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V. Then Adam and Eve entered the cave, and stood praying, in their own tongue, unknown to us, but which they knew well. And as they prayed, Adam raised his eyes, and saw the rock and the roof of the cave that covered him overhead, so that he could see neither heaven, nor God's creatures. So he wept and smote heavily upon his breast, until he dropped, and was as dead. And Eve sat weeping; for she believed he was dead.
Then she arose, spread her hands towards God, suing Him for mercy and pity, and said, "O God, forgive me my sin, the sin which I committed, and remember it not against me. For I alone caused Thy servant to fall from the garden into this lost estate; from light into this darkness; and from the abode of joy into this prison. O God, look upon this Thy servant thus fallen, and raise him from his death, that he may weep and repent of his transgression which he committed through me. Take not away his soul this once; but let him live that he may stand after the measure of his repentance, and do Thy will, as before his death.
"But if Thou do not raise him up, then, O God, take away my own soul, that I be like him; and leave me not in this dungeon, one and alone; for I could not stand alone in this world, but with him only. For Thou, O God, didst cause a slumber to come upon him, and didst take a bone from his side, and didst restore the flesh in the place of it, by Thy divine power. And Thou didst take me, the bone, and make me a woman, bright like him, with heart, reason, and speech; and in flesh, like unto his own; and Thou didst make me after the likeness of his countenance, by Thy mercy and power.
"O Lord, I and he are one and Thou, O God, art our Creator, Thou are He who made us both in one day. Therefore, O God, give him life, that he may be with me in this strange land, while we dwell in it on account of our transgression. But if Thou wilt not give him life, then take me, even me, like him, that we both may die the same day."
And Eve wept bitterly, and fell upon our father Adam, from her great sorrow.
VI. But God looked upon them, for they had killed themselves through great grief. But He would raise them and comfort them. He, therefore, sent His Word unto them, that they should stand and be raised forthwith.
And the Lord said unto Adam and Eve, "You transgressed of your own free will, until you came out of the garden in which I had placed you. Of your own free will have you transgressed through your desire for divinity, greatness, and an exalted state, such as I have, so that I deprived you of the bright nature in which you then were, and I made you come out of the garden to this land, rough and full of trouble.
"If only you had not transgressed My commandment and had kept My law, and had not eaten of the fruit of the tree, near which I told you not to come! And there were fruit trees in the garden better than that one. But the wicked Satan who continued not in his first estate, nor kept his faith in whom was no good intent towards Me and who, though I had created him, yet set Me at naught, and sought the Godhead, so that I hurled him down from heaven, he it is who made the tree appear pleasant in your eyes, until you ate of it, by hearkening to him.
"Thus have you transgressed My commandment, and therefore have I brought upon you all these sorrows. For I am God the Creator, who, when I created My creatures, did not intend to destroy them. But after they had sorely roused My anger, I punished them with grievous plagues, until they repent. But, if on the contrary, they still continue hardened in their transgression, they shall be under a curse for ever."
(700 words)
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