Prologue.

¹ A narrative and revelation of Baruch, concerning those ineffable things which he saw by command of God. Bless Thou, O Lord.

Διήγησις καὶ ἀποκάλυψις Βαροὺχ περὶ ὧν κελεύματι θεοῦ ἀρρήτων εἶδεν. Εὐλόγησον δέσποτα.

² A revelation of Baruch, who stood upon the river Gel weeping over the captivity of ³ Jerusalem, when also Abimelech was preserved by the hand of God, at the farm of Agrippa. And he was sitting thus at the beautiful gates, where the Holy of holies lay.

Ἀποκάλυψις Βαρούχ͵ ὃς ἔστιν ἐπὶ ποταμοῦ Γέλ.͵ κλαίων ὑπὲρ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας Ἱερουσαλήμ͵ ὅτε καὶ Ἀβιμε λὲχ ἐπὶ Ἀγροίππα τὸ χωρίον τῇ χειρὶ θεοῦ διεφυλάχθη· καὶ οὗτος ἐκάθητο ἐπὶ τὰς ὡραίας πύλας͵ ὅπου ἔκειτο τὰ τῶν ἁγίων ἅγια.

1. ¹ Verily I Baruch was weeping in my mind and sorrowing on account of the people, and that ² Nebuchadnezzar the king was permitted by God to destroy His city, saying: Lord, why didst Thou set on fire Thy vineyard, and lay it waste? Why didst Thou do this? And why, Lord, didst Thou not requite us with another chastisement, but didst deliver us to nations such as these, so that they ³ reproach us and say, Where is their God?

^1.1 Οἶ νῦν ἐγώ͵ Βαρούχ͵ κλαίων ἐν τῇ συνέσει μου καὶ ἔχων περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ͵ καὶ ὅπως συνεχωρήθη Ναβουχοδονόσωρ ὁ βασιλεὺς ὑπὸ θεοῦ πορθῆσαι τὴν πόλιν αὐτοῦ͵ λέγων· ^1.2 Κύριε͵ ἵνα τί ἐξέκαυσας τὸν ἀμπελῶνά σου καὶ ἠρήμωσας αὐτόν; τί ἐποιήσας τοῦτο; καὶ ἵνα τί͵ Κύριε͵ οὐκ ἀπέδωκας ἡμᾶς ἐν ἄλλῃ παιδείᾳ͵ ἀλλὰ παρέδωκας ἡμᾶς εἰς ἔθνη τοιαῦτα͵ ὅπως ὀνειδίζοντες λέγουσιν· Ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς αὐτῶν;

And behold as I was weeping and saying such things, I saw an angel of the Lord coming and saying to me: Understand, O man, greatly beloved, and trouble not thyself so greatly concerning the salvation of Jerusalem, for thus saith the Lord God, ⁴ the Almighty. For He sent me before thee, to make known and to show to thee all (the things) of God. ⁵ For thy prayer was heard before Him, and entered into the ears of the Lord God. ⁶ And when he had said these things to me, I was silent. And the angel said to me: Cease to provoke ⁷ God, and I will show thee other mysteries, greater than these. And I Baruch said, As the Lord God liveth, if thou wilt show me, and I hear a word of thine, I will not continue to speak any longer. ⁸ God shall add to my judgement in the day of judgement, if I speak hereafter. And the angel of the powers said to me, Come, and I will show thee the mysteries of God.

  ^1.3 Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐν τῷ κλαίειν με καὶ λέγειν τοιαῦτα͵ ὁρῶ ἄγγελον Κυρίου ἐλθόντα καὶ λέγοντά μοι· Σύνες͵ ὦ ἄνθρωπε͵ ἄνερ ἐπιθυμιῶν͵ καὶ μὴ τοσοῦτόν σε μέλῃ περὶ τῆς σωτηρίας Ἱερουσαλήμ͵ ὅτι τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ. ^1.4 Ἀπέστειλε γάρ με πρὸ προσώπου σου ὅπως ἀναγγείλω καὶ ὑποδείξω σοι πάντα τοῦ θεοῦ. ^1.5 Ἡ γὰρ δέησίς σου ἠκούσθη ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὰ ὦτα Κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ. ^1.6 Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπών μοι͵ ἡσύχασα. Καὶ λέγει μοι ὁ ἄγγελος· Παῦσον τὸν θεὸν παροξύνειν͵ καὶ ὑποδείξω σοι ἄλλα μυστήρια τούτων μείζονα. ^1.7 Καὶ εἶπον ἐγὼ Βαρούχ· Ζῇ Κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὅτι ἐὰν ὑποδείξῃς μοι καὶ ἀκούσω παρά σου λόγον͵ οὐ μὴ προσθήσω ἔτε λαλῆσαι· προσθήσει ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως κρίσιν ἐμοί͵ ἐὰν λαλήσω τοῦ λοιποῦ. ^1.8 καὶ εἶπέν μοι ὁ ἄγγελος τῶν δυνάμεων· Δεῦρο καὶ ὑπο δείξω σοι τὰ μυστήρια τοῦ θεοῦ.

The First Heaven.

2 ¹ And he took me and led me where the firmament has been set fast, and where there was a river which no one can cross, nor any strange breeze of all those which God created. And he took me and led me to the first heaven, and showed me a door of great size. And he said to me, Let us enter ³ through it, and we entered as though borne on wings, a distance of about thirty days' journey. And he showed me within the heaven a plain ; and there were men dwelling thereon, with the faces of ⁴ oxen, and the horns of stags and the feet of goats, and the haunches of lambs. And I Baruch asked the angel, Make known to me, I pray thee, what is the thickness of the heaven in which we journeyed, ⁵ or what is its extent, or what is the plain, in order that I may also tell the sons of men? And the angel whose name is Phamael said to me: This door which thou seest is the door of heaven, and as great as is the distance from earth to heaven, so great also is its thickness; and again as great as isthe distance (from North to South, so great) is the length of the plain which thou didst see. And again the angel of the powers said to me, Come, and I will show thee greater mysteries. But ⁶, ⁷ I said, I pray thee show me what are these men. And he said to me, These are they who built the tower of strife against God, and the Lord banished them.

^2.1 Καὶ λαβών με ἤγαγέν με ὅπου ἐστήρικται ὁ οὐρανός͵ καὶ ὅπου ἦν ποταμὸς ὃν οὐδεὶς δύναται περᾶσαι αὐτόν͵ οὐδὲ ξένη πνοὴ ἐκ πασῶν ὧν ἔθετο ὁ θεός. ^2.2 Καὶ λαβών με ἤγαγέν με ἐπὶ τὸν πρῶτον οὐρανόν͵ καὶ ἔδειξέ μοι θύραν πανμεγέθη. Καὶ εἶπέν μοι· Εἰσέλθωμεν δι΄ αὐτῆς. Καὶ εἰσήλθομεν ὡς ἐν πτέρυξιν ὡσεὶ πορείας ὁδοῦ ἡμερῶν τριάκοντα. ^2.3 Καὶ ὑπέδειξέν μοι ἔνδον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πεδίον. Καὶ ἦσαν ἄνθρωποι κατοικοῦντες ἐν αὐτῷ͵ ὧν τὰ πρόσωπα βοῶν͵ τὰ δὲ κέρατα ἐλάφων͵ οἱ δὲ πόδες αἰγῶν͵ αἱ δὲ ὁσφύες ἀρνῶν. ^2.4 Καὶ ἠρώτησα ἐγὼ Βαροὺχ τὸν ἄγγελον· Ἀνάγγειλόν μοι͵ δέομαί σου͵ τί ἐστιν τὸ πάχος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐν ᾧ ὡδεύσαμεν͵ ἢ τί τὸ διάστημα αὐτοῦ͵ ἢ τί τὸ πεδίον; ἵνα κἀγὼ ἀπαγγείλω τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. ^2.5 Καὶ εἶπέν μοι ὁ ἄγγελος͵ οὗ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Φαμαῆλ· Ἡ θύρα αὕτη ἣν ὁρᾷς ἐστὶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ͵ καὶ ὅσον διαφέρει ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἕως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ͵ τοσοῦτόν ἐστιν καὶ τὸ πάχος αὐτοῦ· καὶ ὅσον πάλιν ἐστὶ καὶ τὸ τοῦ πεδίου μῆκος οὗ εἶδας. ^2.6 Καὶ πάλιν λέγει μοι ὁ ἄγγελος τῶν δυνάμεων· Δεῦρο καὶ ὑποδείξω σοι μείζονα μυστήρια. ^2.7 Εἶπον δὲ ἐγώ· Δέομαί σου͵ δεῖξόν μοι τί εἰσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὗτοι; Καὶ εἶπέν μοι· Οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ τὸν πύργον τῆς θεομαχίας οἰκοδομήσαντες· καὶ ἐξετόπησεν αὐτοὺς ὁ Κύριος.

