And thereupon she came to the captain ^ and stood before him, and the Lord 2 saith to her

" Take

from thine head,^ for that thou

i"

divine chief

the angel of

now the mantle

art to-day a

pure

And And again the

virgin, and thine head is as of a young man."

Asenath took

it

from her head. " Be

of good cheer, Asenath, the virgin and pure, for lo the Lord God heard all the words of thy confession * and thy prayer, and he hath seen also the humiliation ""and affliction ^ of the seven days of thine abstinence, for that from thy tears much clay hath been formed before thy face upon these cinders. Accordingly,^ of be good cheer, Asenath, the virgin and pure, for lo thy name hath been written in the book of life and shall not be blotted out for ever but from this day thou shalt be renewed ^and refashioned^ and re-quickened, and thou shalt eat the blessed bread of life and drink a cup filled with immortality divine angel

saith

to

her

D "angel."

lav. om. ff. to " Accordingly."

and be anointed with the blessed unction of incorruption. Be of good cheer, Asenath, the virgin and pure, lo the Lord God hath given thee to-day to Joseph for a bride, and he himself shall be thy And no more henceforth bridecrroom for ever. !

"shalt thou^ be called Asenath, but thy name shall

City of Refuge,' for that in thee many nations shall seek refuge and they shall lodge under thy

be

many nations shall find shelter by thy upon thy walls they who cleave unto and means, God Most High through penitence shall be kept secure for that Penitence is daughter of the Most High, and she herself entreateth God Most High for thee every hour and for all that repent, since he is father of Penitence, and she herself is the completion and overseer of all virgins, loving you exceedingly and beseeching the Most High for you every hour, and for ^ all who repent she will provide a place of rest in the heavens, and she reneweth everyone who hath repented.^ And Penitence is exceeding fair, a virgin pure and gentle and mild and therefore God Most High loveth her, and all the angels revere her, and I

wings, and

love her exceedingly, for that she herself also is my

loveth you virgins I also love you.

sister, and as she

And lo

for

my part I go to Joseph and will speak

to him all these *

words concerning

thee,

and he

will come to thee to-day and see thee and rejoice ins. " and herself shall minister unto them for ever" ;

over thee and love thee and be thy bridegroom, and

thou shalt be his beloved ^ bride for ever. Accordingly hear me, Asenath,^ and put on a wedding robe, ""the ancient and first robe ^ that is yet laid up in thy chamber from of old, and put all thy choice adorning also about thee, and adorn thyself as a good bride and make thyself ready to meet him for lo he himself cometh to thee to-day and will ;

see thee

and

the Lord

""in

rejoice."

And, when the angel of man * had finished

the shape of a

speaking these words to^ Asenath, she* rejoiced with great joy over all the things that were spoken by him, and fell upon her face upon the earth, and made obeisance before his feet and said to him " Blessed is the Lord thy God ^ who sent thee to deliver me from the darkness and to bring me from the foundations of the abyss itself into the light, and blessed is thy name for ever.^ If the'rT "•3IL I have found grace, my lord, in thy sight and shall know that thou wilt perform all the words which thou hast said to me so that they be accomplished, let thine handmaid speak to thee." And ^the angel ' saith ''to her,^ " Say on." And she said ^ " I pray thee, lord, sit down a little time upon this bed, because this bed is pure and undefiled, for :

gj|x

'^JiL^

om. "to him

fp.ft> Appx.

lord."

that another man or other woman never sat upon

and I will set before thee a table and bread, and thou shalt eat, and I will bring thee also wine old and good, the odour whereof shall reach unto heaven, and thou shalt drink thereof and thereafter shalt depart upon thy way." And he ^ saith to her " Haste and bring it quickly." it,

Asenath finds a Honeycomb in her Storehouse.