The works of six days being finished, God rested the seventh day and blessed it. 8. Then placing man in paradise (planted with beautiful and sweet trees and watered with four rivers) 16. commandeth him not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 18. and formed a woman of a rib of Adam.The workes of six dayes being finished, God rested the seuenth day & blessed it. 8. Then placing man in paradise (planted with bewtiful & swete trees & watered with foure riuers) 16. commandeth him not to eate of the tree of knowledge of good & euil. 18. & formed a woman of a ribbe of Adam.
The heavens therefore and the earth were fully finished, and all the furniture of them.THE heauens therfore & the earth were fully finished, and al the furniture of them.Igitur perfecti sunt cæli et terra, et omnis ornatus eorum.
2And the seventh day God ended his work which he had made: and rested the seventh day, from all work that he had done.And the seuenth day God ended his woorke which he had made: & rested the seuenth day, from al woorke that he had done.Complevitque Deus die septimo opus suum quod fecerat : et requievit die septimo ab universo opere quod patrarat.
3And he blessed the seventh day and sanctified it: because in it he had ceased from all his work which God created to make.And he blessed the seuenth day and sanctified it: because in it he had ceased from al his woorke which God created to make.Et benedixit diei septimo, et sanctificavit illum, quia in ipso cessaverat ab omni opere suo quod creavit Deus ut faceret.
4These are the generations of heaven and earth, when they were created, in the day when our Lord God made the heaven, and the earth,These are the generations of heauen & earth, when they were created, in the day when our Lord God made the heauen, and the earth,Istæ sunt generationes cæli et terræ, quando creata sunt, in die quo fecit Dominus Deus cælum et terram,
5and every plant of the field, before it shot up in the earth, and every herb of the ground before it sprang. For our Lord God had not rained upon the earth: and man was not to till the earth.and euery plant of the filde, before it shot vp in the earth, and euerie herbe of the ground before it sprang. For our Lord God had not rayned vpon the earth: and man was not to til the earth.et omne virgultum agri antequam oriretur in terra, omnemque herbam regionis priusquam germinaret : non enim pluerat Dominus Deus super terram, et homo non erat qui operaretur terram :
6But a spring rose out of the earth, watering all the uppermost · Vulgate: superficiem part of the earth.But a spring rose out of the earth, watering al the ouermost part of the earth.sed fons ascendebat e terra, irrigans universam superficiem terræ.
7Our Lord God therefore formed man of the mud, clay · Vulgate: limo of the earth: and breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul.Our Lord God therfore formed man of the slyme of the earth: and breathed into his face the breath of life, & man became a liuing soule.Formavit igitur Dominus Deus hominem de limo terræ, et inspiravit in faciem ejus spiraculum vitæ, et factus est homo in animam viventem.
8And our Lord God had planted a Paradise of pleasure from the beginning: wherein he placed man whom he had formed.And our Lord God had planted a Paradise of pleasure from the beginning: wherin he placed man whom he had formed.Plantaverat autem Dominus Deus paradisum voluptatis a principio, in quo posuit hominem quem formaverat.
9And our Lord God brought forth out of the ground all manner of trees, fair to behold: and pleasant to eat of: the tree of life also in the midst of Paradise: and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.And our Lord God brought forth out of the ground al maner of trees, fayre to behold: and pleasant to eate of: the tree of life also in the middes of Paradise: and the tree of knowledge of good & euil.Produxitque Dominus Deus de humo omne lignum pulchrum visu, et ad vescendum suave lignum etiam vitæ in medio paradisi, lignumque scientiæ boni et mali.
10And a river issued out of the place of pleasure to water Paradise, which from thence is divided into four heads.And a riuer issued out of the place of pleasure to water Paradise, which from thence is diuided into four heades.Et fluvius egrediebatur de loco voluptatis ad irrigandum paradisum, qui inde dividitur in quatuor capita.
11The name of the one is Phison: that is it which compasseth all the land of Hevilath, where gold groweth.The name of the one is Phison: that is it which compasseth al the land of Heuilath, where gold groweth.Nomen uni Phison : ipse est qui circuit omnem terram Hevilath, ubi nascitur aurum :
12And the gold of that land is very good: there is found bdellium, and the stone onyx.And the gold of that land is very good: there is found bdellium, & the stone onyx.et aurum terræ illius optimum est ; ibi invenitur bdellium, et lapis onychinus.
13And the name of the second river is Gehon: that is it which compasseth all the land of Ethiopia.And the name of the second riuer is Gehon: that is it which compasseth al the land of Ethiopia.Et nomen fluvii secundi Gehon ; ipse est qui circumit omnem terram Æthiopiæ.
14And the name of the third river is Tigris: that same passeth along by the Assyrians. And the fourth river, the same is Euphrates.And the name of the third riuer is Tygris: that same passeth along by the Assirians. And the fourth riuer, the same is Euphrates.Nomen vero fluminis tertii, Tigris : ipse vadit contra Assyrios. Fluvius autem quartus, ipse est Euphrates.
