162 LENGTHENING LEGS. צב upon my seal for a sign. And the right one of "these two mountains, which is over against Ze 66 66 phath and Damascus, is the smaller; and the left one, which is over against Mount Zion and Jerusa lem, is the larger. And as we were there, he "made me to stand upon my feet upon the top of "the right mountain, and said unto me, • Lift up "thine eyes, I pray thee, towards the left moun 66 tain, and tell me what thou seest.' And I said, "I see a man clothed in white raiment, in whose "hands are the balances, and above him, a man "who is greater than he, clothed in linen, whiter " and costlier than that which I saw first. And the man in whose hands were the balances was upon "the top of the mountain, and above him the second 66 66 man, according as it had been in the first vision; "and as I spake with him, the mountains approached one unto the other, and the taller man "was left between the earth and the heavens above "our heads. And as I was upon the smaller moun 66 tain, the legs of the man who was upon the top of the left mountain lengthened, until my head was between his knees. And the old man said "unto me, Open thy mouth, and thou shalt 66 66 speak unto him, and ask him what will be the judgment of the nation, whence I have taken "thee.' I said unto him, How can the servant "of my Lord speak with this, my lord, since I צב BOOK OF FATE. 163 "am unworthy? for what am I, and what is my 66 life, or what is the righteous and upright work "of mine hands, that I should come and intrude 66 66 myself to ask from before the face of my lord, a "small or a great thing?' But the man said unto 6 me, Fear not, peace be unto thee, my son; "ask of me, and I shall give it*, for therefore am I come.' And I bowed down and worshipped "with my face toward the ground. And I said, To-day thy servant knoweth that I have found "favor in the sight of my lord; I pray, let my lord 66 66 6 66 66 speak in the ears of his servant†, and tell me the 'judgment of the nation, among whom I was upon the bridge.' And he answered and said "unto me,This is the book in which is written "what shall happen in time to come, because of all "the evil which is done. Speak unto the old 66 66 man, and he will tell it unto thee.' And he gave the book into the hand of the old man, and "who would give that I had permission to write "the vision of that book! And he read therein, "and he gave it back unto the man, and the man "said unto him, Go, and tell the young man "who is with thee what thou hast read.' And " he took me by the hand, and said, Let us go i. e. Would that I had liberty to write, &c. 164 C'RUM, MOTHER OF MONSTERS. צב "to the place where thou stoodst;' and we went "unto the bridge, and I sat down in my place as "at the first. And as I was there, I lifted up mine 66 66 66 66 eyes, and saw a great beast, and her likeness was that of a winged flying over the earth. the salt sea, and rested fowl of many colors, And it came up from upon the citadel which "is on the river side. And I said unto the old " man, What is this, my lord?' And he said " unto me, This is the mother of the great sea"monsters which sitteth in the cities of the sea, "whose name is C'rum*, which causeth vileness† "to the sons of men, and she receiveth strength from the end of all flesh; and when this bird removeth, the windows of the heavens are opened, and the rains come on all the places over which she hovers. And were it not for the covenant, which God hath made between him 66 66 66 * The Rabbi makes a name of the word in Ps. xii. 8. (Heb. 9). O fuligo. "Berach, fol. 6. 2. legitur: est quædam avis in urbibus maritimis, 1 1, et Kerum nomen ejus est, quæ quando sol oritur mutatur in varios colores. Præterea est lapidis pretiosi nomen, cæruleam vel vel aquæ marinæ colorem referentis, unde vocatur ? Turcicus marinus Thalassius. Chrysolitum, Septuaginta reddunt. Legitur pro Hebræo, Exod. xxviii. 20. Forte est Amethystus. Extat et Esth. viii. 15." Buxtorf Lex. Chald. Talmudicum et Rabbinicum, s. v. . זלות + i. e. This bird feeds upon dead carcasses. צב SHADI. 165 "self and all flesh, when they were sinners on the 66 earth, the world would return into nothingness*. "And as I stood, I saw again the likeness of a "small bird, in fashion like unto the first, of a "white color, exceedingly beautiful. And it went "out from the great ocean, and rested above its 'fellowt, the other bird; and I said, What is 66 66 this, my lord?' and he said unto me, 'This is "the beast of the field, which sitteth upon "the wonderful rocks which are sunk in the 66 deep; whence issue sweet showers, and rains "of blessing and life, and every good thing. 66 66 66 And there the birds make their nests§, that there might be deliverance on earth, and to satisfy man with fruit of the work of God. It is constantly against the fowl, which cometh up from "the salt sea to break her strength; and under "both of them are smaller and greater animals. "And at the time when God judges, the one 66 becometh lower, and the other higher; when "he judgeth with justice, the smaller is lowered; " and when with mercy, the greater is lowered. "But now they both are lifted up, to work out righteousness and judgment; righteousness to "Israel; and judgment to all the nations: for the 66 *, chaos. Companion. may mean either field or Almighty; 8; 1.11; lxxx. 14. but field in Ps. viii. Ps. civ. 17. 166 66 cup FEATHER OF THE WING. צב is in the hand of the Lord*, to PASS over the earth, that the inhabitants of the world may drink, and with them all the wicked of the earth, "to bring down all their horns, and to exalt the "horns of the righteoust.' The old man was yet 66 speaking unto me, when there fell a feather of "the wing of the great living creature, and a storm "blew against it and drave it away; and there was " left on the other wing, like the plumage of ravens, "instead of the first which was of various colors. "And there was thunder and lightning as on a day "of rain; and on the smaller fowl, there was no change nor movement. And the lightnings 66 66 66 coming down from heaven separated between us and between the beasts, and a great fear “and a great terror fell upon me; and I went "near unto the old man who was with me, "and said, Surely, even the heavens are not pure enough to know the will of their "Creator; and how can corrupt man, sullied " with all manner of abominations and evil works "like me? Verily, his mercies are great over all "his creatures, and he will not recompense them 'according to the works of their hands§, for he is "a long-suffering God, and is called the Lord of 66 *Ps. lxxv. 8. Ps. lxxv. 10. ↑ Job. xv. 15. || Ps. lxxxvi. 15. |