Part 3 (2/2)
(ll. 1476-1482) And again after seven days the blessed man sent forth a third wild dove. And she flew not back unto the ark, but came to land and the green forests. Her heart was glad; never again would she appear under the black roof of the ark. Nor was there need!
XXIII
(ll. 1483-1484) Then our Lord, the Warden of the heavenly kingdom, with holy word spake unto Noah:
(ll. 1485-1492) ”For thee again on earth a fair abiding-place is founded, blessings upon the land, and rest from far sea-wandering.
Depart in peace out of the ark; go forth upon the bosom of the earth.
And from the high s.h.i.+p lead thy household, and all the living things which graciously I s.h.i.+elded against the flood, so long as the sea held sway and covered thy third home.”
(ll. 1493-1511) And Noah hearkened unto G.o.d with great rejoicing, and did according as the Voice commanded. And he went out upon the sh.o.r.e, and led forth from the ark all who had survived that time of woe. Then Noah, wise of counsel, began to offer sacrifice to G.o.d. And for an offering he took a part of all his goods which G.o.d had given him to enjoy, and, great in wisdom and in glory, made sacrifice to G.o.d, the King of angels. And straightway our Lord made known that He had blessed Noah, and Noah's children, because he had offered that thank-offering, and in his youth by good deeds had deserved the bounteous mercies which Almighty G.o.d in majesty bestowed upon him. And G.o.d, the Lord of glory, spake unto Noah and said:
(ll. 1512-1531) ”Be fruitful and multiply, enjoying honour, delighting in peace. Fill all the earth with your increase. To you is given the home of your fathers, dominion over the fish of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts of the field, over all the green earth and its teeming herds. Never shall ye eat in blood your shameful feasts through sin defiled with blood.
For most he injureth himself and his soul's honour whoso shall slay another with the sword. Verily! in no wise shall his heart have joy in his reward! For many times more heavily will I avenge man's life upon his murderer, because his sword hath prospered in violence and blood, and his hands in death. Man was first fas.h.i.+oned in the image of G.o.d. Each hath the form of G.o.d and of the angels, whoso will keep My holy laws.
(ll. 1532-1542) ”Be fruitful and multiply, enjoying grace on earth and every pleasant thing. Fill all the regions of the earth with your increase, your issue, and your seed. And unto you I give My covenant that never again will I bring the waters upon the earth or a flood on the wide-stretching land. Oft shall ye behold the token of My promise in the heavens, when I show forth My rainbow, that I will keep this covenant with men while the world standeth.”
(ll. 1543-1554) And the wise son of Lamech, the warden of wealth, came forth from the s.h.i.+p as the flood receded, and his three sons with him. And their four wives were called Percoba, and Olla, and Olliva, and Ollivani. The Faithful Lord had saved them to survive the flood. And Noah's stout-hearted sons were Shem and Ham, and the third was j.a.pheth. From them sprang many peoples, and all the earth was filled with the sons of men.
(ll. 1555-1561) Then a second time Noah began to establish a home with his kinsmen, and to till the earth for food. He toiled and wrought and planted a vineyard and sowed seed, and laboured that the green earth might bring forth her s.h.i.+ning harvests, her gleaming crops, in every season.
(ll. 1562-1576) And it came to pa.s.s upon a time that the blessed man lay drunk with wine in his dwelling, and slumbered heavy with feasting, and cast off his robe from his body, as was not seemly, and lay there naked of limb. Little did he know what evil plight was his in his dwelling, while drunkenness had hold upon his heart within him in its holy house. But his soul was fast bound in slumber, so that in his stupor he might not cover himself with a garment, nor hide his shame, as was decreed for man and woman what time the thane of glory with a sword of fire behind our first great parents locked the gates of life.
(ll. 1577-1588) Then Ham, the son of Noah, went in where his lord lay sleeping, and would not look with reverence upon his father, nor cover his shame. But he laughed, and told his brothers how their lord lay sleeping in his home. And straightway, covering their faces with their cloaks, they went in unto the well-beloved to bring him succour. For both were good of heart, both Shem and j.a.pheth.