The Second Heaven.

3 ¹ And the angel of the Lord took me and led me to a second heaven. And he showed me there ² also a door like the first and said, Let us enter through it. And we entered, being borne on wings ³ a distance of about sixty days' journey. And he showed me there also a plain, and it was full of ⁴ men, whose appearance was like that of dogs, and whose feet were like those of stags. And I asked ⁵ the angel: I pray thee, Lord, say to me who are these. And he said, These are they who gave counsel to build the tower, for they whom thou seest drove forth multitudes of both men and women, to make bricks; among whom, a woman making bricks was not allowed to be released in the hour of child-birth, but brought forth while she was making bricks, and carried her child in her apron, and ⁶ continued to make bricks. And the Lord appeared to them and confused their speech, when they ⁷ had built the tower to the height of four hundred and sixty-three cubits. And they took a gimlet, and sought to pierce the heaven, saying, Let us see (whether) the heaven is made of clay, or of ⁸ brass, or of iron. When God saw this He did not permit them, but smote them with blindness and confusion of speech, and rendered them as thou seest.

^3.1 Καὶ λαβών με ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἤγαγέν με εἰς δεύτερον οὐρανόν. Καὶ ὑπέδειξέν μοι [ἐν] κἀκεῖ θύραν ὁμοίαν τῆς πρώτης. Καὶ εἶπεν· Εἰσέλθωμεν δι΄ αὐτῆς. ^3.2 Καὶ εἰσήλθομεν ἀναπτερωμένοι ὡσεὶ πορείας ὁδοῦ ἡμερῶν ἑξήκοντα. ^3.3 Καὶ ἔδειξέν μοι κἀκεῖ πεδιόν͵ καὶ ἦν πλῆρες ἀνθρώπων· ἡ δὲ θεωρία αὐτῶν ὁμοία κυνῶν͵ οἱ δὲ πόδες ἐλάφων. ^3.4 Καὶ ἠρώτησα τὸν ἄγγελον· Δέομαί σου͵ Κύριε͵ εἰπέ μοι τίνες εἰσὶν οὗτοι; ^3.5 Καὶ εἶπεν· Οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ τὴν συμβούλην δόντες τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸν πύργον. Αὐτοὶ γὰρ οὓς ὁρᾷς ἐξέβαλλον πλήθη ἀνδρῶν τε καὶ γυναικῶν εἰς τὸ πλινθεύειν. Ἐν οἷς μία γυνὴ πλινθεύουσα ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ τοῦ τεκεῖν αὐτὴν οὐ συνεχωρήθη ἀπολυθῆναι͵ ἀλλὰ πλινθεύουσα ἔτεκεν· καὶ τὸ τέκνον αὐτῆς ἐν τῷ λεντίῳ ἐβάσταζεν͵ καὶ ἐπλίνθευεν. ^3.6 Καὶ ὀφθεὶς αὐτοῖς ὁ Κύριος ἐνήλλαξεν αὐτῶν τὰς γλώσσας͵ ἀφ΄ οὗ τὸν πύργον [ὡς] ᾠκοδόμησαν ἐπὶ πήχεις τετρακοσίας ἑξήκοντα τρεῖς. ^3.7 Καὶ λαβόντες τρύπανον ἔσπευδον τρυπῆσαι τὸν οὐρανόν͵ λέγοντες· Ἴδωμεν ὀστράκινός ἐστιν ὁ οὐρανὸς ἢ χαλκοῦς ἢ σιδηροῦς. ^3.8 Ταῦτα ἰδὼν ὁ θεὸς οὐ συνεχώρησεν αὐτούς͵ ἀλλ΄ ἐπάταξεν αὐτοὺς ἐν ἀορασίᾳ καὶ ἐν γλωσσαλλαγῇ͵ καὶ κατέστησεν αὐτοὺς ὡς ὁρᾷς.

The Third Heaven.

4 ¹ And I Baruch said, Behold, Lord, Thou didst show me great and wonderful things; and now ² show me all things for the sake of the Lord. And the angel said to me, Come, let us proceed. (And I proceeded) with the angel from that place about one hundred and eighty-five days' ³ journey. And he showed me a plain and a serpent, which appeared to be two hundred plethra in length. ⁴ And he showed me Hades, and its appearance was dark and abominable. And I said, ⁵ Who is this dragon, and who is this monster around him? And the angel said, The dragon is he ⁶ who eats the bodies of those who spend their life wickedly, and he is nourished by them. And this is Hades, which itself also closely resembles him, in that it also drinks about a cubit from ⁷ the sea, which does not sink at all. Baruch said, And how (does this happen)? And the angel said, Hearken, the Lord God made three hundred and sixty rivers, of which the chief of ⁸ all are Alphias, Abyrus, and the Gericus; and because of these the sea does not sink. And I said, I pray thee show me which is the tree which led Adam astray. And the angel said to me, It is the vine, which the angel Sammael planted, whereat the Lord God was angry, and He cursed him and his plant, while also on this account He did not permit Adam to touch it, and therefore ⁹ the devil being envious deceived him through his vine. [And I Baruch said, Since also the vine has been the cause of such great evil, and is under judgment of the curse of God, and was the ¹⁰ destruction of the first created, how is it now so useful? And the angel said, Thou askest aright. When God caused the deluge upon earth, and destroyed all flesh, and four hundred and nine thousand giants, and the water rose fifteen cubits above the highest mountains, then the water entered into paradise and destroyed every flower; but it removed wholly without the bounds the shoot ¹¹ of the vine and cast it outside. And when the earth appeared out of the water, and Noah came out ¹² of the ark, he began to plant of the plants which he found. But he found also the shoot of the vine; and he took it, and was reasoning in himself, What then is it? And I came and spake to ¹³ him the things concerning it. And he said, Shall I plant it, or what shall I do? Since Adam was destroyed because of it, let me not also meet with the anger of God because of it. And saying ¹⁴ these things he prayed that God would reveal to him what he should do concerning it. And when he had completed the prayer which lasted forty days, and having besought many things and wept, ¹⁵ he said: Lord, I entreat thee to reveal to me what I shall do concerning this plant. But God sent his angel Sarasael, and said to him, Arise, Noah, and plant the shoot of the vine, for thus saith the Lord : Its bitterness shall be changed into sweetness, and its curse shall become a blessing, and that which is produced from it shall become the blood of God; and as through it the human race obtained condemnation, so again through Jesus Christ the Immanuel will they receive in Him the ¹⁶ upward calling, and the entry into paradise]. Know therefore, ⁰ Baruch, that as Adam through this very tree obtained condemnation, and was divested of the glory of God, so also the men who now drink insatiably the wine which is begotten of it, transgress worse than Adam, and are far from the ¹⁷ glory of God, and are surrendering themselves to the eternal fire. For (no) good comes through it. For those who drink it to surfeit do these things: neither does a brother pity his brother, nor a father his son, nor children their parents, but from the drinking of wine come all evils, such as murders, adulteries, fornications, perjuries, thefts, and such like. And nothing good is established by it.

