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Then asked we these elders, saying, By whose commandment build ye this house, and lay the foundations of these works?

So they gave us this answer, We are the servants of the Lord which made heaven and earth.

And as for this house, it was builded many years ago by a king of Israel great and strong, and was finished.

But in the first year that king Cyrus reigned over the country of Babylon Cyrus the king wrote to build up this house.

Then the same Sanabassarus, being come hither, laid the foundations of the house of the Lord at Jerusalem; and from that time to this being still a building, it is not yet fully ended.

This Esdras went up from Babylon, as a scribe, being very ready in the law of Moses, that was given by the God of Israel.

In the seventh year of the reign of Artexerxes, in the fifth month, this was the king’s seventh year; for they went from Babylon in the first day of the first month, and came to Jerusalem, according to the prosperous journey which the Lord gave them.

Now the copy of the commission, which was written from Artexerxes the king, and came to Esdras the priest and reader of the law of the Lord, is this that followeth;

I command you also, that ye require no tax, nor any other imposition, of any of the priests, or Levites, or holy singers, or porters, or ministers of the temple, or of any that have doings in this temple, and that no man have authority to impose any thing upon them.

For both they and their sons have married with their daughters, and the holy seed is mixed with the strange people of the land; and from the beginning of this matter the rulers and the great men have been partakers of this iniquity.

For both they and their sons have married with their daughters, and the holy seed is mixed with the strange people of the land; and from the beginning of this matter the rulers and the great men have been partakers of this iniquity.

For ever since the time of our fathers we have been and are in great sin, even unto this day.

And for our sins and our fathers’ we with our brethren and our kings and our priests were given up unto the kings of the earth, to the sword, and to captivity, and for a prey with shame, unto this day.

O Lord of Israel, thou art true: for we are left a root this day.

Arise and put in execution: for to thee doth this matter appertain, and we will be with thee: do valiantly.

But forasmuch as the people are many, and it is foul weather, so that we cannot stand without, and this is not a work of a day or two, seeing our sin in these things is spread far:

And with them the rulers and judges of every place, till we turn away the wrath of the Lord from us for this matter.

Then Jonathan the son of Azael and Ezechias the son of Theocanus accordingly took this matter upon them: and Mosollam and Levis and Sabbatheus helped them.

This day is holy unto the Lord; (for they all wept when they heard the law:)

For this day is holy unto the Lord: and be not sorrowful; for the Lord will bring you to honour.

So the Levites published all things to the people, saying, This day is holy to the Lord; be not sorrowful.

And triumphed not in my name for the destruction of your enemies, but ever to this day do ye yet murmur.

Saying, Why hast thou brought us into this wilderness to kill us? it had been better for us to have served the Egyptians, than to die in this wilderness.

Saying, Why hast thou brought us into this wilderness to kill us? it had been better for us to have served the Egyptians, than to die in this wilderness.

Thus saith the Lord, I brought this people out of bondage, and I gave them my commandments by menservants the prophets; whom they would not hear, but despised my counsels.

Flee the shadow of this world, receive the joyfulness of your glory: I testify my Saviour openly.

When this was done many years, then they that inhabited the city forsook thee,

For when I came thither, and had seen impieties without number, then my soul saw many evildoers in this thirtieth year, so that my heart failed me.

I do not remember how this way may be left: Are they then of Babylon better than they of Sion?

And said, Thy heart hath gone to far in this world, and thinkest thou to comprehend the way of the most High?

And cannot comprehend the things that are promised to the righteous in time to come: for this world is full of unrighteousness and infirmities.

For the grain of evil seed hath been sown in the heart of Adam from the beginning, and how much ungodliness hath it brought up unto this time? and how much shall it yet bring forth until the time of threshing come?

Did not the souls also of the righteous ask question of these things in their chambers, saying, How long shall I hope on this fashion? when cometh the fruit of the floor of our reward?

After this there passed by before me a watery cloud, and sent down much rain with a storm; and when the stormy rain was past, the drops remained still.

And among all the multitudes of people thou hast gotten thee one people: and unto this people, whom thou lovedst, thou gavest a law that is approved of all.

And now, O Lord, why hast thou given this one people over unto many? and upon the one root hast thou prepared others, and why hast thou scattered thy only one people among many?

And it came to pass after this, that I wept again, and fasted seven days in like manner, that I might fulfil the three weeks which he told me.

For immediately there was great and innumerable fruit, and many and divers pleasures for the taste, and flowers of unchangeable colour, and odours of wonderful smell: and this was done the third day.

All this have I spoken before thee, O Lord, because thou madest the world for our sakes

If the world now be made for our sakes, why do we not possess an inheritance with the world? how long shall this endure?

If this city now were given unto a man for an inheritance, if he never shall pass the danger set before it, how shall he receive this inheritance?

If this city now were given unto a man for an inheritance, if he never shall pass the danger set before it, how shall he receive this inheritance?

Then were the entrances of this world made narrow, full of sorrow and travail: they are but few and evil, full of perils,: and very painful.

Why hast thou not considered in thy mind this thing that is to come, rather than that which is present?

For there be many that perish in this life, because they despise the law of God that is set before them.

He answered me, and said, This present life is not the end where much glory doth abide; therefore have they prayed for the weak.

