Chapter LII

 Adam and Eve sew the first shirt.

 

 

1 After this Adam and Eve said no more, but cried before God on account of their creation, and of their bodies that required an earthly covering.

 

2 Then Adam said to Eve, "O Eve, this is the skin of beasts with which we shall be covered, but when we put it on, behold¹, we shall be wearing a token of death on our bodies. Just as the owners of these skins have died and have wasted away, so also shall we die and pass away."

 

3 Then Adam and Eve took the skins, and went back to the Cave of Treasures; and when in it, they stood and prayed as they were accustomed.

 

4 And they thought how they could make garments of those skins; for they had no skill for it.

 

5 Then God sent to them His angel to show them how to work it out. And the angel said to Adam, "Go forth², and bring some palm-thorns." Then Adam went out, and brought some, as the angel had commanded him.

 

6 Then the angel began before them to work out the skins, after the manner of one who prepares a shirt. And he took the thorns and stuck them into the skins, before their eyes.

 

7 Then the angel again stood up and prayed God that the thorns in those skins should be hidden, so as to be, as it were, sewn with one thread.

 

8 And so it was, by God's order; they became garments for Adam and Eve, and He clothed them therewith.

 

9 From that time the nakedness of their bodies was covered from the sight of each other's eyes.

 

10 And this happened at the end of the fifty-first day.

 

11 Then when Adam's and Eve's bodies were covered, they stood and prayed, and sought mercy of the Lord, and forgiveness, and gave Him thanks for that He had had mercy on them, and had covered their nakedness. And they ceased not from prayer the whole of that night.

 

12 Then when the morning dawned at the rising of the sun, they said their prayers after their custom; and then went out of the cave.

 

13 And Adam said to Eve, "Since we don't know what there is to the west of this cave, let us go out and see it today." Then they came forth and went toward the western border.

 

1 behold   

v.看，注视，看到

参考例句：

• The industry of these little ants is wonderful to behold.这些小蚂蚁辛勤劳动的样子看上去真令人惊叹。
• The sunrise at the seaside was quite a sight to behold.海滨日出真是个奇景。

2 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。