A reading from the book of Genesis.

The man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore a son, Kane, saying,

I have produced a man with the help of the Lord. Next, she bore his brother, Abel.

Abel became a keeper of the flocks and Kane a tiller of the soil.

In the course of time, Kane brought an offering to the Lord from the fruit of the soil,

while Abel, for his part, brought one of the best firstlings of his flock. The Lord looked with

favor on Abel and his offering, but on Kane and his offering, he did not.

Kane greatly resented this and was crestful. So the Lord said to Kane, why are you so resentful

and crestfallen? If you do well, then you can hold up your head. But if not, sin is a demon lurking

at the door. His urge is toward you, that you can be his master.

Kane said to his brother Abel, Abel, let us go out into the field. When they were in the field,

Kane attacked his brother Abel and he killed him. Then the Lord asked Kane,

where's your brother Abel? He answered, I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?

The Lord said, what have you done?

Listen, your brother's blood cries out to me from the soil.

Therefore, you shall be banned from the soil that opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

If you till the soil, it shall no longer give you its produce.

You shall become a restless wonderer on the earth.

Cain said the Lord, my punishment is too great to bear, since you have now banished me from the

soil, and I must avoid your presence and become a restless wonderer on the earth.

Anyone may kill me at sight.

Not so, the Lord said to him.

...