The Holy BiblePart 28 out of 29the occurrentes, and to Balthemus, and to Sabellius the scribe, and to the rest ioyned with them, and to the dwellers in Syria, and Phenice, as foloweth: 26 I haue read the epistle that you sent me. I commanded therfore search to be made, & it was found that the same citie is from the beginning rebellious to kinges, 27 and the men rebelles, and making battels in it, & there were most valient kinges ruling in Ierusalem, and exacting tributes in Caelesyria, & Phenice. 28 Now therfore I haue geuen commandment to forbid those men to build the citie, and to stay them that nothing be done more then is: 29 and that they proceeded not farder, wherof are euils, so that there may be truble brougt vpon the kinges. 30 Then these things being read which were writen of king Artaxerxes, Rathimus, and Sabellius the scribe, and they that were apointed with them ioyning together in hast came to Ierusalem with a troupe of horsemen, and multitude, & companie: 31 and they begane to forbid the builders, and they ceased from building of the temple in Ierusalem, til in the second yeare of the reigne of Darius king of the Persians. CHAP. III. After a solemne supper made to al the court, and chief princes, king Darius sleeping: 4. three esquires of the bodie keeping watch, proposed the question: 10. VVhether wine, or a King, or wemen, or the truth doth excel? 17. The first prayseth wine. KING Darius made a great supper to al his domestical seruantes, and to al the magistrates of Media and Persia, 2 and to al that were purple, and to the praetors, and counsuls, and liuetenantes vnder him from India vnto AEthiopia, an hundred twentie seuen prouinces. 3 And when they had eaten and drunken, and returned ful, then Darius went vp into his chamber, and slept, and awaked. 4 Then those three youngmen kepers of his bodie, which garded the kings bodie, sayd one to an other; 5 Let euerie one of vs say a word that may excel: & whose word soeuer shal appeare wiser then the others, to him wil king Darius geue great giftes, 6 to be couered with purple, & to drinke in gold, and to sleepe vpon gold, & a chariote with a bridle of gold, & a bonet of silke, and a cheyne about his necke: 7 and he shal sit in the second place next Darius for his wisdome. And he shal be called the cosin of Darius. 8 Then euerie one writing his word signed it, and they put it vnder the pillow of Darius the king, 9 and they sayd. When the king shal rise, we wil geue him our writinges: and which soeuer of the three the king shal iudge, and the magistrates of Persia, that his word is the wiser, to him shal the victorie be geuen as is writen. 10 One wrote: Wine is strong. 11 An other wrote, a King is stronger. 12 The third wrote, Wemen are more strong: but aboue al thinges truth ouercometh. 13 And when the king was risen, they tooke their writinges, and gaue him, and he read. 14 And sending he called al the Magistrates of Persians, and the Medes, and them that weare purple, and the pretors, and the ouerseers; 15 and they sate in the councel: and the writinges were read before them. 16 And he sayd: Cal the youngmen, and they shal declare their owne wordes. And they were called, and went in. 17 And he sayd to them: Declare vnto vs concerning these thinges which are writen. And the first began, he that had spoken of the strength of wine, 18 and sayd: O ye men, how doth wine preuaile ouer al men that drinke! it seduceth the minde. 19 And also the mind of king and orphane it maketh vaine. Also of the bondman and the free, of the rich man and the poore, 20 and euerie mind it turneth into securitie and pleasantnes, and it remembreth not any sorow and dewtie, 21 and al hartes it maketh honest, and it remembreth not king, nor magistrate, and it maketh a man speake al thinges by talentes. 22 And when they haue drunke, they remember not frendship, nor brotherhood: yea and not long after they take swordes. 23 And when they are recouered and risen from the wine, they remember not what they haue done. 24 O ye men, doth not wine excel? who thinketh to doe so? And hauing sayd this, he held his peace. CHAP. IIII. The second prayseth the excellencie of a king: 13. The third (which is Zorobabel) commendeth wemen: 33. but preferreth truth aboue al. 41. VVhich is so approued, and he is rewarded. 42. The king moreouer at his request restoreth the holie vessels of the temple, and granteth meanes to build the citie of Ierusalem, and the temple. AND the next began to speake, he that spake of the strength of a king. 2 O ye men doe not the men excel, which obteyne land and sea, and al thinges that are in them? 3 But a king excelleth aboue al thinges, and hath dominion ouer them: and euerie thing whatsoeuer he shal say to them, they doe. 4 And if he send them to warryers, they goe, and throw downe mountaines, and the walles, and towers. 5 They kil, and are killed: and the kinges word they transgresse not. For if they shal ouercome, they bring to the king al thinges whatsoeuer they haue taken for a praye. 6 In like maner also al others, for so many as are not souldiars, nor fight, but til the ground: when they shal reape, againe they bring tributes to the king. 7 And he being one onlie if he say: Kil ye, they kil: say he: forgeue, the forgeue. 8 say he: strike: they strike: say he, destroy, they destroy: say he build, they build. 9 say he, cut downe, they cut downe, say he plant, they plant: 10 and al the people, & potestates here him, and beside this he sitteth downe, and drinketh, and sleepeth. 11 And others gard him round about, and can not goe euerie one, and doe their owne workes, but at a word are obedient to him. 12 O ye men, how doth not a king excel that is so renowmed? And he held his peace. 13 The third that spake of wemen and truth, this is Zorobabel, began to speake. 14 O ye men, not the great king, & many men, neither is it wine that dothe excel. Who is it then that hath the dominion of them? 15 Haue not wemen brought forth the king, and al the people, that ruleth ouer land & sea: 16 and were they not borne of them, and did not they bring vp them which planted the vineyardes, whereof wine is made? 17 And they make the garmentes of al men, & they doe honor to al men, and men can not be separed from wemen. 18 If they haue gathered gold and siluer, and euerie beutiful thing, & see a woman comelie and fayre, 19 leauing al these thinges they fixe their looke vpon her, & with open mouth beholde her, and allure her more then gold and siluer, and euerie precious thing. 20 Man forsaketh his father that brought him vp, and his countrie, and ioyneth himself to a woman. 21 And with a woman he refresheth his soul: and neither doth he remember father, nor mother, nor countrie. 22 And hereby you must know that wemen rule ouer you. Are you not sorie? 23 And a man taketh his sword, & goeth into the way to commit theftes and murders, & to sayle seas & riuers, 24 and seeth a lyon, and goeth in darkenes: and when he hath committed theft, and fraude, and spoyles, he bringeth it to his beloued. 25 And againe, man loueth his wife more then father or mother. 26 And many haue become madde for their wiues: and haue been made bondmen for them: 27 and many haue perished and bene slayne, and haue sinned for wemen. 28 And now beleue me, that the king is great in his powre: because al countries are afrayd to touch him. 29 Neuertheles I saw Apemes the daughter of Bezaces the concubine of a meruelous king, sitting by the king at his right hand, 30 and taking of the crowne from his head, and putting it vpon her self, and with the palme of her left hand she stroke the king. 31 And beside these thinges he with open mouth beheld her: and if she smiled he laugheth, and if she be angrie with him, he flattereth, til he be reconciled to her fauour. 32 O ye men, why are not wemen stronger? Great is the earth, and high is the heauen: who doeth these thinges? 33 And then the king and they that weare purple looked one vpon an other. And he began to speake of truth. 34 O ye men, are not wemen strong? The earth is great and heauen is high: & the swift course of the sunne turneth the heauen round into his place in one day. 35 Is not he magnifical that doth these thinges, and the truth great, and stronger aboue al thinges? 36 Al the earth calleth vpon the truth, heauen also blesseth it, and al workes are moued, and tremble at it, and there is not any thing with it vniust. 37 Wine is vniust, the king is vniust, wemen are vniust, al the sonnes of men are vniust, and al their workes are vniust, and in them is not truth, and they shal perish in their iniquitie: 38 and truth abydeth, and groweth strong for euer, and liueth, and preuayleth for euer and euer. 39 Neither is there with it acception of persons, nor differences: but the thinges that are iust it doth to al men, to the vniust and malignant, and al men are wel pleased in the workes thereof. 40 And there is no vniust thing in the iudgement therof, but strength, and reigne, and power, and maiestie of worldes. Blessed be the God of truth. 41 And he left speaking. And al the people cryed, and sayd: Great is truth and it preuaileth. 42 Then the king sayd to him: Aske, if thou wilt any more, then the thinges that are writen, and I wil geue it thee, according as thou art found wiser then thy neighbours, & thou shalt sitte next to me, and shalt be called my cosin. 43 Then sayd he to the king: Be midful of thy vow, which thou hast vowed, to build Ierusalem in the day that thou didst receiue the kingdom: 44 and to send backe al the vessels that were taken out of Ierusalem, which Cyrus separated, when he sacked Babylon, and would haue sent them backe thither. 45 And thou hast vowed to build the temple, which the Idumeians burnt, when Iurie was destroyed of the Chaldees. 46 And now this is that which I aske Lord, & which I desire, this is the maiestie which I desire of thee, that thou performe the vowe which thou hast vowed to the king of heauen by thy mouth. 47 Then Darius the king rising vp, kissed him: and wrote letters to al the officers, and ouerseers, and them that weare purple, that they should conduct him, and them that were with him, al going vp to build Ierusalem. 48 And to al the ouerseers that were in Syria, and Phoenice, and Libanus he wrote letters, that they should draw Ceder trees from Libanus into Ierusalem, to build the citie with them. 49 And he wrote to al the Iewes which went vp from the kingdome into Iurie for libertie, euerie mightie man, & magistrate, & ouerseer not to come vpon them to their gates, 50 and al the countrie which they had obtayned to be free vnto them, & that the Idumeians leaue the castels which they possesse of the Iewes, 51 and to the building of the temple to geue euerie yeare twentie talentes vntil it were throughly built: 52 & vpon the altars to burne holocausts dayly, as they haue commandment: to offer other ten talentes euery yeare, 53 & to al that go forth from Babylon to build the citie, that there should be libertie as wel to them as to their children, and to al the priestes that goe before. 54 And he wrote a quantitie also, and commanded the sacred stole to be geuen, wherein they should serue; 55 and to the Leuites he wrote to geue preceptes, vntil the day wherein the house shal be finished, and Ierusalem builded. 56 And to al that kepe the citie, he wrote portions and wages to be geuen to them. 57 And he sent away al the vessels whatsoeuer Cyrus had separated from Babylon, and al thinges whatsoeuer Cyrus sayd, he also commanded to be donne, and to be sent to Ierusalem. 58 And when that yong man was gone forth, lyfting vp his face toward Ierusalem, he blessed the king of heauen, 59 & sayd: Of thee is victorie, and of thee is wisdome, and glorie. And I am thy seruant. 60 Blessed art thou which hast geuen me wisedom, and I wil confesse to thee Lord God of our fathers. 61 And he toke the letters, and went into Babylon. And he came, and told al his brethren that were in Babylon: 62 and they blessed the God of their fathers, because he gaue them remission and refreshing, 63 that they should goe vp and build Ierusalem, and the temple wherein his name was renowmed, and they reioyced with musike and ioy seuen dayes. CHAP. V. Those that returned from captiuitie of Bablyon into Ierusalem, and Iurie, are recited. 47. They restore Gods seruice: 66. but are hindered from building. AFTER these thinges there were chosen, to goe vp the princes of townes by their houses, and tribes, and their wiues, and their sonnes and daughters, and their men seruantes and wemen seruantes, and their cattel. (1 Esd 2:1) 2 And Darius the king sent together with them a thousand horsmen, til they conducted them to Ierusalem with peace, & with musicke & with tymbrels, and shaulmes: 3 and al the brethren were playing, and he made them goe vp together with them. 4 And these are the names of the men that went vp by their townes according to tribes, and according to the portion of their principalitie. 5 Priestes: The children of Phinees, the sonne of Aaron, Iesus the sonne of Iosedec, Ioacim the sonne of Zorobabel, the sonne of Salatheil of the house of Dauid, of the progenie of Phares, of the tribe of Iuda. 6 Who spake vnder Darius king of the Persians the meruelous wordes in the second yeare of his reigne the first moneth Nisan. 7 And they are these, that of Iurie came vp from the captiuitie of the transmigration, whom Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon transported into Babylon, and returned into Ierusalem. (1 Esd 2:2 / 2 Esd 7:6) 8 And euerie one sought a part of Iurie according to his owne citie, they that came with Zorobabel, and Iesus, Nehemias, Areores, Elimeo, Emmanio, Mardocheo, Beelsuro, Mechpsatochor, Olioro, Emonia one of their princes. 9 And the number of them of the same nation, of their rulers the children of Phares, two thousand an hundred seuentie two: 10 The children of Ares, three thousand an hundred fiftie seuen: 11 The children of Phoemo, an hundred fourtie two: in the children of Iesus and Ioabes, a thousand three hundred two: 12 the children of Demu, two thousand foure hundred seuentie: the children of Choraba, two hundred fiue: the children of Banica, an hundred sixtie eight, 13 the children of Bebech, foure hundred three: the children of Archad, foure hundred twentie seuen: 14 the children of Cham, thirtie seuen: the children of Zoroar, two thousand sixtie seuen: the children of Adin, foure hundred sixtie one: 15 the children of Aderectes, an hundred eight: the children of Ciaso and Zelas an hundred seuen: the children of Azoroc, foure hundred thirtie nine: 16 the children of Iedarbone, an hundred thirtie two: the children of Ananias, an hundred thirtie: the children of Asoni, ninetie: 17 the children of Marsar, foure hundred twentie two: the children of Zabarus, nintie fiue: the children of Sepolemon, an hundred twentie three: 18 the children of Nepopas, fiftie fiue: the children of Hechanatus, an hundred fiftie eight: the children of Cebethamus, an hundred thirite two: 19 the children of Crearpatros, which are of Enocadie and Modia, foure hundred twentie three: they of Gramas and Babea, an hundred twentie one. 20 They of Besselon, and Ceagge, sixtie fiue: they of Bastraro, an hundred twentie two: 21 they of Bechenobes, fiftie fiue: the children of Liptis, an hundred fiftie fiue: the children of Labonni, three hundred fiftie seuen: 22 the children of Sichem, three hundred seuentie: the children of Suadon, & Cliomus, three hundred seuentie eight: 23 the children of Ericus, two thousand an hundred fourtie fiue: the children of Anaas, three hundred seuentie. The priestes: 24 the children of Ieddus, the sonne of Euther, the sonne of Eliasib, three hundred seuenty two: the children of Emerus, two hundred fiftie two: 25 the children of Phasurius, three hundred fiftie seuen the children of Caree, two hundred twentie seuen. 26 The Leuites: The children of Iesus in Caduhel, and Bamis, and Serebias, and Edias, seuentie foure, the whole number from the twelfth yeare, thiritie thousand foure hundred sixtie two. 27 The sonnes, and daughters, and wiues, the whole number, fourtie thousand two hundred fourtie two. 28 The children of the Priestes, that sang in the temple: the children of Asaph, an hundred twentie eight. 