2 And behold a voice came forth against me out of a bush, and said: Esdras, Esdras: and I said: Lo here I am Lord. And I arose upon my feet. And he said to me:
2 And behold a voice came forth against me out of a bush, and said: Esdras, Esdras: and I said: Lo here I am Lord. And I arose upon my feet. And he said to me:
3 Revealing I was revealed upon the bush, and spake to Moyses, when the people served in Aegypt, Exod. 3.
3 Revealing I was revealed upon the bush, and spake to Moyses, when the people served in Aegypt, Exod. 3.
4 and I sent him, and brought my people out of Aegypt, and brought him upon mount Sina, and held him with me many days.
4 and I sent him, and brought my people out of Aegypt, and brought him upon mount Sina, and held him with me many days.
5 And I told him many marvelous things, and shewed him the secrets of times, and the end: and I commanded him, saying:
5 And I told him many marvelous things, and shewed him the secrets of times, and the end: and I commanded him, saying:
6 These words thou shalt publish abroad, and these thou shalt hide.
6 These words thou shalt publish abroad, and these thou shalt hide.
7 And now to thee I say:
7 And now to thee I say:
8 The signs which I have shewed, and the dreams which thou hast seen, and the interpretations which thou hast seen, lay them up in thy heart.
8 The signs which I have shewed, and the dreams which thou hast seen, and the interpretations which thou hast seen, lay them up in thy heart.
9 For thou shalt be received of all, thou shalt be converted the residue with thy counsel, and with the like to thee, till the times be finished.
9 For thou shalt be received of all, thou shalt be converted the residue with thy counsel, and with the like to thee, till the times be finished.
10 Because the world hath lost his youth, & the times draw near to wax old.
10 Because the world hath lost his youth, & the times draw near to wax old.
11 For the world is divided by twelve parts, and the tenth part, and half of the tenth part are passed:
11 For the world is divided by twelve parts, and the tenth part, and half of the tenth part are passed:
12 and there remaineth hereafter the half of the tenth part.
12 and there remaineth hereafter the half of the tenth part.
13 Now therefore dispose thy house, and correct thy people, & comfort the humble of them, & forsake now corruption.
13 Now therefore dispose thy house, and correct thy people, & comfort the humble of them, & forsake now corruption.
14 And it came to pass the third day, and I sat under an oak.
14 And it came to pass the third day, and I sat under an oak.
15 for the evils which thou hast seen to have chanced now, worse than these will they do again: . 1. Ioan. 2.
15 for the evils which thou hast seen to have chanced now, worse than these will they do again: . 1. Ioan. 2.
16 for look how much the world shall become weak by age, so much shall evils be multiplied upon the inhabitants.
16 for look how much the world shall become weak by age, so much shall evils be multiplied upon the inhabitants.
17 For truth hath removed itself farther off, and lying hath approached, for now the vision which thou sawest hasteneth to come.
17 For truth hath removed itself farther off, and lying hath approached, for now the vision which thou sawest hasteneth to come.
18 And I answered, and said before thee o Lord:
18 And I answered, and said before thee o Lord:
19 For behold I will go, as thou hast commanded me, & will rebuke the people that now is. But them that shall yet be born, who shall admonish?
19 For behold I will go, as thou hast commanded me, & will rebuke the people that now is. But them that shall yet be born, who shall admonish?
20 The world therefore is set in darkness, and they that dwell in it without light.
20 The world therefore is set in darkness, and they that dwell in it without light.
21 Because thy law is burnt, therefore no man knoweth the works that have been done by thee, or that shall begin.
21 Because thy law is burnt, therefore no man knoweth the works that have been done by thee, or that shall begin.
22 For if I have found grace with thee, send the Holy Ghost to me, & I will write all that hath been done in the world from the beginning, the things that were written in thy law, that men may find the path: and they that will live in the later times, may live.
22 For if I have found grace with thee, send the Holy Ghost to me, & I will write all that hath been done in the world from the beginning, the things that were written in thy law, that men may find the path: and they that will live in the later times, may live.
23 And he answered me, and said: Go gather together the people, and thou shalt say to them, that they seek thee not for forty days.
23 And he answered me, and said: Go gather together the people, and thou shalt say to them, that they seek thee not for forty days.
24 And do thou prepare thee many tables of box, and take with thee Sarea, Dabria, Salemia, Echanus, and Asiel, these five which are ready to write swiftly.
