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2 Esdras 3
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1In the thirtieth year after the ruin of the cityI was in Babylon, and lay troubled upon my bed, and my thoughts came up over my heart:
1In the thirtieth year after the ruin of the city, I Salathiel, also called Esdras, was in Babylon, and lay troubled upon my bed, and my thoughts came up over my heart,
2For I saw the desolation of Sion, and the wealth of them that dwelt at Babylon.
2for I saw the desolation of Zion and the wealth of those who lived at Babylon.
3And my spirit was sore moved, so that I began to speak words full of fear to the most High, and said,
3My spirit was very agitated, so that I began to speak words full of fear to the Most High, and said,
4O Lord, who bearest rule, thou spakest at the beginning, when thou didst plant the earth, and that thyself alone, and commandedst the people,
4“O sovereign Lord, didn’t you speak at the beginning when you formed the earth—and that yourself alone—and commanded the dust
5And gavest a body unto Adam without soul, which was the workmanship of thine hands, and didst breathe into him the breath of life, and he was made living before thee.
5and it gave you Adam, a body without a soul? Yet it was the workmanship of your hands, and you breathed into him the breath of life, and he was made alive in your presence.
6And thou leadest him into paradise, which thy right hand had planted, before ever the earth came forward.
6You led him into the garden which your right hand planted before the earth appeared.
7And unto him thou gavest commandment to love thy way: which he transgressed, and immediately thou appointedst death in him and in his generations, of whom came nations, tribes, people, and kindreds, out of number.
7You gave him your one commandment, which he transgressed, and immediately you appointed death for him and his descendants. From him were born nations, tribes, peoples, and kindred without number.
8And every people walked after their own will, and did wonderful things before thee, and despised thy commandments.
8Every nation walked after their own will, did ungodly things in your sight, and despised your commandments, and you didn’t hinder them.
9And again in process of time thou broughtest the flood upon those that dwelt in the world, and destroyedst them.
9Nevertheless, again in process of time, you brought the flood on those who lived in the world and destroyed them.
10And it came to pass in every of them, that as death was to Adam, so was the flood to these.
10It came to pass that the same thing happened to them. Just as death came to Adam, so was the flood to these.
11Neverthelessone of them thou leftest, namely, Noah with his household, of whom came all righteous men .
11Nevertheless, you left one of them, Noah with his household, and all the righteous men who descended from him.
12And it happened, that when they that dwelt upon the earth began to multiply, and had gotten them many children, and were a great people, they began again to be more ungodly than the first.
12“It came to pass that when those who lived upon the earth began to multiply, they also multiplied children, peoples, and many nations, and began again to be more ungodly than their ancestors.
13Now when they lived so wickedly before thee, thou didst choose thee a man from among them, whose name was Abraham.
13It came to pass, when they did wickedly before you, you chose one from among them, whose name was Abraham.
14Him thou lovedst, and unto him only thou shewedst thy will:
14You loved, and to him only you showed the end of the times secretly by night,
15And madest an everlasting covenant with him, promising him that thou wouldest never forsake his seed.
15and made an everlasting covenant with him, promising him that you would never forsake his descendants. To him, you gave Isaac, and to Isaac you gave Jacob and Esau.
16And unto him thou gavest Isaac, and unto Isaac also thou gavest Jacob and Esau. As for Jacob, thou didst choose him to thee, and put by Esau: and so Jacob became a great multitude.
16You set apart Jacob for yourself, but rejected Esau. Jacob became a great multitude.
17And it came to pass, that when thou leadest his seed out of Egypt, thou broughtest them up to the mount Sinai.
17It came to pass that when you led his descendants out of Egypt, you brought them up to Mount Sinai.
18And bowing the heavens , thou didst set fast the earth, movedst the whole world, and madest the depths to tremble, and troubledst the men of that age.
18You bowed the heavens also, shook the earth, moved the whole world, made the depths tremble, and troubled the age.
19And thy glory went through four gates, of fire, and of earthquake, and of wind, and of cold; that thou mightest give the law unto the seed of Jacob, and diligence unto the generation of Israel.
19Your glory went through four gates, of fire, of earthquake, of wind, and of ice, that you might give the law to the descendants of Jacob, and the commandment to the descendants of Israel.
20And yet tookest thou not away from them a wicked heart, that thy law might bring forth fruit in them.
20“Yet you didn’t take away from them their wicked heart, that your law might produce fruit in them.
21For the first Adam bearing a wicked heart transgressed, and was overcome; and so be all they that are born of him.
21For the first Adam, burdened with a wicked heart transgressed and was overcome, as were all who are descended from him.
22Thus infirmity was made permanent; and the law (also) in the heart of the people with the malignity of the root; so that the good departed away, and the evil abode still.
22Thus disease was made permanent. The law was in the heart of the people along with the wickedness of the root. So the good departed away and that which was wicked remained.
23So the times passed away, and the years were brought to an end: then didst thou raise thee up a servant, called David:
23So the times passed away, and the years were brought to an end. Then you raised up a servant, called David,
24Whom thou commandedst to build a city unto thy name, and to offer incense and oblations unto thee therein.
24whom you commanded to build a city to your name, and to offer burnt offerings to you in it from what is yours.
25When this was done many years, then they that inhabited the city forsook thee,
25When this was done many years, then those who inhabited the city did evil,
26And in all things did even as Adam and all his generations had done: for they also had a wicked heart:
26in all things doing as Adam and all his generations had done, for they also had a wicked heart.
27And so thou gavest thy city over into the hands of thine enemies.
27So you gave your city over into the hands of your enemies.
28Are their deeds then any betterthat inhabit Babylon, that they should therefore have the dominion over Sion?
28“Then I said in my heart, ‘Are their deeds of those who inhabit Babylon any better? Is that why it gained dominion over Zion?’
29For when I came thither, and had seen impieties without number, then my soul saw many evildoers in this thirtieth year, so that my heart failed me.
29For it came to pass when I came here, that I also saw impieties without number, and my soul saw many sinners in this thirtieth year, so that my heart failed me.
30For I have seen how thou sufferest them sinning, and hast spared wicked doers: and hast destroyed thy people, and hast preserved thine enemies, and hast not signified it.
30For I have seen how you endure them sinning, and have spared those who act ungodly, and have destroyed your people, and have preserved your enemies;
31I do not remember how this way may be left: Are they then of Babylon better than they of Sion?
31and you have not shown how your way may be comprehended. Are the deeds of Babylon better than those of Zion?
32Or is there any other people that knoweth thee beside Israel? or what generation hath so believed thy covenants as Jacob?
32Or is there any other nation that knows you beside Israel? Or what tribes have so believed your covenants as these tribes of Jacob?
33And yet their reward appeareth not, and their labour hath no fruit: for I have gone here and there through the heathen, and I see that they flow in wealth, and think not upon thy commandments.
33Yet their reward doesn’t appear, and their labor has no fruit, for I have gone here and there through the nations, and I see that they abound in wealth, and don’t think about your commandments.
34Weigh thou therefore our wickedness now in the balance, and their’s also that dwell the world; and so shall thy name no where be found but in Israel.
34Weigh therefore our iniquities now in the balance, and theirs also who dwell in the world, and so will it be found which way the scale inclines.
35Or when was it that they which dwell upon the earth have not sinned in thy sight? or what people have so kept thy commandments ?
35Or when was it that they who dwell on the earth have not sinned in your sight? Or what nation has kept your commandments so well?
36Thou shalt find that Israel by name hath kept thy precepts; but not the heathen.
36You will find some men by name who have kept your precepts, but you won’t find nations.”