1 Esdras — Chapter 6

Letno manther- hold atul cup was brought me ,this was ful as.it were with water : but the colour therof like as fire.qc. And I tookeit,and dranke, and. when 1 abrode, and letthe worthie and vaworthie reade : but the laft feucatic 1010 FOVRTH BOOK: al chat hath been done in the world fromthe beginning, the thingsthar were written in thy law, that men may finde the pathe : and they that wil live im the later times,may liue. 23. And he anfwered me , and fayd; Goe gather together the penple , and thou fhak fay to them , that they fecke thee not for fourtie dayes,.24. And doe thou prepare thee.manie tables of boxe, andtake with thee Sarea , Dabria, Salemia , Echanus, and A fiel, thefe fiue whichare readieto write {wiftly. 25. And come hither,and I wil light in thy bart a candle of ynderftanding,which thal not be put out tithe things be finifhed, whichthou shalt begine to write,

law , when they yet had libertic,. 12, and when as yet place of penance was open to them vaderftoed nor, bur de{pifed : they muft after death in torment know it, 13. Thou therfore be not yet curious, how the impious {hal betormented:buringuire how the iuftthal be faued, and whofe the.worid is, and forwhom-the world: “is, & when. 14. And I anfwered,and feyd:15.1 haue-fppken heertofore ; § before thal paffe, 2. then fhalt thou vnderftand, chat the fame is the time wherin the Higheft wil beginne to vilite and now I fay , and hereatrer wil fay : that they are. moe. which peri:p then that thal be faued : 16. as a floud is multiplied abeue., more then a droppe.37, And he ar,fwered me , ard fay : Leke asthe field fo alfo the feeds : and as the flowers, fuch alfo the colours: aud asthe workeman, fuch allo the worke , and fuchas the hufbandman , fuch is che-hufban- drie : becaufe it was the time of the world, .18. And now when! was. preparing for them, for thefe thatnow are before the-world was-mad« ; -wheria they: fhould dwel : and no man. gaynfaydime. tg, For. ther. jcuery man, aud.uow che creatour-in this-warld prepared , and harueft ot taylioz, and law vnfearchable rheir manners arccorrupied. 20. Ard . Cundedered the-world., and behold there was danger-becaute of ihe cogtiatio,s thar came iii. 21, And.1 faw , and {pand at-very-much ; dat. YO. nas Hhbhhh = and 4 -* os is be Exod. 19. 24. Dent. 4. Exod. 32, Efai. 48, gg8 FOVRTH BOOK and 1 kept varo my felf'a grape kernel of a clufter, and a plant of a great tribe. 22, Ler the mulcitude cherfore perifh , which was borne without caufe, and let my kernel be kept , and my plant: becaufe {finished it with much labour. 23, And thouif thou adde yet feuen ather dayes,but thou fhale not faft inthem , 24. thou fhalt goe into a field of howers, where no houfe is builr: and chou fhalt eate only of the flowers of the field ,and fleth thon (halt nortaft ,. and wine thou thalt not drinke, but only flowers. 25. Pray tothe Higheft without intermiflion , and! wil come, and wil fpeake with thee. 26.And I wentforth, as he fayd to me, into afield which iscalled Ardath , and I fate there among the flowers. And I did eate of the herbes of thesfield ,-and the meate of them made me ful, 27. And itcame to pafle after feuen dayes, and I fate downe vpon the graffe , and my hart was troubled agayne as before. 28. And my-mouth was opened, and I beganneto fpeake before the Highelt, and fayd :29.O Lord thou fhewingzhy felfe to vs, walt fhewed to our fathersdn the defert, which is not troden , and vnfruitful , when they came out of Agypt: and faying thou faydft : 30, Thou Iftael heare me, o and feed of Iacob attend to my words, 31. For behold, I fow my law in you ,and it thal bring forth fruit in you, and you thal be glorified in it for euer. 32. For our fathers recewing the law obferued it not, and kepr not my ordinances,and the fruit.of the law did not appeare: for itcould not becaufe it wasthine. 93. Forthey that receiued ir, perifhed , not Keeping that which had been fowen in them. 34. And behold it is the cuftome , that when the earth hath receiued feede , or the fea a ihippe, orfome velfe! meare or drinke : when that fhal be deftroyed wherin it “was fowne , or into the which it was calt: 3,, that which was fowne, or caft in, or the things that were receiued , aredeftroyed withal, and she things receiued now tarye not with vs : but it is not fo done to vs,

