1 Esdras — Chapter 5

al {hal heare the voice therof, 8.and there (hal be madea confufion in manie places, and the fire thal often be fent backe,and the fauage beafts. fhal goe to other places , and wome:. in their monthtie flowers thal bring forth. monfters, 9. and in {weetc waters fhal fale wacers be found , and al freinds thal ouerthrow one an other: and then fhal wit be hid, and vnderftanding thal be feparated into his cellar: 10,and it fhalbe fought of manie, &.ihal not be found: ard iniuftice fhal'be multiplied and inco :tinence vpon the earth.:1.And one coustric {hal aske her neighbour , and thal fay ; Hath iuftice doing, iuft paffed through tbee? andthe (hal denie it. 12. And it thal be in that }time,men thal hope ,& shal not obraine: they ihal labour ,& chert wayes. thal not haue fucceffe. 13. Thefe fignes.I am permitted to tel thee : and. if thou pray againeand weep , as.alfonow, and faft feuen dayes , thou thalr heare againe-greater things then thefe, 14. And Fawaked, andm bodie did fhiuer exceedingly :and my foule laboured , that it fainted: - 15.and the Anzelrhat came,that {pake in me, held me, and firengthned® ‘me, and fet me vpon my feet,.16, And it came to paffein the {<cond night, and Salathiel the Prince of the people caine. to me, and fayd. tome : Waere waft thou ? and why is thy countenance heauie 217. Kooweft thou not chat Ifrael is committed torhee in the.contrie of their tranfmigration ? 1x. Rife vp therfore , and tafte bread , and forfake vs not , as the Paftour his fockein the hard of wicked wolues, 14. And I fayd.tohim: Goe from me,and approch not vnto me, And he heard, as I faid: & he departed from me,20.And I fated feuen dayes howling and weeping , as Vrielthe Angel commanded me, 21. And itcame to paile after feuen dayes,and .agame cogitations of my hart molefted me very much, 22,and my foule refumed the {pirit of vnderflanding : and agayne] began to-{peake words béfore the Higheft : 23..and I fayd: Lord Domiuaiour or euerie wood of the earth, and al the trees therof, thou halt: chofen one vineyard : 24, and of.euerie land of the world thou haft chofen thee one ditch z-and of al the flowers of tne world thou haft chofen thee one lilie: 25. and of al depthes of the fea , thow -haft filled thee one river: & of al the builded cities, thou haft fanétified vefa thy felt Sion: 26, and of al created foules, thou haft named thce one doue ; and of al-beafts-thar were nade ,thou haft prouided thee one ikeep : 27..and of al multiplied. peoples , thou haft purchafed thee one people : and alaw approucd of al thou haft giuen to this people, whom thou didit defire..23, And now. Lord, why haftthou deliuered one voto manie? And thou had prepared vpon one roote others,aud haft difperfed thy onlie one in mauie :.29, aud they havetroden vponir,. which gainefaydthy couenants,and which belicued nor thy vedtaments J

14. And itsnal be as ic were a commotion, neither thal the place be moued wherin thou fiandeft, 15. Thertore when it Speaketh be nor thou afrayd, becaufe of the end is the word, and the foundation of the earth vnderitood, 16, for concerning them the word tremblechaid is nsoued , for i: knoweth that theirend muft be meee alte OF ESDRAS. oy bechanzed, 17. And it cams to pate, waenthaidheard ,Trofe vpas ' my feete , and I heard; and benolda voice foeaking , and the found therof as the found of maanie warers.: 18. and it fayd: Benold the daves - come, and the time dhal be wheal svil begyne to approch, thai} may vifice the inhabitants.vpon the eart't. 19. And when 1 wel begin to! enquire of them that vaiudly hane hurt with theiriniuitice , and wen the humilicie of Sion ihal be accomplifhed, 20. And wieatas world fhal be ouerfizned chat ihal_bezinne to pale, t wil doe tiefe fizne:s: Books ihal be opened before the face of the firmament, and al.nai fee together,21 & infants of o¢ yeare thal fpeake with thetr voices , aad women with child cial bring torth vatinely infants, iot ripe, of three or foure months, and thal liue, and ilial be rayfed vp. 2...And fo- denly thal appeare fowen places not fowen, and ful cellers ial fodenly we ppc et ee cee be found emptis: 23. and atrumpet thal found ; which when al .iiai heare , they wil fodenly be atrayd. 24, And it thal be in that time, freinds as enemies fhal overthrow freinds , and the earth ihal be aftayd wich them; and the vaynes.of. touncaynes.tnal ftand, and fhal not runnein three AOWres: 25. and it thal be , eucrie one tnat ihal be leaft of al thefe , ot whoin haue foretold thee , he shal be faued , and} thal fee my faluation , and the cnd of your world. 26. And the men that are receiued , {hal fee , they thar taited not death trom their naty- uitie , and che hart of the inhabitants thal be turned into an other fenfe,