^4.1 Καὶ εἶπον ἐγὼ Βαρούχ· Ἰδού͵ Κύριε͵ μεγάλα καὶ θαυμαστὰ ἔδειξάς μοι· καὶ νῦν δεῖξόν μοι πάντα διὰ τὸν Κύριον. ^4.2 Καὶ εἶπέν μοι ἄγγελος· Δεῦρο διέλθωμεν. ...... μετὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου ὡσεὶ πορείας ἡμερῶν ἑκατὸν ὀγδοήκοντα πέντε. ^4.3 Καὶ ἔδειξέν μοι πεδίον͵ καὶ ὄφιν ὡς ὁράσεως πέτρας. Καὶ ἔδειξέν μοι τὸν Ἅδην͵ καὶ ἦν ἡ εἰδέα αὐτοῦ ζοφώδης καὶ βέβηλος. ^4.4 Καὶ εἶπον· Τίς ἐστιν ὁ δράκων οὗτος; καὶ τίς ὁ περὶ αὐτὸν ἀπηνής; ^4.5 Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος· Ὁ μὲν δράκων ἐστὶν ὁ τὰ σώματα τῶν κακῶς τὸν βίον μετερχομένων ἐσθίων· καὶ ὑπ΄ αὐτῶν τρέφεται· ^4.6 καὶ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Ἅδης͵ ὅστις καὶ αὐτὸς παρόμοιός ἐστιν αὐτοῦ͵ ἐν ᾧ καὶ πίνει ἀπὸ τῆς θαλάσσης ὡσεὶ πῆχυν μίαν· καὶ οὐκ ἐκλείπει ἀπ΄ αὐτῆς τι. ^4.7 Ὁ Βαροὺχ εἶπεν· Καὶ πῶς; Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος· Ἄκουσον· Κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἐποίησεν τριακοσίους ἑξήκοντα ποταμούς͵ ὧν οἱ πρῶτοι πάντων Ἀλφίας καὶ Ἄβυρος καὶ ὁ Γηρικός· καὶ ἀπὸ τούτων οὐκ ἐκλείπει ἡ θάλασσα. ^4.8 Καὶ εἶπον ἐγὼ· Δέομαί σου͵ δεῖξόν μοι τί τὸ ξύλον τὸ πλανῆσαν τὸν Ἀδάμ; Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος· Ἡ ἄμπελός ἐστιν͵ ἣν ἐφύτευσεν ὁ ἄγγελος Σαμαὴλ ὅτινη ὠργίσθη Κύριος ὁ θεός· καὶ ἐκατ ηράσατο αὐτὸν καὶ τὴν φυτείαν αὐτοῦ. Ἐν ᾧ καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐ συνεχώρησεν τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἅψασθαι αὐτοῦ. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο φθονήσας ὁ διάβολος ἠπάτησεν αὐτὸν διὰ τῆς ἀμπέλου αὐτοῦ. ^4.9 Καὶ εἶπον ἐγὼ Βαρούχ· Καὶ ἐπεὶ τοσούτου κακοῦ αἰτία γέγονεν ἡ ἄμπελος͵ καὶ κατάρας ὑπόδικος παρὰ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ πρωτοπλάστου ἀναίρεσις͵ πῶς ἄρτι εἰς τοσαύτην χρείαν ἐστιν; ^4.10 Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος· Ὀρθῶς ἐρωτᾷς· ὅτε ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κατακλυσμὸν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς͵ καὶ ἀπώλεσε πᾶσαν σάρκα καὶ τὰς τετρακοσίας ἐννέα χιλιάδας τῶν γιγάντων͵ καὶ ἀνῆλθεν τὸ ὕδωρ ἐπάνω τῶν ὑψηλῶν ἐπὶ πήχεις δεκάπεντε͵ εἰσῆλθε τὸ ὕδωρ εἰς τὸν παράδεισον͵ καὶ ᾖρεν πᾶν ἄνθος· τὸ δὲ κλῆμα τῆς ἀμπέλου ἐξώρισεν εἰς τὸ παντελὲς καὶ ἐξέβαλεν ἔξω. ^4.11 Καὶ ὅταν ἐφάνη ἡ γῆ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος καὶ ἐξῆλθε Νῶε τῆς κιβωτοῦ͵ ἤρξατο φυτεύειν ἐκ τῶν εὑρισκομένων φυτῶν. ^4.12 Εὗρε δὲ καὶ τὸ κλῆμα͵ καὶ λαβὼν ἐλογίζετο ἐν ἑαυτῷ τί ἄρα ἐστίν. Καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐγὼ εἶπον αὐτῷ τὰ περὶ ἐκείνου. ^4.13 Καὶ εἶπεν· Ἆρα φυτεύσω αὐτὸ ἢ τί; ἐπεὶ Ἀδὰμ δι΄ αὐτοῦ ἀπώλετο· μὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ὀργῆς θεοῦ ἐπιτύχω δι΄ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ταῦτα λέγων προσηύξατο ὅπως ἀποκαλύψῃ αὐτῷ ὁ θεὸς περὶ αὐτοῦ τί ποιήσει. ^4.14 Καὶ τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας τὴν εὐχὴν ἐκτελέσαντος͵ καὶ πολλὰ δεηθεὶς καὶ κλαύσας εἶπεν· Κύριε͵ παρακαλῶ ὅπως ἀποκαλύψῃς μοι τί ποιήσω περὶ τοῦ φυτοῦ τούτου. ^4.15 Ἀπέστειλε δὲ ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἄγγελον τὸν Σαρασαήλ͵ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἀναστάς͵ Νῶε͵ φύτευσον τὸ κλῆμα͵ ὅτι τάδε λέγει Κύριος· Τὸ πικρὸν τούτου μεταβληθήσεται εἰς γλυκύ͵ καὶ ἡ κατάρα αὐτοῦ γενήσεται εἰς εὐλογίαν͵ καὶ τὸ παρ΄ αὐτοῦ γεννώμενον γενήσεται αἷμα θεοῦ͵ καὶ ὥσπερ ὑπ΄ αὐτοῦ τὴν καταδίκην ἔλαβεν τὸ γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων͵ πάλιν διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Ἐμμανουὴλ ἐν αὐτῷ μέλλουσιν τὴν ἀνάκλησιν προσλαβεῖν͵ καὶ τὴν εἰς παράδεισον εἴσοδον. ^4.16 Γίνωσκε τοιγαροῦν͵ ὦ Βαρούχ͵ ὅτι ὥσπερ ὁ Ἀδὰμ δι΄ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ξύλου τὴν καταδίκην ἔλαβεν καὶ τῆς δόξης θεοῦ ἐγυμνώθη͵ οὕτως καὶ οἱ νῦν ἄνθρωποι τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεννώμενον οἶνον ἀπλήστως δρῶντες χεῖρον τοῦ Ἀδὰμ τὴν παράβασιν ἀπεργάζονται͵ καὶ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ δόξης μακρὰν γίνονται͵ καὶ τῷ αἰωνίῳ πυρὶ ἑαυτοὺς προξενοῦσιν. ^4.17 Πᾶν γὰρ ἀγαθὸν δι΄ αὐτοῦ γίνεται. Ταῦτα γὰρ ποιοῦσιν οἱ τοῦτον εἰς κόρον πίνον τες· οὔτε ἀδελφὸς ἀδελφὸν ἐλεεῖ͵ οὔτε πατὴρ υἱόν͵ οὔτε τέκνα γονεῖς͵ ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς πτώσεως τοῦ οἴνου πάντα γίνονται οἷον φόνοι͵ μοιχεῖαι͵ πορνεῖαι͵ ἐπιορκεῖαι͵ κλοπαί͵ καὶ τὰ τούτων ὅμοια. Καὶ οὐδὲν ἀγαθὸν δι΄ αὐτοῦ κατορθοῦται.

5 ¹ And I Baruch said to the angel, ² Let me ask thee one thing, Lord. Since thou didst say to me ³ that the dragon drinks one cubit out of the sea, say to me also, how great is his belly? And the angel said, His belly is Hades; and as far as a plummet is thrown (by) three hundred men, so great is his belly. Come, then, that I may show thee also greater works than these.

