So those who inhabited the sky, home of glory, were
at peace; hatred was gone, as well as sorrow and strife
among angels, ever since the rebellious hosts, bereft of the85
light, had relinquished heaven. Behind them stood in
grandeur their seats rich in glorious workmanship, teeming
with blessings in God's kingdom, bright and perennially
bountiful,—but all devoid of occupants, ever since the90
miserable spirits had gone to their place of punishment,
their vile prison. Then our Lord bethought him, in
meditative mood, how he might people again, and with
a better race, his high creation, the noble seats and glory-95
crowned abodes which the haughty rebels had left
vacant, high in heaven. Therefore Holy God willed by
his plenteous power that under the circle of the firma-
ment the earth should be established, with sky above and100
wide water, a world-creation in place of the foes whom
in their apostasy he hurled from bliss.
As yet there was nothing at all created here, except
shadows, but this broad earth stood deep and dim, idle105
and useless, alien even to God himself; on it the King
whose purpose never falters turned his eyes and beheld
the place void of joy; he saw dark clouds, black under
the firmament, throng in the eternal night, dun and110
waste, until this world-creation came to pass through
the word of the King of Glory. First the everlasting
Lord, protector of all things, created heaven and earth;
as the almighty King put forth the firmament and with115
victorious might established this ample world. The
earth was as yet unadorned by vegetation: the ocean
covered it far and wide, turbid waves in the eternal
night. Then was the glorious Spirit of heaven's guardian120
borne over the sea with sovereign virtue. For the King
of the angels commanded Light, dispenser of life, to
come forth over the broad expanse: quickly was the
Arch-King's mandate fulfilled, and Holy Light appeared125
over the waste spaces, as the Creator had ordained it.
The Wielder of Victory next sundered light from darkness,
shadow from radiance, over the surge of the sea. Then
he formed the two names of the dispensers of life: light
was first called "Day" by the word of the Lord, a130
beauteous creation. This period of creation greatly
pleased God, in the beginning: the first day saw the
dark shadows duskily flee away over the wide earth.
III.
Time now went forth over the frame-work of the135
world: after this shining splendor, the Lord our Creator
fashioned the first evening, but on its track rushed a
thronging welter of darkness which the Lord himself
called by the name of "Night." Our Saviour sundered140
these two: ever since then they have ceaselessly wrought
and fulfilled the will of the Lord over the earth.
Then the second day advanced, light after darkness;
and the Ruler of Life straightway commanded a glad145
sky-substance to appear in the midst of the flood: our
Master parted the waves and wrought there the found-
ations of the firmament: this the Mighty One, omnipotent
King, reared aloft from the earth through his own word.150
The flood was divided under the high heavens by holy
power, the waters from the waters, and still they remain
so under the firmament which roofs all nations.
Then swiftly came advancing over the world the third155
great morn. Nor were the spreading lands and ways
yet deemed needful by our Lord, but the earth stood
girt fast by water. Through his word, the Ruler of
the angels bade the waters be gathered together, which
now hold their course beneath the skies in an appointed160
place. Then speedily the broad ocean stood all together
under heaven, as the Holy One commanded, for the
flood was sundered from the dry land. Thereupon
Life's Ruler looked upon the dry land, the Preserver of
mankind [found it] widely visible, and the King of165
Glory called it "Earth." He established a proper
channel for the waves, the broad flood, and fettered....
(Lacuna in MS.[5])
The Ruler of Heaven did not think it fitting that170
Adam, the keeper of Paradise and shepherd of the new
creation, should be alone any longer: so the supreme
King, Ruler Almighty, made a companion for him—
created Woman, and gave this helpmate to his cherished175
Man as the first and fruitful light of his life. He took his
material from Adam's body and skilfully removed a
rib from his side: the latter was deep in repose and
slumbered peacefully; he felt no pain, though a little180
uneasiness, nor did a drop of blood come from the wound,
but the Prince of the Angels took from his body a living
bone while the man was unwounded. From this God
fashioned a noble woman, and put into her the breath
of life and an immortal soul: these two were like the185
angels. Thus was Adam's bride[6] endowed with a
living spirit. They were both radiantly beautiful in their
youthfulness, in the world prepared by the might of
the Lord: they did not know how to undertake or190
work evil, but on the contrary there was in the breast
of each a burning love of God. Then the benign King,
Ruler of everyone born of the race of man, blessed these
first two creatures, father and mother, woman and
man. Thereafter he spoke these words:195