The Fourth Book of Esdras

"help" from the Hebrew

The 1st Chapter

The second book of the prophet Esdras ( the son of Saraias, the son of Azarias the son of Neichia, the son of Sallum, the son of Sadoc, the son of Achitou, the son of Amerias, the son of Azarias, the son of Maraioth, the son of Sahias, the son of Uzi, the son of Boccus, the son of Abisu, the son of Phineas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, of the tribe of Levi ) which was prisoner in the land of the Meedes, in the reign of Artaxerses king of Persia.

And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying : go thy way, and show my people their sinful deeds, and their children their wickednesses, which they have done against me, that they may tell their childerns children the same: for the sins of their fathers are increased in them. And why they have forgotten me, and have offered unto strange gods. 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. Pull thou out then the heart of thy head, and call all evil over them, for they have not been obedient to my law.

This is a people with out learning and nurture. How long shall I forebear them, unto whom I have done so much good: Many kings have I destroyed for their sakes: Pharo with his servants and all his power have I smitten down and slayen: All the nations have I destroyed and rooted out before them, and in the East I brought two lands and people to nought, even Tyre and Sidon, and have slayen all their enemies. Speak thou therefore unto them, saying: Thus sayeth the Lord: I lead you through the sea, and have given you sure streets since the beginning. I gave you Moses to be your captain, and Arron to be the priest: I gave you light in a pillar of fire, and great wonders have I done among you: yet have ye forgotten me, sayeth the Lord.

Thus sayeth the almighty Lord: I gave you quails to eat, and tents for your succor: Nevertheless ye murmured, and ascribed not the victory of your enemies unto my name: yee this same day do ye murmur.

Where are the benefits, that I have done for you: when ye were hungry in the wilderness, did ye not cry unto me:

Why hast thou brought us unto this wilderness, to kill us: It had been better for us, to have served the Egyptians, then to die in this wilderness. Then had I pity upon your mournings, and gave you manna to eat. Ye are angels food. When ye were thirsty, did not I hew the hard stone, and cause water to flow thereout? For the heat I covered you with the leaves of the trees. And good pleasant fat land gave I you: I cast out the Canaanites, the Pheresites, and the Philistines before you. What shall I do more for you, sayeth the Lord?

Thus sayeth the almighty Lord: When ye were in the wilderness, in the water of the Amorites, being a thirst, and blaspheming my name, I gave you not fire for your blasphemes, but cast a tree into the water, and made the river sweet.

What shall I do unto thee, O' Jacob? Thou Juda wouldest not obey me: I will turn me to another people, and unto those I will give my name, that they may keep my statutes. Seeing ye have forsaken me, I will forsake you also. When ye desire me to be gracious unto you, I shall have not mercy upon you. When ye call upon me, I will not hear you. For ye have defiled your hands with blood, and your feet are swift to commit manslaughter. Ye have not forsaken me ( in a manner ) but your own selves, sayeth the Lord.

Thus sayeth the almighty Lord: have I not prayed you, as a father his sons, as a mother her daughters, and as a nurse her young babes, that ye would be my people, and I should be your God: that ye would be my children, and I should be your own father: I gathered you together, as an hen gathereth her chickens under her wings. But now what shall I do unto you? I shall cast you out from my face: When ye offer unto me, I shall turn my face from you: for your solemn feast days, your new moons, and your circumcisions have I forsaken. I sent unto you my servants the Prophets, whom you have taken and slayen, and torn their bodies in pieces, whose blood I will require of your hands, sayeth the Lord.

Thus sayeth the almighty Lord: your house must be desolate. I will cast you out as the wind doeth the straw: your children shall not be fruitful, for they have despised my commandment, and done the thing that is evil before me. Your houses will I give unto a people that shall come, and they that never heard me shall believe in me: and they unto whom I never showed token, shall do the thing that I command them. They have seen no Prophets, yet shall they call their sin to remembrance, and knowledge them. I report me unto the grace, that I will do for that people which is to come, whose childern rejoice in gladness: and though they have not seen me with bodily eyes, yet in spirit they believe: the things that I say. And now brother, behold what great worship, and see the people that cometh from the East, unto whom I will give the dukedom of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, of Dseas, Amos, and Micheas, of Joel, Abdy, Jonas, Naum, and Abacuc, of Sophony, Aggeus, Zachary, and Malachi; which is called also an angel (or messenger ) of the Lord.

*Dseas =Hosea, Micheas =Micah, Abdy =Obadiah, Jonas = Jonah, Naum =Nahum, Abacuc =Habakkuk, Sophony = Zephanaih, Aggeus = Haggai, Zachary =Zechariah,

The 2nd Chapter

Thus sayeth the Lord: I brought this people out of bondage, I gave them my commandments by my servants the Prophets, whom thou wouldest not hear, but despised my counsels. The mother that bear them, sayeth unto them: Go your way ye children, for I am a widow and forsaken: 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 the thing that is evil before him. 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. As for me, O' father, I call upon thee for a witness over the mother of these children, which would not keep my covenant: that thou bring them to confusion, and their mother to a spoil, that she bear no more. Let their names be scattered abroad among the heathen, let them be put out of the earth, for they have thought scorn of my covenant.

Woe be unto the Assur, thou that hidest the unrighteous by thee. Thou wicked people, remember what I did unto Sodom and Gomorha, whos land is turned to pitch and ashes. Even so also I will do unto all them, that hear me not, sayeth the almighty Lord. Thus sayeth the Lord unto Esdras: Tell my people, that I will give them the Kingdom of Jerusalem, which I would have given unto Israel. Their glory also will I take unto me, and give them the everlasting tabernacles, which I had prepared for those.

The tree of life shall be unto them a sweet smelling ointment: they shall neither labor or be weary. Go ye your way, and ye shall receive it. Pray for yourselves a few days, that they may dwell therin. Now is the Kingdom prepared for you, therefore watch. Take heaven and earth to witness for I have broken the evil in pieces, and created the good, for I live sayeth the Lord. Mother embrace thy children, and bring them up with gladness: make their feet as fast as a piler, for I have chosen them, sayeth the Lord.

And those that he dead will I raise up again from their places, and bring them out of their graves, for I have known my name in Israel. Fear not thou mother of the children, for I have chosen thee, sayeth the Lord. And for thy help I will send thee my servants Isaie and Jeremy, after whos counsel I have sanctioned and prepared for the twelve trees with diverse fruits, and as many wells, flowing with milk and honey, and seven mountains, where upon there grow roses and lilies, wherein I will fill my children with joy.

Execute justice for the widow, be judge for the fatherless: give to the poor: heal the wounded and the sick: laugh not a lame man to scorn: defend the cripple, and let the blind come into the light of my clearness. Keep the old and the young within thy walls: wheresoever thou findest the dead, take them, and bury them, and I shall give you thee, the first place in my resurrection. Hold still (O' my people) and take thy rest, for thy quietness is come. Feed thy children O' thou good nurse, establish their feet: As for the servants whom I have given thee, there shall not be one of them perish, for I will seek them from thy number, vex not thy self.

For when the day of trouble and heaviness cometh, others shall weep and be sorrowful, but thou shall be merry and plenteous. The heathen shall be jealous, but they shall be able to do nothing against thee, sayeth the Lord. My hands shall cover thee, so that thy children shall not see the fire everlasting. Be joyful O' thou mother with thy children, for I will deliver thee, sayeth the Lord. Remember thy dead children, for I shall bring them out of the earth, and show mercy unto them, for I am merciful, sayeth the Lord almighty.

Embrace thy children, until I come, and show mercy unto them, for my wells run over, and my grace shall not fail.

I Esdras received a charge of the Lord upon the mount Oreb, that I should go unto Israel. But when I came unto Israel they set me at naught, and destroyed the commandment of the Lord. 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. Be ready to the reward of the Kingdom, for the everlasting light shall shine upon you for evermore. Flee the shadows of this world, receive the joyfulness of your glory. I testify my favor openly: O' receive the gift that is given you, and be glad, giving thanks unto him, that hath called you to the heavenly Kingdom.

Arise up! and stand fast: behold the number of those that be sealed in the feast of the Lord, which are departed from the shadow of the world, and have received glorious garments of the Lord. Take thy number O' Sion, and shut up thy purified, which have fulfilled the law of the Lord. The number of thy children that thou longest for, is fulfilled: beseech the power of the Lord, that thy people which have been called from the beginning, may be hallowed.

I Esdras saw upon the mount Sion a great people, whom I could not number, and they all praised the Lord with songs of thanksgiving. And in the mist of them was a young man of high stature, more excellent that all they, and on every one of their heads he set a crown, and was ever higher and higher, which I marveled at greatly. So I asked the angel, and said: Sir, what are these? He answered and said unto me: These be they that have put off the mortal clothing and put on the immortal, and have testified and knowledged the name of God. Now are they crowned and receive the reward.

Then said I unto the angel: what young person is it, that crowneth them, and giveth them the palms in their hands? So he answered and said unto me: It is the son of God, whom they have knowledged in the world. Then began I greatly to commend them, that stood so stiffly for the name of the Lord. And so 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!

The 3rd Chapter

In the third year of the fall of the city, I was at Babylon, and lay troubled upon my bed, and my thoughts came up over my heart: for I saw the desolation of Sion, and the plenteous wealth of them that dwelt at Babylon: and my spirit was sore moved, so that I began to speak fearful words to the most highest, and said: O' Lord, Lord, thou spakest at the beginning, when thou planted the earth ( and that thyself alone) and gavest commandment unto the people, and a body unto Adam, which was a creature of thy hands, and hast breathed in him the breath of life: and so he lived before thee, and thou leadest him into paradise, which garden of pleasure thy right hand had planted, or ever the earth was made. And unto him thou gavest the commandment to love thy ways, which he transgressed, and immediately thou appointedest death in him, and in his generations. Of him came nations, tribes, people and kindreds out of number.

And every people walked after their own will, and did nice things before thee: and as for thy commandments, they despised them.

But in process of time thou broughtest the water flood, upon those that dwelt in the world, and destroyed them. And like as the death was in Adam, so was the water flood also in these. Nevertheless one of them thou leftest: namely Noe with his household, of whom came all righteous men. And it happened that when they that dwell upon the earth, began to multiply, and had gotten many children, and where a great people, they began to be more ungodly than the first.

