XIX.
Then for the second time Noe began to establish his 1555 home, with his kinsfolk, and to till the earth for food; he struggled and toiled, planted a vineyard, sowed many seeds and tended them carefully, so that the green 1560 earth, with its fertile boon, brought him fair harvests.
Then it befell once that the blessed man was in his dwelling, drunken with wine; weary of feasting he slept, and thrust the robe from his body, as was not fitting, and 1565 lay there with naked limbs: little he noticed that it went so ill with him in his hall, when intoxication in his breast gripped his heart in the holy house. In this torpor his 1570 intelligence was cruelly crippled, so that he could not call to mind [the necessity for] covering himself with his clothing and concealing his nakedness, as was ordained for men and women, ever since the minister of Glory 1575 locked the native abode of life behind our [first father]
and mother, with a fiery sword. Now Cam, the son of Noe, chanced to come in where his father lay bereft of consciousness: thereupon would he dutifully no honor 1580 show to his own father nor at least conceal the dis- grace from his kinsmen; but laughing aloud he told his brothers how the patriarch rested in the house.
They repaired thither speedily, their faces carefully 1585 veiled under cloaks, so that they bore aid to the dear man: they were both good men, Sem and Iafeth.
Then the son of Lamech awoke from his sleep and soon perceived that Cham would not show him, the n.o.bly 1590 born, any affection and duty, when honor was due him.
That was bitter to the heart of the holy man, and he began to curse his son with [harsh] words: he said that Ham should be humbled under the heavens, the servant 1595 of his kinsfolk on earth: on him and his race those baneful words have fallen heavily, ever since. Then Noe enjoyed his broad heritage with his sons, free men, for 350 winters of this life after the flood: then he pa.s.sed 1600 away.
After that his sons dispensed the treasures: they begot children: great was their wealth. Thus to Iafeth was progeny born, a pleasing family of promising young 1605 ones, sons and daughters. He was a good man [and]
ever prosperously held his patrimony, [sharing his]
abundance with his children, until the treasure of his breast, his spirit longing for release, was summoned to 1610 the judgment of G.o.d: thereupon Geomor, Iafeth"s son, shared his father"s property with his friends, dear ones, and relatives; with his descendants was filled by genera- tion no small portion of the earth.--
Sons of Cham were born, likewise, heirs for the pa- 1615 trimony: the eldest were called Chus and Cham, very n.o.ble of soul, the first-born of Cham. Chus was the chief of the leaders, dispenser of treasure and worldly 1620 riches to his brothers, the private property of his father, after Cham fared forth from the body when death fell to his lot. This leader of the people delivered judgments 1625 for his race until the number of his days had run: then the hero yielded up this world"s goods and sought another life. After that, the son of Chus, first-born of the brothers, ruled the paternal[21] heritage, a widely known 1630 man. So the Scriptures tell us, that he had the greatest might and strength of all mankind, in those days: he was a prince of the Babylonian Empire, and first of the n.o.bles raised, spread, and exalted its fame. At that 1635 time one tongue was still common to all dwellers on earth.
XX.
Likewise from Cam"s stock sprang many descendants, and to these numerous people great families were born.--
Furthermore many sons and daughters were born into 1640 the world to Sem, n.o.ble folk, before the ruler of men took to his death-bed, in the course of years. In this family were good men, of whom one was called Eber, a 1645 son of Sem: from this chief sprang a mult.i.tude of people, whom all nations and earth-dwellers now call Hebrews.
They set out then to take their posssesions from the eastward, live-stock and treasure; the people were un- 1650 animous: the vigorous heroes sought a less crowded land, until the migrating folk in great mult.i.tudes came where their n.o.ble leaders firmly took possession. The rulers 1655 of the people settled with their dear followers in Sennar, ample and broad; in the years of their life the fields were ever verdant and the earth fair for the people at that time, with increasing abundance of each [kind of] 1661 treasure.
Then many a man argued with his dear friend, one resolute hero with another, that for their greater glory, before the ma.s.ses of the people should scatter again over 1665 the earth, numbers of the nation in search of land, they should build a city and raise up a tower to the stars of heaven as a sign that they had sought Sennar fields because the mighty fore-fathers of the race, the patriarchs, long 1670 lived there with pleasure: with craft the people wrought, in labor and industry, until in arrogance and rashness they showed their skill, built a fortress and raised aloft scaling- 1675 ladders towards heaven, mightily erected a solid stone wall beyond man"s measure, eager for glory:--[all this did] the heroes with their hands. Then Holy G.o.d came to inspect the work of the race of men, the fortress of the warriors, 1680 and that beacon-tower likewise which the sons of Adam began to rear up to the skies; and the steadfast King achieved the prevention of this evil design, when in wrath he distributed different languages among the 1685 inhabitants of earth, so that they no longer had control of their speech. They found then mult.i.tudes at the tower with victorious strength, leaders of work in vast battalions: but not one of the tribes understood what 1690 another was saying. It could not be, that they should build up the stone wall further; but they wretchedly parted in bands separated by their speech: one had become to another a strange race, after the Lord by the 1695 fullness of his might had confused the speech of men.
