Part 11

11. Every place of strength[239] shall be surrendered with its inhabitants; with fire shall it be burnt. They shall be brought from every part of the earth, and be cast into a judgment of fire. They shall perish in wrath, and by a judgment overpowering them[240] for ever.

12. Righteousness shall be raised up from slumber; and wisdom shall be raised up, and conferred upon them.

13. Then shall the roots of iniquity be cut off; sinners perish by the sword; and blasphemers be annihilated everywhere.[241]

14. Those who meditate oppression, and those who blaspheme, by the sword shall perish.[242]

15. And now, my children, I will describe and point out to you the path of righteousness and the path of oppression.

16. I will again point them out to you, that you may know what is to come.

17. Here now, my children, and walk in the path of righteousness, but shun that of oppression; for all who walk in the path of iniquity shall perish for ever.

Footnote 237:

Paris MS.

Footnote 238:

This verse is wanting in the Paris MS. as transcribed by Woide. It seems in the Bodleian MS. to be a mere lapse of the transcriber, who wrote the same words twice over.

Footnote 239:

_tower_, _palace_, or _temple_.

Footnote 240:

_powerful judgment._

Footnote 241:

_cut off._

Footnote 242:

Between the 14th and 15th verses of this chapter six others are inserted both in the Bodleian and Paris MSS., which I have transposed so as to constitute the 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th verses of the ninety-second chapter. This transposition seemed absolutely necessary to make sense of that chapter; in which, after the enumeration of seven weeks, or periods, the account of the eighth, ninth, and tenth weeks, contained in the verses transposed, seemed necessary to complete the narrative. Here they are clearly unconnected and misplaced.

CHAP. XCI. [SECT. XIX.[243]]

1. That which was written by Enoch. He wrote all this instruction of wisdom for every man of dignity, and every judge of the earth; for all my children who shall dwell upon earth, and for subsequent generations, conducting themselves uprightly and peaceably.

2. Let not your spirit be grieved on account of the times; for the holy, the Great One, has prescribed a period[244] to all.

3. Let the righteous man arise from slumber; let him arise, and proceed in the path of righteousness, in all its paths; and let him advance[245] in goodness and in eternal clemency. Mercy shall be showed to the righteous man; upon him shall be conferred integrity and power for ever. In goodness and in righteousness shall he exist, and shall walk in everlasting light; but sin shall perish in eternal darkness, nor be seen from this time forward for evermore.

Footnote 243:

Paris MS.

Footnote 244:

_has given days._

Footnote 245:

_his goings_ be.

CHAP. XCII.

1. After this, Enoch began to speak from a book.

2. And Enoch said, Concerning the children of righteousness, concerning the elect of the world, and concerning the plant of righteousness and integrity.

3. _Concerning_ these things will I speak, and _these things_ will I explain to you, my children: I _who_ am Enoch. In consequence of that which has been shown to me, from my heavenly vision and from the voice of the holy angels have I acquired knowledge; and from the tablet of heaven have I acquired understanding.

4. Enoch then began to speak from a book, and said, I have been born the seventh in the first week, while judgment and righteousness wait with patience.

5. But after me, in the second week, great wickedness shall arise, and fraud shall spring forth.

6. In that week[246] the end of the first shall take place, in which mankind shall be safe.

7. But when _the first_ is completed,[247] iniquity shall grow up; and he shall execute the decree upon sinners.[248]

8. Afterwards, in the third week, during its completion, a man[249] of the plant of righteous judgment shall be selected; and after him the plant of righteousness shall come for ever.

9. Subsequently, in the fourth week, during its completion, the visions of the holy and the righteous shall be seen, the order of generation after generation _shall take place_, and an habitation shall be made for them.[250] Then in the fifth week, during its completion, the house of glory and of dominion[251] shall be erected for ever.

10. After that, in the sixth week, all those who are in it shall be darkened, the hearts of all of them shall be forgetful of wisdom, and in it shall a man[252] ascend.