29 And the porters: the children of Esmeni, the children of Azer, the children of Amon, the children of Accuba, of Topa, the children of Tobi, al an hundred thirtie nine. 30 Priestes that serued in the temple: the children of Sel, the children of Gaspha, the children of Tobloch, the children of Caria, the children of Su, the children of Hellu, the children of Lobana, the children of Armacha, the children of Accub, the children of Vtha, the children of Cetha, the children of Aggab, the children of Obai, the children of Anani, the children of Canna, the children of Geddu, 31 the children or An, the children of Radin, the children of Desanon, the children of Nachoba, the children of Caseba, the children of Gaze, the children of Ozui, the children of Sinone, the children of Attre, the children of Hasten, the children of Asiana, the children of Manei, the children of Nasissim, the children of Acusu, the children of Agista, the children of Azui, the children of Fauon, the children of Phasalon, 32 the children of Meedda, the children of Phusa, the children of Caree, the children of Burcus, the children of Saree, the children of Coesi, the children of Nasith, the children of Agisti, the children of Pedon. 33 Salomon his children, the children of Asophot, the children of Phasida, the children of Celi, the children of Dedon, the children of Gaddehel, the children of Sephegi, 34 the children of Aggia, the children of Sachareth, the children of Sabathen, the children of Caroneth, the children of Malsith, the children of Ama, the children of Sasus, the children of Addus, the children of Suba, the children of Eura, the children of Rahotis, the children of Phasphat, the children of Malmon. 35 Al that serued the sanctuarie, and the seruantes of Salomon, foure hundred eightie two. 36 These are the children that came vp from Thelmela, Thelharsa: the princes of them, Carmellam, and Careth: 37 and they could not declare their cities, and their progenies, how they are of Israel. The children of Dalari, the children of Tubal, the children of Nechodaici, 38 of the Priestes, that did the function of priesthood: and there were not found the children of Obia, the children of Achisos, the children of Addin, who tooke a wife of the daughters of Pargeleu: 39 and they were called by his name, and the writing of the kinred of these was sought in the register, and it was not found, and they were forbid to doe the function of priesthood. 40 And Nehemias and Astharus sayd to them: Let not the holie thinges be participated, til there arise a hiegh priest lerned for declaration and truth. 41 And al Israel was beside men seruantes, and wemen seruantes, fourtie two thousand three hundred fourtie. 42 Their men seruantes and wemen seruantes, seuen thousand three hundred thirtie seuen. Singing men and singing wemen, two hundred three score fiue. 43 Camels, foure hundred thiritie fiue. Horses, seuen thousand thirtie six. Mules, two hundred thousand fourtie fiue. Beastes vnder yoke, fiue thousand twentie fiue. 44 And of the rulers themselues by their villages, when they came into the temple of God, which was in Ierusalem, to renew and raise vp the temple in his place, according to their power: 45 and to be geuen into the temple to the sacred treasure of the workes, of gold twelue thousand mnas, and fiue thousand mnas of siluer, and stoles for Priestes an hundred. 46 And the Priestes and Leuites, and they that came out of the people, dwelt in Ierusalem, and in the countrie, and the sacred singingmen, and porters, and al Israel in their countries. 47 And the seuenth moneth being at hand, and when the children of Israel were euerie man in his owne affayres, they came together with one minde into the court, that was before the east gate. (1 Esd 3:1) 48 And Iesus the sonne of Iosedec, and his brethren the priestes: Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel, and his brethren standing vp, prepared an altar, 49 that they might offer vpon it holocaustes, according to the thinges that are writen in the booke of Moyses the man of God. 50 And there assembled there of other nations of the land, and al the nations of the land erected the altar in his place, and they offered hostes, and morning holocaustes to our Lord. 51 And they celebrated the feast of Tabernacles, and the solemne day, as it is commanded in the lawe: and sacrifices dayly, as it behoued: 52 and after these the appointed oblations, and the hostes of the sabbathes, and of the newmoones, and of al the solemne sanctified dayes. 53 And as manie as vowed to our Lord from the new moone of the seuenth moneth, began to offer the hostes to God, and the temple of our Lord was not yet built. 54 And they gaue monie to the masones and workemen, and drinke and victuals with ioy. 55 And they gaue cartes to the Sidonians, and Tyrianes, that with them they should carie ceder beames from Lybanus, and should make boates in the hauen Ioppe, according to the decre that was writen for them by Cyrus king of the Persians. 56 And in the second yeare coming into the temple of God in Ierusalem, in the second moneth began Zorobel the sonne of Salathiel, and Iosue the sonne of Iosedec, and their bretheren, and the Priestes and Leuites, and al that were come from the captiuitie into Ierusalem. 57 and they founded the temple of God in the newmoone of the second moneth of the second yeare, after that they came into Iurie and Ierusalem. 58 And they appoynted the Leuites from twentie yeares, ouer the workes of our Lord: and Iesus stood and his sonne, and the bretheren, al Leuites ioyning together, & executors of the lawe, doing the workes in the house of our Lord. 59 And al the Priestes stood, hauing stoles with trumpettes: 60 and Leuites the children of Asaph, hauing cymbals together praysing our Lord, and blessing him according to Dauid king of Israel. 61 And they song a song to our Lord, because his sweetenes, and honour is for euer vpon Israel. 62 And al the people sounded with trumpet, and cried out with a loud voice, praysing our Lord in the raysing vp of the house of our Lord. 63 And there came of the Priestes and Leuites, and presidentes by their villages the more ancientes, which had sene the old house: 64 and to the building of this with crie and great lamentation, and manie with trumpettes and great ioy: 65 in so much that the people heard not the trumpettes for the lamentatinon of the people. For the multitude was sounding with trumpettes magnifically, so that it was heard far of. 66 And the enimes of the tribe of Iuda, and Beniamin heard it, and they came to knowe what the voyce of the trumpettes was: 67 And they knew that they which were of the captiuitie doe build a temple to our Lord the God of Israel. 68 And coming to Zorobabel & Iesus, the ouerseers of the villages, they sayd to them: We will build together with you: (1 Esd 4:2) 69 For we haue in like maner heard your Lord, & we walke like from the dayes of Asbazareth king of the Assyrians, who transported vs hither. 70 And Zorobabel, and Iesus, & the princes of the villages of Israel, sayd to them: 71 It is not for vs and you to build the house of our God. For we alone wil build to our Lord of Israel according as Cyrus the king of the Persians hath commanded. 72 And the nations of the land lying vpon them that are in Iurie, and lifting vp the worke of the building, and bringing ambushmentes, and peoples, prohibited them to build. 73 and practising assaultes hindred them, that the building might not be finished al the time of the life of king Cyrus, and they differred the building for two yeares vntil the reigne of Darius. CHAP. VI. The Iewes by assistance of king Darius build vp the Temple in Ierusalem. AND in the second yeare of the reigne of Darius prophecied Aggeus, and Zacharias the sonne of Addo the prophet to Iurie and Ierusalem in the name of God of Israel vpon them. (1 Esd 5:1) 2 Then Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel standing vp, and Iesus the sonne of Iosedec begane to build the house of our Lord, which is in Ierusalem. 3 When the prophetes of our Lord were present with them, and did helpe them. At the same time came Sisennes to them, the deputie of Syria, and of Phenice, and Satrabuzanes, and his felowes: 4 and they sayd to them: By whose commandment, build ye this house, and this roofe, and perfite al other thinges? And who are the workmen that build these thinges? 5 And the ancientes of the Iewes, which were left of the captiuitie by our Lord, had fauoure when the visitation was made vpon them. 6 And they were not hindered from building, til it was signified to Darius of al these thinges, and answer was receiued. 7 A copie of the letter, which they sent to Darius. SISENNES deputie of Syria and Phenice, and Satrabuzanes, and his felowes in Syria and Phenice presidents, to king Darius greetings: 8 Be al thinges knowen to our Lord the king, that when we came into the countrie of Iurie, and had entered into Ierusalem, we found them building the great house of God. 9 And the temple of polished stones, and of great and precious matter in the walles. 10 And the workes to be a doing earnestly, and to succede, and prosper in their handes, and in al glorie to be perfited most diligently. 11 Then we asked the ancients saying, by whose permission build ye this house, & found these workes? 12 And therfore we asked them, that we might doe thee to know the men & the ouerseers, and we required of them a rolle of the names of the ouerseers. 13 But they answered vs saying: We are the seruantes of the Lord, which made heauen and earth. 14 And this house was built these manie yeares past by a king of Israel, that was great and most valiant, and was finished. 15 And because our fathers were prouoking to wrath, and sinned agaynst God of Israel, he deliuered them into the handes of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, king of the Chaldees. 16 And throwing downe this house they burnt it, and they led the people captiue into Babylon. 17 In the first yeare when Cyrus reigned the king of Babylon, Cyrus the king wrote to build this house. 18 And these sacred vessels of gold and siluer which Nabuchodonosor had taken out of the house which is in Ierusalem, and had consecrated them in his owne temple, Cyrus brought them forth agayne out of the temple which was in Babylon, and they were deliuered to Zorobabel, & to Salmanasar the deputie. 19 And it was commanded them that they should offer these vessels, & lay them vp in the temple, which was in Ierusalem, and build the temple of God itself in his place. 20 Then did Salmanasar lay the fundations of the house of our Lord, which is in Ierusalem: and from that time vntil now it is a building, and is not accomplished. 21 Now therfore if thou thincke it good o king, let it be sought in the kings liberaries of Cyrus the king, which are in Babylon: 22 and if it shal be found, that the building of the house of the Lord, which is in Ierusalem, begane by the counsel of Cyrus the king, and it be thought good of our Lord the king, let him write to vs of these thinges. 23 Then Darius the king commanded search to be made in the libraries: and there was found in Ecbatana a towne that is in the countrie of Media, one place wherin were writen these wordes: (1 Esd 6:1) 24 IN THE FIRST YEARE of the reigne of Cyrus, king Cyrus commanded to build the house of the Lord which is in Ierusalem, where they did burne incense with dayly fire, 25 the height wherof shal be of ten cubits, & the bredth three score cubites, foure square with three stones polished, and with a loft galerie of wood of the same countrie, & one new galerie, and the expenses to be geuen out of the house of Cyrus the king. 26 And the sacred vesseles of the house of the Lord, as wel of gold as of siluer, which Nabuchodonosor tooke from the house of our Lord, which is in Ierusalem where they were layed, that they be put there: 27 And he commanded Sisennes the deputie of Syria & Phoenice, and Satrabuzanes, and his felowes & them that were ordayned presidentes in Syria & Phoenice, that they should refraine themselues from that place. 28 And I also haue geuen commandment to build it wholly: and haue prouided, that they helpe them, which are of the captiuitie of the Iewes, til the temple of the house of the Lord be accomplished. 29 And from the vexation of the tributes of Coelesyria & Phoenice, a quantitie to be geuen diligently to these men for the sacrifice of the Lord, to Zorobabel the gouernour, for oxen, and rammes, and lambes. 30 And in like maner corne also, and salt, and wine, and oyle continually yeare by yeare, according as the priestes which are in Ierusalem, haue prescribed to be spent dayly: 31 that libamentes may be offered to the most high God for the king & his children, & that they may pray for their life. 32 And that it be denounced, that whosoeuer shal transgresse anie thing of these which are writen, or shal despise it, a beame be taken of theyr owne, & they be hanged, & their goodes be confiscate to the king. 33 Therfore the Lord also, whose name is inuocated there, destroy euery king & nation, that shal extend their hand to hinder or to handle il the house of the Lord which is in Ierusalem. 34 I Darius the king haue decreed that it be most diligently done according to these thinges. CHAP. VII. The house of God is finished, 7. and dedicated, 10. the feast of Pasch is also celebrated seuen dayes with Azimes. THEN Sisennes the deputie of Coelesyria, and Phaenice, and Satrabuzames, and their felowes, obeying those thinges which were decreed of Darius the king, (1 Esd 6:13) 2 applied the sacred workes most diligently, working together with the ancientes of the Iewes, the princes of Syria. 3 And the sacred workes prospered, Aggeus & Zacharias the prophetes prophecying. 4 And they accomplished al thinges by the precept of our Lord the God of Israel, and by the counsel of Cyrus, & Darius, and Artaxerxes the king of the Persians. 5 And our house was a finishing vntil the three and twentith day of the moneth of Adar, the sixth yeare of Darius the king. 6 And the children of Israel, and the Priestes and Leuites, and the rest that were of the captiuitie, which were added did according to those thinges that are written in the booke of Moyses. 7 And they offered for the dedication of the temple of our Lord, oxen an hundred, rammes two hundred, lambes foure hundred. 8 And kiddes for the sinnes of al Israel, twelue, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 9 And the Priestes and Leuites stood clothed with stoles by tribes, ouer al the workes of our Lord the God of Israel, according to the booke of Moyses, and the porters at euerie gate. 10 And the children of Israel, wih them that were of the captiuitie celebrated the phase of the fourtenth moone of the first moneth, when the Priestes and Leuites were sanctified. 11 Al the children of the captiuitie were not sanctified together, because al the Leuites were sanctified together. 12 And al the children of the captuitie immolated the phase, both for their brethren the Priestes, and for them selues. 13 And the children of Israel did eate, they that were of the captiuitie al that remayned apart from al the abominations of the nations of the land seeking our Lord. 14 And they celebrated the festiual day of Azymes seuen dayes feasting in the sight of our Lord. 15 Because he turned the counsel of the king of the Assirians toward them, to strengthen their handes to the workes of our Lord the God of Israel. CHAP. VIII. Esdras going from Babylon to Ierusalem, 9. carieth king Artaxerxes fauourable letters, 14. with licence to take gold, siluer, and al thinges necessarie at their pleasure. 31. The chief men that goe with him are recited. 51. He voweth a fast praying for good success in their iorney. 56. weigheth the gold and siluer, which he deliuereth to the Priestes, and Leuites. 69. And seuerely admonisheth the people to repentance, for their mariages made with infideles. AND after him when Artaxerxes king of the Persians reigned, came Esdras the sonne of Azarias, the sonne of Helcias the sonne of Salome, (1 Esd 7:1) 2 the sonne of Sadoc, the sonne of Achitob, the sonne of Ameri, the sonne of Azahel, the sonne of Bocci, the sonne of Abisue, the sonne of Phinees the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron the first priest. 