Kebra Nagast

Concerning the Angels who rebelled and if [a man] hath conquered the evil destruction mind he findeth grace and hath a reward which is ever; And to you, according to what ye wish, there lasting. shall be upon you the mind of a man and the body of a But take good heed to yourselves that ye transnot gress My word and break not My commandment ; and defile not ye yourselves with eating, or drinking, or fornication, or with any other thing whatsoever ; and word." transgress ye not man. My And straightway there were given unto them with His word flesh, and blood, and a heart of the children of men. And they were content to leave the height of and heaven, they came down to earth, to the folly of the of the children of Cain with all their work of dancing the artisan, which they had made in the folly of their and to their singings, which they accomwith the tambourine, and the flutes, and the panied and much shouting, and loud cries of joy and pipes, And their daughters were there, and they noisy songs. the orgies without shame, for they scented enjoyed fornication, themselves for the men who pleased them, and they lost the balance in their minds. And the men did not restrain themselves for a moment, but they took to wife from among the women those whom they had chosen, and committed sin with them. For God hath no resting-place in the hearts of the arrogant and those who revile, but He abideth in the hearts of the humble and those who are sincere. And He spake in the Gospel, saying, " Woe be unto those who make themselves righteous, and despise And again He saith, "God neighbours." loveth the humble, and He holdeth lightly those who magnify themselves." 1 their And straightway God was wroth with them, and He bound them in the terror of Sheol until the day of " the Apostle saith, He treated His 1 Compare Matthew xxiii, 13, and Luke xviii, 9 ff. redemption, as 187