Apocryphal books (Old Testament); Enoch (Biblical figure); Ethiopic book of Enoch -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.
XIV. 1. The book of the words of righteousness, and of the reprimand of
the eternal Watchers in accordance with the command of the Holy Great
One in that vision. 2. I saw in my sleep what I will now say with a
tongue of flesh and with the breath of my mouth: which the Great One has
given to men to converse therewith and understand with the heart. 3. As
He hath created and given 〚to man the power of understanding the word of
wisdom, so hath He created me also and given〛 me the power of
reprimanding the Watchers, the children of heaven. 4. I wrote out your
petition, and in my vision it appeared thus, that your petition will not
be granted unto you 〚throughout all the days of eternity, and that
judgement has been finally passed upon you: yea (your petition) will not
be granted unto you〛. 5. And from henceforth you shall not ascend into
heaven unto all eternity, and ⌜in bonds⌝ of the earth the decree has
gone forth to bind you for all the days of the world. 6. And (that)
previously you shall have seen the destruction of your beloved sons and
you shall have no pleasure in them, but they shall fall before you by
the sword. 7. And your petition on their behalf shall not be granted,
nor yet on your own: even though you weep and pray and =speak all the
words= contained in the writing which I have written. 8. And the vision
was shown to me thus: Behold, in the vision clouds invited me and a mist
summoned me, and the course of the stars and the lightnings sped and
=hastened= me, and the winds in the vision caused me to fly and lifted
me upward, and bore me into heaven. 9. And I went in till I drew nigh to
a wall which is built of crystals and surrounded by tongues of fire: and
it began to affright me. 10. And I went into the tongues of fire and
drew nigh to a large house which was built of crystals: and the walls of
the house were like a tesselated floor (made) of crystals, and its
groundwork was of crystal. 11. Its ceiling was like the path of the
stars and the lightnings, and between them were fiery cherubim, and
their heaven was (clear as) water. 12. A flaming fire surrounded the
walls, and its portals blazed with fire. 13. And I entered into that
house, and it was hot as fire and cold as ice: there were no delights of
life therein: fear covered me, and trembling gat hold upon me. 14. And
as I quaked and trembled, I fell upon my face. And I beheld a vision,
15. And lo! there was a second house, greater than the former, and the
entire portal stood open before me, and it was built of flames of fire.
16. And in every respect it so excelled in splendour and magnificence
and extent that I cannot describe to you its splendour and its extent.
17. And its floor was of fire, and above it were lightnings and the path
of the stars, and its ceiling also was flaming fire. 18. And I looked
and saw 〚therein〛 a lofty throne: its appearance was as crystal, and the
wheels thereof as the shining sun, and there was the =vision= of
cherubim. 19.
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