3 This Esdras came vp from Babylon being scribe & wise in the law of Moyses, which was geuen of our Lord the God of Israel to teach and to doe. 4 And the king gaue him glorie, because he had found grace in al dignitie and desire in his sight. 5 And there went vp with him of the children of Israel, and the Priestes, and the Leuites, and the sacred singers of the temple, and the porters, and the seuantes of the temple into Ierusalem. 6 In the seuenth yeare when Artaxerxes reigned in the fifth moneth, this is the seuenth yeare of his reigne, going forth of Babylon in the newmoone of the fifth moneth, 7 they came to Ierusalem according to his commandment, according to the prosperitie of their iourney, which their Lord gaue them. 8 For in these Esdras had great knowlege, that he would not pretermitte anie of those thinges, which were according to the law, and the preceptes of our Lord, and in teaching al Israel al iusticie and iudgement. 9 And they that wrote the writinges of Araxerxes the king, coming deliuered the writing which was granted of Artaxerxes the king to Esdras the Priest, & the reader of the law of our Lord, the copie wherof here foloweth. 10 KING Artaxerxes to Esdras the Priest, and reader of the law of the Lord, greeting. 11 I of curtesie esteming it among benifites, haue commanded them that of their owne accord are desirous of the nation of the Iewes, and of the Priestes and Leuites, which are in my kingdom, to goe with thee into Ierusalem. 12 If anie therfore desire to goe with thee, let them come together, and set forward as it hath pleased me, and my seuen freindes my counselers: 13 that they may visite those thinges which are done touching Iurie and Ierusalem, obseruing as thou hast in the law of the Lord. 14 And let them carie the giftes to the Lord the God of Israel, which I haue vowed and my freindes to Ierusalem, and al the gold and siluer, that shal be found in the countrie of Babylon to the Lord in Ierusalem, with that, 15 which is geuen for the nation it self vnto the temple of their Lord which is in Ierusalem: that this gold and siluer be gathered for oxen, and rammes, and lambes, and kiddes, and for the thinges that are agreable to these, 16 that they may offer hostes to the Lord vpon the altar of their Lord, which is in Ierusalem. 17 And al thinges whatsoeuer thou with thy brethren wilt doe with gold and siluer, doe it at thy pleasure according to the precept of the Lord thy God. 18 And the sacred vessels, which are geuen thee to the workes of the house of the Lord thy God, which is in Ierusalem. 19 And other thinges whatsoeuer shal helpe thee to the workes of the temple of thy God, thou shalt geue it out of the kings treasure. 20 When thou with thy brethren wilt doe ought with gold and siluer, doe according to the wil of the Lord. 21 And I king Artaxerxes haue geuen commandment to the keepers of the treasure of Syria and Phaenice, that what thinges soeuer Esdras the Priest and reader of the law of the Lord, shal write for, they geue him vnto an hundred talentes of siluer, likewise also of gold. 22 And vnto an hundred measures of corne, & an hundred vessels of wine, and other thinges whatsoeuer abound without taxing. 23 Let al thinges be done to the most high God according to the law of God, lest perhaps there arise wrath in the reigne of the king, and of his sonne, and his sonnes. 24 And to you it is sayd, that vpon al the Priestes, and Leuites, and sacred singers, and seruantes of the temple, & scribes of this temple 25 no tribute, nor any other taxe be sette, and that no man haue auctoritie to obiect any thing to them. 26 But thou Esdras according to the wisedom of God appoynt iudges, and arbitrers in al Syria and Phaenice: and teach al them that know no the law of thy God: 27 that whosoeuer shal transgresse the law, they be diligently punished either with death, or with torment, or els with a forfeite of money, or with banishment. 28 And Esdras the scribe sayd: Blessed be the God of our fathers, which hath geuen this wil into the kings hart, to glorifie his house, which is in Ierusalem. 29 And hath honoured me in the sight of the king, and of his counselers, and freindes, and them that weare purple. 30 And I was made constant in minde according to the ayde of our Lord my God, and gathered together of Israel men, that should goe vp together with me. 31 And these are the princes according to their kindredes, and seueral principalities of them that came vp from Babylon the kingdom of Artaxerxes. (1 Esd 8:1) 32 Of the children of Phares, Gerfomus: and of the children of Siemarith, Amenus: of the children of Dauid, Acchus the sonne of Scecilia: 33 Of the children of Phares, Zacharias, and with him returned an hundred fiftie men. 34 Of the children of leader Moabilion, Zaraei, and with him two hundred fiftie men: 35 Of the children of Zachues, Iechonias of Zechoel, and with him two hundred fiftie men: 36 of the children of Sala, Maasias of Gotholia, & with him seuentie men: 37 of the children of Saphatia, Zarias of Michel, and with him eightie men: 38 of the children of Iob, Abdias of Iehel, and with him two hundred twelue men: 39 of the children of Bania, Salimoth, the sonne of Iosaphia, and with him an hundred sixtie men: 40 of the children of Beer, Zacharias Bebei, and with him two hundred eight men: 41 of the children of Ezead, Ioannes of Eccetan, and with him an hundred ten men: 42 of the children of Adonicam, which were last, and these are their names, Eliphalam the sonne of Gebel, and Semeias, and with him seuentie men. 43 And I gathered them together to the riuer that is called Thia, and we camped there three dayes, and vewed them againe. 44 And of the children of the Priestes and Leuites I found not there. 45 And I sent to Eleazarus, and Eccelon, and Masman, and Maloban, and Enaathan, and Samea, and Ioribum, Nathan, Enuaugam, Zacharias, and Mosolam the leaders them selues, and that were skilful. 46 And I sayd to them that they should come to Loddeus, who was at the place of the treasurie. 47 And I commanded them to say to Loddeus, and his brethren, and to them that were in the treasurie, that they should send vs them that might doe the function of priesthood in the house of the Lord our God. 48 And they brought vnto vs according to the mightie hand of the Lord our God cunning men: of the children of Moholi, the sonne of Leui, the sonne of Israel, Sebebia, & his sonnes and brethren, which were eightene: 49 Asbia, and Amin of the sonnes of the children of Chananeus, and their children twentie men. 50 And of them that serued the temple, whom Dauid gaue, and the princes themselues to the ministerie of the Leuites of them that serued the temple, two hundred twentie. Al their names were signified in writings. 51 And I vowed there a fast to the yong men in the sight of God, that I might aske of him a good iourney for vs, and them that were with vs, and for the children, and the cattel because of ambushementes. 52 For I was ashamed to aske of the king footemen and horsemen in my companie, to guard vs, against our aduersaries. 53 For we sayd to the king that the power of our Lord wil be with them that seeke him with al affection. 54 And agayne we besought the Lord our God according to these thinges: whom also we had propicious, and we obteyned of our God. 55 And I separated of the rulers of the people, and of the Priestes of the temple, twelue men, and Sedebia, and Asanna, and with them of their brethren ten men. 56 And I weyed to them the gold and siluer, and the vessels of the house of our God perteyning to the Priestes, which the king had geuen, and his counselers, and the princes, and al Israel. 57 And when I had weyed it, I deliuered of siluer an hundred fiftie talentes, and siluer vessels of an hundred talentes, and of gold an hundred talentes. 58 And of vessels of gold seuen score and twelue brasen vessels good of shyning brasse, resembling the forme of gold. 59 And I sayd to them: You are also sanctified to our Lord, and the vessels be holie, and the gold and siluer is vowed to our Lord the God of our fathers. 60 Watch and keepe, til you deliuer them to some of the rulers of the people, and to the Priestes, and Leuites, and to the princes of the cities of Israel in Ierusalem, in the treasurie of the house of our God. 61 And those Priestes and Leuites that receiued the gold and siluer and vessels, brought it to Ierusalem into the temple of our Lord. 62 And we went forward from the riuer Thia, the twelfth day of the first moneth, til we entred into Ierusalem. 63 And when the third day was come, in the fourth day the gold being weyed, and the siluer, was deliuered in the house of the Lord our God, to Marimoth Priest the sonne of Iori. 64 And with him was Eleazar the sonne of Phinees: and with them were Iosadus the sonne of Iesus, and Medias, and Banni the sonne of a Leuite, by number and weight al thinges. 65 And the weight of them was writen the same houre. 66 And they that came out of the captiuitie, offered sacrifice to our Lord the God of Israel, oxen twelue, for al Israel, rammes eightie six, 67 lambes seuentie two, bucke goates for sinne twelue, and for health twelue kyne, al for the sacrifice of our Lord. 68 And they read againe the preceptes of the king to the kinges officers, and to the deputies of Coelesyria, and Phoenice: and they honored the nation, and the temple of our Lord. 69 And these thinges being finished, the rulers came to me, saying: The stocke of Isreal, and the princes, and the Priestes, and the Leuites, (1 Esd 9:1) 70 and the strange people, and nations of the land haue not separated their vncleannes from the Chananeites, and Hetheites, and Pherezeites, and Iebuseites, and Moobites, & AEgyptians, and Idumeians. 71 For they are ioyned to their daughters both themselues, and their sonnes: and the holie sede is mingled with the strange nations of the earth, and the rulers and magistrates were partakers of that iniquitie from the beginning of the reigne it self. 72 And forthwith as I heard these thinges, I rent my garmentes and sacred tunike: and tearing the heares of my head, and my beard, I sate sorowful and heauie. 73 And there assembled to me mourning vpon this iniquitie, as manie as were then moued by the word of our Lord the God of Israel, and I sate sad vntil the euening sacrifice. 74 And I rising vp from fasting, hauing my garmentes rent and the sacred tunike, kneeling, and stretching forth my handes to our Lord, 75 I sayd: Lord I am confounded, and ashamed before thy face, 76 for our sinnes are multiplied ouer our heades, and our iniquities are exalted euen to heauen. 77 Because from the times of our fathers we are in great sinne vnto this day. 78 And for the sinnes of vs, and of our fathers we haue bene deliuered with our brethren, and with our Priestes to the kinges of the earth, into sword and captiuitie, and spoile with confusion vnto this present day. 79 And now what a great thing is this that mercie hath happened to vs from thee o Lord God, & leaue thou vnto vs a roote, and a name in the place of thy sanctification, 80 to discouer our light in the house of the Lord our God, to geue vs meate in al the time of our bondage. 81 And when we serued, we were not forsaken of the Lord our God: but he sette vs in fauour, appointing the kinges of the Persians to geue us meate, 82 and to glorifie the temple of the Lord our God, and to build the desolations of Sion, to geue vs stabilitie in Iurie, and Ierusalem. 83 And now what say we Lord, hauing these thinges? For we haue transgressed thy preceptes, which thou gauest into the handes of thy seruantes the prophetes, 84 saying: That the land into which ye entred to possesse the inheritance therof, is a land polluted with the coinquinations of the strangers of the land, and their vncleanes hath filled it wholy with their filthines. 85 And now your daughters you shal not match with their sonnes, and their daughters you shal not take for your sonnes. 86 And you shal not seeke to haue peace with them for euer, that growing strong you may eate the best things of the land, and may distribute the inheritance to your children for euer. 87 And the thinges that happen to vs, al are done for our nauhtie workes, and our great sinnes. 88 And thou gauest vs such a roote, and we are returned againe to transgresse thy ordinances, that we would be mingled with the vncleannes of the nations of this land. 89 Wilt not thou be wrath with vs to destroy vs, til there be no roote left nor our name? 90 Lord God of Israel thou art true. For there is a roote left vntil this present day. 91 Behold, now we are in thy sight in our iniquities. For it is not to stand any longer before thee in these matters. 92 And when Esdras with adoration confessed weeping, lying flat on the ground before the temple, there were gathered before him out of Ierusalem a verie great multitude, men and wemen, and yong men and yong wemen. For there was great weeping in the multitude it self. (1 Esd 10:1) 93 And when he had cried, Iechonias of Ieheli of the children of Israel, sayd to Esdras: We haue sinned against our Lord, for that we haue taken vnto vs in mariage strange wemen of the nations of the land. 94 And now thou art ouer al Israel, in these therfore let there be an othe from our Lord to expel al our wiues that are of strangers with their children. 95 As it was decreed to thee of the ancesters according to the law of our Lord, rising vp declare it. 96 For to thee the busines perteineth, and we are with thee: doe manfully. 97 And Esdras rysing vp adiured the princes of the Priestes and Leuites, and al Israel to doe according to these thinges and they sware. CHAP. IX. Esdras fasting for the sinnes of the people, commandeth that they separate al strange wemen from them. 18. The Priestes and Leuites, which had offended herein, are recited. 38 He readeth the law before the people: 48 certaine doe expound to the multitudes in seueral places. 52 And so they are dismissed with ioy. AND Esdras rysing vp from before the court of the temple, went into the chamber of Ionathas the sonne of Nasabi. (1 Esd 10:6) 2 And lodging there he tasted no bread, nor dranke water for the iniquitie of the multitude. 3 And there was proclamation made in al Iurie, & in Ierusalem to al that were of the captiuitie gathered in Ierusalem, 4 that whosoeuer shal not appeare with in two or three dayes, according to the iudgement of the ancients sitting vpon it, their goods should be taken away, and himselfe should be iudged an alien from the multitude of the captiuitie. 5 And al were gathered that were of the tribe of Iuda, and of Beniamin within three dayes in Ierusalem: this is the ninth moneth, the twentith day of the moneth. 6 And al the multitude sate in the court of the temple trembling, for the present winter. 7 And Esdras rysing vp sayd to them: You haue done vnlawfully taking to you in mariage strang wiues, that you might adde to the sinnes of Israel. 8 And now geue confession, & magnificence to our Lord the God of our fathers: 9 and accomplish his wil, and depart from the nations of the land, and from your wiues the strangers. 10 And al the multitude cried, and they sayd with a lowde voice: As thou hast sayd, we wil doe. 11 But because the multitude is great, and winter time, and we can not stand in the ayre without succour: and this is a worke for vs not of one day, nor of two, for we haue sinned much in these thinges: 12 Let the rulers of the multitude stand, and that dwel with vs, and as manie as haue with them forreine wiues, 13 and at a time appointed let the priestes out of euerie place, and the iudges assist, vntil they appeaze the wrath of our Lord concerning this busines. 14 And Ionathas the sonne of Ezeli, and Ozias of Thecam tooke vpon them according to these wordes: and Bosoramus, and Leuis, and Sabbathaeus, wrought together with them. 15 And al that were of the captiuitie stood according to al these thinges. 16 And Esdras the priest chose vnto him men the great princes of their fathers according to their names: & they sate together in the newmoone of the tenth moneth to examine this busines. 17 And they determined of the men that had outlandish wiues, vntil the newmoone of the first moneth. 