2 Esdras 11
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1THen saw I a dreame, & beholde, there came vp from the sea an egle, which had twelue feathered wings & thre heads. 2And I sawe and beholde, she spred her wings ouer all the earth, & all the windes of the ayre blewe on her, and gathered them selues. 3And I behelde, & out of her feathers grew out other contrarie feathers, and they became litle feathers and smale. 4But her heads remained stil, & the head in the middes was greater then the other heads, yet rested it with them. 5Moreouer, I sawe that the egle flewe with his feathers and reigned vpon earth & ouer them that dwelt therein. 6And I sawe that all things vnder heauen were subiect vnto her, and no man spake against her, no not one creature vpon earth. 7I sawe also that the egle stode vp vpon her clawes, & spake to her feathers, saying, 8Watch not all together: slepe euerie one in his owne place, and watch by course. 9But let the heads be preserued for the last. 10Neuertheles, I sawe that the voice went not out of her heads, but from the middes of her bodie. 11Then I nombred her contrarie feathers, and beholde, there were eight of them. 12And I loked, and beholde vpon the right side there arose one feather, and reigned ouer all the earth. 13And when it had reigned, the end of it came, and the place thereof appeared no more. So the next stode vp, and reigned: it continued a long time. 14And when it had reigned, the end of it came also, and as the first, so it appeared no more. 15Then there came a voyce vnto it, and said, 16Heare thou that hast kept the earth so long: this I say vnto thee, before thou beginnest to appeare no more, 17There shal none after thee atteine vnto thy time, nether to the halfe thereof. 18Then arose the third and reigned as the other afore, and it appeared no more also. 19So came it to all the others one after another, so that euerie one reigned, and then appeared no more. 20Then I loked, and beholde in processe of time the feathers that followed, stode vp on the right side, that they might rule also, & some of them ruled, but within a while they appeared no more. 21For some of them were set vp,but ruled not. 22After this I loked & beholde,the twelue feathers appeared nomore,nor the two wings. 23And there was no more vpon the egles bodie,but two heads that rested and six wings. 24Then sawe I also that two wings deuided them selues from the six, and remained vnder the head,that was vpon the right side:for the foure continued in their place. 25So I loked, & beholde, the vnderwings thoght to set vp them selues, and to haue the rule. 26Then was there one set vp, but shortly it appeared no more. 27And the second were soner gone then the first. 28Then I behelde,& lo,the two that remained,thoght also in them selues to reigne. 29And when they so thoght,beholde,there awaked one of the heads that were at rest, which was in the middes:for that was greater then the two. 30And then I sawe,that the two heads were ioyned therewith. 31And beholde, the head was turned with them,that were with it,and did eat vp the two vnderwings that wolde haue reigned. 32But this head put the whole earth in feare and bare rule in it, ouer all those that dwelt vpon earth with muche labour,& it had the gouernance of the worlde,more then all the wings that had bene. 33After this I loked,and beholde, the head that was in the middes,suddenly appeared no more,as did the wings. 34But the two heads remained, which also ruled likewise vpon earth,and ouer those that dwelt therein. 35And I behelde,and lo the head vpon the right side deuoured that was vpon the left side. 36¶ Then I heard a voyce which said vnto me,Loke before thee,and consider the thing that thou seest. 37So I sawe,and beholde as it were a lyon that roareth, renning hastely out of the wood: and I sawe that he sent out a mans voyce vnto the egle,and spake,and said, 38Heare thou,I wil talke with thee, & the moste High shal say vnto thee, 39Art not thou that that of the foure beasts remainest,whome I made to reigne in my worlde, that by them the end of times might come, 40And the fourth is come,and hathe ouercome all the beasts that were past, & hathe power ouer the worlde with great fearfulnes,and ouer the whole compasse of the earth with moste wicked oppression, and that dwelleth so long time in all the worlde with disceite? 41For thou hast not iudged the earth with trueth. 42Seing thou hast troubled the meke,thou hast hurte the peaceable, and thou hast loued lyers, and destroied the dwellings of them that broght forthe frute, & hast cast downe the walles of suche as did thee no harme, 43Therefore is thy wrongful dealing come vp vnto the moste High, and thy pride vnto the Mightie. 44The moste High also hathe loked vpon the proude times, & beholde, they are ended, and their abominacions are fulfilled. 45Therefore appeare no more, thou egle, nor thine horrible wings, nor thy wicked feathers,nor thy malicious heads,and thy wicked clawes,nor all thy vaine bodie, 46That all the earth may be refreshed, & come againe, as one deliuered from thy violence,& that she may hope for the iudgement and mercie of him that made her.