2 Esdras

1And it came to pass, whiles the lion spoke these words to the eagle, I looked,

2And, behold, the remaining head disappeared. And the two wings that had gone over to it arose and set themselves up to reign, and their reign was brief and full of tumult.

3And I looked, and behold, they also disappeared, and the whole body of the eagle was burnt so that the earth was exceedingly terrified.

4Then I awoke in great perplexity of mind and great fear, and I said to my spirit, "Behold, you have brought this upon me, because you search out the ways of the Most High YAHWEH.

5Behold, I am still weary in mind and very weak in my spirit, and not even a little strength is left in me, because of the great fear with which I have been terrified this night.

6Therefore will I now beseech the Most High YAHWEH that HE will comfort and strengthen me to the end.

7And so I said, Oh YAHWEH that bear rule, if I have found free unmerited favor before YOUR sight, and if I have been accounted righteous before YOU beyond many others, and if my prayer has indeed come up before YOUR face,

8Comfort and strengthen me and show me, YOUR servant, the interpretation and meaning of this terrifying vision, that YOU may fully comfort my soul.

9For YOU have judged me worthy to be shown the end of the times and the last events of the time.

10And HE said to me, This is the interpretation of the vision which you have seen:

11The eagle, whom you saw come up from the sea, is the kingdom which was seen in the vision of your brother Daniel.

12But it was not expounded to him, therefore now I declare it to you.

13Behold, the days shall come, that there shall rise up a kingdom upon earth, and it shall be more terrifying than all the kingdoms that have been before it.

14And twelve kings shall reign in it, one after another:

15But the second that is to reign shall have more time than any of the twelve.

16This is the interpretation of the twelve wings signify, which you saw.

17As for your hearing a voice that spoke, coming not from the eagle's heads but from the midst of his body, this is the interpretation:

18That after the time of that kingdom there shall arise great strivings, and it shall stand in peril of failing: nevertheless it shall not fall then, but shall regain again its former power.

19And whereas you saw the eight little wings (under wings) clinging to her wings, this is the interpretation:

20That in him there shall arise eight kings, whose times shall be short, and their years swift.

21And two of them shall perish when the middle of their time approaches: and four shall be kept for the time when its end begin to approach: but two shall be kept until the end.

22And whereas you saw three heads resting, this is the interpretation:

23In his last days shall the most High raise up three kingdoms, and they shall renew many things in it, and they shall have the dominion of the earth,

24And its inhabitants more oppressively than all who were before them: therefore are they called the heads of the eagle.

25For these are they who shall accomplish his final wickedness, and perform his last actions.

26And whereas you saw that the great head appeared no more, it signifies that one of them shall die upon his bed, and yet with pain.

27For the two that remain shall be slain with the sword.

28For the sword of the one shall devour the other who was with him: but at the end he shall fall by the sword in the last days.

29As for you seeing two little wings from under the wings passing over the head that is on the right side;

30This is the interpretation: It signifies that these are they, whom the Most High YAHWEH has kept for the eagle's end: this was the reign which was brief and full of trouble, as you saw.

31And the lion, whom you saw rising up out of the wood, and roaring, and speaking to the eagle, and rebuking her for her unrighteousness with all the words which you have heard;

32This is the anointed, which the Most High YAHWEH has kept until the end of days, who will arise from the posterity of David, and will come and speak to them; He will denounce them for their checedlessness and for their wickedness, and will cast up before them their contemptuous dealings.

33For first HE shall set them living before HIS judgment seat, and shall rebuke them, then He will destroy them.

34For the rest of MY people shall HE deliver with mercy, those that have been pressed upon throughout MY borders, and HE shall make them joyful until the end comes, the day of judgment, whereof I have spoken to you from the beginning.

35This is the dream that you saw, and this is the interpretation.

36And you alone were worthy to learn this secret of the Most High YAHWEH.

37Therefore write all these things that you have seen in a book, and put it in a hidden place:

38And teach them to the wise among your people, whose hearts you know are able to comprehend and keep these secrets.

39But wait you here yourself yet seven days more, so that you may be shown whatever it pleases the Most High YAHWEH to show you. And with that he went his way.

40And it came to pass, when all the people saw that the seven days were past, and that I did not come again into the city, they gathered themselves all together, from the least to the greatest, and came to me, and said,

41How have we offended you? And what evil have we done you, that you have forsaken us and sit in this place?

42For of all the prophets, you alone are left to us, as a cluster of grapes from the vintage, and as a lamp in a dark place, and as a haven for a ship preserved from the tempest.

43Are not the evils which have befallen us sufficient?

44Therefore if you forsake us, how much better had it been for us, if we also had been consumed in the burning of Zion?

45For we are no better than they that died there. And they wept with a loud voice.

46Then answered I them, and said, Take hold of strong courage, Oh Yisrael; and be not heavy and sorrowful, Oh you house of Yacob:

47For the Most High YAHWEH has you in remembrance, and the ALMIGHTY has not forgotten you in your struggle,

48As for me, I have neither forsaken you nor departed from you: but I have come to this place to pray on account of the desolation of Zion, and that I might seek mercy for the low estate of our sanctuary.

49And now go your way home every man, and after these days will I come to you.

50So the people went their way into the city, as I commanded them to do:

51But I remained still in the field seven days, as the malak commanded me; and did eat only of the flowers of the field, and had my food of the herbs during those days.