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Chapter fifty 1 And he answered and said to me: Listen, Baruch, to this word and write down in the memory of your heart all 2 that you shall learn. For the earth will surely give back the dead at that time; it receives them now in order to keep them, not changing anything in their form. But as it has received them so it will give them back. And as I have delivered them 3 to it so it will raise them. For then it will be necessary to show those who live that the dead are living again, and that those who went away have come back. 4 And it will be that when they have recognized each other, those who know each other at this moment, then my judgment will be strong, and those things which have been spoken of before will come. Chapter fifty one 1 And it will happen after this day which he appointed is over that both the shape of those who are found to be guilty as also the glory of those who have 2 proved to be righteous will be changed. For the shape of those who now act wickedly will be made more evil than it is (now) so that they sahll suffer torment. 3 Also, as for the glory of those who proved to be righteous on account of my law, those who possessed intelligence in their life, and those who planted the root of wisdom in their heart-their splendor will then be glorified by transformations, and the shape of their face will be changed into the light of their beauty so that they may acquire and receive the undying world which is promised to them. 4 Therefore, especially they who will then come will be sad, because they despised my Law, and stopped their ears lest they hear wisdom and receive intelligence. 5 When they, therefore, will see that those over whom they are exalted now will then be more exalted and glorified than they, then both these and those will be changed, these into the splendor of the angels and those into startling visions and 6 horrible shapes; and they will waste away even more. For they will first see and then they will go away to be tormented. 7 Miracles, however, will appear at their own time to those who are saved because of their workd and for whom the Law is now a hope, and intellignece, expectation, 8 and wisdom a trust. For they shall see that world which is now invisible to them, 9 and they will see a time which is now hidden to them. And time will no longer 10 make them older. For they will live in the heights of that world and they will be like the angels and be equal to the stars. And they will be changed into any shape which they wished, from beauty to loveliness, and from light to the splendor of 11glory. For the extents of Paradise will be spread out for them, and to them will be shown the beauty of the majesty of the living beings under the throne, as well as all the hosts of the angels, those who are held by my word now lest they show themselves, and those who are withheld by my command so that they may stand 12 at their places until their coming has arrived. And the excellence of the righteous 13 will then be greater than that of the angels. For the first will receive the last, those whom they expected; and the last, those of whom they had heard that they had 14 gone away. For they have been saved from this world of affliction and have put 15 down the burden of anguishes. Because of which men lost their life and for what 16 have those who were on the earth exchanged their soul? For once they chose for themselves that time which cannot pass away without afflictions. And they chose for themselves that time of which the end is full of lamentations and evils. And they have denied the world that does not make those who come to it older. And they have rejected the time which causes glory so that they are not coming to the glory of which I spoke to you before. Chapter fifty two 1And I answered and said: 2 How shall we forget those for whom at that time woe is preserved? And why are we again sad for those who die? Or why do we weep for those who go into 3 the realm of death? The lamentations should be kept for the beginning of that coming torment; let the tears be laid down for the coming of that destruction which 4,5 will them come. But with a view of these things, I shall also speak. And concerning 6 the righteous ones, what will they do now? Enjoy yourselves in the suffering which you suffer now. For why do you look for the decline of your enemies? 7 Prepare your souls for that which is kept for you, and make ready your souls for the reward which is preserved for you. And when I had said this I fell asleep there. Chapter fifty three 1 And I saw a vision. And behold, a cloud was coming up from the great sea. And I was looking at it, and behold, it was entirely filled with black water and there were many colors in that water, And something like great lightning appeared 2 at its top. And I saw that the cloud was rapidly passing in a quick run and covering 3 the whole earth. And it happened after this that the cloud began to pour the water 4 that it contained upon the earth. And I saw that the water which descended from 5 it was not of the same likeness. For at first, it was very black until a certain time. And then I saw that the water became bright, but there was not much of it. And after this, I saw black water again, and after this bright again, and black again and 6 bright again. This, now, happened twelve times, but the black were always more 7 than the bright. And it happened at the end of the cloud that, behold, it poured black water and it was much darker than all the water that had been before. And fire was mingled with it. And where that water descended, it brought about 8 devastation and destruction. And after this I saw how the lightning which I had 9 seen at the top of the cloud seized it and pressed it down to earth. That lightning shone much more, so that it lighted the whole earth and healed the regions where the last waters had descended and where it had brought about destruction. 