Now when they all lived so wickedly before thee, thou chose thee a man from among them, whos name was Abraham. Him thou lovest, and unto him only thou showest thy will, and made an everlasting covenant with him, promising him, that thou wouldest never forsake his seed. And unto him thou gavest Isaac, unto Isaac also thou gavest Jacob and Esau. As for Jacob thou didest choose him, and put back Esau. And so Jacob became a great multitude.

And it happened that when thou leadest his feet out of Egypt, thou broughtest them up to the mount Sion, bowing down the heavens, setting fast the earth, moving the ground, making the depths to shake, and troubling the world: And thy glory went through four ports of fire, and earthquakes, and winds, and cold: that thou mayest give the law unto the seed of Jacob, and diligence unto the generation of Israel.

And yet tookest thou not away from them that wicked heart, that thy law might bring forth fruit in them. For the first Adam bear a wicked heart, transgressed, and was overcome, and so be all that were born of him. Thus remained weakness with the law in the heart of the people, with the wickedness of the root: so that the good departed away, and the evil abode still. So the times past and fled away, and the years were brought to an end. Then didest thou raise up a servant called David, whom thou commandest to build a city unto thy name, and to offer up incense and sacrifice unto thee therin.

This was done now many years. Then the inhabitors of the city forsook thee, and in all things did even as Adam and all his generations had done: for they also had a wicked heart.

And so thou gavest the city over into the hands of thine enemies. Are they of Babylon then better and more righteous then thy people, that they shall therefore have the dominion of Sion: For when I came there, and saw their ungodliness, and so great wickedness, that it could not be numbered: yee when my soul saw so many evil doers ( in the thirty year) my heart failed me, for I saw, how thou sufferest them in such ungodliness, and spareth the wicked doers: but thy own people thou hast routed out, and preserved thine enemies, and this thou hast not showed me.

I cannot perceive how this happeneth. Do they of Babylon then better, then they of Sion: Or is there any other people, that knoweth thee, saving the people of Israel? Or what generation hath so believed thy covenants, as Jacob? And yet their reward appeareth not, and their labor hath no fruit. For I have gone here and there through the Heathen, and I see that they be rich and wealthy, and think not upon thy commandments. Weigh thou therefore our wickedness in the balance, and theirs also that dwell in the world, and so shall your name be no where found but in Israel. Or where is there a people upon earth, that has not sinned before thee? Or what people hath so kept thy commandments? Thou shalt find, that Israel by name hath kept thy precepts, but not the other people and the Heathen.

The 4th Chapter

And the angel that was sent unto me (whos name was Uriel ) gave me an answer, and said: Thy heart has taken to much upon it in this world, and thou thinkest to comprehend the way of the Highest. Then said I: Yee my Lord: And he answered me, and said: I am sent to show thee these ways, and to set forth these similitudes, before thee: whereof if thou canst declare me one , I will show thee also the way, that thou desirest to see: and I shall show thee from whence the wicked heart cometh. 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. Then answered I and said: What man born is able to do that? Why requirest thou such of me? And he said unto me: If I should ask thee, how deep dwellings are in the sea? Or how great water springs are upon the firmament: Or how great water springs are in the firmament of the deep? Or which are the out goings of paradise? Peradventure thou wouldest say unto me: I never went down into the deep nor hell, neither did I ever climb up in to heaven. Nevertheless now have I asked thee but only of fire and wind and of the day, where through thou hast traveled, and from the which thou canst not be separated: and yet canest thou give me no answer of them.

He said moreover unto me: Thine own things, and such as are grown up with thee, canest thou not know: how should thy vessel then be able to comprehend the way of the Highest, and now outwardly in the corrupt world, to understand the corruption that is evident in my sight: Then said I unto him: It were better that we were not at all, then that we should live in wickedness, and to suffer, and not to know wherefore. He answered me, and said: I went in a wood, and the trees took such a device and said: Come let us go, and fight against the sea, that it may depart away from us, and that we may make us yet more woods.

The floods of the sea in like manner took this device, and said: Come, let us go up, and fight against the trees of the wood, that we may make our land wider. The thought of the wood was but vain and nothing worth, for the fire came and consumed the wood: The thought of the floods of the sea came likewise to naught also, for the sand stood up and stopped them.

If thou were judge now between these two, whom wouldest thou justify, or whom wouldest thou condemn? I answered and said: Shurly it is a foolish thought that they both devised. For the ground is given unto the wood, and the sea also has his place to bare his floods. Then answered he me, and said: Thou hast given a right judgement, why judgest thy self also? For like as the ground is given unto the wood, and the sea to his flood: 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 heavens.

Then answered I, and said: I beseech thee, O' Lord, let me have understanding: for it was not my mind to be curious of thy high things, but of such as we meddle with all, namely, wherefore that Israel is blasphemed of the Heathen, and for what cause the people ( whom thou ever hast loved ) is given over, to be punished of ungodly nations: and why the law of our fathers is brought to nought, and the written covenants come to none effect, and we pass away out of the world as the grasshoppers, and our life is very fear, and we are not worthy to obtain mercy. What will he do unto his name, which is called upon over us? Of these things have I asked question.

Then answered he me, and said: The more thou searchest, the more thou shalt marvel, for the world hasteth fast to pass away, and can not comprehend the things, that are promised for the righteous in time to come, for this world is full of unrighteousness and weakness.

But as concerning the things whereof thou asked me, I will tell thee. The evil is sown, but the destruction thereof is not yet come. If the evil now that is sown, be not turned upside down, and the place where the evil is sown, pass not away, then can not the thing come that is sown with good. For the corn of evil seed hath been sown in the heart of man fro the beginning, and how much ungodliness hath he brought up unto this time? and how much shall he yet bring forth, until he come into the barn?

Ponder now by thy self, when the corn of the evil seed is cut down, how great a barn it shall fill: I answered and said: How and when shall these things come to pass?

Wherefore are our years few from evil? And he answered me, saying: Ask not thou too much upon the Highest, for thy hastiness to be above him is but vain, thou makest to much a do. Did not the souls also of the righteous ask question of these things in their holiness:* How long shall I hope of this fashion? (marginal note Revelation 6c) When cometh the fruit of my barn, and my reward? And upon this *Jeremiel the Archangel gave them answer, and said: Even when the number of the seeds is filled in you: for he hath weighed the world in the balance: in measure and number hath he measured the time, and moveth it not, until the same measure be fulfilled.

Then answered I and said: O' Lord, Lord, now are we all full of sin, and for our sake peradventure is it not, that the barn of the righteous shall not be filled, because of the sins of them that dwell upon the earth.

So he answered me., and said: Go thy way to a woman with children, and ask of her, when she hath fulfilled her nine months, if her childbed may keep the birth any longer within her. Then said I: No Lord, that can she not. And he said unto me: In hell the secret places of souls are like the privy chamber of a woman. For like as a woman that travaileth, maketh haste, when the time and necessity of the birth is at hand: Even so doth she hast to deliver it that is committed unto her. Look what thou desirest to see, it shall be shown thee from the beginning. Then answered I , and said: If I have found favor in thy sight, and if it be possible, and if I be meet therefore, show me then, whether there be more to come than is past, or more past then there is for to come. What is past, I know: but what is for to come, I know not.

And he said unto me: Stand up upon the right side, and I shall expound the similitude unto thee. So I stood, and behold, an hot burning oven went over before me: and it happened when the flame was gone by, the smoke had the upper hand. After this there went over before me a watery cloud, and sent down much rain with a storm: and when the stormy rain was past the drops remained still. Then said he unto me: like as the rain is more than the drops, and as the fire exceedeth the smoke, even so the measure of the things that are past, hath the upper hand. Then went the drops and the smoke above: and I prayed and said:

May I live (thinkest thou) until that time? Or what shall happen in those days? He answered me, and said: As for the tokens whereof thou ask me, I may tell thee of them in a part: but as touching thy life, I may not show thee, for I am not sent therefore.

The 5th Chapter

Nevertheless, as concerning the tokens, mark this: Behold, the days shall come, that they which dwell upon the earth, shall be taken in a great number, and the way of the truth shall be hid, and the land shall be barren from faith: but iniquity will have the upper hand, like as thou have seen now, and as thou hast heard long ago. And the land that thou seest now to have rule, shall thou shortly see waste. But if God grant thee to live, thou shalt see after the third trumpet, that the sun shall suddenly shine again in the night, and the moon three times in the day, and blood shall drop out of wood, and the stone shall give his voice, and the people shall be unquiet: and even shall rule, whom they hope not that dwell upon the earth, and the fowls shall flight, and the Sodomitish sea shall cast out his fish, and make a noise in the night, which many shall not know, but they shall all hear the voice thereof.

There shall be a confusion also in many places, and the fire shall be often sent again, and the wild beasts shall go their way, and menstruous women shall bear monsters, and salt waters will be found in the sweat: one friend shall fight against another: then shall all wit and understanding be hid and put into their secret places, and shall be sought of many, and yet not be found: then shall unrighteousness and voluptuousness have the upper hand upon the earth. One land shall also ask another, and say: Is righteousness gone through thee? And it shall say: No, at the same time shall men hope, but nothing obtain: they shall labor but their wages shall not prosper.

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. Then I awaked, and a fearfulness went through all my body, and my mind was feeble and careful, so that I almost sounded withal. So the angel that was come to talk with me, held me, comforted me, and set me up upon my feet.

And in the second night it happened, that Salathielthe Captain of the people came unto me, saying: Where hast thou been? and why is thy countenance so heavy? Knowest thou not, that Israel is committed unto thee, in the land of their captivity? Up then, and eat and forsake us not, as the shepherd that leaveth his flock in the hands of the wicked wolves. Then said I unto him: Go thy way from me, and come not near me: and he heard it, and as I said, so went he his way from me. And so I fasted seven days, mourning and weeping, like as Uriel the angel commanded me. And after seven days it happened, that the thoughts of my heart were very grievous unto me again, and my soul received the spirit of understanding, and I began to talk with the most highest again, and said: O' Lord, Lord, of every wood of the earth and all the trees thereof, thou hast chosen the one only vineyard: and of all the lands of the whole world thou hast chosen the one pit: and of all the flowers of the ground thou hast chosen the one lily: and of all the depths of the sea thou hast filled the one river: and of all the builded cities thou hast hallowed Sion unto thy self: and of all the fowls that are created, thou hast named the one dove: and of all the cattle that are made thou hast provided the one sheep: and among all the multitudes of flocks thou hast gotten the one people, and unto this people whom thou lovest, thou gavest the law, that is proved of all.

