1 Enoch (Ethiopic) Parallel Translations

IX

1And then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much blood being 2shed upon the earth, and all lawlessness being wrought upon the earth. And they said one to another: 'The earth made without inhabitant cries the voice of their cryingst up to the gates of heaven. 3And now to you, the holy ones of heaven, the souls of men make their suit, saying, "Bring our cause 4before the Most High."' And they said to the Lord of the ages: 'Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings, and God of the ages, the throne of Thy glory [standeth] unto all the generations of the 5ages, and Thy name holy and glorious and blessed unto all the ages! Thou hast made all things, and power over all things hast Thou: and all things are naked and open in Thy sight, and Thou seest all 6things, and nothing can hide itself from Thee. Thou seest what Azāzźl hath done, who hath taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets which were [preserved] in heaven, which 7men were striving to learn: And Semjāzā, to whom Thou hast given authority to bear rule over his associates. And they have gone to the daughters of men upon the earth, and have slept with the 9women, and have defiled themselves, and revealed to them all kinds of sins. And the women have 10borne giants, and the whole earth has thereby been filled with blood and unrighteousness. And now, behold, the souls of those who have died are crying and making their suit to the gates of heaven, and their lamentations have ascended: and cannot cease because of the lawless deeds which are 11wrought on the earth. And Thou knowest all things before they come to pass, and Thou seest these things and Thou dost suffer them, and Thou dost not say to us what we are to do to them in regard to these.'

9

9:1 Then Michael and Gabriel, Raphael, Suryal, and Uriel, looked down from heaven, and saw the quantity of blood which was shed on earth, and all the iniquity which was done upon it, and said one to another, [It is] the voice of their cries;

9:2 The earth deprived [of her children] has cried even to the gate of heaven.

9:3 And now to you, O you holy one of heaven, the souls of men complain, saying, Obtain Justice for us with (10) the Most High. Then they said to their Lord, the King, [You are] Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings. The throne of your glory is for ever and ever, and for ever and ever is your name sanctified and glorified. You are blessed and glorified.

(10) Obtain justice for us with. Literally, "Bring judgment to us from." (Richard Laurence, ed. and trans., The Book of Enoch the Prophet [London: Kegan Paul, Trench & Co., 1883], p. 9).

9:4 You have made all things; you possess power over all things; and all things are open and manifest before you. You behold all things, and nothing can be concealed from you.

9:5 You have seen what Azazyel has done, how he has taught every species of iniquity upon earth, and has disclosed to the world all the secret things which are done in the heavens.

9:6 Samyaza also has taught sorcery, to whom you have given authority over those who are associated with him. They have gone together to the daughters of men; have lain with them; have become polluted;

9:7 And have discovered crimes (11) to them.

(11) Discovered crimes. Or, "revealed these sins" (Charles, p. 70).

9:8 The women likewise have brought forth giants.

9:9 Thus has the whole earth been filled with blood and with iniquity.

9:10 And now behold the souls of those who are dead, cry out.

9:11 And complain even to the gate of heaven.

9:12 Their groaning ascends; nor can they escape from the unrighteousness which is committed on earth. You know all things, before they exist.

9:13 You know these things, and what has been done by them; yet you do not speak to us.

9:14 What on account of these things ought we to do to them?