II Esdras - Chapter 10

2Esdr 10:1
And it so came to pass, that when my son was entered into his
wedding chamber, he fell down, and died.

2Esdr 10:2
Then we all overthrew the lights, and all my neighbours rose
up to comfort me: so I took my rest unto the second day at
night.

2Esdr 10:3
And it came to pass, when they had all left off to comfort
me, to the end I might be quiet; then rose I up by night and
fled, and came hither into this field, as thou seest.

2Esdr 10:4
And I do now purpose not to return into the city, but here to
stay, and neither to eat nor drink, but continually to mourn and
to fast until I die.

2Esdr 10:5
Then left I the meditations wherein I was, and spake to her
in anger, saying,

2Esdr 10:6
Thou foolish woman above all other, seest thou not our
mourning, and what happeneth unto us?

2Esdr 10:7
How that Sion our mother is full of all heaviness, and much
humbled, mourning very sore?

2Esdr 10:8
And now, seeing we all mourn and are sad, for we are all in
heaviness, art thou grieved for one son?

2Esdr 10:9
For ask the earth, and she shall tell thee, that it is she
which ought to mourn for the fall of so many that grow upon her.

2Esdr 10:10
For out of her came all at the first, and out of her shall
all others come, and, behold, they walk almost all into
destruction, and a multitude of them is utterly rooted out.

2Esdr 10:11
Who then should make more mourning than she, that hath lost
so great a multitude; and not thou, which art sorry but for one?

2Esdr 10:12
But if thou sayest unto me, My lamentation is not like the
earth's, because I have lost the fruit of my womb, which I
brought forth with pains, and bare with sorrows;

2Esdr 10:13
But the earth not so: for the multitude present in it
according to the course of the earth is gone, as it came:

2Esdr 10:14
Then say I unto thee, Like as thou hast brought forth with
labour; even so the earth also hath given her fruit, namely,
man, ever since the beginning unto him that made her.

2Esdr 10:15
Now therefore keep thy sorrow to thyself, and bear with a
good courage that which hath befallen thee.

2Esdr 10:16
For if thou shalt acknowledge the determination of God to be
just, thou shalt both receive thy son in time, and shalt be
commended among women.

2Esdr 10:17
Go thy way then into the city to thine husband.

2Esdr 10:18
And she said unto me, That will I not do: I will not go into
the city, but here will I die.

2Esdr 10:19
So I proceeded to speak further unto her, and said,

2Esdr 10:20
Do not so, but be counselled. by me: for how many are the
adversities of Sion? be comforted in regard of the sorrow of
Jerusalem.

2Esdr 10:21
For thou seest that our sanctuary is laid waste, our altar
broken down, our temple destroyed;

2Esdr 10:22
Our psaltery is laid on the ground, our song is put to
silence, our rejoicing is at an end, the light of our
candlestick is put out, the ark of our covenant is spoiled, our
holy things are defiled, and the name that is called upon us is
almost profaned: our children are put to shame, our priests are
burnt, our Levites are gone into captivity, our virgins are
defiled, and our wives ravished; our righteous men carried away,
our little ones destroyed, our young men are brought in bondage,
and our strong men are become weak;

2Esdr 10:23
And, which is the greatest of all, the seal of Sion hath now
lost her honour; for she is delivered into the hands of them
that hate us.

2Esdr 10:24
And therefore shake off thy great heaviness, and put away the
multitude of sorrows, that the Mighty may be merciful unto thee
again, and the Highest shall give thee rest and ease from thy
labour.

2Esdr 10:25
And it came to pass while I was talking with her, behold, her
face upon a sudden shined exceedingly, and her countenance
glistered, so that I was afraid of her, and mused what it might
be.

2Esdr 10:26
And, behold, suddenly she made a great cry very fearful: so
that the earth shook at the noise of the woman.

