FIRST BOOK OF AḎAM AND ḤAWWAH 17

1 Then, Aḏam and Ḥawwah came out at the mouth of the cave and went toward the garden.

2 But as they went near the western gate, from which Satan came when he deceived Aḏam and Ḥawwah, they found the serpent that became Satan coming at the gate, and it was sorrowfully licking the dust, and wiggling on its breast on the ground because of the curse that fell on it from Elohim.

3 Before the curse the serpent was the most exalted of all beasts, now it was changed and become slippery and the meanest of them all, and it crept on its breast and went on its belly.

4 Before, it was the fairest of all beasts. It had been changed and became the most ugly of them all. Instead of feeding on the best food, now it turned to eat the dust. Instead of living as before, in the best places, now it lived in the dust.

5 It had been the most beautiful of all beasts, and all stood speechless at its beauty, it was now abhorred of them.

6 And, again, whereas it lived in a beautiful home, to which all other animals came from everywhere; and where it drank, they drank also of the same; now, after it had become venomous, by reason of Elohim’s curse, all beasts fled from its home and would not drink of the water it drank, but fled from it.