18 And there were found of the priestes entermingled that had outlandish wiues. 19 Of the sonnes of Iesus the sonne of Iosedec, and his brethren: Maseas, and Eleazarus, and Ioribus, and Ioadeus, 20 and they put to their handes to expel their wiues: and to offer a ramme to obtayne pardon for their ignorance. 21 And the sonnes of Semmeri: Maseas and Esses, Ieelech, and Azarias. 22 And of the children of Fofere: Limosias, Hismaenis, and Nathanee, Iussio, Reddus, and Thalsas. 23 And of the Leuites: Iorabdus, and Semeis, and Colnis, and Calitas, and Facteas, and Coluas, and Eliomas, 24 and of the sacred singing men, Eliasib, Zaccarus. 25 And of the porters, Salumus, and Tolbanes. 26 And of Israel: of the sonnes of Foro, Ozi, and Remias, and Geddias, & Melchias, and Michelus, Eleazarus, and Iammebias, and Bannas. 27 And of the sonnes of Iolaman: Chamas, and Zacharias, and Iezuelus, and Ioddius, and Erimoth, and Helias. 28 And of the sonnes of Zathoim: Eliadas, and Liasumus, Zochias, and Larimoth, & Zabdis, and Thebedias. 29 And of the sonnes of Zebes: Ioannes, and Amanias, and Zabdias, and Emeus. 30 And of the sonnes of Banni: Olamus, & Maluchus, and Ieddeus, and Iasub, and Azabus, & Ierimoth. 31 And of the sonnes of Addin: Nathus, and Moosias, & Caleus, and Raanas, Maaseas, Mathathias, and Beseel, and Bonnus, and Manasses. 32 And of the sonnes of Nuae: Noneas, and Aseas, and Melchias, and Sameas, and Simon, Beniamin, and Malchus, and Marras. 33 And of the sonnes of Asom: Carianeus, Mathathias, & Bannus, & Eliphalach, and Manasses, and Semei. 34 And of the sonnes of Banni: Ieremias, and Moadias, and Abramus, & Iohel, and Baneas, & Pelias, and Ionas, and Marimoth, & Eliasib, and Matheneus, and Eliasis, and Orizas, and Dielus, and Semedius, & Zambris, and Iosephus. 35 And of the sonnes of Nobei: Idelus, and Mathathias, and Sabadus, and Zecheda, Zedmi, and Iessei, Baneas. 36 Al these maried outlandish wiues, and did put them away with their children. 37 And the Priestes and the Leuites, and they that were of Israel, dwelt in Ierusalem, and in the whole countrie in the newmoone of the seuenth moneth. And the children of Israel were in their habitations. 38 And al the multitude was gathered together into the court, which is on the east of the sacred gate: 39 and they sayd to Esdras the high priest, and reader, that he should bring the law of Moyses, which was deliuered of our Lord the God of Israel. 40 And Esdras the high priest brought the law to al the multitude of them from man vnto woman, and to al the priestes to heare the law in the newmoone of the seuenth moneth. 41 And he read in the court, which is before the sacred gate of the temple, from breake of day vntil euening before men and wemen. And they al gaue their minde to the law. 42 And Esdras the priest, and reader of the law stoode vpon a tribunal of wood, which was made. 43 And by him stood Mathathias, and Samus, and Ananias, Azarias, Vrias, Ezechias, and Balsamus on the right hand, 44 and on the left Faldeus, Misael, Malachias, Ambusthas, Sabus, Nabadias, and Zacharias. 45 And Esdras tooke the booke before al the multitude: for he was chiefe in glorie in the sight of al. 46 And when he had ended the law, they stood al vpright: and Esdras blessed our Lord the most high God, the God of Sabaoth omnipotent. 47 And al the people answered: Amen. And lifting vp their handes falling on the ground, they adored our Lord. 48 Iesus and Banaeus, and Sarebias, and Iaddimus, and Accubus, and Sabbathaeus, and Calithes, & Azarias, and Ioradus, and Ananias, and Philias Leuites, 49 who taught the law of our Lord, and read the same in the multitude, & euerie one preferred them that vnderstood the lesson. 50 And Atharathes sayd to Esdras the high priest and the reader, and to the Leuites, that taught the multitude, 51 saying: This day is sancitified to our Lord. And they al wept, when they had heard the law. 52 And Esdras sayd, departing therfore eate ye al the fattest thinges, & drinke al most swete things, and send giftes to them that haue not. 53 For this is the holy day of our Lord, & be not sad. For our Lord wil glorifie you. 54 And the Leuites denounced openly to al, saying: This day is holie, be not sad. 55 And they went al to eate, and drinke, and make merie, and to geue giftes to them that had not, that they might make merie, for they were excedingly exalted with the wordes that they were taught. 56 And they were al gathered in Ierusalem to celebrate the ioy, according to the testament of our Lord the God of Israel. THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF ESDRAS. CHAP. I. Esdras is sent to expostulate with the vngratful Iewes for neglecting Gods manie great benefites. THE second book of Esdras the prophet, the sonne of Sarei, the sonne of Azarei, the sonne of Helcias, the sonne of Sadanias, the sonne of Sadoch, the sonne of Achitob, (1 Esd 7:1) 2 the sonne of Achias, the sonne of Phinees, the sonne of Heli, the sonne of Amerias, the sonne of Asiel, the sonne of Marimoth, the sonne of Arna, the sonne of Ozias, the sonne of Borith, the sonne of Abisei, the sonne of Phinees, the sonne of Eleazar, 3 the sonne of Aaron of the tribe of Leui; who was captiue in the countrie of the Medes, in the reigne of Artaxerxes king of the Persians. 4 And the word of our Lord came to me, saying: 5 Goe, and tel my people their wicked deedes, and their children the iniquities, that they haue done against me, that they may tel their childrens children: 6 because the sinnes of their parentes are increased in them, for they being forgetful of me haue sacrified to strange goddes. 7 Did not I bring them out of the land of AEgypt from the house of bondage? But they haue prouoked me, & haue despised my counsels. 8 But doe thou shake of the heare of thy head, and throw al euils vpon them: because they haue not obeyed my law. And it is a people without discipline. 9 How long shal I beare with them, on whom I haue bestowed so great benefiates? 10 I haue ouer throwen manie kinges from them. I haue stroke Pharao with his seruantes, and al his hoste. (Ex 14) 11 Al nations did I destroy before their face, & in the East I dissipated the peoples of two prouinces Tyre and Sidon, and I slew al their aduersaries. 12 But speake thou to them, saying: Thus sayth our Lord: 13 I made you passe through the sea, and gaue you fensed streates from the beginning. I gaue you Moyses for your gouernour, and Aaron for the Priest: 14 I gaue you light by the piller of fire, & did manie meruelous things among you: but you haue forgotten me, sayth our Lord. (Ex 13) 15 Thus sayth our Lord omnipotent: The quayle was a signe to you, I gaue you a campe for defense, and there you murmured: 16 And you triumphed not in my name for the destruction of your enemies, but yet vntil now you haue murmured. (Ex 16) 17 Where are the benefites, that I haue geuen you? Did you not crie out to me when you were hungrie in the desert, 18 saying: Why hast thou brought vs into this desert to kil vs? it had bene better for vs to serue the AEgyptians, then to dye in this desert. (Num 14) 19 I was sorie for your mournings, & gaue you manna to eate. You did eate bread of Angels. (Ex 16 / Wis 16:20) 20 When you thirsted did not I cleaue the rocke, & waters flowed in abundance? for the heates I couered you with the leaues of trees. 21 I deliuered vnto you fatte landes: The Chananeites, and Pherezeites, and Philistheans I threw out from your face: what shal I yet doe to you, sayth our Lord? (Isa 9:4) 22 Thus sayth our Lord omnipotent: In the desert when you were thirstie in the riuer of the Amorrheites, and blasphemeing my name, (Ex 15:25) 23 I gaue you not fire for blasphemies, but casting wood into the water, I made the riuer swete. 24 What shal I doe to thee Iacob? Thou wouldest not obey o Iuda. I wil transferre my self to other nations, and wil geue them my name, that they may keepe my ordinances. (Ex 32) 25 Because you haue forsaken me, I aslo forsake you: when you aske mercie of me, I wil not haue mercie. (Isa 1:15) 26 When you shal inuocate me, I wil not heare you. For you haue defiled your handes with bloud, and your fete are quicke to commit murders. 27 Not as though you haue forsaken me, but yourselues, sayth our Lord. 28 Thus saith our Lord omnipotent, haue not I desired you, as a father his sonnes, and a mother her daughters, and as a nurce her litle ones, 29 that you would be my people, and I your God, and to me for children, and I to you for a father? 30 So haue I gathered you, as the henne her chickenes vnder her winges. But now what shal I doe to you? I wil throw you from my face. (Matt 23:37) 31 When you shal bring me oblation, I wil turne away my face from you. (Isa 66:5) For I haue refused your festiual dayes, & newmoones, and circumcisions. 32 I sent my seruantes the prophetes to you, whom being taken you slew, and mangled their bodies, whose bloud I wil require, sayth our Lord. 33 Thus sayth our Lord omnipotent, your house is made desolate, I wil throw you away, as the winde doth stubble, 34 and your children shal not haue issue: because they haue neglected my commandment, and haue done that which is euil before me. 35 I wil deliuer your houses to a people comming, who not hearing me do beleue: to whom I haue not shewed signes, they wil do the thinges that I haue commanded. 36 The prophetes they haue not sene, and they wil be mindful of their iniquities. 37 I cal to witnes the grace of the people comming, whose litle ones reioyce with ioy, not seing me with their carnal eyes, but in spirit beleuing the thinges that I haue sayd. 38 And now brother behold what glorie: and see people comming from the east, 39 to whom I wil geue the conduction of Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, and of Osee, and Amos, and of Ioel, and Abdias, and Ionas, and Michaeas, 40 and Naum and Habacuc, of Sophonias, Aggaeus, Zacharias, and Malachias, who also is called the Angel of our Lord. (Mal 3:1) CHAP. II. The Synagogue expostulateth with her children for their ingratitude; 10. shewing that they shal be forsaken, and the gentiles called. THVS saith our Lord: I brought this people out of bondage, to whom I gaue commandment by my seruantes the Prophetes, whom they would not heare, but made my counsel frustrate. 2 Their mother that bare them, sayth to them: Goe children, because I am a wydow and forsaken. 3 I brought you vp with ioy, & haue lost you with mourning & sorow, because you haue sinned before our Lord your God, & haue done that which is euil before him. 4 But now what shal I doe to you? I am a wydow and desolote, goe my children, & aske mercie of our Lord. 5 And I cal thee o father a witnes vpon the mother of the children, that would not keepe my testament, 6 that thou geue them confusion, & their mother into spoile, that there be no generation of them. 7 Let their names be dispersed into the Gentiles, let them be destroyed out of the land: because they haue despised my sacrament. 8 Woe be to thee Assur, which hidest the wicked with thee. Thou naughtie nation, remember what I did to Sodom & Gomorrha: (Gen 19:24) 9 whose land lieth in cloddes of pitch, & heapes of ashes: so wil I make them, that haue not heard me, saith our Lord omnipotent. 10 Thus saith our Lord to Esdras: Tel my pople, that I wil geue them the kingdom of Ierusalem, which I ment to geue to Isreal. 11 And I wil take to me the glorie of them, and wil geue them eternal tabernacles, which I had prepared for them. 12 The wood of life shal be to them for an odour of oyntment, and they shal not labour, nor be wearied. 13 Goe & you shal receiue. Aske for your selues a few dayes, that they may abide. Now the kingdom is prepared for you, watch ye. 14 Cal thou heauen and earth to witnes: for I haue destroyed euil, and haue created good, because I liue sayth our Lord. 15 Mother embrace thy children, bring them vp with ioy. As a doue confirme their feete: because I haue chosen thee, sayth our Lord. 16 And I wil raise againe the dead out of their places, and out of the monumentes I wil bring them forth, because I haue knowen my name in Israel. 17 Feare not o mother of the children, because I haue chosen thee, saith our Lord. 18 I wil send thee ayde, my seruantes I saie, and Ieremie, at whose counsel I haue sanctified, and prepared for thee tweleue trees loden with diuerse fruites, 19 and as manie fountaines flowing milke and honie: and seuen huge mountaines, hauing the rose and the lilie, in the which I wil fil thy children with ioy. (Ex 15:27) 20 Iustifie thou the widow, iudge for the pupil, geue to the needie, defend the orphane, cloth the naked, 21 cure the broken & feeble, mocke not the lame, defend the maimed, and admitte the blind to the vision of my glorie. 22 The old man & the yong keepe with in thy walles: 23 where thou shalt finde the dead, committe them to the graue signing it, & I wil geue thee the first seate in my resurrection. (Tob 1:20) 24 Pause and rest my people, because thy rest shal come. 25 As a good nurce nourish thy children, confirme their feete. 26 The seruantes that I haue geuen thee, none of them shal perish. For I wil require them of thy number. 27 Be not wearied. For when the day of affliction and distresse shal come, others shal weepe, and be sad, but thou shalt be merie and plenteous. 28 The gentiles shal enuie, and shal be able to doe nothing against thee, sayth our Lord. 29 My handes shal couer thee, that thy children see not hel. 30 Be pleasant thou mother with thy children, because I wil deliuer thee sayth our Lord. 31 Remember thy children that sleepe, for I wil bring them out of the sides of the earth, & wil doe mercie with them: because I am merciful, sayth our Lord omnipotent. 32 Embrace thy children til I come, & shew them mercie: because my fountaines runne ouer, and my grace shal not faile. 33 I Esdras receiued commandment of our Lord, in mount Oreb; that I should goe to Israel: to whom when I came, they refused me, and reiected the commandement of our Lord. 34 And therfore, I say vnto you gentiles, which heare, and vnderstand, Looke for your pastor, he wil geue you the rest of eternitie: because he is at hand, that shal come in the end of the world. 35 Be ye readie for the rewardes of the kingdom, because perpetual light shal shine to you for time euerlasting. 36 Flee from the shadow of this world: receiue ye the pleasantnes of your glorie. I openly cal to witnes my sauiour. 37 Receiue the commended gift and be pleasant, geuing thankes to him that called you to the heauenlie kingdomes. 38 Arise, & stand & see the number of them that are signed in the feast of our Lord. 39 They that haue transferred them selues from the shadow of the world, haue receiued glorious garmentes of our Lord. 40 Receiue o Sion thy number, and shut vp thyne made white, which haue accomplished the law of our Lord. 41 The number of thy children, which thou didst wish is ful. Desire the powre of our Lord that thy people may be sanctified, which was called from the beginning. 42 I Esdras saw in mount Sion a great multiude, which I could not number, and they did al prayse our Lord with songes. (Apoc 7:9) 43 And in the middes of them was a young man high of stature, appearing aboue ouer them al, & he put crownes vpon euerie one of their heades, and he was more exalted. And I was astonied at the miracle. 44 Then asked I an Angel, and sayd: Who are these Lord? 45 Who answering sayd to me: These are they that haue laid of the mortal garment, and taken an immortal, and haue confessed the name of God. Now they are crowned, and receiue palmes. 46 And I sayd to the Angel: That yongman what is he, which putteth the crownes vpon them, and geueth palmes into their handes? 47 And answering he sayd to me: The same is the Sonne of God, whom they did confesse in the world: & I begane to magnifie them, that stood strongly for the name of our Lord. 48 Then sayd the Angel to me: Goe, tel my people, what maner of meruelous thinges and how great, thou hast sene of the Lord God. CHAP. III. The workes of God are wonderful from the beginning, 7. and men vngrateful 13. In Abraham God chose to himself a peculiar people: who neuertheles were froward, and obstinate. 