing over the world the third great morn. Nor were the spreading lands and ways yet deemed needful by our Lord, but the earth stood girt fast by water. Through his word, the Ruler of the angels bade the waters be gathered together, which now hold their course beneath the skies in an appointed place. Then speedily the broad ocean stood all together under heaven, as the Holy One commanded, for the flood was sundered from the dry land. Thereupon Life's Ruler looked upon the dry land, the Preserver of mankind [found it] widely visible, and the King of Glory called it "Earth." He established a proper channel for the waves, the broad flood, and fettered.... (Lacuna in MS.[5]) The Ruler of Heaven did not think it fitting that Adam, the keeper of Paradise and shepherd of the new creation, should be alone any longer: so the supreme King, Ruler Almighty, made a companion for him— created Woman, and gave this helpmate to his cherished Man as the first and fruitful light of his life. He took his material from Adam's body and skilfully removed a rib from his side: the latter was deep in repose and slumbered peacefully; he felt no pain, though a little uneasiness, nor did a drop of blood come from the wound, but the Prince of the Angels took from his body a living bone while the man was unwounded. From this God ToC 135 140 145 150 Page 145 155 160 165 170 175 180 fashioned a noble woman, and put into her the breath of life and an immortal soul: these two were like the angels. Thus was Adam's bride[6] endowed with a living spirit. They were both radiantly beautiful in their youthfulness, in the world prepared by the might of the Lord: they did not know how to undertake or work evil, but on the contrary there was in the breast of each a burning love of God. Then the benign King, Ruler of everyone born of the race of man, blessed these first two creatures, father and mother, woman and man. Thereafter he spoke these words: "Be fruitful now and increase; fill the verdant earth with progeny, your race, both sons and daughters. Under your sway shall be the salt water and all the created world. Enjoy prosperous days, [ruling over] both the fishes of the deep and the fowls of the air. Into your power are given the sacred herd and the wild beasts and every living thing that walks the earth; all breath- ing creatures, whatsoever the sea brings forth over the whale-paths, all things belong to you two." Then our Maker beheld the beauty of his works and the fullness of his abundance, his new creations. Pa- radise stood, good and holy, filled with blessings, ever- lasting bounty. That kindly soil was beauteously watered by the rushing seas and springing fountains; for never yet had clouds dark with wind brought down rains over the broad earth: but none the less the ground stood crowned with its harvest. From this new Garden four noble river-streams have their outflow: these were all partitioned out of one fair-shining water by the might of the Lord, when he created the earth, and [were thus] sent out into the world. Men dwelling on the earth, the peoples of the nations, call one of these Fison, which broadly girdles with its bright streams a quarter of the earth beyond Hebeleac[7]: in that ancestral soil the sons of men, nations near and far, find the best gold and precious stones,[8] as the books tell us. Then the second [river], whose name is Geon, girdles the land and govern- ment of Ethiopia, an ample kingdom. The third is Tigris, a foaming stream which encircles the people of Assyria. Such likewise is the fourth, which men among many a nation now widely call Eufrates....[9] (Genesis B intervenes here.) Then the Almighty King, the great Lord, came forth into the garden about mid-day, by his divine will; for our Saviour and merciful Father wished to find out what his children were doing: he knew that they were 185 Page 146 190 195 200 205 210 215 220 225 230 Page 147 855 sinful to whom he had given perfection. Bereft of their beatitude and stricken in spirit, they avoided his presence by retreating among the shadows of the trees; they hid themselves in dark recesses, when they heard the holy word of the Lord and feared him. Straight- way the King of Heaven began to call for the keeper of the [newly] created world; the mighty Lord bade his son come to him forthwith. He answered him then, the wretched one himself, destitute of clothing, [and] said: "Lord of my life, I am hiding myself here because unclothed; basely sinful, I am covering my shame with leaves: my pain is cruel, most bitter in my heart. I dare not now go forth before thy presence: I am all naked!" X.