ain in his first estate--it was he
who made the tree appear pleasant in your eyes, until you ate of it, by
believing his words.

8 Thus have you transgressed My commandment, and therefore I have
brought on you all these sorrows.

9 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.

10 But, if on the contrary, they still continue hardened in their
transgression, they shall be under a curse forever."

Chapter VII - The beasts are appeased.

1 When Adam and Eve heard these words from God, they cried and sobbed
yet more; but they strengthened their hearts in God, because they now
felt that the Lord was to them like a father and a mother; and for this
very reason, they cried before Him, and sought mercy from Him.

2 Then God had pity on them, and said: "O Adam, I have made My covenant
with you, and I will not turn from it; neither will I let you return to
the garden, until My covenant of the great five and a half days is
fulfilled."

3 Then Adam said to God, "O Lord, You created us, and made us fit to be
in the garden; and before I transgressed, You made all beasts come to
me, that I should name them.

4 Your grace was then on me; and I named every one according to Your
mind; and you made them all subject to me.

5 But now, O Lord God, that I have transgressed Your commandment, all
beasts will rise against me and will devour me, and Eve Your handmaid;
and will cut off our life from the face of the earth.

6 I therefore beg you, O God, that since You have made us come out of
the garden, and have made us be in a strange land, You will not let the
beasts hurt us."

7 When the Lord heard these words from Adam, He had pity on him, and
felt that he had truly said that the beasts of the field would rise and
devour him and Eve, because He, the Lord, was angry with the two of
them on account of their transgressions.

8 Then God commanded the beasts, and the birds, and all that moves on
the earth, to come to Adam and to be familiar with him, and not to
trouble him and Eve; nor yet any of the good and righteous among their
offspring.

9 Then all the beasts paid homage to Adam, according to the commandment
of God; except the serpent, against which God was angry. It did not
come to Adam, with the beasts.

Chapter VIII - The "Bright Nature" of man is taken away.

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