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 and 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 showedst 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 leddest his seed out of Egypt, thou broughtest them up to the mount Sinai, F ylon, that they should therefore have the domi Sion? 29 For when I came thither, and had seen without number, then my soul saw many evi this thirtieth year, so that my heart failed me. 30 For I have seen how thou sufferest then and hast spared wicked doers: and hast dest people, and hast preserved thine enemies, and signified it. 31 I do not remember how this way may be they then of Babylon better than they of Sion 32 Or is there any other people that kno besides Israel? or what generation hath so bel covenants as Jacob? 33 And yet their reward appeareth not, and bour hath no fruit: for I have gone here a through the heathen, and I see that they flow and think not upon thy commandments. 34 Weigh thou therefore our wickedness n balance, and theirs also that dwell in the worl shall thy name nowhere be found but in Israel 35 Or when was it that they which dwell earth have not sinned in thy sight? or what p so kept thy commandments? 36 Thou shalt find that Israel by name hath precepts; but not the heathen. CHAPTER IV. 1 The angel declareth the ignorance of Esdras in God's 13 and adviseth him not to meddle with things abov 23 Nevertheless Esdras asketh divers questions, an answers to them. 18 And bowing the heavens, thou didst set fast the AND the angel that was sent unto me, wh 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 Bab was Uriel, gave me an answer, 2 And said, Thy heart hath gone too far in th and thinkest thou to comprehend the way of High? 3 Then said I, Yea, my lord. And he answ and said, I am sent to show thee three ways, a forth three similitudes before thee: 4 Whereof if thou canst declare me one, I thee also the way that thou desirest to see, an show thee from whence the wicked heart comet. 5 And I said, Tell on, my lord. Then said me, Go thy way, weigh me the weight of the measure me the blast of the wind, or call me a day that is past. 6 Then answered I and said, What man is al that, that thou shouldest ask such things of me 7 And he said unto me, If I should ask t great dwellings are in the midst of the sea, or he springs are in the beginning of the deep, or h springs are above the firmament, or which are goings of paradise: 8 Peradventure thou wouldest say unto me, went down into the deep, nor as yet into bell did I ever climb up into heaven. 9 Nevertheless now I have asked thee only by fire and wind, and of the day wherethrough th passed, and of things from which thou canst not rated, and yet canst thou give me no answer of こ 10 He said moreover unto me, Thine own things, and uch as are grown up with thee, canst thou not know; 11 How should thy vessel then be able to comprehend he way of the Highest, and the world being now outvardly corrupted, to understand the corruption that is vident in my sight? 12 Then said I unto him, It were better that we were ot at all, than that we should live still in wickedness, nd to suffer, and not to know wherefore. 13 He answered me, and said, I went into a forest nto a plain, and the trees took counsel, 14 And said, Come, let us go and make war against he sea, that it may depart away before us, and that we aay make us more woods. 15 The floods of the sea also in like manner took ounsel, and said, Come, let us go up and subdue the 7oods of the plain, that there also we may make us anther country. 16 The thought of the wood was in vain, for the fire ame and consumed it. 17 The thought of the floods of the sea came likeise to nought, for the sand stood up and stopped them. 18 If thou wert judge now betwixt these two, whom ouldest thou begin to justify? or whom wouldest thou ondemn? 19 I answered and said, Verily it is a foolish thought hat they both have devised, for the ground is given nto the wood, and the sea also hath his place to bear is floods. 20 Then answered he me, and said, Thou hast given right judgment, but why judgest thou not thyself also? 21 For like as the ground is given unto the wood, and Le sea to his floods: even so they that dwell upon the rth may understand nothing but that which is upon e earth: and he that dwelleth above the heavens may ly understand the things that are above the height of e heavens. 22 Then answered I and said, I beseech thee, O Lord, It me have understanding: 23 For it was not my mind to be curious of the high ings, but of such as pass by us daily, namely, wherere Israel is given up as a reproach to the heathen, and r what cause the people whom thou hast loved is given er unto ungodly nations, and why the law of our forethers is brought to nought, and the written covenants me to none effect, 24 And we pass away out of the world, as grasshoprs, and our life is astonishment and fear, and we are tworthy to obtain mercy. 