Caverna Thesaurorum

Addendum I: Apocryphal Narratives Which Precede the Manuscript of the Life of Mariam, Queen of Kartli. Spoken by our holy father Ephrem: Translation concerning the creation of heaven and earth, and concerning Adam: how they took his body and buried it at Golgotha, and concerning the genealogy of the ancestors: how we found the genealogy of Christ in the flesh, as it is written in the Gospel of Luke, chapter [beginning] from Adam of all the fathers up to Christ our Lord and God. First, however, this was translated by our holy father Ephrem: the generation of the chief fathers from Adam up to Christ our Savior and God. Bless us, Father.

It was on the first day, which is the head of all days, the Lord's day, when God created heaven and earth and everything that is within them: the power of the heavens, day and night, wind of trembling, and the Holy Spirit moved upon the waters, which is the co-worker of the Trinity, and shimmered upon the waters; they were blessed by it until the waters were made from the nature of the sweet source, so that it might leaven, like a leavening of creation, as when a bird warms its eggs with its own wing, and from its own heat, as from fire, truly creates within the egg. Likewise, the Spirit, the Comforter, moved upon the waters and joined the leavening of creation by the providence of the Holy Spirit. And on the second day, God created heaven and earth, and he called the heaven "thin," so that it might teach all men what the nature of that highest heaven is, because it is beyond their sight, for the highest heaven is like fire, but the second heaven is like light, and the lower heaven is crystal, and it is beautiful by nature; therefore they call it the thin heaven. And on the second day, God separated the waters which are above from the waters which are below, and these waters which are above are above the heaven.

On the second day, it ascended and gathered like a mist beautifully; thus it ascended, and it is suspended above, and it does not move, nor does it stir from its place. On the third day, He prepared the waters which are under this thin sky, and gathered them in one place, and brought forth the dry land. And as the waters were gathered from the face of the earth, the earth appeared, thin and without thickness. And the waters were gathered into a sea beneath the earth, and some ascended above. And God created the earth and caused plants to sprout, so that the growth of vegetation might be tempered by heat and cold, like a sponge which is above the waters. And on that same third day, God prepared the earth, and grasses sprouted forth, and it received within itself the tree and the sowing of the fruits for bearing, with root and vein. And on the fourth day, God created the sun, the moon, and the stars. And as the light shone upon the face of the earth, that moisture dried up, so that the dampness of the water might be taken away. And as the earth became warm, every tree sprouted forth by its root, which sprouted on the fourth day. And on the fifth day, God prepared within the waters, so that they might give birth to every winged and living creature, in form visible.

And everything that moves in the waters, and everything that creeps below, and that which flies above, and the whale which is written in Job, and the fowl above in the air, and the fowl in the waters—on the sixth day, Friday, God created every reptile, and every beast, and wild animal, and every creeping thing upon the earth. And on that same day, He created Adam, and it came to pass at once. But on the seventh day, the Sabbath, God rested from all His works, and He called the Sabbath the creation of Adam. Thus it was: on Friday, at the first hour, God said, “Let all the powers of heaven be sealed,” and God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit said—but it was not yet named: the Father was not yet Father, nor the Son Son, nor the Holy Spirit Spirit; rather, it awaited the incarnation of Christ, so that the Holy Trinity might be glorified upon the Jordan. But thus the Creator said: “I shall make man in My image and likeness,” and He revealed the Trinity, but not by name at that time. And God said, “Let us make man in Our image and likeness.” And when the angels heard this word, they were astonished and said to one another, “For today we shall behold a great mystery, for the likeness of God is to be born; we shall behold the right hand.

He spread it over all the earth, and in addition gathered from it everything that God had created under his own will. And the angels saw that God took from all the earth a little earth, and from every nature of water a little water, a portion, and from all the air a moving breath, and from the nature of fire a warm heat, so that man might be built from the four natures. And the angels saw the four natures in the will of God: cold and heat, moisture and dryness. And from this kind of nature he created Adam from weakness, and gathered from every part of the earth so that the nature of the earth might bow to Adam, and a portion of all waters so that everything that is in the waters, seas, and rivers might submit, and so that he might be a model for the angels by means of nourishment. God created Adam with his own holy hands, in the likeness of his own image. And when the angels saw the image of Adam, they were greatly afraid of him because of the sight of his face, so that it shone with the glory and radiance of God’s glory. And righteousness and light came forth like the sun’s ray from his eyes, and like a flame of fire, a terror, and like a flash upon the heart of the earth, it stood.

Feet: at the place where the cross of the Savior Jesus Christ was raised up, and as the feet were set in that place where the cross was raised up, Adam put on the royal garment and placed the crown of kingship upon his head. Then Adam became king, priest, and prophet before them. There God set him upon a throne with honor, and gathered all the animals, and they stood before Adam; and he called each of them by their names, and all of them submitted. Then the angels heard from heaven a terrible word of God, and He said to him: "Ho, Adam, behold, now you have a king, a priest before, a prophet, and a prince, and a lord, and a ruler; and all creatures are subject to you, that they may obey only you; and I give you authority over everything that I have created." And when the angels heard this word from God, they bowed down and worshiped God, and then Adam, the image of God. The angels and archangels, the thrones, dominions, principalities, powers, seraphim, cherubim, and the glorious holy ones—then God brought him into Paradise, and again there the holy angels, seraphim, worshiped, and the cherubim praised and blessed God, and they glorified with glory. And as Adam entered...

