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54 Consider thou therefore also, how that ye are less of stature than those that were before you.

55 And so are they that come after you less than ye, as the creatures which now beginto be old, and have passed over the strength of youth.

56 Then said I, Lord, I beseech thee, if I have found favour in thy sight, shew thy servant by whom thou visitest thy creature. CHAP. VI.

I God's purpose is eternal. 8 The next world shall follow this immediately. 13 What shall fall out at the last.

and what shall they do that have been before me, or we that be now, or they that shall come after us?

42 And he said unto me, I will liken my judgment unto a ring: like as there is no slackness of the last, even so there is no swiftness of the first.

43 So I answered, and said, Couldest thou not make those that have been made, and be now, and that are for to come, at once; that thou mightest shew thy judgment the sooner? 44 Then answered he me, and said, The creature may not haste above the maker; neither may the world hold them at once that shall be created therein.

45 And I said, As thou hast said unto thy servant, that thou which givest life to all, hast given life at once to the creature that thou hast created, and the creature bare it : even so it might now also bear them that now be present at once.

46 And he said unto me, Ask the womb of a woman, and say unto her, If thou bringest forth children, why dost thou it not together, but one after another? Pray her therefore to bring forth ten children at once. 47 And I said, She cannot but must do it by distance of time.

48 Then said he unto me, Even so have I given the womb of the earth to those that be sown in it in their times.

49 For like as a young child may not bring forth the things that belong to the aged, even so have I disposed the world which I created.

50 And I asked, and said, Seeing thou hast now given me the way, I will proceed to speak before thee: for our mother, of whom thou hast told me that she is young, draweth now nigh unto age.

51 He answered me, and said, Ask a woma that beareth children, and she shall tell thee. 52 Say unto her, Wherefore are not they whom thou hast now brought forth, like those that were before, but less of stature?

53 And she shall answer thee, They that be born in the strength of youth are of one fashion, and they that are born in the time of age, when the womb faileth, are otherwise.

when the earth was made, before the borders of the world stood, or ever the winds blew,

2 Before it thundered and lightened, or ever the foundations of paradise were laid,

3 Before the fair flowers were seen, or ever the moveable powers were established, before the innumerable multitude of angels were gathered together,

4. Or ever the heights of the air were lifted up, before the measures of the firmament were named, or ever the chimneys in Sion were hot,

5 And ere the present years were sought out, and or ever the inventions of them that now sin were turned, before they were sealed that have gathered faith for a treasure :

6 Then did I consider these things, and they all were made through me alone, and through none other: by me also they shall be ended, and by none other.

7 Then answered I, and said, What shall be the parting asunder of the times: or when shall be the end of the first, and the beginning of it that followeth ?

8 And he said unto me, From Abraham unto Isaac, when Jacob and Esau were born of him, Jacob's hand held first the heel of Esau.

9 For Esau is the end of the world, and Jacob is the beginning of it that followeth.

10 The hand of man is betwixt the heel and the hand other question, Esdras, ask thou not.

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11 I answered then, and said, O Lord that bearest rule, if I have found favour in thy sight,

12 I beseech thee, shew thy servant the end of thy tokens, whereof thou shewedst me part the last night.

13 So he answered, and said unto me, Stand up upon thy feet, and hear a mighty sounding voice.

14 And it shall be as it were a great motion; but the place where thou standest shall not be moved.

15 And therefore when it speaketh be not afraid for the word is of the end, and the foundation of the earth is understood.

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11. 16 And why? Because the speech of these things trembleth and is moved: for it know. eth that the end of these things must be changed.

17 And it happened that when I had heard it I stood up upon my feet, and hearkened, and behold, there was a voice that spake, and the sound of it was like the sound of many waters.

18 And it said, Behold, the days come, that I will begin to draw nigh, and to visit them that dwell upon the earth,

19 And will begin to make inquisition of them, what they be that have hurt unjustly with their unrighteousness, and when the affliction of Sion shall be fulfilled :

20 And when the world, that shall begin to vanish away, shall be finished, then will I shew these tokens: the books shall be opened before the firmament, and they shall see all together:

21 And the children of a year old shall speak with their voices, the women with child shall bring forth untimely children of three or four months old, and they shall live, and be raised up.

22 And suddenly shall the sown places appear unsown, the full store houses shall suddenly be found empty:

23 And the trumpet shall give a sound, which when every man heareth, they shall be suddenly afraid.

24 At that time shall friends fight one against another like enemies, and the earth shall stand in fear with those that dwell therein, the springs of the fountains shall stand still, and in three hours they shall not run.

25 Whosoever remaineth from all these that I have told thee shall escape, and see my salvation, and the end of your world.