^5.1 Καὶ εἶπον ἐγὼ Βαροὺχ πρὸς τὸν ἄγγελον· Ἐπερωτῶ σε ἕνα λόγον͵ Κύριε· ^5.2 ἐπειδὴ εἶπές μοι ὅτι πίνει ὁ δράκων ἐκ τῆς θαλάσσης πῆχυν μίαν͵ εἰπέ μοι καὶ πόση ἐστὶν ἡ κοιλία αὐτοῦ; ^5.3 Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος· Ἡ κοιλία τούτου ὁ Ἅδης ἐστίν. Καὶ ὅσον ἀνδρῶν τριακοσίων μόλιβδος ἀκοντί ζεται͵ τοσαύτη ἐστὶν ἡ κοιλία αὐτοῦ. Ἐλθὲ οὖν ὅπως δείξω σοι καὶ μείζονα τούτων ἔργα.

6 ¹ And he took me and led me where the sun goes forth; ² and he showed me a chariot and four, under which burnt a fire, and in the chariot was sitting a man, wearing a crown of fire, (and) the chariot (was) drawn by forty angels. And behold a bird circling before the sun, about nine ³ cubits away. And I said to the angel, What is this bird? And he said to me, This is the ⁴, ⁵ guardian of the earth. And I said, Lord, how is he the guardian of the earth? Teach me. And the angel said to me, This bird flies alongside of the sun, and expanding his wings receives its fiery ⁶ rays. For if he were not receiving them, the human race would not be preserved, nor any other ⁷ living creature. But God appointed this bird thereto. And he expanded his wings, and I saw on his right wing very large letters, as large as the space of a threshing-floor, the size of about four ⁸ thousand modii; and the letters were of gold. And the angel said to me, Read them. And I read ⁹ and they ran thus: Neither earth nor heaven bring me forth, but wings of fire bring me forth. And I said, Lord, what is this bird, and what is his name? And the angel said to me, His name is called ¹¹ Phoenix. (And I said), And what does he eat? And he said to me, The manna of heaven and ¹² the dew of earth. And I said, Does the bird excrete? And he said to me, He excretes a worm, and the excrement of the worm is cinnamon, which kings and princes use. But wait and thou shalt ¹³ see the glory of God. And while he was conversing with me, there was as a thunder-clap, and the place was shaken on which we were standing. And I asked the angel, My Lord, what is this sound? And the angel said to me, Even now the angels are opening the three hundred and sixty-five gates ¹⁴ of heaven, and the light is being separated from the darkness. And a voice came which said, Light ¹⁵ giver, give to the world radiance. And when I heard the noise of the bird, I said, Lord, what is this ¹⁶ noise? And he said, This is the bird who awakens from slumber the cocks upon earth. For as men do through the mouth, so also does the cock signify to those in the world, in his own speech. For the sun is made ready by the angels, and the cock crows.

^6.1 Καὶ λαβών με ἤγαγέν με ὅπου ὁ ἥλιος ἐκπορεύεται. ^6.2 Καὶ ἔδειξέ μοι ἅρμα τετραέλαστον ὃ ἦν ὑπόπυρον. Καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἅρματος ἄνθρωπος καθήμενος φορῶν στέφανον πυρός͵ ἐλαυνόμενον τὸ ἅρμα ὑπ΄ ἀγγέλων τεσσαράκοντα. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ὄρνεον περιτρέχον ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ ἡλίου͵ ὡς ὄρη ἐννέα. ^6.3 Καὶ εἶπον τὸν ἄγγελον· Τί ἐστι τὸ ὄρνεον τοῦτο; Καὶ λέγει μοι· Τοῦτο ἔστιν ὁ φύλαξ τῆς οἰκουμένης. ^6.4 Καὶ εἶπον· Κύριε͵ πῶς ἐστὶν φύλαξ τῆς οἰκουμένης; δίδαξόν με. ^6.5 Καὶ εἶπέν μοι ὁ ἄγγελος· Τοῦτο τὸ ὄρνεον παρατρέχει τῷ ἡλίῳ͵ καὶ τὰς πτέρυγας ἐφαπλῶν δέχεται τὰς πυριμόρφους ἀκτῖνας αὐτοῦ· ^6.6 εἰ μὴ γὰρ ταύτας ἐδέχετο͵ οὐκ ἂν τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος ἐσώζετο͵ οὔτε ἕτερόν τι ζῷον· ἀλλὰ προσ έταξεν ὁ θεὸς τοῦτο τὸ ὄρνεον. ^6.7 Καὶ ἥπλωσε τὰς πτέρυγας αὐτοῦ͵ καὶ εἶδον εἰς τὸ δεξιὸν πτερὸν αὐτοῦ γράμματα παμμεγέθη ὡς ἅλωνος τόπον ἔχων μέτρον ὡσεὶ μοδίων τετρακισχιλίων· καὶ ἦσαν γράμματα χρυσᾶ. ^6.8 Καὶ εἶπέν μοι ὁ ἄγγελος· Ἀνάγνωθι ταῦτα. Καὶ ἀνέγνων. Καὶ ἔλεγον οὕτως· Οὔτε γῆ με τίκτει οὔτε οὐρανός͵ ἀλλὰ τίκτουσί με πτέρυγες πυρός. ^6.9 Καὶ εἶπον· Κύριε͵ τί ἐστι τὸ ὄρνεον τοῦτο͵ καὶ τί τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ; ^6.10 Καὶ εἶπέν μοι ὁ ἄγγελος· Φοῖνιξ καλεῖται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. ^6.11 Καὶ τί ἐσθίει; Καὶ εἶπέν μοι· Τὸ μάννα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τὴν δρόσον τῆς γῆς. ^6.12 Καὶ εἶπον· Ἀφοδεύει τὸ ὄρνεον; Καὶ εἶπέν μοι· Ἀφοδύει σκώληκα͵ καὶ τὸ τοῦ σκώληκος ἀφόδυμα γίνεται κινάμωμον͵ ᾧπερ χρῶνται βασιλεῖς καὶ ἄρχοντες. Μεῖνον δέ͵ καὶ ὄψει δόξαν θεοῦ. ^6.13 Καὶ ἐν τῷ ὁμιλεῖν αὐτὸν ἐγένετο βροντὴ ὡς ἦχος βροντῆς͵ καὶ ἐσαλεύθη ὁ τόπος ἐν ᾧ ἱστάμεθα. Καὶ ἠρώτησα τὸν ἄγγελον· Κύριέ μου͵ τί ἐστιν ἡ φωνὴ αὕτη; Καὶ εἶπέν μοι ὁ ἄγγελος· Ἄρτι ἀνοίγουσιν οἱ ἄγγελοι τὰς τριακοσίας ἑξήκοντα πέντε πύλας τοῦ οὐρανοῦ͵ καὶ διαχωρίζεται τὸ φῶς ἀπὸ τοῦ σκότους. ^6.14 Καὶ ἦλθεν φωνὴ λέγουσα· Φωτό δοτα͵ δὸς τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ φέγγος. ^6.15 Καὶ ἀκούσας τὸν κτύπον τοῦ ὀρνέου͵ εἶπον· Κύριε͵ τί ἐστιν ὁ κτύπος οὗτος; ^6.16 Καὶ εἶπεν· Τοῦτο ἔστι τὸ ἐξυπνίζον τοὺς ἐπὶ γῆς ἀλέκτορας· ὡς γὰρ τὰ δίστομα͵ οὕτως καὶ ὁ ἀλέκτωρ μηνύει τοῖς ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν λαλιάν. Ὁ ἥλιος γὰρ ἑτοιμάζεται ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγγέλων͵ καὶ φωνεῖ ὁ ἀλέκτωρ.