The disunited sons of the patriarchs then parted in four directions to seek land: behind them, both the 1700 mighty tower of stone and the lofty city stood on Sennar [plain] together, half-finished.
Then the race of Sem increased and multiplied under the clouds, until a man arose in the number of that kingly people, a sagacious man, prudent in habit. To 1705 this n.o.bleman sons were born, two free children were born in Babylon, and these chieftains, strong-minded heroes, were called Abraham and Aaron. The Sovereign 1710 of the Angels was friend and guide to both these leaders.
Then to Aaron was born a son, upright in life, whose name was Loth. Thereafter the righteous heroes, Abraham and Loth, throve n.o.bly in the Lord"s sight, as 1715 the inheritance in the kingdom came to them from their parents; therefore they widely glorified the sons of men with gifts.
XXI.
Now the period of time had come when Abraham 1720 brought a wife, a fair and free-born bride to his house, where he possessed a dwelling: the woman was named Sarra, as the books tell us. They enjoyed life thus for many winters, held the property together in peace for 1725 many years. But it was not vouchsafed to Abraham as yet that his bright-faced bride should bring into the world a guardian for his heritage, that Sarra [should bear] sons and daughters to Abraham.
Then Abraham"s father set out with his family and 1730 [all] his substance to pa.s.s through the Caldean country: he wisely wished to seek the land of Canan, with his household. The cousins chosen by the Lord, Abraham and Loth, went with him out of their heritage. Then 1735 the n.o.bly-born sons of the patriarchs took up their dwelling in Carran, the men with their wives. In his home here Abraham"s father departed this life, the 1740 steadfast worthy: he had told 205 winters, in all, when he fared forth ripe in years to meet his fate.
Then the holy Guardian of the heavenly kingdom, the 1745 Eternal Lord, spoke to Abraham:
"Set forth now, and take thy movable possessions and fertile herds with thee. Give up Carran, thy father"s dwelling-place. Depart, as I bid thee, O dearest of men, and heed well my instructions, and seek the land 1750 which I shall show thee, a broad verdant country. Thou shalt live blessed under my protection: if any of the dwellers on earth greet thee with evil, I will set upon 1755 them my curse and my hatred, long-lasting affliction; and I shall give favors, abundance of blessings, to those who treat thee well. Through thee shall all earth- dwellers, sons of man, receive peace and friendship, 1760 my grace and blessing, in this world. Far spreading under the sun shall be the number of thy race by [the birth of] sons and daughters, until many a region of the 1765 earth shall be filled with thy progeny."
Then Abraham, preeminently upright, rich, and blessed with gold and silver, set out to take his flocks and possessions from Carran into the country of Egipt, as 1770 the Warder of Victory, our Ruler, bade him through his Word: they sought the land and nation of Canan. Thus the man dear to G.o.d came to lead his wife, his dear bed- 1775 fellow, and his nephew"s wife, into this inheritance, into happiness. He had [numbered] 75 winters when he had to fare forth, to give up Carran and his kinsfolk.
So Abraham set out, mindful of the instructions of the 1780 Father Almighty, to look for the broad land beyond these nations, at his Lord"s command, until prospering in his journey the courageous man came to Siem, of the Cananite race. Then the Lord and King of the Angels, Sovereign of men, manifested himself to Abraham and 1785 said:
"This is the country, verdant and bright and adorned with fruits, that I intend to give into the power of thy descendants, an ample kingdom!" 1790
Then the good man built an altar and offered sacrifice to the Ruler of Life and Source of Light, the Protector of souls. Thereupon Abraham traveled still further from the east in order to search with his eyes for the choicest 1795 of lands (he remembered the favors, G.o.d"s promises, which the King of Victory Himself truthfully declared to him through his holy word), until the people came with their possessions to the place where the town is called Bethlem: the glad-hearted chieftain and his brother"s 1800 son, pious men, went forward over the storied land from the east, with their possessions, over the precipitous mountain-sides, and chose a dwelling-place for them- selves where the fields seemed bright and fair to them. 1805
XXII.
There Abraham for the second time built an altar: there he called upon G.o.d with n.o.ble words, and offered sacrifice to the Lord of his life. Not at all sparingly did G.o.d, through His own hand, give him reward for this,--rich bounty, in the very place of sacrifice. 1810
There for a while the wise leader dwelt in his home and enjoyed happiness, the hero with his bride, until a frightful calamity began to press upon the Cananite race, cruel hunger, deadly to home-staying men. Then 1815 the wise Abraham, chosen by the Lord, went into Egypt to seek sustenance; the sage fled before evil: the plague was too strong. Abraham spoke,--for he saw the white 1820 pinnacled halls of Egypt and the tall cities shining brightly,--and then the ruler, the sagacious man, began to instruct his wife, in these words:
"When many haughty Egyptians shall gaze with their eyes upon thy countenance, then should the n.o.bly- 1825 born chieftains suppose, O woman fair as a G.o.ddess, that thou art my bright bed-fellow whom some one of the warriors will wish to have for himself, then I may well fear for myself lest some one of my foes may deprive 1830 me of life with the edge of his sword by reason of his amorous desire. Say then, Sarra, that thou art my sister, my blood-relation, when the strange men ask thee what degree of familiarity may exist between us 1835 two foreigners, who come from so far away: hold fast true speech from them, and thus thou shalt preserve my life,--if the Lord of Peace, our Almighty Ruler, grant me longer life in this world, as he did before, who 1840 ordained these travels for us in order that we might seek aid and secure sustenance for ourselves in Egipt."
