Apocrypha. Behemoth. 1 Chap. vii. gathered, that it fhould bring forth living 48 For the dumb water, and without 49 Then didit thou ordain two living creatures, the one thou calledft † Enoch, and the other Leviathan ; 50 And didft feparate the one from the other for the feventh part (namely where the water was gathered together) might not hold them both. 51 Unto Enoch thou gavest one part which was dried up the third day, that he fhould dwell in the fame part, wherein are a thousand hills. 52 But unto Leviathan thou gavest the feventh part, namely the moift, and haft kept him to be devoured of whom thou wilt, and when. 53 Upon the fixth day thou gavest commandment unto the earth, that before thee it should bring forth beasts, cattle, and creeping things: of 54 And after thefe, Adam alfo whom 55 All this have I spoken before thee, O 56 As for the other people which also come of Adam, thou hast said that they are nothing, but be like unto fpittle, and hait likened the abundance of them unto a drop that falleth from a veffel. 57 And now, O Lord, behold, thefe heathen which have ever been reputed as nothing, have begun to be lords over us, and to devour us. 58 But we thy people (whom thou hast called thy first-born, thy only begotten, and thy fervent lover) are given into their hands. 59 If the world now be made for our fakes, why do we not poffefs an inheritance with the world? how long fhall this endure? CHAP. VII. 4 The way is narrow. 12 When it was A Nd when I had made an end of speaking these words, there was fent unto me the angel which had been fent unto me the nights afore. 2 And he said unto me, Up, Efdras, and hear the words that I am come to tell thee. 3 And I faid, Speak on, my God. Then faid he unto me, The fea is fet in a wide place, that it might be deep and great. 4 But put the cafe the entrance were narrow, and like a river, 5 Who then could go into the fea to look upon it, and to rule it? if he went not through the narrow, how could he come into the broad? 6 There is also another thing. A city is Apocrypha. builded, and fet upon a broad field, and is * 7 The entrance thereof is narrow, and is fet in a dangerous place to fall, like as if *Os, fep place there were a fire on the right hand, and on the left a deep water: 8 And one only path between them both, even between the fire and the water, so Small that there could but one man go there at once. 9 If this city now were given unto a man for an inheritance, if he never fhall pass the danger fet before it, how fhall he receive this inheritance? 10 And I faid, It is fo, Lord. Then faid he unto me, Even fo alfo is Ifraels portion. 11 Because for their fakes I made the world: And when Adam tranfgreffed my ftatutes, then was decreed that now is done. 12 Then were the entrances of this world made narrow, full of forrow and travel: they are but few and evil, full of perils, and very painful. 13 For the entrances of the † elder world tor, greater. were wide and fure, and brought immortal fruit. 14 If then they that live, labour not to enter these ftrait and vain things, they can never receive thofe that are laid up for them. 15 Now therefore why difquieteft thou thy felf, feeing thou art but a corruptible man? and why art thou moved, whereas thou art but mortal? 16 Why haft thou not confidered in thy mind this thing that is to come, rather than that which is prefent? a 17 Then answered I, and faid, O Lord that bearest rule, thou haft ordained in thy law, that the righteous fhould inherit thefe Deut. 8. I. things, but that the ungodly fhould perish. 18 Nevertheless, the righteous fhall fuffer ftrait things, and hope for wide: for they that have done wickedly, have fuffered the ftrait things, and yet fhall not fee the wide. 19 And he faid unto me, There is no judge above God, and none that hath understanding above the Highest. 20 For there be many that perish in this life, because they defpife the law of God that is fet before them. 21 For God hath given ftrait commandment to fuch as came, what they should do to live, even as they came, and what they should obferve to avoid punishment. 22 Nevertheless, they were not obedient unto him; but fpake against him, and imagined vain things, 23 And deceived themfelves by their wicked deeds, and faid of the moft High, that he is not, and knew not his ways: 24 But his law have they defpised, and denied his covenant; in his ftatutes have they not been faithful, and have not performed his works. 25 And therefore, Efdras, for the empty are empty things, and for the full are the full things. 26 Behold, the time fhall come, that these tokens which I have told thee fhall come to pafs, and the bride fhall appear, and the coming 1 coming forth fhall be feen, that now is withdrawn from the earth. 27 And whofoever is delivered from the forefaid evils, fhall fee my wonders. 