once

But Adam said unto God, "It was in my mind to put an end to myself at once, for having transgressed Thy commandments, and for my having come out of the beautiful garden; and for the bright light of which Thou hast deprived me; and for the praises which poured forth from my mouth without ceasing, and for the light that covered me.

Yet God withheld His Word from Adam, and did not make him understand at once, but waited to see his strength; whether he would be overcome as Eve was when in the garden, or whether he would prevail.

"And if we drink of this water, without God's order, He will make an end of us, and root us up at once.

And they stood and prayed before the Lord, and asked Him to look upon them this once, to forgive them, and to grant them their request.

Therefore did the angel bear with him, without saying one bad word until the Word of God came who said to Satan, "Go hence; once before didst thou deceive My servants, and this time thou seekest to destroy them.

Then Adam and Eve passed into the cave, blessing themselves for coming into it once more. For it was in their thoughts, that they never should enter it, when they saw the fire around it.

But Satan, the hater of all good, thought within himself: Whereas God has promised salvation to Adam by covenant, and that He would deliver him out of all the hardships that have befallen him-but has not promised me by covenant, and will not deliver me out of my hardships; nay, since He has promised him that He should make him and his seed dwell in the kingdom in which I once was--I will kill Adam.

WHEN Adam heard these words from God, he took Eve and removed from the northern end of the garden to the south of it, by the river of water, where they once fasted.

They were glad, because they thought that God was favourable to Adam, and wished him to return to the garden; and wished to restore him to the gladness he once enjoyed.

Then God sent to them at once His angel, who drove away Satan--from them. This happened about sunset, on the fifty-third day after they had come out of the garden.

"For once has it pleased him, O Adam, to come to thee, to comfort thee, and to strengthen thee, and to rejoice with thee, and to send his hosts to guard thee; because thou hast hearkened to him, and hast yielded to his counsel; and hast transgressed My commandment but has followed his behest?"

"Not for his mere sake, then, have these trees grown up at once; but I had mercy on thee and I commanded them to grow. And they grew to be two large trees, that you be overshadowed by their branches, and find rest; and that I make you see My power and My marvellous works.

Then God looked upon them, and at once fitted them for eating food; as unto this day; so that they should not perish.

But as to Cain, he took no pleasure in offering; but after much anger on his father's part, he offered up his gift once; and when he did offer up, his eye was on the offering he made, and he took the smallest of his sheep for an offering, and his eye was again on it. '

And Satan answered, "My relations are in a garden in the north, whither I once meant to bring thy father Adam; but he would not accept my offer.

Then Cain began at once to dig the earth wherein to lay his brother; for he was trembling from the fear that came upon him, when he saw the earth tremble on his account.

He then cast his brother into the pit he made, and covered him with dust. But the earth would not receive him; but it threw him up at once.

Then Lamech shot at Cain with his arrow and hit him in his side. And Lamech struck him with a stone from his sling, that fell upon his face, and knocked out both his eyes; then Cain fell at once and died.

But when Jared saw that they did not receive his words, he said unto them, "O my good and innocent and holy children, know that when once you go down from this holy mountain, God will not allow you to return again to it."

Then they showed him the letters in his writing and with his seal. And when Haiqar saw this, his limbs trembled and his tongue was tied at once, and he was unable to speak a word from fear; but he hung his head towards the earth and was dumb.

Ah! and again Ah for myself! who can give thee to me just for once, or bring me word that Haiqar is alive? and I would give him the half of my kingdom.

Whence is this to me? Ah, Haiqar! that I might see thee just for once, that I might take my fill of gazing at thee, and delighting in thee.

And when the king saw him he sorrowed over him and rose at once and embraced him and kissed him, and wept over him and said: 'Praise be to God! who hath brought thee back to me.'

And when Pharaoh saw that Haiqar had overcome him, and returned him his answers, he at once became excited, and commanded them to collect for him three years' taxes, and to bring them to Haiqar.

But that I may not weary you by a too lengthy introduction, I will proceed at once to the substance of my narrative.

The decree of the king ran as follows: 'All who served in the army of our father in the campaign against Syria and Phoenicia and in the attack upon the country of the Jews and became possessed of Jewish captives and brought them back to the city of Alexandria and the land of Egypt or sold them to others--and in the same way any captives who were in our land before that time or were brought hither afterwards--all who possess such captives are required to set them at liberty at once, receiving twenty drachmae per head as ransom money.

And when we reached Alexandria, the king was at once informed of our arrival.

The king was very anxious to meet the envoys, and gave orders that all the other officials should be dismissed and the envoys summoned to his presence at once. 5 Now this excited general surprise, for it is customary for those who come to seek an audience with the king on matters of importance to be admitted to his presence on the fifth day, while envoys from kings or very important cities with difficulty secure admission to the Court in thirty days--but these men he counted worthy of greater honour, since he held their master in such high esteem, and so he immediately dismissed those whose presence he regarded as superfluous and continued walking about until they came in and he was able to welcome them.