In paradise he lay down, so that he might sleep, and he drew out from God one rib from his right side, and God created Eve. And Adam awoke, saw her, and rejoiced, and they were together in paradise, clothed in glory, at the third hour of the day. For paradise is above the airs, higher than all mountains by twenty cubits, and it surrounds the whole earth, as the prophet said: God planted paradise in Eden and placed Adam, whom he created. And "Adam" is interpreted as "holy church," and "church" is interpreted in Hebrew as "holy spirit." For God distributed righteousness over all nations, and "Zerdzulad" is interpreted as "holy assembly." For God hastened with mercy, as David the prophet said: "Lord, he prayed to God for the liberation of the people, and said: Remember the church which you acquired as a dwelling for yourself by your mercy, which you promised us, for you are the nourisher of all and of your people by the righteousness of the holy church in paradise, which is the spiritual resting place and the living earth, which you promised to the saints for the sake of Adam." But Adam was a sinful king and prince, and God brought him into paradise so that he might serve.

with knowledge: as Moses the prophet wrote, that there was a work of the wisdom of the Creator, and he kept the commandment which was given to him, that he might announce it, and he placed Adam and Eve in paradise, and showed them the form of life. And when the devil saw the beautiful form depicted in the midst of the earth, and from it was that cross of Christ and the life-giving one, and this is the tree of life. And the devil saw that Adam and Eve were rejoicing in paradise; he was enraged with his own malice, for he envied them. And he entered into a serpent, took it up into the air, and the serpent brought the devil to paradise. Why did the devil enter into the serpent into paradise? For this reason: because he knew that his appearance was ugly; if Eve saw him, she would flee from him. And he likened himself to that bird which is called the hoopoe, which the wise teach at the boundary of man, for thus they do: they bring a mirror and hold it before that bird, and a man looks from behind the mirror, and when the bird hears the voice, it looks at the sound and sees in that mirror its own image, and because it resembles the bird, it rejoices greatly, and they think that its companion is coming, and it looks, and

He learned: the word: human: the deceiver: with calmness: the counsel: of strength: of tongues: and: every: thought: thus: entered: the serpent: of the heart: into the mouth: and: taught: the time: of the eyes: and: of the ears: and: face: to face: he counselled: Eve: and: the lie: she believed: so that: the fragile: nature: of woman: and: she believes: every: word: but: when: Eve heard: from the serpent: that cause: of the tree: she desired: the fruit: of that tree: with disobedience: and: ate: and: saw: her own: nature: and: how: she knew: the shame: of herself: she went: and hid: under: another: tree: she hid: that: shame: of hers: with a leaf: of a fig: and: called: Adam: and: when: he came: to her: she gave: to him also: of that tree: from which: she: had eaten: the fruit: and: when: he ate: of that: fruit: he knew: his own: shame: after: this: there was made: for them: a garment: of curse: and: he put on: that: skin: weak: which: is stretched: over: these: flesh: painful: but: when: the Lord God: cast them out: of paradise: because of his disobedience: they were: sorrowful: greatly: then: the Lord God: spoke: to Adam: and: said: do not: grieve: for: I: will bring you back: to your own: place: see: how: I love: you: for: I forgot: and: I cursed: all: the earth: for your sake: and: you: I did not curse: and: he said: he commanded: him: to till: the earth: and: Eve:

I have made you a servant for this reason: because you dishonored my commandment. Depart for this reason, and do not grieve for yourself. But when the time which I appointed for you for your dwelling in that foreign and accursed land is completed, I will send you my son, who will descend and deliver you. He will enter into the holy virgin and be born human, and become man, and he will lead you into paradise. But instruct your children, and say that they should preserve your body after your death, and anoint it with myrrh, and with storax, and with frankincense, and bury you in that cave. I will establish you today until that day from the day on which you went out from the land outside where you are to dwell, in the days when your son comes, and he takes your body, and carries your body with him to that place which I have shown you of the land, so that there may be your salvation and the salvation of your offspring. And the Lord revealed everything that was to happen. And when Adam and Eve went out of paradise, the door was closed, and the cherubim were stationed, who had a flaming sword. And Adam descended from that mountain of paradise with great sorrow, and found a cave below the summit of the mountain.

And Adam and Eve entered and hid themselves within it, and they remained there, a pure, untouched virgin, without intercourse. And as Adam desired to approach Eve, he went out and gathered around the garden gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and brought them into that cave, and said, "Let this place be for prayer for him and his children." And he called the cave "Caverna Thesaurorum." And Adam and Eve descended from that holy mountain, and entered into that same cave. And Adam approached Eve, and she bore Cain and his sister Liud, twins. When Cain and his brother Abel grew up, Adam said to Eve, "Let Abel take Liud, who was born with Cain." Cain said to his mother, "I shall take my sister, and Abel shall take his sister, for Liud was more beautiful than Kalmanis." When Adam heard this word, he was greatly grieved and said, "Woe! This is another transgression of the commandment, and you would take your sister who was born with you. But now: you bring from the fruits of the earth, and Abel from the offspring of the cattle; let us go up to the top of that holy mountain and offer a sacrifice for yourselves; there bless yourselves before God, so that your sisters may be joined to you." And as Adam went up, the first priest, and Cain and...

Abel on the summit of that holy mountain, and the devil entered into the heart of Cain to kill Abel because of his sister Ludi. For this reason, the Lord did not accept his offering, nor did he look upon it at all. But Abel's offering the Lord accepted, because there was no guile in his heart. And Cain was filled with sorrow and envy, and they went down to the face of the plain. Then Cain rose up to kill Abel, and he killed him, so that he might take away his sister. And there, it is said, he brought a curse, and with fear he trembled all the days of his life. Then the Lord sent him to a foreign land, to the hidden land of Nudas, and he took his sister Ludi with him, and they dwelt there. But Adam and Eve, with sorrow, mourned for righteous Abel for a hundred years. And Adam went in to Eve, and she bore Seth, who was beautiful in appearance, a comely and strong man, heroic in appearance, and he was like his father Adam in perfection. And he was the father of the heroes before the flood of waters. And Seth took Kalmana, the sister of Abel, and she bore Enosh. And Enosh bore Kenan. And Kenan bore Mahalalel. These were the heads of the fathers who were born in the days of Adam's life. After this, Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years, and he died in the lifetime of Mahalalel.