11. And during its completion he shall burn the house of dominion with fire, and all the race of the elect root shall be dispersed.[253]

12. Afterwards, in the seventh week, a perverse generation shall arise; abundant shall be its deeds, and all its deeds perverse. During its completion, the righteous shall be selected from the everlasting plant of righteousness; and to them shall be given the sevenfold doctrine of his whole creation.

13. Afterwards there shall be another week, the eighth of righteousness, to which shall be given a sword to execute judgment and justice upon all oppressors.

14. Sinners shall be delivered up into the hands of the righteous, who during its completion shall acquire habitations by their righteousness; and the house of the great King shall be established for celebrations for ever. After this, in the ninth week, shall the judgment of righteousness be revealed to the whole world.

15. Every work of the ungodly shall disappear from the whole earth; the world shall be marked for destruction; and all men shall be on the look out for the path of integrity.

16. And after this, on the seventh day of the tenth week, there shall be an everlasting judgment, which shall be executed upon the Watchers; and a spacious eternal heaven shall spring forth in the midst of the angels.

17. The former heaven shall depart and pass away; a new heaven shall appear; and all the celestial powers shine with sevenfold splendour for ever. Afterwards likewise shall there be many weeks, which shall externally exist in goodness and in righteousness.

18. Neither shall sin be named there for ever and for ever.[254]

19. Who is there of all the children of men, capable of hearing the voice of the Holy One without emotion?

20. Who is there capable of thinking his thoughts? Who capable of contemplating all the workmanship of heaven? Who of comprehending the deeds of heaven?

21. He may behold its animation, but not its spirit. He may be capable of conversing _respecting it_, but not of ascending _to it_. He may see all the boundaries of these things, and meditate upon them; but he can make nothing like them.

22. Who of all men is able to understand the breadth and length of the earth?

23. By whom have been seen the dimensions of all these things? Is it every man who is capable of comprehending the extent of heaven; what its elevation is, and by what it is supported?

24. How many are the numbers of the stars; and where all the luminaries remain at rest?

Footnote 246:

_in it._

Footnote 247:

_after it has been completed._

Footnote 248:

The deluge.

Footnote 249:

Abraham.

Footnote 250:

The Law.

Footnote 251:

Temple of Solomon.

Footnote 252:

Nebuchadnezzar.

Footnote 253:

Babylonian captivity.

Footnote 254:

The preceding six verses, viz. 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th, are taken from between the 14th and 15th verses of the nineteenth chapter, where they are to be found in the MSS. But the sense in this place seemed so manifestly to require them here, that I have ventured to transpose them.

CHAP. XCIII.

1. And now let me exhort you, my children, to love righteousness, and to walk in it; for the paths of righteousness are worthy of acceptation; but the paths of iniquity shall suddenly fail, and be diminished.

2. To men of note in their generation the paths of oppression and death are revealed; but they keep far from them, and do not follow them.

3. Now, too, let me exhort you _who are_ righteous, not to walk in the paths of evil and oppression, nor in the paths of death. Approach them not, that you may not perish; but covet,

4. And choose for yourselves righteousness, and a good life.

5. Walk in the paths of peace, that you may live, and be found worthy. Retain my words in your inmost thoughts, and obliterate them not from your hearts; for I know that sinners counsel men to commit crime craftily. They are not found in every place, nor does every counsel possess a little of them.

6. Woe to those who build up iniquity and oppression, and who lay the foundation of fraud; for suddenly shall they be subverted, and never obtain peace.

7. Woe to those who build up their houses with crime; for from their very foundations shall their houses[255] be demolished, and by the sword shall they _themselves_ fall. Those, too, who acquire gold and silver, shall justly and suddenly perish. Woe to you who are rich, for in your riches have you trusted; but from your riches you shall be removed; because you have not remembered the Most High in the days of your prosperity: [you shall be removed, because you have not remembered the Most High in the days of your prosperity.[256]]

8. You have committed blasphemy and iniquity; and are destined to the day of the effusion of blood, to the day of darkness, and to the day of the great judgment.

9. This I declare and point out to you, that he who created you will destroy you.

10. When you fall, he will not show you mercy; but your Creator will rejoice in your destruction.

11. Let those, then, who shall be righteous among you in those days, detest sinners, and the ungodly.

Footnote 255:

_they._

Footnote 256:

These lines are evidently a repetition of the preceding, from an error in the transcription. They do not occur in the Paris MS.

