Chapter 13
1 And it came to pass after these things, that
I, Baruch, was standing upon Mount Zion, and lo! a voice came from the height and said unto me:
2 “Stand upon thy feet, Baruch, and hear the word of the mighty God. 3 Because thou hast been astonied at what hath befallen Zion, thou shalt therefore be assuredly preserved to the consummation of the times, that thou mayst be a testimony. 4 So that, if ever those prosperous cities say: ‘Why hath the mighty God brought upon us this retribution?’ 5 Say thou to them, thou and those like thee who shall have seen this evil: ‘(This is the evil) and retribution which is coming upon you and upon your people in its (destined) time, that the nations may be thoroughly smitten.’ 6 And they shall be in anguish, 7 And if they say at that time: ‘For how long?’ 8 Thou shalt say to them:
‘Ye who have drunk the strained wine, Drink ye also of its dregs, The judgement of the Lofty One Who hath no respect of persons.’
9 On this account He had before no mercy on His own sons, But afflicted them as His enemies, because they sinned.
10 They were, therefore, chastened then That they might be sanctified.
11 But now, ye peoples and nations, ye are guilty, Because all this time ye have trodden down the earth, And used the creation unrighteously.
12 For I have always benefited you; And ye have always been ungrateful for the beneficence.”
Chapter 14
1 And I answered and said: “Lo! Thou hast shown me the method of the times, and that which shall be after these things, and Thou hast said unto me, that the retribution, which hath been spoken of by Thee, shall come upon the nations. 2 And now I know that those who have sinned are many, and they have lived in prosperity, and departed from the world, but that few nations will be left in those times, to whom those words shall be said which Thou didst say. 3 For what advantage is there in this, or what (evil), worse than what we have seen befall us, are we to expect to see? 4 But again I will speak in Thy presence: 5 What have they profited who had knowledge before Thee, and have not walked in vanity as the rest of the nations, and have not said to the dead: ‘Give us life,’ but always feared Thee, and have not left Thy ways? 6 And lo! they have been carried off; nor on their account hast Thou had mercy on Zion. 7 And if others did evil, it was due to Zion, that on account of the works of those who wrought good works she should be forgiven, and should not be overwhelmed on account of the works of those who wrought unrighteousness.
8 But who, O Lord, my Lord, will comprehend Thy judgement, Or who will search out the profoundness of Thy path? Or who will think out the weight of Thy way?
9 Or who will be able to think out Thy incomprehensible counsel? Or who of those that are born hath found The beginning or end of Thy wisdom?
10 For we have all been made like a breath. 11 For as the breath ascends involuntarily, and again dies, so it is with the nature of men, who depart not according to their own will, and know not what will befall them in the end. 12 For the righteous justly hope for the end, and without fear depart from this habitation, because they have with Thee a store of works preserved in treasuries. 13 On this account also these without fear leave this world, and trusting with joy they hope to receive the world which Thou hast promised them. 14 But as for us, — woe to us, who also are now shamefully entreated, and at that time look forward (only) to evils. 15 But Thou knowest accurately what Thou hast done by means of Thy servants; for we are not able to understand that which is good as Thou art, our Creator. 16 But again I will speak in Thy presence, O Lord, my Lord. 17 When of old there was no world with its inhabitants, Thou didst devise and speak with a word, and forthwith the works of creation stood before Thee. 18 And Thou didst say that Thou wouldst make for Thy world man as the administrator of Thy works, that it might be known that he was by no means made on account of the world, but the world on account of him. 19 And now I see that as for the world which was made on account of us, lo! it abideth, but we, on account of whom it was made, depart.”
Chapter 15
1 And the Lord answered and said unto me:
“Thou art rightly astonied regarding the departure of man; but thou hast not judged well regarding the evils which befall those who sin. 2 And as regards what thou hast said, that the righteous are carried off and the impious are prospered, 3 And as regards what thou hast said: ‘Man knoweth not Thy judgement’ — 4 On this account hear, and I will speak to thee, and hearken, and I will cause thee to hear My words. 5 Man would not rightly have understood My judgement, if he had not accepted the Law, and I had not instructed him in understanding. 6 But now, because he transgressed wittingly, yea, just on this ground that he wot thereof, he shall be tormented. 7 And as regards what thou didst say touching the righteous, that on account of them hath this world come, so also again shall that which is to come come on their account. 8 For this world is to them a strife and a labour with much trouble; and that accordingly which is to come, a crown with great glory.”
Chapter 16
1 And I answered and said: “O Lord, my Lord, lo! the years of this time are few and evil, and who is able in his little time to acquire that which is measureless?”
Chapter 17
1 And the Lord answered and said unto me: “With the Most High account is not taken of much time nor of a few years. 2 For what did it profit Adam that he lived nine hundred and thirty years, and transgressed that which he was commanded? 3 Therefore the multitude of time that he lived did not profit him, but brought death and cut off the years of those who were born from him. 4 Or wherein did Moses suffer loss in that he lived only one hundred and twenty years, and, inasmuch as he was subject to Him Who formed him, brought the Law to the seed of Jacob, and lighted a lamp for the nation of Israel?”
Chapter 18
1 And I answered and said: “He that lighted hath taken from the light, and there are but few that have imitated him. 2 But those many whom He hath lighted have taken from the darkness of Adam, and have not rejoiced in the light of the lamp.”
Chapter 19
1 And He answered and said unto me: “Wherefore at that time he appointed for them a covenant, and said:
‘Behold I have placed before you life and death,’ And he called heaven and earth to witness against them.
2 For he knew that his time was but short, But that heaven and earth endure always.
3 But after his death they sinned and transgressed, Though they knew that they had the Law reproving (them), And the light in which nothing could err, Also the spheres, which testify, and Me.
4 Now regarding everything that is, it is I that judge, but do not thou take counsel in thy soul regarding these things, nor afflict thyself because of those which have been. 5 For now it is the consummation of time that should be considered, whether of business, or of prosperity, or of shame, and not the beginning thereof. 6 Because if a man be prospered in his beginnings and shamefully entreated in his old age, he forgetteth all the prosperity that he had. 7 And again, if a man is shamefully entreated in his beginnings, and at his end is prospered, he remembereth not again his evil entreatment. 8 And again hearken: though each one were prospered all that time — all the time from the day on which death was decreed against those who transgress — and in his end was destroyed, in vain would have been everything.”
Chapter 20
1 Therefore, behold! the days will come, And the times will hasten more than the former, And the seasons will speed on more than those that are past, And the years will pass more quickly than the present (years).
2 Therefore have I now taken away Zion, That I may the more speedily visit the world in its season.
3 Now, therefore, hold fast in thy heart everything that I command thee, And seal it in the recesses of thy mind.
4 And then I will show thee the judgement of My might, And My ways which are past finding out.
5 Go, therefore, and sanctify thyself seven days, and eat no bread, nor drink water, nor speak to any one. 6 And afterwards come to that place, and I will reveal Myself to thee, and speak true things with thee, and I will give thee commandment regarding the method of the times; for they are coming and tarry not.