The death of Adam. And Seth, his son, gathered Enoch, and Cainan, and Mahalalel, so that they might be blessed by him. Then he blessed them and said to his son Seth: "Hear today my commandment, my son Seth, which I command you now. And you command Enoch, and Enoch command Cainan, and Cainan command Mahalalel. And let this commandment be yours and that of all your descendants. When I die, anoint my body with myrrh and cassia and storax, and lay me in that cave, the treasure cave of the venerable one, that it may be a place of prayer for all your descendants until the time when the nobility, the judgeship, and the sorcery around Paradise shall come to an end. And they shall take my body and carry it with them to wherever God shows them; there they shall place it in the navel of the earth, for there is my redemption and that of all my children. With the fear of God, guard yourselves from the children of Cain, the fratricide. And know the hours of the day and of the night." And when all heard this word, they together praised God. And when the time of the appointed hour of prayer to God came, for God created me and taught me everything, that the animals which are upon the earth and the birds which are...

...and the birds of the air together. He taught me the hours of the day and of the night, and he taught me the glory of God of all the orders of angels. The hours of the day are unworthy that they should glorify God. My children, all of you, with devotion pray and await mercy from God and from the Creator of heaven and earth. And at the second hour the angels glorify and pray and praise God. And at the third hour all the birds sing with glory. And at the fourth hour there is prayer of all souls. And at the fifth hour all the beasts and reptiles glorify. And at the sixth hour the cherubim glorify and bow down and pray to God. And at the seventh hour all prayer enters before God. And at the eighth hour the birds of the heavens and the creeping things of the earth glorify. At the ninth hour there is prayer of the manifestation of the angels of God who stand trembling before the thrones of God and glorify with their glory. And at the tenth hour there is prayer of all the waters, for in them the Holy Spirit descends from heaven and shines upon all the waters and drives away every harmful thing from men. And at the eleventh hour there is completion with joy of all the righteous. And at the...

The twelfth hour: a cry: "O sons of men, received and blessed before God! Hail, child! Keep these commandments of mine." The hours of the night: at the first hour of the night, the demons tremble with fear as servants of God, and they are not able to harm or destroy the sons of men, nor can they frighten any, until they are separated from the service of God. And at the second hour, all the creatures that are in the waters and in the depths raise a din. And at the third hour, there is service beneath the glory of the creature which is above all the stars, which no man is able to speak of; at that hour, nothing can be concealed, for nothing exists. And at the fourth hour, there is a revelation of the cherubim and seraphim to the sons. I heard that word and I saw when it began before Paradise of sin, how we fell and we lacked that voice; we no longer saw that which we had seen when the seraphim moved their feet. And at the fifth hour, the waters that are in the heavens raise a din, for I heard the voice of all the angels, for they struck a sound and resounded after the ships and the wheels of the chariot which...

They flow: upon: the waters: and: with a cry: they glorify: and: at the sixth hour: they glorify: all: the days: before: and: there is: fear: and: trembling: and: at the seventh hour: testimony: is: of power: and: of the earth: and: they glorify: when: they: are shut up: all: the waters: which: beyond: the priest: so that: he may bring: water: and: oil: blessed: of Shazao: and: anoint: the sick: who: would not fall asleep: from affliction: and: be healed: and: at the eighth hour: come forth: the green: from the earth: and: at the ninth hour: glorify: the angels: and: they hasten: to prayer: those who: are jealous: for God: and: at the tenth hour: the doors: of the heavens: open: and: every: one who: prays: to God: a child: faithful: God grants: a reward: if: he sees: with a pure heart: but if: vainly: heartlessly: he prays: God: does not accept: nor: does he receive: their prayer: for: at that: hour: grace: and: gift: come down: from God: and: the seraphim: become heartless: the birds: with a cry: they surround: and: praise: at the eleventh hour: the priest: is unworthy: so that: they may burn: incense: and: worship: God: for: there is: among the saints: a great silence: of all: those dwelling: in the heavens: and: at the twelfth hour: grace: comes down: upon the earth: from the east: and: illuminates:

of the villages: brightly: O: my: son: Seth: hear: my: words: and: in your heart: keep: that: which: I teach: you: for: I am coming: to earth: that: which: Michael: in paradise: and: he said: to me: that: in the last: times: I will send: my: son: before: the ages: who: was born: from a virgin: of the tribe: who: is called: Mary: and: he will be: with: men: and: will grow up: with: their: children: at that: time: there will be: a great: wonder: upon the waves: of the sea: he will walk: as: on dry: land: the winds: will be rebuked: and: will be shut up: and: the waves: will cease: the blind: will see: the deaf: will hear: the mute: will speak: and: harlots: will repent: with: repentance: and: the disobedient: will turn: to obedience: and: the erring: will be enlightened: and: demons: will be dispersed: and: thus: comforted: me: God: when: he brought me out: of paradise: he said: O: Adam: do not: fear: you desire: divinity: but: I: God: made: you: not: God: but: not: at this: time: but: after: times: now: I have brought you out: of paradise: for the work: of the earth: full: of thorns: and: cypress: heads: and: I have bent: your: back: and: your: body: I have given: to labor: and: your: hands: tremble: from: old age: and: in the last: times: I will give you: death: and: after: five: days: of days:

with my mercy I shall protect you, and in your house I shall dwell unceasingly for your sake. My son shall come to you for your salvation upon this earth. My son shall come to you for your salvation upon this earth. For your sake Adam shall bow his head to receive baptism. For your sake Adam shall keep forty days of fast. For your sake Adam shall hear blasphemy from the Jews, shall be scourged with a rod, and shall be given to the pagans to be mocked. For your sake he shall be stretched upon a beam, and his hands shall be nailed between two thieves. For your sake vinegar and gall shall be given him, and his side shall be pierced with a lance. All this he shall endure in the flesh which he put on from the Virgin. And the sun shall be darkened, and the rocks shall be rent, and the deserts shall be shaken, and they shall groan, and the earth and the heavens shall tremble and be shaken, and there shall be thunder for your sake. Adam, the heavens shall be renewed, and the tombs shall be opened, and the whole earth shall be born anew. And the Son, the Saviour of the world, shall be buried in the flesh which he received from you, and shall ascend from the world into heaven in the flesh, and shall sit at the right hand of God. Then you shall become God, as the serpent in paradise told you. And you were eager, my son Seth, and keep my commandment thus, as my God commanded me, for it is not so if not.