25 What will he then do unto his name whereby we → called? of these things have I asked. 26 Then answered he me, and said, The more thou archest, the more thou shalt marvel; for the world steth fast to pass away, 27 And cannot comprehend the things that are prosed to the righteous in time to come: for this world full of unrighteousness and infirmities. 28 But as concerning the things whereof thou askest I will tell thee; for the evil is sown, but the deuction thereof is not yet come. 29 If therefore that which is sown be not turned Apocrypha. 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 wicked, ness 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 High: 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 showed 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 therefor, 45 Show 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 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 show thee; for I do not know it. CHAPTER V. 1 The signs of the times to come. 23 He asketh why God choosing but one people, did cast them off. 30 He is taught that God's judgments are unsearchable, 46 and that God doeth not all at once. NEVERTHELESS as concerning 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 the 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 pros per. : 13 To show thee such tokens I have leave; and if thou wilt pray again, and weep as now, and fast seven days, thou shalt hear yet greater things. 14 Then I awaked, and an extreme fearfu through all my body, and my mind was troubl it fainted. 15 So the angel that was come to talk wit me, comforted me, and set me up upon my fe 16 And in the second night it came to pas lathiel the captain of the people came unto i Where hast thou been? and why is thy coun heavy? 17 Knowest thou not that Israel is comm thee in the land of their captivity? 18 Up then, and eat bread, and forsake the shepherd that leaveth his flock in the han wolves. 19 Then said I unto him, Go thy ways fro come not nigh me. And he heard what I went from me. 20 And so I fasted seven days, mourning ing, like as Uriel the angel commanded me. 21 And after seven days so it was, that the of my heart were very grievous unto me again 22 And my soul recovered the spirit of u ing, and I began to talk with the Most High: 23 And said, OLord that bearest rule, of e of the earth, and of all the trees thereof, chosen thee one only vine: 24 And of all lands of the whole world chosen thee one pit: and of all the flowers th lily: 25 And of all the depths of the sea thou thee one river: and of all builded cities thon lowed Sion unto thyself: 26 And of all the fowls that are created named thee one dove: and of all the cattl made thou hast provided thee one sheep: 27 And among all the multitude of peoples gotten thee one people and unto this people, w lovedst, thou gavest a law that is approved of: 28 And now, O Lord, why hast thou given people over unto many? and upon the one root prepared others, and why hast thou scattered one people among many ? 29 And they which did gainsay thy prom believed not thy covenants, have trodden them 30 If thou didst so much hate thy people, ye est thou punish them with thine own hands. 31 Now when I had spoken these words, that came to me the night afore was sent unto 32 And said unto me, Hear me, and I will thee; hearken to the thing that I say, and I s thee more. 33 And I said, Speak on, my Lord. Ther unto me, Thou art sore troubled in mind fo sake: lovest thou that people better than he th them? 34 And I said, No, Lord: but of very gri spoken: for my reins pain me every hour, wh bour to comprehend the way of the Most High seek out part of his judgment. 35 And he said unto me, Thou canst not said, Wherefore, Lord? whereunto was I ber was not my mother's womb then my grave, that not have seen the travail of Jacob, and the e toil of the stock of Israel? ad he said unto me, Number me the things that et come, gather me together the drops that are abroad, make me the flowers green again that red, en me the places that are closed, and bring me winds that in them are shut up, show me the a voice and then I will declare to thee the at thou labourest to know. id I said, O Lord that bearest rule, who may ese things, but he that hath not his dwelling a? for me, I am unwise: how may I then speak things whereof thou askest me? en said he unto me, Like as thou canst do none things that I have spoken of, even so canst thou ut my judgment, or in the end the love that I nised unto my people. ad I said, Behold, O Lord, yet art thou nigh n that