23. He also chose Dauid, but stil the people were sinful: 28. the Babylonians also, by whom the are afflicted, are no lesse but rather greater sinners. IN the thirteth yeare of the ruine of the citie I was in Babylon, and was trubled lying in my chamber, and my cogitations came vp ouer my hart: 2 because I saw the desolation of Sion, and the abundance of them that dwelt in Babylon. 3 And my spirit was tossed excedingly, and I began to speake to the highest timorous wordes, 4 and sayd: O Lord dominatour thou spakest from the beginning, when thou didst plant the earth, and that alone, and didst rule ouer the people, (Gen 1) 5 and gauest Adam a dead bodie: but that also was the worke of thy handes, & didst breath into him the spirit of life, and he was made to liue before thee: (Gen 2:7) 6 and thou broughst him into paradise, which thy right hand had planted, before the earth came. 7 And him thou didst command to loue thy way, and he transgressed it, & forth with thou didst institute death in him, and in his posteritie, and there were borne nations, and tribes, and peoples, and kindreds, wherof there is no number. 8 And euerie nation walked in their owne wil, & they did meruelous thinges before thee, and despised thy preceptes. 9 And agane in time thou broughst in the floud vpon inhabitantes of the world, and didst destroy them. (Gen 7) 10 And there was made in euery one of them, as vnto Adam to dye, so to them the floud, 11 But thou didst leaue one of them, Noe with his house and of him were al the iust. 12 And it came to passe, when they began to be multiplied, that dwelt vpon the earth, & multiplied children and peoples and manie nations: and they begane againe to doe impietie more then the former. 13 And it came to passe when they did iniquitie before thee, thou didst choose thee a man of them whose name was Abraham. 14 And thou didst loue him and to him onlie thou didst shew thy wil. (Gen 12) 15 And thou didst dispose vnto him an euerlasting testament, and toldst him that thou wouldst neuer forsake his seede. And thou gauest him Issac, and to Isaac thou gauest Iacob and Esau. 16 And Iacob thou didst seuer to thy selfe, but Esau thou didst separate. And Iacob grewe to a great multitude. 17 And it came to passe when thou didst bring forth his sede out of AEgypt, thou broughst it vpon mount Sinai. (Ex 19) 18 And thou didst bowe the heauens, and fasten the earth, and didst shake the world, and madest the depthes to tremble, and trubledst the world, 19 and thy glorie passed foure gates of fire, and of earthquake, and winde, and frost, that thou mightst geue a law to the seede of Iacob, and to the generation of Israel diligence. 20 And thou didst not take away from them a malignant hart, that thy law might bring forth fruite in them. 21 For Adam the first bearing a vicious hart transgressed and was ouercome, yea and al that were borne of him. 22 And it was made a permanent infirmitie, and the law with the hart of the people, with the wickednes of the roote, and that which is good departed, and the wicked remayned. 23 And the times passed, & the yeares were ended: and thou didst raise vp vnto thee a seruant named Dauid, 24 and spakest vnto him to build a citie of thy name, and to offer vnto thee in it frankencense, and oblations. 25 And this was done manie yeares, and they that inhabited the citie forsooke thee, 26 in al things as Adam and al his generations. For they also vsed a wicked hart. 27 And thou didst deliuer thy citie into the hands of thyne enimies. 28 Why, doe they better thinges, that inhabite Babylon? And for this shal she rule ouer Sion? (Jer 12) 29 It came to passe when I was come hither, and had sene the impieties that can not be numbred: and my soul saw manie offending this thirteth yeare, & my hart was astonied: 30 because I saw how thou bearest with their sinne, and didst spare them that did impiously, and didst destroy thine owne people, and preserue thine enimies, and didst not signifie it. 31 I nothing remember how this way should be forsaken: doth Babylon better thinges then Sion? 32 Or hath anie nation knowen thee beside Israel: or what tribes haue beleued thy testamentes as Iacob? 33 Whose reward hath not appeared, nor their labour fructified. For passing through I passed among the nations, and I saw them abound, and not mindeful of thy commandmentes. 34 Now therfore wey our iniquities in a ballance, and theirs that dwel in the world: & thy name shal not be found, but in Israel. 35 Or when haue not they sinned in thy sight, that inhabite the earth? or what nation hath so obserued thy commandmentes? 36 These certes by their names thou shalt finde to haue kept thy commandments, but the nations thou shalt not finde. CHAP. IIII. Mans witte and reason is not able to vnderstand the counsel and iudgement of God, 22. why his people are afflicted by wicked nations, 33. nor of times, and thinges to come. AND the Angel answered me, that was sent to me, whose name was Vriel, 2 and sayd to me: Thy hart exceding hath exceded in this world, & thou thinkest to comprehend the way of the Highest. 3 And I sayd: It is so my Lord. And he answered me, & sayd: I am sent to shew thee three wayes, & to propose to thee three similitudes. 4 Of the which if thou shalt declare to me one of them, I also wil shew thee the way which thou desirest to see, and wil teach thee whence a wicked hart is. 5 And I sayd, Speak my Lord. And he sayd to me: Goe, wey me the weight of the fire, or measure me the blast of the winde, or cal me backe the day that is past. 6 And I answered, and sayd: what man borne can doe it, that thou askest me of these thinges? 7 And he sayd to me: If I should aske thee, saying: How great habitations are there in the hart of the sea, or how great vaines be there in the beginning of the depth, or how great vaines be there aboue the firmament, and what are the issues of paradise: 8 thou wouldest perhaps say to me: I haue not descended into the depth, nor into hel as yet, neither haue I ascended at anie time into heauen. 9 But now I haue not asked thee, sauing of the fire, and the winde, and the day by the which thou hast passed, and from the which thou canst not be separated: and thou hast not answered me of them. 10 And he sayd to me: Thou canst not know the thinges that are thine which grow together with thee: 11 and how can thy vessel comprehend the way of the Highest, and now the world being outwardly corrupted, vnderstand the corruption euident in my sight: 12 I sayd to him: Better were it for vs not to be, then yet liuing to liue in impieties, and to suffer, and not to vnderstand for what thing. 13 And he answered me, & said: Going forth I went forward to a wood of trees in the filde, and they deuised a deuise, (Judges 9 / 2 Par 25) 14 and said: Come and let vs goe, and make warre against the sea, that it may retyre backe before vs, and we may make vs other woodes. 15 And in like maner the waues of the sea they also deuised a deuise, and sayd: Come let vs goe vp, let vs ouerthrow the woodes of the filde, that there also we may consummate an other countrie for our selues. 16 And the woodes deuise was made vaine, for fire came, and consumed it. 17 Likewise also the deuise of the waues of the sea. For the sand stood, & stayed them. 18 For if thou wert iudge of these, whom wouldest thou begin to iustifie, or whom to condemne? 19 And I answered, and sayd: Verely they deuised a vayne deuise. For the earth is geuen to the wood, and a place to the sea to carie her waues. 20 And he answered me, and sayed: Thou hast iudged wel, and why hast thou not iudged for thy self? 21 For as the earth is geuen to the wood, and the sea for the waues therof: so they that inhabite vpon the earth, can vnderstand onlie the thinges that are vpon the earth: and they vpon the heauens, the thinges that are aboue the height of the heauens. 22 And I answered, and sayd: I besech thee Lord, that sense may be geuen me to vnderstand. 23 For I meant not to aske of thy superiour thinges, but of those that passe by vs dayly. For what cause Israel is geuen into reproche to the gentiles, the people whom thou hast loued, is geuen to impious tribes, & the law of our fathers is brought to destruction, & the written ordinances are no where: 24 and we haue passed out of the world, as locustes, and our life is astonishment and dreade, and we are not worthie to obtaine mercie. 25 But what wil he doe to his name that is inuocated vpon vs? and of these thinges I did aske. 26 And he answered me, and sayd: If thou search very much, thou shalt often meruail: because the world hastening hasteneth to passe, 27 and can not comprehend the thinges which in times to come are promised to the iust: because this world is ful of iniustice and infirmities. 28 But conerning the thinges that thou demandest I wil tel thee: for the euil is sowed, and the destruction therof is not yet come. 29 If then that which is sowen be not turned vp, and the place depart where the euil is sowen, that shal not come where the good is sowen. 30 Because the grayne of il seede hath bene sowen in the hart of Adam from the beginning: and how much impietie hath it ingendered vntil now, and doth ingender vntil the floore come? 31 And esteme with thy self the graine of the il seede, how much fruite of impietie it hath ingendred: 32 When the eares shal be cut, which are innumerable, what a great floore wil they begin to make? 33 And I answered, and sayd: How, and when shal these things be? why are our yeares few and euil? 34 And he answered me, and sayd to me, Hasten not aboue the Highest. For thou doest hasten in vaine to be aboue him, for thy excesse is much. 35 Did not the soules of the iust in the cellars, aske of these things, saying: How hope I so, and when shal the fruite come of the floore of our reward? 36 And Ieremiel the Archangel answered to those things, and sayd: When the number of the sedes in you shal be filled, because he hath weyed the world in a balance, 37 and with a measure hath he measured the times, and in number he hath numbered the times, and hath not moued, nor stirred them, vntil the foresayd measure be filled. 38 And I answered, and sayd: O Lord Dominatour, we also are al ful of impietie. 39 And left perhaps for vs the floores of the iust be not filled, for the sinnes of the inhabitantes vpon the earth. 40 And he answered me, and sayd: Goe, and aske a woman with childe, if when she hath accomplished her nine monethes, her wombe can yet hold the infant within it? 41 And I sayd it can not Lord. And he sayd to me, in hel the cellars of the soules are like to the matrice. 42 For as she that is: In trauail maketh hast, to escape the necessitie of trauailing: so this also hasteneth to render those thinges which are commended to it. 43 From the beginning it shal be shewed thee touching those thinges, which thou doest couet to see. 44 And I answered, and sayd: If I haue found grace before thine eyes, & if it be possible, and if I by fitte, 45 shew mee if there be more to come then is passed, or more things haue passed, then are to come. 46 What passed, I know: but what is to come, I know not. 47 And he sayd to me: Stand vpon the right side, and I wil shew thee the interpretation of the similitude. 48 And I stood, and saw: and behold a burning fornace passed before me, & it came to passe when the flame passed, I saw: and behold the smoke ouercame. 49 And these thinges there passed before me a clowd ful of water, and with violence casting in much raine: and when the violence of raine was cast, the droppes therin ouercame. 50 And he sayd to me: Thinke with thyself, as the raine increaseth more then the droppes, and the fire then the smoke: so did the measure that passed, more a bound. But the droppes, and the smoke ouercame: 51 and I prayed, & sayd, shal I liue thinkest thou vntil these dayes? or what shal be in those dayes? 52 He answered me, and sayd: Of the signes wherof thou askest me, in part I can tel thee, howbeit of thy life I was not sent to tel thee, neither doe I know. CHAP. V. Diuers signes of thinges to come are shewed to Esdras by an Angel: 16. for the comforth of the people in captiuitie. BVT concerning signes: behold the dayes shal come, wherin they that inhabite the earth shal be taken in a great number: and the way of truth shal be hid: and the countrie shal be barren from fayth. 2 And iniustice shal be multiplied aboue that which thy self seest, & aboue that which thou hast heard in time past. (Matt 24) 3 And they shal put their foote into the countrie which now thou seest to reigne, and they shal see it desolate. 4 And if the Highest geue thee life, thou shalt see after the third trumpet, and the sunne shal sodenly shine agayne in the night, and the moone thrise in a day, 5 and out of wood bloud shal distil, and the stone shal geue his voice, and the peoples shal be moued: 6 and he reigne, whom they hope not that inhabite vpon the earth, and soules shal make their flight away. 7 & the sea of Sodom shal cast the fishes, and shal make a noise in the night, which manie knew not, and al shal heare the voice therof, 8 and there shal be made a confusion in manie places, and the fire shal often be sent backe, and the sauage beastes shal goe to other places, and wemen in their monethlie flowers shal bring forth monsters, 9 and in swete waters shal salt waters be found, and al frendes shal ouerthrow one an other: and then shal witte be hid, and vnderstanding shal be separated into his cellar: 10 and it shal be sought of manie, and shal not be found: and iniustice shal be multiplied, and incontinencie vpon the earth. 11 And one countrie shal aske her neighbour, and shal say: Hath iustice doing iust passed throught thee? and she shal denie it. 12 And it shal be in that time, men shal hope, and shal not obtaine: they shal labour, and their wayes shal not haue successe. 13 These signes I am permitted to tel thee: and if thou pray againe and weepe, as also now, and fast seuen dayes, thou shalt heare againe greater thinges then these. 14 And I awaked, and my bodie did shiuer excedingly: and my soule laboured, that it fainted: 15 and the Angel that came, that spake in me, held me, and strengthened me, and sette me vpon my feete. 16 And it came to passe in the second night, and Salathiel the prince of the people came to me, and sayd to me: Where wast thou? and why is thy countenance heauie? 17 Knowest thou not that Isreal is committed to thee in the countrie of their transmigration? 18 Rise vp therfore, and taste bread, and forsake vs not, as the pastour his flocke in the hand of wicked wolues. 19 And I sayd to him: Goe from me, & approch not vnto me. And he heard, as I sayd: and he departed from me. 20 And I fasted seuen dayes howling & weeping, as Vriel the Angel commanded me. 21 And it came to passe after seuen dayes, and againe cogitations of my hart molested me very much, 22 and my soule resumed the spirit of vnderstanding: & agayne I began to speake wordes before the Highest: 23 and I sayd: Lord Dominatour of euerie wood of the earth, & al the trees therof, thou hast chosen one vineyard: 24 & of euerie land of the world thou hast chosen thee one ditch: & of al the flowers of the world thou hast chosen thee one lilie: 25 and of al depthes of the sea, thou hast filled thee one riuer: and of al the builded cities, thou hast sanctified vnto thyself Sion: 26 and of al created soules, thou hast named thee one doue: and of al beastes that were made, thou hast prouided thee one shepe: 27 and of al multiplied peoples, thou host purchased thee one people: and a law approued of al thou hast geuen to this people, whom thou didst desire. 28 And now Lord, why hast thou deliuered one vnto manie? And thou hast perpared vpon one roote others, and hast dispersed thy onlie one in manie: 29 and they haue troden vpon it, which gainesayd thy couenants, and which beleued not thy testamentes. 30 And if hating thou hatest thy people, it ought to be chastised with thy handes. 31 And it came to passe, when I had spoken the wordes, and the Angel was sent to me, that came to me before the night past, 32 and he sayd to me: Heare me, and I wil instruct thee: and harken to me, and I wil adde before thee. 33 And I sayd: Speake my Lord. And he sayd to me: Thou art become excedingly in excesse of minde for Israel: hast thou loued it more then him that made it? 34 And I sayd to him: No Lord, but for sorow I haue spoken, for my veynes torment me euerie houre, to apprehend the pathe of the Highest, and to search part of his iudgement. 