Eve therefore arose and looked up into the sky; and she saw a chariot
of light coming, drawn by four shining eagles, and angels on either
side escorting the chariot. And when it came above the place where
our father Adam lay, it stayed. And the angels came bearing censers,
and they stood about it and lighted their censers, and the smoke of
the incense rose up and hid the firmament; and the angels bowed and
worshipped, saying, "Holy One, have mercy, for he is Thine image and
the work of Thy hands."
Also Eve beheld two great and fearful ones standing in the heavens,
and she was afraid and called upon Seth, saying, "Rise up, O Seth,
and come to me, and behold that which no eye of man hath looked
upon." So he came to her, and she said, "Seest thou the seven heavens
open, and thy father Adam lying upon his face and the holy angels
interceding for him?" She said, moreover, "Who are the two dark ones
that stand praying for thy father?" And Seth answered, "They are the
Sun and the Moon, who are entreating the Most High for my father
Adam." And Eve said, "Where then is their light, and why is their
aspect black?" And he said, "They cannot shine in the presence of
the Light of all things: therefore is their light departed from
them."
Now as Seth was speaking to his mother, behold, the angels blew with
the trumpets, and fell on their faces, and cried with a loud voice,
"Blessed be the glory of the Lord over all His works; for He hath had
compassion upon Adam, the work of His hands." Then came one of the
Seraphim, having six wings, and caught up the soul of Adam and bare
it to the lake of pure water which is on the north side of Eden, and
washed it before the face of God. And the Most High commanded him to
deliver it unto Michael the archangel, that he should bear it into
Paradise until the day of the visitation of all things.
After that the holy archangel entreated the Most High concerning the
body of Adam. And God commanded all the angels to come before Him,
every one in his order; and they gathered themselves together,
bearing censers and trumpets and vials full of odours. And the Lord
of Hosts went up, and the great winds before Him, and the Cherubim
flying upon the winds, and the angels of heaven round about Him. And
they bore up the body of Adam and carried it into the garden. And all
the trees of the garden bowed and swayed and gave forth their odours.
And because of the greatness of that sight, and of the sweetness of
the odours of Paradise, all the sons of Adam, and all that were on
the earth, were cast into a deep sleep, saving Seth only.
Now as the body of Adam lay in Paradise, God said, "O Adam, why didst
thou transgress My commandment? For if thou hadst kept it, they that
persecute thee would not have rejoiced against thee. Nevertheless I
say unto thee, that hereafter I will turn their joy into sorrow, and
thy sorrow into joy."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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