And now, O' Lord, why hast thou given this one people over unto many? And upon the one root thou hast prepared other, and why hast thou scattered thy one only people among many? which tread them down, yee which have ever withstand thy promises, and never believed thy commandments? And though thou werest enemy unto thy people, yet shouldest thou punish them with thine own hands. Now when I had spoke these words, the angel that came to me the night before, was sent unto me, and said unto me : Hear me, and harken unto the things that I say, and I shall tell thee more. And I said: Speak on my Lord. Then said he unto me: Thou art sore vexed and troubled for Israels sake. Lovest thou the people better than him that made thee? And I said: No Lord, but of very grief and compassion have I spoken. For my reigns pain me every hour, because I would have experience of the way of the most highest, and to seek out part of his judgement. And he said unto me: that thou mayest not. And I said: wherefore Lord? Where unto was I born then? Or why was not my mothers childbed then my grave? So I had not seen the misery and trouble of Jacob, and the travail of my people of Israel.

And he said unto me: Number me the things that are not yet come : gather me together the drops, that are scattered abroad: make me the flowers green again, that are withered: open me the thing that is closed: and bring me forth the winds, that are shut up: Show me the image of a voice, and then I shall declare the thing, that thou laborest to know. And I said: O' Lord, Lord, who may know these things, but he that hath not his dwelling with men? As for me I am unwise: how may I then speak of these things whereof thou asketh me? Then said he unto me: like as thou can do none of these things that I have spoken of, even so canest thou not find out my judgement, or in the end the love that I have promised unto my people.

And I said: Behold O' Lord, yet art thou near unto them that have no end: and what shall they do that have been before me, or we that be now, or they that should come after us ? And he said unto me: I will liken my judgement unto a ring. Like as there is no slackness of the last, even so there is no swiftness of the first. So I answered and said: couldest thou not make those ( that have been made, and that be now, and that are for to come ) in one, that thou might show thy judgement the sooner? Then answered he me, and said: The creature may not hasten above the maker, nether my the world hold them at once, that shall be created.

And I said: Now hast thou said unto thy servant, that thou living maker hast made the creature living at once, and the creature bear it? even so might it now also bear them that be present, at once. And he said unto me: Ask the childbed of a woman, and say unto her: If thou bringest forth children, why doest thou not together, but one after another?

Pray her therefore, to bring forth ten children at once. And I said: she can not, but must do it one after the other.

Then said he unto me: Even so have I given a childbed unto the earth, for those that be sown upon it by process of time. For like as a young child may not bring forth the things that belong to the aged, even so have I ordered the world which I have made.

And I asked and said: Seeing thou hast now given me the way, I will speak before thee: for our mother whom thou hast told me, is yet young, and now she draweth near unto age. He answered, me and said: Ask a woman that beareth children, and she shall tell thee. Say unto her: wherefore are not they ( whom thou hast now brought forth) like those that were before thee, but less of stature? And she shall answer thee: They that were born in the youth of strength, are of one fashion : and they that are born in the time of age ( when the childbed faileth) are otherwise. Consider now thyself, how that yee are less of stature, then those that were before you, and so are they that come after you, less then you, as the creatures that now begin to be old, and have passed over the strength of youth. Then said I: Lord I beseech thee, if I have found favor in thy sight, show thy servant, by whom doest thou visit thy creature?

The 6th Chapter

And he said unto me: In the beginning when the ground was made: before the world stood, or ever the winds blew, before it thundered and lightened, or ever the foundations of paradise were laid, before the fair flowers were seen, or ever the moveable powers were established, before the innumerable multitude of angels were gathered together, or ever the highness of the air was lifted up, afore the measures of the firmament were named, or ever the chimneys of Sion were hot, and the present years were sought out, and or ever the inventions of those that now sin, were put aside, before they were sealed that now gather faith for a treasure: then did I consider and ponder all these things, and they all were made through me, and through none other: Then answered I and said: which shall be the parting asunder of the times? Or when shall the end of the first, and the beginning of it that followeth? And he said unto me: From Abraham unto Isaac, when Jacob and Esau were born of him, Jacobs hand held first the heel of Esau: for Esau is the end of this world, and Jacob is the beginning of it that followeth. The hand of man between the heel and the hand. Other question ( Esdras ) ask thou not.

I answered then, and said: O' Lord, Lord, if I have found favor in thy sight, I beseech thee, show thy servant the end of the tokens, whereof thou showest me part the last night. So he answered and said unto me: Stand up upon thy feet, and hear the perfect voice and sound. There shall come great motion, but the place where thou standest will not be moved. And therefore when thou hearest the words be not afraid: for of the end shall the word and the foundation of the earth be understand. And why? the word thereof trembleth and quaketh, for it knoweth, that it must be changed at the end. And it happened, that when I heard it, I stood up upon my feet, and harkened: And behold there was a voice that spake, and the sound of it was like the sound of many waters, and it said.

Behold, the days come, that I will begin to draw near, and to visit them that dwell upon the earth, and will begin to make inquisition of them, what they be that have hurt equity with unrighteousness, and when the low estate of Sion shall be fulfilled: and when the world, that shall vanish away, shall be oversealed, then will I do these tokens.

The books shall be opened before the firmament, and they shall see altogether, 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: and suddenly shall the sown places appear as the unsewn, the full store houses shall suddenly be found empty, and the trumpet shall give a sound, which when every man hearth, they shall be hastily afraid. At that time shall friends fight against one another like enemies, and the earth shall stand in fear with them.

The springs of the wells shall stand still, and in three hours they shall not run. Whosoever remaineth from all these things that I have told thee, shall escape, and see my salvation, and the end of your world. And the men that are received, shall see it, they that have not tasted death from their birth: and the heart of the indwellers shall be changed, and turned into another meaning: for evil shall be put out, and deceit shall be quenched. As for faith, it shall flourish, corruption shall be over come: and the truth, which hath so long been without fruit, shall be declared. And it happened when he talked with me, that I looked demurely upon him, before whom I stood, and these words said he unto me: I am come to show thee, the time of the night for to come.

If thou will pray yet more, and fast seven days again, I shall tell thee more things, and greater than before: for thy voice is heard before the Highest: for why? the Mighty has seen the righteous dealing, he hath seen also thy chastity, which thou hast had ever since thy youth: and therefore hath he sent me to show thee all these things, and to say unto thee: Be of good comfort, and fear not, and haste not with the times that are past to think vain things, and make not haste of the latter times.

And it happened after this, that I wept again, and fasted seven days in like manner, that I might fulfill the three weeks, which he told me. In the eighth night was my heart vexed within me again, and I began to speak before the Highest: for my spirit was greatly set on fire, and my soul was in distress, and I said: O' Lord, thou speakest unto thy creature from the beginning ( even the first day ) and sayest: Let heaven and earth be made, and thy word was a perfect work. And then was there the spirit, and the darkness was yet on every side, and silence: there was no mans voice yet from thee. Then commandest thou a fair light to come forth out of thy treasures, that thy work might appear and be seen.

Upon the second day thou madest the spirit of the firmament, and commandest it to part asunder, and to make a division betwexed the waters, that the one part might remain above, and the other beneath. Upon the third day thou broughtest to pass, that the waters were gathered unto the seventh part of the earth: Six parts hast thou dried up, and kept them, to the intent that men might sew and occupy husbandry therin. As soon as thy word went forth, the work was made. For immediately there was great innumerable fruit, and many diverse pleasures and desires of temptation, flours of changeable color and smell, and this was done the third day.

Upon the fourth day thou commandest that the Sun should giveth his shine, and the moon her light: the stars didest thou set in order, and gavest them a change to do serve even unto man, that was for to be made. Upon the fifth day, thou sayest unto the seventh part ( where the waters were gathered ) that they should bring forth diverse beasts, souls and fishes. And so it came to pass, that the dumb water and without soul, brought forth living beasts, at the commandment of God, that all people might praise his wondrous works. Then didest thou preserve two souls, the one thou callest *Enoch and the other Leviathan, and did separate the one from the other: for the seventh part ( namely where the water was gathered together ) might not hold them both. 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. But unto Leviathan thou gavest the seventh part, namely the most, and hast kept him to devour what thou wilt, and when.

Upon the sixth day thou gavest commandment unto the earth, that before thee it should bring forth beasts, cattle, and all that creep, and ( besides this ) Adam also, who thou madest of all the creatures: Of him come we all, and the people also, whom thou hast chosen specially unto thy self. All this have I said now and spoken before thee, that I might show, how that the world was made for our sakes. As for the other people which also come of Adam thou hast said that they are nothing, but be like spittle, and hast likened the abundance of them unto a drop ( that falleth ) from the roof of the house. * Enoch = "dedicated" in root Hebrew

And now, O Lord, the Heathen which have ever been reputed as nothing, have gone to be lords over us, and to devour us: but we thy people ( whom thou hast called the first born, thy only begotten, and thy fervent lover ) are given into their hands and power. If the world be made now for our sakes, why have we not the inheritance in the possession with the world? How long shall this endure?

The 7th Chapter

And it happened after that I had spoke out these words, that there was sent unto me an angel, which had been by me also the nights afore, and he said unto me: Up Esdras, and hear the words that I am come to tell thee. And I said: speak on Lord my God. Then said he unto me: The sea is set in a wide place, that it might be deep and great: but the entrance is narrow and small like a river. For who would go into the sea, to look upon it, and rule it? If he went not through the narrow, how might he come into the broad?

Item another: A city is builded and set upon a broad field, and is full of all goods: the entrance is narrow and sodden, like as there were a fire at the right hand, and a deep water at the left, and as it were only one straight path betwixt them both, so small that there could be but one man go there.

If this city were now given to an Liar and he never went through the perilous way, how would he receive his inheritance? And I said: It is so Lord. Then said he: Even so is Israel also a portion. And why? for their sakes I have made the world: And when Adam transgressed my statutes, then was the thing judged that was done. Then were the entrances of the world made narrow, full of sorrow and travail: They are but few and evil, full of perils and labor. For the entrances of the fore world were wide and sure, and brought immortal fruit.

