A Short Introduction
2 Esdras,
written between 70–135 CE, is an apocalyptic book found in the Apocrypha,
though it is not included in most Jewish or Protestant Bibles. It consists of
visions given to Ezra after the destruction of the Second Temple (70 CE), where
he questions God about Israel’s suffering, justice, and the end times. God
responds with revelations about divine judgment, the coming Messiah, and the
resurrection of the righteous. The book is deeply reflective, focusing on human
suffering, God’s plan for history, and hope for ultimate redemption.
---
CHAPTER 1
1 The
second book of the prophet Esdras, the son of Saraias, the son of Azarias, the
son of Helchias, the son of Sadamias, the sou of Sadoc, the son of Achitob,
2 The son
of Achias, the son of Phinees, the son of Heli, the son of Amarias, the son of
Aziei, the son of Marimoth, the son of And he spake unto the of Borith, the son
of Abisei, the son of Phinees, the son of Eleazar,
3 The son
of Aaron, of the tribe of Levi; which was captive in the land of the Medes, in
the reign of Artexerxes king of the Persians.
4 And the
word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
5 Go thy
way, and shew my people their sinful deeds, and their children their wickedness
which they have done against me; that they may tell their children’s children:
6 Because
the sins of their fathers are increased in them: for they have forgotten me,
and have offered unto strange gods.
7 Am not I
even he that brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage?
but they have provoked me unto wrath, and despised my counsels.
8 Pull
thou off then the hair of thy head, and cast all evil upon them, for they have
not been obedient unto my law, but it is a rebellious people.
9 How long
shall I forbear them, into whom I have done so much good?
10 Many
kings have I destroyed for their sakes; Pharaoh with his servants and all his
power have I smitten down.
11 All the
nations have I destroyed before them, and in the east I have scattered the
people of two provinces, even of Tyrus and Sidon, and have slain all their
enemies.
12 Speak
thou therefore unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord,
13 I led
you through the sea and in the beginning gave you a large and safe passage; I
gave you Moses for a leader, and Aaron for a priest.
14 I gave
you light in a pillar of fire, and great wonders have I done among you; yet
have ye forgotten me, saith the Lord.
15 Thus
saith the Almighty Lord, The quails were as a token to you; I gave you tents
for your safeguard: nevertheless ye murmured there,
16 And
triumphed not in my name for the destruction of your enemies, but ever to this
day do ye yet murmur.
17 Where
are the benefits that I have done for you? when ye were hungry and thirsty in
the wilderness, did ye not cry unto me,
18 Saying,
Why hast thou brought us into this wilderness to kill us? it had been better
for us to have served the Egyptians, than to die in this wilderness.
19 Then
had I pity upon your mournings, and gave you manna to eat; so ye did eat
angels’ bread.
20 When ye
were thirsty, did I not cleave the rock, and waters flowed out to your fill?
for the heat I covered you with the leaves of the trees.
21 I
divided among you a fruitful land, I cast out the Canaanites, the Pherezites,
and the Philistines, before you: what shall I yet do more for you? saith the
Lord.
22 Thus
saith the Almighty Lord, When ye were in the wilderness, in the river of the
Amorites, being athirst, and blaspheming my name,
23 I gave
you not fire for your blasphemies, but cast a tree in the water, and made the
river sweet.
24 What
shall I do unto thee, O Jacob? thou, Juda, wouldest not obey me: I will turn me
to other nations, and unto those will I give my name, that they may keep my
statutes.
25 Seeing
ye have forsaken me, I will forsake you also; when ye desire me to be gracious
unto you, I shall have no mercy upon you.
26 Whensoever
ye shall call upon me, I will not hear you: for ye have defiled your hands with
blood, and your feet are swift to commit manslaughter.
27 Ye have
not as it were forsaken me, but your own selves, saith the Lord.
28 Thus
saith the Almighty Lord, Have I not prayed you as a father his sons, as a
mother her daughters, and a nurse her young babes,
29 That ye
would be my people, and I should be your God; that ye would be my children, and
I should be your father?
30 I
gathered you together, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings: but
now, what shall I do unto you? I will cast you out from my face.
31 When ye
offer unto me, I will turn my face from you: for your solemn feastdays, your
new moons, and your circumcisions, have I forsaken.
32 I sent
unto you my servants the prophets, whom ye have taken and slain, and torn their
bodies in pieces, whose blood I will require of your hands, saith the Lord.
33 Thus
saith the Almighty Lord, Your house is desolate, I will cast you out as the
wind doth stubble.
34 And
your children shall not be fruitful; for they have despised my commandment, and
done the thing that is an evil before me.
35 Your
houses will I give to a people that shall come; which not having heard of me
yet shall believe me; to whom I have shewed no signs, yet they shall do that I
have commanded them.
36 They
have seen no prophets, yet they shall call their sins to remembrance, and
acknowledge them.
37 I take
to witness the grace of the people to come, whose little ones rejoice in
gladness: and though they have not seen me with bodily eyes, yet in spirit they
believe the thing that I say.
38 And
now, brother, behold what glory; and see the people that come from the east:
39 Unto
whom I will give for leaders, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Oseas, Amos, and
Micheas, Joel, Abdias, and Jonas,
40 Nahum,
and Abacuc, Sophonias, Aggeus, Zachary, and Malachy, which is called also an
angel of the Lord.
CHAPTER 2
1 Thus
saith the Lord, I brought this people out of bondage, and I gave them my
commandments by menservants the prophets; whom they would not hear, but despised
my counsels.
2 The
mother that bare them saith unto them, Go your way, ye children; for I am a
widow and forsaken.
3 I
brought you up with gladness; but with sorrow and heaviness have I lost you:
for ye have sinned before the Lord your God, and done that thing that is evil
before him.
4 But what
shall I now do unto you? I am a widow and forsaken: go your way, O my children,
and ask mercy of the Lord.
5 As for
me, O father, I call upon thee for a witness over the mother of these children,
which would not keep my covenant,
6 That
thou bring them to confusion, and their mother to a spoil, that there may be no
offspring of them.
7 Let them
be scattered abroad among the heathen, let their names be put out of the earth:
for they have despised my covenant.
8 Woe be
unto thee, Assur, thou that hidest the unrighteous in thee! O thou wicked
people, remember what I did unto Sodom and Gomorrha;
9 Whose
land lieth in clods of pitch and heaps of ashes: even so also will I do unto
them that hear me not, saith the Almighty Lord.
10 Thus
saith the Lord unto Esdras, Tell my people that I will give them the kingdom of
Jerusalem, which I would have given unto Israel.
11 Their
glory also will I take unto me, and give these the everlasting tabernacles,
which I had prepared for them.
12 They
shall have the tree of life for an ointment of sweet savour; they shall neither
labour, nor be weary.
13 Go, and
ye shall receive: pray for few days unto you, that they may be shortened: the
kingdom is already prepared for you: watch.
14 Take heaven
and earth to witness; for I have broken the evil in pieces, and created the
good: for I live, saith the Lord.
15 Mother,
embrace thy children, and bring them up with gladness, make their feet as fast
as a pillar: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord.
16 And
those that be dead will I raise up again from their places, and bring them out
of the graves: for I have known my name in Israel.
17 Fear
not, thou mother of the children: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord.
18 For thy
help will I send my servants Esau and Jeremy, after whose counsel I have
sanctified and prepared for thee twelve trees laden with divers fruits,
19 And as
many fountains flowing with milk and honey, and seven mighty mountains,
whereupon there grow roses and lilies, whereby I will fill thy children with
joy.
20 Do
right to the widow, judge for the fatherless, give to the poor, defend the
orphan, clothe the naked,
21 Heal
the broken and the weak, laugh not a lame man to scorn, defend the maimed, and
let the blind man come into the sight of my clearness.
22 Keep
the old and young within thy walls.
23 Wheresoever
thou findest the dead, take them and bury them, and I will give thee the first
place in my resurrection.
24 Abide
still, O my people, and take thy rest, for thy quietness still come.
25 Nourish
thy children, O thou good nurse; stablish their feet.
26 As for
the servants whom I have given thee, there shall not one of them perish; for I
will require them from among thy number.
27 Be not
weary: for when the day of trouble and heaviness cometh, others shall weep and
be sorrowful, but thou shalt be merry and have abundance.
28 The
heathen shall envy thee, but they shall be able to do nothing against thee,
saith the Lord.
29 My
hands shall cover thee, so that thy children shall not see hell.
30 Be
joyful, O thou mother, with thy children; for I will deliver thee, saith the
Lord.
31 Remember
thy children that sleep, for I shall bring them out of the sides of the earth,
and shew mercy unto them: for I am merciful, saith the Lord Almighty.
32 Embrace
thy children until I come and shew mercy unto them: for my wells run over, and
my grace shall not fail.
33 I
Esdras received a charge of the Lord upon the mount Oreb, that I should go unto
Israel; but when I came unto them, they set me at nought, and despised the
commandment of the Lord.
34 And
therefore I say unto you, O ye heathen, that hear and understand, look for your
Shepherd, he shall give you everlasting rest; for he is nigh at hand, that
shall come in the end of the world.
35 Be
ready to the reward of the kingdom, for the everlasting light shall shine upon
you for evermore.
36 Flee
the shadow of this world, receive the joyfulness of your glory: I testify my
Saviour openly.
37 O
receive the gift that is given you, and be glad, giving thanks unto him that
hath led you to the heavenly kingdom.
38 Arise
up and stand, behold the number of those that be sealed in the feast of the
Lord;
39 Which
are departed from the shadow of the world, and have received glorious garments
of the Lord.
40 Take
thy number, O Sion, and shut up those of thine that are clothed in white, which
have fulfilled the law of the Lord.
41 The
number of thy children, whom thou longedst for, is fulfilled: beseech the power
of the Lord, that thy people, which have been called from the beginning, may be
hallowed.
42 I
Esdras saw upon the mount Sion a great people, whom I could not number, and
they all praised the Lord with songs.
43 And in
the midst of them there was a young man of a high stature, taller than all the
rest, and upon every one of their heads he set crowns, and was more exalted;
which I marvelled at greatly.
44 So I
asked the angel, and said, Sir, what are these?
45 He
answered and said unto me, These be they that have put off the mortal clothing,
and put on the immortal, and have confessed the name of God: now are they
crowned, and receive palms.
46 Then
said I unto the angel, What young person is it that crowneth them, and giveth
them palms in their hands?
47 So he
answered and said unto me, It is the Son of God, whom they have confessed in
the world. Then began I greatly to commend them that stood so stiffly for the
name of the Lord.
48 Then
the angel said unto me, Go thy way, and tell my people what manner of things,
and how great wonders of the Lord thy God, thou hast seen.
CHAPTER 3
1 In the
thirtieth year after the ruin of the city I was in Babylon, and lay troubled
upon my bed, and my thoughts came up over my heart:
2 For I
saw the desolation of Sion, and the wealth of them that dwelt at Babylon.
3 And my
spirit was sore moved, so that I began to speak words full of fear to the most
High, and said,
4 O Lord,
who bearest rule, thou spakest at the beginning, when thou didst plant the
earth, and that thyself alone, and commandedst the people,
5 And
gavest a body unto Adam without soul, which was the workmanship of thine hands,
and didst breathe into him the breath of life, and he was made living before
thee.
6 And thou
leadest him into paradise, which thy right hand had planted, before ever the
earth came forward.
7 And unto
him thou gavest commandment to love thy way: which he transgressed, and
immediately thou appointedst death in him and in his generations, of whom came
nations, tribes, people, and kindreds, out of number.
8 And
every people walked after their own will, and did wonderful things before thee,
and despised thy commandments.
9 And
again in process of time thou broughtest the flood upon those that dwelt in the
world, and destroyedst them.
10 And it
came to pass in every of them, that as death was to Adam, so was the flood to
these.
11 Nevertheless
one of them thou leftest, namely, Noah with his household, of whom came all
righteous men.
12 And it
happened, that when they that dwelt upon the earth began to multiply, and had
gotten them many children, and were a great people, they began again to be more
ungodly than the first.
