2 Esdras

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

2and, behold, the head that remained appeared no more, and the two wings which went over to it arose and set themselves up to reign, and their kingdom was small, and full of uproar.

3And I saw, and, behold, they appeared no more, and the whole body of the eagle was burned, so that the earth was in great fear: then awaked I by reason of great ecstasy of mind, and from great fear, and said to my spirit,

4Behold, this have you done to me, in that you search out the ways of the Most High.

5Behold, I am yet weary in my mind, and very weak in my spirit; nor is there the least strength in me, for the great fear wherewith I was affrighted this night.

6Therefore will I now beseech the Most High, that he will strengthen me to the end.

7And I said, O Lord that bear rule, if I have found favor in your sight, and if I am justified with you above many others, and if my prayer indeed be come up before your face;

8strengthen me then, and show me your servant the interpretation and plain meaning of this fearful vision, that you may perfectly comfort my soul.

9For you have judged me worthy to show me the end of time and the last times.

10And he said to me, This is the interpretation of this vision which you saw:

11The eagle, whom you saw come up from the sea, is the fourth kingdom which appeared in vision to your brother Daniel.

12But it was not expounded to him, as I now expound it to you or have expounded it.

13Behold, the days come, that there shall rise up a kingdom upon earth, and it shall be feared above all the kingdoms that were before it.

14In the same shall twelve kings reign, one after another:

15whereof the second shall begin to reign, and shall have a longer time than any of the twelve.

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

17And whereas you heard a voice which spoke, not going out from the heads, but from the midst of the body thereof, this is the interpretation:

18That after the time of that kingdom there shall arise no small contentions, and it shall stand in peril of falling: nevertheless it shall not then fall, but shall be restored again to its first estate.

19And whereas you saw the eight under wings sticking to her wings, this is the interpretation:

20That in it there shall arise eight kings, whose times shall be but small, and their years swift.

21And two of them shall perish, when the middle time approacheth: four shall be kept for a while until the time of the ending thereof shall approach: but two shall be kept to the end.

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

23In the last days thereof shall the Most High raise up three kingdoms, and renew many things therein, and they shall bear rule over the earth,

24and over those that dwell therein, with much oppression, above all those that were before them: therefore are they called the heads of the eagle.

25For these are those who shall accomplish her wickedness, and that shall finish her last end.

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

27But for the two that remained, the sword shall devour them.

28For the sword of the one shall devour him that was with him: but he also shall fall by the sword in the last days.

29And whereas you saw two under wings passing over to the head that is on the right side,

30this is the interpretation: These are they, whom the Most High has kept to his end: this is the small kingdom 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, and all her words which you have heard;

32this is the anointed one, whom the Most High has kept to the end [of days, who shall spring up out of the seed of David, and he shall come and speak] to them and reprove them for their wickedness and unrighteousness, and shall heap up before them their contemptuous dealings.

33For at the first he shall set them alive in his judgement, and when he has reproved them, he shall destroy them.

34For the rest of my people shall he deliver with mercy, those that have been preserved throughout my borders, and he shall make them joyful until the coming of the end, even 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 thereof:

36and you only have been meet to know the secret of the Most High.

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

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

39But wait you here yourself yet seven days more, that there may be showed to you whatever it pleases the Most High to show you. And he departed from me.

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

41What have we offended you? and what evil have we done against you, that you have utterly forsaken us, and sit in this place?

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

43Are not the evils which are come to us sufficient?

44If you shall forsake us, how much better had it been for us, if we also had been consumed in the burning of Sion!

45For we are not better than those who died there. And they wept with a loud voice. And I answered them, and said,

46Be of good comfort, O Israel; and be not sorrowful, you house of Jacob:

47for the Most High has you in remembrance, and the Mighty has not forgotten you forever.

48As for me, I have not forsaken you, neither am I departed from you: but am come into this place, to pray for the desolation of Sion, and that I might seek mercy for the low estate of your sanctuary.

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

50So the people went their way into the city, like as I said to them:

51but I sat in the field seven days, as the angel commanded me; and in those days I did eat only of the flowers of the field, and had my meat of the herbs.