2 Esdras 8:5-48 in English

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?

⁷ For thou art alone, and we all one workmanship of thine hands, like as thou hast said.

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.

¹⁰ For thou hast commanded out of the parts of the body, that is to say, out of the breasts, 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; 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 people; but on them which serve thee in truth.

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 righteousness.

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?

³⁵ For in truth them is no man among them that be born, but he hath dealt wickedly; and among the faithful there is none which hath not done amiss.

³⁶ For in this, O Lord, thy righteousness and thy goodness shall be declared, if thou be merciful unto them which have not the confidence of good works.

³⁷ Then answered he me, and said, Some things hast thou spoken aright, and according unto thy words it shall be.

³⁸ For indeed I will not think on the disposition of them which have sinned before death, before judgment, before destruction:

³⁹ But I will rejoice over the disposition of the righteous, and I will remember also their pilgrimage, and the salvation, and the reward, that they shall have.

⁴⁰ Like as I have spoken now, so shall it come to pass.

⁴¹ For as the husbandman soweth much seed upon the ground, and planteth many trees, and yet the thing that is sown good in his season cometh not up, neither doth all that is planted take root: even so is it of them that are sown in the world; they shall not all be saved.

⁴² I answered then and said, If I have found grace, let me speak.

⁴³ Like as the husbandman’s seed perisheth, if it come not up, and receive not thy rain in due season; or if there come too much rain, and corrupt it:

⁴⁴ Even so perisheth man also, which is formed with thy hands, and is called thine own image, because thou art like unto him, for whose sake thou hast made all things, and likened him unto the husbandman’s seed.

⁴⁵ Be not wroth with us but spare thy people, and have mercy upon thine own inheritance: for thou art merciful unto thy creature.

⁴⁶ Then answered he me, and said, Things present are for the present, and things to cometh for such as be to come.

⁴⁷ For thou comest far short that thou shouldest be able to love my creature more than I: but I have ofttimes drawn nigh unto thee, and unto it, but never to the unrighteous.

⁴⁸ In this also thou art marvellous before the most High:

⁵ For thou art come hither without thy will, and departest when thou wouldest not: for there is given thee no longer space than only to live a short time.

⁶ O Lord, that art over us, suffer thy servant, that we may pray before thee, and give us seed unto our heart, and culture to our understanding, that there may come fruit of it, whereby every one shall live that is corrupt, who beareth the likeness of a man.

⁷ For thou art alone, and we all one workmanship of thine hands, like as thou hast said.

⁸ Forasmuch as thou quickenest the body that is fashioned now in the womb, and 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 that which is kept shall both be kept by thy keeping: and when the womb giveth up again that which hath grown in it,

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

¹¹ that the thing which is fashioned may be nourished for a time, and afterwards thou shalt order it in thy mercy.

¹² Yea, thou hast brought it up in thy righteousness, and nurtured it in thy law, and corrected it with thy judgement.

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

¹⁴ If therefore thou shalt lightly and suddenly destroy him which with so great labour was fashioned by thy commandment, to what purpose was he made?

¹⁵ Now therefore I will speak; touching man in general, thou knowest best; but touching thy people will I speak, 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 the seed of 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 judgment which is to come.

¹⁹ Therefore hear my voice, and understand my saying, and I will speak before thee. The beginning of the words of Esdras, before he was taken up. And he said,

²⁰ O Lord, thou that abidest for ever, whose eyes are exalted, and whose chambers are in the air;

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

²² at whose bidding they are changed to wind and fire; whose word is sure, and sayings constant; whose ordinance is strong, and commandment fearful;

²³ whose look drieth up the depths, and whose indignation maketh the mountains to melt away, and whose truth beareth witness:

²⁴ hear, O Lord, the prayer of thy servant, and give ear to the petition of thy handiwork;

²⁵ attend unto my words, for so long as I live I will speak, and so long as I have understanding I will answer.

²⁶ O look not upon the sins of thy people; but on them that have served thee in truth,

²⁷ Regard not the doings of them that deal wickedly, but of them that have kept thy covenants in affliction.

²⁸ Think not upon those that have walked feignedly before thee; but remember them which have willingly known thy fear.

²⁹ Let it not be thy will to destroy them which have lived like cattle; but 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 have alway put their trust in thy glory.

³¹ For we and our fathers have passed our lives in ways that bring death: but thou because of us sinners art called merciful.

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

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

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

³⁵ For in truth there is no man among them that be born, but he hath dealt wickedly; and among them that have lived there is none which have not done amiss.