CHAP. XCIV.

1. O that my eyes were clouds of water, that I might weep over you, and pour forth my tears like rain,[257] and rest from the sorrow of my heart!

2. Who has permitted you to hate and to transgress? Judgment shall overtake you, ye sinners.

3. The righteous shall not fear the wicked; because God will again bring them into your power, that you may avenge yourselves of them according to your pleasure.

4. Woe to you who shall be so bound by execrations, that you cannot be released from them; the remedy being far removed from you on account of your sins. Woe to you who recompense your neighbour with evil; for you shall be recompensed according to your works.

5. Woe to you, ye false witnesses, you who aggravate iniquity; for you shall suddenly perish.

6. Woe to you, ye sinners; for you reject the righteous; for you receive or reject _at pleasure_ those who _commit_ iniquity; and their yoke shall prevail over you.

Footnote 257:

_a cloud of water._

CHAP. XCV.

1. Wait in hope, ye righteous; for suddenly shall sinners perish from before you, and you shall exercise dominion over them, according to your will.

2. In the day of the sufferings of sinners your offspring shall be elevated, and lifted up like eagles. Your nest shall be more exalted than that of the avest; you shall ascend, and enter into the cavities of the earth, and into the clefts of the rocks for ever, like conies, from the sight of the ungodly;

3. Who shall groan over you, and weep like sirens.

4. You shall not fear those who trouble you; for restoration shall be yours; a splendid light shall shine around you, and the voice of tranquillity shall be heard from heaven. Woe to you, sinners; for your wealth makes you resemble saints, but your hearts reproach you, _knowing_ that you are sinners. This word shall testify against you, for the remembrance of crime.

5. Woe to you who feed upon the glory of the corn, and drink the strength of the deepest spring,[258] and in _the pride of_ your power tread down the humble.

6. Woe to you who drink water at pleasure;[259] for suddenly shall you be recompensed, consumed, and withered, because you have forsaken the fountain of life.

7. Woe to you who act iniquitously, fraudulently, and blasphemously; there shall be a remembrance against you for evil.

8. Woe to you, ye powerful, who with power strike down righteousness; for the day of your destruction shall come; _while_ at that very time many and good days shall be the portion of the righteous,[260] _even_ at the period of your judgment.

Footnote 258:

_of the root of the spring._

Footnote 259:

_at all times._

Footnote 260:

_shall come to the righteous._

CHAP. XCVI.

1. The righteous are confident that sinners will be disgraced, and perish in the day of iniquity.

2. You shall yourselves be conscious of it; for the Most High will remember your destruction, and the angels shall rejoice over it. What will you do ye sinners, and where will you fly in the day of judgment, when you shall hear the words of the prayer of the righteous?

3. You are not like them who in this respect witness against you; you are associates of sinners.

4. In those days shall the prayers of the righteous come up before the Lord. When the day of your judgment shall arrive; and every circumstance of your iniquity be related before the great and the holy One;

5. Your faces shall be covered with shame; while every deed, strengthened by crime, shall be rejected.

6. Woe unto you, sinners, who in the midst of the sea, and on dry land, are those against whom an evil record exists. Woe to you who squander silver and gold, not obtained in righteousness, and say, We are rich, possess wealth, and have acquired everything which we can desire.

7. Now then will we do whatsoever we are disposed to do; for we have amassed silver; our barns are full, and the husbandmen of our families are like overflowing water.[261]

8. Like water shall your falsehood pass away; for your wealth will not be permanent, but shall suddenly ascend from you, because you have obtained it all iniquitously; to extreme malediction shall you be delivered up.

9. And now I swear to you, ye crafty, as well as simple ones; that you, often contemplating the earth, you _who are_ men, clothe yourselves more elegantly[262] than married women, and both together more so than unmarried ones, everywhere _arraying yourselves_ in majesty, in magnificence, in authority, and in silver: but gold, purple, honour, and wealth, like water, flow away.

