FIRST BOOK OF AḎAM AND ḤAWWAH 67

“Then Satan began to lead astray Aḏam and Ḥawwah. . . .”

1 BUT when Aḏam and Ḥawwah went down to the land of black mud, and came near to the wheat Elohim had showed them, and saw it ripe and ready for reaping, as they had no sickle to reap it withal–they girt themselves, and began to pull up the wheat, until it was all done.

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

3 But Satan saw what Aḏam and Ḥawwah had done. And he called his hosts, and said to them, “Since Elohim has shown to Aḏam and Ḥawwah all about this wheat, wherewith to strengthen their bodies–and, lo, they are come and have made a heap of it, and faint from the toil 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 Elohim, and He destroy them. So shall we be rid of them.”

5 Then Satan and his hosts threw fire upon the wheat and consumed it.

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

7 Then they wept 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 messengers, praising Elohim.

9 Then Satan said to Aḏam, “O Aḏam, why art thou so pained with hunger and thirst? It seems to me that Satan has burnt up the wheat.” And Aḏam said to him, “Ay.”

10 Again Satan said to Aḏam, “Come back with us; we are messengers of Elohim. Elohim sent us to thee, to show thee another field of corn, better than that; and beyond it is a fountain of good water, and many trees, where thou shalt dwell near it, and work the corn-field to better purpose than that which Satan has consumed.”

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

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