He was finished: these words: Adam died. Then all his offspring, his sons and daughters, gathered to receive his blessing, and they prayed over him. And the years of Adam were completed: nine hundred and thirty. From the time he was born and came into the world, Adam died on the thirtieth day of the month of March, on Friday, at the ninth hour of the day, at the fifteenth of the moon, on the same day and hour that Christ, the Son of God, released his spirit from the flesh, that he might suffer on the cross. On that same day Adam gave his spirit to his Creator. And as Adam died, he was anointed with oil, with myrrh, and with storax, as the Lord had commanded him, for Adam was the first to die by the death of sin. Then his children wept with sorrow and mourned over him for one hundred and forty days. And they took his body to the top of the mountain and buried it in the cave, in the hidden treasure chamber. After the death of Adam, all the descendants of Seth and of Cain and the sons of the fratricidal brother were dispersed. Then Seth brought his firstborn son Enosh to where the body of Adam was buried. But Cain and his sons remained on the face of the plain where he had killed Abel, and Seth led the people.

By his good and holy providence, they received the name "eldest of all," until they were called "sons of God." And their mothers, their daughters, and their children lived thus on that mountain in righteousness and holiness. And there was peace and tranquility there, and there was no care. But they magnified God and praised him always together with the angels, and they heard the voice of the angels, for they lived near the mountain, up to twenty measures by spiritual measure. And they had no work, no labor, no sowing, no reaping; but for food there was the fruit of the trees year-round. And their mothers were pure, and their sons holy, and their daughters; and there was no envy or malice among them, nor any impure thought in their mothers, nor any evil word, nor curse, nor lie. And they were faithful; there was no oath among them, but only the blood of Abel swore. And every day they ascended to the summit of the holy mountain and worshipped before God, and they were blessed by the body of Adam. Their eyes were opened, and they saw paradise, and they magnified God. And thus they passed all the days of their life. He died, and:

Seth lived nine hundred and twelve years. Then Enos, Cainan, Malaleel, Jared, Enoch, and their mothers and their sons gathered together. And he blessed them and gave them a blessing, and with an oath he commanded them and said: "By the blood of Abel, do not cross this holy mountain, for Abel was killed." Then Seth blessed Enoch, his son, and commanded him concerning the body of Adam, and appointed him ruler over his own people. He adjured him by the blood of Abel that they might lead in righteousness and holiness and serve God and the body of Adam with purity, and that they should not die in the days of their life. And Seth died, the firstborn, at nine hundred and twelve years, in the month of August, on the seventeenth day, on Tuesday, at the ninth hour of the day, in the two hundredth year of Enoch's life. Then Enoch, his son, anointed his body with myrrh, stacte, and frankincense, and buried it in that cave, the treasury, and they mourned for him forty days. Then Enoch stood before God as a servant in that cave, the treasury, and governed his people, for he kept the commandment of his father Seth, and led his people in righteousness and peace for the one hundred and twenty years of his life. At that time Lamech the sorrowful killed.

With his eyes: Cain, the brother-killer, and in secret, in the hidden place, thus by name sat Lamech in the field, and there was a small child with him, his son, the blind one, and he heard the sound of Cain's walking, for he was coming, unseen, because Cain was unable to stand in one place. Lamech heard the sound, for he struck with an arrow and it struck Cain on the forehead, and Cain died. And with grief, Lamech's hands were weakened, and he said, "Woe!" And he seized the head of the child between both hands by his own will, and he crushed the head of the child, and he did not know it because of his strength, for he saw nothing. Enoch lived nine hundred and five years, and he gathered together the chief fathers and his son Cainan, and Malaleel, and Jared, and Enoch, and Methuselah, and their sons, and he blessed them and gave them a blessing, and with an oath he commanded them concerning the blood of Abel: "Do not separate yourselves from this mountain of the holy ones, and do not let even one of your children go away, so that they may beware of the sons of Cain the brother-killer, and keep this commandment greatly." And he blessed his son Cainan and commanded him concerning the body of Adam, and he said, "See, my son Cainan, and you shall be the steward of the people with all peace and holiness, and do not separate yourselves from the body of our father Adam on all the days of your life.

For their part: Enoch died at nine hundred and sixty-five years of age, in the month of October, on the third day, Tuesday, at sunset, in the years of the life of Methuselah. And Cainan, his son, buried him and placed him in that cave, the treasury, together with Adam and Eve. Then Cainan stood before God to serve in that cave, the treasury, and he was a peaceful and holy man, and he led his people with the fear of God, just as his father Enoch had governed. Cainan lived nine hundred and ten years. And when he fell ill, all the patriarchs gathered around him: Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and their wives and their children. And he blessed them and greeted them, and he adjured them by the blood of the innocent Abel, that no one should cross over from this holy mountain, and that none of your children should go over with the children of the lawless Cain, the murderer. He blessed Mahalalel and gave him instructions concerning the body of Adam, and said: "Behold, my son Mahalalel, and be you before God in the holy cave, the treasury, and do not separate yourself from the body of Adam for all the days of your life, and be you a ruler over all the people in righteousness and holiness." The son died at nine hundred and ten years of age, in the month of...

