Adam and Eve. But
he threw them to them from a distance; for they might not come near the
cherub by reason of their flesh, that could not come near the fire.

5 At first, angels trembled at the presence of Adam and were afraid of
him. But now Adam trembled before the angels and was afraid of them.

6 Then Adam came closer and took one fig, and Eve also came in turn and
took the other.

7 And as they took them up in their hands, they looked at them, and
knew they were from the trees among which they had hidden themselves.

Chapter XXXVII - Forty-three days of penance do not redeem one hour of
sin (v. 6).

1 Then Adam said to Eve, "Do you not see these figs and their leaves,
with which we covered ourselves when we were stripped of our bright
nature? But now, we do not know what misery and suffering may come
over us from eating them.

2 Now, therefore, O Eve, let us restrain ourselves and not eat of them,
you and I; and let us ask God to give us of the fruit of the Tree of
Life."

3 Thus did Adam and Eve restrain themselves, and did not eat of these
figs.

4 But Adam began to pray to God and to beseech Him to give him of the
fruit of the Tree of Life, saying thus: "O God, when we transgressed
Your commandment at the sixth hour of Friday, we were stripped of the
bright nature we had, and did not continue in the garden after our
transgression, more than three hours.

5 But in the evening You made us come out of it. O God, we
transgressed against You one hour, and all these trials and sorrows
have come over us until this day.

6 And those days together with this the forty-third day, do not redeem
that one hour in which we transgressed!

7 O God, look at us with an eye of pity, and do not avenge us according
to our transgression of Your commandment, in Your presence.

8 O God, give us of the fruit of the Tree of Life, that we may eat of
it, and live, and turn not to see sufferings and other trouble, in this
earth; for You are God.

9 When we transgressed Your commandment, You made us come out of the
garden, and sent a cherub to keep the Tree of Life, lest we should eat
thereof, and live; and know nothing of faintness after we transgressed.

10 But now, O Lord, behold, we have endured all these days, and have
borne sufferings. Make these forty-three days an equivalent for the
one hour in which we transgressed."

Chapter XXXVIII - "When 5500 years are fulfilled. . . ."

1 After these things