government: for1225
a long time thereafter he ruled over the world; he had
[lived] 102 winters when the season came for the chief-
tain to begin to beget noble heirs, sons and daughters.

After this the lord and chief of the people lived 5951230
[years], enjoyed many a winter under the skies, ruled
the race well, and begot children: youths and maidens
arose as heirs to him. The eldest of them he named
Noe, who reigned over the land among men after Lamech1235
departed.

This sage ruler of the noblemen was 500 years old
when he first began to beget children, as the books tell.
The eldest son of Noe was called Sem, the next Cham,1240
the third Jafeth.

The people multiplied widely under the skies: the
race of men increased in number over the earth, by1245
[the birth of] sons and daughters. Now the descendants
of Seth, that beloved leader of the people, were still
very much cherished, dear to the Lord and prosperous.

XV.

But when the sons of God began to seek brides among
the race of Cain, the accursed folk, and chose wives1250
from among them against the will of God, the children
of men from among the sinful maidens, beautiful and
bright, then the Ruler of the heavens pronounced his
wrath against mankind and spoke these words:

"The men of Cain's race have not been absent from1255
my mind, but that stock has sorely offended me. Now
the sons of Seth renew my wrath and take to themselves
the maidens of my enemies as wives: the fairness of the1260
women, the maidens' faces, and the eternal Fiend have
shamefully captivated the multitude of men who were
formerly in peace."

After that, for 120 winters, duly numbered, exile
afflicted the accursed race in this world; then the Lord1265
wished to inflict punishment upon the covenant-breakers,
and to smite with death the doers of evil, the giant folk
unloved by God, the great and sinful foes hateful to the
Lord, when the Wielder of Victory himself saw what1270
was man's wickedness on earth, and how they all were
bold in crime and utterly vicious. He thought to
punish rigorously the races of men, to seize upon the1275
peoples grimly and sorely, with cruel might: he repented
exceedingly that he had ever created the author of the
nations, the source of the peoples, when he fashioned
Adam. He said that on account of the sins of men he
would utterly blot out all that there was on earth,1280
destroy every one of the bodies in whose bosom the
breath of life was concealed: all that came near to the
sons of men, the Lord determined to annihilate.

Noe, the son of Lamech, just and honorable, was dear1285
to God, the Preserver. The Lord knew that the virtue
of the true man prevailed in the innermost thoughts of
his breast; therefore the Lord, holy in helpfulness, Pro- 1290
tector of all men, told him by revelation what he pur-
posed inflicting upon the wicked ones: for he saw the
earth full of unrighteousness, the broad plains laden
with sin, polluted with foulness. Then spoke the Al-1295
mighty, our Saviour, and said to Noe:

"I am resolved to destroy humanity by means of a
deluge, and also every kind of living thing that the air
and waters produce and support, both beast and bird:
but thou shalt have shelter, with thy sons, when the1300
dark waters, the black floods of death, destroy mankind,
the vile sinners. Begin to build thee a ship, a mighty
sea-house, in which thou shalt give a place of refuge
to many a one and a safe home to every species on earth,1305
after thine own. Build partitions in the midst of the
ship. Make the boat fifty cubits wide, thirty high,
three hundred long, and joint it stoutly against the1310
assault of the waves. There shall be a creature of every
living species, a scion of every race on earth, led within
that wooden fortress; so must the Ark be the greater!"

Noe did as the Lord commanded him, obeyed the1315
holy King of Heaven, began at once to build that Ark,
the mighty sea-chest; he told his kinsmen that there
was a horrible thing impending over the people, dire
punishment: but they heeded this not at all. Then,1320
after several winters, the Changeless Lord saw that the
vast sea-house, Noe's vessel, towered up in readiness,
strengthened within and without with the best earth-
lime, against the waves; it is unique in its kind: the
harder the fierce waters of the dark billows beat it, the1325
stouter does it ever become.

XVI.

Then our Preserver spoke to Noe: "I give thee my
pledge for this, O dearest of mankind, that thou mayst
now take up thy course with the creatures of all kinds1330
which thou shalt bear across the deep water for many
days, in the bosom of thy vessel. Lead on board the
Ark, as I bid thee, thy sons, the three first-born, and
your four wives. And do thou take into the sea-house1335
seven [members] duly counted of each of the species that
live to [supply] nourishment for men, and two of each
of the others: likewise take on the Ark some of all plants
growing on earth used for food by the people who are1340
to sail over the floods with thee. Feed freely the differ-
ent species of animals, until I shall prepare a place under
heaven by my Word for those who are saved from this
watery journey. Depart now with thy household into1345
the Ark, with the multitude of dependent things; I know
thee for a good and true man: thou art worthy of
safety and mercy, with thy sons. In seven nights now I
shall let the deadly rain fall from above upon the face1350
of the broad earth. For forty days will I set my ven-
geance against mankind, and with a deluge blot out all
the possessions and possessors that are beyond the sides
of the Ark, when the black storm begins to descend."1355

Then Noe left him, as our