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 he 1185 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 800 1190 [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 and 1195 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 his 1200 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 did 1205 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 with 1210 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 he 1215 [numbered] when he left the world. For some time after him, his son Mathusal held the inheritance, who for the longest space of time enjoyed 1220 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: for 1225 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 595 1230 [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 Lamech 1235 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, by 1245 [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.