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And sending forth he called all the princes of Persia and Media, and the governors, and the captains, and the lieutenants, and the chief officers;

And he said, Call the young men, and they shall declare their own sentences. So they were called, and came in.

And he said unto them, Declare unto us your mind concerning the writings. Then began the first, who had spoken of the strength of wine;

And he said thus, O ye men, how exceeding strong is wine! it causeth all men to err that drink it:

O ye men, is not wine the strongest, that enforceth to do thus? And when he had so spoken, he held his peace.

O ye men, is not wine the strongest, that enforceth to do thus? And when he had so spoken, he held his peace.

But yet the king is more mighty: for he is lord of all these things, and hath dominion over them; and whatsoever he commandeth them they do.

But yet the king is more mighty: for he is lord of all these things, and hath dominion over them; and whatsoever he commandeth them they do.

If he bid them make war the one against the other, they do it: if he send them out against the enemies, they go, and break down mountains walls and towers.

If he bid them make war the one against the other, they do it: if he send them out against the enemies, they go, and break down mountains walls and towers.

And yet he is but one man: if he command to kill, they kill; if he command to spare, they spare;

And yet he is but one man: if he command to kill, they kill; if he command to spare, they spare;

And yet he is but one man: if he command to kill, they kill; if he command to spare, they spare;

If he command to smite, they smite; if he command to make desolate, they make desolate; if he command to build, they build;

If he command to smite, they smite; if he command to make desolate, they make desolate; if he command to build, they build;

If he command to smite, they smite; if he command to make desolate, they make desolate; if he command to build, they build;

If he command to cut down, they cut down; if he command to plant, they plant.

If he command to cut down, they cut down; if he command to plant, they plant.

So all his people and his armies obey him: furthermore he lieth down, he eateth and drinketh, and taketh his rest:

So all his people and his armies obey him: furthermore he lieth down, he eateth and drinketh, and taketh his rest:

O ye men, how should not the king be mightiest, when in such sort he is obeyed? And he held his tongue.

O ye men, how should not the king be mightiest, when in such sort he is obeyed? And he held his tongue.

He sticketh not to spend his life with his wife, and remembereth neither father, nor mother, nor country.

And looketh upon a lion, and goeth in the darkness; and when he hath stolen, spoiled, and robbed, he bringeth it to his love.

And looketh upon a lion, and goeth in the darkness; and when he hath stolen, spoiled, and robbed, he bringeth it to his love.

And yet for all this the king gaped and gazed upon her with open mouth: if she laughed upon him, he laughed also: but if she took any displeasure at him, the king was fain to flatter, that she might be reconciled to him again.

Then the king and the princes looked one upon another: so he began to speak of the truth.

O ye men, are not women strong? great is the earth, high is the heaven, swift is the sun in his course, for he compasseth the heavens round about, and fetcheth his course again to his own place in one day.

Is he not great that maketh these things? therefore great is the truth, and stronger than all things.

And with that he held his peace. And all the people then shouted, and said, Great is Truth, and mighty above all things.

Then said he unto the king, Remember thy vow, which thou hast vowed to build Jerusalem, in the day when thou camest to thy kingdom,

And to send away all the vessels that were taken away out of Jerusalem, which Cyrus set apart, when he vowed to destroy Babylon, and to send them again thither.

He wrote letters also unto the lieutenants that were in Celosyria and Phenice, and unto them in Libanus, that they should bring cedar wood from Libanus unto Jerusalem, and that they should build the city with him.

Moreover he wrote for all the Jews that went out of his realm up into Jewry, concerning their freedom, that no officer, no ruler, no lieutenant, nor treasurer, should forcibly enter into their doors;

He wrote also concerning the charges, and the priests’ vestments wherein they minister;

And he commanded to give to all that kept the city pensions and wages.

He sent away also all the vessels from Babylon, that Cyrus had set apart; and all that Cyrus had given in commandment, the same charged he also to be done, and sent unto Jerusalem.

He sent away also all the vessels from Babylon, that Cyrus had set apart; and all that Cyrus had given in commandment, the same charged he also to be done, and sent unto Jerusalem.

Now when this young man was gone forth, he lifted up his face to heaven toward Jerusalem, and praised the King of heaven,

And so he took the letters, and went out, and came unto Babylon, and told it all his brethren.

And they praised the God of their fathers, because he had given them freedom and liberty

And all their brethren played, and he made them go up together with them.

But when our fathers provoked God unto wrath, and sinned against the Lord of Israel which is in heaven, he gave them over into the power of Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, of the Chaldees;

With commandment that he should carry away the same vessels, and put them in the temple at Jerusalem; and that the temple of the Lord should be built in his place.

And also he commanded that Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phenice, and Sathrabuzanes, and their companions, and those which were appointed rulers in Syria and Phenice, should be careful not to meddle with the place, but suffer Zorobabel, the servant of the Lord, and governor of Judea, and the elders of the Jews, to build the house of the Lord in that place.

And he commanded that whosoever should transgress, yea, or make light of any thing afore spoken or written, out of his own house should a tree be taken, and he thereon be hanged, and all his goods seized for the king.

And he commanded that whosoever should transgress, yea, or make light of any thing afore spoken or written, out of his own house should a tree be taken, and he thereon be hanged, and all his goods seized for the king.

For that he had turned the counsel of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the works of the Lord God of Israel.

And the king did him honour: for he found grace in his sight in all his requests.

For Esdras had very great skill, so that he omitted nothing of the law and commandments of the Lord, but taught all Israel the ordinances and judgments.