13 Now
when they lived so wickedly before thee, thou didst choose thee a man from
among them, whose name was Abraham.
14 Him
thou lovedst, and unto him only thou shewedst thy will:
15 And
madest an everlasting covenant with him, promising him that thou wouldest never
forsake his seed.
16 And
unto him thou gavest Isaac, and unto Isaac also thou gavest Jacob and Esau. As
for Jacob, thou didst choose him to thee, and put by Esau: and so Jacob became
a great multitude.
17 And it
came to pass, that when thou leadest his seed out of Egypt, thou broughtest
them up to the mount Sinai.
18 And
bowing the heavens, thou didst set fast the earth, movedst the whole world, and
madest the depths to tremble, and troubledst the men of that age.
19 And thy
glory went through four gates, of fire, and of earthquake, and of wind, and of
cold; that thou mightest give the law unto the seed of Jacob, and diligence
unto the generation of Israel.
20 And yet
tookest thou not away from them a wicked heart, that thy law might bring forth
fruit in them.
21 For the
first Adam bearing a wicked heart transgressed, and was overcome; and so be all
they that are born of him.
22 Thus
infirmity was made permanent; and the law (also) in the heart of the people
with the malignity of the root; so that the good departed away, and the evil
abode still.
23 So the
times passed away, and the years were brought to an end: then didst thou raise
thee up a servant, called David:
24 Whom
thou commandedst to build a city unto thy name, and to offer incense and
oblations unto thee therein.
25 When
this was done many years, then they that inhabited the city forsook thee,
26 And in
all things did even as Adam and all his generations had done: for they also had
a wicked heart:
27 And so
thou gavest thy city over into the hands of thine enemies.
28 Are
their deeds then any better that inhabit Babylon, that they should therefore
have the dominion over Sion?
29 For
when I came thither, and had seen impieties without number, then my soul saw
many evildoers in this thirtieth year, so that my heart failed me.
30 For I
have seen how thou sufferest them sinning, and hast spared wicked doers: and
hast destroyed thy people, and hast preserved thine enemies, and hast not
signified it.
31 I do
not remember how this way may be left: Are they then of Babylon better than
they of Sion?
32 Or is
there any other people that knoweth thee beside Israel? or what generation hath
so believed thy covenants as Jacob?
33 And yet
their reward appeareth not, and their labour hath no fruit: for I have gone
here and there through the heathen, and I see that they flow in wealth, and
think not upon thy commandments.
34 Weigh
thou therefore our wickedness now in the balance, and their’s also that dwell
the world; and so shall thy name no where be found but in Israel.
35 Or when
was it that they which dwell upon the earth have not sinned in thy sight? or
what people have so kept thy commandments?
36 Thou
shalt find that Israel by name hath kept thy precepts; but not the heathen.
CHAPTER 4
1 And the
angel that was sent unto me, whose name was Uriel, gave me an answer,
2 And
said, Thy heart hath gone to far in this world, and thinkest thou to comprehend
the way of the most High?
3 Then
said I, Yea, my lord. And he answered me, and said, I am sent to shew thee
three ways, and to set forth three similitudes before thee:
4 Whereof
if thou canst declare me one, I will shew thee also the way that thou desirest
to see, and I shall shew thee from whence the wicked heart cometh.
5 And I
said, Tell on, my lord. Then said he unto me, Go thy way, weigh me the weight
of the fire, or measure me the blast of the wind, or call me again the day that
is past.
6 Then
answered I and said, What man is able to do that, that thou shouldest ask such
things of me?
7 And he
said unto me, If I should ask thee how great dwellings are in the midst of the
sea, or how many springs are in the beginning of the deep, or how many springs
are above the firmament, or which are the outgoings of paradise:
8 Peradventure
thou wouldest say unto me, I never went down into the deep, nor as yet into
hell, neither did I ever climb up into heaven.
9 Nevertheless
now have I asked thee but only of the fire and wind, and of the day
wherethrough thou hast passed, and of things from which thou canst not be
separated, and yet canst thou give me no answer of them.
10 He said
moreover unto me, Thine own things, and such as are grown up with thee, canst
thou not know;
11 How
should thy vessel then be able to comprehend the way of the Highest, and, the
world being now outwardly corrupted to understand the corruption that is
evident in my sight?
12 Then
said I unto him, It were better that we were not at all, than that we should
live still in wickedness, and to suffer, and not to know wherefore.
13 He
answered me, and said, I went into a forest into a plain, and the trees took
counsel,
14 And
said, Come, let us go and make war against the sea that it may depart away
before us, and that we may make us more woods.
15 The
floods of the sea also in like manner took counsel, and said, Come, let us go
up and subdue the woods of the plain, that there also we may make us another
country.
16 The
thought of the wood was in vain, for the fire came and consumed it.
17 The
thought of the floods of the sea came likewise to nought, for the sand stood up
and stopped them.
18 If thou
wert judge now betwixt these two, whom wouldest thou begin to justify? or whom
wouldest thou condemn?
19 I
answered and said, Verily it is a foolish thought that they both have devised,
for the ground is given unto the wood, and the sea also hath his place to bear
his floods.
20 Then
answered he me, and said, Thou hast given a right judgment, but why judgest
thou not thyself also?
21 For
like as the ground is given unto the wood, and the sea to his floods: even so
they that dwell upon the earth may understand nothing but that which is upon
the earth: and he that dwelleth above the heavens may only understand the
things that are above the height of the heavens.
22 Then
answered I and said, I beseech thee, O Lord, let me have understanding:
23 For it
was not my mind to be curious of the high things, but of such as pass by us
daily, namely, wherefore Israel is given up as a reproach to the heathen, and
for what cause the people whom thou hast loved is given over unto ungodly
nations, and why the law of our forefathers is brought to nought, and the
written covenants come to none effect,
24 And we
pass away out of the world as grasshoppers, and our life is astonishment and
fear, and we are not worthy to obtain mercy.
25 What
will he then do unto his name whereby we are called? of these things have I
asked.
26 Then
answered he me, and said, The more thou searchest, the more thou shalt marvel;
for the world hasteth fast to pass away,
27 And
cannot comprehend the things that are promised to the righteous in time to
come: for this world is full of unrighteousness and infirmities.
28 But as
concerning the things whereof thou askest me, I will tell thee; for the evil is
sown, but the destruction thereof is not yet come.
29 If
therefore that which is sown be not turned upside down, and if the place where
the evil is sown pass not away, then cannot it come that is sown with good.
30 For the
grain of evil seed hath been sown in the heart of Adam from the beginning, and
how much ungodliness hath it brought up unto this time? and how much shall it
yet bring forth until the time of threshing come?
31 Ponder
now by thyself, how great fruit of wickedness the grain of evil seed hath
brought forth.
32 And
when the ears shall be cut down, which are without number, how great a floor
shall they fill?
33 Then I
answered and said, How, and when shall these things come to pass? wherefore are
our years few and evil?
34 And he
answered me, saying, Do not thou hasten above the most Highest: for thy haste
is in vain to be above him, for thou hast much exceeded.
35 Did not
the souls also of the righteous ask question of these things in their chambers,
saying, How long shall I hope on this fashion? when cometh the fruit of the
floor of our reward?
36 And
unto these things Uriel the archangel gave them answer, and said, Even when the
number of seeds is filled in you: for he hath weighed the world in the balance.
37 By
measure hath he measured the times; and by number hath he numbered the times;
and he doth not move nor stir them, until the said measure be fulfilled.
38 Then
answered I and said, O Lord that bearest rule, even we all are full of impiety.
39 And for
our sakes peradventure it is that the floors of the righteous are not filled,
because of the sins of them that dwell upon the earth.
40 So he
answered me, and said, Go thy way to a woman with child, and ask of her when
she hath fulfilled her nine months, if her womb may keep the birth any longer
within her.
41 Then
said I, No, Lord, that can she not. And he said unto me, In the grave the
chambers of souls are like the womb of a woman:
42 For
like as a woman that travaileth maketh haste to escape the necessity of the
travail: even so do these places haste to deliver those things that are
committed unto them.
43 From
the beginning, look, what thou desirest to see, it shall be shewed thee.
44 Then
answered I and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, and if it be
possible, and if I be meet therefore,
45 Shew me
then whether there be more to come than is past, or more past than is to come.
46 What is
past I know, but what is for to come I know not.
47 And he
said unto me, Stand up upon the right side, and I shall expound the similitude
unto thee.
48 So I
stood, and saw, and, behold, an hot burning oven passed by before me: and it
happened that when the flame was gone by I looked, and, behold, the smoke
remained still.
49 After
this there passed by before me a watery cloud, and sent down much rain with a
storm; and when the stormy rain was past, the drops remained still.
50 Then
said he unto me, Consider with thyself; as the rain is more than the drops, and
as the fire is greater than the smoke; but the drops and the smoke remain
behind: so the quantity which is past did more exceed.
51 Then I
prayed, and said, May I live, thinkest thou, until that time? or what shall
happen in those days?
52 He
answered me, and said, As for the tokens whereof thou askest me, I may tell
thee of them in part: but as touching thy life, I am not sent to shew thee; for
I do not know it.
CHAPTER 5
1 Nevertheless
as coming the tokens, behold, the days shall come, that they which dwell upon
earth shall be taken in a great number, and the way of truth shall be hidden,
and the land shall be barren of faith.
2 But
iniquity shall be increased above that which now thou seest, or that thou hast
heard long ago.
3 And the
land, that thou seest now to have root, shalt thou see wasted suddenly.
4 But if
the most High grant thee to live, thou shalt see after the third trumpet that
the sun shall suddenly shine again in the night, and the moon thrice in the
day:
5 And
blood shall drop out of wood, and the stone shall give his voice, and the
people shall be troubled:
6 And even
he shall rule, whom they look not for that dwell upon the earth, and the fowls
shall take their flight away together:
7 And the
Sodomitish sea shall cast out fish, and make a noise in the night, which many
have not known: but they shall all hear the voice thereof.
8 There
shall be a confusion also in many places, and the fire shall be oft sent out
again, and the wild beasts shall change their places, and menstruous women
shall bring forth monsters:
9 And salt
waters shall be found in the sweet, and all friends shall destroy one another;
then shall wit hide itself, and understanding withdraw itself into his secret
chamber,
10 And
shall be sought of many, and yet not be found: then shall unrighteousness and
incontinency be multiplied upon earth.
11 One
land also shall ask another, and say, Is righteousness that maketh a man
righteous gone through thee? And it shall say, No.
12 At the
same time shall men hope, but nothing obtain: they shall labour, but their ways
shall not prosper.
13 To shew
thee such tokens I have leave; and if thou wilt pray again, and weep as now,
and fast even days, thou shalt hear yet greater things.
14 Then I
awaked, and an extreme fearfulness went through all my body, and my mind was
troubled, so that it fainted.
15 So the
angel that was come to talk with me held me, comforted me, and set me up upon
my feet.
16 And in
the second night it came to pass, that Salathiel the captain of the people came
unto me, saying, Where hast thou been? and why is thy countenance so heavy?
17 Knowest
thou not that Israel is committed unto thee in the land of their captivity?
18 Up
then, and eat bread, and forsake us not, as the shepherd that leaveth his flock
in the hands of cruel wolves.
19 Then
said I unto him, Go thy ways from me, and come not nigh me. And he heard what I
said, and went from me.
20 And so
I fasted seven days, mourning and weeping, like as Uriel the angel commanded
me.
21 And
after seven days so it was, that the thoughts of my heart were very grievous
unto me again,
22 And my
soul recovered the spirit of understanding, and I began to talk with the most
High again,
23 And
said, O Lord that bearest rule, of every wood of the earth, and of all the
trees thereof, thou hast chosen thee one only vine:
24 And of
all lands of the whole world thou hast chosen thee one pit: and of all the
flowers thereof one lily:
25 And of
all the depths of the sea thou hast filled thee one river: and of all builded
cities thou hast hallowed Sion unto thyself:
26 And of
all the fowls that are created thou hast named thee one dove: and of all the
cattle that are made thou hast provided thee one sheep:
27 And
among all the multitudes of people thou hast gotten thee one people: and unto
this people, whom thou lovedst, thou gavest a law that is approved of all.