35 And he sayd to me: Thou canst not. And I sayd: Why Lord? To what was I borne, or why was not my mothers wombe my graue, that I might not see the labour of Iacob, & the wearines of the stocke of Israel? 36 And he sayd to me: Number me the thinges that are not yet come, and gather me the dispersed droppes, and make me the withered flowers grene againe, 37 and open me the shut cellars, & bring me forth the blastes inclosed in them, shew me the image of a voice: and then wil I shew thee the labour that thou desirest to see. 38 And I sayd: Lord Dominatour, for who is there that can know these thinges, but he that hath not his habitation with men? 39 And I am vnwise, and how can I speake of these thinges, which thou hast asked me? 40 And he sayd to me: As thou canst not doe one of these thiges, which haue bene sayd: so canst thou not finde my iudgement, or in the end the charitie, which I haue promised to the people. 41 And I sayd: But behold Lord thou art nigh to them that are nere the end: and what shal they doe that haue bene before me, or we, or they after vs? 42 And he sayd to me: I wil resemble my iudgement to a crowne. As there shal not be slacknes of the last, so neither swiftnes of the former. 43 And I answered, and sayd: Couldst thou not make them that haue bene, and that are, and that shal be, at once, that thou mayst shew thy iudgement the quicker? 44 And he answered me, and sayd: The creature can not hasten aboue the Creatour, nor the world sustayne them that are to be created in it, at once. 45 And I sayd: As thou didst say to thy seruant, that quickening thou didst quicken the creature created by thee at once, and the creature susteined it: it may now also beare them present at once. 46 And he sayd to me: Aske the matrice of a woman, & thou shalt say to it: And if thou bring forth children, why by times? Aske it therfore, that it geue ten at once. 47 And I sayd, it can not verily: but according to time. 48 And he sayd to me: And I haue geuen a matrice to the earth for them, that are sowen vpon it by time. 49 For as the infant bringeth not forth the thinges that perteyne to the aged, so haue I disposed the world created of me. 50 And I asked, and sayd: Wheras thou hast now geuen me a way, I wil speake before thee: for our mother, of whom thou toldest me, yet she is yong: now draweth nigh to old age. 51 And he answered me, and sayd: Aske her that beareth children, and she wil tel thee. 52 For thou shalt say to her: Why are not they whom thou hast brought forth, now like to them that were before thee, but lesse of stature? 53 And she also wil say vnto thee: They that are borne in the youth of streingth are of one sort, and they of an other, that are borne about the time of old age, when the matrice fayleth. 54 Consider therfore thou also, that you are of lesse stature, then they that were before you: 55 and they that are after you, of lesser then you, as it were creatures now waxing old, and past the strength of youth. 56 And I sayd: I besech thee Lord, if I haue found grace before thine eyes, shew vnto thy seruant, by whom thou doest visite thy creature. CHAP. VI. God knowing al thinges before they were made, created them 54. for man: and considerth the endes of al. AND he sayd to me: In the beginning of the earthlie world, and before the endes of the world stood, and before the congregation of the windes did blow, (Prov 8) 2 and before the voyces of thunders sounded, & before the flashinges of lightenings shined, and before the fundations of paradise were confirmed, 3 and before beautiful flowers were sene, and before the moued powers were established, and before the innumerable hostes of Angels were gathered, 4 and before the heightes of the ayre were aduanced, and before the measures of the firmaments were named, and before the chymneies were hote in Sion, 5 and before the present yeares were searched out, and before their inuentions that now sinne, were put away, and they signed that made fayth their treasure: 6 then I 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 answered, and sayd: What separation of times shal there be? and when shal the end of the former be, and the begynning of that which foloweth? 8 And he sayd to me, from Abraham vnto Isaac, when Iacob and Esau were borne of him, the hand of Iacob held from the begynning the heele of Esau, 9 for the end of this world is Esau, and the begynning of the next Iacob. 10 The hand of a man betwen the heele and the hand. Aske no other thing Esdras. 11 And I answered, and sayd: O Lord dominatour, if I haue found grace before thyne eyes, 12 I pray thee shew thy seruant the end of thy signes, wherof thou didst shew me part the night before. 13 And he answered, and sayd to me: Arise vpon thy feete, and heare a voice most ful of sound. 14 And it shal be as it were a commotion, neither shal the place be moued wherin thou standest. 15 Therfore when it speaketh be not thou afrayd, because of the end is the word, and the fundation of the earth vnderstood, 16 for concerning them the word trembleth and is moued, for it knoweth that their end must be changed. 17 And it came to passe, when I had heard, I rose vpon my feete, and I heard: and behold a voice speaking, and the sound therof as the sound of manie waters: 18 and it sayd: Behold the dayes come, and the time shal be when I wil begyne to approch, that I may visite the inhabitantes vpon the earth. 19 And when I wil begin to enquire of them that vniustly haue hurt with their iniustice, and when the humilitie of Sion shal be accomplished. 20 And when the world shal be ouersigned that shal beginne to passe, I wil doe these signes: Bookes shal be opened before the face of the firmament, and al shal see together, 21 and infantes of one yeare shal speake with their voices, & wemen with child shal bring forth vntimely infantes not ripe of three or foure monethes, and shal liue, and shal be raysed vp. 22 And sodenly shal appeare sowen places not sowen, & ful cellers shal sodenly be found emptie: 23 and a trumpet shal sound; which when al shal heare, they wil sodenly be afrayd. 24 And it shal be in that time, freindes as enimies shal ouerthrow freindes, and the earth shal be afrayd with them: & the vaynes of fountaynes shal stand, and shal not runne in three howres: 25 and it shal be, euerie one that shal be leaft of al these, of whom I haue foretold thee, he shal be saued, and shal see my saluation, & the end of your world. 26 And the men that are receiued, shal see, they that tasted not death from their natiuitie, and the hart of the inhabitantes shal be turned into an other sense. 27 For euil shal be put out, and deceite shal be extinguished, 28 but fayth shal florish, and corruption shal be ouercome, and truth shal be shewed, which was without fruite so manie dayes. 29 And it came to passe, when he spake to me, & I loe by litle & litle looked on him before whom I stood, 30 and he sayd to me these wordes: I am come to shew thee the time of the night to come. 31 If therfore thou pray agayne, and fast agayne seuen dayes, agayne I wil tel thee greater thinges by the day which I haue heard. 32 For thy voice is heard before the Highest. For the strong hath sene thy direction, and hath fore sene the chastitie which thou hast had from thy youth: 33 and for this cause he hath sent me to shew thee al these thinges, and to say to thee, haue confidence, and feare not, 34 and hasten not with the former times to thinke vayne thinges, that thou hasten not from the last times. 35 And it came to passe after these thinges, and I wept againe, and in like maner I fasted seuen dayes, to accomplish the three weekes, that were told me. 36 And it came to passe in the eight night, and my hart was trubled againe in me, and I began to speake before the Highest. 37 For my spirit was inflamed excedingly, and my soul was distressed. 38 And I sayd: O Lord, speaking thou didst speake from the beginning of creature from the first day, saying: Let heauen be made and earth: and thy word was a perfect worke. 39 And then there was spirit, and darknesse was caried about, and silence, the sound of the voyce of man was not yet from thee. 40 Then thou didst command the lighsome light to be brought forth of thy treasures, wherby thy worke might appeare. 41 And in the second day thou didst create the spirit of the firmament, and commandest it to diuide, and to make a diuision betwen the waters, that a certayn part should depart vpward, and part should remaine beneth. 42 And in the third day thou didst command the waters to be gathered together in the seuenth part of the earth: but sixe partes thou didst drie and preserue, that of them might be seruing before thee thinges sowen of God, and tilled. 43 For thy word proceded, and the worke forth with was made. 44 For sodenly came forth fruite of multitude infinite, and diurse tastes of concupiscence, and flowers of vnchangeable colour, and odours of vnsearcheable smel, and in the third day these thinges were made. 45 And in the fourth day thou didst command to be made the brightnesse of the sunne, the light of the moone, the disposition of the starres: 46 and didst command them that they should serue man, that should be made. 47 And in the fifth day: thou saydst to the seuenth part, where the water was gathered together, that it should bring forth beastes, and foules, and fishes: and so was it done, 48 the dumme water and without life, the thinges that by Gods appointement were commanded, made beastes, that therby the nations may declare thy meruelous workes. 49 And then thou didst preserue two soules: the name of one thou didst cal Henoch, and the name of the second thou didst cal Leuiathan, 50 and thou didst separate them from eche other. For the seuenth part, where the water was gathered together, could not hold them. 51 And thou gauest to Henoch one part, which was dried the third day, to dwelt therin, where are a thousand mountaynes. 52 But to Leuiathan thou gauest the seuenth part being moyst, and kepst it, that it might be to deuoure whom thou wilt, and when thou wilt. 53 And in the sixt day thou didst command the earth, to create before thee cattel, and beastes, and creeping creatures: 54 and ouer these Adam, whom thou madest ruler ouer al the workes, which thou didst make, & out of him are al we brought forth, and the people whom thou hast chosen. 55 And al these thinges I haue sayd before thee o Lord, because thou didst create the world for vs. 56 But the residue of the nations borne of Adam thou saydst that they were nothing, and that they were like to spittle, and as it were the droping out of a vessel thou didst liken the abundance of them. 57 And now Lord, behold these nations which are reputed for nothing, haue begune to rule ouer vs, and to deuoure vs: 58 but we thy people whom thou didst cal thy first onlie begotten emulatour, are deliuered into their handes: 59 and if the world was created for vs, why doe not we possesse inheritance with the world? how long these thinges? CHAP. VII. Without tribulations no man can attayne immortal life: 17. which the iust shal inherite: and the wicked shal perish. 28. Christ wil come, and dye for mankind. 36. Prayers of the iust shal profite til the end of this world, but not after the general iudgement. 48. Al sinned in Adam. 52. and haue added more sinnes, 57. but it is in mans powre, 62. by Gods grace, to liue eternally. AND it came to passe when I had ended to speake these wordes, the Angel was sent to me, which had bene sent to me the first nights, 2 and he sayd to me: Arise Esdras, and heare the wordes which I am come to speake to thee. 3 And I sayd: Speake my God. And he sayd to me: The sea is set in a large place, that it might be deepe and wide: 4 but the entrance to it shal be set in a straict place, that it might be like to riuers. 5 For who witting wil enter into the sea, and see it, or rule ouer it: if he passe not the streite, how shal he come into the bredth? 6 Also an other thing: A citie is built, and set in a plaine place, and it is ful of al goodes. 7 The entrance therof narrow, and set in a stepe place, so that on the right hand there was fire, & on the left depe water: 8 and there is one onlie pathe set betwen them, that is, betwen the fire and the water, so that the pathe can not conteyne, but onlie a mans steppe. 9 And if the citie shal be geuen a man for inheritance, if he neuer passe through the peril set before it, how shal he receiue his inhertance? 10 And I sayd: So Lord. And he sayd to me, So it is: Israel also a part. 11 For I made the world for them: and when Adam transgressed my constitution, that was iudged which was done. 12 And the entrance of this world were made streite, and sorowful, & paynful, and few and euil, and ful of dangers, & stuffed very much with labour. 13 For the entrances of the greater world are large andsecure, and making fruite of immortalitie. 14 If then they that liue entring in enter into these streite and vayne thinges: they can not receiue the thinges that are layd vp. 15 Now therfore why art thou trubled, wheras thou art corruptible? and why art thou moued, wheras thou art mortal? 16 And why hast thou not taken in thy hart that which is to come, but that which is present? 17 I answered, and sayd: Lord dominatour: behold thou hast disposed by thy law that the iust shal inherite these thinges, and the impious shal perish. (Deut 8) 18 But the iust shal suffer the streites, hoping for the wyde places, for they that haue done impiously, haue both suffered the streites, and shal not see the wide places. 19 And he sayd to me: There is no iudge aboue God, nor that vnderstandeth aboue the Highest. 20 For manie present doe perish, because the law of God which was set before, is neglected. 21 For God commanding commanded them that came, when they came, what doing they should liue, and what obseruing they should not be punished. 22 But they were not perswaded, and gaynesayd him, and made to them selues a cogitation of vanitie, 23 and proposed to them selues deceites of sinnes, & they sayd to the Highest that he was not, and they knew not his wayes, 24 and dispised his law, and denyed his couenaunces, and had not fidelitie in his ordinances, and did not accomplish his workes. 25 For this cause Esdras, the emptie to the emptie, and the ful to the ful. 26 Behold the time shal come, and it shal be when the signes shal come, which I haue foretold thee, and the bride shal appeare, and appearing she shal be shewed that now is hid with the earth: 27 and euerie one that is deliuered from the foresaid euils, he shal see my meruelous thinges. 28 For my sonne IESVS shal be reueled with them that are with him, and they shal be merie that are leaft in the foure hundred yeares. 29 And it shal be after these yeares, and my sonne CHRIST shal dye: and al men that haue breath, 30 and the world shal be turned into the old silence seuen dayes, as in the former iudgementes, so that none shal be leaft. 31 And it shal be after seuen dayes, and the world shal be raysed vp that yet waketh not, and shal dye corrupted: 32 and the earth shal render the thinges that sleepe in it, & the dust them that dwel in it with silence, and the cellars shal render the soules that are commended to them. 33 And the Highest shal be reueled vpon the seate of iudgement, and miseries shal passe, and long sufferance shal be gathered together. 34 And iudgement onlie shal remayne, truth shal stand, and fayth shal waxe strong, 35 and the worke shal folow, and the reward shal be shewed, and iustice shal awake, and iniustice shal not haue dominion. [See note below.] 36 And I sayd: First Abraham prayed for the Sodomites, and Moyses for the fathers that sinned in the desert. (Gen 18 / Ex 32) 37 And they that were after him for Isreal in the dayes of Achaz, and of Samuel, 38 and Dauid for the destruction, and Salomon for them that came vnto the sanctification. (2 Kings 24:17 / 2 Par 6:13) 39 And Elias for them that receiued raine, and for the dead that he might liue, (3 Kings 17 & 18) 40 and Ezechias for the people in the dayes of Sennacherib, and manie for manie. (4 Kings 19:15) 41 If therfore now when corruptible did increase, and iniustice was multiplied, and the iust prayed for the impious: why now also shal it not be so? 42 And he answered me and sayd: This present world is not the end, much glorie remaineth in it: for this cause they prayed for the impotent. 