[10] To him then God at once replied: "Tell me this, my son: why do you seek the shadows, in shame? You certainly received no disgrace at my hands, but on the contrary delight in all things! How come you to know evil and hide shame and behold sor- row and cover your body with leaves and, saddened and crushed by the woes of life, say that you need clothing, unless you have tasted of an apple from the tree which I forbade to you by express command?" Adam then answered him again: "The woman, my Lord, the fair woman gave into my hand this fruit, which I accepted in sin against thee. Now I bear this manifest sign in myself: I know so much the more of sorrow!" Then Almighty God asked Eve about this: "Why did you forfeit these plenteous delights, daughter, the new creations of paradise, abundant blessings, when in your cupidity you seized on the trunk and took the fruit from the branch of the tree and ate the accursed thing in defiance of me, and gave of the apple to Adam, when you both by my prohibition were so strictly for- bidden to do so?" Then the fair maiden, the woman overcome by shame, answered him: "The serpent tempted me and urgently prompted me to sin; through fair words the worm goaded me into accursed frowardness, until I basely performed the deadly act, committed the crime, and robbed the tree in the grove, as it was not lawful to do, and ate the fruit." Then our Saviour, the Lord Almighty, ordained wide wanderings for the serpent, the venomous worm, and spoke further in these words: 860 865 870 ToC 875 880 Page 148 885 890 895 900 905 "To far distant times shalt thou, an outcast, crawl over the broad earth on thy breast, thy belly; without feet shalt thou move about, so long as life and breath remain in thee. Dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life, since thou hast accomplished so evil a deed here. Thee the woman shall war against, and hate thee [worse than anything else] under heaven, and shall tread upon thine accursed head with her feet; thou shalt lie in wait at her heels, in ever-new conflict: for there shall be war between thy offspring and her offspring always, as long as the earth exists under the cloudy skies. Now dost thou understand and know, baleful destroyer of mankind, how thou shalt live!" XI. Then God wrathfully spoke to Eve: "Depart now from bliss! Thou shalt be ever under the sway of men; with fear of men cruelly oppressed, thou shalt sorrowfully endure the heinousness of thine offence and wait for death, and with weeping and wailing and great anguish bring into the world thy sons and daughters!" Likewise to Adam did the Eternal Lord, Source of Light and Life, declare a cruel edict: "Thou shalt seek another country, a joyless dwelling- place, and wander in exile, naked and needy, driven away from the blessings of paradise; the separation of soul and body is now ordained for thee. Lo, thou hast wickedly originated sin: therefore thou shalt toil, and win thy sustenance on earth by thyself, acquire it by the sweat of thy face, and thus eat thy bread so long as thou livest here,—until ungentle disease, which thou didst recently take to thyself with the apple, strikes thee cruelly to the heart: then shalt thou die." Behold, we learn thus how bitter afflictions and uni- versal miseries came upon us. Thereupon the Guardian of Glory, our Creator, girded them with clothing; the Lord bade them cover their nakedness with some simple garments, and bade them set forth and depart from paradise into a harder life. Behind them, by God's command, a holy angel with a fiery sword shut the gate of their blissful home of peace and joy; nor may any guileful sin-stained man ever fare thither again, for the warder has might and strength who keeps for the Lord that greater life rich in glories. Yet the Almighty, our First Father, would not take away all comforts from Adam and Eve, though they had fallen away from him: but he still let the lofty roof studded with holy stars stand as a solace for them, and gave them ample possessions, and bade the seas and land bring forth for the pair multitudes of each of the 910 915 Page 149 ToC 920 925 930 935 940 945 950 Page 150 955 960 young-producing species [necessary] for the sustenance of this life. So, after their sin, they inhabited a more sorrowful land, a dwelling and country less fertile in every kind of blessing than their former abode had been, from which they had been driven out after their misdeed. Then they began, by God's command, to produce children, as the Lord had charged them. To begin with, by Adam and Eve were brought into the world two fair first-born sons, Cain and Abel. The books tell us how these first toilers, loving brothers, gained their subsistence, riches and food: the one who was elder born tilled the earth with his strength; the second kept the flocks, helping his father, until a great number of days passed. They both brought an offering to the Lord: the Prince of the Angels, King of all things, looked upon Abel's offering with [favorable] eyes, but would not consider the sacrifice of Cain; that caused strong indignation in the heart of the man: rage arose in the youth's breast, livid hatred, and wrath by reason of envy: then