26 And the men that are received shall see it, who have not tasted death from their birth: and the heart of the inhabitants shall be changed, and turned into another meaning. 27 For evil shall be put out, and deceit shall be quenched.

28 As for faith, it shall flourish, corruption shall be overcome, and the truth which hath been so long without fruit, shall be declared.

29 And when he talked with me, behold, I looked by little and little upon him before whom I stood.

30 And these words said he unto me; I am come to shew thee the time of the night to

come.

31 If thou wilt pray yet more, and fast seven days again, I shall tell thee greater things by day than I have heard.

32 For thy voice is heard before the Most High for the Mighty hath seen thy righteous dealing, he hath seen also thy chastity, which thou hast had ever since thy youth.

39 And therefore hath he sent me to shew

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thee all these things, and to say unto thee, Be of good comfort, and fear not.

34 And hasten not with the times that are past, to think vain things, that thou mayest not hasten from the latter times.

35 And it came to pass after this, that I wept again, and fasted seven days in like manner, that I might fulfil the three weeks which he told me.

36 And in the eighth night was my heart vexed within me again, and I began to speak before the Most High.

37 For my spirit was greatly set on fire, and my soul was in distress.

38 And I said, O Lord, thou spakest from the beginning of the creation, even the first day, and saidst thus; Let heaven and earth be made; and thy word was a perfect work.

39 And then was the spirit, and darkness and silence were on every side; the sound of man's voice was not yet formed.

40 Then commandedst thou a fair light to come forth of thy treasures, that thy work might appear.

41 Upon the second day thou madest the spirit of the firmament, and commandedst it to part asunder, and to make a division betwixt the waters, that the one part might go up, and the other remain beneath.

42 Upon the third day thou didst command that the waters should be gathered in the seventh part of the earth: six parts hast thou dried up, and kept them, to the intent that of these some being planted of God and tilled, might serve thee.

43 For as soon as thy word went forth the work was made.

44 For immediately there was great and innumerable fruit, and many and divers pleasures for the taste, and flowers of unchangeable colour, and odours of wonderful smell: and this was done the third day.

45 Upon the fourth day thou commandedst that the sun should shine, and the moon give her light, and the stars should be in order:

46 And gavest them a charge to do service unto man, that was to be made.

47 Upon the fifth day thou saidst unto the seventh part, where the waters were gathered, that it should bring forth living creatures, fowls and fishes: and so it came

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38 And Samuel and David for the destruction and Solomon for them that should come to the sanctuary:

39 And Helias for those that received rain; and for the dead, that he might live:

40 And Ezechias for the people in the time of Sennacherib: and many for many.

41 Even so now, seeing corruption is grown up, and wickedness increased, and the righteous have prayed for the ungodly: wherefore shall it not be so now also?

42 He answered me, and said, This present life is not the end where much glory doth abide; therefore have they prayed for the weak.

43 But the day of doom shall be the end of this time, and the beginning of the immortality for to come, wherein corruption is past,

44 Intemperance is at an end, infidelity is cut off, righteousness is grown, and truth is sprung up.

45 Then shall no man be able to save him that is destroyed, nor to oppress him that hath gotten the victory.

46 I answered then and said, This is my first and last saying, that it had been better not to have given the earth unto Adam: or else, when it was given him, to have restrained him from sinning.

47 For what profit is it for men now in this present time to live in heaviness, and after death to look for punishment?

48 O thou Adam, what hast thou done?

Apocrypha. For though it was thou that sinned, thou art not fallen alone, but we all that come of thee?

49 For what profit is it unto us, if there be promised us an immortal time, whereas we have done the works that bring death?

50 And that there is promised us an everlasting hope, whereas ourselves being most wicked are made vain?

51 And that there are laid up for us dwellings of health and safety, whereas we have lived wickedly?

52 And that the glory of the Most High is kept to defend them which have led a wary life, whereas we have walked in the most wicked ways of all?

53 And that there should be shewed a paradise, whose fruit endureth forever, wherein is security and medicine, since we shall not enter into it?

54 (For we have walked in unpleasant places.)

55 And that the faces of them which have used abstinence shall shine above the stars, whereas our faces shall be blacker than darkness?

56 For while we lived and committed iniquity, we considered not that we should begin to suffer for it after death.

57 Then answered he me, and said, This is the condition of the battle, which man that is born upon the earth shall fight;

58 That, if he be overcome, he shall suffer as thou hast said: but if he get the victory, he shall receive the thing that I say.

59 For this is the life whereof Moses spake unto the people while he lived, saying, Choose thee life, that thou mayest live.

