1 Enoch (Ethiopic) Parallel Translations

XXXIX

1{And it shall come to pass in those days that elect and holy children will descend from the 2high heaven, and their seed will become one with the children of men. And in those days Enoch received books of zeal and wrath, and books of disquiet and expulsion.}

And mercy shall not be accorded to them, saith the Lord of Spirits.
3And in those days a whirlwind carried me off from the earth,
And set me down at the end of the heavens.

4And there I saw another vision, the dwelling-places of the holy,
And the resting-places of the righteous.

5Here mine eyes saw their dwellings with His righteous angels,
And their resting-places with the holy.

And they petitioned and interceded and prayed for the children of men,
And righteousness flowed before them as water,

And mercy like dew upon the earth:
Thus it is amongst them for ever and ever.

6aAnd in that place mine eyes saw the Elect One of righteousness and of faith,
7aAnd I saw his dwelling-place under the wings of the Lord of Spirits.
6bAnd righteousness shall prevail in his days,
And the righteous and elect shall be without number before Him for ever and ever.
7bAnd all the righteous and elect before Him shall be strong as fiery lights,
And their mouth shall be full of blessing,

And their lips extol the name of the Lord of Spirits,
And righteousness before Him shall never fail,
{And uprightness shall never fail before Him.}
8There I wished to dwell,
And my spirit longed for that dwelling-place:

And there heretofore hath been my portion,
For so has it been established concerning me before the Lord of Spirits.
9In those days I praised and extolled the name of the Lord of Spirits with blessings and praises, because He hath destined me for blessing and glory according to the good pleasure of the Lord of 10Spirits. For a long time my eyes regarded that place, and I blessed Him and praised Him, saying: 'Blessed is He, and may He be blessed from the beginning and for evermore. And before Him there is no ceasing. He knows before the world was created what is for ever and what will be from 12generation unto generation. Those who sleep not bless Thee: they stand before Thy glory and bless, praise, and extol, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Spirits: He filleth the earth with 13spirits."' And here my eyes saw all those who sleep not: they stand before Him and bless and say: 14'Blessed be Thou, and blessed be the name of the Lord for ever and ever.' And my face was changed; for I could no longer behold.

39

39:1 In those days shall the elect and holy race descend from the upper heavens, and their seed shall then be with the sons of men. Enoch received books of indignation and wrath, and books of hurry and agitation.

39:2 Never shall they obtain mercy, saith the Lord of spirits.

39:3 A cloud then snatched me up, and the wind raised me above the surface of the earth, placing me at the extremity of the heavens.

39:4 There I saw another vision; I [saw] the habitations and resting places of the saints. There my eyes beheld their habitations with the angels, and their resting places with the holy ones. They were entreating, supplicating, and praying for the sons of men; while righteousness like water flowed before them, and mercy like dew [was scattered] over the earth. And thus [shall it be] with them for ever and for ever.

39:5 At that time my eyes beheld the dwelling of the elect, of truth, faith, and righteousness.

39:6 Countless shall be the number of the holy and the elect, in the presence of God for ever and for ever.

39:7 Their residence I beheld under the wings of the Lord of spirits. All the holy and the elect sung before him, in appearance like a blaze of fire; their mouths being full of blessings, and their lips glorifying the name of the Lord of spirits. And righteousness incessantly [dwelt] before him.

39:8 There was I desirous of remaining, and my soul longed for that habitation. There was my antecedent inheritance; for thus had I prevailed before the Lord of spirits.

39:9 At that time I glorified and extolled the name of the Lord of spirits with blessing and with praise; for he has established it with blessing and with praise, according to his own good pleasure.

39:10 That place long did my eyes contemplate. I blessed and said, Blessed be he, blessed from the beginning for ever. In the beginning, before the world was created, and without end is his knowledge.

39:11 What is this world? Of every existing generation those shall bless you who do not [spiritually] sleep but stand before your glory, blessing, glorifying, exalting you, and saying, The holy, holy, Lord of spirits, fills the whole world of spirits.

39:12 There my eyes beheld all who, without sleeping, stand before him and bless him, saying, Blessed be you, and blessed be the name of God for ever and for ever. Then my countenance became changed, until I was incapable of seeing.