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And again he raised me to the fourth heaven, and the height from the third to the fourth heaven was greater than from the earth to the firmament.

And he raised me to the fifth heaven.

And the glory of those on the right hand was greater than that of those on the left [from the third to the fourth].

And I praised Him, who is not named and the Only-begotten who dwelleth in the heavens, whose name is not known to any flesh, who has bestowed such glory on the several heavens, and who makes great the glory of the angels, and more excellent the glory of Him who sitteth on the throne.

And I said to the angel who conducted me: 'What is this which I see, my lord?'

For it is He alone to whose voice all the heavens and thrones give answer. I have therefore been empowered and sent to raise thee here that thou mayest see this glory,

For it is He alone to whose voice all the heavens and thrones give answer. I have therefore been empowered and sent to raise thee here that thou mayest see this glory,

I indeed say unto thee, Isaiah; No man about to return into a body of that world has ascended or seen what thou seest or perceived what thou hast perceived and what thou wilt see.

For it has been permitted to thee in the lot of the Lord to come hither [and from thence comes the power of the sixth heaven and of the air].

For it has been permitted to thee in the lot of the Lord to come hither [and from thence comes the power of the sixth heaven and of the air].

And then thou wilt become equal to the angels of the seventh heaven.'

And (power) was given to me also, and I also praised along with them and that angel also, and our praise was like theirs.

And then, when I was in the sixth heaven I thought the light which I had seen in the five heavens to be but darkness.

And I besought the angel who conducted me that I should not henceforth return to the carnal world.

And the angel who conducted me discovered what I thought and said: 'If in this light thou dost rejoice, how much more wilt thou rejoice, when in the seventh heaven thou seest the light, where is the Lord and His Beloved [whence I have been sent, who is to be called "Son" in this world.

And when I trembled, behold I heard from hence another voice being sent forth, and saying: 'It is permitted to the holy Isaiah to ascend hither; for here is his garment.'

And when I trembled, behold I heard from hence another voice being sent forth, and saying: 'It is permitted to the holy Isaiah to ascend hither; for here is his garment.'

And I asked the angel who was with me and said: 'Who is he who forbade me and who is he who permitted me to ascend?'

Showed me a book, [but not as a book of this world] and he opened it, and the book was written, but not as a book of this world. And he gave (it) to me and I read it, and lo! the deeds of the children of Israel were written therein, and the deeds of those whom I know (not), my son Josab.

And I said to the angel: 'Whose are these garments and thrones and crowns?'

And after I had seen Him, all the righteous whom I had seen and also the angels whom I had seen came to Him. And Adam and Abel and Seth, and all the righteous first drew near and worshipped Him, and they all praised Him with one voice, and I myself also gave praise with them, and my giving of praise was as theirs.

And thereupon the angel who conducted me, said to me: 'Worship this One,' and I worshipped and praised.

And my Lord drew nigh to me and the angel of the Spirit and He said: 'See how it is given to thee to see God, and on thy account power is given to the angel who is with thee.'

And my Lord drew nigh to me and the angel of the Spirit and He said: 'See how it is given to thee to see God, and on thy account power is given to the angel who is with thee.'

And my Lord drew nigh to me and the angel of the Spirit and He said: 'See how it is given to thee to see God, and on thy account power is given to the angel who is with thee.'

And my Lord drew nigh to me and the angel of the Spirit and He said: 'See how it is given to thee to see God, and on thy account power is given to the angel who is with thee.'

And all were being sent up to that Glorious One whose glory I could not behold.

And I myself was hearing and beholding the praise (which was given) to Him.

And I heard the voice of the Most High the Father of my Lord saying to my Lord Christ who will be called Jesus:

'Go forth and descend through all the heavens, and thou wilt descend to the firmament and that world: to the angel in Sheol thou wilt descend, but to Haguel thou wilt not go.

'Go forth and descend through all the heavens, and thou wilt descend to the firmament and that world: to the angel in Sheol thou wilt descend, but to Haguel thou wilt not go.

'Go forth and descend through all the heavens, and thou wilt descend to the firmament and that world: to the angel in Sheol thou wilt descend, but to Haguel thou wilt not go.

And thou wilt be careful to become like the form of the angels of the firmament [and the angels also who are in Sheol].

And they shall not know that Thou art with Me, till with a loud voice I have called (to) the heavens, and their angels and their lights, (even) unto the sixth heaven, in order that you mayst judge and destroy the princes and angels and gods of that world, and the world that is dominated by them:

And afterwards from the angels of death Thou wilt ascend to Thy place, and Thou wilt not be transformed in each heaven, but in glory wilt Thou ascend and sit on My right hand.

These commands I heard the Great Glory giving to my Lord.

And those who kept the gate of the (third) heaven demanded the password, and the Lord gave (it) to them in order that He should not be recognized. And when they saw Him, they did not praise or laud Him; for His form was like unto their form.