If they now which are entered into this world, may not comprehend these straight and vain things, much less they comprehend and understand the secrete things: Why disquietest thy self then, seeing thou art but a corruptible man: And what wouldest thou know, where as thou art but mortal? And why hast thou not received in thine heart the thing that is for to come, but that is present?

Then said I: O' Lord, Lord, thou hast ordered in thy law, that the righteous should inherit these things, but that the unfaithful and ungodly shall perish. Nevertheless the righteous shall suffer straight things, and hope for wide: for they that have lived ungodly and suffered (allowed) straight things, shall not see the wide.

And he said unto me: There is no judge above God, and none that have understanding above the Highest. For there be many that perish, because they despise the law of God that is set before them. For God hath given straight commandment to such as come, that they know what they do, and how they should live: and if they keep this they should not be punished.

Nevertheless they were not obedient unto him, but spoke against him: and said moreover that there was no God, and that God regarded it not. His ways they have not known, his law they have despised, and denied his promises: in his statutes and ordinances they have not been faithful and steadfast, and have not performed his works.

And therefore Esdras unto the full, plenty: and to the empty, emptiness. Behold the time shall come, that those tokens which I have told thee, shall come to pass, and the bride shall appear: and the earth that is now passeth away, shall be showed: and whosoever is delivered from the afore said evils, shall see my wonders. For my son Jesus shall be openly declared, with those that be with him: and they that remain, shall be merry in four hundred years.

After these same years shall my son Christ die, and all men that have life, and the world will be turned into the old silence, seven days, like as in the fore judgements, so that no man shall remain. And after seven days, the world that yet awaketh not, shall be raised up, and shall die corrupt. And the earth shall restore those that have slept in her, and so shall the dust those that dwell in silence, and the secrete places shall deliver those that be committed unto them. And the most highest shall be openly declared upon the seat of judgement, and all mystery shall vanish away, and long suffering shall be gathered together. But the judgement shall continue, the truth shall remain, and faith shall wax strong, the works shall follow, and the reward shall be showed, the righteousness shall watch, and the unrighteous shall bear no rule.

Then said I: Abraham prayed first for the sodomites, and Moses for the fathers that sinned in the wilderness, and he that came after him for Israel, in the time of Achas and Samuel: and David for the destruction, and Solomon for them that came into the Sanctuary, and Oseas for those that received rain, and for the dead, that he might live: and Ezechias for the people in the time of Sennacherib: and diverse other in like manner, which have prayed for many.

Even so now seeing the corrupt is grown up, and wickedness increased, and the righteous have prayed for the ungodly, wherefore shall it not be so now also?

He answered me, and said: This present world is not the end, there remaineth much honor in it, therefore they have prayed for the weak. But the day of dumb shall be the end of this time, and the beginning of the immortality for to come, wherein all corruption vanisheth all voluptuousness is loused and misbelief taken away, righteousness grown, and the verity spring up. Then shall no man be able to save him that is destroyed, nor to oppress him that hath gotten the victory. 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 keep him that he should not sin. For what profit is it for men now in this present time to live in heaviness, and after death to look for punishment? 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. For what profit is it unto us, if there be promised us immortal time, where as we meddle with deadly works? And that there is promised us an everlasting hope, where as we ourselves are evil and vain?

And that there are laid up for us dwellings of health and freedom, where as we have lived evil? and that the worship of the Highest is kept to defend them, which have led a patient life, where as we have walked in the most wicked ways of all? And that there shall be showed a paradise, whose fruit endureth forever, wherein is freedom and medicine, where as we shall not go in? for we have walked in unpleasant places: And that the faces of them which have abstained, shall shine above the stars, where as our faces shall be black and dark? For while we lived and died unrighteously, we considered not, that we should suffer therefore after death!

Then answered he me, and said: This is the consideration and thought of the battle, which man hath upon the earth: That if he be overcome, he shall suffer as thou hast said. But if he get victory, he shall receive the thing that I say. For this is the life, whereof Moses spake unto the people, while he lived, saying: Choose the life, that thou mayest live. Nevertheless they believed him not neither the Prophets after him. No nor me which have spoken unto them, that heaviness should not reach unto them to their destruction like a joy is for to come over those, that have suffered themselves to be informed in salvation.

I answered then and said: I know Lord, that the Highest is merciful, in that he hath mercy upon them, which are not yet in the world, and upon those also that walk in his law: and that he is patient and long suffering toward those that have sinned in their works: and that he is liberal to give where as it requireth: and that he is of great mercy, for he multiplies his loving kindness toward those that are present, and that are past, and to them which are for to come. For if he multiplied not his mercies, the world shall not be made living, with those that dwell therin: He giveth also, for if he gave not of his goodness, that they which have done evil, might be eased, the ten thousand part of men should not be living. And if the judge forgave not those that be healed with his word, and if he would destroy the multitude that striveth, there should be very few left in an innumerable multitude.

The 8th Chapter

And he answered me, saying: The most Highest made this world for many, but the world to come for few. I will tell thee a similitude, Esdras: As when thou asketh the earth, it shall say unto thee, that it giveth much mould, where earthen vessels are made, but little of it that gold cometh of. Even so is it with the works of this world. There be many created, but few shall be preserved. Then answered I and said: Then swallow up the wit ( thou soul ) and devour the understanding, for thou art agreed to harken and to give ear, and willingly to prophesy: for thou hast no longer space given thee, but only to live. O' Lord, wilt thou not give thy servant leaven, that we may pray before thee, and that thou mayest give seed unto our heart, and build our understanding, that there may come fruit of it: and that everyone which is corrupt, and beareth the state and place of man, may live?

For thou art alone, and we all are one workmanship of thy hands, like as thou hast said, and like as the body is fashioned now in the childbed, and thou givest the members, and thy creature is preserved in fire and water: and nine months doth thy work suffer thy creature, which is fashioned in her: but the thing that is present and the thing that is preserved, shall both be kept together: and when time is, the childbed deliver the thing, that is kept and grown in her.

For thou hast commanded the breasts to give milk unto the fruit, that the thing that is created and fashioned, may be nourished for a time: and then thou disposest and orderest it with thy mercy, bringest it up with thy righteousness; nurturest it in thy law, and reformest it with thy understanding, mortifiest it as thy creature, and makest it living as thy work. Seeing then that thou destroyest him, which with so great labors is created and fashioned through thy commandment, thou couldest lightly order, also that the thing which is made, might be preserved.

And this now I speak of all men in general, as thou knowest: but of thy people, for whose sake I am sorry: and of thy inheritance: for whose cause I mourn: and of Israel, for whom I am woeful: and for Jacob, for whos sake I am grieved: therefore begin I to pray before thee, for myself and for them, for I see the fall of us even of us, that dwell upon earth. But I have heard the swiftness of the judge, which is to come: 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 received: O' Lord, thou that dwellest in everlastingness, whose eyes are lifted up in the air, whose stool is exceedingly high, whose glory and majesty may not be comprehended, before whom the Host of heaven stand with trembling, whose keeping is turned in wind and fire, whose word is true, whose talking is steadfast, whose commandment is strong, whose ordinance is fearful, whose look drieth up the depths, whose wrath maketh the mountains to melt away, and whose truth beareth witness:

O' hear the prayer of thy servant, and mark with thy ears the petition of thy creature.

For while I live, I will speak, and so long as I have understanding, I will answer. O' look not upon the sins of thy people, which serve in the truth. Have no respect for the wicked studies of the Heathen, but to the desire of those that keep thy testimonies with sorrows. Think not upon those that have walked *feintly before thee, but upon them, which with will have known thy fear.

*feintly =dodge, maneuver, pose, pretend

Let it not be thy will to destroy them, which have had beastly manners, but to look upon them that have clearly taught thy law. Take thou no indignation at them, which are worse then beasts: but love them, that always put their trust in thy righteousness and glory: for we and our fathers have all the same sickness and disease, but because of our sins thou shalt be called merciful.

For thou hast mercy upon us thou shalt be called merciful, where as we have no works of righteousness: for the righteous which have laid up many good works together, shall out of their deeds receive reward. For what is a man, that thou shouldest displeasure at him? Or what is the corruptible generation, that thou shouldest be so rough toward him?

For of truth there 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. For in this ( O' Lord ) thy righteousness and thy goodness shall be praised and declared, if thou be merciful unto them, which are not rich in good works.

Then answered he me and said: Some things hast thou spoken right and according unto thy words it shall be. For I will not verily consider the works of them, which have sinned before death, before the judgement, before destruction, but I will rejoice over the work and thought of the righteous, the holy making and the reward. Like as I have spoken now, so shall it come to pass. For as the husband man soweth much seed upon the ground, and planteth many trees, and yet always the thing that is sown or planted is not all kept safe, neither does it all take root: Even so is it of them that are sown in the world, they shall not all be preserved.

I answered then and said: If I have found grace, then let me speak. Like as the husband man seed perisheth, if it not receive rain in due season, or if there come to much rain upon it: Even so perisheth a man also, which is created with thy hands, and is like unto thine own image and to thy self, for whos sake thou hast made all things, and likened him unto the husband mans seed. Be not wroth at us, O' Lord, but spare thy people, and have mercy upon thine own inheritance: O' be merciful unto thy creature.

Then answered he me and said: Things present are for the present, and things to come for as such as be to come. For thou wantest yet much, seeing thou may lovest my creature above me: I have often times drawn near unto thee, but never to the unrighteous. In this also thou art marvelous before the Highest, in that thou has humbled thy self, as it becometh thee, and hast not regarded thine own self, that thou art had in such honor among the righteous. Therefore shall great wretchedness and misery come upon them, that in the later time shall dwell in the world, for they have walked in great pride.

But understand thou for thyself, and seek out glory for such as be like thee: for unto you paradise is opened, the tree of life is planted, the time to come is prepared, plenteousness is made ready: a city is builded for you, and a rest is prepared, yee perfect goodness and wisdom. The root of evil is marked from you, the weakness and moth is hid from you, and into hell flyeth corruption in forgetfulness. Sorrows are vanished away, and in that end is shown the treasure of immortality. And therefore ask no more questions, concerning the multitude of them that perish. For they have taken liberty, despised the Highest, thought scorn of his law, and forsaken his ways.