15Our Lord God therefore took man, and put him in the Paradise of pleasure, to work, and keep it.Our Lord God therfore tooke man, & put him in the Paradise of pleasure, to woorke, & keepe it.Tulit ergo Dominus Deus hominem, et posuit eum in paradiso voluptatis, ut operaretur, et custodiret illum :
16And he commanded him, saying: Of every tree of Paradise eat thou:And he commanded him, saying: Of euerie tree of Paradise eate thou:præcepitque ei, dicens : Ex omni ligno paradisi comede ;
17But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil eat thou not. For in what day soever thou shalt eat of it, thou shalt die the death.But of the tree of knowledge of good & euil eate thou not. For in what day soeuer thou shalt eate of it, thou shalt dye the death.de ligno autem scientiæ boni et mali ne comedas : in quocumque enim die comederis ex eo, morte morieris.
18Our Lord God also said: It is not good for man to be alone: let us make him a help like unto himself.Our Lord God also said: It is not good for man to be alone: let vs make him a helpe like vnto him selfe.Dixit quoque Dominus Deus : Non est bonum esse hominem solum : faciamus ei adjutorium simile sibi.
19Our Lord God therefore having formed of clay all beasts of the earth, and fowls of the air, brought them to Adam that he might see what to call them: for all that Adam called any living creature, the same is his name.Our Lord God therfore hauing formed of clay al beastes of the earth, and foules of the ayre, brought them to Adam that he might see what to cal them: for al that Adam called any liuing creature, the same is his name.Formatis igitur Dominus Deus de humo cunctis animantibus terræ, et universis volatilibus cæli, adduxit ea ad Adam, ut videret quid vocaret ea : omne enim quod vocavit Adam animæ viventis, ipsum est nomen ejus.
20And Adam called all beasts by their names, and all fowls of the air, and all cattle of the field: but unto Adam there was not found an helper like himself.And Adam called al beastes by their names, and al foules of the ayre, and al cattel of the filde: but vnto Adam there was not found an helper like him selfe.Appellavitque Adam nominibus suis cuncta animantia, et universa volatilia cæli, et omnes bestias terræ : Adæ vero non inveniebatur adjutor similis ejus.
21Our Lord God therefore cast a dead sleep upon Adam: and when he was fast asleep, he took one of his ribs, and filled up flesh for it.Our Lord God therfore cast a dead sleepe vpon Adam: and when he was fast asleepe, he tooke one of his ribbes, & filled vp flesh for it.Immisit ergo Dominus Deus soporem in Adam : cumque obdormisset, tulit unam de costis ejus, et replevit carnem pro ea.
22And our Lord God built the rib which he took of Adam into a woman: and brought her to Adam.And our Lord God built the ribbe which he tooke of Adam into a woman: and brought her to Adam.Et ædificavit Dominus Deus costam, quam tulerat de Adam, in mulierem : et adduxit eam ad Adam.
23And Adam said: This now, is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man.And Adam said: This now, is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shal be called woman, because she was taken out of man.Dixitque Adam : Hoc nunc os ex ossibus meis, et caro de carne mea : hæc vocabitur Virago, quoniam de viro sumpta est.
24Wherefore a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh.Wherfore a man shal leaue his father & mother, & shal cleaue to his wife, & they shal be two in one flesh.Quam ob rem relinquet homo patrem suum, et matrem, et adhærebit uxori suæ : et erunt duo in carne una.
25And they were both naked: to wit Adam and his wife: and were not ashamed.And they were both naked: to wit Adam & his wife: and were not ashamed.Erat autem uterque nudus, Adam scilicet et uxor ejus : et non erubescebant.
Annotations
2:2The seventh day. All creatures being made in their kinds in six days, complete and perfect, God not needing (as men often do in their works) to perfect, polish, or amend the same, rested the seventh day: and therefore the natural perfection of God's works is attributed to the seventh day, and the supernatural perfecting of men in eternal life, after the Resurrection, is attributed to the eighth day, as St. Augustine and other fathers teach. And for this cause God blessed and sanctified the seventh day. and after we have in the Decalogue, or ten commandments, that this day all should rest and abstain from works, yea and keep it festival, occupying themselves in spiritual exercises, service and special worship of God, as the Jews did even till Christ's, and his Apostles' time, praying and hearing the word of God read and expounded in the lection of the Sabbath day. Whereby we see that distinction of days pertaineth to Religion, the people of God thus observing the Sabbath in memory of the Creation, and divers other feasts in memory of other benefits. And we keep the Sunday holy, in memory of Christ's Resurrection, and other feasts in grateful remembrance of other Mysteries of Christ's Nativity, the coming of the Holy Ghost, and the like. Yea also feasts of his Blessed Mother and other Saints, for the benefits received from Christ by them, and for more honour to Christ in them. So this Catholic observation of feasts is neither Judaical (which also in the law was good, but now is abrogated) nor heathenish, for we honour not Jupiter, nor Juno, nor any false god or goddess, but our Lord God Creator and Redeemer, and for his sake, his best servants. Wherefore see the Annotations in the English new Testament, 4. chapter to the Galatians. Whereto we here only add these words of St. Basil. Which may serve for a general answer to the most common objection. Honor servorum redundat in communem Dominum. The honour of the servants redoundeth to the common Lord or Master. So, saith he, the honour of Saints is the honour of Christ Lord and ours.