And again I saw when He descended into the second heaven, and again He gave the password there; those who kept the gate proceeded to demand and the Lord to give.

And again I saw when He descended into the second heaven, and again He gave the password there; those who kept the gate proceeded to demand and the Lord to give.

And again I saw when He descended into the first heaven, and there also He gave the password to those who kept the gate, and He made Himself like unto the form of the angels who were on the left of that throne, and they neither praised nor lauded Him; for His form was like unto their form.

And again He descended into the firmament where dwelleth the ruler of this world, and He gave the password to those on the left, and His form was like theirs, and they did not praise Him there; but they were envying one another and fighting; for here there is a power of evil and envying about trifles.

And He gave no password; for one was plundering and doing violence to another.

And I indeed saw a woman of the family of David the prophet, named Mary, a Virgin, and she was espoused to a man named Joseph, a carpenter, and he also was of the seed and family of the righteous David of Bethlehem Judah.

And he came into his lot. And when she was espoused, she was found with child, and Joseph the carpenter was desirous to put her away.

But the angel of the Spirit appeared in this world, and after that Joseph did not put her away, but kept Mary and did not reveal this matter to any one.

It came to pass that when they were alone that Mary straightway looked with her eyes and saw a small babe, and she was astonied.

And a voice came to them: 'Tell this vision to no one.'

And a voice came to them: 'Tell this vision to no one.'

And many said: 'She has not borne a child, nor has a midwife gone up (to her), nor have we heard the cries of (labour) pains.' And they were all blinded respecting Him and they all knew regarding Him, though they knew not whence He was.

And they took Him, and went to Nazareth in Galilee.

And I saw, O Hezekiah and Josab my son, and I declare to the other prophets also who are standing by, that (this) hath escaped all the heavens and all the princes and all the gods of this world.

And after this the adversary envied Him and roused the children of Israel against Him, not knowing who He was, and they delivered Him to the king, and crucified Him, and He descended to the angel (of Sheol).

And after this the adversary envied Him and roused the children of Israel against Him, not knowing who He was, and they delivered Him to the king, and crucified Him, and He descended to the angel (of Sheol).

These things Isaiah saw and told unto all that stood before him, and they praised. And he spake to Hezekiah the King and said: 'I have spoken these things.'

And Isaiah made him swear that he would not tell (it) to the people of Israel, nor give these words to any man to transcribe.

And Isaiah made him swear that he would not tell (it) to the people of Israel, nor give these words to any man to transcribe.

And Isaiah made him swear that he would not tell (it) to the people of Israel, nor give these words to any man to transcribe.

And all these things Hezekiah delivered to Manasseh in the twenty-sixth year.

THE story of Haiqar the Wise, Vizier of Sennacherib the King, and of Nadan, sister's son to Haiqar the Sage.

And he was very sad on account of this, and one day he assembled the astrologers and the learned men and the wizards and explained to them his condition and the matter of his barrenness.

And they said to him, 'Go, sacrifice to the gods and beseech them that perchance they may provide thee with a boy.'

And they said to him, 'Go, sacrifice to the gods and beseech them that perchance they may provide thee with a boy.'

And he did as they told him and offered sacrifices to the idols, and besought them and implored them with request, and entreaty.

I beseech Thee to give me a boy, that I may be consoled by him that he may be present at my heath, that he may close my eyes, and that he may bury me.'

Then there came to him a voice saying, 'Inasmuch as thou hast relied first of all on graven images, and hast offered sacrifices to them, for this reason thou shalt remain childless thy life long.

Then there came to him a voice saying, 'Inasmuch as thou hast relied first of all on graven images, and hast offered sacrifices to them, for this reason thou shalt remain childless thy life long.

Thereupon he took Nadan his sister's son, who was a little suckling. And he handed him over to eight wet-nurses, that they might suckle him and bring him up.

And after many days King Sennacherib looked at Haiqar and saw that he had grown very old, and moreover he said to him.

Tell me who shall have a place in my service after thee.' And Haiqar said to him, 'O my lord, may thy head live for ever! There is Nadan my sister's son, I have made him my child.

And the king said to him, 'O Haiqar! bring him to my presence, that I may see him, and if I find him suitable, put him in thy place; and thou shalt go thy way, to take a rest and to live the remainder of thy life in sweet repose.'

And the king said to him, 'O Haiqar! bring him to my presence, that I may see him, and if I find him suitable, put him in thy place; and thou shalt go thy way, to take a rest and to live the remainder of thy life in sweet repose.'

And the king said to him, 'O Haiqar! bring him to my presence, that I may see him, and if I find him suitable, put him in thy place; and thou shalt go thy way, to take a rest and to live the remainder of thy life in sweet repose.'

