Then God sent His Word unto Adam and Eve, who raised them from their death.
And Adam said, after he was raised, "O God, while we were in the garden we did not require, or care for this water; but since we came to this land we cannot do without it."
Then God said to Adam, "While thou wast under My command and wast a bright angel, thou knewest not this water. But after that thou hast transgressed My commandment, thou canst not do without water, wherein to wash thy body and make it grow; for it is now like that of beasts, and is in want of water."
When Adam and Eve heard these words from God, they wept a bitter cry, and Adam entreated God to let him return into the garden, and look at it a second time.
But God said unto Adam, "I have made thee a promise; when that promise is fulfilled, I will bring thee back into the garden, thee and thy righteous seed." And God ceased to commune with Adam.
XI. Then Adam and Eve felt themselves burning with thirst, and heat, and sorrow.
And Adam said to Eve, "We shall not drink of this water, even if we were to die. O Eve, when this water comes into our inner parts, it will increase our punishments and that of our children, that shall come after us."
Both Adam and Eve then withdrew from the water, and drank none of it at all, but came and entered the Cave of Treasures. But when in it Adam could not see Eve; he only heard the noise she made. Neither could she see Adam, but heard the noise he made.
Then Adam wept, in deep affliction, and smote upon his breast, and he arose and said to Eve, "Where art thou?"
And she said unto him, "Lo, I am standing in this darkness."
He then said to her, "Remember the bright nature in which we lived, while we abode in the garden! O Eve! Remember the glory that rested on us in the garden. O Eve! Remember the trees that overshadowed us in the garden while we moved among them. O Eve! Remember that while we were in the garden, we knew neither night nor day.
Think of the Tree of Life, from below which flowed the water, and that shed lustre over us! Remember, O Eve, the garden-land, and the brightness thereof! Think, oh think of that garden in which was no darkness, while we dwelt therein. Whereas no sooner did we come into this Cave of Treasures than darkness compassed us round about, until we can no longer see each other, and all the pleasure of this life has come to an end."
XII. Then Adam smote upon his breast, he and Eve, and they mourned the whole night until dawn drew near, and they sighed over the length of the night in Miyazia. And Adam beat himself, and threw himself on the ground in the cave, from bitter grief, and because of the darkness, and lay there as dead.
But Eve heard the noise he made in falling upon the earth. And she felt about for him with her hands, and found him like a corpse. Then she was afraid, speechless, and remained by him.
But the merciful Lord looked on the death of Adam, and on Eve's silence from fear of the darkness. And the Word of God came unto Adam and raised him from his death, and opened Eve's mouth that she might speak.
Then Adam arose in the cave and said, "O God, wherefore has light departed from us, and darkness come over us? Wherefore dost Thou leave us in this long darkness? Why wilt Thou plague us thus? And this darkness, O Lord, where was it ere it came upon us? It is such, that we cannot see each other. For, so long as we were in the garden, we neither saw nor even knew what darkness is. I was not hidden from Eve, neither was she hidden from me, until now that she cannot see me, and no darkness came upon us, to separate us from each other. But she and I were both in one bright light. I saw her and she saw me. Yet now since we came into this cave, darkness has come upon us, and parted us asunder, so that I do not see her, and she does not see me. O Lord, wilt Thou then plague us with this darkness?"
Next: The Darkness
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