Moreover they have trodden down his righteousness, and said in their heart, that their is no God, yee and that wittingly, for they die. For like as the thing that I have spoken of, is made ready for you: Even so is thirst and pain prepared for them. For it was not his will that man should come to naught: but they which be created have defiled the name of him that made them, and are unthankful unto him, which prepared life for them. And therefore is my judgement now at hand. These things have I not showed unto all men, but unto few: namely unto thee, and such as be like thee.

Then answered I and said: Behold O' Lord, now hast thou showed me the multitude of thy tokens, which thou wilt begin to do at the last but at what time and when thou hast not showed me.

The 9th Chapter

He answered me then and said: Measure thou the time diligently in it self, when thou seest that one part of the tokens come to pass, which I have told thee before: so shalt thou understand, that it is the very same time, wherein the Highest will begin to visit the world, which he made. And when there shall be seen earthquake and uproar of the people in the world, then shalt thou well understand, that the most Highest spoke of these things, from the days that were before thee, even from the beginning.

For like as all that is made in the world, hath a beginning and end, and the end is manifest: Even so the times also of the Highest have plain beginnings in wonders and signs, and the end in working and in tokens. And every one that shall be saved, and shall be able to escape by his works and by faith, wherein ye have believed, shall be preserved from the said perils, and shall see my favor in my land and within my borders, for I have hallowed me from the world. Then shall they be in carefulness, which now have abused my ways: and they that have cast them out despitefully, shall dwell in pains.

For such as in their life have received benefits and have not known me, and they that have abhorred my law, while they had yet freedom, and when they had yet open room of amendment and consideration, and understood not, but despised it: that same must know it after death is pain. And therefore be thou no more careful, how the ungodly shall be punished, and how the righteous shall be saved, and whose the world is, and for whom the world, and when it is. Then answered I and said: I have talked before and now I speak, and will speak also here after, that there be many more of them which perish, then shall be saved, like as the flood is greater then the drops.

And he answered me, saying: as the field is, so is also the seed: as the flowers be, so are the colors also: such as the workman is, such is also the work: and as the husband man is himself, so is his husbandry also, for it was the time of the world. And when I prepared for them that are now, or ever the world was made, wherein they should dwell, then was there no man that withstood me. Now when every one was , and the maker also in the world which is now prepared, and the month that ceased not, and the law which is unsearchable, their manners were corrupt. So I considered the world, and behold there was peril, because of the thoughts that were come into it. And I saw, and spared them greatly, and have kept me a wineberry of the grapes, and a plant from among many generations. Let the multitude perish then, which are grown up in vain, and let my grape and wineberry be kept: even my plant: for with great labor I have made it up.

Nevertheless if thou wilt take upon thee yet seven days more ( but thou shall not fast in them ) go thy way then into the field of flowers, where no house is builded, and eat only of the flowers of the field, taste not flesh, drink no wine, but eat flowers only. Pray unto the Highest continually, so will I come, and talk with thee.

So I went my way and came in to the field which is called *Ardath ( like as he commanded me ) and there I sat among the flowers, and ate of the herbs of the field, and the meat of the same satisfied me. After seven days I sat upon the grass, and my heart was vexed within me like afore: and I opened my mouth, and began to talk before the Highest, and said: O' Lord, thou that showest thy self to us, thou hast declared and opened thy self unto our fathers in the wilderness, in a place where no man dwelleth, in a barren place, when they came out of Egypt, and thou speakest saying: Hear me O Israel, and mark my words thou seed of Jacob. Behold, I saw my law in you, and it shall bring fruit in you, and yee shall be honored in it forever. For our fathers which received the law, kept it not, and observed not thy ordinances and statutes, and the fruit of thy law was not declared: for it might not, for why? it was thine. For they that received it, perished, because they kept not the thing that was sown in them. * Ard = "I shall subdue" & ah= ah!, alas!,

It is a custom when the ground receiveth seed, or the sea a ship, or a vessel meat and drink, that when it perisheth or is broken wherein a thing is sown, or where any thing is put: the things also perish and are broken, which are sown or put therin. But unto us it hath not happened so: for we that have received the law, perish in sin, and sure heart which also received the law: not withstanding the law perisheth not, but remaineth in his labor.

And when I considered these things in my heart after this manner, I looked about me with mine eyes, and upon the right side I saw a woman, which mourned sore, made great lamentation, and wept with loud voice: her clothes were rent in pieces, and she had ashes on her head.

Then let I my thoughts go, that I was in, and turned me unto her, and said: wherefore weepiest thou? why art thou so sorry and discomforted? And she said unto me: Sir, let me bewail myself and take yet more sorrow: for I am sore vexed in my mind, and brought very low. And I said unto her: what aileth thee? Or who hath done anything to thee? tell me. She said: I have been unfruitful and barren, and have had a husband thirty years. And these thirty years I do nothing else day and night and all hours, but make my prayer to the Highest. After thirty years God heard me thy handmaiden, looked upon my misery, considered my trouble, and gave me a son, and I was glad of him, so was my husband also and all my neighbors, and we gave great honor unto the Mighty. And I nourished him with great travail. So when he grew up, and came to the time, that he should have a wife, I made a feast.

The 10th Chapter

And it happened that when my son went to his chamber, he fell down, and died: then over through we all the lights, and all my neighbors rose up to comfort me. Then took I my rest unto the second day at night: and when they had all rested, that they might comfort me, I rested also, and rose up by night and fled, and am come hither in to this field, as thou seest: and am proposed not to come in the city, but to remain here, and neither to eat nor drink, but to continually mourn and fast, until I die.

Then let I my meditations and thoughts fall, that I was in, and spake unto her in displeasure: Thou foolish woman, seest thou not our heaviness and mourning, and what happeneth unto us? how Sion our mother is all woeful and sorry, and how she is clean brought down and in misery? seeing we be all now in heaviness, and make our moan ( for we be all sorrowful ). As for the heaviness that thou takest, it is for but one son. Demand the earth, and she shall tell thee, that it is she which ought ( by reason ) to mourn, for the fall of so many that grow upon her. For from the beginning all men are born of her, and other shall come: and behold, they walk almost all into destruction, and many shall be rooted out.

Who should then ( by reason ) make more mourning, then she, that hath lost so great a multitude? and not thou, which are sorry but for one. But if thou would sayest unto me: My mourning is not like the mourning of the earth, for I have lost the fruit of my body, which I bear with heaviness: but the earth is according to the manner of the earth, and the present multitude goeth again into her, as it is come to pass: Then say I unto thee: like as thou hast born with travail and sorrow, even so also the earth from the beginning giveth her fruit unto man, for him that made her. And therefore withhold thy sorrow and heaviness by thy self, and look what happened unto thee, bear it strongly. For if thou judgest the mark and end of God to be righteous and good, and receive his counsel in time, thou shalt be commended therein. Go thy way then in to the city to thy husband.

And she said unto me: that will I not do, I will not go into the city, but here will I die. So I communed more with her, and said: Do not so, but be counseled, and follow me: for how many falls hath Sion? Be of good comfort because of the sorrow of Jerusalem. For thou seest that our Sanctuary is laid waste, our altar broken, our temple destroyed, our playing of instruments and singing laid down, the thanksgiving put to silence, our mirth is vanished away, the light of our candlestick is quenched, the ark of the covenant is taken from us, all our holy things are defiled, and the name that is called upon over us, is dishonored: our children are put to shame, our priests are burnt, our Levites are carried away into captivity, our virgins are defiled, our wives are ravished, our righteous men spoiled, and our children destroyed, our young men are brought in bondage, and our strong worthies are become weak: and Sion ( which seal is greatest of all ) is loosed up from her worship: for she is delivered into the hands of them that hate us.

And therefore shake off thy great heaviness, and put away the multitude of sorrows: that the Mighty may be merciful unto thee, and that the Highest may give thee rest from thy labor and travail. And it happened, that when I was talking with her, her face did shine and glister, so that I was afraid of her, and mused what it might be. And immediately she cast out a great voice, very fearful, so that the earth shook at the noise of the woman: and I looked, and behold, the woman appeared unto me no more: but their was a city builded, and a place was shown from the ground and foundation.

Then was I afraid, and crieth with loud voice, and said: where is Uriel the angel, which came to me at the first? For he hath caused me to come in many considerations and high thoughts, and mine end is turned to corruption, and my prayer to rebuke. And as I was speaking these words, he came unto me, and looked upon me, and I lay as one that had been dead, and mine understanding was altered, and he took me up by the right hand, and comforted me, and set me up upon my feet, and said unto me: what aileth thee? and why is thy understanding vexed? and the understanding of thy heart, and wherefore art thou sorry? And I said: Because thou hast forsaken me: and I have not done according to thy words, I went in to the field, and there have I seen things, that I am not able to express. He said unto me: Stand up and be manly, and I shall give thee exhortation.

Then said I: Speak on to me my Lord, forsake me not, least I die in vain: for I have seen that I knew not, and heard that I do not know. Or shall my understanding be deceived, and my mind? But now I beseech thee, that thou will show thy servant of this wonder. He answered me then and said: hear me, and I shall inform thee, and tell thee wherefore thou art afraid, for the Highest hath opened many secret things unto thee.

He hath seen that thy way is right, and that thou takest sorrow continually for thy people, and maketh great lamentation for Sion: and therefore understand the vision which thou sawest a little while ago after this manner: Thou sawest a woman mourning, and thou hast comforted her: Nevertheless seest now the likeness of the woman no more, but thou thoughtest there was a city builded: and like as she told you of the fall of her son, so is this the answer,: The woman whom thou sawest, is Sion: and where as she told thee, that she hath been thirty years unfruitful and barren, those are the thirty years, wherein no offering was made in her.

But after thirty years Solomon builded her, and offered, and then bare the barren a son. And where as she told thee, that she nourish him with labor, that was the dwelling of Jerusalem. But where as the son died in her chamber, that is the fall of Jerusalem. And thou sawest her likeness, how she mourned for her son: and what else happened unto her, I have showed thee. And now God seeth, that thou art sorry in mind, and sufferest from thy heart for her, and so hath he showed thee her clearness, and the fairness of her beauty.