28 And
now, O Lord, why hast thou given this one people over unto many? and upon the
one root hast thou prepared others, and why hast thou scattered thy only one
people among many?
29 And
they which did gainsay thy promises, and believed not thy covenants, have
trodden them down.
30 If thou
didst so much hate thy people, yet shouldest thou punish them with thine own
hands.
31 Now
when I had spoken these words, the angel that came to me the night afore was
sent unto me,
32 And
said unto me, Hear me, and I will instruct thee; hearken to the thing that I
say, and I shall tell thee more.
33 And I
said, Speak on, my Lord. Then said he unto me, Thou art sore troubled in mind
for Israel’s sake: lovest thou that people better than he that made them?
34 And I
said, No, Lord: but of very grief have I spoken: for my reins pain me every
hour, while I labour to comprehend the way of the most High, and to seek out
part of his judgment.
35 And he
said unto me, Thou canst not. And I said, Wherefore, Lord? whereunto was I born
then? or why was not my mother’s womb then my grave, that I might not have seen
the travail of Jacob, and the wearisome toil of the stock of Israel?
36 And he
said unto me, Number me the things that are not yet come, gather me together
the dross that are scattered abroad, make me the flowers green again that are
withered,
37 Open me
the places that are closed, and bring me forth the winds that in them are shut
up, shew me the image of a voice: and then I will declare to thee the thing
that thou labourest to know.
38 And I
said, O Lord that bearest rule, who may know these things, but he that hath not
his dwelling with men?
39 As for
me, I am unwise: how may I then speak of these things whereof thou askest me?
40 Then
said he unto me, Like as thou canst do none of these things that I have spoken
of, even so canst thou not find out my judgment, or in the end the love that I
have promised unto my people.
41 And I
said, Behold, O Lord, yet art thou nigh unto them that be reserved till the
end: and what shall they do that have been before me, or we that be now, or
they that shall come after us?
42 And he
said unto me, I will liken my judgment unto a ring: like as there is no
slackness of the last, even so there is no swiftness of the first.
43 So I
answered and said, Couldest thou not make those that have been made, and be
now, and that are for to come, at once; that thou mightest shew thy judgment
the sooner?
44 Then
answered he me, and said, The creature may not haste above the maker; neither
may the world hold them at once that shall be created therein.
45 And I
said, As thou hast said unto thy servant, that thou, which givest life to all,
hast given life at once to the creature that thou hast created, and the
creature bare it: even so it might now also bear them that now be present at
once.
46 And he
said unto me, Ask the womb of a woman, and say unto her, If thou bringest forth
children, why dost thou it not together, but one after another? pray her
therefore to bring forth ten children at once.
47 And I
said, She cannot: but must do it by distance of time.
48 Then
said he unto me, Even so have I given the womb of the earth to those that be
sown in it in their times.
49 For
like as a young child may not bring forth the things that belong to the aged,
even so have I disposed the world which I created.
50 And I
asked, and said, Seeing thou hast now given me the way, I will proceed to speak
before thee: for our mother, of whom thou hast told me that she is young,
draweth now nigh unto age.
51 He
answered me, and said, Ask a woman that beareth children, and she shall tell
thee.
52 Say
unto her, Wherefore are unto they whom thou hast now brought forth like those
that were before, but less of stature?
53 And she
shall answer thee, They that be born in the the strength of youth are of one
fashion, and they that are born in the time of age, when the womb faileth, are
otherwise.
54 Consider
thou therefore also, how that ye are less of stature than those that were
before you.
55 And so
are they that come after you less than ye, as the creatures which now begin to
be old, and have passed over the strength of youth.
56 Then
said I, Lord, I beseech thee, if I have found favour in thy sight, shew thy
servant by whom thou visitest thy creature.
CHAPTER 6
1 And he
said unto me, In the beginning, when the earth was made, before the borders of
the world stood, or ever the winds blew,
2 Before
it thundered and lightened, or ever the foundations of paradise were laid,
3 Before
the fair flowers were seen, or ever the moveable powers were established,
before the innumerable multitude of angels were gathered together,
4 Or ever
the heights of the air were lifted up, before the measures of the firmament
were named, or ever the chimneys in Sion were hot,
5 And ere
the present years were sought out, and or ever the inventions of them that now
sin were turned, before they were sealed that have gathered faith for a
treasure:
6 Then did
I consider these things, and they all were made through me alone, and through
none other: by me also they shall be ended, and by none other.
7 Then
answered I and said, What shall be the parting asunder of the times? or when
shall be the end of the first, and the beginning of it that followeth?
8 And he
said unto me, From Abraham unto Isaac, when Jacob and Esau were born of him,
Jacob’s hand held first the heel of Esau.
9 For Esau
is the end of the world, and Jacob is the beginning of it that followeth.
10 The
hand of man is betwixt the heel and the hand: other question, Esdras, ask thou
not.
11 I
answered then and said, O Lord that bearest rule, if I have found favour in thy
sight,
12 I
beseech thee, shew thy servant the end of thy tokens, whereof thou shewedst me
part the last night.
13 So he
answered and said unto me, Stand up upon thy feet, and hear a mighty sounding
voice.
14 And it
shall be as it were a great motion; but the place where thou standest shall not
be moved.
15 And
therefore when it speaketh be not afraid: for the word is of the end, and the
foundation of the earth is understood.
16 And
why? because the speech of these things trembleth and is moved: for it knoweth
that the end of these things must be changed.
17 And it
happened, that when I had heard it I stood up upon my feet, and hearkened, and,
behold, there was a voice that spake, and the sound of it was like the sound of
many waters.
18 And it
said, Behold, the days come, that I will begin to draw nigh, and to visit them
that dwell upon the earth,
19 And
will begin to make inquisition of them, what they be that have hurt unjustly
with their unrighteousness, and when the affliction of Sion shall be fulfilled;
20 And
when the world, that shall begin to vanish away, shall be finished, then will I
shew these tokens: the books shall be opened before the firmament, and they
shall see all together:
21 And the
children of a year old shall speak with their voices, the women with child
shall bring forth untimely children of three or four months old, and they shall
live, and be raised up.
22 And
suddenly shall the sown places appear unsown, the full storehouses shall
suddenly be found empty:
23 And tha
trumpet shall give a sound, which when every man heareth, they shall be
suddenly afraid.
24 At that
time shall friends fight one against another like enemies, and the earth shall
stand in fear with those that dwell therein, the springs of the fountains shall
stand still, and in three hours they shall not run.
25 Whosoever
remaineth from all these that I have told thee shall escape, and see my
salvation, and the end of your world.
26 And the
men that are received shall see it, who have not tasted death from their birth:
and the heart of the inhabitants shall be changed, and turned into another
meaning.
27 For
evil shall be put out, and deceit shall be quenched.
28 As for
faith, it shall flourish, corruption shall be overcome, and the truth, which
hath been so long without fruit, shall be declared.
29 And
when he talked with me, behold, I looked by little and little upon him before
whom I stood.
30 And
these words said he unto me; I am come to shew thee the time of the night to
come.
31 If thou
wilt pray yet more, and fast seven days again, I shall tell thee greater things
by day than I have heard.
32 For thy
voice is heard before the most High: for the Mighty hath seen thy righteous
dealing, he hath seen also thy chastity, which thou hast had ever since thy
youth.
33 And
therefore hath he sent me to shew thee all these things, and to say unto thee,
Be of good comfort and fear not
34 And
hasten not with the times that are past, to think vain things, that thou mayest
not hasten from the latter times.
35 And it
came to pass after this, that I wept again, and fasted seven days in like
manner, that I might fulfil the three weeks which he told me.
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36 And in
the eighth night was my heart vexed within me again, and I began to speak
before the most High.
37 For my
spirit was greatly set on fire, and my soul was in distress.
38 And I
said, O Lord, thou spakest from the beginning of the creation, even the first
day, and saidst thus; Let heaven and earth be made; and thy word was a perfect
work.
39 And
then was the spirit, and darkness and silence were on every side; the sound of
man’s voice was not yet formed.
40 Then
commandedst thou a fair light to come forth of thy treasures, that thy work
might appear.
41 Upon
the second day thou madest the spirit of the firmament, and commandedst it to
part asunder, and to make a division betwixt the waters, that the one part
might go up, and the other remain beneath.
42 Upon
the third day thou didst command that the waters should be gathered in the
seventh part of the earth: six parts hast thou dried up, and kept them, to the
intent that of these some being planted of God and tilled might serve thee.
43 For as
soon as thy word went forth the work was made.
44 For
immediately there was great and innumerable fruit, and many and divers
pleasures for the taste, and flowers of unchangeable colour, and odours of
wonderful smell: and this was done the third day.
45 Upon
the fourth day thou commandedst that the sun should shine, and the moon give
her light, and the stars should be in order:
46 And
gavest them a charge to do service unto man, that was to be made.
47 Upon
the fifth day thou saidst unto the seventh part, where the waters were gathered
that it should bring forth living creatures, fowls and fishes: and so it came
to pass.
48 For the
dumb water and without life brought forth living things at the commandment of
God, that all people might praise thy wondrous works.
49 Then
didst thou ordain two living creatures, the one thou calledst Enoch, and the
other Leviathan;
50 And
didst separate the one from the other: for the seventh part, namely, where the
water was gathered together, might not hold them both.
51 Unto
Enoch thou gavest one part, which was dried up the third day, that he should
dwell in the same part, wherein are a thousand hills:
52 But
unto Leviathan thou gavest the seventh part, namely, the moist; and hast kept
him to be devoured of whom thou wilt, and when.
53 Upon
the sixth day thou gavest commandment unto the earth, that before thee it
should bring forth beasts, cattle, and creeping things:
54 And
after these, Adam also, whom thou madest lord of all thy creatures: of him come
we all, and the people also whom thou hast chosen.
55 All
this have I spoken before thee, O Lord, because thou madest the world for our
sakes
56 As for
the other people, which also come of Adam, thou hast said that they are
nothing, but be like unto spittle: and hast likened the abundance of them unto
a drop that falleth from a vessel.
57 And
now, O Lord, behold, these heathen, which have ever been reputed as nothing,
have begun to be lords over us, and to devour us.
58 But we
thy people, whom thou hast called thy firstborn, thy only begotten, and thy
fervent lover, are given into their hands.
59 If the
world now be made for our sakes, why do we not possess an inheritance with the
world? how long shall this endure?
CHAPTER 7
1 And when
I had made an end of speaking these words, there was sent unto me the angel
which had been sent unto me the nights afore:
2 And he
said unto me, Up, Esdras, and hear the words that I am come to tell thee.
3 And I
said, Speak on, my God. Then said he unto me, The sea is set in a wide place,
that it might be deep and great.
4 But put
the case the entrance were narrow, and like a river;
5 Who then
could go into the sea to look upon it, and to rule it? if he went not through
the narrow, how could he come into the broad?
6 There is
also another thing; A city is builded, and set upon a broad field, and is full
of all good things:
7 The
entrance thereof is narrow, and is set in a dangerous place to fall, like as if
there were a fire on the right hand, and on the left a deep water:
8 And one
only path between them both, even between the fire and the water, so small that
there could but one man go there at once.
9 If this
city now were given unto a man for an inheritance, if he never shall pass the
danger set before it, how shall he receive this inheritance?
10 And I
said, It is so, Lord. Then said he unto me, Even so also is Israel’s portion.
11 Because
for their sakes I made the world: and when Adam transgressed my statutes, then
was decreed that now is done.
12 Then
were the entrances of this world made narrow, full of sorrow and travail: they
are but few and evil, full of perils,: and very painful.
13 For the
entrances of the elder world were wide and sure, and brought immortal fruit.
14 If then
they that live labour not to enter these strait and vain things, they can never
receive those that are laid up for them.