In June, on the third day, Tuesday, at the sixty-fifth year of Lamech, Malalel, his son, buried him in that cavern, the treasury, and they mourned for forty days. And Malalel stood to serve before God with all holiness, governing his people, and they continually prayed. Malalel lived eight hundred and sixty-five years. And when his death drew near, the patriarchs gathered: Jared, his firstborn son, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah, and their mothers. He blessed them and greeted them, and adjured them by the blood of Abel: "Let none of you pass from this holy mountain." And he blessed Jared, his son, and instructed him concerning the body of Adam, and told him plainly that he was departing from this world. And he adjured him by the blood of Abel the innocent, and said: "Do not separate yourself from the body of Adam during the days of your life, and be the steward of your people with holiness." And Malalel died, born in the eight hundred and sixty-fifth year, in the month of April, on the second day, Friday, at the third hour of the day, in the twenty-second year of the life of Noah. And Jared, his son, buried him in that cavern, the treasury, and they mourned for forty days. Jared stood to serve before God with holiness.

and with peace and with righteousness. Therefore the days of the elders, his fathers, who were before him, were prolonged. And in the days of Jared, in the five hundredth year, the sons of Seth passed over from the commandment of their fathers and began to pass over with their children together with the sons of Cain. In the fortieth year of Jared, in the dispensation of the people, at the completion of the thousandth year from Adam until Jared, the work of sin was revealed, for they submitted to the devil, and an evil word entered the heart, and the sons of Seth were deceived. For Jobel and Abliken, the sons of Lamech the Mourner, who killed Cain, these passed over from the commandment and learned song, and they brought forth the harp, the lyre, the psaltery, and the flute, and the pipe, and they multiplied every kind of instrument. For there was no one to guide them in good, and the voice of the women was heard behind, so that they might join the song of the fathers. As the devil found a pretext in that place, he prepared the sons of Seth to pass over from that holy mountain, as they were cast down by the devils. For God loved man and called Seth the son of God, as David the prophet said: "I say.

Therefore let him be called the son of God. And as the sons of Cain did in fornication, then the women followed after the men without shame; they fornicated and committed adultery with one another openly; they gathered together in one place, upon one woman, two or three men openly; and not even the devil [did such things]. Until he gathered all to destroy them; and the children did not know their parents, nor the parents their offspring. By the works of lawlessness, the demons prevailed over all; they sat and sang with whistling and with clamor and with flutes and with harps; and the sound of the uproar was heard in the air above; and all their shouting ascended to that holy mountain. And when the sons of Seth heard what the sons of Cain were doing, then about a hundred valiant men gathered, and they wished to go down and see what this sound was among the sons of Cain. When Jared heard their words, he was greatly grieved with sorrow, and he swore by the blood of innocent Abel: Let no one descend from this holy mountain. Remember that commandment which your fathers Seth, Enos, and Kenan, Mahalalel, and Enoch gave you. Hearken, O sons of Seth, those who transgressed the commandment of Jared: He is not the son of God, for

The fathers, the first ones, said: He who descended from this holy mountain could no longer ascend until the end; they did not listen, nor did they accept his entreaty, but they became shameless and neglected the commandment. And one hundred valiant men descended. And when they went down, they saw the daughters of Cain, naked, shamelessly inflamed with lust. When the daughters of Cain saw those young valiant men, they also desired them willingly. Then they mingled together like beasts, all of them, and the sons of Seth perished through wrath and fornication. And after they fell with the daughters of Cain, they wished that they might return again to them after their fall. Then they saw that mountain as if it were burning with fire, and they could not approach, nor did God allow them to mix with that holy mountain, for they had been defiled by fornication. But they remained below. And again, another hundred became shameless and went down to the daughters of the accursed Cain, and they remained below. And Jared lived nine hundred and sixty years. And when death came, all the chief fathers gathered: Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah. And he blessed and greeted them.

He commanded them and said: Let no one cross over from this holy mountain. Behold, here are your sons fallen, and I instruct you so that you do not abandon this holy mountain and do not dishonor the commandment of the fathers, so that you do not fall to the earth outside and no longer be able to see Paradise around until the end. But see: whoever goes down from this earth, let him take up the body of our father Adam and carry it with him. And this sacrifice I have prepared for you to offer, so that you may bring it where the Lord told you. But you, my son Enoch, do not separate yourself from the body of Adam all the days of your life, and serve the Lord with purity and peace as long as he lived. And Jared died, born in the year nine hundred and sixty, in the month of March on the thirteenth day, on Friday, at sunset, in the six hundredth year of the life of Noah. Then mourning went out over the earth. Then Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah gathered together and buried him in that cave of treasures, and they mourned for forty days. Then Enoch stood before the Lord to serve in that cave of treasures. But the sons of Seth, their mothers, and their children turned their faces and went down. Then, when they saw:

Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah. When they descended, they were greatly grieved for them. And as Enoch served before God for three hundred and sixty-five years, God revealed to him that he would depart. Then he called Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah and said: I will depart. God is angry with this generation and will manifest a sign of mercilessness. And you who remain shall be on the face of the plain, and your child shall no longer dwell on this holy mountain which they left behind. Nor shall there be a ruler over his own people. But see how you shall be: serve before God with all sweetness and goodness. And when Enoch gave this commandment, God transferred him to that land of the living, around Paradise, to that land where death cannot enter. Enoch became a dweller there. Then none of the sons of Seth, Enos, Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch remained on that holy mountain, except these three fathers, the chiefs, on that high and holy mountain. And they went down below with their children, the Cainites. When Noah saw that sin had multiplied in this generation, he kept himself blameless for five hundred years. God said to Noah:

Bring the mother, the man who is called Tamara, from the daughters of the Moabites, from the children of Enoch's brother Methuselah, and God announced to Noah: "After one hundred and twenty years, I will bring destruction by water." God said to Noah: "Prepare an ark for your salvation and for your household, and build it on the surface of the earth, and hew a beam on this mountain, made thus: let its length be three hundred cubits, its width eighty cubits, and its height thirty cubits; and complete it on the water, and make three stories: the lower for beasts and wild animals, the middle for birds, and the upper for yourself, your sons, your wife, and your son's wife; and prepare a place for water and houses for provisions; and prepare a mallet from the wood of the cross, whose handle's length is three hundred cubits, and let the head of the mallet be of the same wood, and strike three times a day: once in the morning so that the workers may gather, again at midday at the time of the meal, and again in the evening so that the workers may depart. And when they hear the striking, they ask: 'What is this?' You shall say: 'Because God will bring destruction by water.'" Then Noah did just as God said, and Noah begat three sons at the completion of one hundred years.