60 Nevertheless they believed not him, nor yet the prophets after him, no nor me which have spoken unto them,

61 That there should not be such heaviness, in their destruction, as shall be joy over them that are persuaded to salvation.

62 I answered then, and said, I know, Lord, that the Most High is called merciful, in that he hath mercy upon them which are not yet come into the world,

63 And upon those also that turn to his law;

64 And that he is patient, and long suffereth those that have sinned, as his creatures; 65 And that he is bountiful, for he is ready to give where it needeth ;

66 And that he is of great mercy, for he multiplieth more and more mercies to them that are present, and that are past, and also to them which are to come.

67 For if he shall not multiply his mercies, the world would not continue with them that inherit therein

68 And he pardoneth; for if he did not so of his goodness, that they which have com||mitted iniquities might be eased of them, the

ten thousandth part of men should not remain living.

69 And being judge, if he should not forgive them that are cured with his word, and put out the multitude of contentions,

70 There should be very few left peradventure in an innumerable multitude. CHAP. VIII.

1 Many created, but few saved. 6 He asketb zuby God destroyeth his own work, 26 and prayeth God to look upon the people which only serve bim.

AND he answered me, saying, The Most High hath made this world for many, but the world to come for few.

2 I will tell thee a similitude, Esdras; As when thou asketh the earth, it shall say unto thee, That it giveth much mould whereof earthen vessels are made, but little dust that gold cometh of; even so is the course of this present world.

3 There be many created, but few shall be saved.

4 So answered I, and said, Swallow then down, O my soul, understanding, and devour wisdom.

5 For thou hast agreed to give ear, and art willing to prophesy: for thou hast no longer space than only to live.

6 O Lord, if thou suffer not thy servant, that we may pray before thee, and thou give us seed unto our heart, and culture to our understanding, that there may come fruit of it; how shall each man live that is corrupt, who beareth the place of a man?

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touching man in general, thou knowest best ; but touching thy people, for whose sake I am sorry;

16 And for thine inheritance, for whose cause I mourn; and for Israel, for whom I am heavy; and for Jacob, for whose sake I am troubled;

17 Therefore will I begin to pray before thee for myself and for them: for I see the falls of us that dwell in the land.

18 But I have heard the swiftness of the judge which is to come.

19 Therefore hear my voice, and understand my words, and I shall speak before thee. This is the beginning of the words of Esdras, before he was taken up: and I said,

20 O Lord, thou that dwellest in everlastingness, which beholdest from above things in the heaven and in the air;

21 Whose throne is inestimable; whose glory may not be comprehended; before whom the hosts of angels stand with trembling,

22 Whose service is conversant in wind and fire; whose word is true, and sayings constant; whose commandment is strong, and ordinance fearful;

23 Whose look drieth up the depths, and indignation maketh the mountains to melt away; which the truth witnesseth :

24 O hear the prayer of thy servant, and give ear to the petition of thy creature. 25 For while I live I will speak, and so long as I have understanding I will answer. 26 O look not upon the sins of thy peo

8 For when the body is fashioned now in the mother's womb, and thou givest it members, thy creature is preserved in fire and water, and nine months doth thy workmanship endure thy creature which is created in her. 9 But that which keepeth and is kept shall both be preserved and when the time cometh, the womb preserved delivereth up the things that grew in it.

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10 For thou hast commanded out of the parts of the body, that is to say, out of the breast, milk to be given, which is the fruit of the breasts,

11 That the thing which is fashioned may be nourished for a time, till thou disposest it to thy mercy.

12 Thou broughtest it up with thy righteousness, and nurturedst it in thy law, and reformedst it with thy judgment.

13 And thou shalt mortify it as thy creature, and quicken it as thy work.

14 If therefore thou shalt destroy him which with so great labour was fashioned, it is an easy thing to be ordained by thy commandment, that the thing which was made might be preserved.

15 Now therefore, Lord, I will speak;

27 Regard not the wicked inventions of the heathen, but the desire of those that keep thy testimonies in afflictions.

28 Think not upon those that have walked feignedly before thee: but remember them, which according to thy will have known thy fear.

29 Let it not be thy will to destroy them which have lived like beasts; but to look upon them that have clearly taught thy law.

30 Take thou no indignation at them which are deemed worse than beasts; but love them that always put their trust in thy righteousness and glory.

31 For we and our fathers do languish of such diseases: but because of us sinners thou shalt be called merciful.

32 For if thou hast a desire to have mercy upon us, thou shalt be called merciful, to us namely, that have no works of righteous

ness.

33 For the just, which have many good works laid up with thee, shall out of their own deeds receive reward.

34 For what is man, that thou shouldest take displeasure at him? or what is a corruptible generation, that thou shouldest be so bitter toward it?