2 and said to me: Thy heart exceeding hath exceeded in this world, and thou thinkest to comprehend the way of the Highest.
2 and sayd to me: Thy hart exceding hath exceded in this world, & thou thinkest to comprehend the way of the Highest.
3 And I said: It is so my Lord. And he answered me, and said: I am sent to shew thee three ways, & to propose to thee three similitudes.
3 And I sayd: It is so my Lord. And he answered me, & sayd: I am sent to shew thee three wayes, & to propose to thee three similitudes.
4 Of the which if thou shalt declare to me one of them, I also will shew thee the way which thou desirest to see, & will teach thee whence a wicked heart is.
4 Of the which if thou shalt declare to me one of them, I also wil shew thee the way which thou desirest to see, and wil teach thee whence a wicked hart is.
5 And I said, Speak my Lord. And he said to me: Go, weigh me the weight of the fire, or measure me the blast of the wind, or call me back the day that is past.
5 And I sayd, Speak my Lord. And he sayd to me: Goe, wey me the weight of the fire, or measure me the blast of the winde, or cal me backe the day that is past.
6 And I answered, and said: what man born can do it, that thou askest me of these things?
6 And I answered, and sayd: what man borne can doe it, that thou askest me of these thinges?
7 And he said to me: If I should ask thee, saying: How great habitations are there in the heart of the sea, or how great veins be there in the beginning of the depth, or how great veins be there above the firmament, and what are the issues of paradise:
7 And he sayd to me: If I should aske thee, saying: How great habitations are there in the hart of the sea, or how great vaines be there in the beginning of the depth, or how great vaines be there aboue the firmament, and what are the issues of paradise:
8 thou wouldest perhaps say to me: I have not descended into the depth, nor into hell as yet, neither, have I ascended at any time into heaven.
8 thou wouldest perhaps say to me: I haue not descended into the depth, nor into hel as yet, neither haue I ascended at anie time into heauen.
9 But now I have not asked thee, saving of the fire, & the wind, and the day by the which thou hast passed, and from the which thou canst not be separated: and thou hast not answered me of them.
9 But now I haue not asked thee, sauing of the fire, and the winde, and the day by the which thou hast passed, and from the which thou canst not be separated: and thou hast not answered me of them.
10 And he said to me: Thou canst not know the things that are thine which grow together with thee:
10 And he sayd to me: Thou canst not know the thinges that are thine which grow together with thee:
11 and how can thy vessel comprehend the way of the Highest, and now the world being outwardly corrupted, understand the corruption evident in my sight:
11 and how can thy vessel comprehend the way of the Highest, and now the world being outwardly corrupted, vnderstand the corruption euident in my sight:
12 I said to him: Better were it for us not to be, than yet living to live in impieties, and to suffer, and not to understand for what thing.
12 I sayd to him: Better were it for vs not to be, then yet liuing to liue in impieties, and to suffer, and not to vnderstand for what thing.
13 And he answered me, and said: Going forth I went forward to a wood of trees in the field, and they devised a device, . 2. Par. 25.
13 And he answered me, & said: Going forth I went forward to a wood of trees in the filde, and they deuised a deuise,
15 And in like manner the waves of the sea they also devised a device, and said: Come let us go up, let us overthrow the woods of the field, that there also we may consummate another country for ourselves.
15 And in like maner the waues of the sea they also deuised a deuise, and sayd: Come let vs goe vp, let vs ouerthrow the woodes of the filde, that there also we may consummate an other countrie for our selues.
16 And the wood's device was made vain, for fire came, and consumed it.
16 And the woodes deuise was made vaine, for fire came, and consumed it.
17 Likewise also the device of the waves of the sea. For the sand stood, & stayed them.
17 Likewise also the deuise of the waues of the sea. For the sand stood, & stayed them.
18 For if thou wert judge of these, whom wouldest thou begin to justify, or whom to condemn?
18 For if thou wert iudge of these, whom wouldest thou begin to iustifie, or whom to condemne?
19 And I answered, and said: Verily, they devised a vain device. For the earth is given to the wood, and a place to the sea to carry her waves.
