The Bible and Holy Scriptures conteyned in the Olde and Newe Testament. Translated according to the Ebrue and Greke, and conferred with the best translations in diuers languges. VVith moste profitable annotations vpon all the hard places, and other things of great importance as may appeare in the epistle to the reader

CHAP. IIII.

5 The Angel reproueth Esdras, because he semed to entre into the profunde iudgements of God.

1 ANd the Angel that was sent vnto me, whose name was Vriel, answered,

2 And said, Thine heart hathe taken to much vpon it in this worlde, and thou thinkest to comprehende the wayes of the Hiest.

3 Then said I, Yea, my lord. And he answered me, and said, I am sent to shewe thee thre wayes, and to set forthe thre similitudes be∣fore thee,

4 Where of if thou canst declare me one, I wil shewe thee also the way, that thou desirest to se, and I wil shewe thee from whence the wicked heart cometh.

5 And I said, Tell on, my lord. Then said he vn∣to me, Go thy way: weigh me the weight of the fyre, or measure me the blast of the wind or call me againe the daye that is past.

6 Then answered I, & said, What man is borne that can do that, which thou requirest me, cō cerning these things?

7 And he said vnto me, If I shulde aske thee how deepe dwellings are in the middes of the sea, or how great springs are in the begin ning of the depth, or how great springs are in the stretchyng out of the heauen, or whi∣che are the borders of Paradise,

8 Peraduenture thou woldest saye vnto me, I neuer went downe to the depe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nor yet to the hell, nether dyd I euer clime vp to heauen.

9 But now haue I asked thee but of fyre and winde, & of the day, whereby thou hast pas∣sed, and from the which things thou canst not be separated, and yet canst thou giue me none answer of them.

10 He said moreouer vnto me, Thine owne things, and suche as are growen vp with thee canst thou not knowe:

11 How 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thy vessel then be able to com∣prehend the wayes of the Hiest, and now out wardly in the corrupt worlde, to vnder∣stand the corruption, that is euident in my sight?

12 Then said I vnto him, It were better that we were not at all, then that we shulde liue in wickednes, and to suffer, and not to knowe wherefore.

13 And he answered me, and said, * I came to a forest in the plaine where the trees helde a counsel,

14 And said, Come, let vs go fight against the sea, that it may giue place to vs, and that we may make vs more woods,

15 Like wise the floods of the sea toke counsel and said, Come, let vs go vp and fight against the trees of the wood, that we may get ano∣ther countrey for vs.

16 But the purpose of the wood was vaine: for the fyre came and consumed it.

17 Likewise also the purpose of the floods of the sea: for the sand stode vp and stopped them.

18 If thou were iudge betwene these two, who me woldest thou iustifie, or whome woldest thou condemne?

19 I answered and said, Verely it is a foolish pur pose, that they bothe haue deuised: for the grounde is appointed for the wood, and the sea hathe his place to be are his floods.

20 Then answered he me, and said, Thou hast giuē a right iudgemēt: but why iudgest thou not thy self also?

21 For like as the grounde is appointed for the wood, and the sea for his floods, so * they that dwell vpon earth, can vnderstand nothing, but that which is vpon earth: and they that are in the heauens, the things that are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the height of the heauens.

22 Then answered I, and said, I beseche thee, ô Lord, let vnderstanding be giuen me.

23 For I did not purpose to inquire of thine hie things, but of suche as we dayely medle with all, (namely) wherefore Israel is made a re∣proche to the heathen, and for what cause the people, whome thou hast loued, is giuen ouer to wicked naciōs, and why the Law of

our fathers is abolished, and the writen ce∣remonies are come to none effect.

24 Why we are tossed to and fro through the worlde as the greshoppes, and our life is a ve ry feare, and we are not thoght worthie to obteine mercie.

25 But what wil 〈◊〉〈◊〉 do to his Name, whiche is called vpon 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vs? Of these things haue I asked the question.

26 Then answered he me, and said, The more thou searchest, the more thou shalt maruelt for the worlde hasteth fast to passe away.

27 And can not comprehend the things, that are promised to the righteous in time to co∣me: for this worlde is full of vnrighteousnes and weakenes.

28 But to declare thee the things wherof thou a kest, the euil is sowen, but the destruction thereof is not yet come.

29 If the euil now that is sower, be not turned vp side downe, and if the place where the euil is so wen, passe not away, then can not the thing come, that is sowen with good.

30 For the corne of euyll sede hathe bene sowen in the heart of Adam from the begin∣nyng, and how muche vngodlines hathe he broght vp vnto this time? and how muche shal he bring forth vntil the haruest come?

31 Pondre with thy self, howe muche frute of wickednes the corne of euill sede bringeth forthe.

32 And when the stalkes shalbe cut downe, whiche are without nomber, how great an haruest must be prepared.

33 Then I answered, and said, How, and when shall these things come to passe? where sore are our yeres fewe and euil?

34 And he answered me, saying, Haste not to be aboue the moste High: for thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in vaine to be aboue him, thogh thou inde∣uer neuer so muche.

35 Did not the soules also of the righteous aske question of these things in their chambers, saying, How long shal I thus hope? and when cometh the frute of my barne ād our wages?

36 And vpon this Ieremiel the Archangel an∣swered, and said, Whē the nomber of the se∣des is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in you: for he hathe weighed the worlde in the balance.

37 The measure of the times is measured: the ages are counted by nomber, and they shall not be moued or shaken, till the measure thereof be fulfilled.

38 Then answered I, and said, O Lord, Lord, we are all euen full of sinne.

39 And for our sake paraduenture the haruest of the righteous is not fulfilled, because of the sinne of them that dwel vpon earth.

40 So he answered me, and said, Go, and aske a woman with childe, when she hathe fulfil∣led her nine moneths, if her wombe may ke∣pe the birth anie longer within her.

41 Then said I, No, Lord, she can not. And he said vnto me, In the graue the places of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are like the wombe.

42 For as she that is with childe, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to es∣cape the necessitie of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, so do these places hast to deliuer those thyngs that are committed vnto them.

43 That which thou desirest to se, shalbe shew 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thee from the beginning.

44 Then answered I, and said, If I haue founde grace in thy sight, and if 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be possible, and if I be mete therefore.

45 She we me whether there be more to come then is past, or more thyngs past, then are to come.

46 What is past, I knowe, but what is to come, I knowe not.

47 And he said vnto me, Stād on the right side, and I wil expounde thee this by example.

48 So I stode, and beholde, a whote burnyng ouen passed before me: and when the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was gone by, I loked, and beholde, the smoke had the vpper hand.

49 After this there passed before me a waterie cloude, and sent downe muche 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with a storme: and when the stormie raine was past, the droppes came after.

50 Then said he vnto me, Consider with tly selfe, as the raine is more then the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and as fyre 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the smoke, so the por cion that is past, hathe the vpper hand, and the droppes and the smoke were muche.

51 Then I praied, and said, Maie I liue, thinkest thou vntil that time? or what shall come to passe in those daies?

52 He aunswered me, and sayd, Of the tokens wherof thou ask est me, I can tel thee a part: but I am not sent to shewe thee of thy life: for I do not knowe it.

Notes

• Iudg 9, 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• 2. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Isa, 55. 8.
• Iohn. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 32.
• 1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 2, 〈◊〉〈◊〉.