Chapter LIV

  Adam and Eve go exploring.

 

 

1 Then Adam and Eve stood up in the cave and prayed the whole of that night until the morning dawned. And when the sun was risen they both went out of the cave; their heads were wandering from heaviness of sorrow and they didn't know where they were going.

 

2 And they walked in that condition to the southern border of the garden. And they began to go up that border until they came to the eastern border beyond which there was no more land.

 

3 And the cherub¹ who guarded the garden was standing² at the western gate, and guarding it against Adam and Eve, lest³ they should suddenly come into the garden. And the cherub turned around, as if to put them to death; according to the commandment God had given him.

 

4 When Adam and Eve came to the eastern border of the garden—thinking in their hearts that the cherub was not watching—as they were standing by the gate as if wishing to go in, suddenly came the cherub with a flashing sword of fire in his hand; and when he saw them, he went forth⁴ to kill them. For he was afraid that God would destroy him if they went into the garden without His order.

 

5 And the sword of the cherub seemed to shoot flames a distance away from it. But when he raised it over Adam and Eve, the flame of the sword did not flash forth.

 

6 Therefore the cherub thought that God was favorable⁵ to them, and was bringing them back into the garden. And the cherub stood wondering.

 

7 He could not go up to Heaven to determine God's order regarding⁶ their getting into the garden; he therefore continued to stand by them, unable as he was to part from them; for he was afraid that if they should enter the garden without permission, God would destroy him.

 

8 When Adam and Eve saw the cherub coming towards them with a flaming sword of fire in his hand, they fell on their faces from fear, and were as dead.

 

9 At that time the heavens and the earth shook; and another cherubim came down from heaven to the cherub who guarded the garden, and saw him amazed⁷ and silent.

 

10 Then, again, other angels came down close to the place where Adam and Eve were. They were divided between joy and sorrow.

 

11 They were glad, because they thought that God was favorable to Adam, and wished him to return to the garden; and wished to restore⁸ him to the gladness he once enjoyed.

 

12 But they sorrowed over Adam, because he was fallen like a dead man, he and Eve; and they said in their thoughts, "Adam has not died in this place; but God has put him to death, for his having come to this place, and wishing to get into the garden without His permission."

 

1 cherub   

n.小天使，胖娃娃

参考例句：

• It was easy to see why the cartoonists regularly portrayed him as a malign cherub.难怪漫画家总是把他画成一个邪恶的小天使。
• The cherub in the painting is very lovely.这幅画中的小天使非常可爱。

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 lest   

conj.唯恐，以免

参考例句：

• Let me put down your telephone number lest I forget it.让我先记下你的电话号码，以免忘了。
• Be careful lest you fall from that tree.要当心，以免从树上摔下来。

4 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。

5 favorable   

adj.赞成的，赞成的；有利的，良好的，顺利的

参考例句：

• The book received a favorable review.这本书赢得了好评。
• Each nation suppressed news that was not favorable to it.每个国家都扣留对它不利的消息。

6 regarding   

prep.关于，至于；就…而论，在…方面

参考例句：

• Regarding John,I will write to him at once.至于约翰，我将立即给他写信。
• Regarding these facts,a special committee is to be appointed.鉴于这些事实，必须成立一个专门委员会。

7 amazed   

adj.吃惊的，惊奇的v.使大为吃惊，使惊奇( amaze的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Just the size of the place amazed her. 仅仅地方之大就使她十分惊奇。
• I was amazed at her knowledge of French literature. 她的法国文学知识之丰富使我大为惊奇。

8 restore   

vt.把…恢复原状；归还，交还

参考例句：

• A good rest will restore you to health.好好休息一下可使你恢复健康。
• His recent success has helped to restore his faith in his own ability.他最近取得的成功使他恢复了对自己能力的信任。