15 Now
therefore why disquietest thou thyself, seeing thou art but a corruptible man?
and why art thou moved, whereas thou art but mortal?
16 Why
hast thou not considered in thy mind this thing that is to come, rather than
that which is present?
17 Then
answered I and said, O Lord that bearest rule, thou hast ordained in thy law,
that the righteous should inherit these things, but that the ungodly should
perish.
18 Nevertheless
the righteous shall suffer strait things, and hope for wide: for they that have
done wickedly have suffered the strait things, and yet shall not see the wide.
19 And he
said unto me. There is no judge above God, and none that hath understanding
above the Highest.
20 For
there be many that perish in this life, because they despise the law of God
that is set before them.
21 For God
hath given strait commandment to such as came, what they should do to live,
even as they came, and what they should observe to avoid punishment.
22 Nevertheless
they were not obedient unto him; but spake against him, and imagined vain
things;
23 And
deceived themselves by their wicked deeds; and said of the most High, that he
is not; and knew not his ways:
24 But his
law have they despised, and denied his covenants; in his statutes have they not
been faithful, and have not performed his works.
25 And
therefore, Esdras, for the empty are empty things, and for the full are the
full things.
26 Behold,
the time shall come, that these tokens which I have told thee shall come to
pass, and the bride shall appear, and she coming forth shall be seen, that now
is withdrawn from the earth.
27 And
whosoever is delivered from the foresaid evils shall see my wonders.
28 For my
son Jesus shall be revealed with those that be with him, and they that remain
shall rejoice within four hundred years.
29 After
these years shall my son Christ die, and all men that have life.
30 And the
world shall be turned into the old silence seven days, like as in the former
judgments: so that no man shall remain.
31 And
after seven days the world, that yet awaketh not, shall be raised up, and that
shall die that is corrupt
32 And the
earth shall restore those that are asleep in her, and so shall the dust those
that dwell in silence, and the secret places shall deliver those souls that
were committed unto them.
33 And the
most High shall appear upon the seat of judgment, and misery shall pass away,
and the long suffering shall have an end:
34 But
judgment only shall remain, truth shall stand, and faith shall wax strong:
35 And the
work shall follow, and the reward shall be shewed, and the good deeds shall be
of force, and wicked deeds shall bear no rule.
36 Then
said I, Abraham prayed first for the Sodomites, and Moses for the fathers that
sinned in the wilderness:
37 And
Jesus after him for Israel in the time of Achan:
38 And
Samuel and David for the destruction: and Solomon for them that should come to
the sanctuary:
39 And
Helias for those that received rain; and for the dead, that he might live:
40 And
Ezechias for the people in the time of Sennacherib: and many for many.
41 Even so
now, seeing corruption is grown up, and wickedness increased, and the righteous
have prayed for the ungodly: wherefore shall it not be so now also?
42 He
answered me, and said, This present life is not the end where much glory doth
abide; therefore have they prayed for the weak.
43 But the
day of doom shall be the end of this time, and the beginning of the immortality
for to come, wherein corruption is past,
44 Intemperance
is at an end, infidelity is cut off, righteousness is grown, and truth is
sprung up.
45 Then
shall no man be able to save him that is destroyed, nor to oppress him that
hath gotten the victory.
46 I
answered then and said, This is my first and last saying, that it had been better
not to have given the earth unto Adam: or else, when it was given him, to have
restrained him from sinning.
47 For
what profit is it for men now in this present time to live in heaviness, and
after death to look for punishment?
48 O thou
Adam, what hast thou done? for though it was thou that sinned, thou art not
fallen alone, but we all that come of thee.
49 For
what profit is it unto us, if there be promised us an immortal time, whereas we
have done the works that bring death?
50 And
that there is promised us an everlasting hope, whereas ourselves being most
wicked are made vain?
51 And
that there are laid up for us dwellings of health and safety, whereas we have
lived wickedly?
52 And
that the glory of the most High is kept to defend them which have led a wary
life, whereas we have walked in the most wicked ways of all?
53 And
that there should be shewed a paradise, whose fruit endureth for ever, wherein
is security and medicine, since we shall not enter into it?
54 (For we
have walked in unpleasant places.)
55 And
that the faces of them which have used abstinence shall shine above the stars,
whereas our faces shall be blacker than darkness?
56 For
while we lived and committed iniquity, we considered not that we should begin
to suffer for it after death.
57 Then
answered he me, and said, This is the condition of the battle, which man that
is born upon the earth shall fight;
58 That,
if he be overcome, he shall suffer as thou hast said: but if he get the
victory, he shall receive the thing that I say.
59 For
this is the life whereof Moses spake unto the people while he lived, saying,
Choose thee life, that thou mayest live.
60 Nevertheless
they believed not him, nor yet the prophets after him, no nor me which have
spoken unto them,
61 That
there should not be such heaviness in their destruction, as shall be joy over
them that are persuaded to salvation.
62 I
answered then, and said, I know, Lord, that the most High is called merciful,
in that he hath mercy upon them which are not yet come into the world,
63 And
upon those also that turn to his law;
64 And
that he is patient, and long suffereth those that have sinned, as his
creatures;
65 And
that he is bountiful, for he is ready to give where it needeth;
66 And
that he is of great mercy, for he multiplieth more and more mercies to them
that are present, and that are past, and also to them which are to come.
67 For if
he shall not multiply his mercies, the world would not continue with them that
inherit therein.
68 And he
pardoneth; for if he did not so of his goodness, that they which have committed
iniquities might be eased of them, the ten thousandth part of men should not
remain living.
69 And
being judge, if he should not forgive them that are cured with his word, and
put out the multitude of contentions,
70 There
should be very few left peradventure in an innumerable multitude.
CHAPTER 8
1 And he
answered me, saying, The most High hath made this world for many, but the world
to come for few.
2 I will
tell thee a similitude, Esdras; As when thou askest the earth, it shall say
unto thee, that it giveth much mould whereof earthen vessels are made, but
little dust that gold cometh of: even so is the course of this present world.
3 There be
many created, but few shall be saved.
4 So answered
I and said, Swallow then down, O my soul, understanding, and devour wisdom.
5 For thou
hast agreed to give ear, and art willing to prophesy: for thou hast no longer
space than only to live.
6 O Lord,
if thou suffer not thy servant, that we may pray before thee, and thou give us
seed unto our heart, and culture to our understanding, that there may come
fruit of it; how shall each man live that is corrupt, who beareth the place of
a man?
7 For thou
art alone, and we all one workmanship of thine hands, like as thou hast said.
8 For when
the body is fashioned now in the mother’s womb, and thou givest it members, thy
creature is preserved in fire and water, and nine months doth thy workmanship
endure thy creature which is created in her.
9 But that
which keepeth and is kept shall both be preserved: and when the time cometh,
the womb preserved delivereth up the things that grew in it.
10 For
thou hast commanded out of the parts of the body, that is to say, out of the
breasts, milk to be given, which is the fruit of the breasts,
11 That
the thing which is fashioned may be nourished for a time, till thou disposest
it to thy mercy.
12 Thou
broughtest it up with thy righteousness, and nurturedst it in thy law, and
reformedst it with thy judgment.
13 And
thou shalt mortify it as thy creature, and quicken it as thy work.
14 If
therefore thou shalt destroy him which with so great labour was fashioned, it
is an easy thing to be ordained by thy commandment, that the thing which was
made might be preserved.
15 Now
therefore, Lord, I will speak; touching man in general, thou knowest best; but
touching thy people, for whose sake I am sorry;
16 And for
thine inheritance, for whose cause I mourn; and for Israel, for whom I am
heavy; and for Jacob, for whose sake I am troubled;
17 Therefore
will I begin to pray before thee for myself and for them: for I see the falls
of us that dwell in the land.
18 But I
have heard the swiftness of the judge which is to come.
19 Therefore
hear my voice, and understand my words, and I shall speak before thee. This is
the beginning of the words of Esdras, before he was taken up: and I said,
20 O Lord,
thou that dwellest in everlastingness which beholdest from above things in the
heaven and in the air;
21 Whose
throne is inestimable; whose glory may not be comprehended; before whom the
hosts of angels stand with trembling,
22 Whose
service is conversant in wind and fire; whose word is true, and sayings
constant; whose commandment is strong, and ordinance fearful;
23 Whose
look drieth up the depths, and indignation maketh the mountains to melt away;
which the truth witnesseth:
24 O hear
the prayer of thy servant, and give ear to the petition of thy creature.
25 For
while I live I will speak, and so long as I have understanding I will answer.
26 O look
not upon the sins of thy people; but on them which serve thee in truth.
27 Regard
not the wicked inventions of the heathen, but the desire of those that keep thy
testimonies in afflictions.
28 Think
not upon those that have walked feignedly before thee: but remember them, which
according to thy will have known thy fear.
29 Let it
not be thy will to destroy them which have lived like beasts; but to look upon
them that have clearly taught thy law.
30 Take
thou no indignation at them which are deemed worse than beasts; but love them
that always put their trust in thy righteousness and glory.
31 For we
and our fathers do languish of such diseases: but because of us sinners thou
shalt be called merciful.
32 For if
thou hast a desire to have mercy upon us, thou shalt be called merciful, to us
namely, that have no works of righteousness.
33 For the
just, which have many good works laid up with thee, shall out of their own
deeds receive reward.
34 For
what is man, that thou shouldest take displeasure at him? or what is a
corruptible generation, that thou shouldest be so bitter toward it?
35 For in
truth them is no man among them that be born, but he hath dealt wickedly; and
among the faithful there is none which hath not done amiss.
36 For in
this, O Lord, thy righteousness and thy goodness shall be declared, if thou be
merciful unto them which have not the confidence of good works.
37 Then
answered he me, and said, Some things hast thou spoken aright, and according
unto thy words it shall be.
38 For indeed
I will not think on the disposition of them which have sinned before death,
before judgment, before destruction:
39 But I
will rejoice over the disposition of the righteous, and I will remember also
their pilgrimage, and the salvation, and the reward, that they shall have.
40 Like as
I have spoken now, so shall it come to pass.
41 For as
the husbandman soweth much seed upon the ground, and planteth many trees, and
yet the thing that is sown good in his season cometh not up, neither doth all
that is planted take root: even so is it of them that are sown in the world;
they shall not all be saved.
42 I
answered then and said, If I have found grace, let me speak.
43 Like as
the husbandman’s seed perisheth, if it come not up, and receive not thy rain in
due season; or if there come too much rain, and corrupt it:
44 Even so
perisheth man also, which is formed with thy hands, and is called thine own
image, because thou art like unto him, for whose sake thou hast made all
things, and likened him unto the husbandman’s seed.
45 Be not
wroth with us but spare thy people, and have mercy upon thine own inheritance:
for thou art merciful unto thy creature.
46 Then
answered he me, and said, Things present are for the present, and things to
cometh for such as be to come.
47 For
thou comest far short that thou shouldest be able to love my creature more than
I: but I have ofttimes drawn nigh unto thee, and unto it, but never to the
unrighteous.
48 In this
also thou art marvellous before the most High:
49 In that
thou hast humbled thyself, as it becometh thee, and hast not judged thyself
worthy to be much glorified among the righteous.
50 For
many great miseries shall be done to them that in the latter time shall dwell
in the world, because they have walked in great pride.
51 But
understand thou for thyself, and seek out the glory for such as be like thee.
52 For
unto you is paradise opened, the tree of life is planted, the time to come is
prepared, plenteousness is made ready, a city is builded, and rest is allowed,
yea, perfect goodness and wisdom.
53 The
root of evil is sealed up from you, weakness and the moth is hid from you, and
corruption is fled into hell to be forgotten:
54 Sorrows
are passed, and in the end is shewed the treasure of immortality.
55 And
therefore ask thou no more questions concerning the multitude of them that
perish.
56 For
when they had taken liberty, they despised the most High, thought scorn of his
law, and forsook his ways.
57 Moreover
they have trodden down his righteous,
58 And
said in their heart, that there is no God; yea, and that knowing they must die.