43 For the day of iudgement shal be the end of this time, and the beginning of the immortalitie to come, wherein corruption is past: 44 intemperance is dissolued, incredulitie is cut of: and iustice hath increased, truth is strong. 45 For then no man can saue him that hath perished, nor drowne him that hath ouercome. And I answered, 46 and sayd: This is my word the first and the last, that it had bene better not to geue the earth to Adam, or when he had now geuen it, to restraine him that he should not sinne. 47 For what doth it profit men presently to liue in sorow, and being dead to hope for punishment? 48 O what hast thou done Adam? For if thou didst sinne, it was not made thy fal only, but ours also which came of thee. (Rom 5:12) 49 For what doth it profit vs if immortal time be promised to vs: but we haue done mortal workes? 50 And that euerlasting hope is foretold vs: but we most wicked are become vayne? 51 And that habitations of health and securitie are reserued for vs, but we haue conuerst naughtely? 52 And that the glorie of the Highest is reserued to protect them that haue slowly conuerst: but we haue walked in most wicked wayes. 53 And that paradise shal be shewed, whose fruite continueth incorrupted, wherin is securitie and remedie: 54 but we shal not enter in: for we haue conuerst in vnlawful places. 55 And their faces which haue had abstinence, shal shyne aboue the starres: but our faces blacke aboue darkenes. 56 For we did not thinke liuing when we did iniquitie, that we shal beginne after death to suffer. 57 And he answered, and sayd: This is the cogitation of the battel which man shal fight, who is borne vpon the earth, 58 that if he shal be ouercome, he suffer that which thou hast sayd: but if he ouercome he shal receiue that which I say: 59 for this is the life which Moyses spake of when he liued, to the people, saying: Choose vnto thee life, that thou mayst liue. (Deut 30:19) 60 But they beleued him not, no nor the Prophetes after him, no nor me which haue spoken to them. 61 Because there should not be sorow vnto their perdition, as there shal be ioy vpon them, to whom saluation is perswaded. 62 And I answered, and sayd: I know Lord, that the Highest is called merciful in that, that he hath mercie on them which are not yet come into the world, 63 and that he hath mercie on them which conuerse in his law: 64 and he is long suffering, because he sheweth long sufferance to them that haue sinned, as it were with their owne workes: 65 and he is bountiful, because he wil geue according to exigentes: 66 and of freat mercie, because he multiplieth more mercies to them that are present, and that are past, and that are to come. 67 For if he shal not multiplie his mercies, the world shal not be made aliue with them that did inherite it. 68 And he geueth: for if he shal not geue of his bountie, that they may be releeued which haue done iniquitie, the tenth thousand part of men can not be quickned from their iniquities. 69 And the iudge if he shal not forgeue them that are cured with his word, and wype away a multitude of contentions: there should not perhaps be leaft in an innumerable multitiude, but very few. CHAP. VIII. God is merciful in this world, yet fewe are saued. 6. Gods workes, and disposition of his creatures are meruelous. 15. Esdras prayeth for the people of Israel: 37. and saluation is promised to the iust, and punishment threatned to the wicked. AND he answered me, & sayd: This world the Highest made for manie, but that to come for few. 2 And I wil speake a similitude Esdras before thee. For as thou shalt aske the earth, and it wil tel thee, that it wil geue much more earth wherof earthen worke may be made, but a litle dust wherof gold is made: so also is the act of this present world. 3 Manie in deede are created, but few shal be saued. (Matt 20:16) 4 And I answered, and sayd: Then o soul swallow vp the sense, and deuoure that which is wise. 5 For thou art agred to obey, and willing to prophecie. For there is no space geuen thee but only to liue. 6 O Lord if thou wilt not permitte thy seruant, that we pray before thee, and thou geue vs seede to the hart, and tillage to the vnderstanding, wherof may the fruite be made, wherby euerie corrupt person may liue, that shal beare the place of a man? 7 For thou art alone, and we are one workmanshippe of thy handes, as thou hast spoken: 8 and as now the bodie made in the matrice, and thou doest geue the members, thy creature is preserued in fire & water: and nine monethes thy workemanship doth suffer thy creature that is created in it: 9 and it self that keepeth, and that which is kept, both shal be preserued: and the matrice being preserued rendreth agayne at some time the thinges that are growen in it. 10 For thou hast commanded of the members, that is the brestes to geue milke vnto the fruite of the brestes, 11 that the thing which is made, may be nourished til a certayne time, and afterward thou mayst dispose him to thy mercie. 12 For thou hast, brought him vp in thy iustice, and hast instructed him in thy law, and hast corrected him in thy vnderstanding: 13 and thou shalt mortifie him, as thy creature: and shalt geue him life, as thy worke. 14 If then thou wilt destroy him that is made with so great labours: it is easie by thy commandment to be ordayned, that also which was made, might be preserued. 15 And now Lord I wil speake, of euerie man thou rather knowest: but concerning thy people, for which I am sorowful: 16 and concerning thine inheritance, for which I mourne, and for Israel for whom I am pensiue, and concerning Iacob, for whom I am sorowful. 17 Therfore wil I begin to pray before thee for me, & for them: because I see our defaultes that inhabite the earth. 18 But I haue heard of the celeritie of the iudge that shal be. 19 Therfore heare my voyce, and vnderstand my word, and I wil speake before thee. 20 The beginning of the wordes of Esdras before he was assumpted: and I sayd: Lord which inhabitest the world, whose eyes are eleuated vnto thinges on high and in the ayre: 21 and whose throne is inestimable, and glorie incomprehensible: by whom standeth an host of Angels with trembling, 22 whose keping is turned in wynde and fire, thou whose word is true, and sayings premanent: 23 whose commandment is strong, and disposition terrible: whose looke dryeth vp the depthes, and indignation maketh the mountaynes to melt, and truth doth testifie. 24 Heare the prayer of thy seruant, & with thine eares receiue the petition of thy creature. 25 For whiles I liue, I wil speake: and whiles I vnderstand, I wil answere: 26 Neither doe thou respect the sinnes of thy people, but them that serue thee in truth. 27 Neither doe thou attend the impious endeuours of the nations, but them that with sorowes haue kept thy testimonies. 28 Neither thinke thou of them that in thy sight haue conuerst falsly, but remember them that according to thy wil haue knowen thy feare. 29 Neither be thou willing to destroy them that haue had the maners of beastes: but respect them that haue taught thy law gloriously. 30 Neither haue indignation towards them, which are iudged worse then beastes: but loue them that alwayes haue confidence in thy iustice, and glorie. 31 Because we and our fatheres languish with such diseases: but thou for sinners shalt be called merciful. 32 For if thou shalt be desirous to haue mercie on vs, then thou shalt be called merciful, to vs hauing no workes of iustice. 33 For the iust which haue manie workes layd vp, of their owne workes shal receiue reward. 34 For what is man, that thou art angrie with him: or the corruptible kinde, that thou art so bitter touching it? 35 For in truth there is no man of them that be borne, which hath not done impiously, and of them that confesse, which haue not sinned. (3 Kings 8:46 / 2 Par 6:36) 36 For in this shal thy iustice be declared, and thy goodnes, o Lord, when thou shalt haue mercie on them, that haue no substance of good workes. 37 And he answered me, and sayd: Thou hast spoken somethinges rightly: and according to thy wordes, so also shal it be done, 38 because I wil not in dede thinke vpon the worke of them that haue sinned before death, before the iudgement, before perdition: 39 but I wil reioyce vpon the creature of the iust, and I wil remember their pilgrimage also, and saluation, and receiuing of reward. 40 Therfore as I haue spoken, so also it is. 41 For as the husbandman soweth vpon the ground manie seedes, and planteth manie plantes, but not al which were sowen in time, are preserued, nor yet al that were planted, shal take roote: so they also that are sowen in the world, shal not al be saued. (Matt 13 & 20) 42 And I answered, and sayd: If I haue found grace, let me speake. 43 As the seede of the husbandman, if it come not vp, or receiue not the rayne in time, if it be corupted with much rayne, perisheth: 44 so likewise also man who made with thy handes, and thou named his image: because thou art likened to him, for whom thou hast made al thinges, and hast likened him to the seede of the husbandman. 45 Be not angrie vpon vs, but spare thy people, and haue mercie on thy inheritance. And thou hast mercie on thy creature. 46 And he answered me, and sayd: The thinges that are present to them that are present, and that shal be, to them that shal be. 47 For thou lackest much to be able to loue my creature aboue me: and to thee often times, euen to thyselfe I haue approched, but to the vniust neuer. 48 But in this also thou art meruelous before the Highest, 49 because thou hast humbled thyself as becometh thee: & hast not iudged thyself, that among the iust thou maist be very much glorified. 50 For which cause manie miseries, and miserable thinges shal be done to them that inhabite the world in the later dayes: because they haue walked in much pride. 51 But thou for thyselfe vnderstand, & for them that are like vnto thee seeke glorie. 52 For to you paradise is open, the tree of life is planted, time to come is prepared, abundance is prepared, a citie is builded, rest is approued, goodnes is perfited, & perfit wisdome. 53 The roote of euil is signed from you: infirmitie, and mothe is hid from you: & corruption is fled into hel in obliuion. 54 Sorowes are past, & the treasure of immortalitie is shewed in the end. 55 Adde not therfore inquiring of the multitude of them that perish. 56 For they also receiuing libertie, haue despised the Highest, and contemned his lawe, and forsaken his wayes. 57 Yea and moreouer they haue troden downe his iust ones, 58 and haue sayd in their hart, that there is no God: and that, knowing that they dye. (Ps 13 & 52) 59 For as the thinges aforesayd shal receiue you: so thirst and torment, which are prepared shal take them: for he would not man to be destroyed. 60 But they them selues also which are created, haue defyled his name which made them: & haue bene vnkind to him that prepared life. 61 Wherfore my iudgement now approcheth. 62 Which thinges I haue not shewed to al, but to thee, & to few like vnto thee. And I answered, and sayd: 63 Behold now Lord thou hast shewed me a multitude of signes, which thou wilt beginne to doe in the latter times: but thou hast not shewed me at what time. CHAP. IX. Certaine signes shal goe before the day of iudgement. 14. More shal perish then be saued. 25. Prayer with other good workes, are meanes to saluation. AND he answered me, and sayd: Measuring measure thou the time in it selfe: and it shal be when thou seest, after a certaine part of the signes which are spoken of before shal passe, 2 then shalt thou vnderstand, that the same is the time wherin the Highest wil beginne to visite the world that was made by him. 3 And when there shal be sene in the world mouing of places, and truble of peoples, 4 then shalt thou vnderstand, that of these spake the Highest, from the dayes that were before thee, from the beginning. 5 For as al that is made in the world hath a beginning, and also a consummation, and the consummation is manifest: 6 so also the times of the Highest haue the beginning manifest in wonders and powers, and the consummations in worke and in signes. 7 And it shal be, euery one that shal be saued, and that can escape by his workes, and by fayth, in which you haue beleeued, 8 shal be leaft out of the foresayd dangers, and shal see my saluation in my land, and in my costes, because I haue sancitifed my selfe from the world. 9 And then shal they be in miserie, that now haue abused my wayes: and they that haue reiected them in contempt, shal abide in torments. 10 For they that knew not me, hauing obtained benefits when they liued: 11 and they that loathed my law, when they yet had libertie, 12 and when as yet place of penance was open to them vnderstoode not, but despised: they must after death in torment know it. 13 Thou therfore be not yet curious, how the impious shal be tormented: but inquire how the iust shal be saued, and whose the world is, and for whom the world is, and when. 14 And I answered, and sayd: 15 I haue spoken hertofore, and now I say, and hereafter wil say: that they are more which perish then that shal be saued: (Matt 10) 16 as a floud is multiplied aboue, more then a droppe. 17 And he ansvvered me, and sayd: Like as the field so also the sedes: and as the flovvers, such also the colours: and as the workeman, such also the worke: and such as the husbandman, such is the husbandrie: because it was the time of the world. 18 And now when I was preparing for them, for these that now are before the world was made, wherin they should dwel: and no man gaynsayd me. 19 For then euery man, and now the creator in this world prepared, and haruest not fayling, and law vnsearchable their manners are corrupted. 20 And I considered the world, and behold there was danger because of the cogitations that came in it. 21 And I saw, and spared it very much: and I kept vnto my selfe a grape kernel of a cluster, and a plant of a great trybe. 22 Let the multitude therfore perish, which was borne without cause, and let my kernel be kept, & my plant: because I finished it with much labour. 23 And thou if thou adde yet seuen other dayes, but thou shalt not fast in them, 24 thou shalt goe into a field of flowers, where no house is built: & thou shalt eate only of the flowers of the field, and flesh thou shalt not tast, and wine thou shalt not drinke, but only flowers. 25 Pray to the Highest without intermission, and I wil come, and wil speake with thee. 26 And I went forth, as he sayd to me, into a field which is called Ardath, and I sate there among the flowers. And I did eate of the herbes of the field, and the meate of them made me ful. 27 And it came to passe after seuen dayes, and I sate downe vpon the grasse, and my hart was trubled ayayne as before. 28 And my mouth was opened, and I beganne to speake before the Highest, and sayd: 29 O Lord thou shewing thy selfe to vs, wast shewed to our fathers in the desert, which is not troden, and vnfruitful, when they came out of AEgypt: and saying thou saydst: (Ex 19 & 24 / Deut 4) 30 Thou Israel heare me, and sede of Iacob attend to my wordes. 31 For behold, I sow my lawe in you, and it shal bring forth fruite in you, and you shal be glorified in it for euer. 32 For our fathers receiuing the law obserued it not, and kept not my ordinances, and the fruite of the law did not appeare: for it could not, because it was thine. 33 For they that receiued it, perished, not keeping that which had bene sowen in them. (Ex 32) 34 And behold it is the custome, that when the earth hath receiued sede, or the sea a shippe, or some vessel meate or drinke: when that shal be destroyed wherin it was sowne, or into the which it was cast: 35 that which was sowne, or cast in, or the thinges that were receiued, are destroyed withal, and the thinges receiued now tarye not with vs: but it is not so done to vs. 36 We in dede that receiued the law, sinning haue perished, and our hart that receiued it: 37 For the law hath not perished, but hath remayned in his labour. (Ezech 48) 38 And when I spake these thinges in my hart, I looked backe with myne eyes, and saw a woman on the right side, and behold she mourned, and wept with a lowd voice, and was sorrowful in mynde exceedingly, and her garments rent, and ashes vpon her heade. 