XIV.
After him Malalehel kept the land and inheritance for
many seasons. The chieftain had [lived] 65 winters,1170
when he began to beget children by his wife. His wife
brought a son to him, the woman to the man: this son
in his childhood, as I have heard, the man-child in his
youth, was called Jared. After this Malalehel lived1175
long and rejoiced in [his] blessings, [all] the delights of
men here below and worldly treasures: 895 winters had
he numbered when he departed; to his son he left the1180
land and the government.
After him for a long while Yeared dispensed gold to
the people; the chieftain was noble, a pious hero, and a
ruler dear to his subjects; 165 expectant winters he1185
lived his life in this world, when his happiness arrived,
for his wife brought a son into the world: this son was
called Enoch, his fair first-born. But the father still
added descendants to the number of his race, for 8001190
[years]: in all he had [counted] 965 [years] by night-
reckoning when he departed, the ancient patriarch,
when he gave up this world. And Yeared left land and1195
government to his wise [son], the dear leader.
After this Enoch raised aloft the sovereignty, the sagaci-
ous leadership of the people: in no wise did he let fall the
dominion and authority[16] while he was guardian of his1200
kinsfolk: he enjoyed days of happiness, and begot sons,
for 300 winters; the Lord, the Ruler of the Skies, was
gracious to him. From this world the hero sought in
the body the joy and bliss of the Lord; in no wise did1205
he die the death of this earth, as men [ordinarily] do
here, young and old, when God takes away from them
their possessions and substance, [all] earth's treasures,
and their life as well: but while living he set forth with1210
the King of Angels out of this transitory life into bliss,[17]
[clad] in the robes which his spirit received before his
mother brought him forth to men. He left the people
to his to his eldest son, his first-born; 365 winters had he1215
[numbered] when he left the world.
For some time after him, his son Mathusal held the
inheritance, who for the longest space of time enjoyed1220
the pleasures of the world in this body: he begot a
multitude of sons and daughters, before the day of his
death. When he had to depart from among men, the
venerable hero had [enjoyed] 970 winters.
After him, his son Lamech held the 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.