Thereupon Abraham, the vigorous leader, proceeded 1845 with his possessions into Egypt, where the people were strange to him, and friends unknown. Many haughty men spoke of the beauty of his wife in their remarks, men distinguished by their wealth: to many high-spirited 1850 men, va.s.sals of the king, his wife seemed n.o.ble in counte- nance. They brought the news to their liege-lord, and[22]
few women did they repute fairer before the king, but they lauded exceedingly Sarra"s countenance for its 1855 great beauty, until he bade them bring the lovely woman to his own hall. The ruler of the people and chief of the n.o.bles bade them enrich Abraham with treasures.
But the Lord G.o.d became aggrieved and incensed against 1860 Farao for his love of the woman: the joy of his house- hold[23] bore this wrath hardly with his intimates. How- ever, the ruler of the people perceived what the Lord was sending upon him for punishment: urged on by 1865 fear, the king of Egipt called Abraham to him and gave him his bride, [returned] his wife into his keeping, bade him seek friends elsewhere, n.o.blemen of another race.
Then the ruler of the country ordered his va.s.sals and 1870 ministers to escort him out of their land again, honor- ably, uninjured in any respect, so that he might be in peace.
Then Abraham took [all his] possessions out of the country of Egypt: these worthy heroes took their wives, 1875 both brides and rings, while they brought their flocks to Bethlem, a familiar dwelling-place, [brought] their womenfolk and treasures and their worldly goods. 1880 Then they began to build there, and to erect their city and settle their homes, and renew their prosperity.
The men built an altar in the meadows near the one that Abraham had formerly reared to his Lord, when he came to this western land: there the fortunate man 1885 exalted the Name of the Eternal Lord once more; the high-minded ruler offered sacrifice to the King of the Angels, thanked exceedingly the Source of Light and Life for his happiness and honor.
XXIII.
Abraham and Loth lived in these dwellings and had 1890 abundance of prosperity, ruled over their heritage, until they could not enjoy plenty together any longer in that land and keep the possessions of both there, but the worthy warriors had to seek broader seats elsewhere. 1895 There were often dissensions among the followers of the steadfast heroes, quarrels among the herdsmen. Then the blessed Abraham, mindful of their honor, began to speak fairly to Loth: 1900
"I am thy father"s born brother, thou art my nephew; quarrels shall not wax great between us, nor anger grow: may G.o.d forbid that! But we are blood-re- lations: between us shall nothing be except, most fit- 1905 tingly, long-enduring love. Now bethink thee, Loth, that about our borders dwell mighty men, powerful peoples with lords and va.s.sals, the Cananite and Feret.i.te nations, with energetic warriors: their landed property 1910 will not make any more room for us. Therefore shall we remove our differences from this place and seek broader dwelling-places for ourselves: I speak what is best for us both, son of Aron, a true saying. I leave 1915 the choice to thee, dear friend. Ponder with thyself and consider in thy heart in which direction thou wilt take thy departure, go forth with thy herds: now I have yielded thee the choice!"
Then Loth left him to seek land by the Iordan, fertile 1920 country: it was refreshed with waters and enriched with fruits, bright with rivers, and like to the earthly par- adise of G.o.d, until G.o.d the Saviour because of men"s 1925 sins gave Sodoma and Gomorra to destruction, to the dark flames. So the son of Aron chose his dwelling- place there, a settlement in the city of Sodoma, and brought[24] thither all his possessions, rings and private 1930 property from Bethlem, goods, and wrought gold. For many years thereafter he dwelt by the Iordan: fair dwelling-places were there, but vicious men also, hateful to the Lord. The people of Sodoma were bold in sin, 1935 shameful in their deeds: they brought upon themselves eternal woe. Loth would never adopt the customs of the country, but he always eschewed the habits of this people, [their] evil and sin, even though he had to live 1940 in their land, and kept himself pure, virtuous, and pa- tient, even in this nation, just as if--mindful of [his Lord"s] teaching--he did not know what these people were doing.
Abraham dwelt by the habitations of the Cananites: 1945 the King of the Angels, Lord of mankind, held him under his protection, with abundance of good things and worldly treasures, love and joy; therefore the races of 1950 men, children of baptism, sing his praise widely under the clouds. Pious and prudent, he freely obeyed the Lord in his land as long as he enjoyed the heritage: never need a defenceless human being ever become in any way a terrified and fearful man before the Lord, 1955 if he will always, until his departure from life, thank Him heedfully in speech and in heart, by word and deed, with wise mind after every favor.[25]
XXIV.