2 Esdras

1And it so came to pass, that when my son entered his wedding chamber, he fell down, and died.

2Then we all put out the lights, and all my neighbors and friends attempted to comfort me: so I remained quiet until evening of the second day.

3And it came to pass, when they had all left off comforting me, so that I might be quiet; then rose I up by night and fled, and came here into this field, as you see.

4And 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 fast until I die.

5Then left I the meditations wherein I was, and spoke to her in anger, saying,

6You most foolish of woman, do you not see our mourning, and what has happens to us?

7For Zion, the mother of us all, is full of heaviness and is in deep grief, and great humiliation, and is mourning very sore.

8It is most appropriate to mourn now, because we are all mourning, and to be sorrowful, because we are all sorrowing; you are sorrowing for one son, but we, the whole world, for our mother.

9For ask the earth, and she shall tell you, that it is she which ought to mourn for the fall of so many that grow upon her.

10And from the beginning all have been born of her, and others will come; and behold, almost all go into perdition, and a multitude of them are destined for utter destruction.

11Who then should make more mourning than she who has lost so great a multitude, or you who are sorry for but for one?

12But if you say to me, My lamentation is not like the earth's, because I have lost the fruit of my womb, which I brought forth with pains, and bare with sorrows;

13But the earth not so: for the multitude present in it according to the way of the earth, the multitude that is now in it goes as it came:

14Then say I to you, Like as you have brought forth with labor; even so the earth also has from the beginning given her fruit, namely, man, to HIM that made her.

15Now, therefore, keep your sorrow to yourself, and bear with a strong courage that which has befallen you.

16For if you shall acknowledge the determination of YAHWEH to be just, you shall both receive your son in time, and shall be commended among women.

17Therefore go into the city to your husband.

18And she said to me, That will I not do so: I will not go into the city, but I will die here.

19So I proceeded to speak further to her, and said,

20Do not say that, but be counseled by me: for how many are the adversities of Zion? be comforted because of the sorrow of Yerusalem.

21For you see that our Kodesh Place has been laid waste, our altar broken down, and our Great Tabernacle destroyed;

22Our psaltery has been laid on the ground, our song has been silenced, our rejoicing has been ended, the light of our menorah has been put out, the ark of our covenant has been spoiled, our kodesh things has been defiled, and the NAME of YAHWEH that is called upon us is almost profaned: our children are put to shame, our kohenim are burnt to death, our Levites have gone into captivity, our virgins have been defiled, and our wives have been ravished; our righteous men have been carried away, our little ones have been destroyed, our young men have been brought into bondage, and our strong men made powerless;

23And, which is the greatest of all, the seal of Zion, for she has now lost the seal of her splendor and great honor; for she is delivered into the hands of them that hate us.

24And therefore shake off your great heaviness, and put away the multitude of sorrows, so that YAHWEH the ALMIGHTY may be merciful to you again, and YAHWEH the Most High may give you rest and ease from your troubles.

25And it came to pass while I was talking with her, behold, her face upon a sudden shined exceedingly, and her countenance glistered, so that I was afraid of her, and mused what it might be.

26And, behold, suddenly she made a great cry very fearful: so that the earth shook at the sound of the woman.

27And I looked, and, behold, the woman appeared to me no more, but there was a city built, and a large place shown itself from the foundations: then was I afraid, and cried with a loud voice, and said,

28Where is Uriel the malak, who came to me at the first? for he has brought me into this overpowering bewilderment, and my end has turned into corruption, and my prayer to reproach.

29And as I was speaking these words, behold, the malak who had come to me at first, came to me, and looked upon me.

30And behold, I lay there like a corpse and I was deprived of my understanding. Then he grasped my right hand and strengthened me and set me on my feet, and said to me,

31What is the matter with you? And why are you so troubled? and why are your understanding and thoughts of your heart so troubled?

32And I said, Because you have forsaken me, and yet I did according to your words, and I went into the field, and behold, I have seen, and still see, what I am not able to express.

33And he said to me, Stand up like a man, and I will instruct you.

34Then I said, Speak on, my master; only do not forsake me, lest I die before my time frustrate of my hope.

35For I have seen that which I did not know, and heard that which I do not understand.

36Or is my sense deceived, or my soul in a dream?

37Now therefore I entreat you to give your servant an explanation of this bewildering vision.

38Then he answered me and said, Hear me, and I shall inform you, and tell you about the things which you are afraid of, for YAHWEH the Most High will reveal many secret things to you.

39HE has seen that your way is right: for that you sorrow continually for your people, and make great lamentation for Zion.

40This therefore is the meaning of the vision which you have seen:

41The woman who appeared to you a little while ago, whom you saw mourning and began to comfort her:

42But now see you the form of the woman no more, but there appeared to you an established city.

43And whereas she told you of the death of her son, this is the interpretation:

44This woman whom you saw, whom you now behold as an established city, is Zion.

45Whereas for her telling you that she was barren for thirty years, it is because there were three thousand years in the world before any offering was made in her.

46And after three thousand Solomon built the city and offered offerings: and then it was that the barren woman bore a son.

47And as for her telling you that she brought him up with much care and labor: that was the period of dwelling in Yerusalem.

48And whereas she saying to you, When my son entered his wedding chamber, he failed and died: that was the destruction which befell Yerusalem.

49And, behold, you saw her likeness, and how she mourned for her son, you began to console her for what had happened: and of these happenings which have affected mans well-being, these are to be opened to you.

50For now YAHWEH the Most High sees that you are grieved unfeignedly, and suffer from your whole heart for her, so has HE shown you the brightness of her splendor, and the comeliness of her beauty:

51Therefore I bade you to remain in the field where no house had been built:

52For I knew that the Most High YAHWEH would reveal these happenings to you.

53Therefore I commanded you to go into the field, where there was no foundation of any building.

54For in the place wherein the Most High YAHWEH reveals HIS city, there can be no building of men hands that have stood there.

55And therefore do not be afraid, and do not let your heart be affrighted, but go in and see the splendor and beauty and the vast greatness of the building, as far as it is possible for your eyes be able to see:

56And then afterward you shall hear as much as your ears can comprehend.

57For you are more blessed above many other, and you have been called before the Most High YAHWEH, as but few have been.

58But tomorrow at night you shall remain here;

59And so shall the Most High YAHWEH show you visions of what the Most High will do to those who dwell on earth in the last days. So I slept that night and following one, as he commanded me.