1 Enoch (Ethiopic) Parallel Translations

XIV

1The book of the words of righteousness, and of the reprimand of the eternal Watchers in accordance 2with the command of the Holy Great One in that vision. 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 3converse therewith and understand with the heart. As He has 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 4the Watchers, the children of heaven. 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 5has been finally passed upon you: yea [your petition] will not be granted unto you. And from henceforth you shall not ascend into heaven unto all eternity, and in bonds of the earth the decree 6has gone forth to bind you for all the days of the world. And [that] previously you shall have seen the destruction of your beloved sons and ye shall have no pleasure in them, but they shall fall before 7you by the sword. 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 8written. 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 9the vision caused me to fly and lifted me upward, and bore me into heaven. 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 10me. 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 11of crystal. Its ceiling was like the path of the stars and the lightnings, and between them were 12fiery cherubim, and their heaven was [clear as] water. A flaming fire surrounded the walls, and its 13portals blazed with fire. And I entered into that house, and it was hot as fire and cold as ice: there 14were no delights of life therein: fear covered me, and trembling gat hold upon me. And as I quaked 15and trembled, I fell upon my face. And I beheld a vision, And lo! there was a second house, greater 16than the former, and the entire portal stood open before me, and it was built of flames of fire. And in every respect it so excelled in splendour and magnificence and extent that I cannot describe to 17you its splendour and its extent. And its floor was of fire, and above it were lightnings and the path 18of the stars, and its ceiling also was flaming fire. 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 19cherubim. And from underneath the throne came streams of flaming fire so that I could not look 20thereon. And the Great Glory sat thereon, and His raiment shone more brightly than the sun and 21was whiter than any snow. None of the angels could enter and could behold His face by reason 22of the magnificence and glory and no flesh could behold Him. The flaming fire was round about Him, and a great fire stood before Him, and none around could draw nigh Him: ten thousand times 23ten thousand [stood] before Him, yet He needed no counselor. And the most holy ones who were 24nigh to Him did not leave by night nor depart from Him. And until then I had been prostrate on my face, trembling: and the Lord called me with His own mouth, and said to me: 'Come hither, 25Enoch, and hear my word.' And one of the holy ones came to me and waked me, and He made me rise up and approach the door: and I bowed my face downwards.

14

14:1 This is the book of the words of righteousness, and of the reproof of the Watchers, who belong to the world, (18) according to that which He, who is holy and great, commanded in the vision. I perceived in my dream, that I was now speaking with a tongue of flesh, and with my breath, which the Mighty One has put into the mouth of men, that they might converse with it.

(18) Who belong to the world. Or, "who (are) from eternity" (Knibb, p. 95).

14:2 And understand with the heart. As he has created and given to men [the power of] comprehending the word of understanding, so has he created and given to me [the power of] reproving the Watchers, the offspring of heaven. I have written your petition; and in my vision it has been shown me, that what you request will not be granted you as long as the world endures.

14:3 Judgment has been passed upon you: [your request] will not be granted you.

14:4 From this time forward, never shall you ascend into heaven; He has said, that on the earth He will bind you, as long as the world endures.

14:5 But before these things you shall behold the destruction of your beloved sons; you shall not possess them, but they shall fall before you by the sword.

14:6 Neither shall you entreat for them, not for yourselves;

14:7 But you shall weep and supplicate in silence. The words of the book which I wrote. (19)

(19) But you shall weep…I wrote. Or, "Likewise despite your tears and prayers you will receive nothing whatever contained in the writing which I have written" (Charles, p. 80).

14:8 A vision thus appeared to me.

14:9 Behold, in [that] vision clouds and a mist invited me; agitated stars and flashes of lightning impelled and pressed me forwards, while winds in the vision assisted my flight, accelerating my progress.

14:10 They elevated me aloft to heaven. I proceeded, until I arrived at a wall built with stones of crystal. A vibrating flame (20) surrounded it, which began to strike me with terror.

(20) Vibrating flame. Literally, "a tongue of fire"

14:11 Into this vibrating flame I entered;

14:12 And drew nigh to a spacious habitation built also with stones of crystal. Its walls too, as well as pavement, were [formed] with stones of crystal, and crystal likewise was the ground. Its roof had the appearance of agitated stars and flashes of lightning; and among them were cherubim of fire in a stormy sky. (21) A flame burned around its walls; and its portal blazed with fire. When I entered into this dwelling, it was hot as fire and cold as ice. No [trace] of delight or of life was there. Terror overwhelmed me, and a fearful shaking seized me.

(21) In a stormy sky. Literally, "and their heaven was water" (Charles, p. 81).

14:13 Violently agitated and trembling, I fell upon my face. In the vision I looked.

14:14 And behold there was another habitation more spacious than [the former], every entrance to which was open before me, erected in [the midst of] a vibrating flame.

14:15 So greatly did it excel in all points, in glory, in magnificence, and in magnitude, that it is impossible to describe to you either the splendour or the extent of it.

14:16 Its floor was on fire; above were lightnings and agitated stars, while its roof exhibited a blazing fire.

14:17 Attentively I surveyed it, and saw that it contained an exalted throne;

14:18 The appearance of which was like that of frost; while its circumference resembled the orb of the brilliant sun; and [there was] the voice of the cherubim.

14:19 From underneath this mighty throne rivers of flaming fire issued.

14:20 To look upon it was impossible.

14:21 One great in glory sat upon it:

14:22 Whose robe was brighter than the sun, and whiter than snow.

14:23 No angel was capable of penetrating to view the face of Him, the Glorious and the Effulgent; nor could any mortal behold Him. A fire was flaming around Him.

14:24 A fire also of great extent continued to rise up before Him; so that not one of those who surrounded Him was capable of approaching Him, among the myriads of myriads (22) who were before Him. To Him holy consultation was needless. Yet did not the sanctified, who were near Him, depart far from Him either by night or by day; nor were they removed from Him. I also was so far advanced, with a veil on my face, and trembling. Then the Lord with his [own] mouth called me, saying, Approach hither, Enoch, at my holy word.

(22) Myriads of myriads. Ten thousand times ten thousands (Knibb, p. 99).

14:25 And He raised me up, making me draw near even to the entrance. My eye was directed to the ground.