³⁶ For in this, O Lord, thy righteousness and thy goodness shall be declared, if thou be merciful unto them which have no store of good works.

³⁷ Then answered he me, and said, Some things hast thou spoken aright, and according unto thy words so shall it come to pass.

³⁸ For indeed I will not think on the fashioning of them which have sinned, or their death, their judgement, or their destruction;

³⁹ but I will rejoice over the framing of the righteous, their pilgrimage also, and the salvation, and the reward, that they shall have.

⁴⁰ Like therefore as I have spoken, so shall it be.

⁴¹ For as the husbandman soweth much seed upon the ground, and planteth many trees, and yet not all that is sown shall come up in due season, neither shall all that is planted take root: even so they that are sown in the world shall not all be saved.

⁴² I answered then and said, if I have found favour, let me speak before thee.

⁴³ Forasmuch as the husbandman’s seed, if it come not up, seeing that it hath not received thy rain in due season, or if it be corrupted through too much rain, so perisheth;

⁴⁴ likewise man, which is formed with thy hands, and is called thine own image, because he is made like unto thee, for whose sake thou hast formed all things, even him hast thou made like unto the husbandman’s seed.

⁴⁵ Be not wroth with us, but spare thy people, and have mercy upon thine inheritance; for thou hast mercy upon thine own creation.

⁴⁶ Then answered he me, and said, Things present are for them that now be, and things to come for such as shall be hereafter.

⁴⁷ For thou comest far short that thou shouldest be able to love my creature more than I. But thou hast brought thyself full nigh unto the unrighteous. Let this never be.

⁴⁸ Yet in this shalt thou be admirable unto the Most High;

⁵ For you have come here apart from your will, and depart against your will, for you have only been given a short time to live.

⁶ O Lord over us, grant to your servant that we may pray before you, and give us seed for our heart and cultivation for our understanding, that fruit may grow from it, by which everyone who is corrupt, who bears the likeness of a man, may live.

⁷ For you alone exist, and we all one workmanship of your hands, just as you have said.

⁸ Because you give life to the body that is now fashioned in the womb, and give it members, your creature is preserved in fire and water, and your workmanship endures nine months as your creation which is created in it.

⁹ But that which keeps and that which is kept will both be kept by your keeping. When the womb gives up again what has grown in it,

¹⁰ you have commanded that out of the parts of the body, that is to say, out of the breasts, be given milk, which is the fruit of the breasts,

¹¹ that the body that is fashioned may be nourished for a time, and afterwards you guide it in your mercy.

¹² Yes, you have brought it up in your righteousness, nurtured it in your law, and corrected it with your judgment.

¹³ You put it to death as your creation, and make it live as your work.

¹⁴ If therefore you lightly and suddenly destroy him which with so great labor was fashioned by your commandment, to what purpose was he made?

¹⁵ Now therefore I will speak. About man in general, you know best, but about your people for whose sake I am sorry,

¹⁶ and for your inheritance, for whose cause I mourn, for Israel, for whom I am heavy, and for the seed of Jacob, for whose sake I am troubled,

¹⁷ therefore I will begin to pray before you for myself and for them; for I see the failings of us who dwell in the land;

¹⁸ but I have heard the swiftness of the judgment which is to come.

¹⁹ Therefore hear my voice, and understand my saying, and I will speak before you.” The beginning of the words of Esdras, before he was taken up. He said,

²⁰ “O Lord, you who remain forever, whose eyes are exalted, and whose chambers are in the air,

²¹ whose throne is beyond measure, whose glory is beyond comprehension, before whom the army of angels stand with trembling,

²² at whose bidding they are changed to wind and fire, whose word is sure, and sayings constant, whose ordinance is strong, and commandment fearful,

²³ whose look dries up the depths, and whose indignation makes the mountains to melt away, and whose truth bears witness—

²⁴ hear, O Lord, the prayer of your servant, and give ear to the petition of your handiwork.

²⁵ Attend to my words, for as long as I live, I will speak, and as long as I have understanding, I will answer.

²⁶ Don’t look at the sins of your people, but on those who have served you in truth.

²⁷ Don’t regard the doings of those who act wickedly, but of those who have kept your covenants in affliction.

²⁸ Don’t think about those who have lived wickedly before you, but remember those who have willingly known your fear.

²⁹ Let it not be your will to destroy those who have lived like cattle, but look at those who have clearly taught your law.