he wrought evil deeds with his hands, slew his kinsman, his own brother, shed his blood,—yea, Cain [shed] Abel's. And the earth soaked up this blood shed by murder, the life-blood of a man. After this fatal blow woe was aroused, the long train of afflictions: since then from this twig have hatefully sprouted ever longer and stronger bitter branches: these branches of calamity spread far and wide over the nations of men: hardly and sorely did the twigs of misery strike the sons of men (and so they still do), from which the broad leaves of all suffering began to spring. We may tearfully lament this account, this death-bringing fatal- ity, and not in vain: but the fair woman injured us [more] severely through the first sin which men dwelling on earth ever committed against the Lord, since Adam was filled with the breath of life by the mouth of God! XII. Then the Master of Splendor asked Cain through his word, where Abel was, upon the earth. Quickly there- upon the wicked worker of slaughter answered him: "I know not Abel's coming or going, my kinsman's course: I was not my brother's keeper!" Then the Prince of Angels, the Spirit rich in good things, spoke to him again: "Why didst thou cast that virtuous man, thy brother, on his death-bed with thy violent hands, and his blood now calleth and crieth unto me? For this murder shalt thou undergo punishment and wander in exile accursed unto distant ages: nor shall the earth, fair for all necessary sustenance, yield thee harvest, for it 960 965 970 975 980 985 990 Page 151 995 1000 ToC 1005 1010 1015 drank sacred blood at thy hands: therefore the earth, verdant in beauty, denies thee its bounties. Infamous, thou shalt sorrowfully wander from thy native land, because thou hast been Abel's murderer: thou shalt go forth an outcast over a long road, hateful to all thy relatives!" Then Cain answered him[11]: "Now I dare not hope for any grace in the kingdoms of the world, for I have forfeited, O high King of heaven, thy favor as well as love and peace: therefore shall I travel far ways in expectation of woes, whensoever any one far or near shall find me, in my guilt, who may remember my crime, my brother's murder: I shed his blood, his life-blood on the ground. On this day thou dost banish me from comfort and drive me from my native land: someone of my foes shall be my murderer; accursed, O God, shall I wander from thy sight." Then the Lord of Victory spoke to him: "Thou needst not as yet dread the terror of death and murder, though thou shalt depart far from thy friends, an outcast. If any man by his own hand deprives thee of life, then shall come upon him sevenfold vengeance for his sin, as penalty for his deed." Our Ruler and glorious Lord set on him a sign, the Master [set] a symbol of immunity, so that none of his foes far or near might dare to approach him with warlike intent; then he bade the wicked one leave forever his mother and sons, all his family. Thereupon Cain set out and departed sorrowing from before the face of God, a joyless exile, and built himself a dwelling to the east, a habitation far from his fatherland: there a fair maiden, a woman of the country, bore him offspring. The eldest was called Enos, first-born of Cain; he began at once to build a city, with his kinsfolk: that was the first beneath the clouds of all the fortifications which heroes and swordsmen have caused to be built. Therein his offspring first arose, born of his wife in the citadel: the eldest son of Enos was called Jared. Thence arose the tribe of Cain, which increased the numbers of its race. Next to Jared, Malalehel was the keeper of the heritage after his father, until he passed away. Afterwards Mathusal shared the royal treasures with his kinsfolk, with his brothers, scion after scion, until wise through length of days he had to consummate his departure from the world and forsake life. After his father's day, Lamech received the household goods and domestic wealth: two wives, Ada and Sella, women of the country, bore offspring to him: of these one was Jabal by name, son of Lamech, who through skilful cunning first of dwellers here below awoke by his hands the song of the harp, that melo- 1020 1025 Page 152 1030 1035 1040 1045 1050 1055 1060 1065 1070 1075 Page 153 1080 dious sound. XIII. Likewise, at this same time, there was in this family a man called Tubal Cain, a son of Lamech, who through the abundance of his skill was a master-smith, and first among men through the craft of his mind he was the inventor of agricultural implements upon earth: since then the sons of men dwelling in cities have known far and wide how to use brass and iron. Once on a time Lamech himself made in words a wicked confession to his two wives, his dear bed-fellows, Ada and Sella: "In murder I have slain a certain one among my near relations; I stained my hands with the gory death of Cain, destroyed with my hands the father of Enos, the slayer of Abel, and poured on the ground the life-blood of a man. Well knew I that for this shall come at last the sevenfold vengeance of the King of Truth, great according to the crime: my fall and destruction shall be more sternly meted out, with grim horror, when I depart!"