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:—
2 "O Adam, so long as the good angel was obedient to Me, a bright light rested on him and on his hosts.
3 But when he transgressed My commandment, I deprived him of that bright nature, and he became dark.
4 And when he was in the heavens, in the realms of light, he knew nothing of darkness.
5 But he transgressed, and I made him fall from the heaven onto the earth; and it was this darkness that came over him.
6 And on you, O Adam, while in My garden and obedient to Me, did that bright light rest also.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
10 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.
11 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.
12 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.
14 For I made you of the light; and I willed to bring out children of light from you and like to you.
15 But you did not keep My commandment one day; until I had finished the creation and blessed everything in it.
16 Then, concerning the tree, I commanded you not to eat of it. Yet I knew that Satan, who deceived himself, would also deceive you.
17 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.
18 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.
19 But I commanded you, and warned you, and you fell. So that My creatures cannot blame Me; but the blame rests on them alone.
20 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.
21 But little of darkness now remains, O Adam, and daylight will soon appear."
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