fome bond , tome bringing of them that were offered, And I was ficke for much feare,& awaked, and fayd, 14, Thou from the beginning haft ihewed thy feruant thefe meruelous things , ard haft counted me worthie that thou wouldeft recetue my petition. 15. And now thew me yet the interpretation of this dreame.16. Foras! thinke in my iudgement, woe to them that were left in thafedayes : and much more woe to them that werenot lett. 17, For they chat were not left , were forrowtul. 18. I vnderftand now what things are layde vp in the later dayes , and they fhalhapp=n to them , yeaand to rhem that are left. 19. For therfore thzy came into great danzers,and manie neceflicies, as thefe dreames doe dhew. 20, But yet it is eafier, aduenturing to come iato it, then to paffe, as acloud from the world,and now to {ce the tningsthat nappen in the iater time. And he anfwered me , and fayd : 23, Both the iaterpretation of the vifion J wiltel thee : and alfo concerning the things thac thou haft {po- ken I. wil open to thee, 22. Wheras thou {peakeft of chem that were lett this is the interpretation, 23, He that taketh away danger atthactime, he hath garded himfelt. They that hauc fallen into danger , thefe are they that haue works and fayth in the Strongeft. 24. Know therfore that they are more bleffed which are left, then they that are dead. 25, Thefe are the interpretations of the vilion ,wheras thou fawefta man comming from the harcof the fea,26.the fame is he whom the Higheit- preferuech much time, which by himfelf fhal deiiuer his creature ; and q he thal difpofe them that are left. 27. And wheras thou fawelt proceed out of his mouth, as ic were winde, and fire, and cempeit : 25, and wheras he held no fword, nor warlike inftru-nent :for his violence de- ftroyed the multicude that came to ouerthrow him: this is the inter- pretation, 29. Behold the dayes come , when rhe Higheft nal bezin to. deliuer cheni,that are vpon the earth; 30. and he fhel Come in excefle of minde vpon them thatinhabit the earth.;1.And one thal thinke to ouer- throw an other : one citie an other citric, one place an other place, and Nation again{ nation, and Kingdom ag:avft Kingdom. 32, And itthal be , when thefe things ial come to paffe , and the fignes {hal happen, which L thewed thee before ; and then fhal:my fonne_be reucaled, whom thou faweft,asa man comming vp.33.And it thal be when al na- tions fhal heare his voice: and eucry one in his countrie fhaileaue their warre, thatchcy haue toward cach other : 34. and an innumerable mul- titude fhal be gathered in onc, as willing tacome to ouerthrow him.35 But he {hal {tand vpon the top of mount Sion. 36. And Sion thal come, and it fhal be snewedvto al prepared and builded ,as thou faweft the mountaine to be prauen without hands, 37, And che fame my fonne fal reproue the thiags that the Gentils haue inuented , thele their im- pieties which came ncere to the rempeft, becaufe of their cui] cogitatids, and torments wherewith they thal begin to be tormented, 3%. -Which ‘were Jikned ro the fame, and he thal deftroy them without labour by unc OF ESDRAS. 1004] Mat, 24, Luc, 24, Fe tt ee ania cea Dnt ae {+ Reg. 17, Exod, 14, Tofise 3. (ro08 FOVRTH BOOK the law that was likened tothe fyre. 39. And wheras thoufaweft him gathering vnto himt another peaceable multitude. 4c. Thefe arethe ten tribes , which were made captiue out of their landin the dayes of Ofee the King, whom Salmanafar the King of the Affyrians led captiue:and he tranfported them beyond the river ,and they were tran{ported into an other land. 41. But they gaue themfelues this counfel, to forfake the multitude of nations, andto goe forth into a farther countric , where mankind neuer inhabited. 42, Or there to obferue their ordinances, which they had not kept in their countrie, 43. And they entredin by the narrow entrances of the riuer:Euphrates. 4.4. For the Higheft then wrought them fignes, and ftayed the vaines of the riuertil they paffed,

