2
Then one day
our Father said to us,
Caine, Abel
to Him Above you must make a sacrifice -
a gift of the first part
of all that you have
And I, first-born Caine, I
gathered the tender shoots
the brightest fruits
the sweetest grass
And Abel, second-born, Abel
slaughtered the youngest,
the strongest,
the sweetest of his animals
On the altar of our Father
we laid our sacrifices
and lit fire under them
and watched the smoke carry them
up to the One Above
The sacrifice of Abel, second-born
smelled sweet to the One Above
and Abel was blessed.
And I, first-born Caine, I
was struck from beyond by
a harsh word and a curse,
for my sacrifice was unworthy.