28 For my fon Jefus fhall be revealed with thofe that be with him, and they that remain fhall rejoyce within four hundred years. 29 After thefe years fhall my fon Chrift die, and all men that have life. 30 And the world fhall be turned into the Or, first be old filence feven days, like as in the + former ginning. b Gen. 18 23. judgments fo that no man fhall remain. 31 And after feven days, the world that yet awaketh not, fhall be raised up, and that thall die that is corrupt. 32 And the earth fhall restore thofe that are afleep in her, and fo fhall the duft those that dwell in filence, and the fecret places fhall deliver those fouls that were committed unto them. 33 And the most High fhall appear upon the feat of judgment, and mifery fhall pafs away, and the long-fuffering fhall have an end. 34 But judgment only fhall remain, truth fhall ftand, and faith fhall wax ftrong : 35 And the work fhall follow, and the reward fhall be fhewed, and the good deeds fhall be of force, and wicked deeds fhall bear no rule. C 36 Then faid I, b Abraham prayed first Exod. 32. 11. for the Sodomites, and Mofes for the fathers that finned in the wilderness : Rom, s. 18. 42 He answered me and faid,This prefent life is not the end where much glory doth abide; therefore have they prayed for the weak. 43 But the day of doom fhall be the end of this time, and the beginning of the immortality for to come, wherein corruption is paft, 44 Intemperance is at an end, infidelity is cut off, righteousness is grown, and truth is fprung up. 45 Then fhall no man be able to fave him that is destroyed, nor to opprefs him that hath gotten the victory. 46 I anfwered then and faid, This is my first and last saying, that it had been better not to have given the earth unto Adam : or elfe when it was given him, to have reftrained him from finning. 47 For what profit is it for men now in this prefent time to live in heaviness, and after death to look for punishment? 48 O thou Adam, what haft thou done? for though it was thou that finned, 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? Apocrypha. 50 And that there is promised us an everlasting hope, whereas our felves being moft 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 to,a cha falij, wary life, whereas we have walked in the moft wicked ways of all? 53 And that there fhould be fhewed a paradife, whose fruit endureth for ever, wherein is fecurity and medicine, fith we or, fazesja fhall not enter into it? 54 (For we have walked in unpleasant places) 55 And that the faces of them which have used abstinence, fhall fhine above the ftars, whereas our faces fhall be blacker than darkness ? 56 For while we lived, and committed iniquity, we confidered not that we should begin to fuffer for it after death. 57 Then answered he me, and faid, This is the condition of the battle, which man ⋆ or, intal, that is born upon the earth fhall fight; 58 That if he be overcome, he fhall fuffer as thou haft faid: but if he get the vi&tory, he shall receive the thing that I fay. i i 59 For this is the life whereof Mofes fpake unto the people while he lived, faying, Choose thee life that thou mayft live. Detit. 30. 11 60 Nevertheless, they believed not him, nor yet the prophets after him, no nor me which have spoken unto them, 61 That there fhould not be fuch heavinefs in their deftruction, as fhall be joy over them that are perfwaded to falvation. 62 I answered then and faid, I know, Lord, that the moft 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 suffer- Rom. 2. 4 eth thofe that have finned, 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 prefent, and that are past, and alfo to them which are to come. 67 For if he fhall not multiply his mercies, the world would not continue with them that inherit therein. 68 And he pardoneth; for if he did not fo of his goodness, that they which have committed iniquities, might be eafed of them; the ten thousandth part of men fhould not remain living. 69 And being judge, if he fhould not forgive them that are † cured with his word, tox, created and put out the multitude of ‡ contentions, Or, m 70 There fhould be very few left peradventure in an innumerable multitude. CHAP. VIII. Many created, but few faved. 6 He asketh why God deftroyeth his own work, 26 and prayeth God to look upon the people which only ferve him. 41 God anfwereth, that Apocrypha. Matth. 20, 16. Chap. viii. Nd he anfwered me, faying, The moft High hath made this world for many, but the world to come for few. I will tell thee a fimilitude, Efdras; As when thou askeft the earth, it fhall fay unto thee, that it giveth much mold whereof earthen veffels are made, but little duft that gold cometh of even fo is the courfe of this prefent world. a 3 There be many created, but few fhall be faved. 