ThusI tel thee betore thou beginne not to appeare. 17.. None after thee tial hold thy rime,no northe halfe therof, 18. And the third lifted vp it felte , and held the principalitic as alfothe former : and thatalfo appeared not, 19, And fo it chanced toal ‘the other by one and by one to naue the principalitie , andagaine to ap- peare no-where.20.And I faw,and behold in time the reft of rhe wings were fent vp on the right fide , thatthey alfo mighe hold the principa- litie: and of them there were that held it, bur yet forthwith they ap- peared o:. 21. For (ome alfo ot. them ftoade vp , but they heldnot tne pri:cipaiitie, 22. Aidt {aw after. thele things, and behold the-twelue win.s,and two litle wings appeared not: 23. and nothing. remayned 1n1 the — OF ESDRAS. 1003 the bodie of the eagle but two heads refting, & fix litle wings. 24. And 1 faw, and behold from the fix litle wings two were diuided , and they remained vader the head , that is on the right fide, Forfoure taried in their place, 25, And I faw, and behold the vnderwings thought to fer vp themfelues and to hold che principalities. 26, And faw , and behold: one was fet vp, but forthwith ic appeared not, 27. And they that were fecond did foonet vanifhaway then the former, 28. And faw, andbe- hold the rwo that remayned , thought with them{felues. that they alfo. would reigne: 29. and when they were thinking thereon, behold one } of the refting heads , which was the midde one awaked , for this was. ereater then the other two heads.30.And IJ faw that the two heads were complete with-themfelues.31.And behold.the head with them that were with him turned ,and did eate the two vnderwings that thought to reigne, 3.2, And this-head terrified. al the earth , & ruledin it ouer them that inhabite the earth with much labour, and he that held the domi- nion of the whole world: aboue .al the wings that were, 33, And1 faw after thefe things,and behold the middle head fodenly appeared not , as did the wings. 34, And there remained two heads., which reigned alfo themielues ouer the earth, and ouer them that dwelrtherein. 35. Aud I faw , and. behold the head.on the right fide deuoured that which was. onthe left. 36. And I heard a voice faying to me , Looke againft thee, ‘and confider what thou feeft.37. And I faw, and behold as a lion ratfed: our of the wood roaring : and {aw that he fent out a mans-voice to the eagle. And he {peake faying. 38. Heare thou, and-I wilfpeake tothee, and the Higheft wil fay to thee ::39. Is it not thou that haft ouercome of the foure beafts , which I made to reigne in my- world, and.that by them the end oftheir times might come? 4o.. And the fourth-comming ouercame al.the bealts that were paft , and by. might held the world’ with much feare , and al.the world with moft wicked. labour ,. and:he- Inhabited the whole earth folong time with deceipt, 41. And thou.haff. lud zed the earth not with truth. 42, For thou haft afflicted the mreeke, and haft troubled:chem chat were quiet , and haftloued lyers , and haft deftroyed their habitationsthat did fruGifie,.& haft ouerthrowen their wals thar did not hurtthee, 43.And.thy contumelie is afcended‘euen to the Higheft , and thy pride tothe Strong. 44. Andthe Higheft hath looked vpon the proud times : and behold they are ended, and:the abo- minations therof.are accoipliihed. 45, Therfore thoweagle appeare no moré, and thy horrible wings and thy.little wings-moft wicked, and thy heads malignant , and thy talons. moft wicked , and al.thy-bodie. vayne, 46.that alrhe earth may be refrefhed , and may returne de}j- ‘ucred trom thy violence , and may hope for his iudgement and mercie. that mace it. luting CHAP, 4 q { Dan, 7.U, » 1004 FOVRTH BOOK

For to morrow this houre thou {halt begine to write. 27. And 1 went ashe commanded me, and gathered to- gether al the people , and fayd : 28. Heare Ifrael thefe words : 29. Our fathers were pitgrimes.from the beginning in Agypt , and were dehiue- red trom thence. 30,And they receiued the law of life, which they kept not, which you alfo after them haue tranfgreffed : 31, and the land:was giuen you by lor, and the land of Sion, and your fathers , and you haue done iniquitie, and haue not kept the wayes which the Higheft com- manded you, 32. And wheras he isa inft iudge, he hathtaken from you. intime that which he had giuen. 33. Andnow youare here, and your brethrenare among you. 34. Ifthen you wil rule ouer your fenfe, & in- ftruct your hart, you fhal be preferued aliue, and after death ihal-ob- taine mercie.75. For theiudgement fhalcome after death,when we fhal. returne to lyfe againe : and then the namesof the iuft fhal appeare, fore come tome now , nor aske for me yntil fourtie dayes.. 37. And [ tooke the fiue men, ashe commanded me, and we went forth into the field , and tarted there. 38. And I was come to the morrow,and be- hold a voice called me,faying :Efdras open thy mouth,and drinke thar which I wil giue thee to-.drinke..39. And I opened my mouth, and be- Thad druken of it, my hact was tormented with vnderitanding , and. wifdom grew into my breft.. For my-{pirit was. kept by memorie, 41. And my mouth was opened , and was fhut no more, 42, The Higheft ‘gaue vnderftanding vnto the fiue men , and-they wrote exceffes of the aight which were fpoken, which they knew not.43,And at night they dideate breads, but fpake by day, and by night held nor my peace.44, And there were written m the fourtie dayes two hundred foure Books, 45-And it came topafle whé they-had ended the feurtie dairs,theHighcli fpake, faying : 46, The tormer things.which thou halt written , fe. Booksthou hale keep;that thon maye{t deliuer them vo the wyfe of thy people. 47. For in chefe isthe vaineot vnderftanding , and the foun- ' taineof wifdom, and the direame of knowledge, and I did foe.

For the law hath not periued , bur hath re- mayned in his Jabour. 38, And when {pake thefe chings.in my hart, I looked backe with myne eyes, and {aw a woman on therightdide, and’, behold fie mourned, and wept witha loud voice, and was forrowful in miade exceedingly, and her garments rent, and afhes vpon her head.