10,11 And it occupied the whole earth and took command of it. And after this I saw, behold, twelve rivers came from the sea and surrounded the lightning and became 12 subject to it,. And because of my fear I awoke. Chapter fifty four 1 And I asked the Mighty One and said: You alone, O Lord, knew the heights of the world beforehand and that which will happen in the times which you bring about by your word. And against the works of the inhabitants of the earth you hasten the beginnings of the times. And 2 the ends of the periods you alone know. You are the one for whom nothing is 3 hard; but you are, however, the one who easily accomplishes all by a sign. You are the one to whom both the depths and the heights come together, and whose 4 word the beginnings of the periods serve. You are the one who reveals to those 5 who fear that which is prepared for them so that you may comfort them. You show your mighty works to those who do not know. You pull down the enclosure for those who have no experience and enlighten the darkness, and reveal the secrets to those who are spotless, to those who subjected themselves to you and your Law in faith. 6,7 You showed this vision to your servant; open to me its exposition also. For I know that I have received the subjects about which I asked you, and that you gave me a revelation about that which I asked, and that you have let me know with what voice I should honor you or from which members I should 8 cause glory and praise to go up to you. For if my members should be mouths and the hairs of my head voices, even so I should not be able to honor you properly; and I should not be able to utter your glory of to express the excellence of your 9 beauty. For who am I among men or what is my significance among those who are more excellent than I that I have heard all these marvelous things from the 10 Most High and innumerable promises from him who created me? Blessed is my mother among those who bear, and praised among women is she who bore me. 11 For I shall not be silent in honoring the Mighty One but with the voice of glory 12 I shall narrate his marvelous works. For who is able to imitate your miracles, O God, or who understands your deep thoughts of life? 13 For with your counsel, you reign over all creation which your right hand has created, and you have established the whole fountain of light with yourself, and 14 you have prepared under your throne the treasures of wisdom. And those who do not love your Law are justly perishing. And the torment of judgment will fall upon 15 those who have not subjected themselves to your power. For, although Adam sinned first and has brought death upon all who were not in his own time, yet each of them who has been born from him has prepared for himself the coming torment. 16 And further, each of them has chosen for himself the coming glory. For truly, the one who believes will receive reward. 16 And further, each of them has chosen for himself the coming glory. For truly, the one who believes will receive reward. 17 But now, turn yourselves to destruction, you unrighteous ones who are living now, for you will be visited suddenly, since you have once rejected the under 18 standing of the Most High. For his works have not taught you, not has the artful 19 work of his creation which has existed always persuaded you. Adam is, therefore not the cause, except only for himself, but each of us has become our own Adam. 20 You, however, O Lord, explain to me what you have revealed to me. And 21 inform me about that which I asked you, For at the end of the world, a retribution will be demanded with regard to those who have done wickedly in accordance with their wickedness, and you will glorify the faithful ones in accordance with 22 their faith. For those who are among your own, you rule; and those who sin, you blot out among your own. Chapter fifty five 1 And it happened that when I had finished the words of this prayer, I say down 2 there under a tree to rest in the shadow of its branches. And I was surprised and astonished, and I pondered in my thoughts about the multitude of the goodness which the sinners who are on earth have rejected from them, and about the great punishment which they have despised, when they knew that they should be punished 3 because of the sins thay have committed. And while I was pondering these and similar things, behold, Ramael, the angel who is set over true visions, was sent to me and said to me: 4 Why does your heart trouble you, Baruch, and why are you disturbed by your 5 thought? For if you are already disturbed, only hearing about the judgment, what 6 about when you see it with your eyes openly? And if you are already so disturbed by the expectation with which you expect the day of the Mighty One, what about 7 when you arrive at its coming? And if you are so fully terrified by the words of the announcement of the punishment of those who have transgressed, how much 8 more when this event itself will reveal marvelous things? And if you have heard the names of the good and evil things which will come at that time, and if you are grieved, what about when you will see what the Majesty will reveal, who will convince some and cause others to rejoice? Chapter fifty six 1 But now, since you have asked the Most High to reveal to you the explanation 2 of the vision which you have seen, I have been sent to say to you that the Mighty One has let you know the course of times, namely those which have passed and One has let you know the course of times, namely those which have passed and those which in his world will come to pass, form the beginning of his creation 3 until the end, (the times) which are known by deceit and by truth. For as you saw a great cloud which came up from the sea and went and covered the earth; this is the length of the world which the Mighty One has created when he took counsel 4 in order to create the world. And it happened when the word had gone our rom him that the length of the world was standing as something small, and it was established in accordance with the abundance of the intelligence of him who let 5 it go forth. And as you first saw the black waters on the top of the cloud which first came down upon the earth; this is the transgression which Adam, the first 6 man, committed. For when he transgressed, untimely death came into being, mourning was mentioned, affliction was prepared, illness was created, labor accomplished, pride began to come into existence, the realm of death began to ask to be renewed with blood, the conception of children came about, the passion of the parents was produced, the loftiness of men was humiliated, and goodness 7 vanished. What could, therefore, have been blacker and darker than these things? 