And he replied, 'If we consider that we ourselves are afflicted by the misfortunes which fall upon our relatives and if their sufferings become our own--then the strength of kinship is apparent at once, for it is only when such feeling is shown that we shall win honour and esteem in their eyes. For help, when it is linked with kindliness, is of itself a bond which is altogether indissoluble. And in the day of their prosperity we must not crave their possessions, but must pray God to bestow all manner of good upon them.'

All at once shouted their approval, and the banquet became a scene of joy, while the king gave himself up to a continuous round of festivity.

For though the questioner had given great thought to each particular question, those who replied one after the other had their answers to the questions ready at once and so they seemed to me and to all who were present and especially to the philosophers to be worthy of admiration.

For on the following day the minutes of the doings and sayings of the previous day are read over before business commence, and if there has been any irregularity, the matter is at once set right.

Behold! the days come, and this kingdom will be destroyed which once destroyed Zion, and it will be subjected to that which comes after it.

Of men shalt nourish, once again anew

Appeared, and once more cried aloud and said:

He sent the dove once more, to learn if yet

Unrighteous men. Give to the poor at once

Are fulfilled, which he threatened mortals once,

Shall be at once a shout of perishing men;

Shall he raise up for ages, who once gave

He, looking down at once on all, is seen

And rains at once producing fruit of field

Judging at once the impious and the pious,

Which Rome herself once, plundering, put away

She that was once revered and given a name

On the rough Lycian land that once breathed perfume.

(Pretending once to bear the forms, of beasts).

Who once cut out the rock with ductile brass,

There was once among men the sun's bright light

And he shall flash upon the earth, as once

Once gave abundant food . . .

Who once in the mouth of Jordan washed himself,

A suppliant I once publicly received

I did with knowledge once, and many things

At once perceiving that the evil day

Will God the imperishable put at once

For you first once the yawning earth received.

The other . . . gleaming and this not at once all know;

And by his armies at once power display

Who is without a child; for he who once

In the forty days of Pascha, let the people abide in the temple, keeping vigil and praying, hearing the Scriptures and hymns of praise and the books of doctrine. But on the last Saturday let them rise early 4 in he night, and when the catechumens are being exorcised till the Saturday midnight. Let those who are about to be baptized not bring anything else with them except one loaf for the Eucharist.’ But let them be baptized thus. When they come to the water, let the water be pure and flowing. First the babes, then the men, then the women. But if any one desire to approach as it were to virginity, let him first be baptized by the hand of the bishop. Let the women, when they are baptized, loose their hair. Let all the boys who can answer in baptism make the responses and answer after the priest. But if they cannot, let their parents make the responses for them, or some one of their households. But when they who are being baptized go down [to the water], after they make the responses and say [the answers], let the bishop see if there be any of them—either a man having a ring of gold, or a woman having on her gold; for no one should have with him any strange thing in the water, but let him deliver it to those who are near him.” But when they are about to receive the oil for anointing, let the bishop pray over it and give thanks, and let him exorcise another [oil] with an exorcism, the same as in the case of catechumens. And let the deacon bear that which is exorcised, and let the presbyter stand by him. Let him then who standeth by that [oil] on which a giving of thanks over the oil [is said] be on the right hand; but him who standeth by that which is exorcised, on the left. And when he taketh hold of each one, let him ask—he that is being baptized turning to the West—and let him say: Say, I renounce thee, Satan, and all thy service, and thy shows and thy pleasures and all thy works. And when he hath said these things and confessed, let him be anointed with that oil which was exorcised, he who anointeth him saying thus: I anoint [thee] with this oil of exorcism for a deliverance from every evil and unclean spirit, and for a deliverance from every evil. And also, turning him to the Hast, let him say: [Say,] I submit’ to Thee, Father and Son and Holy Ghost, before whom all nature trembleth and is moved. Grant me to do all Thy will without blame. Then after these things let him give him over to the pres- byter who baptizeth. And let them stand in the water naked. But let the deacon descend with him similarly. But when he who is being baptized goeth down into the water, let him that baptizeth him say, putting his hand on him, thus: Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty? Let him that is being baptized say: T believe. Let him immediately baptize him once. Let the priest also say: Dost thou believe also in Christ Jesus the Son of God, who came from the Father, who is of old with the Father, who was born of Mary the Virgin by the Holy Ghost, who was crucified in the days of Pontius Pilate, and died and rose the third day, [who] came to life from the dead, and ascended into heaven and sat down on the right hand of the Father, and cometh to judge the quick and the dead? But when he saith: I believe, let him baptize him the second time. And also let him say: Dost thou believe also in the Holy Ghost, in the holy Church? And let him who is being baptized say: I believe; and thus let him baptize him the third time. Then when he cometh up let him be anointed by the pres- byter with oil over which the giving of thanks has been said, [the presbyter] saying over him: I anoint thee with oil in the Name of Jesus Christ. But let women be anointed by widows who sit in front, the presbyter saying over them [the words]. And let those widows in baptism also beneath a veil receive them by a veil, the bishop saying those Confessions, and so those whom they: cause them to renounce.”