59 For as
the things aforesaid shalt receive you, so thirst and pain are prepared for
them: for it was not his will that men should come to nought:
60 But
they which be created have defiled the name of him that made them, and were
unthankful unto him which prepared life for them.
61 And
therefore is my judgment now at hand.
62 These
things have I not shewed unto all men, but unto thee, and a few like thee. Then
answered I and said,
63 Behold,
O Lord, now hast thou shewed me the multitude of the wonders, which thou wilt
begin to do in the last times: but at what time, thou hast not shewed me.
CHAPTER 9
1 He
answered me then, and said, Measure thou the time diligently in itself: and
when thou seest part of the signs past, which I have told thee before,
2 Then
shalt thou understand, that it is the very same time, wherein the Highest will
begin to visit the world which he made.
3 Therefore
when there shall be seen earthquakes and uproars of the people in the world:
4 Then
shalt thou well understand, that the most High spake of those things from the
days that were before thee, even from the beginning.
5 For like
as all that is made in the world hath a beginning and an end, and the end is
manifest:
6 Even so
the times also of the Highest have plain beginnings in wonder and powerful
works, and endings in effects and signs.
7 And
every one that shall be saved, and shall be able to escape by his works, and by
faith, whereby ye have believed,
8 Shall be
preserved from the said perils, and shall see my salvation in my land, and
within my borders: for I have sanctified them for me from the beginning.
9 Then
shall they be in pitiful case, which now have abused my ways: and they that
have cast them away despitefully shall dwell in torments.
10 For
such as in their life have received benefits, and have not known me;
11 And
they that have loathed my law, while they had yet liberty, and, when as yet
place of repentance was open unto them, understood not, but despised it;
12 The
same must know it after death by pain.
13 And
therefore be thou not curious how the ungodly shall be punished, and when: but
enquire how the righteous shall be saved, whose the world is, and for whom the
world is created.
14 Then
answered I and said,
15 I have
said before, and now do speak, and will speak it also hereafter, that there be
many more of them which perish, than of them which shall be saved:
16 Like as
a wave is greater than a drop.
17 And he
answered me, saying, Like as the field is, so is also the seed; as the flowers
be, such are the colours also; such as the workman is, such also is the work;
and as the husbandman ls himself, so is his husbandry also: for it was the time
of the world.
18 And now
when I prepared the world, which was not yet made, even for them to dwell in
that now live, no man spake against me.
19 For
then every one obeyed: but now the manners of them which are created in this
world that is made are corrupted by a perpetual seed, and by a law which is
unsearchable rid themselves.
20 So I
considered the world, and, behold, there was peril because of the devices that
were come into it.
21 And I
saw, and spared it greatly, and have kept me a grape of the cluster, and a
plant of a great people.
22 Let the
multitude perish then, which was born in vain; and let my grape be kept, and my
plant; for with great labour have I made it perfect.
23 Nevertheless,
if thou wilt cease yet seven days more, (but thou shalt not fast in them,
24 But go
into a field of flowers, where no house is builded, and eat only the flowers of
the field; taste no flesh, drink no wine, but eat flowers only;)
25 And
pray unto the Highest continually, then will I come and talk with thee.
26 So I
went my way into the field which is called Ardath, like as he commanded me; and
there I sat among the flowers, and did eat of the herbs of the field, and the
meat of the same satisfied me.
27 After
seven days I sat upon the grass, and my heart was vexed within me, like as
before:
28 And I
opened my mouth, and began to talk before the most High, and said,
29 O Lord,
thou that shewest thyself unto us, thou wast shewed unto our fathers in the
wilderness, in a place where no man treadeth, in a barren place, when they came
out of Egypt.
30 And
thou spakest saying, Hear me, O Israel; and mark my words, thou seed of Jacob.
31 For,
behold, I sow my law in you, and it shall bring fruit in you, and ye shall be
honoured in it for ever.
32 But our
fathers, which received the law, kept it not, and observed not thy ordinances:
and though the fruit of thy law did not perish, neither could it, for it was
thine;
33 Yet
they that received it perished, because they kept not the thing that was sown
in them.
34 And,
lo, it ls a custom, when the ground hath received seed, or the sea a ship, or
any vessel meat or drink, that, that being perished wherein it was sown or cast
into,
35 That
thing also which was sown, or cast therein, or received, doth perish, and
remaineth not with us: but with us it hath not happened so.
36 For we
that have received the law perish by sin, and our heart also which received it
37 Notwithstanding
the law perisheth not, but remaineth in his force.
38 And
when I spake these things in my heart, I looked back with mine eyes, and upon
the right side I saw a woman, and, behold, she mourned and wept with a loud
voice, and was much grieved in heart, and her clothes were rent, and she had
ashes upon her head.
39 Then
let I my thoughts go that I was in, and turned me unto her,
40 And
said unto her, Wherefore weepest thou? why art thou so grieved in thy mind?
41 And she
said unto me, Sir, let me alone, that I may bewail myself, and add unto my
sorrow, for I am sore vexed in my mind, and brought very low.
42 And I
said unto her, What aileth thee? tell me.
43 She
said unto me, I thy servant have been barren, and had no child, though I had an
husband thirty years,
44 And
those thirty years I did nothing else day and night, and every hour, but make
my, prayer to the Highest.
45 After
thirty years God heard me thine handmaid, looked upon my misery, considered my
trouble, and gave me a son: and I was very glad of him, so was my husband also,
and all my neighbours: and we gave great honour unto the Almighty.
46 And I
nourished him with great travail.
47 So when
he grew up, and came to the time that he should have a wife, I made a feast.
CHAPTER 10
1 And it
so came to pass, that when my son was entered into his wedding chamber, he fell
down, and died.
2 Then we
all overthrew the lights, and all my neighbours rose up to comfort me: so I
took my rest unto the second day at night.
3 And it
came to pass, when they had all left off to comfort me, to the end I might be
quiet; then rose I up by night and fled, and came hither into this field, as
thou seest.
4 And I do
now purpose not to return into the city, but here to stay, and neither to eat
nor drink, but continually to mourn and to fast until I die.
5 Then
left I the meditations wherein I was, and spake to her in anger, saying,
6 Thou
foolish woman above all other, seest thou not our mourning, and what happeneth
unto us?
7 How that
Sion our mother is full of all heaviness, and much humbled, mourning very sore?
8 And now,
seeing we all mourn and are sad, for we are all in heaviness, art thou grieved
for one son?
9 For ask
the earth, and she shall tell thee, that it is she which ought to mourn for the
fall of so many that grow upon her.
10 For out
of her came all at the first, and out of her shall all others come, and,
behold, they walk almost all into destruction, and a multitude of them is
utterly rooted out.
11 Who
then should make more mourning than she, that hath lost so great a multitude;
and not thou, which art sorry but for one?
12 But if
thou sayest unto me, My lamentation is not like the earth’s, because I have
lost the fruit of my womb, which I brought forth with pains, and bare with
sorrows;
13 But the
earth not so: for the multitude present in it according to the course of the
earth is gone, as it came:
14 Then
say I unto thee, Like as thou hast brought forth with labour; even so the earth
also hath given her fruit, namely, man, ever since the beginning unto him that
made her.
15 Now
therefore keep thy sorrow to thyself, and bear with a good courage that which
hath befallen thee.
16 For if
thou shalt acknowledge the determination of God to be just, thou shalt both
receive thy son in time, and shalt be commended among women.
17 Go thy
way then into the city to thine husband.
18 And she
said unto me, That will I not do: I will not go into the city, but here will I
die.
19 So I
proceeded to speak further unto her, and said,
20 Do not
so, but be counselled. by me: for how many are the adversities of Sion? be
comforted in regard of the sorrow of Jerusalem.
21 For
thou seest that our sanctuary is laid waste, our altar broken down, our temple
destroyed;
22 Our
psaltery is laid on the ground, our song is put to silence, our rejoicing is at
an end, the light of our candlestick is put out, the ark of our covenant is
spoiled, our holy things are defiled, and the name that is called upon us is
almost profaned: our children are put to shame, our priests are burnt, our
Levites are gone into captivity, our virgins are defiled, and our wives
ravished; our righteous men carried away, our little ones destroyed, our young
men are brought in bondage, and our strong men are become weak;
23 And,
which is the greatest of all, the seal of Sion hath now lost her honour; for
she is delivered into the hands of them that hate us.
24 And
therefore shake off thy great heaviness, and put away the multitude of sorrows,
that the Mighty may be merciful unto thee again, and the Highest shall give
thee rest and ease from thy labour.
25 And it
came to pass while I was talking with her, behold, her face upon a sudden
shined exceedingly, and her countenance glistered, so that I was afraid of her,
and mused what it might be.
26 And,
behold, suddenly she made a great cry very fearful: so that the earth shook at
the noise of the woman.
27 And I
looked, and, behold, the woman appeared unto me no more, but there was a city
builded, and a large place shewed itself from the foundations: then was I
afraid, and cried with a loud voice, and said,
28 Where
is Uriel the angel, who came unto me at the first? for he hath caused me to
fall into many trances, and mine end is turned into corruption, and my prayer
to rebuke.
29 And as
I was speaking these words behold, he came unto me, and looked upon me.
30 And,
lo, I lay as one that had been dead, and mine understanding was taken from me:
and he took me by the right hand, and comforted me, and set me upon my feet,
and said unto me,
31 What
aileth thee? and why art thou so disquieted? and why is thine understanding
troubled, and the thoughts of thine heart?
32 And I
said, Because thou hast forsaken me, and yet I did according to thy words, and
I went into the field, and, lo, I have seen, and yet see, that I am not able to
express.
33 And he
said unto me, Stand up manfully, and I will advise thee.
34 Then
said I, Speak on, my lord, in me; only forsake me not, lest I die frustrate of
my hope.
35 For I
have seen that I knew not, and hear that I do not know.
36 Or is
my sense deceived, or my soul in a dream?
37 Now
therefore I beseech thee that thou wilt shew thy servant of this vision.
38 He
answered me then, and said, Hear me, and I shall inform thee, and tell thee
wherefore thou art afraid: for the Highest will reveal many secret things unto
thee.
39 He hath
seen that thy way is right: for that thou sorrowest continually for thy people,
and makest great lamentation for Sion.
40 This
therefore is the meaning of the vision which thou lately sawest:
41 Thou
sawest a woman mourning, and thou begannest to comfort her:
42 But now
seest thou the likeness of the woman no more, but there appeared unto thee a
city builded.
43 And
whereas she told thee of the death of her son, this is the solution:
44 This
woman, whom thou sawest is Sion: and whereas she said unto thee, even she whom
thou seest as a city builded,
45 Whereas,
I say, she said unto thee, that she hath been thirty years barren: those are
the thirty years wherein there was no offering made in her.
46 But
after thirty years Solomon builded the city and offered offerings: and then
bare the barren a son.
47 And
whereas she told thee that she nourished him with labour: that was the dwelling
in Jerusalem.
48 But
whereas she said unto thee, That my son coming into his marriage chamber
happened to have a fail, and died: this was the destruction that came to
Jerusalem.
49 And,
behold, thou sawest her likeness, and because she mourned for her son, thou
begannest to comfort her: and of these things which have chanced, these are to
be opened unto thee.
50 For now
the most High seeth that thou art grieved unfeignedly, and sufferest from thy
whole heart for her, so hath he shewed thee the brightness of her glory, and
the comeliness of her beauty:
51 And
therefore I bade thee remain in the field where no house was builded:
52 For I
knew that the Highest would shew this unto thee.
53 Therefore
I commanded thee to go into the field, where no foundation of any building was.
54 For in
the place wherein the Highest beginneth to shew his city, there can no man’s
building be able to stand.
55 And
therefore fear not, let not thine heart be affrighted, but go thy way in, and
see the beauty and greatness of the building, as much as thine eyes be able to
see:
56 And
then shalt thou hear as much as thine ears may comprehend.
57 For
thou art blessed above many other, and art called with the Highest; and so are
but few.