19 And I answered, and sayd: Verely they deuised a vayne deuise. For the earth is geuen to the wood, and a place to the sea to carie her waues.
20 And he answered me, and said: Thou hast judged well, and why hast thou not judged for thyself?
20 And he answered me, and sayed: Thou hast iudged wel, and why hast thou not iudged for thy self?
21 For as the earth is given to the wood, and the sea for the waves thereof: so they that inhabit upon the earth, can understand only the things that are upon the earth: and they upon the heavens, the things that are above the height of the heavens.
21 For as the earth is geuen to the wood, and the sea for the waues therof: so they that inhabite vpon the earth, can vnderstand onlie the thinges that are vpon the earth: and they vpon the heauens, the thinges that are aboue the height of the heauens.
22 And I answered, and said: I beseech thee Lord, that sense may be given me to understand.
22 And I answered, and sayd: I besech thee Lord, that sense may be geuen me to vnderstand.
23 For I meant not to ask of thy superior things, but of those that pass by us daily. For what cause Israel is given into reproach to the gentiles, the people whom thou hast loved, is given to impious tribes, and the law of our fathers is brought to destruction, and the written ordinances are no where:
23 For I meant not to aske of thy superiour thinges, but of those that passe by vs dayly. For what cause Israel is geuen into reproche to the gentiles, the people whom thou hast loued, is geuen to impious tribes, & the law of our fathers is brought to destruction, & the written ordinances are no where:
24 And we have passed out of the world, as locusts, and our life is astonishment and dread, and we are not worthy to obtain mercy.
24 and we haue passed out of the world, as locustes, and our life is astonishment and dreade, and we are not worthie to obtaine mercie.
25 But what will he do to his name that is invocated upon us? And of these things I did ask.
25 But what wil he doe to his name that is inuocated vpon vs? and of these thinges I did aske.
26 And he answered me, and said: If thou search very much, thou shalt often marvel: because the world hastening hasteneth to pass,
26 And he answered me, and sayd: If thou search very much, thou shalt often meruail: because the world hastening hasteneth to passe,
27 and cannot comprehend the things which in times to come are promised to the just: because this world is full of injustice and infirmities.
27 and can not comprehend the thinges which in times to come are promised to the iust: because this world is ful of iniustice and infirmities.
28 But concerning the things that thou demandest I will tell thee: for the evil is sowed, and the destruction thereof is not yet come.
28 But conerning the thinges that thou demandest I wil tel thee: for the euil is sowed, and the destruction therof is not yet come.
29 If then that which is sown be not turned up, and the place depart where the evil is sown, that shall not come where the good is sown.
29 If then that which is sowen be not turned vp, and the place depart where the euil is sowen, that shal not come where the good is sowen.
30 Because the grain of ill seed hath been sown in the heart of Adam from the beginning: and how much impiety hath it engendered until now, and doth engender until the floor come?
30 Because the grayne of il seede hath bene sowen in the hart of Adam from the beginning: and how much impietie hath it ingendered vntil now, and doth ingender vntil the floore come?
31 And esteem with thyself the grain of the ill seed, how much fruit of impiety it hath engendered:
31 And esteme with thy self the graine of the il seede, how much fruite of impietie it hath ingendred:
32 When the ears shall be cut, which are innumerable, what a great floor will they begin to make?
32 When the eares shal be cut, which are innumerable, what a great floore wil they begin to make?
33 And I answered, and said: How, and when shall these things be? Why are our years few and evil?
33 And I answered, and sayd: How, and when shal these things be? why are our yeares few and euil?
34 And he answered me, and said to me, Hasten not above the Highest. For thou doest hasten in vain to be above him, for thy excess is much.
34 And he answered me, and sayd to me, Hasten not aboue the Highest. For thou doest hasten in vaine to be aboue him, for thy excesse is much.
35 Did not the souls of the just in their cellars, ask of these things, saying: How hope I so, and when shall the fruit come of the floor of our reward?
35 Did not the soules of the iust in the cellars, aske of these things, saying: How hope I so, and when shal the fruite come of the floore of our reward?
36 And Jeremiel the Archangel answered to those things, and said: When the number of the seeds in you shall be filled, because he hath weighed the world in a balance,
36 And Ieremiel the Archangel answered to those things, and sayd: When the number of the sedes in you shal be filled, because he hath weyed the world in a balance,
37 and with a measure hath he measured the times, and in number he hath numbered the times, & hath not moved, nor stirred them, until the foresaid measure be filled.
37 and with a measure hath he measured the times, and in number he hath numbered the times, and hath not moued, nor stirred them, vntil the foresayd measure be filled.
38 And I answered, & said. O Lord Dominator, we also are all full of impiety.
38 And I answered, and sayd: O Lord Dominatour, we also are al ful of impietie.
39 And lest perhaps for us the floors of the just be not filled, for the sins of the inhabitants upon the earth.
39 And left perhaps for vs the floores of the iust be not filled, for the sinnes of the inhabitantes vpon the earth.
40 And he answered me, and said: Go, and ask a woman with child, if when she hath accomplished her nine months, her womb can yet hold the infant within it?
40 And he answered me, and sayd: Goe, and aske a woman with childe, if when she hath accomplished her nine monethes, her wombe can yet hold the infant within it?
41 And I said it cannot Lord. And he said to me: In hell the cellars of the souls are like to the matrice.
41 And I sayd it can not Lord. And he sayd to me, in hel the cellars of the soules are like to the matrice.
42 For as she that is in travail maketh haste, to escape the necessity of travailing: so this also hasteneth to render those things which are commended to it.
42 For as she that is: In trauail maketh hast, to escape the necessitie of trauailing: so this also hasteneth to render those thinges which are commended to it.
43 From the beginning it shall be shewed thee touching those things, which thou doest covet to see.
43 From the beginning it shal be shewed thee touching those thinges, which thou doest couet to see.
44 And I answered and said: If I have found grace before thine eyes, and if it be possible, and if I be fit,
44 And I answered, and sayd: If I haue found grace before thine eyes, & if it be possible, and if I by fitte,
45 shew me if there be more to come than is passed, or more things have passed, than are to come.
45 shew mee if there be more to come then is passed, or more things haue passed, then are to come.
46 What passed, I know: but what is to come, I know not.
46 What passed, I know: but what is to come, I know not.
47 And he said to me: Stand upon the right side, and I will shew thee the interpretation of the similitude.
47 And he sayd to me: Stand vpon the right side, and I wil shew thee the interpretation of the similitude.
48 And I stood, and saw: and behold a burning furnace passed before me, and it came to pass
48 And I stood, and saw: and behold a burning fornace passed before me, & it came to passe when the flame passed, I saw: and behold the smoke ouercame.
49 After these things there passed before me a cloud full of water, and with violence casting in much rain: and when the violence of rain wast cast, the drops therein overcame.
49 And these thinges there passed before me a clowd ful of water, and with violence casting in much raine: and when the violence of raine was cast, the droppes therin ouercame.
50 And he said to me: Think with thyself, as the rain increaseth more than the drops, and the fire than the smoke: so did the measure that passed, more abound. But the drops, and the smoke overcame:
50 And he sayd to me: Thinke with thyself, as the raine increaseth more then the droppes, and the fire then the smoke: so did the measure that passed, more a bound. But the droppes, and the smoke ouercame:
51 and I prayed, and said, shall I live thinkest thou until these days? Or what shall be in those days?
51 and I prayed, & sayd, shal I liue thinkest thou vntil these dayes? or what shal be in those dayes?
52 He answered me, and said: Of the signs whereof thou askest me, in part I can tell thee, howbeit of thy life I was not sent to tell thee, neither do I know.
52 He answered me, and sayd: Of the signes wherof thou askest me, in part I can tel thee, howbeit of thy life I was not sent to tel thee, neither doe I know.