10. Erudition therefore and wisdom are not theirs. Thus[263] shall they perish, together with their riches, with all their glory, and with their honours;

11. While with disgrace, with slaughter, and in extreme penury, shall their spirits be thrust into a furnace of fire.

12. I have sworn to you, ye sinners, that neither mountain nor hill has been or shall be subservient[264] to woman.

13. Neither in this way has crime been sent down to us[265] upon earth, but men of their own heads have invented it; and greatly shall those who give it efficiency be execrated.

14. Barrenness shall not be _previously_ inflicted on woman; but on account of the work of her hands shall she die childless.

15. I have sworn to you, ye sinners, by the holy and the Great One, that all your evil deeds are disclosed in the heavens; and that none of your oppressive acts are concealed and secret.

16. Think not in your minds, neither say in your hearts, that every crime is not manifested and seen. In heaven it is daily written down before the Most High. Henceforwards shall it be manifested; for every act of oppression which you commit shall be daily recorded, until the period of your condemnation.

17. Woe to you, ye simple ones, for you shall perish in your simplicity. To the wise you will not listen, and that which is good you shall not obtain.[266]

18. Now therefore know that you are destined to the day of destruction; nor hope that sinners shall live; but in process of time you shall die;[267] for you are not marked[268] for redemption;

19. But are destined to the day of the great judgment, to the day of distress, and the extreme ignominy of your souls.

20. Woe to you, ye obdurate in heart, who commit crime, and feed on blood. Whence _is it that_ you feed on good things, drink, and are satiated? Is it not because our Lord, the Most High, has abundantly supplied every good thing upon earth? To you there shall not be peace.

21. Woe to you who love the deeds of iniquity. Why do you hope for that which is good? Know that you shall be given up into the hands of the righteous; who shall cut off your necks, slay you, and show you no compassion.

22. Woe to you who rejoice in the trouble of the righteous; for a grave shall not be dug for you.

23. Woe to you who frustrate the word of the righteous; for to you there shall be no hope of life.

24. Woe to you who write down the word of falsehood, and the word of the wicked; for their falsehood they record, that they may hear and not forget folly.

25. To them there shall be no peace; but they shall surely die suddenly.

Footnote 261:

_like much water._

Footnote 262:

_put elegance upon you more._

Footnote 263:

_And in it._

Footnote 264:

_a servant._ Perhaps in furnishing them with treasures for ornaments.

Footnote 265:

_has our crime been sent down._

Footnote 266:

_shall not find you._

Footnote 267:

_you shall go on, and die._

Footnote 268:

_pointed out._

CHAP. XCVII.

1. Woe to them who act impiously, who laud and honour the word of falsehood. You have been lost in perdition; and have never led a virtuous life.

2. Woe to you who change the words of integrity. They transgress against the everlasting decree;

3. And cause the heads of those who are not sinners to be trodden down upon the earth.

4. In those days you, O ye righteous, shall have been deemed worthy of having your prayers rise up in remembrance; and shall have deposited them in testimony before the angels, that they might record the sins of sinners in the presence of the Most High.

5. In those days the nations shall be overthrown; but the families of the nations shall rise again in the day of perdition.

6. In those days they who become pregnant shall go forth, carry off their children, and forsake them. Their offspring shall slip from them, and while suckling them shall they forsake them; they shall never return to them, and never instruct their beloved.

7. Again I swear to you, ye sinners, that crime has been prepared for the day of blood, which never ceases.

8. They shall worship stones, and engrave golden, silver, and wooden images. They shall worship impure spirits, demons, and every idol, in temples; but no help shall be obtained for them.[269] Their hearts shall become impious through their folly, and their eyes be blinded with mental superstition.[270] In their visionary dreams shall they be impious and superstitious,[271] lying in all their actions, and worshipping a stone. Altogether shall they perish.

9. But in those days blessed shall they be, to whom the word of wisdom is delivered; who point out and pursue the path of the Most High; who walk in the way of righteousness, and who act not impiously with the impious.