2Esdr 10:27
And I looked, and, behold, the woman appeared unto me no
more, but there was a city builded, and a large place shewed
itself from the foundations: then was I afraid, and cried with a
loud voice, and said,

2Esdr 10:28
Where is Uriel the angel, who came unto me at the first? for
he hath caused me to fall into many trances, and mine end is
turned into corruption, and my prayer to rebuke.

2Esdr 10:29
And as I was speaking these words behold, he came unto me,
and looked upon me.

2Esdr 10:30
And, lo, I lay as one that had been dead, and mine
understanding was taken from me: and he took me by the right
hand, and comforted me, and set me upon my feet, and said unto
me,

2Esdr 10:31
What aileth thee? and why art thou so disquieted? and why is
thine understanding troubled, and the thoughts of thine heart?

2Esdr 10:32
And I said, Because thou hast forsaken me, and yet I did
according to thy words, and I went into the field, and, lo, I
have seen, and yet see, that I am not able to express.

2Esdr 10:33
And he said unto me, Stand up manfully, and I will advise
thee.

2Esdr 10:34
Then said I, Speak on, my lord, in me; only forsake me not,
lest I die frustrate of my hope.

2Esdr 10:35
For I have seen that I knew not, and hear that I do not know.

2Esdr 10:36
Or is my sense deceived, or my soul in a dream?

2Esdr 10:37
Now therefore I beseech thee that thou wilt shew thy servant
of this vision.

2Esdr 10:38
He answered me then, and said, Hear me, and I shall inform
thee, and tell thee wherefore thou art afraid: for the Highest
will reveal many secret things unto thee.

2Esdr 10:39
He hath seen that thy way is right: for that thou sorrowest
continually for thy people, and makest great lamentation for
Sion.

2Esdr 10:40
This therefore is the meaning of the vision which thou lately
sawest:

2Esdr 10:41
Thou sawest a woman mourning, and thou begannest to comfort
her:

2Esdr 10:42
But now seest thou the likeness of the woman no more, but
there appeared unto thee a city builded.

2Esdr 10:43
And whereas she told thee of the death of her son, this is
the solution:

2Esdr 10:44
This woman, whom thou sawest is Sion: and whereas she said
unto thee, even she whom thou seest as a city builded,

2Esdr 10:45
Whereas, I say, she said unto thee, that she hath been thirty
years barren: those are the thirty years wherein there was no
offering made in her.

2Esdr 10:46
But after thirty years Solomon builded the city and offered
offerings: and then bare the barren a son.

2Esdr 10:47
And whereas she told thee that she nourished him with labour:
that was the dwelling in Jerusalem.

2Esdr 10:48
But whereas she said unto thee, That my son coming into his
marriage chamber happened to have a fail, and died: this was the
destruction that came to Jerusalem.

2Esdr 10:49
And, behold, thou sawest her likeness, and because she
mourned for her son, thou begannest to comfort her: and of these
things which have chanced, these are to be opened unto thee.

2Esdr 10:50
For now the most High seeth that thou art grieved
unfeignedly, and sufferest from thy whole heart for her, so hath
he shewed thee the brightness of her glory, and the comeliness
of her beauty:

2Esdr 10:51
And therefore I bade thee remain in the field where no house
was builded:

2Esdr 10:52
For I knew that the Highest would shew this unto thee.

2Esdr 10:53
Therefore I commanded thee to go into the field, where no
foundation of any building was.

2Esdr 10:54
For in the place wherein the Highest beginneth to shew his
city, there can no man's building be able to stand.

2Esdr 10:55
And therefore fear not, let not thine heart be affrighted,
but go thy way in, and see the beauty and greatness of the
building, as much as thine eyes be able to see:

2Esdr 10:56
And then shalt thou hear as much as thine ears may
comprehend.

2Esdr 10:57
For thou art blessed above many other, and art called with
the Highest; and so are but few.

2Esdr 10:58
But to morrow at night thou shalt remain here;

2Esdr 10:59
And so shall the Highest shew thee visions of the high
things, which the most High will do unto them that dwell upon
the earth in the last days. So I slept that night and another,
like as he commanded me.