"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 G.o.d has driven my grievous sorrow from 1115 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. 1120 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 1125 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 1130 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 1135 the children of man called upon G.o.d,[14] since Adam stepped upon the green gra.s.s, endowed with the spirit of life. Seth was happy, and afterwards begot sons and daughters for 807 winters: in all he had 912, when 1140 the time was fulfilled that he should accomplish his departure.

After him, when he departed out of the world, Enos held the heritage, after the earth had received the body 1145 of Seth, fruitful in the Lord. He was dear to G.o.d, 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 1150 for 815 winters[15] in the peace of G.o.d, 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 1155 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- 1160 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 1165 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, 1170 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 1175 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 1180 land and the government.

After him for a long while Yeared dispensed gold to the people; the chieftain was n.o.ble, a pious hero, and a ruler dear to his subjects; 165 expectant winters he 1185 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 1190 [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 1195 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 1200 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 1205 he die the death of this earth, as men [ordinarily] do here, young and old, when G.o.d takes away from them their possessions and substance, [all] earth's treasures, and their life as well: but while living he set forth with 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 1215 [numbered] when he left the world.

For some time after him, his son Mathusal held the inheritance, who for the longest s.p.a.ce of time enjoyed 1220 the pleasures of the world in this body: he begot a mult.i.tude 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 1225 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 n.o.ble heirs, sons and daughters.

After this the lord and chief of the people lived 595 1230 [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 1235 departed.

This sage ruler of the n.o.blemen 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, 1240 the third Jafeth.

The people multiplied widely under the skies: the race of men increased in number over the earth, by 1245 [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 G.o.d began to seek brides among the race of Cain, the accursed folk, and chose wives 1250 from among them against the will of G.o.d, the children of men from among the sinful maidens, beautiful and bright, then the Ruler of the heavens p.r.o.nounced his wrath against mankind and spoke these words:

"The men of Cain's race have not been absent from 1255 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 1260 women, the maidens' faces, and the eternal Fiend have shamefully captivated the mult.i.tude 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 1265 wished to inflict punishment upon the covenant-breakers, and to smite with death the doers of evil, the giant folk unloved by G.o.d, the great and sinful foes hateful to the Lord, when the Wielder of Victory himself saw what 1270 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 1275 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, 1280 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 1285 to G.o.d, 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- 1290 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- 1295 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 1300 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, 1305 after thine own. Build part.i.tions in the midst of the ship. Make the boat fifty cubits wide, thirty high, three hundred long, and joint it stoutly against the 1310 a.s.sault 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 1315 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, 1320 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 1325 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 1330 which thou shalt bear across the deep water for many days, in the bosom of thy vessel. Lead on board the Ark, as I bid thee, thy sons, the three first-born, and your four wives. And do thou take into the sea-house 1335 seven [members] duly counted of each of the species that live to [supply] nourishment for men, and two of each of the others: likewise take on the Ark some of all plants growing on earth used for food by the people who are 1340 to sail over the floods with thee. Feed freely the differ- ent species of animals, until I shall prepare a place under heaven by my Word for those who are saved from this watery journey. Depart now with thy household into 1345 the Ark, with the mult.i.tude of dependent things; I know thee for a good and true man: thou art worthy of safety and mercy, with thy sons. In seven nights now I shall let the deadly rain fall from above upon the face 1350 of the broad earth. For forty days will I set my ven- geance against mankind, and with a deluge blot out all the possessions and possessors that are beyond the sides of the Ark, when the black storm begins to descend." 1355

Then Noe left him, as our Preserver commanded, in order to lead his children on board the Ark, men and their wives together on the great ship; and all that G.o.d Al- mighty wished to preserve for perpetuating their spe- cies, went on board to their food-giver, as the Almighty 1360 Lord of Hosts bade them through his word. With his own hands, the Guardian of Heaven, Wielder of Victory, locked the entrance of the sea-house behind them, and 1365 our Saviour blessed [all] within the Ark with his own grace. Noe, the son of Lamech, had 600 winters when he embarked with his sons, at G.o.d's command,--that 1370 wise man, with the young people, his dear kinsfolk.

The Lord sent rain from heaven, and likewise let the springs from every source rush upon the world far and wide, [let] the dark ocean-streams burst forth in 1375 tumult: the seas rose up over the boundaries of the sh.o.r.e. Strong and stern was He who ruled the waters, for he covered and shrouded with wan waters the accursed wickedness of the sons of the earth and devastated the 1380 land and homes of men: the Lord wreaked [his fury]

upon men for their offences. The sea cruelly gripped the wretched folk for forty days, and nights as many bitter was the suffering then, cruelly fateful to men.

The waves of the King of Glory drove the souls of the 1385 vicious ones forth from their bodies. The flood covered everything; turbid under the sky [it covered] the high mountains over the broad earth, and on its crest raised the Ark aloft from the ground, and its n.o.ble crew with it, [the Ark] which the Lord Himself, our Creator, blessed, 1390 when he locked the ship. Thereafter this best of ships rode widely under the skies over the circle of the sea, fared [forth] with its freight: the terrors of the flood 1395 would have seized them with violence in the sea-traver- sing vessel, but the Holy G.o.d led and preserved them.

Fifteen ells deep, by man's measure, stood the deluge over the hills. That is a memorable occurrence: there 1400 was nothing at hand for [the Ark] but destruction, except that it was raised aloft into the upper air when the inundation killed all creatures upon earth other than those whom the Lord of Heaven saved on board the Ark, when the Holy G.o.d everlasting, the steadfast King, let 1405 [the flood] rise up with ever-increasing[18] stream.