— Now, there came to Adam in Abel's place another heir born in legal wedlock, an upright son, whose name was Seth: he was happy and contributed greatly to the comfort of his parents, Adam and Eve, his father and mother, and took Abel's place in worldly affairs. Then the first of men spoke these words: "The Eternal Lord of Victory and Ruler of Life has given me a son in place of the dear one whom Cain slew, and our God has driven my grievous sorrow from my heart with this man-child: to Him be praise for this!" When he began again to raise up another son to him- self by his wife, to be his heir, Adam the vigorous cham- pion had [numbered] 130 winters of this life in the world. The Scriptures tell us that on earth here for 800 years after that, Adam increased his family with maidens and youths: in all he had 930[12] winters, when he had to give over this world through the departure of his spirit. After him Seth ruled over the people,[13] the son held the heritage after the parents, and took unto himself a wife: he counted 105 winters when he first began to increase the numbers of his family by sons and daughters. The eldest son of Seth was called Enos: he first of all the children of man called upon God,[14] since Adam stepped upon the green grass, endowed with the spirit of life. Seth was happy, and afterwards begot sons and daughters for 807 winters: in all he had 912, when the time was fulfilled that he should accomplish his departure. ToC 1085 1090 1095 1100 1105 1110 1115 Page 154 1120 1125 1130 1135 1140 After him, when he departed out of the world, Enos held the heritage, after the earth had received the body of Seth, fruitful in the Lord. He was dear to God, and lived here 90 winters before he begot children here by his wife through intercourse: to him then was Cainan first born, an heir in his ancestral home. Afterwards for 815 winters[15] in the peace of God, the wise hero begot offspring, sons and daughters: he died, the sage patriarch, when he had [fulfilled] 905 [years]. After Enos, Cainan was chieftain, keeper, and leader of his race: he had [numbered] 70 winters before a son was born to him: when an heir was born for the patri- mony, this son of Cainan was called Malalehel. There- after for 840 [years] he increased the number of his family by [begetting] children. In all, the son of Enos had [lived] 910 winters, when he left this world, when the number of his appointed days under the expanse of the skies was fulfilled. XIV. After him Malalehel kept the land and inheritance for many seasons. The chieftain had [lived] 65 winters, when he began to beget children by his wife. His wife brought a son to him, the woman to the man: this son in his childhood, as I have heard, the man-child in his youth, was called Jared. After this Malalehel lived long and rejoiced in [his] blessings, [all] the delights of men here below and worldly treasures: 895 winters had he numbered when he departed; to his son he left the land and the government. After him for a long while Yeared dispensed gold to the people; the chieftain was noble, a pious hero, and a ruler dear to his subjects; 165 expectant winters he lived his life in this world, when his happiness arrived, for his wife brought a son into the world: this son was called Enoch, his fair first-born. But the father still added descendants to the number of his race, for 800 [years]: in all he had [counted] 965 [years] by night- reckoning when he departed, the ancient patriarch, when he gave up this world. And Yeared left land and government to his wise [son], the dear leader. After this Enoch raised aloft the sovereignty, the sagaci- ous leadership of the people: in no wise did he let fall the dominion and authority[16] while he was guardian of his kinsfolk: he enjoyed days of happiness, and begot sons, for 300 winters; the Lord, the Ruler of the Skies, was gracious to him. From this world the hero sought in the body the joy and bliss of the Lord; in no wise did he die the death of this earth, as men [ordinarily] do here, young and old, when God takes away from them their possessions and substance, [all] earth's treasures, and their life as well: but while living he set forth with 1145 1150 1155 1160 1165 Page 155 ToC 1170 1175 1180 1185 1190 1195 1200 1205 Page 156 1210 the King of Angels out of this transitory life into bliss,[17] [clad] in the robes which his spirit received before his mother brought him forth to men. He left the people to his to his eldest son, his first-born; 365 winters had he [numbered] when he left the world. For some time after him, his son Mathusal held the inheritance, who