35 Hear now these things, and understand them, you servants of the Lord. 36 Behold, the Lord’s word: receive it. Don’t doubt the things about which the Lord speaks. 37 Behold, the calamities draw near, and are not delayed. 38 Just as a woman with child in the ninth month, when the hour of her delivery draws near, within two or three hours great pains surround her womb, and when the child comes out from the womb, there will be no waiting for a moment, 39 even so the calamities won’t delay coming upon the earth. The world will groan, and sorrows will seize it on every side.
40 “O my people, hear my word: prepare for battle, and in those calamities be like strangers on the earth. 41 He who sells, let him be as he who flees away, and he who buys, as one who will lose. 42 Let he who does business be as he who has no profit by it, and he who builds, as he who won’t dwell in it, 43 and he who sows, as if he wouldn’t reap, so also he who prunes the vines, as he who won’t gather the grapes, 44 those who marry, as those who will have no children, and those who don’t marry, as the widowed. 45 Because of this, those who labour, labour in vain; 46 for foreigners will reap their fruits, plunder their goods, overthrow their houses, and take their children captive, for in captivity and famine they will conceive their children. 47 Those who conduct business, do so only to be plundered. The more they adorn their cities, their houses, their possessions, and their own persons, 48 the more I will hate them for their sins,” says the Lord. 49 Just as a respectable and virtuous woman hates a prostitute, 50 so will righteousness hate iniquity, when she adorns herself, and will accuse her to her face, when he comes who will defend him who diligently searches out every sin on earth.
51 Therefore don’t be like her or her works. 52 For yet a little while, and iniquity will be taken away out of the earth, and righteousness will reign over us. 53 Don’t let the sinner say that he has not sinned; for God will burn coals of fire on the head of one who says “I haven’t sinned before God and his glory.” 54 Behold, the Lord knows all the works of men, their imaginations, their thoughts, and their hearts. 55 He said, “Let the earth be made,” and it was made, “Let the sky be made,” and it was made. 56 At his word, the stars were established, and he knows the number of the stars. 57 He searches the deep and its treasures. He has measured the sea and what it contains. 58 He has shut the sea in the midst of the waters, and with his word, he hung the earth over the waters. 59 He has spread out the sky like a vault. He has founded it over the waters. 60 He has made springs of water in the desert and pools on the tops of the mountains to send out rivers from the heights to water the earth. 61 He formed man, and put a heart in the midst of the body, and gave him breath, life, and understanding, 62 yes, the spirit of God Almighty. He who made all things and searches out hidden things in hidden places, 63 surely he knows your imagination, and what you think in your hearts. Woe to those who sin, and try to hide their sin! 64 Because the Lord will exactly investigate all your works, and he will put you all to shame. 65 When your sins are brought out before men, you will be ashamed, and your own iniquities will stand as your accusers in that day. 66 What will you do? Or how will you hide your sins before God and his angels? 67 Behold, God is the judge. Fear him! Stop sinning, and forget your iniquities, to never again commit them. So will God lead you out, and deliver you from all suffering.
68 For, behold, the burning wrath of a great multitude is kindled over you, and they will take away some of you, and feed you with that which is sacrificed to idols. 69 Those who consent to them will be held in derision and in contempt, and be trodden under foot. 70 For there will be in various places, and in the next cities, a great insurrection against those who fear the Lord. 71 They will be like mad men, sparing none, but spoiling and destroying those who still fear the Lord. 72 For they will destroy and plunder their goods, and throw them out of their houses. 73 Then the trial of my elect will be made known, even as the gold that is tried in the fire. 74 Hear, my elect ones, says the Lord: “Behold, the days of suffering are at hand, and I will deliver you from them. 75 Don’t be afraid, and don’t doubt, for God is your guide. 76 You who keep my commandments and precepts,” says the Lord God, “don’t let your sins weigh you down, and don’t let your iniquities lift themselves up.” 77 Woe to those who are choked with their sins and covered with their iniquities, like a field is choked with bushes, and its path covered with thorns, that no one may travel through! 78 It is shut off and given up to be consumed by fire.