8,9 This is the beginning of the black were born, and very dark darkness originated. For he 11 who was a danger to himself was laso a danger to the angels. For they possessed 12 freedom in that time in which they were created. And some of them came down 13 and mingled themselves with women. At that time they who acted like this were 14 tormented in chains. But the rest of the multitude of angels, who have no number, 15 restrained themselves. And those living on earth perished together through the 16waters of the flood. Those are the first black waters. Chapter fifty seven 1 And after these you saw the bright water; that is the fountain of Abraham and His generation, and the coming of his son, and the son of his son, and of those 2who are like them. For at that time the unwritten law was in force among them, and the works of the commandments were accomplished at that time, and the belief in the coming judgment was brought about, and the hope of the world which will be renewed was built at that time, and the promise of the life that will come later 3 was planted. Those are the bright waters which you have seen. Chapter fifty eight 1 And the third black waters you have seen; that is the mingling of all sins which the nations committed afterward, after the death of those righteous men, and the wickedness of the land of Egypt, in which they acted wickedly in the 2 oppression with which they oppressed their sons. But also these perished at the end. Chapter fifty nine 1 And the fourth bright waters which you have seen; that is the coming of Moses, and of Aaron, and of Mirian, and of Joshua, the son of Nun, and of 2 Caleb, and all those who are like these. For at that time the lamp of the eternal law which exists forever and ever illuminated all those who sat in darkness. This (lamp) will announce to those who believe the promise of their reward to those 3 who deny the punishment of the fire which is kept for them. But also the heaven will be shaken from its place at that time; that is, the heavens which are under the throne of the Mighty one were severely shaken when he took Moses with him. 4 For he showed him many warnings together with the ways of the Law and the end of time, as also to you; and then further, also the likeness of Zion with its measurements which was to be made after the likeness of the present sanctuary. 5 But he also showed him, at that time, the measures of fire, the depths of the abyss, 6 the weight of the winds, the number of the raindrops, the suppression of wrath, 7 the abundance of long-suffering, the truth of judgment, the root of wisdom, the 8 richness of understanding, the fountain of knowledge, the height of the air, the greatness of Paradise, the end of the periods, the beginning of the day of judgment, 9,10 the number of offerings, the worlds which have not yet come, the mouth of hell, the standing place of vengeance, the place of faith, the region of 11 hope, the picture of the coming punishment, the multitude of the angels which cannot be counted, the powers of the flame, the splendor of lightnings, the voice of the thunders, the orders of the archangels, the treasuries of the light, the changes 12 of the times, and the inquiries into the Law. These are the fourth bright waters you have seen. Chapter sixty 1 And the fifth black waters which you have seen poured down; those are the works which they wrought, and the wickedness of their mysteries, and the mingling of 2 their pollutions. But even Israel was polluted with sins in these days of the judges, although they saw many signs which were from him who created them. Chapter sixty one 1 And the sixth bright waters which you have seen; this is the time in which 2David and Solomon were born. And at that time the building of Zion took place, and the dedication of the sanctuary, and the shedding of much blood of the nations which sinned at that time, and the many offerings which were offered at that time 3 at the inauguration of the sanctuary. And rest and peace reigned at that time. 4 And wisdom was heard in the assembly, and the richness of understanding was 5 magnified in the congregations. And the holy festivals were fulfilled in happiness 6 and much joy. And the judgment of the rulers was seen at that time without deceit, and the righteousness of the commandments of the Mighty One was accomplished 7 in truth. And the land which then received mercy, since its inhabitants did not sin, was praised above all countries, and the city of Zion ruled over all countries 8 and regions at that time. These are those bright waters you have seen. Chapter sixty two 1 And the seventh black waters you have seen; that is the perversion of the ideas 2 of Jeroboam who planned to make two golden calves, and all the iniquities 3 accomplished by the kings who succeeded him, and the curse of Jezebel, and the 4 idolatry which Israel practiced at that time, and the withholding of rain, and the 5 families of such a kind that the women ate the fruits of their womb, and the time of their exile which befell the nine and a half tribes because they lived in many 6 sins. And Salmanassar, the king of the Assyrians, cane and carried them away 7 into captivity. And concerning the nations much could be said: how they acted unrighteously and wickedly, and how they never proved themselves to be righteous. 