I

cannot

forget

Him

for a

single

moment,

and my

soul

languishes

after

Him,

and

from the

multitude

of my

afflictions

I

lift

up my

voice

and

cry:

“Have

mercy

upon

me,

O

God.

Have

mercy

on

Thy

fallen

creature.”

Thus did

Adam

lament,

and the

tears

steamed

down

his face

on to

his beard,

on to

the

ground

beneath

his feet,

and the

whole

desert

heard

the sound

of his

moaning.

The beasts

and the

birds

were hushed

in

grief;

while

Adam

wept

because

peace and love

were lost

to

all men

on account

of his sin.