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.