8 These are those seventh black waters you have seen. Chapter sixty three 1 And the eighth bright waters you have seen; that is the righteousness and the 2 integrity of Hezekiah, King of Judah, and the grace which came upon him. For at that time Sennacherib was moved to destroy, and his wrath roused him, and also 3 the multitude of the nations which were with him in order to destroy; when Hezekiah the king heard that which the Assyrian king devised, namely, to come and seize him and destroy his people-the two and a half tribes which were left- and that he also wanted to destroy Zion, then Hezekiah trusted upon hiw works, and hoped upon his righteousness, and spoke with the Mighty Ones and said: 4 “Pay attention, behold, Sennacherib is ready to destroy us, and he will boast and 5 be uplifted when he has destroyed Zion,” And the Mighty One heard him for 6 Hezekiah was wise, and he paid attention to his prayers for he was righteous. And 7 the Mighty One then commanded Ramael, his angel who speaks with you. And I went away and destroyed their multitude, of which the number of the chiefs alone was one hundred and eighty-five thousand, and each of them had an equal 8 number, And at that time I burned their bodies within, but I preserved their clothes and their arms on the outside so that still more of the marvelous works of the Mighty One might be seen, and so that his name might be mentioned throughout 9 the entire earth. Thus Zion was saved, and Jerusalem was delivered from its 10 tribulations. And all those who were in the holy land rejoiced, and the name of 11 the Mighty One was praised so that it was spoken of. These are those bright waters which you have seen. Chapter sixty four 1 And the ninth black waters you have seen; that is, the wickedness that existed 2 in the days of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah. For he acted very wickedly, and killed the righteous, and perverted judgment, and shed innocent blood, and violently polluted married women, and overturned altars, and abolished their offerings, and 3 drove away the priests lest they minister in the sanctuary. And he made a statue with five faces; Four of them looked into the direction of the four winds, and the fifth was on the top of the statue so as to challenge the zeal of the Mighty one 4 And then the wrath of the Mighty One went out so that Zion should be uprooted 5 as has also happened in your days. But also the judgment went out against the two and a half tribes so that they also should be carried away into captivity as 6 you have now seen. And the impiety of Manasseh increased to such a degree 7 that the glory of the Most High removed itself from the sanctuary. Therefore Manasseh was called the impious one in that time, and finally his habitation was 8 in the fire. For although the Most High had heard his prayer, in the end when he fell into the brazen horse and the brazen horse was melted, it became to him as 9 a sign regarding the hour (which was to come). For he had not lived perfectly since he was not worthy, but (the sign was given to him) that he might know 10 henceforth by whom he should be punished at the end. For he who is able to benefit is also able to punish. Chapter sixty five 1 This Manasseh sinned and he thought in his time that the Mighty One would 2 not call account for these things. These are those ninth black waters you have seen. Chapter sixty six 1 And the tenth bright waters you have seen; that is the purity of the generation of Josiah, the king of Judah, who was the only one in his time who subjected 2 himself to the Mighty one with his whole heart and his whole soul. He purified the country from the idols, sanctified all the vessels which were polluted, restored the offerings to the altar, raised the horn of the holy, exalted the righteous, and honored all those who were wise with understanding. He brought the priests back to their ministry; and destroyed and removed the magicians, enchanters, and 3 diviners from the land. And he not only killed the impious who were living, but 4 also the bones were taken from the graves of the dead and burned with fire. And he established the festivals and the sabbaths with their holy practices and he burned the polluted with fire, and as for the lying prophets who deceived the people, also these he burned with fire. He cast the people who obeyed them, as 5 long as they lived, into the Kidron valley, and heaped stones upon them. And he was zealous with the zeal of the Mighty One with his whole soul, and he alone was strong in the Law at that time so that he left no one un-circumcised or anyone 6 who acted wickedly in the whole country all the days of his life. He, then, is one who shall receive reward forever and ever and be honored with the Mighty 7 One more than many in the last time. For on his account and on account of those who are like him, the precious glories have been created and prepared which were 8 spoken to you earlier. These are those bright waters which you have seen. Chapter sixty seven 1And the eleventh black waters you have seen; that is the disaster which has 2 befallen Zion now. Do you think that there is no mourning among the angels before the Mighty One, that Zion is delivered up in this way? Behold, the nations rejoice in their hearts, and the multitudes are before their idols and say, “She who has trodden others down for such a long time has been trodden down; and she who 3 has subjugated has been subjugated.” Do you think that the Most High rejoices 4 in these things or that his name had been glorified? But how will it be with his 5 righteous judgment? But after these things those scattered among the nations will 6 be taken hold of by tribulations and live in shame in every place. For so far as Zion has been delivered up and Jerusalem laid waste, the idols in the cities of the nations are happy and