for the longest space of time enjoyed the pleasures of the world in this body: he begot a multitude of sons and daughters, before the day of his death. When he had to depart from among men, the venerable hero had [enjoyed] 970 winters. After him, his son Lamech held the government: for a long time thereafter he ruled over the world; he had [lived] 102 winters when the season came for the chief- tain to begin to beget noble heirs, sons and daughters. After this the lord and chief of the people lived 595 [years], enjoyed many a winter under the skies, ruled the race well, and begot children: youths and maidens arose as heirs to him. The eldest of them he named Noe, who reigned over the land among men after Lamech departed. This sage ruler of the noblemen was 500 years old when he first began to beget children, as the books tell. The eldest son of Noe was called Sem, the next Cham, the third Jafeth. The people multiplied widely under the skies: the race of men increased in number over the earth, by [the birth of] sons and daughters. Now the descendants of Seth, that beloved leader of the people, were still very much cherished, dear to the Lord and prosperous. XV. But when the sons of God began to seek brides among the race of Cain, the accursed folk, and chose wives from among them against the will of God, the children of men from among the sinful maidens, beautiful and bright, then the Ruler of the heavens pronounced his wrath against mankind and spoke these words: "The men of Cain's race have not been absent from my mind, but that stock has sorely offended me. Now the sons of Seth renew my wrath and take to themselves the maidens of my enemies as wives: the fairness of the women, the maidens' faces, and the eternal Fiend have shamefully captivated the multitude of men who were formerly in peace." After that, for 120 winters, duly numbered, exile afflicted the accursed race in this world; then the Lord wished to inflict punishment upon the covenant-breakers, and to smite with death the doers of evil, the giant folk unloved by God, the great and sinful foes hateful to the 1215 1220 1225 1230 1235 1240 1245 Page 157 ToC 1250 1255 1260 1265 Lord, when the Wielder of Victory himself saw what was man's wickedness on earth, and how they all were bold in crime and utterly vicious. He thought to punish rigorously the races of men, to seize upon the peoples grimly and sorely, with cruel might: he repented exceedingly that he had ever created the author of the nations, the source of the peoples, when he fashioned Adam. He said that on account of the sins of men he would utterly blot out all that there was on earth, destroy every one of the bodies in whose bosom the breath of life was concealed: all that came near to the sons of men, the Lord determined to annihilate. Noe, the son of Lamech, just and honorable, was dear to God, the Preserver. The Lord knew that the virtue of the true man prevailed in the innermost thoughts of his breast; therefore the Lord, holy in helpfulness, Pro- tector of all men, told him by revelation what he pur- posed inflicting upon the wicked ones: for he saw the earth full of unrighteousness, the broad plains laden with sin, polluted with foulness. Then spoke the Al- mighty, our Saviour, and said to Noe: "I am resolved to destroy humanity by means of a deluge, and also every kind of living thing that the air and waters produce and support, both beast and bird: but thou shalt have shelter, with thy sons, when the dark waters, the black floods of death, destroy mankind, the vile sinners. Begin to build thee a ship, a mighty sea-house, in which thou shalt give a place of refuge to many a one and a safe home to every species on earth, after thine own. Build partitions in the midst of the ship. Make the boat fifty cubits wide, thirty high, three hundred long, and joint it stoutly against the assault of the waves. There shall be a creature of every living species, a scion of every race on earth, led within that wooden fortress; so must the Ark be the greater!" Noe did as the Lord commanded him, obeyed the holy King of Heaven, began at once to build that Ark, the mighty sea-chest; he told his kinsmen that there was a horrible thing impending over the people, dire punishment: but they heeded this not at all. Then, after several winters, the Changeless Lord saw that the vast sea-house, Noe's vessel, towered up in readiness, strengthened within and without with the best earth- lime, against the waves; it is unique in its kind: the harder the fierce waters of the dark billows beat it, the stouter does it ever become. XVI. Then our Preserver spoke to Noe: "I give thee my pledge for this, O dearest of mankind, that thou mayst now take up thy course with the creatures of all kinds which thou shalt bear across the deep water for many 1270 1275 1280 1285 1290 Page 158 1295 1300 1305 1310 1315 1320 1325 ToC 1330 Page 159