2:17Of the tree of knowledge. Besides the law of nature, by which Man was bound to direct all his actions according to the rule of reason, and besides the supernatural divine law, by which he was bound to believe, and trust in God, and to love him above all things, having received the gifts of faith, hope, and charity: God gave him another particular law, that he should not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And that for two special reasons, which St. Augustine noteth upon this place. First, that God might declare himself to be Lord of man. Which was absolutely necessary for man, and nothing at all profitable to God, who needeth not our service, but we without his dominion should utterly fall to nothing. Nec enim ipsa non creante, &c. For he not creating us, neither could we have been, nor he not conserving us, could we remain, nor he not governing us, could we live rightly. Wherefore he only is our true Lord, whom not for his, but for our own profit and salvation we serve. The other reason was, that God might give man matter wherein to exercise the virtue of obedience, and to show himself a subject of God. Which could not be so properly and effectually declared by keeping other laws, nor the enormity of disobedience appear so evidently, as by fulfilling of God's will commanding him, or by doing his own will, moved to the contrary, in a thing of itself indifferent, and only made unlawful, because it was forbid. But let us hear St. Augustine's own words. Nec potuit melius aut diligentius commendari quantum malum sit sola inobedientia, &c. Neither could it (saith this great Doctor) be better, nor more exactly signified how bad a thing sole disobedience is, then where a man became guilty of iniquity, because he touched that thing contrary to prohibition, which if he, not forbidden, had touched, he had not sinned at all. For he that saith, example sake, Touch not this herb, supposing it is poisonful, and doth warn one of death if he touch it, death assuredly falleth on the contemner of the precept: yea though no man had prohibited, and he had touched, he should die, because the same thing bereaveth him of health and life, whether it had been forbidden him or no. Also when one forbiddeth that to be touched, which would not indeed prejudice him that toucheth, but that forbiddeth, as if one take another's money, being forbid by him, whose the money is, it is a sin in him that is forbidden, because it is injury to him that forbiddeth. But when that thing is touched which neither should hurt him that toucheth, nor any other, if it were not forbidden: wherefore is it prohibited, but that the proper goodness of obedience, and the evil of disobedience might appear? Thus St. Augustine showeth, that disobedience is a sin, because it is against a precept, though otherwise the thing that is done were not evil. And (among other good notes) teacheth that true obedience inquireth not, wherefore a thing is commanded, but leaving that to the Superior, promptly doth and performeth what is appointed.
2:17Of the tree eat thou not. This example of our first parents' transgression showeth, how frivolous an answer it is to say, that breaking of commanded fasts, or eating meats forbidden cannot hurt us, the meat being good and wholesome: for so the fruit of the tree was good, and should have hurt no man, if it had not been forbidden. Even so all meats of their own nature are good, yet the precept of fasting (foretold by our Saviour in general, and determined by his Church in particular) and so of any other like law, though it bind in things otherwise indifferent, proceeding from lawful Superiors, bindeth the subjects in conscience. And the transgression is properly disobedience, what other sin soever may also be mixed therewith.
2:17Thou shalt die the death. Against the new doctrine, denying that after sin is remitted, any temporal punishment remaineth for the same, this place declareth that death (whereof God forewarned Adam, if he should eat of the fruit forbidden) remained due, and was at last inflicted upon him, for his sin, which was presently remitted upon his repentance. Again forsomuch as we are all subject to death, it proveth that we were all guilty of this sin, by which death came upon all men, as St. Paul teacheth. Else God should punish us without our fault, which is impossible that his goodness should do. Especially it appeareth in infants, who dying before they come to the use of reason, can never commit other sin. For though they were circumcised, or had Sacrifice offered, or other remedy used for them before Christ, or baptized since Christ: yet they suffer (as St. Augustine noteth) both death and many other penalties, of sickness, cold, heat, hunger, and the like, which can neither be to them matter of merit (as to others it may be) nor profit them for avoiding of other sins, seeing they die in their infancy. Yea moreover if they died without circumcision, or other remedy of those former times, their souls perished from their people: and now without Baptism can never enter into kingdom of heaven, which could not stand with God's justice, if they were not guilty of sin.