First Book of Adam and Eve | Page 7

they stood to look at it, and cried for having come away from it.
2 And Adam and Eve went from before the gate of the garden to the southern side of it, and found there the water that watered the garden, from the root of the Tree of Life, and that split itself from there into four rivers over the earth.
3 Then they came and went near to that water, and looked at it; and saw that it was the water that came forth from under the root of the Tree of Life in the garden.
4 And Adam cried and wailed, and beat his chest, for being severed from the garden; and said to Eve: --
5 "Why have you brought on me, on yourself, and on our descendants, so many of these plagues and punishments?"
6 And Eve said to him, "What is it you have seen that has caused you to cry and to speak to me in this manner?"
7 And he said to Eve, "Do you not see this water that was with us in the garden, that watered the trees of the garden, and flowed out from there?
8 And we, when we were in the garden, did not care about it; but since we came to this strange land, we love it, and turn it to use for our body."
9 But when Eve heard these words from him, she cried; and from the soreness of their crying, they fell into that water; and would have put an end to themselves in it, so as never again to return and behold the creation; for when they looked at the work of creation, they felt they must put an end to themselves.


Chapter X
- Their bodies need water after they leave the garden.
1 Then God, merciful and gracious, looked at them thus lying in the water, and close to death, and sent an angel, who brought them out of the water, and laid them on the seashore as dead.
2 Then the angel went up to God, was welcome, and said, "O God, Your creatures have breathed their last."
3 Then God sent His Word to Adam and Eve, who raised them from their death.
4 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."
5 Then God said to Adam, "While you were under My command and were a bright angel, you knew not this water.
6 But now that you have transgressed My commandment, you can not do without water, wherein to wash your body and make it grow; for it is now like that of beasts, and is in want of water."
7 When Adam and Eve heard these words from God, they cried a bitter cry; and Adam entreated God to let him return into the garden, and look at it a second time.
8 But God said to Adam, "I have made you a promise; when that promise is fulfilled, I will bring you back into the garden, you and your righteous descendants."
9 And God ceased to commune with Adam.


Chapter XI
- A recollection of the glorious days in the Garden.
1 Then Adam and Eve felt themselves burning with thirst, and heat, and sorrow.
2 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 descendants."
3 Both Adam and Eve then went away from the water, and drank none of it at all; but came and entered the Cave of Treasures.
4 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.
5 Then Adam cried, in deep affliction, and beat his chest; and he got up and said to Eve, "Where are you?"
6 And she said to him, "Look, I am standing in this darkness."
7 He then said to her, "Remember the bright nature in which we lived, when we lived in the garden!
8 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.
9 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!
10 Think, oh think of that garden in which was no darkness, while we lived in it.
11 Whereas no sooner did we come into this Cave of Treasures than darkness surrounded us all around; until we can no longer see