XVII.

Then G.o.d, Wielder of Victory, was mindful of those floating on the deep, the son of Lamech and all his 1410 family, whom the Source of Light and Life had locked up against the water in the bosom of the ship. The Lord of mankind led the heroes by his Word over far lands. Soon the flood began to abate; the deluge ebbed, dark under the sky: the true G.o.d had turned back again 1405 the foaming waves, for his children; the Glorious One [had] stilled the cataracts of rain. For 150 nights under the skies the foamy ship floated, from the time when the well-nailed sides of this best of boats first arose upon the flood until this number of days of dire time 1420 had pa.s.sed. Then the Ark of Noe, greatest of ocean- homes, settled on high with its burden on the hills which are called Armenia: there the pious son of Lamech 1425 awaited the sure promises for a long time, when the Keeper of Life, the Almighty King, gave him relief from the perilous chances which he had long undergone, when the dark waves bore him abroad on the deep over 1430 far countries.

The flood was sinking; the sea-farers, the heroes and their wives, longed [for the time] when they might venture to step out of their straitened quarters over the well-nailed side out on the bank, and take their goods 1435 out of their crowded home. So the guardian of the ship tried to find out whether the waters were still sinking under the clouds: accordingly, after many days from the time the high mountain-sides received the possessions 1440 and persons of the races of earth, the son of Lamech let a black raven fly out of the Ark over the high flood.

Noe believed that if it found no land in its flight, it 1445 would zealously seek him again on the ship over the wide water. But this hope failed him; for the evil [bird]

alighted upon a floating corpse: the dark-feathered fowl would not seek [further]. Then again after a week he sent from the Ark a purple dove to fly over the high water 1450 after the dark raven, for the purpose of finding out whether the foamy sea, the ocean, had given up any portion of the green earth, as yet. Widely she sought 1455 her desired object, and flew afar: nowhere did she find a resting-place, since she could not settle on land on foot because of the flood, nor alight on a leaf of a tree because of the waves; for the steep mountain-sides were 1460 hidden by the waters. The wild bird set out in the evening to seek the Ark over the dusky flood, and sank weary and famished in the hands of the pious hero.

Then after a week the wild-dove was again sent out 1465 from the Ark: she flew far, until greatly rejoicing she found a fair place for rest and settled with her feet on a tree; she exulted glad at heart, because exceedingly weary [as she was] she could sit in the bright branches 1470 of a tree: she shook out her wings and started to fly back again with her gift, [for she] brought in her flight an olive twig, green leaves, into the hands of one [on board]. Then quickly the leader of the voyagers per- 1475 ceived that solace had come, relief from their perilous experience. So again after a third week the happy man sent out a wild dove; it did not come flying back to the ship, for it found land, green groves: the glad 1480 creature did not wish to show itself ever again under the pitch-smeared roof on the Ark, when there was no need.

XVIII.

Then to Noe spoke our Preserver, Ruler of Heaven, with holy voice:

"For you is a dwelling-place again appointed, fair 1485 on the dry land, joys on earth and rest after your voyage.

Depart in peace out of the Ark, and lead forth upon the bosom of the earth out of this lofty structure your com- panions and all the creatures which I mercifully preserved 1490 from the peril of the flood, while the deluge held sway [and] covered your home with its abundance.[19]"

He did so, and obeyed the Lord, stood forth upon the strand, as the Voice bade him, and with great joy led 1495 out of the ship the survivors of these perils.

Then Noe began to inst.i.tute a sacrifice to our Preserver, and immediately took a part of all his possessions which the Lord had given to him for his comfort, and then, 1500 zealous for the offering, even to G.o.d Himself, King of the Angels, the clear-souled man proffered the sacrifice.

Certainly our Saviour let it be known, when he blessed 1505 Noe and his sons too, that [the patriarch] had given Him this offering acceptably and in his youth had merited by his good deeds that Almighty G.o.d, Glorious in Splendor, should be gracious to him with all blessings. 1510 Then again the Lord, Ruler of Glory, spoke a word to Noe:

"Increase now and multiply, enjoy your honor, with the gladness of peace: fill the earth, make all things teem.

Into your possession is given a n.o.ble heritage, the produce 1515 of the sea, the fowls of heaven, and the wild beasts,-- the verdant earth and every treasure. You shall never dishonorably procure your food through bloodshed, 1520 sinfully stricken in its life-blood. Each one first of all injures himself in the riches of the spirit, who with the edge of the sword takes the life of another: nor shall he dare to rejoice in thought over the spoils, for I will avenge a man's death all the more severely upon the 1525 slayer and upon the fratricide, in proportion as blood- shed, the slaughter of a man with weapons, or murder by [violent] hands, seems to succeed. Man was first created in the likeness of G.o.d: every man has the form of the 1530 Lord and of the Angels, whose virtues follow my holy will. Increase and multiply, enjoy riches and honor on earth. Fill the countries of the world with people, your offspring, sons and daughters. I will set up for you this 1535 my pledge, that I will never again let loose the floods upon the earth, the waters over the broad lands: you may see this witness frequently upon the clouds, when 1540 I show my rainbow, [as proof] that I will certainly keep this bond with men, while the world lasts."

Thus was the prudent son of Lamech, the keeper of the heritage, disembarked from his ship after the flood 1545 with his three sons; and their four wives were named Percoba, Olla, Olliva, and Ollivani,[20] saved from the waters by the true G.o.d. The stout-minded heroes, 1550 the sons of Noe, were called Sem and Cham, and the third Iafeth: from these warriors the nations sprang and all this earth was filled with the children of men.