58 But to
morrow at night thou shalt remain here;
59 And so
shall the Highest shew thee visions of the high things, which the most High
will do unto them that dwell upon the earth in the last days. So I slept that
night and another, like as he commanded me.
CHAPTER 11
1 Then saw
I a dream, and, behold, there came up from the sea an eagle, which had twelve
feathered wings, and three heads.
2 And I
saw, and, behold, she spread her wings over all the earth, and all the winds of
the air blew on her, and were gathered together.
3 And I
beheld, and out of her feathers there grew other contrary feathers; and they
became little feathers and small.
4 But her
heads were at rest: the head in the midst was greater than the other, yet
rested it with the residue.
5 Moreover
I beheld, and, lo, the eagle flew with her feathers, and reigned upon earth,
and over them that dwelt therein.
6 And I
saw that all things under heaven were subject unto her, and no man spake
against her, no, not one creature upon earth.
7 And I
beheld, and, lo, the eagle rose upon her talons, and spake to her feathers,
saying,
8 Watch
not all at once: sleep every one in his own place, and watch by course:
9 But let
the heads be preserved for the last.
10 And I
beheld, and, lo, the voice went not out of her heads, but from the midst of her
body.
11 And I
numbered her contrary feathers, and, behold, there were eight of them.
12 And I
looked, and, behold, on the right side there arose one feather, and reigned
over all the earth;
13 And so
it was, that when it reigned, the end of it came, and the place thereof
appeared no more: so the next following stood up. and reigned, and had a great
time;
14 And it
happened, that when it reigned, the end of it came also, like as the first, so
that it appeared no more.
15 Then
came there a voice unto it, and said,
16 Hear
thou that hast borne rule over the earth so long: this I say unto thee, before
thou beginnest to appear no more,
17 There
shall none after thee attain unto thy time, neither unto the half thereof.
18 Then
arose the third, and reigned as the other before, and appeared no more also.
19 So went
it with all the residue one after another, as that every one reigned, and then
appeared no more.
20 Then I
beheld, and, lo, in process of time the feathers that followed stood up upon
the right side, that they might rule also; and some of them ruled, but within a
while they appeared no more:
21 For
some of them were set up, but ruled not.
22 After
this I looked, and, behold, the twelve feathers appeared no more, nor the two
little feathers:
23 And
there was no more upon the eagle’s body, but three heads that rested, and six
little wings.
24 Then
saw I also that two little feathers divided themselves from the six, and
remained under the head that was upon the right side: for the four continued in
their place.
25 And I
beheld, and, lo, the feathers that were under the wing thought to set up
themselves and to have the rule.
26 And I
beheld, and, lo, there was one set up, but shortly it appeared no more.
27 And the
second was sooner away than the first.
28 And I
beheld, and, lo, the two that remained thought also in themselves to reign:
29 And
when they so thought, behold, there awaked one of the heads that were at rest,
namely, it that was in the midst; for that was greater than the two other
heads.
30 And
then I saw that the two other heads were joined with it.
31 And,
behold, the head was turned with them that were with it, and did eat up the two
feathers under the wing that would have reigned.
32 But
this head put the whole earth in fear, and bare rule in it over all those that
dwelt upon the earth with much oppression; and it had the governance of the
world more than all the wings that had been.
33 And
after this I beheld, and, lo, the head that was in the midst suddenly appeared
no more, like as the wings.
34 But
there remained the two heads, which also in like sort ruled upon the earth, and
over those that dwelt therein.
35 And I
beheld, and, lo, the head upon the right side devoured it that was upon the
left side.
36 Then I
head a voice, which said unto me, Look before thee, and consider the thing that
thou seest.
37 And I
beheld, and lo, as it were a roaring lion chased out of the wood: and I saw
that he sent out a man’s voice unto the eagle, and said,
38 Hear
thou, I will talk with thee, and the Highest shall say unto thee,
39 Art not
thou it that remainest of the four beasts, whom I made to reign in my world,
that the end of their times might come through them?
40 And the
fourth came, and overcame all the beasts that were past, and had power over the
world with great fearfulness, and over the whole compass of the earth with much
wicked oppression; and so long time dwelt he upon the earth with deceit.
41 For the
earth hast thou not judged with truth.
42 For
thou hast afflicted the meek, thou hast hurt the peaceable, thou hast loved
liars, and destroyed the dwellings of them that brought forth fruit, and hast
cast down the walls of such as did thee no harm.
43 Therefore
is thy wrongful dealing come up unto the Highest, and thy pride unto the
Mighty.
44 The
Highest also hath looked upon the proud times, and, behold, they are ended, and
his abominations are fulfilled.
45 And
therefore appear no more, thou eagle, nor thy horrible wings, nor thy wicked
feathers nor thy malicious heads, nor thy hurtful claws, nor all thy vain body:
46 That
all the earth may be refreshed, and may return, being delivered from thy
violence, and that she may hope for the judgment and mercy of him that made
her.
CHAPTER 12
1 And it
came to pass, whiles the lion spake these words unto the eagle, I saw,
2 And,
behold, the head that remained and the four wings appeared no more, and the two
went unto it and set themselves up to reign, and their kingdom was small, and
fill of uproar.
3 And I
saw, and, behold, they appeared no more, and the whole body of the eagle was
burnt so that the earth was in great fear: then awaked I out of the trouble and
trance of my mind, and from great fear, and said unto my spirit,
4 Lo, this
hast thou done unto me, in that thou searchest out the ways of the Highest.
5 Lo, yet
am I weary in my mind, and very weak in my spirit; and little strength is there
in me, for the great fear wherewith I was afflicted this night.
6 Therefore
will I now beseech the Highest, that he will comfort me unto the end.
7 And I
said, Lord that bearest rule, if I have found grace before thy sight, and if I
am justified with thee before many others, and if my prayer indeed be come up
before thy face;
8 Comfort
me then, and shew me thy servant the interpretation and plain difference of
this fearful vision, that thou mayest perfectly comfort my soul.
9 For thou
hast judged me worthy to shew me the last times.
10 And he
said unto me, This is the interpretation of the vision:
11 The
eagle, whom thou sawest come up from the sea, is the kingdom which was seen in
the vision of thy brother Daniel.
12 But it
was not expounded unto him, therefore now I declare it unto thee.
13 Behold,
the days will come, that there shall rise up a kingdom upon earth, and it shall
be feared above all the kingdoms that were before it.
14 In the
same shall twelve kings reign, one after another:
15 Whereof
the second shall begin to reign, and shall have more time than any of the
twelve.
16 And
this do the twelve wings signify, which thou sawest.
17 As for
the voice which thou heardest speak, and that thou sawest not to go out from
the heads but from the midst of the body thereof, this is the interpretation:
18 That
after the time of that kingdom there shall arise great strivings, and it shall
stand in peril of failing: nevertheless it shall not then fall, but shall be
restored again to his beginning.
19 And
whereas thou sawest the eight small under feathers sticking to her wings, this
is the interpretation:
20 That in
him there shall arise eight kings, whose times shall be but small, and their
years swift.
21 And two
of them shall perish, the middle time approaching: four shall be kept until
their end begin to approach: but two shall be kept unto the end.
22 And
whereas thou sawest three heads resting, this is the interpretation:
23 In his
last days shall the most High raise up three kingdoms, and renew many things
therein, and they shall have the dominion of the earth,
24 And of
those that dwell therein, with much oppression, above all those that were
before them: therefore are they called the heads of the eagle.
25 For
these are they that shall accomplish his wickedness, and that shall finish his
last end.
26 And
whereas thou sawest that the great head appeared no more, it signifieth that
one of them shall die upon his bed, and yet with pain.
27 For the
two that remain shall be slain with the sword.
28 For the
sword of the one shall devour the other: but at the last shall he fall through
the sword himself.
29 And
whereas thou sawest two feathers under the wings passing over the head that is
on the right side;
30 It
signifieth that these are they, whom the Highest hath kept unto their end: this
is the small kingdom and full of trouble, as thou sawest.
31 And the
lion, whom thou sawest rising up out of the wood, and roaring, and speaking to
the eagle, and rebuking her for her unrighteousness with all the words which
thou hast heard;
32 This is
the anointed, which the Highest hath kept for them and for their wickedness
unto the end: he shall reprove them, and shall upbraid them with their cruelty.
33 For he
shall set them before him alive in judgment, and shall rebuke them, and correct
them.
34 For the
rest of my people shall he deliver with mercy, those that have been pressed
upon my borders, and he shall make them joyful until the coming of the day of
judgment, whereof I have spoken unto thee from the the beginning.
35 This is
the dream that thou sawest, and these are the interpretations.
36 Thou
only hast been meet to know this secret of the Highest.
37 Therefore
write all these things that thou hast seen in a book, and hide them:
38 And
teach them to the wise of the people, whose hearts thou knowest may comprehend
and keep these secrets.
39 But
wait thou here thyself yet seven days more, that it may be shewed thee,
whatsoever it pleaseth the Highest to declare unto thee. And with that he went
his way.
40 And it
came to pass, when all the people saw that the seven days were past, and I not come
again into the city, they gathered them all together, from the least unto the
greatest, and came unto me, and said,
41 What
have we offended thee? and what evil have we done against thee, that thou
forsakest us, and sittest here in this place?
42 For of
all the prophets thou only art left us, as a cluster of the vintage, and as a
candle in a dark place, and as a haven or ship preserved from the tempest.
43 Are not
the evils which are come to us sufficient?
44 If thou
shalt forsake us, how much better had it been for us, if we also had been
burned in the midst of Sion?
45 For we
are not better than they that died there. And they wept with a loud voice. Then
answered I them, and said,
46 Be of
good comfort, O Israel; and be not heavy, thou house of Jacob:
47 For the
Highest hath you in remembrance, and the Mighty hath not forgotten you in
temptation.
48 As for
me, I have not forsaken you, neither am I departed from you: but am come into
this place, to pray for the desolation of Sion, and that I might seek mercy for
the low estate of your sanctuary.
49 And now
go your way home every man, and after these days will I come unto you.
50 So the
people went their way into the city, like as I commanded them:
51 But I
remained still in the field seven days, as the angel commanded me; and did eat
only in those days of the flowers of the field, and had my meat of the herbs
CHAPTER 13
1 And it
came to pass after seven days, I dreamed a dream by night:
2 And, lo,
there arose a wind from the sea, that it moved all the waves thereof.
3 And I
beheld, and, lo, that man waxed strong with the thousands of heaven: and when
he turned his countenance to look, all the things trembled that were seen under
him.
4 And
whensoever the voice went out of his mouth, all they burned that heard his
voice, like as the earth faileth when it feeleth the fire.
5 And
after this I beheld, and, lo, there was gathered together a multitude of men,
out of number, from the four winds of the heaven, to subdue the man that came
out of the sea
6 But I
beheld, and, lo, he had graved himself a great mountain, and flew up upon it.
7 But I
would have seen the region or place whereout the hill was graven, and I could
not.
8 And
after this I beheld, and, lo, all they which were gathered together to subdue
him were sore afraid, and yet durst fight.
9 And, lo,
as he saw the violence of the multitude that came, he neither lifted up his
hand, nor held sword, nor any instrument of war:
10 But
only I saw that he sent out of his mouth as it had been a blast of fire, and out
of his lips a flaming breath, and out of his tongue he cast out sparks and
tempests.
11 And
they were all mixed together; the blast of fire, the flaming breath, and the
great tempest; and fell with violence upon the multitude which was prepared to
fight, and burned them up every one, so that upon a sudden of an innumerable
multitude nothing was to be perceived, but only dust and smell of smoke: when I
saw this I was afraid.
12 Afterward
saw I the same man come down from the mountain, and call unto him another
peaceable Multitude.
13 And
there came much people unto him, whereof some were glad, some were sorry, and
some of them were bound, and other some brought of them that were offered: then
was I sick through great fear, and I awaked, and said,
14 Thou
hast shewed thy servant these wonders from the beginning, and hast counted me
worthy that thou shouldest receive my prayer:
15 Shew me
now yet the interpretation of this dream.
