Jan Knappert offered the first English translation in 1967, though he also introduced a number of significant mistranslations.
However, while Gabriel held that this was still true, Michael argued that humans had lost the quality of compassion.
Michael stated that he could cure Gabriel but only with the blood of a sacrificed young man, in particular a seventh son who was the only surviving after his six siblings had died in infancy.
The angels return to Heaven, where they prophesy that in the future humans will lose their compassion and become obsessed with their physical well-being and material wealth.
In 1920, Alice Werner wrote: It is difficult to relate this [epic] seriously in English but, strange as it may seem, it has certain pathos in the original.
The emotions of the parents are dwelt on at great length, and the poem is enormously popular especially among Swahili women.