7 ¹ And I said, And where does the sun begin its labors, after the cock crows? ² And the angel said to me, Listen, Baruch: All things whatsoever I showed thee are in the first and second heaven, and in the third heaven the sun passes through and gives light to the world. But wait, and thou ³ shalt see the glory of God. And while I was conversing with him, I saw the bird, and he appeared ⁴ in front, and grew less and less, and at length returned to his full size. And behind him I saw the shining sun, and the angels which draw it, and a crown upon its bead, the sight of which we were ⁵ not able to gaze Upon, and behold. And as soon as the sun shone, the Phoenix also stretched out his wings. But I, when I beheld such great glory, was brought low with great fear, and I fled and ⁶ hid in the wings of the angel. And the angel said to me, Fear not, Baruch, but wait and thou shalt also see their setting.

^7.1 Καὶ εἶπον ἐγώ· Καὶ ποῦ ἀποσχολεῖται ὁ ἥλιος ἀφ΄ οὗ ὁ ἀλέκτωρ φωνεῖ; ^7.2 Καὶ εἶπέν μοι ὁ ἄγγελος· Ἄκου σον͵ Βαρούχ· πάντα ὅσα ἔδειξά σοι ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ καὶ δευτέρῳ οὐρανῷ εἰσίν· καὶ ἐν τῷ τρίτῳ οὐρανῷ διέρχεται ὁ ἥλιος καὶ διδοῖ τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ φέγγος. Ἀλλ΄ ἔκδεξαι καὶ ὄψει δόξαν θεοῦ. ^7.3 Καὶ ἐν τῷ ὁμιλεῖν με αὐτῷ͵ ὁρῶ τὸ ὄρνεον καὶ ἀνεφάνη ἔμπροσθεν͵ καὶ πρὸς μικρὸν μικρὸν ηὔξανε͵ καὶ ἀνεπληροῦτο. ^7.4 Καὶ ὄπισθεν τούτου τὸν ἥλιον ἐξαστράπτοντα καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους μετ΄ αὐτοῦ φέροντας καὶ στέφανον ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ͵ οὗ τὴν θέαν οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν ἀντοφθαλμῆσαι καὶ ἰδεῖν. ^7.5 Καὶ ἅμα τῷ λάμψαι τὸν ἥλιον ἐξέτεινε καὶ ὁ φοῖνιξ τὰς αὐτοῦ πτέρυγας. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἰδὼν τὴν τοιαύτην δόξαν ἐταπεινώθην φόβῳ μεγάλῳ͵ καὶ ἐξέφυγον καὶ ὑπ εκρύβην ἐν ταῖς πτέρυξι τοῦ ἀγγέλου. ^7.6 Καὶ εἶπέν μοι ὁ ἄγγελος· Μὴ φοβοῦ͵ Βαρούχ͵ ἀλλ΄ ἔκδεξαι͵ καὶ ὄψει καὶ τὴν δύσιν αὐτῶν.

8 ¹ And he took me and led me towards the west; and when the time of the, setting came, I saw again the bird coming before it, and as soon as lie came I saw the angels, and they lifted the crown ², ³ from its head. But the bird stood exhausted and with wings contracted. And beholding these things, I said, Lord, wherefore did they lift the crown from the head of the sun, and wherefore is ⁴ the bird so exhausted? And the angel said to me, The crown of the sun, when it has run through the day-four angels take it, and bear it up to heaven, and renew it, because it and its rays have been defiled upon earth; moreover it is so renewed each day. And I Baruch said, Lord, and wherefore ⁵ are its beams defiled upon earth? And the angel said to me, Because it beholds the lawlessness and unrighteousness of men, namely fornications, adulteries, thefts, extortions, idolatries, drunkenness, murders, strife, jealousies, evil-speakings, murmurings, whisperings, divinations, and such like, which are not well-pleasing to God. On account of these things is it defiled, and therefore is it renewed. ⁶ But thou askest concerning the bird, how it is exhausted. Because by restraining the rays of the sun through the fire and burning heat of the whole day, it is exhausted thereby. For, as we said before, unless his wings were screening the rays of the sun, no living creature would be preserved.

^8.1 Καὶ λαβών με ἤγαγέν με ἐπὶ δυσμάς. Καὶ ὅταν ἦλθεν ὁ καιρὸς τοῦ δῦσαι͵ ὁρῶ πάλιν ἔμπροσθεν τὸ ὄρνεον ἐρχόμενον καὶ τὸν ἥλιον μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων ἐρχόμενον. Καὶ ἅμα τῷ ἐλθεῖν αὐτόν͵ ὁρῶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους͵ καὶ ᾖραν τὸν στέφανον ἀπὸ τῆς κορυφῆς αὐτοῦ. ^8.2 Τὸ δὲ ὄρνεον ἔστη τεταπεινωμένον καὶ συστέλλον τὰς πτέρυγας αὐτοῦ. ^8.3 Καὶ ταῦτα ἰδὼν ἐγὼ εἶπον· Κύριε͵ διὰ τί ᾖραν τὸν στέφανον ἀπὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς τοῦ ἠλίου͵ καὶ διὰ τί ἐστι τὸ ὄρνεον τοσοῦτον τεταπεινωμένον; ^8.4 Καὶ εἶπέν μοι ὁ ἄγγε λος· Ὁ στέφανος τοῦ ἡλίου͵ ὅταν τὴν ἡμέραν διαδράμῃ͵ λαμβάνουσι τέσσαρες ἄγγελοι τοῦτον καὶ ἀναφέρουσιν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἀνακαινίζουσιν αὐτόν͵ διὰ τὸ μεμολύνθαι αὐτὸν καὶ τὰς ἀκτῖνας αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Καὶ λοιπὸν καθ΄ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν οὕτως ἀνακαινίζεται. ^8.5 Καὶ εἶπον ἐγὼ Βαρούχ· Κύριε͵ καὶ διὰ τί μολύνονται αἱ ἀκτῖνες αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς; Καὶ εἶπέν μοι ὁ ἄγγελος· θεωρῶν τὰς ἀνομίας καὶ τὰς ἀδικίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων͵ ἤγουν πορνείας͵ μοιχείας͵ κλοπάς͵ ἁρπαγάς͵ εἰδωλολατρείας͵ μέθας͵ φόνους͵ ἔρεις͵ ζήλη͵ καταλαλίας͵ γογγυσμούς͵ ψιθυρισμούς͵ μαντείας͵ καὶ τὰ τούτων ὅμοια͵ ἅτινα οὔκ εἰσι τῷ θεῷ ἀρεστά· διὰ ταῦτα μολύνεται καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀνακαινίζεται. ^8.6 Περὶ δὲ τοῦ ὀρνέου͵ τὸ πῶς ἐταπεινώθη· ἐπεὶ διὰ τὸ κατέχειν τὰς τοῦ ἡλίου ἀκτῖνας͵ διὰ τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ τῆς ὁλοημέρου καύσεως͵ ὡς δι΄ αὐτοῦ ταπεινοῦται. ^8.7 Εἰ μὴ γὰρ αἱ τούτου πτέρυγες͵ ὡς προείπομεν͵ περιέσκεπον τὰς τοῦ ἡλίου ἀκτῖνας οὐκ ἂν ἐσώθη πᾶσα πνοή.

9 ¹ And they having retired, the night also fell, and at the same time came the chariot of the moon, along with the stars. ² And I Baruch said, Lord, show me it also, I beseech of thee, how ³ it goes forth, where it departs, and in what form it moves along. And the angel said, Wait' and thou shalt see it also shortly. And on the morrow I also saw it in the form of a woman, and sitting on a wheeled chariot. And there were before it oxen and lambs in the chariot, and a multitude of ⁴ angels in like manner. And I said, Lord, what are the oxen and the lambs? And he said to me, ⁵ They also are angels. And again I asked, Why is it that it at one time increases, but at another ⁶ time decreases? And (he said to me), Listen, ⁰ Baruch: This which thou seest had been written ⁷ by God beautiful as no other. And at the transgression of the first Adam, it was near to Sammael when he took the serpent as a garment. And it did not hide itself but increased, and God was ⁸ angry with it, and afflicted it, and shortened its days. And I said, And how does it not also shine always, but only in the night? And the angel said, Listen: as in the presence of a king, the courtiers cannot speak freely, so the moon and the stars cannot shine in the presence of the sun; for the stars are always suspended, but they are screened by the sun, and the moon, although it is uninjured, is consumed by the heat of the sun.