4 So anfwered I, and faid, Swallow then down, O my foul, understanding, and devour wisdom. 5 For thou haft agreed to give ear, and art willing to prophefie: for thou haft no longer space than only to live. 6 O Lord, if thou fuffer not thy fervant , to give that we may pray before thee, and * thou give us feed unto our heart, and culture to our understanding, that there may come fruit of it; how fhall each man live that is corrupt, who beareth the place of a man? 7 For thou art alone, and we all one workmanship of thine hands, like as thou haft faid. • 10. 8. 9 But that which keepeth, and is kept, fhall both be preferved: and when the time cometh, the womb preserved, delivereth up the things that grew in it. IO For thou haft commanded out of the parts of the body, that is to fay, out of the breafts milk to be given, which is the fruit of the breasts, II That the thing which is fafhioned, may be nourished for a time, till thou difpofeft it to thy mercy. 12 Thou broughteft it up with thy righteoufnefs, and nurturedft it in thy law, and reformedft it with thy judgment. 13 And thou shalt mortifie it as thy creature, and quicken it as thy work. b 14 If therefore thou shalt deftroy him which with fo great labour was fashioned, 139 14 it is an eafie thing to be ordained by thy commandment, that the thing which was made might be preserved. 15 Now therefore, Lord, I will fpeak (touching man in general, thou knoweft beft) but touching thy people, for whofe fake I am forry; 16 And for thine inheritance, for whose caufe I mourn; and for Ifrael, for whom I am heavy; and for Jacob, for whose fake I am troubled : 17 Therefore will I begin to pray before thee, for my felf and for them: for I fee the falls of us that dwell in the land. 18 But I have heard the fwiftnefs of the judge which is to come. 19 Therefore hear my voice, and underftand my words, and I fhall speak before Apocrypha. thee: this is the beginning of the words of Efdras, before he was taken up: and I faid, 20 O Lord, thou that dwelleft in everlaftingnefs, which beholdeft from above, things in the heaven, and in the air, 21 Whose throne is inestimable, whofe glory may not be comprehended, before whom the hofts of angels ftand with trembling, 22 (Whofe fervice is converfant in wind Pfal. 104. 40 and fire) whofe word is true, and fayings conftant, whofe commandment is ftrong, and ordinance fearful, 23 Whose look drieth up the depths, and indignation maketh the mountains to melt away, which the truth witneffeth : 24 O hear the prayer of thy fervant, 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 fins of thy peo ple: but on them which ferve thee in truth. 27 Regard not the wicked inventions of the heathen, but the defire of thofe that keep thy teftimonies 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 deftroy them which have lived like beafts; but to look upon them that have clearly taught thy law, Hebr. 1. 7. 30 Take thou no indignation at them which are deemed worfe than beasts: but love them that alway put their trust in thy righteousness and glory. 31 For we and our fathers + do languish Os, are fina キ of fuch diseases: but because of us finners, thou shalt be called merciful. * 32 For if thou haft a defire to have Or, be willing, mercy upon us, thou fhalt be called merciful, to us namely, that have no works of righteousness. 33 For the juft which have many good works laid up with thee, fhall out of their own deeds receive reward. 34 For what is man that thou shouldst take displeasure at him? or what is a corruptible generation, that thou shouldst be fo bitter toward it? Apocrypha. Chap. 5. 33. II. Efdras. 41 For as the husbandman foweth much feed upon the ground, and planteth many trees, and yet the thing that is fown good fown good in his feafon cometh not up, neither doth all that is planted take root even fo is it of them that are fown in the world, they fhall not all be faved. 42 I answered then, and faid, If I have found grace, let me speak. 43 Like as the husbandmans feed perisheth, if it come not up, and receive not thy rain in due feason, or if there come too much rain, and corrupt it: 44 Even fo perifheth man alfo which is formed with thy hands, and is called thine own image, because thou art like unto him, for whofe fake thou haft made all things, and likened him unto the husbandmans feed. 45 Be not wroth with us, but fpare thy people, and have mercy upon thine own inheritance for thou art merciful unto thy creature. 46 Then answered he me, and faid,Things present are for the prefent, and things to come, for fuch as be to come. f For thou comest far fhort, that thou 47 fhouldft be able to love my creature more than I but I have oft-times drawn nigh unto thee, and unto it, but never to the unrighteous. 48 In this alfo thou art marvellous before the most High: 49 In that thou haft humbled thy felf as it becometh thee, and haft no judged thy felf worthy to be much glorified among the righteous. 