† 2:29: or, Hell.
† 4:7: So the Syriac. The Latin omits of hell? or which are the paths.
‡ 4:11: So the Syriac and Aethiopic. The Latin is corrupt.
§ 4:13: So the Oriental versions. The Latin is corrupt. See Judges 9:8.
† 4:28: so the Syriac and Aethiopic.
‡ 4:33: So the chief oriental versions.
§ 4:34: So the Syriac. The Latin is corrupt.
† 4:35: So the Syriac. The Latin has shall I hope on this fashion?
‡ 4:37: Syr. rest.
† 5:1: So the syriac.
‡ 5:16: The Syriac has Psaltiel.
§ 5:24: After the Oriental versions. The Latin has pit.
† 5:28: After the Oriental versions. The Latin reads have prepared.
‡ 5:45: So the Syriac.
§ 5:45: The Latin omits If…alive at once.
† 6:4: So the Syriac.
‡ 6:10: So the Syriac, etc. The Latin is defective.
§ 6:29: After the Oriental versions. The Latin is corrupt.
† 6:30: So the Syriac. The Latin is corrupt.
‡ 6:31: The Latin has tell you by day.
§ 6:39: The Latin adds from you.
† 6:55: So the Syriac. The Latin has the firstborn world.
† 7:3: So the chief Oriental versions. The Latin MSS. have deep.
‡ 7:29: “Christ” means “Anointed One”.
§ 7:29: Lat. man
† 7:32: Or, chambers See 2 Esdras 4:35.
‡ 7:33: The Syriac adds and the end will come.
§ 7:35: The passage from verse [36] to verse [105], formerly missing, has been restored to the text. See Preface, page ix.
† 7:36: So the chief Oriental versions. The Latin MSS. have place.
‡ 7:36: Lat. Gehenna.
§ 7:38: So the chief Oriental versions. The Latin has will you speak.
† 7:41: Or, storm
‡ 7:104: The Latin has a bold day
- 7:107: Joshua 7:1
§ 7:108: So the Syriac and other versions. The Latin omits in the days of Saul.
† 8:5: So the Syriac. The Latin is incorrect.
‡ 8:6: So the Syriac. The Latin has place.
§ 8:9: So the Syriac. The Latin is imperfect.
† 8:14: So the Syriac. The Latin is incorrect.
‡ 8:22: According to the chief Oriental versions. The Latin has, even they whose service takes the form of wind etc.
§ 8:29: The Syriac has received the brightness of your law.
† 8:31: So the Syriac and Aethiopic versions.
‡ 8:31: Lat. manners.
§ 8:41: Lat. be saved.
† 8:52: The Syriac has established.
‡ 8:53: After the chief Oriental versions.
† 9:5: So the Syriac. The Latin is corrupt.
‡ 9:11: Or, me
§ 9:12: Or, me
† 9:13: So the Syriac and other versions. The Latin has and whose… created, and when.
‡ 9:17: So the Aethiopic and Arabic. The Latin has creation.
§ 9:19: So the Syriac.
† 9:19: So the Syriac.
‡ 9:21: So the Syriac and other versions. The Latin has great tribes.
§ 9:26: The Syriac and Aethiopic have Arphad.
† 9:45: Lat. townsmen.
† 10:2: Lat. townsmen.
‡ 10:8: See the Oriental versions. The Latin is corrupt.
§ 10:11: So the Syriac.
† 10:44: So the Syriac and other versions. The Latin is incorrect.
† 11:2: So the chief Oriental versions. The Latin has only and were gathered together.
‡ 11:11: The Syriac has her little wings, and, etc.
§ 11:20: The Syriac has little wings.
† 11:20: The Aethiopic has left.
‡ 11:25: The Syriac has little wings.
§ 11:31: The Syriac has little wings.
† 12:2: So the chief Oriental versions.
‡ 12:18: The Oriental versions havein the midst of.
§ 12:23: The Oriental versions have kings
† 12:29: So the Syriac. The Latin has over the head.
‡ 12:32: The words in brackets are added from the Syriac.
§ 12:32: The Syriac has set