And the king said to him, 'O Haiqar! bring him to my presence, that I may see him, and if I find him suitable, put him in thy place; and thou shalt go thy way, to take a rest and to live the remainder of thy life in sweet repose.'

And he looked at him and admired him and rejoiced in him and said to Haiqar: 'Is this thy son, O Haiqar? I pray that God may preserve him. And as thou hast served me and my father Sarhadum so may this boy of thine serve me and fulfil my undertakings, my needs, and my business, so that I may honour him and make him powerful for thy sake.'

And Haiqar did obeisance to the king and said to him, 'May thy head live, O my lord the king, for ever! I seek from thee that thou mayst be patient with my boy Nadan and forgive his mistakes that he may serve thee as it is fitting.'

And Haiqar did obeisance to the king and said to him, 'May thy head live, O my lord the king, for ever! I seek from thee that thou mayst be patient with my boy Nadan and forgive his mistakes that he may serve thee as it is fitting.'

Then the king swore to him that he would make him the greatest of his favourites, and the most powerful of his friends, and that he should be with him in all honour and respect. And he kissed his hands and bade him farewell.

O my son! if thou hearest a word, let it die in thy heart, and reveal it not to another, lest it become a live coal and burn thy tongue and cause a pain in thy body, and thou gain a reproach, and art shamed before God and man.

O my son! make thy eloquence easy to the listener, and be not hasty to return an answer.

O my son! make thy eloquence easy to the listener, and be not hasty to return an answer.

O my son! desire not a woman bedizened with dress and with ointments, who is despicable and silly in her soul. Woe o thee if thou bestow on her anything that is thine, or commit to her what is in thine hand and she entice thee into sin, and God be wroth with thee.

O my son! cleave to wise men who fear God and be like them, and go not near the ignorant, lest thou become like him and learn his ways.

O my son! be not neighbour to the fool, and eat not bread with him, and rejoice not in the calamities of thy neighbours. [*1] If thine enemy wrong thee, show him kindness.

O my son! if a man approach thee who is inferior to thyself, go forward to meet him, and remain standing, and if he cannot recompense thee, his Lord will recompense thee for him.

O my son! if a man approach thee who is inferior to thyself, go forward to meet him, and remain standing, and if he cannot recompense thee, his Lord will recompense thee for him.

O my son! spare not to beat thy son, for the drubbing of thy son is like manure to the garden, and like tying the mouth of a purse, and like the tethering of beasts, and like the bolting of the door.

O my son! spare not to beat thy son, for the drubbing of thy son is like manure to the garden, and like tying the mouth of a purse, and like the tethering of beasts, and like the bolting of the door.

O my son! get thee a fat ox with a foreskin, and an ass great with its hoofs, and get not an ox with large horns, nor make friends with a tricky man, nor get a quarrelsome slave, nor a thievish handmaid, for everything which thou committest to them they will ruin.

O my son! be not one of those servants, to whom their lords say, "Get away from us," but be one of those to whom they say, "Approach and come near to us."

O my son! be not one of those servants, to whom their lords say, "Get away from us," but be one of those to whom they say, "Approach and come near to us."

O my son! be not one of those servants, to whom their lords say, "Get away from us," but be one of those to whom they say, "Approach and come near to us."

O my son! caress not thy slave in the presence of his companion, for thou knowest not which of them shall be of most value to thee in the end.

O my son! be not afraid of thy Lord who created thee, lest He be silent to thee.

O my son! make thy speech fair and sweeten thy tongue; and permit not thy companion to tread on thy foot, lest he tread at another time on thy breast.

O my son! if thou send a wise man for thy needs, do not give him many orders, for he will do thy business as thou desirest: and if thou send a fool, do not order him, but go thyself and do thy business, for if thou order him, he will not do what thou desirest. If they send thee on business, hasten to fulfil it quickly.

O my son! make trial of thy son, and of thy servant, before thou committest thy belongings to them, lest they make away with them; for he who hath a full hand is called wise, even if he be stupid and ignorant, and he who hath an empty hand is called poor, ignorant, even if he be the prince of sages.

O my son! teach not to the ignorant the language of wise men, for it will be burdensome to him.

O my son! teach not to the ignorant the language of wise men, for it will be burdensome to him.

O my son! display not thy condition to thy friend, lest thou be despised by him.

O my child! the thigh of a frog in thy hand is better than a goose in the pot of thy neighbour; and a sheep near thee is better than an ox far away; and a sparrow in thy hand is better than a thousand sparrows flying; [*1] and poverty which gathers is better than the scattering of much provision; and a living fox is better than a dead lion; and a pound of wool is better than a pound of wealth, I mean of gold and silver; for the gold and the silver are hidden and covered up in the earth, and are not seen; but the wool stays in the markets and it is seen, and it is a beauty to him who wears it.