50 For many great miferies fhall be done to them, that in the latter time fhall dwell in the world,because they have walked in great pride. 51 But understand thou for thy felf, and feek out the glory for fuch as be like thee. 52 For unto you is paradife opened, the tree of life is planted, the time to come is prepared, plenteousness is made ready, a city is builded, and reft is allowed, yea, perfect goodness and wisdom. 53 The root of evil is fealed up from you, weakness and the moth is hid from you, and Or, the grave. Corruption is fled into hell to be forgotten: 54 Sorrows are paffed, and in the end is fhewed the treasure of immortality. 55 And therefore ask thou no more questions concerning the multitude of them that perish. Pfal. 14. I, & 13. 1. 56 For when they had taken liberty, they defpifed the most High, thought fcorn of his law, and forfook his ways. 57 Moreover they have troden down his righteous, 58 And faid in their heart, that there is no God; ; yea, and that knowing they must die. 59 For as the things aforefaid fhall receive you, fo thirst and pain are prepared for them for it was not his will that men fhould come to nought. 60 But they which be created, have defiled the name of him that made them, and were unthankful unto him which prepared life for them. 61 And therefore is my judgment now at hand. Apocrypha. 62 These things have I not fhewed unto all men, but unto thee, and a few like thee. Then anfwered I, and faid, 63 Behold, O Lord, now haft thou fhewed me the multitude of the wonders which thou wilt begin to do in the last times: but at what time, thou haft not shewed me. CHAP. IX. 7 Who shall be faved, and who not. 19 All the world is now corrupted; 22 yet God doth fave a few. 33 He complaineth that thofe perifh which keep Gods law; 38 and feeth a woman lamenting in a field. He fare thou the time diligently in it HR felf and when thou feeft part of the figns paft, which I have told thee before, E anfwered me then, and faid, Mea 2 Then fhalt thou understand, that it is the very fame time, wherein the Highest will begin to visit the world which he made. 3 Therefore when there fhall be feen Matth. " earthquakes and uprores of the people in the world : 4 Then fhalt thou well understand, that the most High spake of thofe things from the days that were before thee, even from the beginning. 5 For like as all that is made in the world hath a beginning and an end, and the end is manifeft: 6 Even fo the times alfo of the Highest, have plain beginnings in wonders and powerful works, and endings in effects and figns. 7 And every one that fhall be faved, and fhall be able to efcape by his works, and by faith, whereby ye have believed, 8 Shall be preferved from the faid perils, and fhall fee my falvation, in my land, and within my borders: for I have fanctified them for me from the beginning. marvel, 9 Then * fhall they be in pitiful cafe O which now have abufed my ways: and they that have caft them away despitefully, fhall dwell in torments. 10 For fuch as in their life have received benefits, and have not known me ; II And they that have lothed my law, while they had yet liberty, and when as yet place of repentance was open unto them, understood not, but defpifed it; 12 The fame must know it after death by pain. 13 And therefore be thou not curious, how the ungodly fhall be punished, and when but enquire how the righteous fhall be faved, whofe the world is, and for whom the world is created. 14 Then answered I, and faid, 15 I have faid before, and now do speak, and will speak it alfo hereafter; that there be many more of them which perish, than of them which fhall be faved: 16 Like as a wave is greater than a drop. 17 And he answered me, faying, Like as the field is, fo is alfo the feed; as the flowers be, fuch are the colours alfo ; fuch as the workman is, fuch alfo is the work; and as the husbandman is himself, fo is his husbandry alfo for it was the time of the world. : 18 † And Apocrypha. And now be the world was Chap. x. 18 † And now when I prepared the world cufetime of which was not yet made, even for them cone, when I was to dwell in that now live, no man fpake against me. preparing the world, &c. + but when the world was made, both now and Een the manners 19 For then every one obeyed, ‡ but now the manners of them which are created in bear this world that is made, are corrupted by ad were corrupt- a perpetual feed, and by a law which is und by a never fail- fearchable, rid themselves. of every one cre ng harvest, and a wunfearchable. 20 So I confidered the world, and behold there was peril, because of the devices that were come into it. Or, grain. Ot, grain. * 21 And I faw and spared it greatly, and have kept me a grape of the cluster, and a plant of a great people. 