³⁰ Don’t be indignant at those who are deemed worse than animals, but love those who have always put their trust in your glory.

³¹ For we and our fathers have passed our lives in ways that bring death, but you are called merciful because of us sinners.

³² For if you have a desire to have mercy upon us who have no works of righteousness, then you will be called merciful.

³³ For the just, which have many good works laid up with you, will be rewarded for their own deeds.

³⁴ For what is man, that you should take displeasure at him? Or what is a corruptible race, that you should be so bitter toward it?

³⁵ For in truth, there is no man among those who are born who has not done wickedly, and among those who have lived, there is none which have not done wrong.

³⁶ For in this, O Lord, your righteousness and your goodness will be declared, if you are merciful to those who have no store of good works.”

³⁷ Then answered he me, “Some things you have spoken rightly, and it will happen according to your words.

³⁸ For indeed I will not think about the fashioning of those who have sinned, or about their death, their judgment, or their destruction;

³⁹ but I will rejoice over the creation of the righteous and their pilgrimage, their salvation, and the reward that they will have.

⁴⁰ Therefore as I have spoken, so it will be.

⁴¹ For as the farmer sows many seeds in the ground, and plants many trees, and yet not all that is sown will come up in due season, neither will all that is planted take root, even so those who are sown in the world will not all be saved.”

⁴² Then I answered, “If I have found favor, let me speak before you.

⁴³ If the farmer’s seed doesn’t come up because it hasn’t received your rain in due season, or if it is ruined by too much rain and perishes,

⁴⁴ likewise man, who is formed with your hands and is called your own image, because he is made like you, for whose sake you have formed all things, even him have you made like the farmer’s seed.

⁴⁵ Don’t be angry with us, but spare your people and have mercy upon your inheritance, for you have mercy upon your own creation.”

⁴⁶ Then he answered me, “Things present are for those who live now, and things to come for those who will live hereafter.

⁴⁷ For you come far short of being able to love my creature more than I. But you have compared yourself to the unrighteous. Don’t do that!

⁴⁸ Yet in this will you be admirable to the Most High,

⁵ For you have come here apart from your will, and depart against your will, for you have only been given a short time to live.

⁶ O Lord over us, grant to your servant that we may pray before you, and give us seed for our heart and cultivation for our understanding, that fruit may grow from it, by which everyone who is corrupt, who bears the likeness of a man, may live.

⁷ For you alone exist, and we all one workmanship of your hands, just as you have said.

⁸ Because you give life to the body that is now fashioned in the womb, and give it members, your creature is preserved in fire and water, and your workmanship endures nine months as your creation which is created in it.

⁹ But that which keeps and that which is kept will both be kept by your keeping. When the womb gives up again what has grown in it,

¹⁰ you have commanded that out of the parts of the body, that is to say, out of the breasts, be given milk, which is the fruit of the breasts,

¹¹ that the body that is fashioned may be nourished for a time, and afterwards you guide it in your mercy.

¹² Yes, you have brought it up in your righteousness, nurtured it in your law, and corrected it with your judgement.

¹³ You put it to death as your creation, and make it live as your work.

¹⁴ If therefore you lightly and suddenly destroy him which with so great labour was fashioned by your commandment, to what purpose was he made?

¹⁵ Now therefore I will speak. About man in general, you know best, but about your people for whose sake I am sorry,

¹⁶ and for your inheritance, for whose cause I mourn, for Israel, for whom I am heavy, and for the seed of Jacob, for whose sake I am troubled,

¹⁷ therefore I will begin to pray before you for myself and for them; for I see the failings of us who dwell in the land;

¹⁸ but I have heard the swiftness of the judgement which is to come.

¹⁹ Therefore hear my voice, and understand my saying, and I will speak before you.” The beginning of the words of Esdras, before he was taken up. He said,

²⁰ “O Lord, you who remain forever, whose eyes are exalted, and whose chambers are in the air,

²¹ whose throne is beyond measure, whose glory is beyond comprehension, before whom the army of angels stand with trembling,

²² at whose bidding they are changed to wind and fire, whose word is sure, and sayings constant, whose ordinance is strong, and commandment fearful,

²³ whose look dries up the depths, and whose indignation makes the mountains to melt away, and whose truth bears witness—

²⁴ hear, O Lord, the prayer of your servant, and give ear to the petition of your handiwork.

²⁵ Attend to my words, for as long as I live, I will speak, and as long as I have understanding, I will answer.

