When the black Devil heard
that forgiveness had been bestowed on Adam,
(he said) “I will go in a distinguished brilliant form
to Eve again.
“That I may bring her out of the stream through
weakness,
that I may put her on a course of death;
so that I may drown, (i.e. destroy) something of her work
and disturb her devotion.”
Lucifer went with joyful speed,
the fierce, astute wolf,
like a swan, in the shape of a white angel,
to Eve in the River Tigris.
The angel who destroyed them spake with her,
in pity for her, as it seemed to her,
“O modest Eve of the bright form,
long hast thou tarried in the River Tigris.
“Ah Woman, though bright was thy beauty,
thou hast grown pale[1] in the rough stream;
without vigour ... , it is evident
thou hast slain thyself, thou hast destroyed thyself.
“O Woman, come out for the sake of thy God,
remain no longer in the cruel river;
thy valiant King sent me journeying,
from Him have I come to show pity to thee.”
- ↑ Lit. “thou hast changed thy complexion in the rough stream.”
