9
And he answered me, and said, Measure you diligently within yourself: and when you see that a certain part of the signs are past, which have been told you beforehand, then shall you understand, that it is the very time, wherein the Most High will visit the world which was made by him. And when there shall be seen in the world earthquakes, disquietude of peoples, devices of nations, wavering of leaders, disquietude of princes, then shall you understand, that the Most High spoke of these things from the days that were aforetime from the beginning. For like as of all that is made in the world, the beginning So is evident, and the end manifest; so also are the times of the Most High: the beginnings are manifest in wonders and mighty works, and the end in effects and signs. And everyone that shall be saved, and shall be able to escape by his wotks, or by faith, whereby he has believed, shall be preserved from the said perils, and shall see my salvation in my land, and within my borders, which I have sanctified for me from the beginning. Then shall they be amazed, which now have abused my ways: and they that have cast them away despitefully shall dwell in torments. 10 For as many as in their life have received benefits, and yet have not known me; 11 and as many as have scorned my law, while they had yet liberty, and, when as yet place of repentance was open to them, understood not, but despised Or, it; 12 the same must know Or, it after death by torment. 13 And therefore be you no longer curious how the ungodly shall be punished; but inquire how the righteous shall be saved, Soandand they whose the world is, and for whom the world was created.
14 And I answered and said, 15 I have said before, and now do speak, and will speak it also hereafter, that there be more of them which perish, than of the which will be saved: 16 like as a wave is greater than a drop.
17 And he answered me, saying, Like as the field is, so also the seed; and as the flowers be, such are the colors also; and such as the work is, such also is the So judgement thereon; and as is the husbandman, so is his threshing floor also. For there was a time in the world, 18 even then when I was preparing for them that now live, before the world was made for them to dwell in; and then no man spoke against me, 19 for So there was not any: but now they which are created in this world that is prepared, both So with a table that fails not, and a law which is unsearchable, are corrupted in their manners. 20 So I considered my world, and, behold, it was destroyed, and my earth, and, behold, it was in peril, because of the devices that were come into it. 21 And I saw, and spared them, but not greatly, and saved me a grape out of a cluster, and a plant out of Sogreat a great forest. 22 Let the multitude perish then, which was born in vain; and let my grape be saved, and my plant; for with great labor have I made them perfect. 23 Nevertheless if you will cease yet seven days more, (howbeit you shall not fast in them, 24 but shall go into a field of flowers, where no house is builded, and eat only of the flowers of the field; and you shall taste no flesh, and shall drink no wine, but shall eat flowers only;) 25 and pray to the Most High continually, then will I come and talk with you.
26 So I went my way, like as he commanded me, into the field which is called The Ardat; and there I sat among the flowers, and did eat of the herbs of the field, and the meat of the same satisfied me. 27 And it came to pass after seven days that I lay upon the grass, and my heart was vexed again, like as before: 28 and my mouth was opened, and I began to speak before the Lord Most High, and said, 29 O Lord, you did show yourself among us, to our fathers in the wilderness, when they went forth out of Egypt, and when they came into the wilderness, where no man treadeth and that bears no fruit; 30 and you did say, Hear me, you Israel; and mark my words, O seed of Jacob. 31 For, behold, I sow my law in you, and it shall bring forth fruit in you, and you⌃ shall be glorified in it for ever. 32 But our fathers, which received the law, kept it not, and observed not the statutes: and the fruit of the law did not perish, neither could it, for it was your; 33 yet they that received it perished, because they kept not the thing that was sown in them. 34 And, behold, it is a custom, that when the ground has received seed, or the sea a ship, or any vessel meat or drink, and when it comes to pass that that which is sown, or that which is launched, 35 or the things which have been received, should come to an end, these come to an end, but the receptacles remain: yet with us it has not happened so. 36 For we that have received the law shall perish by sin, and our heart also which received it. 37 Notwithstanding the law perishes not, but remains in its honor.
38 And when I spoke these things in my heart, I looked about me with mine eyes, and upon the right side I saw a woman, and, behold, she mourned and wept with a loud voice, and was much grieved in mind, and her clothes were tore, and she had ashes upon her head. 39 Then let I my thoughts go wherein I was occupied, and turned me to her, 40 and said to her, Why do you weep? and why are you grieved in your mind?
41 And she said to me, Let me alone, my Lord, that I may bewail myself, and add to my sorrow, for I am sore vexed in my mind, and brought very low.
42 And I said to her, What aileth you? Tell me. 43 She said to me, I your servant was barren, and had no child, though I had a husband thirty years. 44 And every hour and every day these thirty years did I make my prayer to the Most High day and night. 45 And it came to pass after thirty years that God heard me your handmaid, and looked upon my low estate, and considered my trouble, and gave me a son: and I rejoiced in him greatly, I and my husband, and all my neighbors: and we gave great honor to the Mighty. 46 And I nourished him with great travail. 47 So when he grew up, and I came to take him a wife, I made him a feast day.