Then the building of the ark began, and the wives were joined from the daughters of Methuselah. Methuselah lived nine hundred and sixty-nine years and died on the twenty-first day of September, on a Thursday, at midday. And Lamech and Noah buried him in that cave of treasures, and they mourned for forty days. But the sons of Seth were separated from the house of paradise and were joined with the daughters of Cain, and from them were born mighty men, fathers like towers in size, and because of them the first writing was corrupted, which had been written by the angels from heaven. At that time the sons of Seth, who were first called sons of God, were together with the daughters of men. And their mothers bore these mighty men. From then on, they no longer knew how it was proper, for the spiritual nature was no longer with them, but the form of the devil, lovers of adultery by their nature, lovers of women. And they did not keep even one day, for they fell to demons and were entirely subjugated, and not all, nor even one virgin, remained from that whole people, but all were corrupted. As Lamech lived nine hundred and seventy-seven years, death came, and Noah gathered all the sons.

His sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their wives, for no others remained from the sons of Seth, from Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah; but all these had been completed under the earth, except for eight souls. These, however, were on the holy mountain, and no other of their children remained, but all went down with their children. Cain of the accursed line, however, Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their wives, for no children were left before the flood, and they came to Lamech. He blessed them, greeted them, embraced them, and kissed them, and said: "From all my people, eight souls remain. The God who was of our fathers, He blessed you; He created Adam and Eve, He blessed you, and He increased and multiplied you. And may God be in all your affairs, and may He save you from the wrath that has come, which came from this mountain—the wrath and the terror that was given to our father Adam. This has come to you from this good land. And these three blessings which God gave to our father Adam, may they be with you and with your offspring: kingship, priesthood, and...

Foretelling: Listen now: O Noah, blessed one, I am departing from this world. Behold, just as all our fathers, and you and your sons, have been separated, see how this is done for you. And what you hear from me: when I die, embalm my body, just as those our fathers did, and they preserved it in that cave of the treasure. And take your wife, and your sons, and the wives of your sons, and enter from the holy mountain. And take with you the body of father Adam. And these three offerings: bring with you gold, myrrh, and frankincense. And place the body of Adam in the middle of the ark. And place these three offerings separately. You and your sons shall be on the east side of the ark, and your wife and the wives of your sons on the south side. And let the body of Adam and that sacrifice be in the middle, so that your women may not touch you, nor you touch them, until you come out of the ark after the abating of the waters of the flood. For this mountain is the mountain that rages against those men, and God is upon it, because they were cast down from their own head from paradise and from the glory with the angels. And when you come out of the ark, and the waters of the flood cease, the ark will rest.

On the earth: do not separate from the ark for the sake of Adam’s body, but serve before God with all holiness, and place an offering at the east of the ark; and after your death, command Sem, your firstborn son, and bid him to take the body of our father Adam and place it in the midst of the navel of the earth; and let one of his descendants dwell in that place and serve before God until the time, and let him be secluded alone; let him not build a house there, nor consort with a woman, nor shed the blood of a sacrifice, nor offer a victim, neither a beast nor a bird nor a fowl, but let him offer only bread and wine, for there is the redemption of Adam and of all his offspring; and let an angel of God go before him, who shall show him the place in the midst of the navel of the earth, and let him stand there until the time of the redemption; and let him serve before God at the body of our father Adam; let his garment be the skin of a beast; let him not cut his hair nor pare his nails, and let him be alone, for he is a priest of the Most High. As Lamech commanded his son Noah this commandment, he died before the destruction by water, before—

In the year nine hundred and sixty-four, in the month of May, on the nineteenth day, on the Lord’s day, at the setting of the sun, Lamech died; and they buried him in that cave, the treasury. Noah and his sons, Sem, Cham, and Iaphet, then entered that cave, the treasury, and embraced all the bodies; they did homage to Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Malaleel, Jared, Mathusala, and Lamech, his father. And Noah took up the body of Adam; Sem took up gold; and Cham took up myrrh; and Iaphet took up frankincense; and they came out from that holy mountain with great lamentation. They lifted up their eyes toward Paradise and wept with bitter tears, and said: “Peace to you, holy Paradise, which was the dwelling of our father Adam; and he came out from you naked through disobedience. Behold, now we take up his body from around you. Peace to you, dwelling of our fathers, of the race and its chiefs. Holy fathers, you who lie in this cave, pray; and we remain on this earth. Peace to you, O righteous Enoch, servant of God; intercede with God for us. Peace to you, holy mountain, abode of angels. You, fathers, bless us this day.