^9.1 Καὶ τούτων συσταλέντων καὶ ἡ νὺξ κατέλαβεν καὶ ἅμα ταύτῃ μετὰ καὶ τῆς σελήνης καὶ μετὰ τῶν ἀστέρων. ^9.2 Καὶ εἶπον ἐγὼ Βαρούχ· Κύριε͵ δεῖξόν μοι καὶ ταύτην͵ παρακαλῶ· πῶς ἐξέρχεται; καὶ ποῦ ἀπέρχεται; καὶ ἐν ποίῳ σχήματι περιπατεῖ; ^9.3 Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος· Ἀνάμεινον͵ καὶ ὄψει καὶ ταύτην ὡς μετ΄ ὀλίγον. καὶ τῇ ἐπαύριον ὁρῶ καὶ ταύτην ἐν σχήματι γυναικὸς καὶ καθημένην ἐπὶ ἅρματος τροχοῦ. Καὶ ἦσαν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῆς βόες͵ καὶ ἀμνοὶ ἐν τῷ ἅρματι͵ καὶ πλῆθος ἀγγέλων ὁμοίως. ^9.4 Καὶ εἶπον· Κύριε͵ τί εἰσιν οἱ βόες καὶ οἱ ἀμνοί; Καὶ εἶπέν μοι· Ἄγγελοί εἰσι καὶ αὐτοί. ^9.5 Καὶ πάλιν ἠρώτησα· Καὶ τί ἐστιν ὅτι ποτὲ μὲν αὔξει͵ ποτὲ δὲ λήγει; ^9.6 Ἄκουσον͵ ὦ Βαρούχ· ταύτην ἣν βλέπεις ὡραία ἦν γεγραμμένη ὑπὸ θεοῦ ὡς οὐκ ἄλλη. ^9.7 Καὶ ἐν τῇ παραβάσει τοῦ πρώτου Ἀδὰμ παρῆψε τῷ Σαμαῆλ ὅτε τὸν ὄφιν ἔλαβεν ἔνδυμα· οὐκ ἀπεκρύβη ἀλλὰ παρηύξησε. Καὶ ὠργίσθη αὐτῇ ὁ θεός͵ καὶ ἔθλιψεν αὐτήν͵ καὶ ἐκολόβωσεν τὰς ἡμέρας αὐτῆς. ^9.8 Καὶ εἶπον· Καὶ πῶς οὐ λάμπει καὶ ἐν παντί͵ ἀλλ΄ ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ μόνον; Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος· Ἄκουσον· ὥσπερ ἐνώπιον βασιλέως οὐ δύνανται οἰκέται παρρησιασθῆναι͵ οὕτως οὐδὲ ἐνώπιον τοῦ ἡλίου δύνανται ἡ σελήνη καὶ ἀστέρες αὐγάσαι. Ἀεὶ γὰρ οἱ ἀστέρες κρέμανται͵ ἀλλ΄ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου σκεδάζονται. Καὶ ἡ σελήνη σῷα οὖσα ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ ἡλίου θερμῆς ἐκδαπανᾶται.

The Fourth Heaven.

10 ¹ And when I had learnt all these things from the archangel, he took and led me into a fourth ^{2 3} heaven. And I saw a monotonous plain, and in the middle of it a pool of water. And there were in it multitudes of birds of all kinds, but not like those here on earth. But I saw a crane as great as ⁴ great oxen; and all the birds were great beyond those in the world. And I asked the angel, What ⁵ is the plain, and what the pool, and what the multitudes of birds around it? And the angel said, Listen, Baruch : The plain which contains in it the pool and other wonders is the place where the ⁶ souls of the righteous come, when they hold converse, living together in choirs. But the water is ⁷ that which the clouds receive, and rain upon the earth, and the fruits increase. And I said again to the angel of the Lord, But (what) are these birds? And he said to me, They are those which ⁸ continually sing praise to the Lord. And I said, Lord, and how do men say that the water which ⁹ descends in rain is from the sea? And the angel said, The water which descends in rain-this also is from the sea, and from the waters upon earth; but that which stimulates the fruits is (only) from ¹⁰ the latter source. Know therefore henceforth that from this source is what is called the dew of heaven.

^10.1 Καὶ ταῦτα πάντα μαθὼν παρὰ τοῦ ἀρχαγγέλου͵ λαβὼν ἤγαγέν με εἰς τρίτον οὐρανόν. ^10.2 Καὶ εἶδον πεδίον ἁπλοῦν͵ καὶ ἐν μέσῳ αὐτοῦ λίμνην ὑδάτων. ^10.3 Καὶ ἦσαν ἐν αὐτῷ πλήθη ὀρνέων ἐκ πασῶν γενεῶν· ἀλλ΄ οὐχ ὅμοια τῶν ἐνταῦθα. Ἀλλ΄ ἴδον τὸν γέρανον ὡς βόας μεγάλους. Καὶ πάντα μεγάλα ὑπερέχοντα τῶν ἐν κόσμῳ. ^10.4 Καὶ ἠρώτησα τὸν ἄγγελον. Τί ἐστι τὸ πεδίον͵ καὶ τίς ἡ λίμνη͵ καὶ τί τὸ περὶ αὐτὴν πλῆθος τῶν ὀρνέων; ^10.5 Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος· Ἄκουσον͵ Βαρούχ· τὸ μὲν πεδίον ἐστὶ τὸ περιέχον τὴν λίμνην καὶ ἄλλα θαυμαστὰ ἐν αὐτῷ͵ οὗπερ ἔρχονται αἱ ψυχαὶ τῶν δικαίων ὅταν ὁμιλῶσι συνδιάγοντες χοροὶ χοροί. ^10.6 Τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ ἐστὶν ὅπερ τὰ νέφη λαμβάνοντα βρέχουσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς͵ καὶ αὐξάνουσιν οἱ καρποί. ^10.7 Καὶ εἶπον πάλιν τὸν ἄγγελον Κυρίου· Τὰ δὲ ὄρνεα; Καὶ εἶπέν μοι· Αὐτά εἰσιν ἃ διαπαντὸς ἀνυμνοῦσι τὸν Κυρίον. ^10.8 Καὶ εἶπον ἐγὼ Βαρούχ· Κύριε͵ καὶ πῶς λέγουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι ὅτι ἀπὸ τῆς θαλάσσης ἐστὶ τὸ ὕδωρ ὅπερ βρέχει; ^10.9 Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος· Τὸ μὲν βρέχον ἀπὸ τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς ὑδάτων καὶ τοῦτο ἐστίν· τὸ δὲ τὸ τοὺς καρποὺς ἐνεργοῦν ἐκ τούτου ἐστίν. ^10.10 Ἴσθι οὖν τοῦ λοιποῦ ὅτι ἐκ τούτου ἐστὶν ὃ λέγεται δρόσος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ.

The Fifth Heaven.

11 ¹ And the angel took me and led me thence to a fifth heaven. And the gate was closed. And I said, Lord, is not this gate-way open that we may enter? And the angel said to me, We cannot enter until Michael comes, who holds the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; but wait and thou shalt see ³ the glory of God. And there was a great sound, as thunder. And I said, Lord, what is this sound? ⁴ And he said to me, Even now Michael, the commander of the angels, comes down to receive the ⁵ prayers of men. And behold a voice came, Let the gates be opened. And they opened them, and ⁶ there was a roar as of thunder. And Michael came, and the angel who was with me came face to ⁷ face with him and said, Hail, my commander, and that of all our order. And the commander Michael said, Hail thou also, our brother, and the interpreter of the revelations to those who pass through life ⁸ virtuously. And having saluted one another thus, they stood still. And I saw the commander Michael said, Hail thou also, our brother, and the interpreter of the revelations to those who pass through life ⁸ virtuously. And having saluted one another thus, they stood still. And I saw the commander Michael, holding an exceedingly great vessel; its depth was as great as the distance from heaven to ⁹ earth, and its breadth as great as the distance from north to south. And I said, Lord, what is that which Michael the archangel is holding? And he said to me, This is where the merits of the righteous enter, and such good works as they do, which are escorted before the heavenly God.