16 For as
I conceive in mine understanding, woe unto them that shall be left in those
days and much more woe unto them that are not left behind!
17 For
they that were not left were in heaviness.
18 Now
understand I the things that are laid up in the latter days, which shall happen
unto them, and to those that are left behind.
19 Therefore
are they come into great perils and many necessities, like as these dreams
declare.
20 Yet is
it easier for him that is in danger to come into these things, than to pass
away as a cloud out of the world, and not to see the things that happen in the
last days. And he answered unto me, and said,
21 The
interpretation of the vision shall I shew thee, and I will open unto thee the
thing that thou hast required.
22 Whereas
thou hast spoken of them that are left behind, this is the interpretation:
23 He that
shall endure the peril in that time hath kept himself: they that be fallen into
danger are such as have works, and faith toward the Almighty.
24 Know
this therefore, that they which be left behind are more blessed than they that
be dead.
25 This is
the meaning of the vision: Whereas thou sawest a man coming up from the midst
of the sea:
26 The
same is he whom God the Highest hath kept a great season, which by his own self
shall deliver his creature: and he shall order them that are left behind.
27 And
whereas thou sawest, that out of his mouth there came as a blast of wind, and
fire, and storm;
28 And
that he held neither sword, nor any instrument of war, but that the rushing in
of him destroyed the whole multitude that came to subdue him; this is the
interpretation:
29 Behold,
the days come, when the most High will begin to deliver them that are upon the
earth.
30 And he
shall come to the astonishment of them that dwell on the earth.
31 And one
shall undertake to fight against another, one city against another, one place
against another, one people against another, and one realm against another.
32 And the
time shall be when these things shall come to pass, and the signs shall happen
which I shewed thee before, and then shall my Son be declared, whom thou sawest
as a man ascending.
33 And
when all the people hear his voice, every man shall in their own land leave the
battle they have one against another.
34 And an
innumerable multitude shall be gathered together, as thou sawest them, willing
to come, and to overcome him by fighting.
35 But he
shall stand upon the top of the mount Sion.
36 And
Sion shall come, and shall be shewed to all men, being prepared and builded,
like as thou sawest the hill graven without hands.
37 And
this my Son shall rebuke the wicked inventions of those nations, which for
their wicked life are fallen into the tempest;
38 And
shall lay before them their evil thoughts, and the torments wherewith they
shall begin to be tormented, which are like unto a flame: and he shall destroy
them without labour by the law which is like unto me.
39 And
whereas thou sawest that he gathered another peaceable multitude unto him;
40 Those
are the ten tribes, which were carried away prisoners out of their own land in
the time of Osea the king, whom Salmanasar the king of Assyria led away
captive, and he carried them over the waters, and so came they into another
land.
41 But
they took this counsel among themselves, that they would leave the multitude of
the heathen, and go forth into a further country, where never mankind dwelt,
42 That
they might there keep their statutes, which they never kept in their own land.
43 And
they entered into Euphrates by the narrow places of the river.
44 For the
most High then shewed signs for them, and held still the flood, till they were
passed over.
45 For
through that country there was a great way to go, namely, of a year and a half:
and the same region is called Arsareth.
46 Then
dwelt they there until the latter time; and now when they shall begin to come,
47 The
Highest shall stay the springs of the stream again, that they may go through:
therefore sawest thou the multitude with peace.
48 But
those that be left behind of thy people are they that are found within my
borders.
49 Now
when he destroyeth the multitude of the nations that are gathered together, he
shall defend his people that remain.
50 And
then shall he shew them great wonders.
51 Then said
I, O Lord that bearest rule, shew me this: Wherefore have I seen the man coming
up from the midst of the sea?
52 And he
said unto me, Like as thou canst neither seek out nor know the things that are
in the deep of the sea: even so can no man upon earth see my Son, or those that
be with him, but in the day time.
53 This is
the interpretation of the dream which thou sawest, and whereby thou only art
here lightened.
54 For
thou hast forsaken thine own way, and applied thy diligence unto my law, and
sought it.
55 Thy
life hast thou ordered in wisdom, and hast called understanding thy mother.
56 And
therefore have I shewed thee the treasures of the Highest: after other three
days I will speak other things unto thee, and declare unto thee mighty and
wondrous things.
57 Then
went I forth into the field, giving praise and thanks greatly unto the most
High because of his wonders which he did in time;
58 And
because he governeth the same, and such things as fall in their seasons: and
there I sat three days.
CHAPTER 14
1 And it
came to pass upon the third day, I sat under an oak, and, behold, there came a
voice out of a bush over against me, and said, Esdras, Esdras.
2 And I
said, Here am I, Lord And I stood up upon my feet.
3 Then
said he unto me, In the bush I did manifestly reveal myself unto Moses, and
talked with him, when my people served in Egypt:
4 And I
sent him and led my people out of Egypt, and brought him up to the mount of
where I held him by me a long season,
5 And told
him many wondrous things, and shewed him the secrets of the times, and the end;
and commanded him, saying,
6 These
words shalt thou declare, and these shalt thou hide.
7 And now
I say unto thee,
8 That
thou lay up in thy heart the signs that I have shewed, and the dreams that thou
hast seen, and the interpretations which thou hast heard:
9 For thou
shalt be taken away from all, and from henceforth thou shalt remain with my
Son, and with such as be like thee, until the times be ended.
10 For the
world hath lost his youth, and the times begin to wax old.
11 For the
world is divided into twelve parts, and the ten parts of it are gone already,
and half of a tenth part:
12 And
there remaineth that which is after the half of the tenth part.
13 Now
therefore set thine house in order, and reprove thy people, comfort such of
them as be in trouble, and now renounce corruption,
14 Let go
from thee mortal thoughts, cast away the burdens of man, put off now the weak
nature,
15 And set
aside the thoughts that are most heavy unto thee, and haste thee to flee from
these times.
16 For yet
greater evils than those which thou hast seen happen shall be done hereafter.
17 For
look how much the world shall be weaker through age, so much the more shall
evils increase upon them that dwell therein.
18 For the
time is fled far away, and leasing is hard at hand: for now hasteth the vision
to come, which thou hast seen.
19 Then
answered I before thee, and said,
20 Behold,
Lord, I will go, as thou hast commanded me, and reprove the people which are
present: but they that shall be born afterward, who shall admonish them? thus
the world is set in darkness, and they that dwell therein are without light.
21 For thy
law is burnt, therefore no man knoweth the things that are done of thee, or the
work that shall begin.
22 But if
I have found grace before thee, send the Holy Ghost into me, and I shall write
all that hath been done in the world since the beginning, which were written in
thy law, that men may find thy path, and that they which will live in the
latter days may live.
23 And he
answered me, saying, Go thy way, gather the people together, and say unto them,
that they seek thee not for forty days.
24 But
look thou prepare thee many box trees, and take with thee Sarea, Dabria,
Selemia, Ecanus, and Asiel, these five which are ready to write swiftly;
25 And
come hither, and I shall light a candle of understanding in thine heart, which
shall not be put out, till the things be performed which thou shalt begin to
write.
26 And
when thou hast done, some things shalt thou publish, and some things shalt thou
shew secretly to the wise: to morrow this hour shalt thou begin to write.
27 Then
went I forth, as he commanded, and gathered all the people together, and said,
28 Hear
these words, O Israel.
29 Our
fathers at the beginning were strangers in Egypt, from whence they were
delivered:
30 And
received the law of life, which they kept not, which ye also have transgressed
after them.
31 Then
was the land, even the land of Sion, parted among you by lot: but your fathers,
and ye yourselves, have done unrighteousness, and have not kept the ways which
the Highest commanded you.
32 And
forasmuch as he is a righteous judge, he took from you in time the thing that
he had given you.
33 And now
are ye here, and your brethren among you.
34 Therefore
if so be that ye will subdue your own understanding, and reform your hearts, ye
shall be kept alive and after death ye shall obtain mercy.
35 For
after death shall the judgment come, when we shall live again: and then shall
the names of the righteous be manifest, and the works of the ungodly shall be
declared.
36 Let no
man therefore come unto me now, nor seek after me these forty days.
37 So I
took the five men, as he commanded me, and we went into the field, and remained
there.
38 And the
next day, behold, a voice called me, saying, Esdras, open thy mouth, and drink
that I give thee to drink.
39 Then
opened I my mouth, and, behold, he reached me a full cup, which was full as it
were with water, but the colour of it was like fire.
40 And I
took it, and drank: and when I had drunk of it, my heart uttered understanding,
and wisdom grew in my breast, for my spirit strengthened my memory:
41 And my
mouth was opened, and shut no more.
42 The
Highest gave understanding unto the five men, and they wrote the wonderful
visions of the night that were told, which they knew not: and they sat forty
days, and they wrote in the day, and at night they ate bread.
43 As for
me. I spake in the day, and I held not my tongue by night.
44 In
forty days they wrote two hundred and four books.
45 And it
came to pass, when the forty days were filled, that the Highest spake, saying,
The first that thou hast written publish openly, that the worthy and unworthy
may read it:
46 But
keep the seventy last, that thou mayest deliver them only to such as be wise
among the people:
47 For in
them is the spring of understanding, the fountain of wisdom, and the stream of
knowledge.
48 And I
did so.
CHAPTER 15
1 Behold,
speak thou in the ears of my people the words of prophecy, which I will put in
thy mouth, saith the Lord:
2 And
cause them to be written in paper: for they are faithful and true.
3 Fear not
the imaginations against thee, let not the incredulity of them trouble thee,
that speak against thee.
4 For all
the unfaithful shall die in their unfaithfulness.
5 Behold,
saith the Lord, I will bring plagues upon the world; the sword, famine, death,
and destruction.
6 For
wickedness hath exceedingly polluted the whole earth, and their hurtful works
are fulfilled.
7 Therefore
saith the Lord,
8 I will
hold my tongue no more as touching their wickedness, which they profanely
commit, neither will I suffer them in those things, in which they wickedly
exercise themselves: behold, the innocent and righteous blood crieth unto me,
and the souls of the just complain continually.
9 And
therefore, saith the Lord, I will surely avenge them, and receive unto me all
the innocent blood from among them.
10 Behold,
my people is led as a flock to the slaughter: I will not suffer them now to
dwell in the land of Egypt:
11 But I
will bring them with a mighty hand and a stretched out arm, and smite Egypt
with plagues, as before, and will destroy all the land thereof.
12 Egypt
shall mourn, and the foundation of it shall be smitten with the plague and
punishment that God shall bring upon it.
13 They
that till the ground shall mourn: for their seeds shall fail through the
blasting and hail, and with a fearful constellation.
14 Woe to
the world and them that dwell therein!
15 For the
sword and their destruction draweth nigh, and one people shall stand up and
fight against another, and swords in their hands.
16 For
there shall be sedition among men, and invading one another; they shall not
regard their kings nor princes, and the course of their actions shall stand in
their power.
17 A man
shall desire to go into a city, and shall not be able.
18 For
because of their pride the cities shall be troubled, the houses shall be
destroyed, and men shall be afraid.
19 A man
shall have no pity upon his neighbour, but shall destroy their houses with the
sword, and spoil their goods, because of the lack of bread, and for great
tribulation.
20 Behold,
saith God, I will call together all the kings of the earth to reverence me,
which are from the rising of the sun, from the south, from the east, and
Libanus; to turn themselves one against another, and repay the things that they
have done to them.
21 Like as
they do yet this day unto my chosen, so will I do also, and recompense in their
bosom. Thus saith the Lord God;
22 My
right hand shall not spare the sinners, and my sword shall not cease over them
that shed innocent blood upon the earth.
23 The
fire is gone forth from his wrath, and hath consumed the foundations of the
earth, and the sinners, like the straw that is kindled.
24 Woe to
them that sin, and keep not my commandments! saith the Lord.
25 I will
not spare them: go your way, ye children, from the power, defile not my
sanctuary.
26 For the
Lord knoweth all them that sin against him, and therefore delivereth he them
unto death and destruction.
27 For now
are the plagues come upon the whole earth and ye shall remain in them: for God
shall not deliver you, because ye have sinned against him.