In this: for: it is fitting: sorrow: that: you descend: to the earth: the lower earth: that: it may be: a dwelling: for beasts: together: woe! to us: for: no longer: to see: you: your face: until the end: and: when they came down: from the mountain: from the holy: they made lamentation: for the stones: and: they tore: the trees: they came down: with weeping: until the middle: [...] he laughed: he called: to his brothers: his own: and: with a laugh: he showed them: as: Sem heard: and: he was ashamed: and: he covered: his face: his own: with a cloak: and: they placed: a garment: on the shoulders: Sem: and: Japheth: and: they went backwards: and: they buried: so that: they might not see: the shame: of their father: when: Noah awoke: his wife told him: what did: Ham: do: then: he brought: a curse: and: said: cursed: be: Ham: and: let him be: a slave: to his brothers: because of which: indeed: and: the curse: of Ham: for this: that: he began: to grow: to work: the works: of Cain: and: he made: a flute: and: a harp: of ebony: and: a drum: and: every: kind: for: the devil entered: and: dwelt: with him: when: the wind blows: the devil: plays: through it: for this reason also: Ham: became: shameless: and: did: this: and: became: a slave: and: his descendants: who are: the Egyptians: the Aethiopians: and: the Indians: that: Ham: became: shameless: a friend: was called: to him: shameless: for all: the days: of his life:

His own: for: when: he: Noah: drank: wine: the cross: beforehand: by prophecy: he depicted: as: said: David: the prophet: for: he awoke: God: as: from sleep: and: became intoxicated: from wine: and: he scattered: the enemies: his: the man: sleeping: Noah: is: who: awoke: and: cursed: Ham: and: around: and: he scattered: his offspring: among: all: the pagans: and: Christ: arose: from the tomb: and: cursed: the devil: and: dispersed: the people: of the Urîans: behold: here: the Egyptians: dispersed: are: throughout: all: the earth: they take: in hands: their work: on their shoulders: and: they go about: trading: who: sons: of nobles: became: slaves: of slaves: and: lived: Noah: after: the exit: from the ark: three hundred: and: fifty: years: then: he fell ill: and: gathered around: his sons: Shem: Ham: and: Japheth: Arphaxad: and: Sala: he called: Shem: the firstborn: his son: secretly: he instructed: and: said: see: my son: what: I entrust: to you: today: when: I die: enter: the ark: that: which: saved: us: from death: and: bring out: the body: of our father: Adam: and: let no one: know: among men: and: take: bread: and: wine: as provisions: for the journey: and: bring: with you: Melchizedek: the righteous: son: of Peleg: for: he: was chosen: by God:

From your kinsmen, so that he might serve before the body of our father Adam, you ascended and placed [it] in the midst of the earth, and you established Melchizedek the righteous there. And behold, the angel of the Lord has summoned you and will show you the way by which you should go, and the place where you should bury him. For that place is in the midst of the earth, and it is the meeting-place of the four corners of the earth with one another. For when God prepared the earth, his power softened before him. At the four corners that place was created, and he prepared a four-sided [place] which stands together, and there is the salvation of Adam and of his race. And take heed, my son Shem, of what I say: Adam, take [this]. Behold, I command you today: let no one of this race know this deed until that day of salvation comes. But you and Melchizedek the righteous ascend and go where the angel of God shows you, and you, Melchizedek, instruct the righteous and say to him that he should sit in that place, not approach a woman, so that he may know him as a man of God all the days of his life. He shall not build a house there, nor shed blood there, nor [shed the blood] of animals, nor...

Of the wild beast: not; of the bird: not; you shall not sacrifice a slain [animal]; but rather: bread and wine shall be offered to God. And his garment shall be the skin of a wild beast, and the hair of his head he shall not cut, nor shall he shave his nails. And he shall be alone and shall be called the priest of the height. And in the year nine hundred and sixty-two, on the second day of the month of May, on Wednesday, at the second hour of the day, his body was anointed by his sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and they buried [him] and mourned for forty days. And after the death of Noah, Shem did as Noah his father commanded, and Shem entered the ark by night secretly and brought out the body of Adam, and sealed the ark with the seal of his father, and did not inform his brothers. Then Shem called his brothers, saying: "My father commanded me: 'What are the rivers and the land and the valleys? And I have turned back to you. But you, remain in your place. Behold, here are my wives and children; let them be with you.'" His brothers said to him: "Let men be brought to you, for the land is empty and there is no one to till it, for the wild beasts are evil." Shem said to them: "The angels of God went before me, who protect me." He said to him: "I go.

Peace, said Shem to Phaleg, son of Arphaxad, father of Melchizedek, that he might help me on the way, and do not fear, I know from him, they said. To him he brought him, and I went in peace by the Lord, and Shem commanded his brothers and said: My father at the time of his death charged me that no one should enter the ark, neither I nor any of you, and he sealed it with his seal and said to me: See that none of you approach it. Then Shem took the body of Adam, and they set out by night, Shem and Melchizedek. Behold, an angel of God met them and went before them. They arrived quickly and went up into the midst of the earth, and the angel showed them that place, and when they laid the body of Adam upon it, they dug and opened up the four corners which were joined together, and the earth opened in the midst of the heart of the earth, and when Shem and Melchizedek placed the body of Adam within, the gate of the earth closed, and the four corners of the earth came together again, for they had been separated, and they joined together as they were before, and they called its name the Place of the Skull, for that place is the head of every people, and they say Golgotha, because of every people.

The gathering place is, and is called, the place Adrif, because there the Lord crushed the head of the evil serpent. And after all this, Shem commanded Melchizedek and said: Sit here and be a priest of the Lord, who has chosen you to serve before him. And behold, an angel will come to you every day, and do not be sad. After the commandment, he again told him all the words that Noah had commanded, and said: That everything might be fulfilled. Then they embraced each other and blessed one another. Phaleg, father of Melchizedek, said to him: Hear, where is that youth? Shem said: He died on the road and was buried. Then they grieved with great sorrow. As Shem lived, he died at six hundred years and was buried at Arphaxad, and Malab, and Sala. Now Arphaxad was a son of sixty-five years when Sala was born, and the years of Arphaxad’s life were four hundred and sixty-five. He died and was buried by his son Sala in the village which was called by name. And Sala was a son of thirty years when Eber was born, and the years of his life were four hundred and thirty years. He died and was buried by Eber and Zaretha in the village which was called after him, which he had built. And he was:

Eber was the son of Arphaxad, at the age of four hundred and sixty-four years, and the days of his life were four hundred and sixty-four years. And Peleg was the son of Eber, at the age of thirty years, when the division of languages occurred, and the days of his life were two hundred and nine years, and he died. And in the days of Peleg, all the tribes of Noah gathered together: the sons of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Arphaxad, and Peleg, and Jovath. And they went forth to the east and found a valley in the land of Shinar, and they settled there. And their speech was one, and they spoke in the language of Adam until that day, in the Assyrian tongue, which was very widespread as far as Armenia. And it is the mother of all languages. And from that time, writing was first divided: that which was written in Hebrew. But the Syriac language, which is upon the earth, they learned from Assyria. However, it surpasses every language. And the writing of the Assyrians and Saracens begins from the right and ends with the left. But the Greeks and Romans write from left to right, and it resembles the right hand of God, so that they may be of the right, not of the left. And in the days of Eber, when they built the tower at Babylon, there the languages were confounded, and all were scattered over the face of the earth. And that place was called thus for this reason.