the flavor of the smoke of the incense of the righteousness of the Law has been extinguished everywhere in the region of Zion; behold the 7 smoke of the impiety is there. But the king of Babylon will arise, the one who now has destroyed Zion, and he will boast over the people and speak haughtily 8,9 in his heart before the Most high. And he too will fall finally, These are those black waters. Chapter sixty eight 1,2 And the twelfth bright waters which you have seen; this is the word. For there will come a time after these things, and your people will fall into such a 3 distress so that they are all together in danger of perishingl They, however, will 4be saved, and their enemies will fall before them. And to them will fall much 5 joy one day, And at that time, after a short time. Zion will be rebuilt again, and the offerings will be restored, and the priests will again return to their ministry. 6,7 And the nations will again come to honor it. But not as fully as before. But 8 will happen after these things that there will be a fall of many nations. These are the bright waters you have seen. Chapter sixty nine 1 With regard to the last waters you have seen which are blacker than all those preceeding which came after the twelfth, those which were brought together; they 2 apply to the whole world. For the Most High made a division at the beginning 3 for only he knows what will happen in the future. For with regard to the evils of 4 the coming impieties which occurred before him, he saw six kinds. And of the good works of the righteous which would be accomplished before him, he foresaw six kinds, with the exclusion of that which he should accomplish himself at the 5 end of the world, These are, therefore, not black waters with black, nor bright with bright. For this is the end. Chapter seventy Therefore, hear the exposition of the last black waters which will come after 2 the black waters. This is the word. Behold the days are coming and it will happen when the time of the world has ripened and the harvest of the seed of the evil ones and the good ones has come that the Mighty One will cause to come over the earth and its inhabitants and its rulers confusion of the spirit and amazement of the heart. 3 And they will haate one another and provoke one another to fight. And the despised will rule over the honorable, and the unworthy will raise themselves over the 4 illustrious. And many will be delivered to the few, those who were nothing will rule over the strong, the poor will be greater in number than the rich, and the 5 impious will exalt themselves over the brave. The wise will be silent, and the foolish will speak. And the thought of men will not be realized then, nor the 6 counsel of the strong, and the hope of those who hope will not be realized. Then it will happen when those things occur which have been said before will come to pass, that confusion will fall upon all men. And some of them will fall in war, and others will perish in tribulations, and again others of them will be troubled by their 7 own. The Most High will then give a sign to those nations which he has prepared before, and they will come and wage war with the rulers who will then remain. 8 And he who saves himself from the war will die in an earthquake, and he who saves himself from the earthquake will be burned by fire, 9 and he who saves himself from the fire will perish by famine. And it will happen that everyone who will save himself and escape from all things which have been said before-both those who have won and those who have been overcome-that 10 all will be delivered into the hands of my Servant, the Anointed one. For the whole earth will devour its inhabitants. Chapter seventy one 1 And the holy land will have mercy on its own and will protect its inhabitants 2 at that time. This is the vision which you have seen, and this is its explanation. For I have come to tell you these things since your prayer has been heard by the Most High Chapter seventy two 1 Now, hear also about the bright waters which come at the end after these 2 black ones. This si the word. After the signs have come of which I have spoken to you before, when the nations are moved and the time of my Anointed One comes, he will call all nations, and some of them he will spare, and others he will 3,4 kill. These things will befall the nations which will be spared by him. Every nation which has not known Israel and which has not trodden down the seed of 5 Jacob will live. And this is because some from all the nations have been subjected 6 to your people. All those, now, who have ruled over you or have known you. Will be delivered up to the sword. Chapter seventy three 1And it will happen that after he has brought down everything which is in the world, and has sat down in eternal peace on the throne of the kingdom, then joy 2 will be revealed and rest will appear. And then health will descend in dew, and illness will vanish, and fear and tribulation and lamentation will pass away from 3 among men, and joy will encompass the earth. And nobody will again die 4 untimely, nor will any adversity take place suddenly. Judgment, condemnations, contentions, revenges, blood, passions, zeal, hate, and all such things will go into 5 condemnation since they will be uprooted. For these are the things that have filled this earth, with evils, and because of them life of men came in yet greater 6 confusion. And the wild beasts will come from the wood and serve men, and the asps and dragons will come out of their holes to subject themselves to a child. 7 And women will no longer have pain when they bear, nor will they be tormented when they yield the fruits of their womb. Chapter seventy four 1 And it will happen in those days that the reapers will not become tired, and the farmers will not wear themselves out, because the products of themselves will shoot out speedily, during the time that they work on them in full tranquility. 