28 Behold
an horrible vision, and the appearance thereof from the east:
29 Where
the nations of the dragons of Arabia shall come out with many chariots, and the
multitude of them shall be carried as the wind upon earth, that all they which
hear them may fear and tremble.
30 Also
the Carmanians raging in wrath shall go forth as the wild boars of the wood,
and with great power shall they come, and join battle with them, and shall
waste a portion of the land of the Assyrians.
31 And
then shall the dragons have the upper hand, remembering their nature; and if
they shall turn themselves, conspiring together in great power to persecute
them,
32 Then
these shall be troubled bled, and keep silence through their power, and shall
flee.
33 And
from the land of the Assyrians shall the enemy besiege them, and consume some
of them, and in their host shall be fear and dread, and strife among their
kings.
34 Behold
clouds from the east and from the north unto the south, and they are very
horrible to look upon, full of wrath and storm.
35 They
shall smite one upon another, and they shall smite down a great multitude of
stars upon the earth, even their own star; and blood shall be from the sword
unto the belly,
36 And
dung of men unto the camel’s hough.
37 And
there shall be great fearfulness and trembling upon earth: and they that see
the wrath shall be afraid, and trembling shall come upon them.
38 And
then shall there come great storms from the south, and from the north, and
another part from the west.
39 And
strong winds shall arise from the east, and shall open it; and the cloud which
he raised up in wrath, and the star stirred to cause fear toward the east and
west wind, shall be destroyed.
40 The
great and mighty clouds shall be puffed up full of wrath, and the star, that
they may make all the earth afraid, and them that dwell therein; and they shall
pour out over every high and eminent place an horrible star,
41 Fire,
and hail, and flying swords, and many waters, that all fields may be full, and
all rivers, with the abundance of great waters.
42 And
they shall break down the cities and walls, mountains and hills, trees of the
wood, and grass of the meadows, and their corn.
43 And
they shall go stedfastly unto Babylon, and make her afraid.
44 They
shall come to her, and besiege her, the star and all wrath shall they pour out
upon her: then shall the dust and smoke go up unto the heaven, and all they
that be about her shall bewail her.
45 And they
that remain under her shall do service unto them that have put her in fear.
46 And
thou, Asia, that art partaker of the hope of Babylon, and art the glory of her
person:
47 Woe be
unto thee, thou wretch, because thou hast made thyself like unto her; and hast
decked thy daughters in whoredom, that they might please and glory in thy
lovers, which have always desired to commit whoredom with thee.
48 Thou
hast followed her that is hated in all her works and inventions: therefore
saith God,
49 I will
send plagues upon thee; widowhood, poverty, famine, sword, and pestilence, to
waste thy houses with destruction and death.
50 And the
glory of thy Power shall be dried up as a flower, the heat shall arise that is
sent over thee.
51 Thou
shalt be weakened as a poor woman with stripes, and as one chastised with
wounds, so that the mighty and lovers shall not be able to receive thee.
52 Would I
with jealousy have so proceeded against thee, saith the Lord,
53 If thou
hadst not always slain my chosen, exalting the stroke of thine hands, and
saying over their dead, when thou wast drunken,
54 Set
forth the beauty of thy countenance?
55 The
reward of thy whoredom shall be in thy bosom, therefore shalt thou receive
recompence.
56 Like as
thou hast done unto my chosen, saith the Lord, even so shall God do unto thee,
and shall deliver thee into mischief
57 Thy
children shall die of hunger, and thou shalt fall through the sword: thy cities
shall be broken down, and all thine shall perish with the sword in the field.
58 They
that be in the mountains shall die of hunger, and eat their own flesh, and
drink their own blood, for very hunger of bread, and thirst of water.
59 Thou as
unhappy shalt come through the sea, and receive plagues again.
60 And in
the passage they shall rush on the idle city, and shall destroy some portion of
thy land, and consume part of thy glory, and shall return to Babylon that was
destroyed.
61 And
thou shalt be cast down by them as stubble, and they shall be unto thee as
fire;
62 And
shall consume thee, and thy cities, thy land, and thy mountains; all thy woods
and thy fruitful trees shall they burn up with fire.
63 Thy
children shall they carry away captive, and, look, what thou hast, they shall
spoil it, and mar the beauty of thy face.
CHAPTER 16
1 Woe be
unto thee, Babylon, and Asia! woe be unto thee, Egypt and Syria!
2 Gird up
yourselves with cloths of sack and hair, bewail your children, and be sorry;
for your destruction is at hand.
3 A sword
is sent upon you, and who may turn it back?
4 A fire
is sent among you, and who may quench it?
5 Plagues
are sent unto you, and what is he that may drive them away?
6 May any
man drive away an hungry lion in the wood? or may any one quench the fire in
stubble, when it hath begun to burn?
7 May one
turn again the arrow that is shot of a strong archer?
8 The
mighty Lord sendeth the plagues and who is he that can drive them away?
9 A fire
shall go forth from his wrath, and who is he that may quench it?
10 He
shall cast lightnings, and who shall not fear? he shall thunder, and who shall
not be afraid?
11 The
Lord shall threaten, and who shall not be utterly beaten to powder at his
presence?
12 The
earth quaketh, and the foundations thereof; the sea ariseth up with waves from
the deep, and the waves of it are troubled, and the fishes thereof also, before
the Lord, and before the glory of his power:
13 For
strong is his right hand that bendeth the bow, his arrows that he shooteth are
sharp, and shall not miss, when they begin to be shot into the ends of the world.
14 Behold,
the plagues are sent, and shall not return again, until they come upon the
earth.
15 The
fire is kindled, and shall not be put out, till it consume the foundation of
the earth.
16 Like as
an arrow which is shot of a mighty archer returneth not backward: even so the
plagues that shall be sent upon earth shall not return again.
17 Woe is
me! woe is me! who will deliver me in those days?
18 The
beginning of sorrows and great mournings; the beginning of famine and great
death; the beginning of wars, and the powers shall stand in fear; the beginning
of evils! what shall I do when these evils shall come?
19 Behold,
famine and plague, tribulation and anguish, are sent as scourges for amendment.
20 But for
all these things they shall not turn from their wickedness, nor be always
mindful of the scourges.
21 Behold,
victuals shall be so good cheap upon earth, that they shall think themselves to
be in good case, and even then shall evils grow upon earth, sword, famine, and
great confusion.
22 For
many of them that dwell upon earth shall perish of famine; and the other, that
escape the hunger, shall the sword destroy.
23 And the
dead shall be cast out as dung, and there shall be no man to comfort them: for
the earth shall be wasted, and the cities shall be cast down.
24 There
shall be no man left to till the earth, and to sow it
25 The
trees shall give fruit, and who shall gather them?
26 The
grapes shall ripen, and who shall tread them? for all places shall be desolate
of men:
27 So that
one man shall desire to see another, and to hear his voice.
28 For of
a city there shall be ten left, and two of the field, which shall hide
themselves in the thick groves, and in the clefts of the rocks.
29 As in
an orchard of Olives upon every tree there are left three or four olives;
30 Or as
when a vineyard is gathered, there are left some clusters of them that
diligently seek through the vineyard:
31 Even so
in those days there shall be three or four left by them that search their
houses with the sword.
32 And the
earth shall be laid waste, and the fields thereof shall wax old, and her ways
and all her paths shall grow full of thorns, because no man shall travel
therethrough.
33 The
virgins shall mourn, having no bridegrooms; the women shall mourn, having no
husbands; their daughters shall mourn, having no helpers.
34 In the
wars shall their bridegrooms be destroyed, and their husbands shall perish of
famine.
35 Hear
now these things and understand them, ye servants of the Lord.
36 Behold,
the word of the Lord, receive it: believe not the gods of whom the Lord spake.
37 Behold,
the plagues draw nigh, and are not slack.
38 As when
a woman with child in the ninth month bringeth forth her son, with two or three
hours of her birth great pains compass her womb, which pains, when the child
cometh forth, they slack not a moment:
39 Even so
shall not the plagues be slack to come upon the earth, and the world shall
mourn, and sorrows shall come upon it on every side.
40 O my
people, hear my word: make you ready to thy battle, and in those evils be even
as pilgrims upon the earth.
41 He that
selleth, let him be as he that fleeth away: and he that buyeth, as one that
will lose:
42 He that
occupieth merchandise, as he that hath no profit by it: and he that buildeth,
as he that shall not dwell therein:
43 He that
soweth, as if he should not reap: so also he that planteth the vineyard, as he
that shall not gather the grapes:
44 They
that marry, as they that shall get no children; and they that marry not, as the
widowers.
45 And
therefore they that labour labour in vain:
46 For
strangers shall reap their fruits, and spoil their goods, overthrow their
houses, and take their children captives, for in captivity and famine shall
they get children.
47 And
they that occupy their merchandise with robbery, the more they deck their
cities, their houses, their possessions, and their own persons:
48 The
more will I be angry with them for their sin, saith the Lord.
49 Like as
a whore envieth a right honest and virtuous woman:
50 So
shall righteousness hate iniquity, when she decketh herself, and shall accuse
her to her face, when he cometh that shall defend him that diligently searcheth
out every sin upon earth.
51 And
therefore be ye not like thereunto, nor to the works thereof.
52 For yet
a little, and iniquity shall be taken away out of the earth, and righteousness
shall reign among you.
53 Let not
the sinner say that he hath not sinned: for God shall burn coals of fire upon
his head, which saith before the Lord God and his glory, I have not sinned.
54 Behold,
the Lord knoweth all the works of men, their imaginations, their thoughts, and
their hearts:
55 Which
spake but the word, Let the earth be made; and it was made: Let the heaven be
made; and it was created.
56 In his
word were the stars made, and he knoweth the number of them.
57 He
searcheth the deep, and the treasures thereof; he hath measured the sea, and
what it containeth.
58 He hath
shut the sea in the midst of the waters, and with his word hath he hanged the
earth upon the waters.
59 He
spreadeth out the heavens like a vault; upon the waters hath he founded it.
60 In the
desert hath he made springs of water, and pools upon the tops of the mountains,
that the floods might pour down from the high rocks to water the earth.
61 He made
man, and put his heart in the midst of the body, and gave him breath, life, and
understanding.
62 Yea and
the Spirit of Almighty God, which made all things, and searcheth out all hidden
things in the secrets of the earth,
63 Surely
he knoweth your inventions, and what ye think in your hearts, even them that
sin, and would hide their sin.
64 Therefore
hath the Lord exactly searched out all your works, and he will put you all to
shame.
65 And
when your sins are brought forth, ye shall be ashamed before men, and your own
sins shall be your accusers in that day.
66 What
will ye do? or how will ye hide your sins before God and his angels?
67 Behold,
God himself is the judge, fear him: leave off from your sins, and forget your
iniquities, to meddle no more with them for ever: so shall God lead you forth,
and deliver you from all trouble.
68 For,
behold, the burning wrath of a great multitude is kindled over you, and they
shall take away certain of you, and feed you, being idle, with things offered
unto idols.
69 And
they that consent unto them shall be had in derision and in reproach, and
trodden under foot.
70 For
there shall be in every place, and in the next cities, a great insurrection
upon those that fear the Lord.
71 They
shall be like mad men, sparing none, but still spoiling and destroying those
that fear the Lord.
72 For
they shall waste and take away their goods, and cast them out of their houses.
73 Then
shall they be known, who are my chosen; and they shall be tried as the gold in
the fire.
74 Hear, O
ye my beloved, saith the Lord: behold, the days of trouble are at hand, but I
will deliver you from the same.
75 Be ye
not afraid neither doubt; for God is your guide,
76 And the
guide of them who keep my commandments and precepts, saith the Lord God: let
not your sins weigh you down, and let not your iniquities lift up themselves.
77 Woe be
unto them that are bound with their sins, and covered with their iniquities
like as a field is covered over with bushes, and the path thereof covered with
thorns, that no man may travel through!
78 It is
left undressed, and is cast into the fire to be consumed therewith.
Here ends
the 2 Esdras.
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