10. They shall be saved.

11. Woe to you who expand the crime of your neighbour; for in hell shall you be slain.

12. Woe to you who lay the foundation of sin and deceit, and who are bitter on earth; for on it shall you be consumed.

13. Woe to you who build your houses by the labour of others, every part of which is constructed with brick,[272] and with the stone of crime; I tell you, that you shall not obtain peace.

14. Woe to you who despise the extent of the everlasting inheritance of your fathers, while your souls follow after idols; for to you there shall be no tranquillity.

15. Woe to them who commit iniquity, and give aid to blasphemy, who slay their neighbour until the day of the great judgment; for your glory shall fall; malevolence shall He put into your hearts, and the spirit of his wrath shall stir _you_ up, that every one of you may perish by the sword.

16. Then shall all the righteous and the holy remember your crimes.

Footnote 269:

_shall be found for them._

Footnote 270:

_with the fear of their heart._

Footnote 271:

_and fear._

Footnote 272:

_every structure of which is brick._

CHAP. XCVIII.

1. In those days shall fathers be struck down with their children in the presence of each other;[273] and brethren with their brethren shall fall dead: until a river shall flow from their blood.

2. For a man shall not restrain his hand from his children, nor from his children’s children; his mercy will be to kill them.[274]

3. Nor shall the sinner restrain his hand from his honoured brother. From the dawn of day to the setting sun shall the slaughter continue.[275] The horse shall wade up to his breast, and the chariot shall sink to its axle,[276] in the blood of sinners.

Footnote 273:

_in one place._

Footnote 274:

_he has been merciful, that he may kill._

Footnote 275:

_they shall be slain._

Footnote 276:

_its upper part._

CHAP. XCIX.

1. In those days the angels shall descend into places of concealment, and gather together in one spot all who have assisted in crime.

2. In that day shall the Most High rise up to execute the great judgment upon all sinners, and to commit the guardianship of all the righteous and holy to the holy angels, that they may protect them as the apple of an eye, until every evil and every crime be annihilated.

3. Whether _or not_ the righteous sleep securely,[277] wise men shall then truly perceive.

4. And the sons of the earth shall understand every word of that book, knowing that their riches cannot save them in the ruin of their crimes.

5. Woe to you, ye sinners, when you shall be afflicted on account of the righteous in the day of the great trouble; shall be burnt in the fire; and be recompensed according to your deeds.

6. Woe to you, ye perverted in heart, who are watchful to obtain an accurate knowledge of evil, and to discover terrors. No one shall assist you.

7. Woe to you, ye sinners; for with the words of your mouths, and with the work of your hands, have you acted impiously; in the flame of a blazing fire shall you be burnt.

8. And now know ye, that the angels shall inquire into your conduct in heaven; of the sun, the moon, and the stars, _shall they inquire_ respecting your sins; for upon earth you exercise jurisdiction over the righteous.

9. Every cloud shall bear witness against you, the snow, the dew, and the rain: for all of them shall be withholden from you, that they may not descend upon you, nor become subservient to your crimes.

10. Now then bring gifts of salutation to the rain; that, not being withholden, it may descend upon you; and to the dew, if it has received from you gold and silver. But when the frost, snow, cold, every snowy wind, and every suffering belonging to them, fall upon you, in those days you will be utterly incapable of standing before them.

Footnote 277:

_a deep sleep._

CHAP. C.

1. Attentively consider heaven, all ye progeny of heaven, and all ye works of the Most High; fear him, nor conduct yourselves criminally before him.

2. If He shut up the windows of heaven, restraining the rain and dew, that it may not descend upon earth on your account, what will you do?

3. And if He send his wrath upon you, and upon all your deeds, you are not they who can supplicate him; you who utter[278] against his righteousness, language proud and powerful.[279] To you there shall be no peace.

4. Do you not see the commanders[280] of ships, how their vessels are tossed about by the waves, torn to pieces by the winds, and exposed to the greatest peril?

5. That they therefore fear, because their whole property is embarked with them on the ocean; and that they forbode evil[281] in their hearts, because it may swallow them up, and they may perish in it?

6. Is not the whole sea, all its waters, and all its commotion, the work of him, the Most High; of him who has sealed up all its exertions, and girded it on every side with sand?