Dear creature of divine creation, thou
Art not so wise as thou art wont to seem.
You say that I am goddess-like in grace
And beauty, but as I have learned thus far
No man or any oth’r created thing [5]
Could challenge our Creator’s divinity.
So far below the state of goddess fair
Am I that thine words fall upon deaf ears
And ring with falsehood worst, with ignorance best.
Direct your praise and worship from meek Eve [10]
Unto He who has Eve so fair designed.
So thankest I thee, serpent, for thy praise
But must in rightness redirect thy words
To God above, to whom all glory be
And praise and adoration rightly owed. [15]
If serpent has of Knowledge’s Tree indulged
And suffered no harsh fate, then know that thou
Art creature, far below mankind, and must
By diff’rent expectations live and act.
God has decreed: should man to tempter fall [20]
And eat the fruit of Knowledge, then will man
And woman suffer long the curse of death.
If thou hast been not curst, then it be clear
That serpent lives by different rules from man
And may indulge, though man may not. Indeed [25]
No creature save but man must see and tend
To Eden’s Garden, beautiful and lush
Though beast be lower on creation’s scale
Than man. It seems quite clear, in light of this
That different regulations do apply [30]
To man and beast, so though thou ate and lived
Man surely will not live, so sayest God.
Now of thy claim that this be nothing more
Than yet another trial, then listen well.
Not yet in my whole life, brief though it be [35]
Has God instructed so, and opp’site meant.
Our God and our Creator is all good
And neither with deception nor deceit
Hast treated Adam or his humble wife.
And best thee watch thy words, beloved beast [40]
Shouldst thou attribute trickery to God
And Deity offend, then I shall pray
That thou be not stricken down by He Who Is.
So thank thee for thy words and kind intent
For trying to improve my state of life [45]
But know, dear beast, and then be on thy way
That when thy words and thy suggestions do
God’s words and God’s commandments straight oppose
Then thou art wrong, and right away conform
The products of thy tongue to God’s intents. [50]
So fare thee well, fair serpent, but I must
With gracious heart but prudent mind intact
Decline thy invitation to indulge
In th’ forbidden fruit of Knowledge’s Tree.