Why weepeft thou ? and why art thou forie- inminde. And the faydto-me : a1. Sufter.me, my Lord ,that J may la- ment my felfe, and adde forrow : becaufe 1 am of a very penfiue mind, and atn humbled exceedingly, 42. And I fayd to her : What ayleth thee :tel me, And fhe fayd to me: 43. I thy feruant haue been barren, and haue not borne -childe , having a hufband thirty yeares. 44. For I euery howre , and euerie day , aud thefe thirty yeares doe befeeche the Higheftnight and day, 45, And it caine to pafle , atter thirtie yeares God heard me thy handmayd , and faw my huniliue, and attended to my tribulation, and gaue mea fonac: and 1 was very ioytul OP BSDRAS, 999 ioyfu) vpon him ,and my husband, and al my citizens, and we did elo- rifiethe Strong exceedingly. 46. And 1 nourifhed him with much la- bour. 47. And it came to paffe when he was growen, and cameto take a wife, I madea feaft day,

For by that countrie was a great way-to goe, of one yeare anda half: forthe countrieis called Arfareth.46,Then did they inhabite there tilin the latertime :-and now againe when they beginne to come, 47. againe the Higheft fhal ftay the vaines of the rtuer,thatthey may paffe: for thefe thou faweft a multitude with peace. 48. But they-alfo that were leaft of the people, thefe are they that be within my border. 49.1 thal come to paffe therfore , when he fhal beginne to deftroy the mul-. titude of thefe nations, that are gathered, he fhal protect chem that hatie ouerconre the people: 50, and then fhalhe fhew-them very manie wonders, 51. And I fayd: Lord dominatour, fhew methis, why I {aw aman comming vp from the hart of the fea, and he fayd to-me: 52.As thou canft not either. fearch thefe things , or know what things-are in the depth of the fea: fo can not any man vpon the earth fee my fonne, or them that are with him, but-in the time of a day. 53. This is the in- terpretationof tlre dreame whichthoufaweft, and for the which thou only are here illuminated, 5.4. For thou-haft leaft thyne owne law , and haft been occupied about my law, and haft fought it. 55, Forthou haft difpofed thy lifein wifdom , and-thyne vnderftanding thou-haft called mother : 56. and for this] haue fhewed thee riches withthe Highedt. For it fhal be after other three dayes , I wil fpeake other things to thee, and I wilexpound to thee weightie and meruclous things, 5.7, And I went forth , and paffed into the field , much glorifying and praifing the ‘Higheft for she meruclous things that he did by time, 58, And becaufe -he gouerneth it, andthe things that are brought in times . and I fate there three.dayes.. CHAP. --- PAGE 2026 --- OF ESDRAS. 1005

Forthey aifo receiuing libertie haue defpifed the Higheft , and contemned his law,and forfaken his waycs. 57.Yea and moreouer they haue troden downe his iuft ones, 58. and haue fayd in their hart, thae there isno God : and that, knowing thatthey dye. 59. For as the things aforefayd thal recciue you: fo thirft and torment , which are prepared } fhaltakethem : for he would not man to be deftroyed, 60, But they themfelues alfo which are created , haue defyled his name which made them : and haue been vnkinde tohim that prepared life.61. Wherfore my iudgement now apprecheth. 62, Which things I haue nor thewed to al, but to thee , and ro few like ynto thee, And 1 anfwered, and faid:

Behold now Lord thou haft {iewed me a mulutude of fignes which thou wilt beginne to doc uv the latter times , but thou haft not ihewed me at what time. oo CHAP. 55- Adde not therfore inquiring of the multitude of them thac periih, --- PAGE 2014 --- OF ESDRAS. 997 CHAP, IX. Certaine fignes shal gee before the day ofiudgemen?. 14. Mere shal perish thent be faued, 25. Prayer with other good works are meanes to faluation. ND heanfwered me, and fayd ; Meafuring meafure 2 thouthe time in it-felf: and it thalbe when thou feeft, = atter acertame part of the fignes which are fpoken of the world that was made by him. 3. And when there fhal be fene in the, world mouing of places , andtrouble of peoples , 4. then fhalt thou vnderftand , that of thefe fpake the Higheft trom the dayes that were before thee, from the beginning. 5. For as.althatis made inthe world: hatha beginning , and.alfo.a covfummation , and the confummation is manifeft: 6. foaifothe times of the Higheft haue the beginning ma- niteftin wonders and: powers, and the confummauins in worke and’ a..d in fignes, 7. Ard itinal be,-enery one that thal be faued , and that can ef{cape by his. works , and by fayth , 12 which you haue belieued, 8, fhal be leaft ouvof the forcfayd dangers, and thal {ee my faluation in m land, and in my cofts, becaufe I haue fanctified my fels from the world,