And therefore I had thee remain in the field, where no house is builded. For I knew that the Highest would show this unto thee, therefore I commanded thee to go into the field, where no foundation or building is. For the place where the Highest will show his city, there shall be no mans building, And there for fear not, and let not thine heart be afraid, but go thy way in, and see the glorious and fair building, and how great it is, and how great thou thinkest it after the measure of thine eyes, and then thou shall hear as much as thine ears may comprehend. For thou art blessed above many other, and art called with the Highest, as the few. But tomorrow at night thou shalt remain here, and so shall the Highest show thee visions of high things, which he will do unto them, that dwell upon earth in the last days. So I slept that same night like as he commanded me.

The 11th Chapter

Then saw I a dream: and behold, there came up from the sea an Eagle, which had twelve wings and three heads: And I saw, and behold, *he spread his wings over all the earth, and all the winds of the air blew in them, and so they were put together again. And I beheld, and out of his feathers there grew other little contrary feathers: the heads rested, the head in the midst was greater that the others, yet rested it with the residue.

Moreover I saw, that the eagle flew with his wings, and reigned upon the earth, and over all them that dwell upon the earth: and I saw that all things under heaven were subject unto him, and no man spoke against him, no not one creature upon the earth. I saw also that the Eagle stood up on his claws, and give a sound with his feathers, and a voice saying things after this manner: watch not all together, sleep every man in his own place, and watch for a time, but let the heads be preserved at the last. Nevertheless I saw, that the voice went not out of his heads, but from the midst of his body. And I numbered his contrary feathers, and behold there were eight of them. And I looked, and behold upon the right side there arose one feather, and reigned over all the earth. And it happened, 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: and it happened, that when it reigned, the end of it came also, like as the first, so that it appeared no more.

Then came there a voice unto it, and said: Hear thou that hast kept in the earth so long, this I say unto thee, before thou beginest to appear no more: There shall none after thee attain unto thy time. Then arose the third, and reigned as the other afore, and appeared no more also. So went it with all the residue one after the other, so that every one reigned, and then appeared no more. Then I looked, and behold, in the process of time that the feathers that followed were set up upon the right side, that they might rule also: and some of them ruled, but within a while they appeared no more: for some of them were set up, but ruled not.

After this I looked, and behold the twelve feathers appeared no more, and that two wings: and there were no more upon the Eagles body, but the two heads that rested, and six feathers. Then saw I also, that the six feathers were parted in two, and remained under the head, that was upon the right side, for the four continued in their place. So I looked, and behold, they that were under the wings, thought to set up themselves, and to have the rule. Then was there one set up, but shortly it appeared no more, and the second was sooner away than the first. And I beheld, and lo, the two thought also by themselves to reign: 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 the greater of the two heads. And then I saw, that the two heads were filled with him and the head was turned with them that were by him, and eat up the two under wings , that would have reigned.

But this head put the whole earth in fear, and bare rule in it, over all those that dwelt upon the earth with much labor, and he had the governance of the world, over all the fowls that have been. After this I looked , and behold, the head that was in the midst, suddenly appeared no more, like as the wings: then came the two heads, which ruled upon the earth, and over those that dwelt therin. And I beheld, and lo the head upon the right side, devoured it that was upon the left side. And I heard a voice, which said unto me: look before thee, and consider the thing that thou seest. Then I saw, and behold, as it were a lion that roareth, running hastily out of the wood, and he sent out a mans voice unto the Eagle, and said: Hear thou, I will talk with thee, and the Highest shall say unto thee: Is it not thou that hast the victory of the four beasts, whom I made to reign upon the earth and in my world, and that the end of their times might come through them?

And the fourth came, and *overwane *overwane= over / diminish, weaken, subdue all the beasts that were past, and had power over the world with great fearfulness, and over the whole compass of the earth with the most wicked labor, and so long time dwelt he upon the earth with deceit, and the earth thou hast not judged the truth. For thou hast troubled the meek, thou hast hurt the peaceable and quiet, thou hast loved lies, and destroyed the dwellings of them that brought forth fruit, and hast cast down the walls of such as did thee no harm. Therefore is thy wrongeous dealing and blasphemy come up unto the Highest, and thy pride unto the Mighty. The Highest also hath looked upon the proud times, and behold, they are ended, and their abominations are fulfilled. And therefore appear no more thou Eagle, and thy horrible wings, and thy wicked feathers, and thy ungracious heads, and thy sinful claws, and all thy vain body: that the earth may be refreshed, and come again to herself, when she is delivered from thy violence, and that she may hope for the judgement and mercy of him that made her.

The 12th Chapter

And it happened when the Lion spake, these words unto the Eagle, I saw, and behold, the head that afore had the upper hand, appeared no more: neither did the four wings appear any more, that came to him, and were set up to reign: and their kingdom was small and full of uproar. And I saw, and behold, they appeared no more, and the whole body of the Eagle was burnt, and the earth was in great fear. Then awakened I out of the trance of my mind, and from great fear, and said unto my spirit: Lo, this hast thou given me, in that thou searchest out the ways of the Highest: lo, yet I am weary in my mind, and very weak in my spirit, and little strength is there in me, for the great fear that I received this night. Therefore will I now beseech the Highest, that he will comfort me unto the end: A I said, Lord, Lord, if I have before thy sight, and if I am justified with thee before many other, and if my prayer be come up before thy face, comfort me then, and show me thy servant the interpretation and plain difference of this horrible sight, that thou mayest perfectly comfort my soul: for thou hast judged me worthy, to show me the last of times.

And he said unto me: this is the interpretation of this sight. The Eagle whom thou saw sawest come up from the sea, is the kingdom which was seen in the vision of thy brother Daniel, but it was not expounded unto him, for now I declare it unto thee. Behold, the days come, that there shall rise up a kingdom upon the earth, and it shall be feared above all the kingdoms that were before it. In the same kingdom shall twelve kings reign, one after the other. For the second shall begin to reign, and shall have more time than the other, and this do the twelve wings signify, which thou sawest. As for the voice that spake, and that thou sawest go out from the heads but not from the body, it be tokeneth, that after the time of that kingdom there shall arise great strivings, and it shall stand in peril of falling: nevertheless it shall not yet fall, but shall be set in to his beginning. And the eight under wings which thou sawest hang unto the wings of him, betoken, that in him there shall arise eight kings, whose time shall be small, and their years swift, and two of them shall bear. But when the midst time cometh, there shall be four kept in that time, when his time begineth to come that it may be ended, but two shall be kept unto the end.

And where as thou sawest tree heads resting, this is the interpretation: In his last shall the Highest raise up three kingdoms, and call many again into them, and they shall have the dominion of the earth, and of those that dwell therin, with much labor above all those that were before them. Therefore are they called the heads of the Eagle: for it is they that shall bring forth his wickedness again, and that shall perform and finish his last. And where as thou sawest, that the great head appeared no more, it signifieth, that one of them shall die upon his bed, and yet with pain, for the two that remain, shall be slain with the sword. For the sword of the one shall devour the other, but at the last shall he fall through the sword himself.

And where as thou sawest two underwings upon the head that is on the right side, it signifieth that it is they, whom the Highest hath kept unto their end: this is a small kingdom, full of trouble. The Lion whom thou sawest rising up out of the wood, and roaring, and speaking unto the Eagle, and rebuking him for his unrighteousness, is the wind, which the Highest hath kept for them and for their wickedness unto the end: he shall reprove them, and rent them asunder before them. For he shall set them living before the judgement, and shall rebuke them: for the residue of my people shall he deliver with trouble, those that be preserved over mine ends: and he shall make them joyful until the coming day of Judgement, where of I have spoken unto thee from the beginning.

This is the dream that thou sawest, and this is the interpretation. Thou only hast been meat to know the secret of the Highest.

Therefore write all these things that thou hast seen in a book, and hide them, and teach them the wise in the people, whos hearts thou knowest may comprehend and keep these secrets. But wait thou here thyself yet seven days more, that it may be showed the , whatsoever pleaseth the Highest to declare unto thee, and with that he went his way.

And when all the people perceived, that the seven days were past, And I come again into the city, they gathered them all together from the least to the most, and came unto me, and said: what have we offended thee? and what evil have we done against thee, that thou forsake us, and sitteth here in this place? For of all the people thou only are left us, as a grape of the vine, and as a candle in a dark place, and as a haven a ship preserved from the tempest. Have we not adversity enough, but thou must forsake us? Were it not better for us, that we had been burnt with Sion? For we are no better, then they that died there: and they wept with loud voice. Then answered I them and said: Be of good comfort O' Israel, be not heavy thou house of Jacob: for the Highest hath you in remembrance, and the Mighty hath not forgotten you in temptation. As for me, I have not forsaken you, neither am I departed from you: but am come into this place to pray, because of the misery of Israel, that I might seek mercy for the low estate of your Sanctuary.

And now go your way home every man, and after these days will I come unto you. So the people went their way into the city, like as I commanded them: but I remained in the field seven days, as the Angle bade me: and I ate only of the flowers of the field, and had my meat of the herbs in those days.

The 13th Chapter

And it happened after the seven days, that I dreamed a dream by night. And behold, there arose a wind from the sea, that it moved all the floods thereof. And I looked, and behold, the man was strong and increased with the clouds of heaven: And when he turned his countenance to consider, all the things trembled that were seen under him: and when the voice went out of his mouth, all they burnt that heard him, like as the earth when it feeleth the fire.

After these I saw, and behold there was gathered together a multitude of men out of number from the four winds of the heaven, to fight against the man, that came out from the sea. And I looked, and behold, he graved himself a great mountain, and flew up upon it. But I would have seen the border or place, where out the hill was graven, and I could not.

I saw after these, that all they which came to fight against him, were sore afraid, and yet *durst they fight. Nevertheless when he saw the fierceness and violence of the people, he neither lift up his hand nor held sword, nor any weapon: but only (as I saw ) he sent out of his mouth as it had been a blast of fire, and out of his lips the wind of flame: and out of his tongue he cast sparks and storms, and they were all mixed together : the blast of fire, the wind of the flames, and the great storm, and fell with a rush upon the people, which was prepared to fight and brunt them up everyone: so that of the innumerable multitude there was nothing seen, but only dust and smoke. When I saw this I was afraid. *durst= dare

Afterward saw I the same man come down from the mountain, and calling unto him another peaceable people: and there came much people unto him: some were glad some were sorry, some of them were bound, so that they were carried and brought forth.