22 Let the multitude perish then, which was born in vain, and let my † grape be kept, and my plant for with great labour have I made it perfect. 23 Nevertheless, if thou wilt cease yet seven days more (but thou shalt not faft in them, 24 But go into a field of flowers, where no house is builded, and eat only the flowers of the field; tafte no flesh, drink no wine, but eat flowers only). 25 And pray unto the Higheft continually, then will I come and talk with thee. 26 So I went my way into the field which is called Ardath, like as he commanded me; and there I fat amongft the flowers, and did eat of the herbs of the field, and the meat of the fame satisfied me. 27 After feven days I fat upon the grass,and my heart was vexed within me, like as before. 28. And I opened my mouth, and began to talk before the moft High, and said, 29 O Lord, thou that fheweft thy felf xod. 19. 9. unto us, thou waft fhewed unto our fathers in the wilderness, in a place where no man ‡ treadeth, in a barren place when they came out of Egypt. 24. 3. t. 4. 12. I, cometh. 30 And thou fpakeft, faying, Hear me, O Ifrael, and mark my words, thou feed of Jacob. 31 For behold, I fow my law in you, and it fhall bring fruit in you, and ye fhall be honoured in it for ever. 32 But our fathers which received the law, kept it not, and obferved not thy ordinances: and though the fruit of thy law did not perish, neither could it, for it was thine; 33 Yet they that received it, perished, because they kept not the thing that was fown in them. 34 And lo, it is a cuftom, when the ground hath received feed, or the fea a fhip, or any veffel meat or drink, that, that being perished wherein it was fown, or caft into, 35 That thing alfo which was fown or caft therein, or received, doth perish, and remaineth not with us: but with us it hath not happened fo. 36 For we that have received the law perish by fin, and our heart alfo which received it. 37 Notwithstanding the law perifheth not, but remaineth in his force. 38 And when I fpake these things in my* heart, I looked back with mine eyes, and 10.44, upon the right fide I faw a woman, and behold, the mourned and wept with a loud C Apocrypha. voice, and was much grieved in heart, and her clothes rent, and fhe had afhes upon her head. that I was my thoughts go 39 Then let I in, and turned me unto her, 40 And faid unto her, Wherefore weepeft thou? why art thou fo grieved in thy mind? 41 And the faid unto me, Sir, let me alone, that I may bewail my felf, and add unto my forrow, for I am fore vexed in my mind, and brought very low. 42 And I said unto her, What aileth thee? tell me. 43 She faid unto me, I thy fervant have been barren, and had no child, though I had an husband thirty years. 44 And thofe thirty years I did nothing elfe day and night, and every hour, but make my prayer to the Higheft. 45 After thirty years God heard me thine handmaid, looked upon my mifery, confidered my trouble, and gave me a fon: and I was very glad of him, fo was my husband alfo, and all my neighbours, and we gave great honour unto the Almighty. 46 And I nourished him with great travel. 47 So when he grew up, and came to the time that he should have a wife, I made a feast. CHA P. X. i He comforteth the woman in the field. 27 She vanifheth away, and a city appeareth in her place. 40 The angel declareth thefe vifions in the field. A Nd it fo came to pafs, that when my fon was entred into his wedding-chamber, he fell down and died. 2 Then we all overthrew the lights, and all my neighbours rofe up to comfort me: Or, countrymen, foltook my rest unto the fecond day at night. 3 And it came to pafs when they had all left off to comfort me, to the end I might be quiet: then rose I up by night and fled, and came hither into this field, as thou feeft. 4 And I do now purpose not to return into the city, but here to stay, and neither to eat nor drink, but continually to mourn, and to faft until I die. Lat. citizens. t 5 Then left I the † meditations wherein † or, Speeches. I was, and fpake to her in anger, faying, 6 Thou foolish woman above all other, feest thou not our mourning, and what happeneth unto us? 7 How that Sion our mother is full of all heaviness, and much humbled, mourning very fore? 8 And now feeing we all mourn and are fad, for we are all in heavinefs, art thou grieved for one fon? 9 For ask the earth, and the fhall tell thee, that it is the which ought to mourn for the fall of fo many that grow upon her. 10 For out of her came all at the first, and out of her fhall all others come, and behold, they walk almost all into deftruction, and a multitude of them is utterly root- # Or, abolisked. ed out. II Who then should make more mourning, than fhe that hath loft fo great a multitude, and not thou which art forry but for one? D 12 But |