1:34+1:34Or,together1:34with you+2:7+Another2:7reading is,2:7sacrament,2:7or,2:7oath2:13+Another2:13reading is,2:13Go.2:16+2:16Or,2:16recognize2:29+2:29Lat.2:29Gehenna.2:40+Another2:40reading is,2:40Take.3:4+So3:4the Syriac and Aethiopic.3:5+So3:5the Syriac.3:18+So3:18some versions. Lat.set3:18fast.3:20+3:20Or,3:20corrupt3:21+3:21Or,3:21corrupt3:22+3:22Or,3:22corruptness3:22+3:22Or,3:22corrupt3:26+3:26Or,3:26corrupt3:31+So3:31the Syriac. The Latin hashow3:31this way may be left.4:4+4:4Or,4:4corrupt4:5+After4:5the Oriental versions.4:7+After4:7the Oriental versions.4:7+So4:7the Syriac. The Latin omitsof4:7hell? or which are the paths.4:9+Another4:9reading is,from4:9which you can not be separated4:11+Syriac4:11and Aethiopic,the4:11way of the incorruptible.4:12+So4:12the Syriac and Aethiopic. The Latin is corrupt.4:13+So4:13the Oriental versions. The Latin is corrupt. See Judges 9:8.4:22+After4:22the Oriental versions.4:24+So4:24the chief Oriental versions. The Latin is corrupt.4:26+So4:26the Syriac.4:28+so4:28the Syriac and Aethiopic.4:30+4:30Or,threshing4:30floor4:33+So4:33the chief oriental versions.4:34+So4:34the Syriac. The Latin is corrupt.4:35+So4:35the Syriac. The Latin hasshall4:35I hope on this fashion?4:35+4:35Or,threshing4:35floor4:37+4:37Syr.4:37rest.4:39+4:39Or,threshing4:39floor5:1+So5:1the syriac.5:3+So5:3the Syriac.5:5+According5:5to some Oriental versions,the5:5air.5:16+The5:16Syriac has5:16Psaltiel.5:24+After5:24the Oriental versions. The Latin has5:24pit.5:28+After5:28the Oriental versions. The Latin readshave5:28prepared.5:45+So5:45the Syriac.5:45+The5:45Latin omitsIf...alive5:45at once.6:4+So6:4the Syriac.6:8+Perhaps6:8for6:8Abram.6:8+Another6:8reading is,6:8Isaac.6:10+So6:10the Syriac, etc. The Latin is defective.6:29+After6:29the Oriental versions. The Latin is corrupt.6:30+So6:30the Syriac. The Latin is corrupt.6:31+The6:31Latin hastell6:31you by day.6:39+The6:39Latin addsfrom6:39you.6:55+So6:55the Syriac. The Latin hasthe6:55firstborn world.7:3+So7:3the chief Oriental versions. The Latin MSS. have7:3deep.7:18+According7:18to some authorities,have7:18not suffered...and shall not see.7:19+Another7:19reading is,There7:19is no judge...and none that has understanding.7:29+7:29Lat.7:29man7:32+7:32Or,7:32chambersSee7:322 Esdras 4:35.7:33+The7:33Syriac addsand7:33the end shall come.7:35+The7:35passage from verse [36] to verse [105], formerly missing, has been restored to the text. See Preface, page ix.7:36+So7:36the chief Oriental versions. The Latin MSS. have7:36place.7:36+7:36Lat.7:36Gehenna.7:38+So7:38the chief Oriental versions. The Latin hasshall7:38you speak.7:41+7:41Or,7:41storm7:52+The7:52Latin is here corrupt.7:59+The7:59Latin here is corrupt.7:60+The7:60Latin is here corrupt.7:68+The7:68Latin is here corrupt.7:79+Another7:79reading is,7:79him.7:86+The7:86passage is corrupt.7:87+7:87Lat.7:87greater7:87+The7:87Latin is here corrupt.7:89+The7:89Latin is here corrupt.7:96+The7:96Latin is here corrupt.7:99+The7:99latin is here corrupt.7:103+So7:103the Oriental versions.7:104+The7:104Latin hasa7:104bold day7:104+So7:104the Oriental versions.7:104+the7:104Latin has7:104understand.7:105+So7:105the Syriac. The Latin omitsin7:105that day...another.7:107+That7:107is,7:107Achan.See7:107Joshua 7:1.7:108+So7:108the Syriac and other versions. The Latin omitsin7:108the days of Saul.7:112+Omitted7:112in the Latin.7:113+Omitted7:113in the Latin.7:127+7:127Or,7:127intent7:139+7:139Lat.7:139contempts.8:5+So8:5the Syriac. The Latin is incorrect.8:6+So8:6the Syriac. The Latin has8:6place.8:9+So8:9the Syriac. The Latin is imperfect.8:14+So8:14the Syriac. The Latin is incorrect.8:20+8:20Or,inhabitest8:20eternity8:22+According8:22to the chief Oriental versions. The Latin has, even theywhose8:22service takes the form of wind etc.8:29+The8:29Syriac hasreceived8:29the brightness of your law.8:31+So8:31the Syriac and Aethiopic versions.8:31+8:31Lat.8:31manners.8:31+Another8:31reading is,shall8:31be.8:35+So8:35the Syriac. There appears to be an error in the Latin text.8:41+8:41Lat.be8:41saved.8:43+So8:43the printed Latin text. The earlier MSS. are corrupt.8:52+The8:52Syriac has8:52established.8:53+After8:53the chief Oriental versions.9:5+So9:5the Syriac. The Latin is corrupt.9:11+Or,9:11me9:12+Or,9:12me9:13+So9:13the Syriac and other versions. The Latin hasand9:13whose...9:13created,and9:13when.9:17+So9:17the Aethiopic and Arabic. The Latin has9:17creation.9:19+So9:19the Syriac.9:19+So9:19the Syriac.9:21+So9:21the Syriac and other versions. The Latin hasgreat9:21tribes.9:26+The9:26Syriac and Aethiopic have9:26Arphad.9:45+9:45Lat.9:45townsmen.