Chapter LXVII

 "Then Satan began to lead astray Adam and Eve.…"

 

 

1 When Adam and Eve went down to the land of black mud and came near to the wheat God had showed them and saw that it was ripe and ready for reaping², they did not have a sickle³ to reap¹ it with. So they readied themselves, and began to pull up the wheat by hand, until it was all done.

 

2 Then they heaped it into a pile; and, faint from heat and from thirst, they went under a shady⁴ tree, where the breeze fanned them to sleep.

 

3 But Satan saw what Adam and Eve had done. And he called his hosts, and said to them, "Since God has shown to Adam and Eve all about this wheat, wherewith to strengthen their bodies—and, look, they have come and made a big pile of it, and faint from the toil⁵ are now asleep—come, let us set fire to this heap of corn, and burn it, and let us take that bottle of water that is by them, and empty it out, so that they may find nothing to drink, and we kill them with hunger and thirst.

 

4 Then, when they wake up from their sleep, and seek to return to the cave, we will come to them in the way, and will lead them astray; so that they die of hunger and thirst; when they may, perhaps, deny God, and He destroy them. So shall we be rid of them."

 

5 Then Satan and his hosts set the wheat on fire and burned it up.

 

6 But from the heat of the flame Adam and Eve awoke from their sleep, and saw the wheat burning, and the bucket of water by them, poured out.

 

7 Then they cried and went back to the cave.

 

8 But as they were going up from below the mountain where they were, Satan and his hosts met them in the form of angels, praising God.

 

9 Then Satan said to Adam, "O Adam, why are you so pained with hunger and thirst? It seems to me that Satan has burnt up the wheat." And Adam said to him, "Yes."

 

10 Again Satan said to Adam, "Come back with us; we are angels of God. God sent us to you, to show you another field of corn, better than that; and beyond it is a fountain of good water, and many trees, where you shall live near it, and work the corn field to better purpose than that which Satan has consumed."

 

11 Adam thought that he was true, and that they were angels who talked with him; and he went back with them.

 

12 Then Satan began to lead astray Adam and Eve eight days, until they both fell down as if dead, from hunger, thirst, and faintness. Then he fled with his hosts, and left them.

 

1 reap   

v.得到，获得（报酬、成果等），收割，收获

参考例句：

• It is not easy to reap the harvest of my hard work.获得自己辛勤工作的成果是不容易的。
• As a man sows,so he shall reap.种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆。

2 reaping   

收割； 收割庄稼，收获( reap的现在分词 )； （因自己或他人所为）获得（某事物）

参考例句：

• They are now reaping the rewards of all their hard work. 现在，他们的全部辛劳都得到了回报。
• How terribly ill he looks, but he's only reaping as he has sown in youth. 他看起来病得很重，但这只不过是他年轻时生活放荡结下的恶果。

3 sickle   

n.镰刀

参考例句：

• The gardener was swishing off the tops of weeds with a sickle.园丁正在用镰刀嗖嗖地割掉杂草的顶端。
• There is a picture of the sickle on the flag. 旗帜上有镰刀的图案。

4 shady   

adj.成荫的，多荫的，可疑的，靠不住的

参考例句：

• This is a shady avenue.这是条林阴大道。
• He's a rather shady person.他是个相当靠不住的人。

5 toil   

vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事

参考例句：

• The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
• Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。