(ll. 1588-1603) Then the son of Lamech awoke from his slumber, and learned that Ham had failed to show him reverence or love when he had greatest need. And the holy man was grieved in his heart, and set a curse upon his son, saying that Ham should be an outcast under heaven and servant to his kinsmen on the earth.
And the curse lay heavy upon him and on all his tribe. And Noah and his sons as freemen ruled a wide-stretching realm for three hundred and fifty winters of this life, after the flood. Then he went hence. And his sons possessed his wealth, and begat children and prospered.
(ll. 1603-1616) Children were born unto j.a.pheth, a glad hearth-band of sons and daughters. He was a G.o.dly man, enjoying bliss and blessing with his children, until his soul within his breast, ready to depart, must needs go forth unto the glory of G.o.d. And Gormer, j.a.pheth's son, dispensed his father's treasure among his friends and kinsmen, near and dear. And no little portion of the earth was filled with their increase.
(ll. 1616-1628) Likewise sons were born unto Ham. The names of the eldest were called Cush and Ham, two goodly youths, his first-born sons. And Cush was ruler of his tribe, dispensing joy and worldly wealth and treasure unto his brothers in his father's stead, after Ham died, and his soul departed from this earthly body. He ruled his tribe and gave them laws until his days were run. Then he gave over earthly riches and sought another life and his Father's bosom.
(ll. 1628-1636) And the first-born son of Cush, a far-famed man, held his ancestral seat. The writings tell us that of all men then alive his strength and power were greatest. He was lord of the kingdom of Babylon, and first of princes to exalt her glory.
He enlarged her borders and brought her fame.
XXV
(ll. 1637-1639) Now there was yet one common tongue for all men on the earth. And a great tribe was born of the stem of Ham and a mighty people spreading far and wide.
(ll. 1640-1660) And Shem begat a host of free-born sons and daughters, and, after many winters, went to his last rest. In that tribe men were good! One of the sons of Shem was Eber, and from him sprang a countless race which all men dwelling in the earth call Hebrews. They departed out of the east, taking with them all their substance, their cattle and their goods. That was a dauntless folk! The heroes sought a roomier land, a wandering folk, in mighty mult.i.tudes, and chose at last a fixed abode wherein to settle. Far and wide in days of old the leaders of that people, with their well-loved men, possessed the land of s.h.i.+nar, a land of green plains and pleasant valleys. And at that time they prospered greatly, and had abundance of all good things.
(ll. 1661-1678) Then many a man besought his friend, and one stout warrior urged another, that, before their mult.i.tude and the tribes of their people should be scattered again over the face of the whole earth in search of land, they should build a city to their glory and rear a tower unto the stars of heaven, to be a sign that they had sought the land of s.h.i.+nar, where of old the mighty leaders of the folk had lived at ease. And they sought out men for this work and deed of sin, in rash pride showing forth their strength. Greedy for glory, they reared a city with their hands, and raised a ladder up to heaven, and in their vain strength built a wall of stone beyond the measure of men.
(ll. 1678-1701) Then came Holy G.o.d to look upon the work of the children of men, the citadel and the tower which the sons of Adam were beginning to rear unto heaven. Stern of heart, the King reproved their folly, and in His wrath confounded the tongues of the dwellers of earth, and they might not prosper in their speech. Then the leaders of the work in pride of strength met together about the tower in many bands. But no one band could understand another. And they left off to build the wall of stone, and were wretchedly sundered into tribes divided by their speech. And every tribe became alien to every other tribe, when the Lord in His might sundered the speech of men. So the divided sons of men were scattered on four ways in search of land. And behind them the steadfast tower of stone, and the high citadel, stood unfinished together in the land of s.h.i.+nar.
(ll. 1702-1718) Now the tribe of Shem increased and flourished under heaven. And a certain man of that tribe, of thoughtful heart and given to virtue, had n.o.ble children. Two goodly sons were born to him, and bred in Babylon, great-hearted princes named Abraham and Haran. And the Lord of angels was their guide and friend. Now Haran had a n.o.ble son, whose name was Lot. And Abraham and Lot throve excellently before the Lord as was their nature from their elders. Wherefore men proclaim their virtues far and wide upon the earth.
<script>