had {pokenthe words, and the OF ESDRAS. 987 the Angel was fent to me ,thatcamero me before the night paft 32 & hefayd to me : Heareme, & 1 wil inftrué thee : and harken,to me, and I wil adde before thee. 33. And I fayd: Speake my Lord. And he fayd tome: Thou art become exceedingly in excefle of minde for Ifrael:haft thou loued it more then him that made it ?- 34. AndIfayd to him: No / Lord, but for forowI haue fpoken,, for my.veines torment me euerie houre, to apprehead che pathe of the Higheft , and: to fearch part of his judgement. 35. Andhe faydto me : Thou canft-not. And I fayd : Why Lord? To what was 1 borne, or why was not my mothers womibe my gtaue, thatl might not fee the labour of Iacob, and the wearines of the {tocke of Ifrael? 36. And he fayd to me : Number me thie things that are not yetcome , and gather me the difpetfed droppes , and make me the withered flowers greene againe,37.0¢ open me the fhuteellars,& bring me forth the blaftes inclofed in them, fhew me the image of avoice : & then wil I fhew thee the labour that thou defireft to fee, 38. And 1 faid: Lord Dominatour, for who is there that can know thefe things, but he that hath not his habitation with men? 39. And 1am vrwile, and how can I fpeake of thefe things, whichthou haft asked me? go. And he faid tome: As thou canft not doe one of thefe things, which haue been fayd : fo canft thou not finde my iudgement, or inthe end the charitie, . which I haue promifed to the people. 41. And I fayd : Butbehold Lord thou art nighto them that are nere the end : and what fhal they doe that haue been before me, or we, or they after vs? 42. And he faydtome: I wil refembie my iudgement to a crowne. As there thal not be flacknes of the laft, fo neither fwiftnes ofthe former. 43. And I anfwered , and fayd : Couldft thou not make them that haue been, & thatare, and that fhal be, atonce,that thou mayft fhew thy iudgement the quicker? 44, And he anfwered me, and fayd : The creature can not haften aboue the Creatour , nor the world fuftayne them that are to be created in it, at ouce, 45. And J fayd : As thou didft fay to thy feruant , that quickening thoudidft quicken the creature created by thee at once,and the creature fufteined it; it may now.alfo beare them prefent at once. 46. And he fayd tome: Aske the matrice of a woman , and thou fhaltfay to it:And ifthou bring forth children why by times? Aske ittherfore, that it giuc ten at once, 47. And fayd,it can not verily:but according totime,

corruption sal be ouercome , and truth fhal be thewed, which was without fruite fo manic dayes. 29. And it came. to paffe , when he f{pake tome, and I Joe by litle and litle looked-on him before whonr 1 ftood, 30. and he fayd to me thefe words: I am: come to fhew thee the time of the night to come, 31. If therfore thor pray agayne, and faft agayne feuen dayes , agayne I wil tel thee grea- ter things by the day which I haue heard. 32, For thy voice is heard be. fore the Higheft, For the ftrong hath fene thy direction , and hath fore fene the chaftitie which thou haft had from thy. youth : 32.-and for this caufe he hath feat meto fhew thee al thefe-things , .ai.d-to fay to thee, haue confidence., and fearenot , 34--and ‘haften not with the former times to thinke vayne thiags, that chou haften nortfronr the laft times.. 35. And it came to paffe atterthefe things , and 1 wept againe, aidin like manner fafted feuen dayes, to accompli. the three weeks, that were told me. 36. And it caine to pafle inthe eight night, and m hart was troubied agaige in me , and I began to {peake before the Higheft. 37. Eor my tpirit was.inflamed exceedingly, ard. my foul 1-25 diitreffcd, 38, And fayd : O-Lord, {peaking tnou didit {peake from the begianing of creature from the firlt day, faying : Let heauca be mane and carth :-andthy.word way a pettect worke, 39, And then there was : fpirit, and darkenefle was caried-abour, and filence, the fous.dot tac : voy¢e of man was‘not yet trom thee. 40, Then thoudidit commandine! 2 Mg + Geo og oogss. l9c0 FOVRTH BOOK li zkefome light to be brought forth of thy treafures ,wherby thy worke might appeare. 41, And in the fecond dav thou didft create the {pirit of the Armament, and commandeft ittodiuide , andto makea diuifioa between che waters , that a certayn part ihould depart vpward ,.& part thould remaine beneth. 42. And tn the third day thou didit command the waters to be gathered together in the feuenth part of the earth : but fixe parts thou didft drie and preferue , that of them might be feruing before thee things fowen of Gad, and tilled. 4. Forthy word procee- ded , and the worke forthwith was made. 44. Forfodenly came forth fruice of multitude infinite , and diuerfe tafles of concupifcence , and flowers ot vnchangeable colour , and odours of vnfearcheable finel , & inthe third day thefe things were made. 45. And in the fourth day thou didft cominand to be made the brightneffe of the funne , the light ofthe moone , the difpofition of the ftarres: 46. and did{t command them that they fhould ferue man, that ihould be made. 47. And in the fitth day thou faydit to the feuenth part,where the water was gathered together. that it inould bring torrh beafts,& foulcs & flilies: & fo wasir -done , 48, the dumme water and withoutlire , the things that by Gods appointement were commanded , maidc beafts , that therby the nations may declare rhy merueilous workes 49. And thenthou dicft preferue -two foules: the uame of one thou didft cal Henoch , anu the name of the fecond thou didftcal Leuiathan, 50. and thou didit feparate them from eche other, For the feuenth part , where the water was athered together, could not hold them, 53. And thou gauc ft to Hevoci one part, which was dried the third day ,to dwelt therin, where are 4 thoufand mountaynes, 52. But to Leuiathan thou gaueft the feuenth part betug moyft ,and kepft it, that it might be to deuoure whom thou wilt , and when thou wilr, 53. And in the fixe day ihou didit command the earth tocreate before thee cattel, and beafts jana crceping creatures: 5 4. and ouer thefe Adam , whom thou madeft ruler ouer al the works, which thou didft make, and out of him are al we brought forth , and the peo- ple whom thou haft chofen, 45. And ai thefe things I haue fayd before thee 6 Lord , becaufe thou didft create the world for vs. 56. But the re- fidue of the nations borne of Adam thou faydft that they were nothing, and that they were like to fpittle , and as itwere the droping out of a veffel thou didit liken tue aboundance of them, 57. Andnow Lord, behold thefe nations wich are reputed for nothing , haue begun to rule ouer vs, and to deuoure vs :58, but we thypeople whom thou didft cal thy fir{t onlie begotten emulatour , arc deiiuered into their hands :

