Chapter 2

So much I saw of what the Lord’s glory is like; and seeing it, I fell down face to earth. And now I heard a voice, which said to me, Rise up, son of man, I must have speech with thee.

And at his words, a divine force mastered me, raising me to my feet, so that I could listen to him.

Son of man, he told me, I am sending thee on an errand to the men of Israel, this heathen brood that has rebelled and forsaken me; see how my covenant has been violated by the fathers yesterday, the children to-day!

To brazen-faced folk and hard-hearted thy errand is, and still from the Lord God a message thou must deliver,

hear they or deny thee hearing; rebels all, at least they shall know that they have had a prophet in their midst.

Never fear them, son of man, never let rebuke of theirs dishearten thee; with the unbelieving and the unruly1 thou must learn to live, scorpions ever at thy side; rebels all, they must not frighten thee, must not dishearten thee.

Hear they or deny thee hearing, remonstrate with them thou must; they are a defiant brood.

Do my bidding, then, son of man; no rebel thou, like those others; open thy mouth and eat what I give thee.

And with that, I saw a hand stretched out towards me, with a closed book in it; and this, when he opened it to my view, had writing on both sides of it; nothing was there but dirge and lamenting, nothing but cries of woe.