Then was I sick through great fear, and I awaked, and said: thou hast shown thy servant all thy wonders from the beginning, and hast counted me worthy, that thou mightest receive my prayer: show me now yet this interpretation of this dream. For thus I consider in my understanding: Woe unto them that shall be left in those days: and much more woe unto them that are not left behind: for they that were not left, were in heaviness.

Now understand I the things that are laid up in the latter days which shall happen unto them, and to those that are not left behind. Therefore they are come into great perils, and many necessities, like as these dreams declare. Yet is it easier, that he which suffereth hurt come in these, then to pass away as a cloud out of the world, and now to see the things that shall happen in the last.

Then answered he me, and said: The interpretation of the sight shall I show thee, and I will open unto thee, the things that thou hast required. For thou hast spoken of them that are left behind, and this is the interpretation. He that taketh away the peril in that time, hath kept himself. They that be fallen into harm, are such as have works and faith unto the Most mighty. Know this therefore, that they which be left behind, are more blessed, then they that be dead. This is the meaning of the vision. Where as thou sawest a man coming up from the deep of the sea, the same is he that God the Highest hath kept a great season, which by his own self will deliver his creature, and he shall order them that are left behind. And where as thou sawest, that out of his mouth there came a blast of wind, fire and storm, and how that he lift up neither sword nor weapon, but that the rushing in of him destroyed the whole multitude, that came to fight against him: it signifieth, that the days come, when God will deliver them that are upon the earth, and in a trance of mind shall he come upon them, that dwell in the earth. And one shall undertake to fight against another, one city against another, one place against another, one people against another, one realm against another.

When this cometh to pass, then shall the tokens come, that I showed thee before: and then shall my son be declared, whom thou sawest climb up as a man. And when all the people hear his voice every man shall in their own land leave the battle that they have one against another, an innumerable multitude shall be gathered together, as they that be willing to come and to overcome him by fighting. But he shall stand upon the top of mount Sion. Nevertheless Sion shall come, and shall be showed, being prepared and builded for all men, like as thou sawest the hill graven forth without any hands. But my son shall rebuke the people that are come for their wickedness, with the tempest, and for their evil imaginations: and their pains wherewith they shall be punished, are likened unto the flame: and with out any labor, shall he destroy them, even by the law, which is compared to the fire.

And whereas thou sawest, that he gathered another peaceable people unto him: those are the ten tribes, which were carried away prisoners out of their own land, in the time of *Oseas the King, whom *Salmanasar the King of Assiria took prisoner, and carried them over the water, and so they came into another land. *Oseas = Hosea,

*Salmanasar = Shalmaneser

But they gave them this counsel, that they should leave the multitude of the Heathen, and go forth into a farther country, where never mankind dwelt: that they might there keep their statutes, which they never kept in their own land. And so they entered in at the narrow passages of water of the Euphrates, and God showed tokens for them, and held still the flood till they were passed over: for through that country there was a great way, namely of a year and a half journey, for that same region is called Asareth. Then dwelt they there unto the latter time: and when they come forth again, the Highest shall hold still the springs of the stream again, that they may go through, therefore thou sawest the multitude with peace. And they that be left behind of thy people, are those that be found within my border.

Now when he destroyeth the multitude that is gathered together, he shall defend his people that remain, and then shall he show them great wonders.

Then said I: O' Lord, Lord, show me this: wherefore have I seen the man coming up from the deep of the sea? And he said unto me: Like as thou canst neither seek out nor know these things that are in the deep of the sea, even so mayest thou not see my son, or those that be with him, but in the time of the day. This is the interpretation of the dream which thou sawest, therefore thou only art here lightened: for thou hast forsaken thine own law, and applied thy diligence unto mine, and sought it. Thy life thou hast ordered in wisdom, and hast called understanding your mother, and therefore have I showed thee the treasure of the Highest. After three days I will show thee more, and talk with thee at more large, yee heavy and wondrous things will I declare unto thee.

Then went I forth into the field, giving praise and thanks greatly unto God, because of his wonders which he did in time, and because he governeth the same, and such as is in time, and there I sat three days.

The 14th Chapter

Upon the third day I sat under an oak tree, then came there a voice unto me out of the bush, and said: Esdras, Esdras? And I said: here am I Lord, and stood up on my feet. Then spake he unto me: In the bush did I appear unto Moses, and talked with him, when my people served in Egypt, and I sent him, and led my people out of Egypt, and brought him upon mount Sion, where I held him by me a long season, and told him my wondrous works, and showed him the secrets of the times and the end, and commanded him, saying:

These words shalt thou declare, and not hide them. And now I say unto thee, that thou lay up in thy heart the dreams that thou hast seen, and the interpretations which I have showed thee: for thou shalt be received of all, thou shalt be turned and remain in my counsel, and with such as be like thee, until the times be ended. For the world hath lost his youth, and the time is divided into twelve parts, and ten parts of it are gone already, and half of the tenth part: yet remaineth there that, which is after the half of the tenth part.

Therefore prepare and order thy house, and reform thy people: comfort such of them as be in trouble: and tell now of the destruction: let go from thee all mortal thoughts: cast away the berthens of man: put off the weak nature: lay up in some places the thoughts that are most heavy unto thee, and hast thee to flight from these times: for such evil and wickedness as thou hast now seen happen, shall they do yet much worse. For the weaker that the world and the times is, the more shall sin and wickedness increase, in them that dwell upon the earth: For the truth is fled far away, and the leasing is hard at hand. For now hasteth the vision to come, that thou hast seen.

Then answered I and said: Behold Lord, I will go as thou hast commanded me, and reform the people which are present. But they that shall be born afterward, who will exhort or rebuke them? Thus the world is set in darkness, and they that dwell therein, are without light: for thy law is kindled, because no man knoweth the things that are done of thee, or that shall be done. 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 was written in thy law, that men may find the path, and that they which will live in the latter days, may live.

And he answered me, saying: Go thy way, gather thy people together, and say unto them, that they seek thee not for forty days, but look thou gather the many box trees, and take with thee Sarea, Dabria, Selemia, Echanus and Asiall, these five, which are ready to write swiftly, 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. Then shalt thou declare some things openly unto the perfect, and some things thou shalt show secretly to the wise. Tomorrow this hour thou shalt begin to write.

Then went I forth (as he commanded me) and gathered all the people together, and said: Hear these words O' Israel: Our fathers from the beginning were strangers in Egypt, from whence they were delivered, and received the law of life, which they kept not, which thee have also transgressed after them. Then was this land and the land of Sion parted among you by lot to possess. But your fathers and yee yourselves also have done unrighteousness, and have not kept the ways which the Highest commanded you. And for so much as he is a righteous judge, he took from you in time the thing that he had given you. And now are yee here and your brethren among you. Therefore if so be that yee will subdue your own understanding, and reform your heart, ye shall be kept alive, and after death ye shall obtain mercy. For after death shall the judgement come, when we shall live again: and then shall the names of the righteous be manifest, and the names of the ungodly with their works shall be declared. Let no man therefore come now unto me, nor ask any question at me these forty days.

So I took the five men (as he commanded me) and we went into the field, and remained there. The next days a voice called me saying: Esdras, open thy mouth, and behold, he reached me a full cup, which was full a water, but the color of it was like fire.

And I took it and drank. And when I had drunk it , my heart had understanding, and wisdom grew in my breast: for my spirit was kept in remembrance, and my mouth was opened and shut no more. The Highest gave understanding to the five men, that they wrote the high things of the night, which they understood not. But in the night they ate bread: as for me, I spake in the day, and held not my tongue by night. In forty days, they wrote two hundred and four books.

And it happened when the forty days were fulfilled, that the Highest spake, saying: The first that thou hast written, speak openly, that the worthy and the unworthy may read it. But keep the seventy last that thou mayest show it only to such as be wise among thy people. For in them is the spring of understanding, the fountain of wisdom, and the stream of knowledge. And I did so.

The 15th Chapter

Behold speak thou in the ears of my people the words of the prophecy, which I will put in thy mouth, sayeth the Lord: and cause this to be written in a letter, for it is the truth. Fear not the imaginations against thee, let not the unfaithfulness of them trouble thee, that speak against thee. For all the unfaithful shall die in their unfaithfulness. Behold sayeth the Lord, I will bring plagues upon the world, the sword hunger, death and destruction: for wickedness hath the upper hand in all the earth, and their shameful works are fulfilled.

Therefore sayeth the Lord: I will hold my tongue no more unto their wickedness, which they do so ungodly: neither will I suffer them in the things, that they deal with all so wickedly. Behold the innocent blood of the troubled crieth unto me, and the souls of the righteous complain continually: And therefore (sayeth the Lord) I will surely avenge and recause unto me all the innocent blood from among them.

Behold, my people, is led as a flock of sheep to be slain, I will not suffer them now to dwell in Egypt, but will bring them out with a mighty hand and a stretched out arm, and smite it with plagues as before, and will destroy all the land of it. Egypt will mourn, and the foundations of it shall be smitten with the plague and punishment, that God shall bring upon it.

They that till the ground, shall mourn: for their feeds shall be destroyed through the blasting and hail, and an horrible star Do warneth the world and them that dwell therin, for the sword and their destruction draweth nigh, and one people shall stand up to fight against another, and swords in their hands. For men shall be unsteadfast, and some shall do violence unto the other: they shall not regard their king and princes, the ways of their doings and the handlings in their power. A man shall desire to go into the city, and shall not be able. For because of their pride the cities shall be brought in fear, the houses shall shake, and men shall be afraid. A man shall have no pity upon his neighbor, but one shall provoke another unto battle to spoil their goods because of the hunger of bread, and because of the great trouble.

Behold, I gather together and call together all the kings of the earth which are from the uprising, from the South, from the East and Libanus to turn unto them, and restore the things they have given them. Like as they do yet this day unto my chosen, so will I do also, and recompense them in their bosom. Thus sayeth the Lord God: My right hand shall not spare the sinners, and my sword shall not cease over them, that shed the innocent blood upon the earth. The fear has gone out from his wrath, and the sinners like the straw that is kindled. Do warneth them that sin, and keep not my commandments, sayeth the Lord. I will not spare them. Go your way ye children from violence, defile not my sanctuary: for the Lord knoweth all them that sin against him, and therefore delivereth he them unto death and destruction: for now are the plagues come upon the world, and ye shall remain in them. For God shall not deliver you, because you have sinned against him.