be reserved till the end: and what shall that have been before me, or we that be now, hat shall come after us? d he said unto me, I will liken my judgment ing: like as there is no slackness of the last, here is no swiftness of the first. I answered and said, Couldest thou not make t have been made, and be now, and that are for at once; that thou mightest show thy judgment -r? en answered he me, and said, The creature may above the maker; neither may the world hold once that shall be created therein. ad I said, As thou hast said unto thy servant, which givest life to all, hast given life at once eature that thou hast created, and the creature even so it might now also bear them that now t at once. d he said unto me, Ask the womb of a woman, anto her, If thou bringest forth children, why ait not together, but one after another? pray fore to bring forth ten children at once. I said, She cannot but must do it by dis time. en said he unto me, Even so have I given the the earth to those that be sown in it in their r like as a young child may not bring forth the at belong to the aged, even so have I disposed I which I created. d I asked, and said, Seeing thou hast now given ay, I will proceed to speak before thee: for our f whom thou hast told me that she is young, now nigh unto age. answered me, and said, Ask a woman that hildren, and she shall tell thee. yunto her, Wherefore are not they whom thou brought forth, like those that were before, but ature? d she shall answer thee, They that be born in Apocrypha. 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, show thy servant by whom thou visitest thy creature. CHAPTER VI. 1 God's purpose is eternal. 8 The next world shall follow this immediately. 13 What shall fall out at the last. 31 He is promised more knowledge, 38 and reckoneth up the works of the creation, 57 and complaineth that they have no part in the world for whom it was made. 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, show thy servant the end of thy tokens, whereof thou showedst 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 Apocrypha. II. ESDRAS, VI. 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 show 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 the 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 show 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 show 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. 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, a was in distress. 38 And I said, O Lord, thou spakest from ning of the creation, even the first day, and i Let heaven and earth be made; and thy v perfect work. 39 And then was the spirit, and darkness were on every side; the sound of man's voi yet formed. 40 Then commandedst thou a fair light to of thy treasures, that thy work might appear 41 Upon the second day thou madest the firmament, and commandedst it to part asun make a division betwixt the waters, that th might go up, and the other remain beneath. 42 Upon the third day thou didst comma waters should be gathered in the seventh || earth six parts hast thou dried up, and ke the intent that of these some being planted tilled, might serve thee. 43 For as soon as thy word went forth, th made. 44 For immediately there was great and in fruit, and many and diverse pleasures for the flowers of unchangeable colour, and odours of smell and this was done the third day. : 45 Upon the fourth day thou commanded sun should shine, and the moon give her ligh stars should be in order: 46 And gavest them a charge to do servic that was to be made. 47 Upon the fifth day thou saidst unto t part, where the waters were gathered, that bring forth living creatures, fowls and fishes: came to pass. 48 For the dumb water and without lif forth living things at the commandent of G people might praise thy wondrous works. 49 Then didst thou ordain two living cre one thou calledst Enoch, and the other Leviat 50 And didst separate the one from the the seventh part, namely, where the water wa together, might not hold them both. 51 Unto Enoch thou gavest one part, which up the third day, that he should dwell in the wherein are a thousand hills: 52 But unto Leviathan thou gavest the se namely, the moist; and hast kept him to be of whom thou wilt, and when. 53 Upon the sixth day thou gavest com unto the earth, that before thee it should b beasts, cattle, and creeping things; 54 And after these, Adam also, whom the lord of all thy creatures: of him come we al people also whom thou hast chosen. 55 All this have I spoken before thee, O cause thou madest the world for our sakes. 56 As for the other people which also come thou hast said that they are nothing, but spittle: and hast likened the abundance of t a drop that falleth from a vessel. |