24 And do thou prepare thee many tables of box, and take with thee Sarea, Dabria, Salemia, Echanus, and Asiel, these five which are ready to write swiftly.
25 And come hither, and I will light in thy heart a candle of understanding, which shall not be put out till the things be finished, which thou shalt begin to write.
25 And come hither, and I will light in thy heart a candle of understanding, which shall not be put out till the things be finished, which thou shalt begin to write.
26 And then some things thou shalt open to the perfect, some thou shalt deliver secretly to the wise. For tomorrow this hour thou shalt begin to write.
26 And then some things thou shalt open to the perfect, some thou shalt deliver secretly to the wise. For tomorrow this hour thou shalt begin to write.
27 And I went as he commanded me, and gathered together all the people, and said:
27 And I went as he commanded me, and gathered together all the people, and said:
28 Hear Israel these words:
28 Hear Israel these words:
29 Our fathers were pilgrims from the beginning in Aegypt, and were delivered from thence. . . Act. 7.
29 Our fathers were pilgrims from the beginning in Aegypt, and were delivered from thence. . . Act. 7.
30 And they received the law of life, which they kept not, which you also after them have transgressed:
30 And they received the law of life, which they kept not, which you also after them have transgressed:
31 and the land was given you by lot, and the land of Sion, and your fathers, and you have done iniquity, and have not kept the ways which the Highest commanded you.
31 and the land was given you by lot, and the land of Sion, and your fathers, and you have done iniquity, and have not kept the ways which the Highest commanded you.
32 And whereas he is a just judge, he hath taken from you in time that which he had given.
32 And whereas he is a just judge, he hath taken from you in time that which he had given.
33 And now you are here, and your brethren are among you.
33 And now you are here, and your brethren are among you.
34 If then you will rule over your sense, & instruct your heart, you shall be preserved alive, and after death shall obtain mercy.
34 If then you will rule over your sense, & instruct your heart, you shall be preserved alive, and after death shall obtain mercy.
35 For the judgement shall come after death, when we shall return to life again: and then the names of the just shall appear, and the deeds of the impious shall be shewed.
35 For the judgement shall come after death, when we shall return to life again: and then the names of the just shall appear, and the deeds of the impious shall be shewed.
36 Let no man therefore come to me now, nor
36 Let no man therefore come to me now, nor
37 And I took the five men, as he commanded me, and we went forth into the field, and tarried there.
37 And I took the five men, as he commanded me, and we went forth into the field, and tarried there.
38 And I was come to the morrow, and behold a voice called me, saying: Esdras open thy mouth, and drink that which I will give thee to drink. Ezech. 3.
38 And I was come to the morrow, and behold a voice called me, saying: Esdras open thy mouth, and drink that which I will give thee to drink. Ezech. 3.
39 And I opened my mouth, and behold a full cup was brought me, this was full as it were with water: but the colour thereof like as fire.
39 And I opened my mouth, and behold a full cup was brought me, this was full as it were with water: but the colour thereof like as fire.
40 And I took it, and drank, and when I had drunken of it, my heart was tormented with understanding, and wisdom grew into my breast. For my spirit was kept by memory.
40 And I took it, and drank, and when I had drunken of it, my heart was tormented with understanding, and wisdom grew into my breast. For my spirit was kept by memory.
41 And my mouth was opened, and was shut no more.
41 And my mouth was opened, and was shut no more.
42 The Highest gave understanding unto the five men, and they wrote excesses of the night which were spoken, which they knew not.
42 The Highest gave understanding unto the five men, and they wrote excesses of the night which were spoken, which they knew not.
43 And at night they did eat bread, but I spake by day, and by night held not my peace.
43 And at night they did eat bread, but I spake by day, and by night held not my peace.
44 And there were written in the forty days two hundred four books.
44 And there were written in the forty days two hundred four books.
45 And it came to pass when they had ended the forty days, the Highest spake, saying:
45 And it came to pass when they had ended the forty days, the Highest spake, saying:
46 The former things which thou hast written, set abroad, and let the worthy and unworthy read: but the last seventy books thou shalt keep, that thou mayest deliver them to the wise of thy people.
46 The former things which thou hast written, set abroad, and let the worthy and unworthy read: but the last seventy books thou shalt keep, that thou mayest deliver them to the wise of thy people.
47 For in these is the vein of understanding, and the fountain of wisdom, and the stream of knowledge. And I did so.
47 For in these is the vein of understanding, and the fountain of wisdom, and the stream of knowledge. And I did so.