The Holy Scripture
Chapter XVI
1 And the man said to her, "Bring me, please, a honeycomb too." 7 So Asenath was grievously troubled because she had no honey to set before her guest.
2 And Aseneth said, "Let me send someone my lord, to my family estate in the country and I will get you a honeycomb." 8 But the Angel comforted her, saying 9 "Look within thine aumbrey, and thou shalt find withall to furnish thy table."
3 And the man said to her, "Go into your inner room and you will find a honeycomb there." 10 Then she hastened thereto, and found a store of virgin honey, white as snow, of the sweetest savour.
4 And Aseneth went into her inner room and found a honeycomb lying on the table; and the comb was as white as snow and full of honey, and its smell was like the breath of life
5 And Aseneth took the comb and brought it to him; and the man said to her, "Why did you say, 'There is no honeycomb in my house?' And lo, you have brought me this." 11 So she spake to the Angel- "Sire, I had no honey, but thou spakest the word, and it is there, and the perfume thereof is as the breath of thy mouth."
6 And Aseneth said, My lord, I had no honeycomb in my house, but it happened just as you said: Did it perchance come out of your mouth, for it smells like myrrh?" 12 The Angel smiled at the understanding of Asenath, and placed his hand upon her head, and said- 13 "Blessed be thou, O Asenath, because thou hast forsaken thy idols, and believed in our living Lord.
7 And the man stretched his hand out and placed it on her head and said, "You are blessed, Aseneth, for the indescribable things of God have been revealed to you; and blessed too are those who give their allegiance to the Lord God in penitence, for they shall eat of this comb. 14 Yea, blessed are they whom Penitence bringeth before Him, for they shall eat of this honey gathered by the bees of Paradise from the dew of the roses of Heaven; and those who eat thereof shall never see death, but shall live for evermore."
8 The bees of the Paradise of Delight have made this honey, and the angels of God eat of it, and no one who eats of it shall ever die. 15 The the angel stretched forth his hand and took of the honeycomb and break it; and he ate a little, and gave the rest to the mouth of Asenath, saying-
9 And the man stretched his right hand out and broke off a piece of the comb and ate it; and he put a piece of it unto Aseneth's mouth. 16 "This day hast thou eaten of the Bread of Life, and are anointed with the Holy Chrism. 17 Beauty is given thee for ashes; for virtue shall never go from thee, neither shall thy youth wither, nor thy fairness fail; but thou shalt be as the strong city builded as a refuge for the children of our Lord, Who is King for ever more." 18 Ten the angle touch the honeycomb, and it became unbroken as before. 19 Again he stretched forth his hand, and with his finger signed the cross thereon, and theere where his finger touched came forth blood.
10 And the man stretched his hand out and put his finger on the edge of the comb that faced eastwards; and the path of his finger became like blood.
11 And he stretched out his hand a second time and put his finger on the edge of the comb that faced northwards, and the path of his finger became like blood. 20 So he spake to Asenath, and said- "Behold this honey!"
12 And Aseneth was standing on the left and watching everything the man was doing. 21 Whilst she gazed thereon, she saw bees come forth from that honey, some white as snow, others vermeil as jacinths, and they gathered about her, and set virgin honey in the palm of her hand; and she ate thereof, and the Angel whith her.
13 And bees came up from the cells of the comb, and they were white as snow, and their wings were iridescent -- purple and blue and gold; and they had golden diadems on their heads and sharp-pointed strings.
14 And all the bees flew in circles round Aseneth, from her feet right up to her head; and yet more bees, as big as queens, settled on Aseneth's lips. 22 "Bees," said the Angel, "return now to your own place."
15 And the man said to the bees, "Go, please, to your places." 23 So they passed throu that window which gave upon the east, and took their way to Paradise. 24 "Failful as these bees are the words which I have spoken."
16 And they all left Aseneth and fell to the ground, every one of them, and died.
17 And the man said, "Get up now, and go to your place;" and they got up and went, every one of them, to the court round Aseneth's tower.