Of the Babylonians: And after the division of the languages, Eber died of a great grief of heart, and his sons Ragav and Sekora buried him in the village which was called Mekhlin, which he had built; and from then on the land was divided into seventy languages and seventy principalities, and for each language they appointed a king, whose names are these: Amma, Emminon, Utsia, Miskhiared, and their sons Avnan, Ashkanan, Riphinin, Akrama, Batana, Haovana, Shita, Kulima, Anazarath, Kalana, Shatmaia, Asaba, Barisiki, Varisem, Zarib, Peslia, Barkaia, Mikia, Algana, Sanibaul, Vana, and Lkhukaia, Laip, Kala, Barbaka, Salash, Rus, Abrul, Lamia. But the sons of Ham, the Egyptians, the Abaashni, and the Hindon, the Ayashni, and the Ghabdakni, and the sons of Shem, the rulers of the East as far as the great sea of the West; they are in the middle of the land, and they reign and possess the land. And Arphaxad lived one hundred and twelve years, and in the middle of Sekora's years, in the two hundred and twelfth year of the reign of Nimrod the giant over the land, ten years, and he was the first king of Babylon. He saw a rainbow in the heavens and summoned the master builder of Tyre to weave for him as he had seen; and when he had woven it, he placed it on his head.

Concerning this: Men say that the pyre came down from heaven, and in the days of Argus three thousand years were completed, and in those same days the kingdom of Egypt was established, and they appointed Nophos, and he reigned over Egypt for sixty-eight years. And from then on, from Babylon, they appointed kings in Egypt. In the days of Aros, seven kings reigned over the land of Anphorisa and the lawless one. And there was a certain woman whose name was Sabini, of many years. And after this, Karon reigned. This one built Opsai, a city of gold. And his kinsman was a king whose name was Jula, who also built the city of Jula. And Argos died at the age of two hundred and nine, and his sons Sekor and Nakor and Tara buried him in the village which is called Raian, which he had built. And Sekor lived for thirty years, and Nakor for the middle, and all the days of his life were two hundred and ten. And in the days of Serok, idol worship came into the land, for at that time there was no teacher, so that they brought in a foreign law until they saw the scattered pagans in the land. And they walked on all the paths and were defiled by all their abominations, some of whom served the sky, and others the sun, and some the moon.

Those which I [have] among the stars, and those which I [have] among the birds, and those which I [have] in the earth, and among the beasts, and among the wild animals, and among the stones, and among the trees [...] of the year, when the kings of the Assyrians died, and Lot saved his nephew, and at that time Abraham had no child, for his wife was barren. And when Abraham returned from the war of the kings, the priest of God called him, and he came from the mountain of Job, and there Melchizedek met him, who is the king of peace and the priest of God. When Abraham saw him from afar, he bowed down and worshipped, and they greeted each other, and Melchizedek blessed Abraham, and Abraham gave him a tithe of everything he possessed. And Melchizedek gave him communion with the offered bread and wine. And after the communion and the blessing, God again spoke to Abraham and said: "Instead of that curse, behold this blessing: Melchizedek has blessed you, and your progeny shall be multiplied." After sixty[-four?] years, a son [was born] from Hagar the Egyptian; this was the handmaid of Sarah, the wife of Abraham, who was given to Pharaoh [as] Sarah's sister, for she was the sister of Abraham. Sarah by father, for Abraham's father Terah had two wives, and when the mother of Abram died, he took [another wife].

Terah had another wife, whose name was Narib, and from her was born Sarah. And Abram took her as wife, because she was my sister and the daughter of my father. When Abraham was one hundred and thirty-five years old, the Lord entered Abraham’s tent, and he was in the tent at the age of one hundred, and he rejoiced over his Isaac. And Sarah conceived Isaac. And when Isaac was twelve years old, his father took him and brought him up to the mountain of Iebos, that of Melchizedek, which is Mount Ephron. And at that place he planted the cross of Christ, for a tree had grown up, upon which a ram was hung, by which Isaac was saved from being sacrificed. In the middle of the earth, the tomb of Adam is there, and upon it the altar of Melchizedek, and they call it Golgotha, which is interpreted as “the place of the skull.” And there David saw an angel standing, who had a fiery sword. At that place, Isaac was taken up onto the altar, and he stretched out his hand to slay him. Then he prefigured the death of our Savior, as Moses the prophet had earlier spoken. And he did not say, “If you slay him,” but he took him up onto the altar and stretched out the knife. And he saw a ram of flesh, how he turned and slew it.

And there was no sheep, that son of Sarah, but in the form of a lamb he redeemed him. This parable was concerning the death of Christ the Savior. And when Christ was revealed in the flesh, he spoke thus: that Abraham desired to see this day of mine and rejoiced. This ram was for his sake, which Abraham saw and rejoiced. Thus he saw and rejoiced in Christ as a sheep and as one who was slain, who redeemed Isaac from the slaughter. Abraham saw this and rejoiced. We know that Christ suffered for Adam's sake, just as Abraham raised up his own son Isaac upon the altar. At that time his hands were stretched out upon the cross.