^11.1 Καὶ ἀπὸ τούτου λαβών με ὁ ἄγγελος ἤγαγέν με εἰς πέμπτον οὐρανόν. ^11.2 Καὶ ἦν ἡ πύλη κεκλεισμένη. Καὶ εἶπον· Κύριε͵ οὐκ ἀνοίγεται ὁ πυλὼν οὗτος ὅπως εἰσέλθωμεν; Καὶ εἶπέν μοι ὁ ἄγγελος· Οὐ δυνάμεθα εἰσελθεῖν ἕως ἔθῃ Μιχαὴλ ὁ κλειδοῦχος τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν. Ἀλλ΄ ἀνάμεινον καὶ ὄψει τὴν δόξαν τοῦ θεοῦ. ^11.3 Καὶ ἐγένετο φωνὴ μεγάλη ὡς βροντή. Καὶ εἶπον· Κύριε͵ τί ἐστιν ἡ φωνὴ αὕτη; ^11.4 Καὶ εἶπέν μοι· Ἄρτι κατέρχεται ὁ ἀρχιστράτηγος Μιχαὴλ ἵνα δέξηται τὰς δεήσεις τῶν ἀνθρώπων. ^11.5 Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἦλθεν φωνή· Ἀνοιγήτωσαν αἱ πύλαι. Καὶ ἤνοιξαν· καὶ ἐγένετο τρισμὸς ὡς βροντῆς. ^11.6 Καὶ ἦλθεν Μιχαήλ͵ καὶ συνήντησεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος ὁ ὢν μετ΄ ἐμοῦ͵ καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτὸν͵ καὶ εἶπεν· Χαίροις͵ ὁ ἐμὸς ἀρχιστράτηγος καὶ παντὸς τοῦ ἡμετέρου τάγματος. ^11.7 Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀρχιστράτηγος Μιχαήλ· Χαίροις καὶ σύ͵ ὁ ἡμέτερος ἀδελφὸς καὶ ὁ τὰς ἀποκαλύψεις διερμηνεύων τοῖς καλῶς τὸν βίον διερχομένοις. ^11.8 Καὶ οὕτως ἀλλήλους κατασπασάμενοι ἔστησαν. Καὶ ἴδον τὸν ἀρχιστράτηγον Μιχαὴλ κρατοῦντα φιάλην μεγάλην σφόδρα· τὸ βάθος αὐτῆς ὅσον ἀπὸ οὐρανοῦ ἕως τῆς γῆς͵ καὶ τὸ πλάτος ὅσον ἀπὸ βορρᾶ ἕως νότου. Καὶ εἶπον· Κύριε͵ τί ἐστιν ὃ κρατεῖ Μιχαὴλ ὁ ἀρχάγγελος; ^11.9 Καὶ εἶπέν μοι· Τοῦτο ἔστιν ἔνθα προσέρχονται αἱ ἀρεταὶ τῶν δικαίων καὶ ὅσα ἐργάζονται ἀγαθά͵ ἅτινα δι΄ αὐτοῦ ἀποκομί ζονται ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ ἐπουρανίου θεοῦ.

12 ¹, And as I was conversing with them, behold angels came bearing baskets full of flowers. And ² they gave them to Michael. And I asked the angel, Lord, who are these, and what are the things ³ brought hither from beside them? And he said to me, These are angels (who) are over the ⁴, ⁵ righteous. And the archangel took the baskets, and cast them into the vessel. And the angel ⁶ said to me, These flowers are the merits of the righteous. And I saw other angels bearing baskets which were (neither) empty-nor full. And they began to lament, and did not venture to draw near, ⁷ because they had not the prizes complete. And Michael cried and said, Come hither, also, ye ⁸ angels, bring what ye have brought. And Michael was exceedingly grieved, and the angel who was with me, because they did not fill the vessel.

^12.1 Καὶ ἐν τῷ ὁμιλεῖν με αὐτοῖς͵ ἰδοὺ ἦλθον ἄγγελοι φέροντες κανίσκια γέμοντα ἀνθῶν· καὶ ἔδωκαν αὐτὰ πρὸς τὸν Μιχαήλ. ^12.2 Καὶ ἠρώτησα τὸν ἄγγελον· Κύριε͵ τίνες εἰσὶν οὗτοι͵ καὶ τί τὰ προσκομιζόμενα παρ΄ αὐτῶν; ^12.3 Καὶ εἶπέν μοι· οὗτοι εἰσὶν ἄγγελοι ἐπὶ τῶν ἐξουσιῶν. ^12.4 Καὶ λαβὼν ὁ ἀρχάγγελος τοὺς κανίσκους ἔβαλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν φιάλην. ^12.5 Καὶ λέγει μοι ὁ ἄγγελος· Ταῦτα τὰ ἄνωθέν εἰσιν αἱ ἀρεταὶ τῶν δικαίων. ^12.6 Καὶ εἶδον ἑτέρους ἀγγέλους φέροντας κανίσκια κενὰ οὐ γέμοντα. Καὶ ἤρχοντο λυπούμενοι͵ καὶ οὐκ ἐτόλμησαν ἐγγίσαι͵ διότι οὐκ εἶχον τέλεια τὰ βραβεῖα. ^12.7 Καὶ ἐβόησε Μιχαὴλ λέγων· Δεῦτε καὶ ὑμεῖς͵ ἄγγελοι͵ φέρετε ὃ ἠνέγκατε. ^12.8 Καὶ ἐλυπήθη Μιχαὴλ σφόδρα͵ καὶ ὁ μετ΄ ἐμοῦ ἄγγελος͵ διὸ οὐκ ἐγέμισαν τὴν φιάλην.

13 ¹ And then came in like manner other angels weeping and bewailing, and saying with fear, Behold how we are overclouded, ⁰ Lord, for we were delivered to evil men, and we wish to depart from ² them. And Michael said, Ye cannot depart from them, in order that the enemy may not prevail to ³ the end; but say to me what ye ask. And they said, We pray thee, Michael our commander, transfer us from them, for we cannot abide with wicked and foolish men, for there is nothing good ⁴ in them, but every kind of unrighteousness and greed. For we do not behold them entering [into Church at all, nor among spiritual fathers, nor] into any good work. But where there is murder, there also are they in the midst, and where are fornications, adulteries, thefts, slanders, perjuries, jealousies, drunkenness, strife, envy, murmurings, whispering, idolatry, divination, and such like, ⁵ then are they workers of such works, and of others worse. Wherefore we entreat that we may depart from them. And Michael said to the angels, Wait till I learn from the Lord what shall come to pass.