And he fayd to me:And I haue giuen a matrice to the earth for them, that are {owen vponit by.time. 49, Foras the infant bringeth not forth. the things that perteyne to the aged , fo haue I difpofed the world crea-. ted of me. so. And] asked, ard fayd : Wheras thou haft now giuen me a way , wil {peake before thee : for our mother,of whom thoutoldeft me, yetthe Is yong : now draweth righ to old.age. 51. And he anfwe- red me, and fayd : Aske her thatbeareth children, and fhe wil tel thee. - §2. For thou fhalt fay toher: Why are.not they whom thou hatt brought forth now like to them that were before thee, butlcffe of fta- ture ? 53. And fhealfo wil fay vnto thee: They thatare borne in the -Cggegg your --- PAGE 2005 --- Proner. 2. pun O28 FOVRTH BOOK youth of ftrength are of one fore , and rhey of an othet ,that are borne about the time of old age, when the matrice fayleth. 54. Confiderther- tore thou alfo , that you are of leffe ftature, then they that were before you: 55. and they chat are after you , of lefierthen you, as it were crea» tures now waxing old, and paft the ftrength of youth, 56. And I fayd: ! befeech thee Lord, if I haue found grace before thine eyes, fhew vnto thy feruant , by whoa thou doeft vitite thy creature. CHAP VIL God knowing al things before they were made , created them 54. for man: & confidereth the ends of al. a ND he faydto me : Inthe beginning of the earthlie = “IN 2? world , and before the ends of the world ftood , and be- gu fore the congregation of the winds did blow ,2, and be- ma, “fore the voices of thunders founded , and before the ev G-s>/ flalhings of lightnings fhined, and before the founda- tions of patadife were confirmed, 3. and before beautiful flowers were {ene , and before the moued powers were eftablifhed , and before the innumerable hofts of Angels were gathered , 4. and before the heights of the ayre were aduanced, and betore the firmaments were named , & defore the chymneies were hote in Sion, 5. & before the prefent yeares were fearched out , and before their inuentions that now finne , were put away ,and they figned that made tayth their treafure : 6, then 1 thought , and they were made by me only , and not by any other: and the end by me, and not by any other. 7, And I anfwered , and fayd : What feparation of times fhal there be? and when thal the end of the tor- mer be, and the beginning of that which foloweth? 8, And he fayd to ‘me , from Abraham vnto I{aac, when Jacob and Efau were borne of him , the hand of lacob heid from the biginning the heele of Efau, 9. for the end of this world is Efau , and the beginning of the next lacob, 10.*The hand of a man between the heele and the hand. Aske no other thiag Efdras, 11, And I anfwered , and fayd: O Lord dominatour , if 1 haue found grace before thyne eyes , 12. pray thee fhew thy feruant the end of thy fignes , wherot thou didft fhew me part the nigh: before.

aud if the world was created tor vs , why doe not we pofleffe in- heritance with the world? how long thefe things? CHAP. --- PAGE 2008 --- OF BSDRAS, 983