But the day of doom shall be the end of this time, and the beginning of the immortality for to come, wherein corruption is past,

I answered then and said, This is my first and last saying, that it had been better not to have given the earth unto Adam: or else, when it was given him, to have restrained him from sinning.

For what profit is it for men now in this present time to live in heaviness, and after death to look for punishment?

Then answered he me, and said, This is the condition of the battle, which man that is born upon the earth shall fight;

For this is the life whereof Moses spake unto the people while he lived, saying, Choose thee life, that thou mayest live.

And he answered me, saying, The most High hath made this world for many, but the world to come for few.

I will tell thee a similitude, Esdras; As when thou askest the earth, it shall say unto thee, that it giveth much mould whereof earthen vessels are made, but little dust that gold cometh of: even so is the course of this present world.

Therefore hear my voice, and understand my words, and I shall speak before thee. This is the beginning of the words of Esdras, before he was taken up: and I said,

For in this, O Lord, thy righteousness and thy goodness shall be declared, if thou be merciful unto them which have not the confidence of good works.

In this also thou art marvellous before the most High:

For then every one obeyed: but now the manners of them which are created in this world that is made are corrupted by a perpetual seed, and by a law which is unsearchable rid themselves.

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.

Now therefore I beseech thee that thou wilt shew thy servant of this vision.

This therefore is the meaning of the vision which thou lately sawest:

And whereas she told thee of the death of her son, this is the solution:

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

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.

For I knew that the Highest would shew this unto thee.

Hear thou that hast borne rule over the earth so long: this I say unto thee, before thou beginnest to appear no more,

After this I looked, and, behold, the twelve feathers appeared no more, nor the two little feathers:

But this head put the whole earth in fear, and bare rule in it over all those that dwelt upon the earth with much oppression; and it had the governance of the world more than all the wings that had been.

And after this I beheld, and, lo, the head that was in the midst suddenly appeared no more, like as the wings.

Lo, this hast thou done unto me, in that thou searchest out the ways of the Highest.

Lo, yet am I weary in my mind, and very weak in my spirit; and little strength is there in me, for the great fear wherewith I was afflicted this night.

Comfort me then, and shew me thy servant the interpretation and plain difference of this fearful vision, that thou mayest perfectly comfort my soul.

And he said unto me, This is the interpretation of the vision:

And this do the twelve wings signify, which thou sawest.

As for the voice which thou heardest speak, and that thou sawest not to go out from the heads but from the midst of the body thereof, this is the interpretation:

And whereas thou sawest the eight small under feathers sticking to her wings, this is the interpretation:

And whereas thou sawest three heads resting, this is the interpretation:

It signifieth that these are they, whom the Highest hath kept unto their end: this is the small kingdom and full of trouble, as thou sawest.

This is the anointed, which the Highest hath kept for them and for their wickedness unto the end: he shall reprove them, and shall upbraid them with their cruelty.

This is the dream that thou sawest, and these are the interpretations.

Thou only hast been meet to know this secret of the Highest.

What have we offended thee? and what evil have we done against thee, that thou forsakest us, and sittest here in this place?

As for me, I have not forsaken you, neither am I departed from you: but am come into this place, to pray for the desolation of Sion, and that I might seek mercy for the low estate of your sanctuary.

And after this I beheld, and, lo, there was gathered together a multitude of men, out of number, from the four winds of the heaven, to subdue the man that came out of the sea

And after this I beheld, and, lo, all they which were gathered together to subdue him were sore afraid, and yet durst fight.

And they were all mixed together; the blast of fire, the flaming breath, and the great tempest; and fell with violence upon the multitude which was prepared to fight, and burned them up every one, so that upon a sudden of an innumerable multitude nothing was to be perceived, but only dust and smell of smoke: when I saw this I was afraid.

Shew me now yet the interpretation of this dream.

Whereas thou hast spoken of them that are left behind, this is the interpretation:

Know this therefore, that they which be left behind are more blessed than they that be dead.

This is the meaning of the vision: Whereas thou sawest a man coming up from the midst of the sea:

And that he held neither sword, nor any instrument of war, but that the rushing in of him destroyed the whole multitude that came to subdue him; this is the interpretation:

And this my Son shall rebuke the wicked inventions of those nations, which for their wicked life are fallen into the tempest;

But they took this counsel among themselves, that they would leave the multitude of the heathen, and go forth into a further country, where never mankind dwelt,

Then said I, O Lord that bearest rule, shew me this: Wherefore have I seen the man coming up from the midst of the sea?

This is the interpretation of the dream which thou sawest, and whereby thou only art here lightened.

And when thou hast done, some things shalt thou publish, and some things shalt thou shew secretly to the wise: to morrow this hour shalt thou begin to write.

Like as they do yet this day unto my chosen, so will I do also, and recompense in their bosom. Thus saith the Lord God;

But Dositheus, called the son of Drimulus, by birth a Jew, afterward a renegade from the laws and observances of his country, conveyed Ptolemy away, and made an obscure person lie down in his stead in the tent. It turned out that this man received the fate which was meant for the other.

Having vanquished this attempt, the king then decided to proceed to the neighboring cities, and encourage them.

By doing this, and by making donations to their temples, he inspired his subjects with confidence.

When they told him that this was not permissible, none of the nation, not even the priests in general, but only the supreme high priest of all, and he only once in a year, was allowed to go in, he would by no means give way.