2 For that time is the end of that which is corruptible and the beginning of that which 3 is incorruptible. Therefore, the things which were said before will happen in it. Therefore, it is far away from the evil things and near to those which do not die. 4 Those are the last bright waters which have come after the last dark waters/ Chapter seventy five 1 And I answered and said: Chapter seventy six 1 And he answered and said to me: Since the revelation of this vision has been explained to you as you prayed for, hear the word of the Most High that you know that which will happen to you after 2 these thing. For you will surely depart from this world, nevertheless not to death 3 but to be kept into (the end) of times. Therefore, go up to the top of this mountain, and all countries of this earth will pass before you, as well as the likeness of the inhabited world, and the top of the mountains, and the depths of the valleys, and the depths of the seas, and the number of rivers, so that you may see that which 4,5 you leave and whither you go. This will happen after forty days. Go therefore, now during these days and instruct the people as much as you can so that they may learn lest they die in the last times, but may learn so that they live in the last times. Chapter seventy seven 1 And I, Baruch went away from there and came to the people, and assembled them from the greatest to the smallest and said to them: 2 Hear, O children of Israel, behold how many are left from the twelve tribes of 3,4 Israel. To you and to your fathers the Lord gave the Law above all nations. And because your brothers have transgressed the commandments of the Most High, he brought vengeance upon you and upon them and did not spare the ancestors, but he also gave the descendants into captivity and did not leave a remnant of them. 5,6 And, behold, you are here, with me. If therefore, you will make straight your ways, you will not go away as your brothers went away, but they will come to 7 you. For he is merciful whom you honor, and gracious in whom you hope, and 8 true so that he will do good to you and not evil. Have you not seen what has 9 befallen Zion? Or do you think that the place has sinned and that it has been destroyed for this reason, or that the country has done some crime and that it is 10 delivered up for that reason? And do you not know that because of you who sinned the one who did not sin was destroyed, and that because of those who acted unrighteously, the one who has not gone astray has been delivered up to the enemies? 11 And the whole people answered and they said to me: Everything which we can remember of the good things which the Mighty One has done to us we shall remember, and that which we do not remember he knows has done to us we shall remember, and that which we do not remember he knows 12 in his grace. But do this for us, your people: Write also to our brothers in Babylon a letter of doctrine and roll of hope so that you might strengthen them also before 13 you go away from us. For the shepherds of Israel have perished, and the lamps which gave light are extinguished, and the fountains from which we used to drink 14 have withheld their streams, Now we have been left in the darkness and in the thick forest and in the aridness of the desert. 15 And I answered and said to them: Shepherds and lamps and fountains came from the Law and when we go away, 16 the Law will abide. If you, therefore, look upon the Law and are intent upon wisdom, then the lamp will not be wanting and the shepherd will not give way and 17 the fountain will not dry up. Nevertheless, I shall also write to your brothers in Babylon, as you have said to me, and I shall send it by means of men. Also I shall write to the nine and a half tribes, and send it by means of a bird. 18 And it happened on the twenty-first day of the ninth month that I, Baruch came and sat down under the oak in the shadow of the branches, and nobody was with 19 me; I was alone. And I wrote two letters. One I sent by means of an eagle to the nine and a half tribes, and the other I sent by means of three men to those who 20 were in Babylon. And I called an eagle and said to him these words: 21 You have been created by the Most High that you should be higher than any 22 other bird. But now go and do not stay in any place, do not go into a nest, do not sit on any tree until you have flown over the breadth of the many waters of the river Euphrates and have come to the people that live there and cast down to 23 them this letter. Remember that Noah at the time of the flood received the fruit 24 of the olive tree from a dove when he sent it away from the ark. And also the ravens served Elijah when they brought food to him as they were commanded. 25 Also Solomon, in the time of his kingship, commanded a bird whither he wanted to send a letter and in whatever he was in need of and it obeyed him as he 26 commanded it. And do not be reluctant and do not deviate to the right nor to the left, but fly and go straight away that you may preserve the command of the Mighty One as I said to you. Chapter seventy eight 1 The letter of Baruch, the son of Neriah which he wrote to the nine and a half tribes: These are the words of the letter which Baruch, the son of Neriah, sent to the nine and a half tribes which were across the river in which were written the following things: 2 Thus speaks Baruch, the son of Neriah, to the brothers who were carried away 3 in captivity: Grace and peace be with you. I remember, my brothers, the love of him who created me, who loved us from the beginning and who never hated 4 us but, on the contrary, chastised us. And truly I know: Are we not all, the twelve tribes, bound by one captivity as we also descend from one father? 