Lamech’s Song

“Ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt! If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.”— Gen. iv. 23, 24. As Lamech grew old, his eyes became dim, and finally all sight was taken from them, and Tubal-Cain, his son, led him by the hand when he walked abroad. And it came to pa ... that he led his father into the fields to hunt, and said to his father: “Lo! yonder is a beast of prey; shoot thine arrow in that direction.” Lamech did as his son had spoken, and the arrow struck Cain, who was walking afar off, and killed him.... Now when Lamech... saw [ sic ] that he had killed Cain, he trembled exceedingly... and being blind, he saw not his son, but struck the lad’s head between his hands, and killed him.... And he cried to his wives, Ada and Zillah, “Listen to my voice, ye wives of Lamech.... I have slain a man to my hurt, and a child to my wounding!”— The Talmud , i.