39 And I left the cogitations, wherin I was thinking, and I turned to her and sayd to her: 40 Why weepest thou? and why art thou sorie in mynde. And she sayd to me: 41 Suffer me my Lord, that I may lament myselfe, & adde sorrow: because I am of a very pensiue mynde, and am humbled exceedingly. 42 And I sayd to her, What ayleth thee: tel me. And she sayd to me: 43 I thy seruant haue beene barren, and haue not borne childe, hauing a husband thirty yeares. 44 For I euery howre, and euerie day, and these thirty yeares do beseche the Highest night and day. 45 And it came to passe, after thirtie yeares God heard me thy handmayd, and saw my humilitie, and attended to my tribulation, and gaue me a sonne: and I was very ioyful vpon him, and my husband, and al my citizens, and we did glorifie the Strong exceedingly. 46 And I nourished him with much labour. 47 And it came to passe when he was growen, and came to take a wife, I made a feast day. CHAP. X. The state of Ierusalem is prefigured by a woman mourning, 25. and afterwardes reioycing. AND it came to passe, when my sonne was entred into his inner chamber, he fel downe, and dyed: 2 and we al ouerthrewe the lights, and al my citizens rose vp to comfort me, and I was quiet vntil the other day at night. 3 And it came to passe, when al were quiet to comfort me, that I might be quiet: and I arose in the night, and fled: and came as thou seest into this field. 4 And I meane nowe not to returne into the citie, but to stay here: and neither eate, nor drinke, but without intermission to mourne, and to fast vntil I dye. 5 And I left the talke wherin I was, and with anger answered her, & sayd: 6 Thou foole aboue al wemen, seest thou not our mourning, & what thinges chance to vs? 7 Because Sion our mother is sorroweful with al sorrowe, and humbled, and mourneth most bitterly. 8 And now wheras we al mourne, and are sadde: wheras we are sorrowful, and art thou sorrowful for one sonne? 9 For aske the earth, and it wil tel thee: that it is she, that ought to lament the fal of so manie thinges that spring vpon it. 10 And of her were al borne from the beginning, and others shal come: and behold, almost al walke into perdition, and the multitude of them commeth to destruction. 11 And who then ought to mourne more, but she that hath lost so great a multitude, rather then thou which art sorie for one? 12 And if thou say vnto me, that my mourning is not lyke the earthes: because I haue lost the fruite of my wombe, which I bare with sorrowes, and brought forth with paynes: 13 but the earth according to the maner of the earth, and the present multitude in it hath departed as it came: and I saye to thee, 14 as thou hast brought forth with payne, so the earth also geueth her fruite for man from the beginning to him that made her. 15 Now therfore kepe in with thy sorrowe, and beare stoutly the chances that haue befallen thee. 16 For if thou iustifie the end of God, thou shalt in time both receiue his counsel, and also in such thinges thou shalt be praysed. 17 Goe in therfore into the citie to thy husband. And she sayd to me: 18 I wil not doe it, neither wil I enter into the citie, but here wil I dye. 19 And I added yet to speake to her, & sayd: 20 Doe not this word, but consent to him that counseleth thee. For how manie are the chances of Sion? Take comfort for the sorrowe of Ierusalem. 21 For thou seest that our sanctification is made desert, and our altar is throwen downe, and our temple is destroyed, 22 and our psalter is humbled, and hymne is silent, and our exultation is dissolued, and the light of our candelsticke is extinguished, and the arke of our testament is taken for spoyle, & our holie thinges are contaminated, and the name that is inuocated vpon vs, is almost prophaned: and our children haue suffred contumelie, and our Priestes are burnt, & our Leuites are gone into captiuitie, & our virgins are defloured, and our wiues haue suffered rape, and our iust men are violently taken, and our litle ones are lost, and our yong men are in bondage, and our valiants are made impotent: 23 and that which is greatest of al, the seale of Sion, because she is vnsealed of her glorie: For she is also deliuered into the handes of them that hate vs. 24 Thou therfore shake of thy great heauines, and lay away from thee the multitude of sorrowes, that the Strong may be propicious to thee agayne, and the Highest wil geue thee rest, rest from thy labours. 25 And it came to passe, when I spake to her, her face did shine suddenly, and her shape, and her visage was made glistering, so that I was afrayde excedingly at her, & thought what this thing should be. 26 And Behold, suddenly she put forth a great sound of a voyce ful of feare, that the earth was moued at the womans sound. And I saw: 27 and behold, the woman did no more appeare vnto me, but a citie was built, & a place was shewed of great fundations: and I was afrayd, & crying with a loude voyce I sayd: 28 Where is Vriel the Angel, that from the beginning came to me? for he made me come in multitude in excesse of this minde, and my end is made into corruption, & my prayer into reproch. 29 And when I was speaking these thinges, behold he came to me, and sawe me. 30 And behold I was layd as dead, & my vnderstanding was alienated, and he held my right hand, and strengthned me, & set me vpon my feete, & sayd to me: 31 What ayleth thee? and why is thy vnderstanding, and the sense of thy hart trubled, & why art thou trubled? And I sayd: 32 Because thou hast forsaken me, and I in dede haue done according to thy wordes, & went out into the field: & behold, I haue seene, & doe see that which I cannot vtter. And he sayd to me: 33 Stand like a man, & I wil moue thee. And I sayd: 34 Speake thou my Lord in me, forsake me not, that I die not in vaine: 35 because I haue seene thinges that I knew not, & I doe heare thinges that I know not. 36 Or is my sense deceiued, & doth my soule dreame? 37 Now therfore I besech thee, that thou shew vnto thy seruant concerning this trance. And he answered me, & sayd: 38 Heare me, and I wil teach thee, and wil tel thee of what thinges thou art afrayd: because the Highest hath reuealed vnto thee manie mysteries. 39 He hath seene thy right way, that without intermission thou was forrowful for thy people, and didst mourne exceedingly for Sion. 40 This therfore is the vnderstanding of the vision which appeared to thee a litle before. 41 The woman whom thou sawest mourning, thou beganst to comfort her. 42 And now thou seest not the forme of the woman, but there appeared to thee a citie to be built. 43 And because she tolde thee of the fal of her sonne, this is the interpretation. 44 This woman which thou sawest, she is Sion, and wheras she told thee of her, whom now also thou shalt see, as a citie builded. 45 And whereas she told thee, that she was barren thirtie yeares: for the which there were thirtie yeares, when there was not yet oblation offered in it. 46 And it came to passe after thirtie yeares, Salomon built the citie, and offered oblations: then it was, when the barren bare a childe. 47 And that which she sayd vnto thee, that she nourished him with labour, this was the habitation in Ierusalem. 48 And wheras she sayd to thee, that my sonne comming into the bryde chamber dyed, and that a fal chanced vnto him, this was the ruine of Ierusalem that is made. 49 And behold, thou hast seene the similitude of her: and because she lamented her sonne, thou beganst to comfort her: and of these thinges that haue chanced, these were to be opened to thee. 50 And now the Highest seeth that thou wast sorie from the hart: and because with thy whole hart thou sufferest for her, he hath shewed thee the clearnes of her glorie, and the fayrenes of her beautie. 51 For therfore did he say to thee, that thou shouldest tarie in a field where house is not built. 52 For I knew that the Highest beganne to shew thee these thinges: 53 therfore I sayd vnto thee, that thou shouldest goe into a field, where is no fundation of building. 54 For the worke of mans building could not be borne in the place, where the citie of the Highest began to be shewed. 55 Thou therfore feare not, neither let thy hart dread: but goe in, and see the beautie, and greatnes of the building, as much as the sight of thyne eyes is capable to see: 56 & afterward thou shalt heare as much, as the hearing of thyne eares is capable to heare. 57 For thou art blessed aboue manie, and art called with the Highest as few. 58 And to morrow night thou shalt tarie here: 59 and the Highest wil shew thee those visions of the thinges on high, which the Highest wil doe to them that inhabite vpon the earth in the later dayes. 60 And I slept that night, and the other next, as he had sayd to me. CHAP. XI. An eagle appeareth to Esdras coming forth of the sea, with three heades, and twelue winges: sometimes one reigning in the world, sometimes an other, but euerie one vanisheth away. 36. A lion also appeareth coming forth of the wood, to suppresse the eagle. AND I sawe a dreame, & behold an eagle came vp out of the sea: which had twelue winges of fethers, and three heades. 2 And I saw, and behold she spred her winges into al the earth, and al the windes of heauen blew vpon her, and were gathered together. 3 And I saw, and of her fethers sprang contrarie feathers, and they became litle winges, and smale. 4 For her heades were at rest, and the midle head was greater then the other heades, but she rested with them. 5 And I saw, and behold the eagle flew with her winges, and reigned ouer the earth, and ouer them that dwel in it. 6 And I saw, that al thinges vnder heauen were subiect to her, and no man gaynesayd her, no not one of the creature that is vpon the earth. 7 And I saw, and behold the eagle rose vp vpon her talons, and made a voice with her winges, saying: 8 Watch not al together, sleepe euerie one in his place, & watch according to time. 9 But let the heades be preserued to the last. 10 And I saw, and behold the voice came not out of her heades, but from the middes of her bodie. 11 And I numbered her contrarie winges, and behold they were eight. 12 And I saw, and behold on the right side rose one wing, and reighned ouer al the earth. 13 And it came to passe, when it reigned, an end came to it, and the place therof appeared not: and the next rose vp, & reigned, that held much time. 14 And it came to passe, when it reigned, & the end of it also came, that it appeared not as the former. 15 And behold, a voice was sent forth to it, saying: 16 Heare thou that hast held the earth of long time. Thus I tel thee before thou beginne not to appeare. 17 None after thee shal hold thy time, no nor the halfe therof. 18 And the third lifted vp it selfe, and held the principalitie as also the former: and that also appeared not. 19 And so it chanced to al the other by one & by one to haue the principalitie, & agayne to appeare nowhere. 20 And I saw, and behold in time the rest of the winges were sent vp on the right side, that they also might hold the principalitie: and of them there were that held it, but yet forthwith they appeared not. 21 For some also of them stoode vp, but they held not the principalitie. 22 And I saw after these thinges, and behold the twelue winges, and two litle winges appeared not: 23 and nothing remayned in the bodie of the eagle but two heades resting, and six litle winges. 24 And I saw, and behold from the six litle winges two were diuided, and they remayned vnder the head, that is on the right side. For foure taried in their place. 25 And I saw, and behold the vnderwinges thought to set vp them selues, and to hold the principalities. 26 And I saw, and behold one was set vp, but forthwith it appeared not. 27 And they that were second did sooner vanish away then the former. 28 And I saw, and behold the two that remayned, thought with them selues that they also would reigne: 29 and when they were thincking thereon, behold one of the resting heades, which was the midde one awaked, for this was greater then the other two heades. 30 And I saw that the two heades were complete with themselues. 31 And behold the head with them that were with him turned, and did eate the two vnderwinges that thought to reigne. 32 And this head terrified al the earth, & ruled in it ouer them that inhabite the earth with much labour, and he that held the dominion of the whole world aboue al the winges that were. 33 And I saw after these thinges, and behold the midle head sodenly appeared not, as did the winges. 34 And there remained two heads, which reigned also themselues ouer the earth, and ouer them that dwelt therein. 35 And I saw, and behold the head on the right side deuoured that which was on the left. 36 And I heard a voice saying to me, Looke against thee, and consider what thou seest. 37 And I saw, & behold as a lion raysed out of the wood roaring: and I saw that he sent out a mans voyce to the eagle. And he spake saying. 38 Heare thou, and I wil speake to thee, and the Highest wil say to thee: 39 Is it not thou that hast ouercome of the foure beastes, which I made to reigne in my world, and that by them the end of their times might come? 40 And the fourth coming ouercame al the beastes that were past, and by might held the world with much feare, and al the world with most wicked laboure, and he inhabitied the whole earth so long time with deceipte. 41 And thou hast iudged the earth not with truth. 42 For thou hast afflicted the meeke, and hast trubled them that were quiet, and hast loued lyers, & hast destroyed their habitations that did fructifie, and hast ouerthrowen their walles that did not hurt thee. 43 And thy contumelie is ascended euen to the Highest, and thy pride to the Strong. 44 And the Highest hath looked vpon the proud times: and behold they are ended, and the abominations therof are accomplished. 45 Therfore thou eagle appeare no more, and thy horrible winges, & thy litle winges most wicked, and thy heades malignant, and thy talons most wicked, and al thy bodie vayne, 46 that al the earth may be refreshed, and may returne deliuered from thy violence, and may hope for his iudgement, and mercie that made it. CHAP. XII. The eagle vanisheth away, 5. Esdras prayeth, 10. and the former visions are declared to him. AND it came to passe, whiles the lyon spake these wordes to the eagle: I saw, 2 and behold the head that had ouercome, and those foure winges appeared not which passed to him, and were set vp to reigne: and their reigne was smal, and ful of tumult. 3 And I saw, and behold they appeared not, and al the bodie of the eagle was burnt, & the earth was afrayd excedingly, and I by the tumult and traunce of minde, and for great feare awaked, and sayd to my spirit: 4 Behold thou hast geuen me this, in that, that thou searchest the wayes of the Highest. 5 Behold yet I am wearie in minde, and in my spirit I am very feeble, and there is not so much as a litle strength in me for the great feare, that I was afrayd of this night. 6 Now therfore I wil pray the Highest, that he strengthen me euen to the end. 7 And I sayd: Lord Dominatour, if I haue found grace before thine eyes, and if I am iustified before thee aboue manie, and if in deede my prayer be ascended before thy face, 8 strengthen me, and shew vnto me thy seruant the interpretation, and distinction of this horrible vision, that thou mayst comfort my soule most fully. 9 For thou hast counted me worthie to shew vnto me the later times. And he sayd to me: 10 This is the interpretation of this vision. 11 The eagle which thou sawest coming vp from the sea, this is the kingdom which was sene in a vision to Daniel thy brother. (Dan 7:7) 12 But it was not interpreted to him, therfore I do now interprete it to thee. 13 Behold the dayes come, and there shal rise a kingdon vpon the earth, and the feare shal be more terrible then of al the kingdomes that were before it. 14 And there shal twelue kinges reigne in it, one after an other. 15 For the second shal beginne to reigne, and he shal continew
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