Behold, an horrible vision cometh from the East, where generations of Dragons shall come out, and the people of the Arabes with many chariots, and the multitude of them shall be as the wind upon the earth, that all that hear them raging in their wrath, may fear and be afraid: and as the wild boars out of the wood, so shall they go out, and with great power shall they come, and stand fighting with them, and shall waste the portion of the land of the Assirians.

And then shall the Dragons have the upper hand, not remembering their birth, and shall turn about swearing together in great power, to persecute them. But these shall be afraid, and keep silence at their power, and shall flee: and one out of the land of the Assirians shall besiege them, and consume one of them, and in their host shall be fear and dread, and strife among their kings.

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. They shall smite one upon another, and they shall smite at the great star upon earth and their star, and the blood shall be from the sword unto the belly, and the smoke of man unto the camels litter: And there shall be great fearfulness and trembling upon the earth, and they that see wrath shall be afraid, and a trembling shall come upon them.

And then shall there come great rains from the South and from the North, and part from the West, and from the stormy wind from the East, and shall shut them up again, and the cloud which he raised up in wrath, and the star to cause fear toward the East and West wind, shall be destroyed: and the great clouds shall be lift up, and the mighty clouds full of wrath, and the star, that they may make all the earth afraid and them that dwell therin, and that they may pour out over all places an horrible star, fire and hail and flying swords, and many waters: that all fields may be full, and all rivers, and they shall break down the cities and walls, mountains and hills, all trees, wood, and the grass of the meadows, and all their fruit. And they shall go steadfast into Babylon, and make her afraid, 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 heaven, and all they that be about her, shall bewail her: and they that remain under her, shall do service unto them that have put her in fear: And thou Asia that comfort thyself also upon the hope of Babylon, and art a worshipper of her person: Woe be unto thee thou wretch, because thou hast made thyself like unto her, and hast decked thy daughters in whoredom, that they might triumph and please thy lovers, which have always desired to commit whoredom with thee: thou hast followed the abominable city in all her works and inventions.

Therefore sayeth God: I will send plagues upon thee, widowhood, poverty, hunger, wars, and pestilence, to waste thy houses with destruction and death, and the glory of thy power shall be dried up as a flower, when the heat ariseth that is sent over thee. Thou shalt *bespeck as a poor wife that is plagued and beaten of women:

so that the mighty and lover shall not be able to receive thee. Would I so hate thee sayeth the Lord? If thou haddest not always slain my chosen, exalting the stoke of thy hands, and said over their death, when thou wast drunken: set forth the beauty of thy countenance. *bespeck= speaking; to give grounds for believing

The reward of thy whoredom shall be recompensed thee in thy bosom, therefore shalt thou receive reward.

Like as thou hast done unto my chosen ( sayeth the Lord ) even so shall God do unto thee, and shall deliver thee into the plague. Thy children shall die of hunger, and thou shall fall through the sword. Thy cities shall be broken down, and all thine shall perish with the sword in the field. 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. Thou unhappy shalt come through the sea, and receive plagues again.

In the passage they shall cast down the slain city, and shall root out one part of thy land, and consume the portion of thy glory. They shall tread the down like stubble, and they shall be thy fire and shall consume thee: thy cities and thy land, thy wood and thy fruitful trees shall they burn up with the fire. Thy children shall they carry away captive, and look what thou hast, they shall spoil it, and mar the beauty of thy face.

The 16th Chapter

Woe be unto thee Babylon and Asia, woe be unto thee Egypt and Syria: gird yourselves with clothes of sack and hear, and mourn for your childern, be sorry, for your destruction is at hand. A sword is sent upon you, and who will turn it back? A fire is kindled among you, and who will quench it: Plagues are sent unto you, and what is he that will drive them away? May any man drive away an hungry lion in the woods? Or may any man quench the fire in the stubble, when it hath gone to burn? May one turn again the arrow, that is shot of a strong archer? The mighty Lord sendeth the plagues, and what is he that will drive them away? The fire is kindled and gone forth in his wrath, and what is he that will quench it? He shall cast lightings, and who shall no fear? He shall thunder, and who shall not be afraid: The Lord shall threaten and who shall not utterly be beaten to powder at his presence? The earth quaketh, and the foundations thereof: the sea ariseth up with waves from the deep, and the floods of it are unquiet and the fishes thereof also before the Lord, and before the glory of his power. For strong is his right hand that holdeth the bow, his arrows that he shooteth, are sharp, and shall not miss, when they begin to be shot to the ends of the world.

Behold, the plagues are sent, and shall not turn again, till they come upon the earth. The fire is kindled, and shall not be put out, till it consume the foundations of the earth. Like as an arrow shot of a mighty archer, returneth not backward: even so the plagues that shall be sent upon the earth, shall not turn again. Woe is me, woe is me, who will deliver me in those days? The beginning of sorrows and great mourning: the beginning of *darth and great death: the beginning of wars, and the powers shall stand in fear: the beginning of evils, and they shall tremble everyone. What shall I do in these things, when the plagues come? Behold, hunger, and plague, trouble and anguish are sent, as scourging for amendment. But for all these things they shall not turn from their wickedness, nor be always mindful of the scourging.

Behold, vitals shall be so good cheap upon the earth, that they shall think them selves to be in good case? And even then shall mischief grow up upon the earth, wars, darth and great disquietness. For many of them that dwell upon the earth shall perish of hunger, and the other that escape the hunger, shall the sword destroy: And the dead shall be cast out as dung, and there should be no man to comfort them. For the earth shall be wasted, and the cities shall be cast down: there shall be no man left to till the earth and to sew it. The trees shall give fruit, and who shall pluck them of and gather them? The grapes shall be ripe, and who shall tread them: for all the places shall be desolate of men, so that one man shall desire to see another, or to hear his voice. For of one whole city there shall be ten left, and two in the field, which shall hide themselves in the thick bushes, and in the cliffs of stones: like as when there remain three or four olives upon the tree, or as when a vineyard is gathered there are left some grapes, of them that diligently sought through the vineyard.

Even so, in those days there shall be three or four left, for them that search their houses with the sword. And the earth shall be left waste, and the fields thereof shall wear old: and her ways and her paths shall grow full of thorns, because no man shall travel there through. The daughters shall mourn, having no bridegrooms: the women shall make lamentation, having no husbands, their daughters shall mourn, having no help of their bride groom. In the wars shall they be destroyed, and their husbands shall perish of hunger. O' ye servants of the Lord, hear these things, and mark them. Behold, the word of the Lord, O' receive it: behold the plagues draw near, and are not slack in tarrying. Like as a travailing woman, which after nine months bringeth forth a son, when the hour of the birth is come, an hour two or three afore that the pains come upon her body, and when the child cometh to the birth, they tarry not the twinkling of an lie: 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.

O' my people, hear my word, make you ready to the battle: and in all evil be as pilgrims upon the earth He that selleth, let him be as he that flyeth his way: and he that buyeth, as one that will lease. Who so occupieth merchandise, as he that winneth not: and he that buildeth, as he that shall not dwell therin: he that soweth, as one that shall not reap: he that twisteth the vineyard, as he that shall not gather the grapes: they that marry, as they that shall get no children: and they that marry not, as the widows: and therefore they that labor, labor in vain. For strangers shall reap their fruits, and spoil their goods, overthrow their houses, and take their children captive, for in captivity and hunger shall they get children. And they that occupy their merchandise with robbery, how long deck they their cities, their houses, their possessions, their persons? the more will I punish them for their sins, sayeth the Lord. Like as an whore envieth an honest woman, so shall righteousness hate iniquity, when she decketh herself, and shall accuse her to her face, when he cometh that defendeth, which shall make inquisition for all sin upon the earth. And therefore be not ye like thereunto, near to the works thereof: for or ever it be long, iniquity shall be taken away out of the earth, and righteousness shall reign among you.

Let not the sinner say, that he hath not sinned: for coals of fire shall burn upon his head, which sayeth before the Lord God and his glory: I have not sinned. Behold, the Lord knoweth all the works of men, their imaginations, their thoughts and their hearts. For he spoke but the word: let the earth be made, and it was made: let the heaven be made, and it was made. In his word were the stars made, and he knoweth the number of them. He searcheth the ground of the deep, and the treasures thereof: he hath measured the sea, and what it containeth. He hath shut the sea in the midst of the waters, and with his word hath he hanged the earth upon the waters. He spreadeth out the heaven like a *vawte,( vault ; from Mid Eng vaute: meaning an arched overhead covering). upon the waters hath he founded it. In the desert a dry wilderness hath he made springs of water, and poles upon the tops of mountains, that the floods might pour down from the stony rocks to water the earth. He made man, and put his heart in the midst of the body, and gave him birth, life and understanding, yee and the spirit of the Almighty God, which made all things, and hath searched the ground of all the secrets of the earth.

He knoweth your imaginations and inventions, and what ye think when ye sin, and would hide your sins. Therefore hath the Lord searched and sought out all your works, and he shall *bewray (disclose, reveal, uncover) you all. And when your sins are brought forth, ye shall be ashamed before men, and your own sins shall be your accusers in that day. What will ye do? Or how will ye hide your sins before God and his Angels? Behold, God himself is the judge, fear him, leave off from your sins, and forget your unrighteousness, and meddle no more with them: so shall God lead you forth, and deliver you from all trouble. For behold, the heat of the great multitude is kindled over you, and they shall take away certain of you, and feed the idle with Idols: and they that consent unto them, shall be had in *derision. *laughed to scorn, and trod under foot contempt

For unto the places there shall be a place, and in the next cities a great insurrection upon those that fear the Lord. They shall be like madmen, they shall spare no man: they shall spoil and waste such as fear the Lord, their goods shall they take from them, and shut them out of their houses. Then shalt it be known who are my chosen, and they shall be tried as the gold in the fire. Hear O' ye my beloved, sayeth the Lord: behold, the days of trouble are at hand, but I will deliver you from the same. Be not afraid, despair not, for God is your captain.

Who so keepeth my commandments and precepts ( sayeth the Lord God ) let not your sins weigh you down, and let not your unrighteousness be lift up. Woe be unto to those that are subdued unto their own sins, and tangled in their wickednesses: like as a field is hedged in with bushes, and the path thereof covered with thorns, that no man may travel through: and so is he taken, and cast in the fire, and burnt.

The end of the fourth book of Esdras