^13.1 Καὶ εἰθ΄ οὕτως ἦλθον ἕτεροι ἄγγελοι κλαίοντες καὶ ὀδυρόμενοι καὶ μετὰ φόβου λέγοντες· Ἴδε ἡμᾶς μεμελανω μένους͵ Κύριε͵ ὅτι πονηροῖς ἀνθρώποις παρεδόθημεν͵ καὶ θέλομεν ὑποχωρῆσαι ὑπ΄ αὐτῶν. ^13.2 Καὶ εἶπεν Μιχαήλ· Οὐ δύνασθε ὑποχωρεῖν ὑπ΄ αὐτῶν͵ ἵνα μὴ εἰς τέλος κυριεύσῃ ὁ Ἐχθρός· ἀλλ΄ εἴπατέ μοι τί αἰτεῖσθε. ^13.3 Καὶ εἶπον· Δεόμεθά σου͵ Μιχαήλ͵ ὁ ἀρχιστράτηγος ἡμῶν͵ μεταθὲς ἡμᾶς ἀπ΄ αὐτῶν͵ ὅτι οὐ δυνάμεθα ἀνθρώποις πονηροῖς καὶ ἄφροσι προσμένειν͵ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν αὐτοῖς οὐδὲν ἀγαθόν͵ ἀλλὰ πᾶσα ἀδικία καὶ πλεονεξία. ^13.4 Οὐ γὰρ εἴδομεν αὐτοὺς εἰσελθεῖν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ ποτέ͵ οὐδὲ εἰς πνευματικοὺς πατέρας͵ οὐδὲ εἰς ἀγαθὸν ἕν. Ἀλλ΄ ὅπου φόνος͵ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐν μέσῳ ἐκεῖ͵ καὶ ὅπου πορνεῖαι͵ μοιχεῖαι͵ κλεψίαι͵ καταλαλίαι͵ ἐπιορκίαι͵ φθόνοι͵ μέθαι͵ ἔρεις͵ ζῆλος͵ γογγυσμός͵ ψιθυρισμός͵ εἰδωλολατρισμός͵ μαντεία͵ καὶ τὰ τούτοις ὅμοια͵ ἐκεῖ εἰσιν ἐργάται τῶν τοιούτων καὶ ἑτέρων χειρόνων. Διὸ δεόμεθα ἐξελθεῖν ἡμᾶς ἀπ΄ αὐτῶν. ^13.5 Καὶ εἶπεν Μιχαὴλ τοὺς ἀγγέ λους· Ἐκδέξασθε ἕως οὗ μάθω παρὰ Κυρίου τὸ τί γένηται.

14 ¹ And in that very hour Michael departed, and the doors were closed. And there was a sound as ² thunder. And I asked the angel, What is the sound? And he said to me, Michael is even now presenting the merits of men to God.

15 ¹ And in that very hour Michael descended, and the gate was opened; and he brought oil. ² And as for the angels which brought the baskets which were full, he filled them with oil, saying, Take it away, reward our friends an hundredfold, and those who have laboriously wrought good works. ³ For those who sowed virtuously, also reap virtuously. And he said also to those bringing the half-empty baskets, Come hither ye also; take away the reward according as ye brought, and ⁴ deliver it to the sons of men. [Then he said also to those who brought the full and to those who brought the half-empty baskets: Go and bless our friends, and say to them that thus saith the Lord, Ye are faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things; enter into the joy of your Lord.]

^14.1 Καὶ αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἀπῆλθεν ὁ Μιχαήλ͵ καὶ ἐκλείσθησαν αἱ θύραι. Καὶ ἐγένετο φωνὴ ὡς βροντή. ^14.2 Καὶ ἠρώτησα τὸν ἄγγελον· Τί ἐστιν ἡ φωνή; Καὶ εἶπέν μοι· Ἄρτι προσφέρει Μιχαὴλ τὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀρετὰς τῷ θεῷ. ^15.1 Καὶ αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ κατῆλθεν ὁ Μιχαήλ͵ καὶ ἠνοίγη ἡ πύλη· καὶ ἤνεγκεν ἔλαιον. ^15.2 Καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους τοὺς ἐνεγκόντας τὰ κανίσκια πλήρη ἐπλήρωσεν αὐτὰ ἐλαίῳ λέγων· Ἀπενέγκατε͵ δότε ἑκατονταπλασίονα τὸν μισθὸν τοῖς φίλοις ἡμῶν καὶ τοῖς ἐμπόνως ἐργασαμένοις τὰ καλὰ ἔργα. Οἱ γὰρ καλῶς σπείραντες καὶ καλῶς ἐπισυνάγουσιν. ^15.3 Καὶ λέγει καὶ τοὺς ἀποκένους φέροντας τοὺς κανίσκους· Δεῦτε καὶ ὑμεῖς͵ ἀπολάβετε τὸν μισθὸν καθὼς ἠνέγκατε͵ καὶ ἀπόδοτε τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. ^15.4 Εἶτα λέγει καὶ τοῖς τὰ γέμοντα ἐνεγκοῦσι καὶ τοῖς τὰ ἀπόκενα· Πορευ θέντες εὐλογήσατε τοὺς φίλους ἡμῶν͵ καὶ εἴπατε αὐτοῖς ὅτι τάδε λέγει Κύριος· Ἐπὶ ὀλίγῃ ἐστὲ πιστοί͵ ἐπὶ πολλῶν ὑμᾶς καταστήσει· εἰσέλθατε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν.

16 ¹ And turning he said also to those who brought nothing: Thus saith the Lord, Be not sad of ²countenance, and weep not, nor let the sons of men alone. But since they angered me in their works, go and make them envious and angry and provoked against a people that is no people, a ³ people that has no understanding. Further, besides these, send forth the caterpillar and the unwinged locust, and the mildew, and the common locust (and) hail with lightnings and anger, and ⁴ punish them severely with the sword and with death, and their children with demons. For they did not hearken to my voice, nor did they observe my commandments, nor do them, but were despisers of my commandments, and insolent towards the priests who proclaimed my words to them.

^16.1 Καὶ στραφεὶς λέγει καὶ τοῖς μηδὲν ἐνεγκοῦσιν· Τάδε λέγει Κύριος· Μή ἐστε σκυθρωποί͵ καὶ μὴ κλαίετε͵ μηδὲ ἐάσατε τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. ^16.2 Ἀλλ΄ ἐπειδὴ παρώργισάν με ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτῶν͵ πορευθέντες͵ παρα ζηλώσατε αὐτοὺς καὶ παροργίσατε͵ καὶ παραπικράνατε ἐπ΄ οὐκ ἔθνει͵ ἐπὶ ἔθνει ἀσυνέτῳ. ^16.3 Ἔτι σὺν τούτοις ἐξαποστεί λατε κάμπην καὶ βροῦχον͵ ἐρυσίβην καὶ ἀκρίδα͵ χάλαζαν μετ΄ ἀστραπῶν καὶ ὀργῆς. Καὶ διχοτομήσατε αὐτοὺς ἐν μαχαίρᾳ καὶ ἐν θανάτῳ͵ καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν ἐν δαιμονίοις. ^16.4 Ὅτι οὐκ εἰσήκουσαν τῆς φωνῆς μου͵ οὐδὲ ἐσυνετήρησαν τῶν ἐντολῶν μου͵ οὐδὲ ἐποίησαν͵ ἀλλ΄ ἐγένοντο καταφρονηταὶ τῶν ἐντολῶν μου καὶ τῶν ἐκκλησίων μου͵ καὶ ὑβρισταὶ τῶν ἱερέων τῶν τοὺς λόγους μου κηρυττόντων αὐτοῖς.

17 ¹ And while he yet spake, the door was closed, and we withdrew. ² And the angel took me and ³ restored me to the place where I was at the beginning. And having come to myself, I gave glory ⁴ to God, who counted me worthy of such honor. Wherefore do ye also, brethren, who obtained such a revelation, yourselves also glorify God, so that He also may glorify you, now and ever, and to all eternity. Amen.

^17.1 Καὶ ἅμα τῷ λόγῳ ἐκλείσθη ἡ θύρα͵ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀνεχωρήσαμεν. ^17.2 Καὶ λαβών με ὁ ἄγγελος ἀπεκατέστησέν με εἰς τὸ ἀπ΄ ἀρχῆς. ^17.3 Καὶ εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἐλθὼν δόξαν ἔφερον τῷ θεῷ τῷ ἀξιώσαντί με τοιούτου ἀξιώματος. ^17.4 Ὦ καὶ ὑμεῖς͵ ἀδελφοί͵ οἱ τυχόντες τῆς τοιαύτης ἀποκα λύψεως͵ δοξάσατε καὶ αὐτοὶ τὸν θεόν͵ ὅπως καὶ αὐτὸς δοξάσῃ ἡμᾶς νῦν͵ καὶ ἀεί͵ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.