5 Therefore, I nave been the more diligent to leave you the words of his letter before I die so that you may be comforted regarding the evils which have befallen you, and you may also be grieved with regard to the evils which have befallen your brothers, and then further, so that you may consider the judgment of him who decreed it against you to be righteous, namely that you should be carried away into captivity, for what you have suffered is smaller than what you have don in 6 order that you may be found worthy of your fathers in the last times. Therefore, if you think about the things you have suffered now for your good so that you may not be condemned at the end and be tormented, you shall receive hope which lasts forever and ever, particularly if you remove from your hearts the idle error for 7 which you went away from here. For if you do these things in this way, he shall continually remember you. He is the one who always promised on our behalf to those who are more excellent than we that he will not forever forget of forsake our offspring, but with much mercy assemble all those again who were dispersed. Chapter seventy nine 1 Therefore, my brothers, learn first what befell Zion, namely, that 2 Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came up against us. For we had sinned against him who created us, and had not observed the commandments which he ordered us. 3,4 And yet he has not chastised us as we deserved For what befell you, we suffered even more, for it befell us also. Chapter eighty 1 And now, my brothers, when the enemies had surrounded the city, angels were sent from the Most High. And they demolished the fortification of the strong wall, and he destroyed their solid iron corners which could not be loosened. 2 Nevertheless, they had the holy vessels lest they be polluted by the enemies. 3 And when they had done these things, they left the demolished wall, the looted house, the burned temple, and the people who were overcome to the enemies, for they were delivered up lest the enemies should boast and say, “We have overcome 4 to such an extent that we have even destroyed the house of the Most High.” They have also bound your brothers and carried them away to Babylon and have caused 5,6 them to live there. And we have been left here with very few. That is the 7 affliction about which I write to you. For truly I know that the inhabitants of Zion were a comfort to you. As long as you knew that they were happy, this was more important than the affliction you endured being separated from them. Chapter eighty one 1 But also hear the word of consolation. For I mourned with regard to Zion 3 and asked grace from the Most High and said, “Will these things exist for us 4 until the end? And will these evils befall us always? “ And the Mighty One did according to the multitude of his grace, and the Most High according to the magnitude of his mercy, and he revealed to me a word that I might be comforted, and showed me visions that I might not be again sorrowful, and made known to me the mysteries of the times, and showed me the coming of the periods Chapter eighty two 1 My brothers, therefore I have written to you that you may find consolation 2 with regard to the multitude of tribulations. But you ought to know that our Creator will surely avenge us on all our brothers according to everything which they have done against us and among us; in particular that the end which the Most High prepared is near, and that his grace is coming, and that the fulfillment of 3 his judgment is not far. For now we see the multitude of the happiness of the 4 nations although they have acted wickedly; but they are like a vapor. And we behold the multitude of their power while they act impiously; but they will be 5 made like a drop. And we see the strength of their power while they resist the 6 Mighty One every hour, but they will be reckoned like spittle. And we will ponder about the glory of their majesty while they do not keep the statues of the 7 Most High; but as smoke they will pass away. And we think about the beauty of their gracefulness while they go down in impurities; but like grass which is 8 withering, they will fade away. And we ponder about the strength of their cruelty while they themselves do not think about the end; but they will be broken like a 9 passing wave. And we notice the pride of their power while they deny the goodness of God by whom it was given to them; but as a passing cloud they will vanish. Chapter eighty three 1 For the Most High will surely hasten his times, and he will certainly cause 2 his periods to arrive. And he will surely judge those who are in his world, and will truly inquire into everything with regard to all their works which were sins. 3 He will certainly investigate the secret thoughts and everything which is lying in the inner chambers of all of their members which are in sin. And he will make them 4 manifest in the presence of everyone with blame. Therefore, nothing of the present things should come into your heart, but they should, on the contrary, be 5 expected, since that which was promised will come. And we should not look upon the delights of the present nations, but let us think about that which has been 6 promised to us regarding the end. For the ends of the times and the periods will 7 surely pass away and all which is in them together. The end of the world will then show the great power of our Ruler since everything will come to judgment. 8 You should, therefore, prepare your hearts for the which you have believed before, lest you should be excluded from both worlds, namely, that you were 9 carried away into captivity here and tormented there. For that which exists now or that which has passed away or that which will come, in all of that, neither the 10 evil in it is fully evil, not the good is even fully good. For all sorts of health 11 which exist now changes into illnesses. And every might which exists now changes into weakness, and every power that exists now changes into miseries, 12 and every youthful energy changes into old age and consummation. And every beauty of gracefulness which exists now changes into withering and ugliness. 