²⁶ Don’t look at the sins of your people, but on those who have served you in truth.

²⁷ Don’t regard the doings of those who act wickedly, but of those who have kept your covenants in affliction.

²⁸ Don’t think about those who have lived wickedly before you, but remember those who have willingly known your fear.

²⁹ Let it not be your will to destroy those who have lived like cattle, but look at those who have clearly taught your law.

³⁰ Don’t be indignant at those who are deemed worse than animals, but love those who have always put their trust in your glory.

³¹ For we and our fathers have passed our lives in ways that bring death, but you are called merciful because of us sinners.

³² For if you have a desire to have mercy upon us who have no works of righteousness, then you will be called merciful.

³³ For the just, which have many good works laid up with you, will be rewarded for their own deeds.

³⁴ For what is man, that you should take displeasure at him? Or what is a corruptible race, that you should be so bitter towards it?

³⁵ For in truth, there is no man amongst those who are born who has not done wickedly, and amongst those who have lived, there is none which have not done wrong.

³⁶ For in this, O Lord, your righteousness and your goodness will be declared, if you are merciful to those who have no store of good works.”

³⁷ Then answered he me, “Some things you have spoken rightly, and it will happen according to your words.

³⁸ For indeed I will not think about the fashioning of those who have sinned, or about their death, their judgement, or their destruction;

³⁹ but I will rejoice over the creation of the righteous and their pilgrimage, their salvation, and the reward that they will have.

⁴⁰ Therefore as I have spoken, so it will be.

⁴¹ For as the farmer sows many seeds in the ground, and plants many trees, and yet not all that is sown will come up in due season, neither will all that is planted take root, even so those who are sown in the world will not all be saved.”

⁴² Then I answered, “If I have found favour, let me speak before you.

⁴³ If the farmer’s seed doesn’t come up because it hasn’t received your rain in due season, or if it is ruined by too much rain and perishes,

⁴⁴ likewise man, who is formed with your hands and is called your own image, because he is made like you, for whose sake you have formed all things, even him have you made like the farmer’s seed.

⁴⁵ Don’t be angry with us, but spare your people and have mercy upon your inheritance, for you have mercy upon your own creation.”

⁴⁶ Then he answered me, “Things present are for those who live now, and things to come for those who will live hereafter.

⁴⁷ For you come far short of being able to love my creature more than I. But you have compared yourself to the unrighteous. Don’t do that!

⁴⁸ Yet in this will you be admirable to the Most High,

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?

⁷ For thou art alone, and we all one workmanship of thine hands, like as thou hast said.

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.

¹⁰ For thou hast commanded out of the parts of the body, that is to say, out of the breasts, 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; 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 people; but on them which serve thee in truth.

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 righteousness.

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?

³⁵ For in truth there is no man among them that be born, but he hath dealt wickedly; and among the faithful there is none which hath not done amiss.

³⁶ For in this, O Lord, thy righteousness and thy goodness shall be declared, if thou be merciful unto them which have not the confidence of good works.

³⁷ Then answered he me, and said, Some things hast thou spoken aright, and according unto thy words it shall be.

³⁸ For indeed I will not think on the disposition of them which have sinned before death, before judgment, before destruction:

³⁹ but I will rejoice over the disposition of the righteous, and I will remember also their pilgrimage, and the salvation, and the reward that they shall have.

⁴⁰ Like as I have spoken now, so shall it come to pass.

⁴¹ For as the husbandman soweth much seed upon the ground, and planteth many trees, and yet the thing that is sown good in his season cometh not up, neither doth all that is planted take root: even so is it of them that are sown in the world; they shall not all be saved.

⁴² I answered then and said, If I have found grace, let me speak.

⁴³ Like as the husbandman’s seed perisheth, if it come not up, and receive not thy rain in due season; or if there come too much rain, and corrupt it:

⁴⁴ even so perisheth man also, which is formed with thy hands, and is called thine own image, because thou art like unto him, for whose sake thou hast made all things, and likened him unto the husbandman’s seed.

⁴⁵ Be not wroth with us, but spare thy people, and have mercy upon thine own inheritance: for thou art merciful unto thy creature.

⁴⁶ Then answered he me, and said, Things present are for the present, and things to come for such as be to come.

⁴⁷ For thou comest far short that thou shouldest be able to love my creature more than I: but I have ofttimes drawn nigh unto thee, and unto it, but never to the unrighteous.

⁴⁸ In this also thou art marvellous before the most High: