2 And I will speak a similitude Esdras before thee. For as thou shalt ask the earth, and it will tell thee, that it will give much more earth whereof earthen work may be made, but a little dust whereof gold is made: so also is the act of this present world.
2 And I wil speake a similitude Esdras before thee. For as thou shalt aske the earth, and it wil tel thee, that it wil geue much more earth wherof earthen worke may be made, but a litle dust wherof gold is made: so also is the act of this present world.
3 Many indeed are created, but few shall be saved.
3 Manie in deede are created, but few shal be saued.
4 And I answered, and said: Then o soul swallow up the sense, and devour that which is wise.
4 And I answered, and sayd: Then o soul swallow vp the sense, and deuoure that which is wise.
5 For thou art agreed to obey, and willing to prophesy. For there is no space given thee but only to live.
5 For thou art agred to obey, and willing to prophecie. For there is no space geuen thee but only to liue.
6 O Lord if thou wilt not permit thy servant, that we pray before thee, and thou give us seed to the heart, and tillage to the understanding, whereof may the fruit be made, whereby every corrupt person may live, that shall bear the place of a man?
6 O Lord if thou wilt not permitte thy seruant, that we pray before thee, and thou geue vs seede to the hart, and tillage to the vnderstanding, wherof may the fruite be made, wherby euerie corrupt person may liue, that shal beare the place of a man?
7 For thou art alone, and we are one workmanship of thy hands, as thou hast spoken:
7 For thou art alone, and we are one workmanshippe of thy handes, as thou hast spoken:
8 and as now the body made in the matrice, and thou doest give the members, thy creature is preserved in fire and water: and nine months thy workmanship doth suffer thy creature that is created in it:
8 and as now the bodie made in the matrice, and thou doest geue the members, thy creature is preserued in fire & water: and nine monethes thy workemanship doth suffer thy creature that is created in it:
9 and itself that keepeth, and that which is kept, both shall be preserved: & the matrice being preserved rendereth again at some time the things that are grown in it.
9 and it self that keepeth, and that which is kept, both shal be preserued: and the matrice being preserued rendreth agayne at some time the thinges that are growen in it.
10 For thou hast commanded of the members, that is the breasts to give milk unto the fruit of the breasts,
10 For thou hast commanded of the members, that is the brestes to geue milke vnto the fruite of the brestes,
11 that the thing which is made, may be nourished till a certain time, and afterward thou mayest dispose him to thy mercy.
11 that the thing which is made, may be nourished til a certayne time, and afterward thou mayst dispose him to thy mercie.
12 For thou hast, brought him up in thy justice, and hast instructed him in thy law, and hast corrected him in thy understanding:
12 For thou hast, brought him vp in thy iustice, and hast instructed him in thy law, and hast corrected him in thy vnderstanding:
13 and thou shalt mortify him, as thy creature: and shalt give him life, as thy work.
13 and thou shalt mortifie him, as thy creature: and shalt geue him life, as thy worke.
14 If then thou wilt destroy him that is made with so great labours: it is easy by the commandment to be ordained, that also which was made, might be reserved.
14 If then thou wilt destroy him that is made with so great labours: it is easie by thy commandment to be ordayned, that also which was made, might be preserued.
15 And now Lord I will speak, of every man thou rather knowest: but concerning thy people, for which I am sorrowful:
15 And now Lord I wil speake, of euerie man thou rather knowest: but concerning thy people, for which I am sorowful:
16 and concerning thine inheritance, for which I mourn, and for Israel for whom I am pensive, and concerning Jacob, for whom I am sorrowful.
16 and concerning thine inheritance, for which I mourne, and for Israel for whom I am pensiue, and concerning Iacob, for whom I am sorowful.
17 Therefore will I begin to pray before thee for me, and for them: because I see our defaults that inhabit the earth.
17 Therfore wil I begin to pray before thee for me, & for them: because I see our defaultes that inhabite the earth.
18 But I have heard of the celerity of the judge that shall be.
18 But I haue heard of the celeritie of the iudge that shal be.
19 Therefore hear my voice, and understand my word, and I will speak before thee.
19 Therfore heare my voyce, and vnderstand my word, and I wil speake before thee.
20 The beginning of the words of Esdras before he was assumpted: and I said: Lord which inhabitest the world, whose eyes are elevated unto things on high and in the air:
20 The beginning of the wordes of Esdras before he was assumpted: and I sayd: Lord which inhabitest the world, whose eyes are eleuated vnto thinges on high and in the ayre:
21 and whose throne is inestimable, and glory incomprehensible: by whom standeth an host of Angels with trembling,
21 and whose throne is inestimable, and glorie incomprehensible: by whom standeth an host of Angels with trembling,
22 whose keeping is turned in wind and fire, thou whose word is true, and sayings permanent:
22 whose keping is turned in wynde and fire, thou whose word is true, and sayings premanent:
23 whose commandment is strong, and disposition terrible: whose look dryeth up the depths, and indignation maketh the mountains to melt, and truth doth testify.
23 whose commandment is strong, and disposition terrible: whose looke dryeth vp the depthes, and indignation maketh the mountaynes to melt, and truth doth testifie.
24 Hear the prayer of thy servant, and with thine ears receive the petition of thy creature.
24 Heare the prayer of thy seruant, & with thine eares receiue the petition of thy creature.
25 For whilst I live, I will speak: & whilst I understand, I will answer:
25 For whiles I liue, I wil speake: and whiles I vnderstand, I wil answere:
26 Neither do thou respect the sins of thy people, but them that serve thee in truth.
26 Neither doe thou respect the sinnes of thy people, but them that serue thee in truth.
27 Neither do thou attend the impious endeavours of the nations, but them that with sorrows have kept thy testimonies.
27 Neither doe thou attend the impious endeuours of the nations, but them that with sorowes haue kept thy testimonies.
28 Neither think thou of them that in thy sight have converst falsely, but remember them that according to thy will have known thy fear.
28 Neither thinke thou of them that in thy sight haue conuerst falsly, but remember them that according to thy wil haue knowen thy feare.
29 Neither be thou willing to destroy them that have had the manners of beasts: but respect them that have taught thy law gloriously.
29 Neither be thou willing to destroy them that haue had the maners of beastes: but respect them that haue taught thy law gloriously.
30 Neither have indignation towards them, which are judged worse than beasts: but love them that always have confidence in thy justice and glory.
30 Neither haue indignation towards them, which are iudged worse then beastes: but loue them that alwayes haue confidence in thy iustice, and glorie.
31 Because we and our fathers languish with such diseases: but thou for sinners shalt be called merciful.
31 Because we and our fatheres languish with such diseases: but thou for sinners shalt be called merciful.
32 For if thou shalt be desirous to have mercy on us, then thou shalt be called merciful, to us having no works of justice.
32 For if thou shalt be desirous to haue mercie on vs, then thou shalt be called merciful, to vs hauing no workes of iustice.
33 For the just which
33 For the iust which haue manie workes layd vp, of their owne workes shal receiue reward.
34 For what is man, that thou art angry with him: or the corruptible kind, that thou art so bitter touching it?
34 For what is man, that thou art angrie with him: or the corruptible kinde, that thou art so bitter touching it?
35 For in truth there is no man of them that be born, which hath not done impiously, and of them that confess, which have not sinned. 2.
35 For in truth there is no man of them that be borne, which hath not done impiously, and of them that confesse, which haue not sinned.
36 For in this shall thy justice be declared, and thy goodness, o Lord, when thou shalt have mercy on them, that have no substance of good works.
36 For in this shal thy iustice be declared, and thy goodnes, o Lord, when thou shalt haue mercie on them, that haue no substance of good workes.
37 And he answered me, and said: Thou hast spoken some things rightly: and according to thy words, so also shall it be done,
37 And he answered me, and sayd: Thou hast spoken somethinges rightly: and according to thy wordes, so also shal it be done,
38 because I will not indeed think upon the work of them that have sinned before death, before the judgement, before perdition:
38 because I wil not in dede thinke vpon the worke of them that haue sinned before death, before the iudgement, before perdition:
39 but I will rejoice upon the creature of the just, and I will remember their pilgrimage also, and salvation, and receiving of reward.
39 but I wil reioyce vpon the creature of the iust, and I wil remember their pilgrimage also, and saluation, and receiuing of reward.
40 Therefore as I have spoken, so also it is.
40 Therfore as I haue spoken, so also it is.
41 For as the husbandman soweth upon the ground many seeds, and planteth many plants, but not all which were sown in time are preserved, nor yet all that were planted shall take root: so they also that are sown in the world, shall not all be saved. . & 20.
41 For as the husbandman soweth vpon the ground manie seedes, and planteth manie plantes, but not al which were sowen in time, are preserued, nor yet al that were planted, shal take roote: so they also that are sowen in the world, shal not al be saued.
42 And I answered, and said: If I have found grace, let me speak.
42 And I answered, and sayd: If I haue found grace, let me speake.
43 As the seed of the husbandman, if it come not up, or receive not the rain in time, if it be corrupted with much rain, perisheth:
43 As the seede of the husbandman, if it come not vp, or receiue not the rayne in time, if it be corupted with much rayne, perisheth:
44 so likewise also man who made with thy hands, and thou named his image: because thou art likened to him, for whom thou hast made all things, and hast likened him to the seed of the husbandman.
44 so likewise also man who made with thy handes, and thou named his image: because thou art likened to him, for whom thou hast made al thinges, and hast likened him to the seede of the husbandman.
45 Be not angry upon us, but spare thy people, and have mercy on thy inheritance. And thou hast mercy on thy creature.
45 Be not angrie vpon vs, but spare thy people, and haue mercie on thy inheritance. And thou hast mercie on thy creature.
46 And he answered me, and said: The things that are present to them that are present, and that shall be, to them that shall be.
46 And he answered me, and sayd: The thinges that are present to them that are present, and that shal be, to them that shal be.
47 For thou lackest much to be able to love my creature above me: and to thee often times, even to thyself I have approached, but to the unjust never.
47 For thou lackest much to be able to loue my creature aboue me: and to thee often times, euen to thyselfe I haue approched, but to the vniust neuer.
48 But in this also thou art marvelous before the Highest,
48 But in this also thou art meruelous before the Highest,
49 because thou hast humbled thyself as becometh thee: and hast not judged thyself, that among the just thou mayst be very much glorified.
49 because thou hast humbled thyself as becometh thee: & hast not iudged thyself, that among the iust thou maist be very much glorified.
50 For which cause many miseries, and miserable things shall be done to them that inhabit the world in the later days: because they have walked in much pride.
50 For which cause manie miseries, and miserable thinges shal be done to them that inhabite the world in the later dayes: because they haue walked in much pride.
51 But thou for thyself understand, and for them that are like unto thee seek glory.
51 But thou for thyselfe vnderstand, & for them that are like vnto thee seeke glorie.
52 For to you paradise is open, the tree of life is planted, time to come is prepared, aboundance is prepared, a city is builded, rest is approved, goodness is perfited, & perfit wisdom.
52 For to you paradise is open, the tree of life is planted, time to come is prepared, abundance is prepared, a citie is builded, rest is approued, goodnes is perfited, & perfit wisdome.
53 The root of evil is signed from you: infirmity, & moth is hid from you: and corruption is fled into hell in oblivion.
53 The roote of euil is signed from you: infirmitie, and mothe is hid from you: & corruption is fled into hel in obliuion.
54 Sorrows are past, & the treasure of immortality is shewed in the end.
54 Sorowes are past, & the treasure of immortalitie is shewed in the end.
55 Add not therefore inquiring of the multitude of them that perish.
55 Adde not therfore inquiring of the multitude of them that perish.
56 For they also receiving liberty have despised the Highest, and contemned his law, and forsaken his ways.
56 For they also receiuing libertie, haue despised the Highest, and contemned his lawe, and forsaken his wayes.
57 Yea and moreover they have trodden down his just ones.
57 Yea and moreouer they haue troden downe his iust ones,
58 and have said in their heart, that there is no God: and that, knowing that they die. . & 52.
58 and haue sayd in their hart, that there is no God: and that, knowing that they dye.
59 For as the things aforesaid shall receive you: so thirst and torment, which are prepared shall take them: for he would not man to be destroyed.
59 For as the thinges aforesayd shal receiue you: so thirst and torment, which are prepared shal take them: for he would not man to be destroyed.
60 But they themselves also which are created, have defiled his name which made them: and have been unkind to him that prepared life.
60 But they them selues also which are created, haue defyled his name which made them: & haue bene vnkind to him that prepared life.
61 Wherefore my judgement now approacheth.
61 Wherfore my iudgement now approcheth.
62 Which things I have not shewed to all, but to thee, and to few like unto thee. And I answered, and said:
62 Which thinges I haue not shewed to al, but to thee, & to few like vnto thee. And I answered, and sayd:
63 Behold now Lord thou hast shewed me a multitude of signs, which thou wilt begin to do in the latter times, but thou hast not shewed me at what time.
63 Behold now Lord thou hast shewed me a multitude of signes, which thou wilt beginne to doe in the latter times: but thou hast not shewed me at what time.