CHAPTER XIII

The fall of Adam. Why night and day were created.

1 Then when God, who is merciful and full of pity, heard Adam's voice, He said to him: --

"O Adam, so long as the good angel was obedient to Me, a bright

light rested on him and on his hosts.
But when he transgressed My commandment, I deprived him of that

bright nature, and he became dark.
And when he was in the heavens, in the realms of light, he knew

nothing of darkness.
But he transgressed, and I made him fall from the heaven onto the

earth; and it was this darkness that came over him.
And on you, O Adam, while in My garden and obedient to Me, did that

bright light rest also.
But when I heard of your transgression, I deprived you of that

bright light. Yet, of My mercy, I did not turn you into darkness, but I made you your body of flesh, over which I spread this skin, in order that it may bear cold and heat.
If I had let My wrath fall heavily on you, I should have destroyed

you; and had I turned you into darkness, it would have been as if I had killed you.
But in My mercy, I have made you as you are; when you transgressed

My commandment, O Adam, I drove you from the garden, and made you come forth into this land; and commanded you to live in this cave; and darkness covered you, as it did over him who transgressed My commandment.
Thus, O Adam, has this night deceived you. It is not to last

forever; but is only of twelve hours; when it is over, daylight will return.
Sigh not, therefore, neither be moved; and say not in your heart

that this darkness is long and drags on wearily; and say not in your heart that I plague you with it.
Strengthen your heart, and be not afraid. This darkness is not a

punishment. But, O Adam, I have made the day, and have placed the sun in it to give light; in order that you and your children should do your work. 13 For I knew you would sin and transgress, and come out into this land. Yet I wouldn't force you, nor be heard over you, nor shut up; nor doom you through your fall; nor through your coming out from light into

darkness; nor yet through your coming from the garden into this land.

For I made you of the light; and I willed to bring out children of

light from you and like to you.
But you did not keep My commandment one day; until I had finished

the creation and blessed everything in it.
Then, concerning the tree, I commanded you not to eat of it. Yet I

knew that Satan, who deceived himself, would also deceive you.
So I made known to you by means of the tree, not to come near him.

And I told you not to eat of the fruit thereof, nor to taste of it, nor yet to sit under it, nor to yield to it.
Had I not been and spoken to you, O Adam, concerning the tree, and

had I left you without a commandment, and you had sinned -- it would have been an offence on My part, for not having given you any order; you would turn around and blame Me for it.
But I commanded you, and warned you, and you fell. So that My

creatures cannot blame Me; but the blame rests on them alone.
And, O Adam, I have made the day so that you and your descendants

can work and toil in it. And I have made the night for them to rest in it from their work; and for the beasts of the field to go forth by night and look for their food.
But little of darkness now remains, O Adam, and daylight will soon

appear."