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1 Thus saith the Lord, I brought this people out of bondage, and I gave them my commandments by my servants the prophets; whom they would not hear, but set my counsels at nought. 2 The mother that bare them saith unto them, go your way, O my children; for I am a widow and forsaken. 3 I brought you up with gladness, and with sorrow and heaviness have I lost you: for ye have sinned before the Lord God, and done that which is evil before me. 4 But what shall I now do unto you? for I am a widow and forsaken: go your way, O my children, and ask mercy of the Lord. 5 As for me, O father, I call upon thee for a witness over the mother of these children, because they would not keep my covenant, 6 that thou bring them to confusion, and their mother to a spoil, that there may be no offspring of them. 7 Let them be scattered abroad among the heathen, let their names be blotted out of the earth: for they have despised my covenant. 8 Woe unto thee, Assur, thou that hidest the unrighteous with thee! O thou wicked nation, remember what I did unto Sodom and Gomorrah; 9 whose land lieth in clods of pitch and heaps of ashes: even so also will I do unto them that have not hearkened unto me, saith the Lord Almighty.
10 Thus saith the Lord unto Esdras, Tell my people that I will give them the kingdom of Jerusalem, which I would have given unto Israel. 11 Their glory also will I take unto me, and give these the everlasting tabernacles, which I had prepared for them. 12 They shall have the tree of life for an ointment of sweet savour; they shall neither labour, nor be weary. 13 * Ask, and ye shall receive: pray for few days unto you, that they may be shortened: the kingdom is already prepared for you: watch. 14 Take heaven and earth to witness, take them to witness; for I have given up the evil, and created the good: for I live, saith the Lord.
15 Mother, embrace thy children; I will bring them out with gladness like a dove; stablish their feet; for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord. 16 And those that be dead will I raise up again from their places, and bring them out from their tombs: for I † have known my name in them. 17 Fear not, thou mother of the children: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord. 18 For thy help will I send my servants Esaias and Jeremy, after whose counsel I have sanctified and prepared for thee twelve trees laden with divers fruits, 19 and as many fountains flowing with milk and honey, and seven mighty mountains, whereupon there grow roses and lilies, whereby I will fill thy children with joy. 20 Do right to the widow, judge the fatherless, give to the poor, defend the orphan, clothe the naked, 21 heal the broken and the weak, laugh not a lame man to scorn, defend the maimed, and let the blind man come unto the sight of my glory. 22 Keep the old and young within thy walls. 23 Wheresoever thou findest the dead, set a sign upon them and commit them to the grave, and I will give thee the first place in my resurrection. 24 Abide still, O my people, and take thy rest, for thy quietness shall come. 25 Nourish thy children, O thou good nurse, and stablish their feet. 26 As for the servants whom I have given thee, there shall not one of them perish; for I will require them from among thy number. 27 Be not careful overmuch: for when the day of tribulation and anguish cometh, others shall weep and be sorrowful, but thou shalt be merry and have abundance. 28 The nations shall envy thee, but they shall be able to do nothing against thee, saith the Lord. 29 My hands shall cover thee, so that thy children see not ‡ hell. 30 Be joyful, O thou mother, with thy children; for I will deliver thee, saith the Lord. 31 Remember thy children that sleep, for I shall bring them out of the secret places of the earth, and shew mercy unto them: for I am merciful, saith the Lord Almighty. 32 Embrace thy children until I come, and proclaim mercy unto them: for my wells run over, and my grace shall not fail.
33 I Esdras received a charge from the Lord upon the mount Horeb, that I should go unto Israel; but when I came unto them, they would none of me, and rejected the commandment of the Lord. 34 And therefore I say unto you, O ye nations, that hear and understand, look for your shepherd, he shall give you everlasting rest; for he is nigh at hand, that shall come in the end of the world. 35 Be ready to the rewards of the kingdom, for the everlasting light shall shine upon you for evermore. 36 Flee the shadow of this world, receive the joyfulness of your glory: I call to witness my saviour openly. 37 O receive that which is given you of the Lord, and be joyful, giving thanks unto him that hath called you to heavenly kingdoms. 38 Arise up and stand, and behold the number of those that be sealed in the feast of the Lord; 39 they that withdrew them from the shadow of the world have received glorious garments of the Lord. 40 § Look upon thy number, O Sion, and make up the reckoning of those of thine that are clothed in white, which have fulfilled the law of the Lord. 41 The number of thy children, whom thou longest for, is fulfilled: beseech the power of the Lord, that thy people, which have been called from the beginning, may be hallowed.
42 I Esdras saw upon the mount Sion a great multitude, whom I could not number, and they all praised the Lord with songs. 43 And in the midst of them there was a young man of a high stature, taller than all the rest, and upon every one of their heads he set crowns, and was more exalted; whereat I marvelled greatly. 44 So I asked the angel, and said, What are these, my Lord? 45 He answered and said unto me, These be they that have put off the mortal clothing, and put on the immortal, and have confessed the name of God: now are they crowned, and receive palms. 46 Then said I unto the angel, What young man is he that setteth crowns upon them, and giveth them palms in their hands? 47 So he answered and said unto me, It is the Son of God, whom they have confessed in the world. Then began I greatly to commend them that stood so stiffly for the name of the Lord. 48 Then the angel said unto me, Go thy way, and tell my people what manner of things, and how great wonders of the Lord God thou hast seen.
2:7 Another reading is, sacrament, or, oath * 2:13 Another reading is, Go. † 2:16 Or, recognise ‡ 2:29 Lat. Gehenna. § 2:40 Another reading is, Take.