1205
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 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 space of time enjoyed 1220
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 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 noble 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 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, 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 God began to seek brides among
the race of Cain, the accursed folk, and chose wives 1250
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 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 enemi