13 And every infantile pride which exists now changes into lowliness and shame. And every glory of haughtiness which exists now changes into the shame of 14 silence. And every delight and all splendor which exists now changes into ruin 15 of silence. And every joy and every delight which exist now change into rejection 15,17 and ruin. And every clamour of pride changes into silent dust. And every possession of richness which exists now changes into the realm of death alone. 18 And every seizing which exists now changes into involuntary death, and 19 every desire of lust changes into the judgment of punishment. And every 20 capability of deceit which exists now changes into refutation by truth. And every sweetness of ointment which exists now changes into judgment and condemnation. 21,22 And every friendship changes into silent defamations. Since all these things 23 happened now, do you think that they will not be avenged? But the end of everything will come to light. Chapter eighty four 1 Now, I gave you knowledge, while I still live. For I have said that you should particularly learn my mighty commandments which he has instructed you. And I shall set before you some of the commandments of his judgment before I die. 2 Remember that once Moses called heaven and earth to witness against you and said, “If you trespass the law, you shall be dispersed. And if you shall keep it 3 you shall be planted. And also other things he said to you when you were in 4 the desert as twelve tribes together. And after his death you cast it away from 5 you and, therefore, that which has been said before has come upon you. And now, Moses spoke to you before it befell you and , behold, it has befallen you for 6 you have forsaken the Law. Also, I, behold I say to you after you suffered that if you obey the things which I have said to you, you shall receive from the Mighty 7 One everything which has been prepared and has been preserved for you. Therefore, let this letter be a witness between me and you that you may remember the commandments of the Mighty One, and that it also may serve as my defense in 8 the presence of him who has sent me. And remember Zion and the Law and the holy land and your brothers and the covenant and your fathers, and do not forget 9 the festivals and the sabbaths. And give this letter and the traditions of the Law 10 to your children after you as also your fathers handed down to you. And ask always and pray seriously with your whole soul that the Mighty One may accept you in mercy and that he may not reckon the multitude of your sinners, but 11 remember the integrity of your fathers. For if he judges us not according to the multitude of his grace, woe to all us who are born. Chapter eighty five 1Further, know that our fathers in former times and former generation had 2 helpers, righteous prophets and holy men. But we were also in our country, and they helped us when we sinned, and they intervened for us with him who has created us since they trusted in their works. And the Mighty One heard them and 3 purged us from our sins. But now, the righteous have been assembled, and the prophets are sleeping. Also we have left our land, and Zion has been taken away from us, and we have nothing now apart from the Mighty One and his Law. 4 Therefore, if we direct and dispose our hearts, we shall receive everything which 5 we lost again by many times, For that which we lost was subjected to corruption, 6 and that which we receive will not be corruptible. We also have written to our 7 brothers in Babylon so that I may attest to them these things also. And these things which I have said earlier should be before your eyes always, since we are 8 still in the spirit of the power of our liberty. And further, the Most High is also long-suffering to us here and has shown to us that which comes and has not 9 concealed from us what will happen at the end. Therefore, before his judgment exacts his own and truth of that which is its due, let us prepare ourselves that we may possess and not be possessed, and that we may hope and not be put to shame, and that we may rest with our fathers and not be punished with those who hate us. 10 For the youth of this world has passed away, and the power of creation is already exhausted, and the coming of the times is very near and has passed by. And the pitcher is near the well, and the ship to the harbor, and the journey to the 11 city, and life to its end. Further, prepare yourselves so that, when you sail and ascend from the ship, you may have rest and not be condemned when you have 12gone away. For behold, the most High will cause all these things to come. There will not be an opportunity to repent anymore, nor a limit to the times, nor a duration of the periods, nor change to rest, nor an opportunity to prayer, nor sending up petition, nor giving knowledge, nor giving love, nor opportunity of repentance, nor supplicating for offenses, nor prayers of the fathers, nor intercessions 13 of the prophets, nor help of the righteous. There is the proclamation of judgment to corruption, regarding the way to the fire and the path that leads 14 to the glowing coals. Therefore, there is one Law by One, one world and an end 15 for all those who exist. Then he will make alive those whom he has found, and he will purge them from sins, and at the same time he will destroy those who are polluted with sins. Chapter eighty six 1 When you, therefore, receive the letter, read it carefully in your assemblies. And think about it, in particular, however, on the days of your fasts. And remember me by means of this letter in the same way as I remember you by means of this, and always. Chapter eighty seven 1 And it happened when I had finished all the words of this letter and had written it carefully until the end, I folded it, sealed it cautiously, and bound it to the neck of the eagle. And I let it go and sent it away. The end of the letter of Baruch, the son of Neriah. | |||
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