Yea, when we were in bondage, we were not forsaken of our Lord; but he made us gracious before the kings of Persia, so that they gave us food;

And they spake unto Esdras the priest and reader, that he would bring the law of Moses, that was given of the Lord God of Israel.

And he read in the broad court before the holy porch from morning unto midday, before both men and women; and the multitude gave heed unto the law.

Then took Esdras the book of the law before the multitude: for he sat honourably in the first place in the sight of them all.

And when he opened the law, they stood all straight up. So Esdras blessed the Lord God most High, the God of hosts, Almighty.

The son of Achias, the son of Phinees, the son of Heli, the son of Amarias, the son of Aziei, the son of Marimoth, the son of And he spake unto the of Borith, the son of Abisei, the son of Phinees, the son of Eleazar,

Am not I even he that brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage? but they have provoked me unto wrath, and despised my counsels.

And therefore I say unto you, O ye heathen, 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.

And therefore I say unto you, O ye heathen, 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.

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; which I marvelled at greatly.

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.

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.

And gavest a body unto Adam without soul, which was the workmanship of thine hands, and didst breathe into him the breath of life, and he was made living before thee.

And unto him thou gavest commandment to love thy way: which he transgressed, and immediately thou appointedst death in him and in his generations, of whom came nations, tribes, people, and kindreds, out of number.

Then said I, Yea, my lord. And he answered me, and said, I am sent to shew thee three ways, and to set forth three similitudes before thee:

And I said, Tell on, my lord. Then said he unto me, Go thy way, weigh me the weight of the fire, or measure me the blast of the wind, or call me again the day that is past.

And he said unto me, If I should ask thee how great dwellings are in the midst of the sea, or how many springs are in the beginning of the deep, or how many springs are above the firmament, or which are the outgoings of paradise:

He said moreover unto me, Thine own things, and such as are grown up with thee, canst thou not know;

He answered me, and said, I went into a forest into a plain, and the trees took counsel,

Then answered he me, and said, Thou hast given a right judgment, but why judgest thou not thyself also?

For like as the ground is given unto the wood, and the sea to his floods: even so they that dwell upon the earth may understand nothing but that which is upon the earth: and he that dwelleth above the heavens may only understand the things that are above the height of the heavens.

What will he then do unto his name whereby we are called? of these things have I asked.

Then answered he me, and said, The more thou searchest, the more thou shalt marvel; for the world hasteth fast to pass away,

And he answered me, saying, Do not thou hasten above the most Highest: for thy haste is in vain to be above him, for thou hast much exceeded.

And unto these things Uriel the archangel gave them answer, and said, Even when the number of seeds is filled in you: for he hath weighed the world in the balance.

By measure hath he measured the times; and by number hath he numbered the times; and he doth not move nor stir them, until the said measure be fulfilled.

By measure hath he measured the times; and by number hath he numbered the times; and he doth not move nor stir them, until the said measure be fulfilled.

By measure hath he measured the times; and by number hath he numbered the times; and he doth not move nor stir them, until the said measure be fulfilled.

So he answered me, and said, Go thy way to a woman with child, and ask of her when she hath fulfilled her nine months, if her womb may keep the birth any longer within her.

Then said I, No, Lord, that can she not. And he said unto me, In the grave the chambers of souls are like the womb of a woman:

And he said unto me, Stand up upon the right side, and I shall expound the similitude unto thee.

Then said he unto me, Consider with thyself; as the rain is more than the drops, and as the fire is greater than the smoke; but the drops and the smoke remain behind: so the quantity which is past did more exceed.

He answered me, and said, As for the tokens whereof thou askest me, I may tell thee of them in part: but as touching thy life, I am not sent to shew thee; for I do not know it.

And even he shall rule, whom they look not for that dwell upon the earth, and the fowls shall take their flight away together:

Then said I unto him, Go thy ways from me, and come not nigh me. And he heard what I said, and went from me.

And I said, Speak on, my Lord. Then said he unto me, Thou art sore troubled in mind for Israel’s sake: lovest thou that people better than he that made them?

And I said, Speak on, my Lord. Then said he unto me, Thou art sore troubled in mind for Israel’s sake: lovest thou that people better than he that made them?

And he said unto me, Thou canst not. And I said, Wherefore, Lord? whereunto was I born then? or why was not my mother’s womb then my grave, that I might not have seen the travail of Jacob, and the wearisome toil of the stock of Israel?

And he said unto me, Number me the things that are not yet come, gather me together the dross that are scattered abroad, make me the flowers green again that are withered,

And I said, O Lord that bearest rule, who may know these things, but he that hath not his dwelling with men?

Then said he unto me, Like as thou canst do none of these things that I have spoken of, even so canst thou not find out my judgment, or in the end the love that I have promised unto my people.

And he said unto me, I will liken my judgment unto a ring: like as there is no slackness of the last, even so there is no swiftness of the first.

Then answered he me, and said, The creature may not haste above the maker; neither may the world hold them at once that shall be created therein.

And he said unto me, Ask the womb of a woman, and say unto her, If thou bringest forth children, why dost thou it not together, but one after another? pray her therefore to bring forth ten children at once.

Then said he unto me, Even so have I given the womb of the earth to those that be sown in it in their times.

He answered me, and said, Ask a woman that beareth children, and she shall tell thee.

And he said unto me, In the beginning, when the earth was made, before the borders of the world stood, or ever the winds blew,

And he said unto me, From Abraham unto Isaac, when Jacob and Esau were born of him, Jacob’s hand held first the heel of Esau.

So he answered and said unto me, Stand up upon thy feet, and hear a mighty sounding voice.

And when he talked with me, behold, I looked by little and little upon him before whom I stood.