Chapter 21
1 And I went thence and sat in the valley of Cedron in a cave of the earth, and I sanctified my soul there, and I ate no bread, yet I was not hungry, and I drank no water, yet I thirsted not, and I was there till the seventh day, as He had commanded me. 2 And afterwards I came to that place where He had spoken with me. 3 And it came to pass at sunset that my soul took much thought, and I began to speak in the presence of the Mighty One, and said: 4 “O Thou that hast made the earth, hear me, that hast fixed the firmament by the word, and hast made firm the height of the heaven by the spirit, that hast called from the beginning of the world that which did not yet exist, and they obey Thee. 5 Thou that hast commanded the air by Thy nod, and hast seen those things which are to be as those things which Thou art doing. 6 Thou that rulest with great thought the powers that stand before Thee: (yea) that rulest with indignation the holy living creatures, who are without number, which Thou didst make from the beginning, of flame and fire, which stand around Thy throne. 7 To Thee only doth this belong that Thou shouldst do forthwith whatsoever Thou dost wish. 8 Who causest the drops of rain to rain by number upon the earth, and alone knowest the consummation of the times before they come: have respect unto my prayer. 9 For Thou alone art able to sustain all who are, and those who have passed away, and those who are to be, those who sin, and those who are righteous [as living (and) being past finding out]. 10 For Thou alone dost live immortal and art past finding out, and knowest the number of mankind. 11 And if in time many have sinned, yet others, not a few, have been righteous.
12 Thou knowest where Thou preservest the end of those who have sinned, or the consummation of those who have been righteous. 13 For if there were this life only, which belongeth to all men, nothing could be more bitter than this.
14 For of what profit is strength that turneth to weakness, Or fulness of food that turneth to famine, Or beauty that turneth to ugliness?
15 For the nature of man is always changeable. 16 For what we were formerly we now no longer are, and what we now are we shall not afterwards remain. 17 For if a consummation had been prepared for all, in vain would have been their beginning. 18 But regarding everything that cometh from Thee, do Thou inform me, and regarding everything about which I ask Thee, do Thou enlighten me.
19 How long will that which is corruptible remain, and how long will the time of mortals be prospered, and until what time will those who transgress in the world be polluted with much wickedness? 20 Command therefore in mercy, and accomplish all that Thou saidst Thou wouldst bring, that Thy might may be made known to those who think that Thy long-suffering is weakness. 21 And show to those who know not, that everything that hath befallen us and our city until now hath been according to the long-suffering of Thy power; because on account of Thy name Thou hast called us a beloved people. 22 Bring to an end, therefore, henceforth mortality. 23 And reprove, accordingly, the angel of death, and let Thy glory appear, and let the might of Thy beauty be known, and let Sheol be sealed so that from this time forward it may not receive the dead, and let the treasuries of souls restore those which are enclosed in them. 24 For there have been many years like those that are desolate from the days of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and of all those who are like them, who sleep in the earth, on whose account Thou didst say that Thou hadst created the world. 25 And now quickly show Thy glory, and do not defer what hath been promised by Thee.” 26 And (when) I had completed the words of this prayer I was greatly weakened.
Chapter 22
1 And it came to pass after these things that lo! the heavens were opened, and I saw, and power was given to me, and a voice was heard from on high, and it said unto me: 2 “Baruch, Baruch, why art thou troubled? 3 He who travelleth by a road but doth not complete it, or he who departeth by sea but doth not arrive at the port, can he be comforted?
4 Or he who promiseth to give a present to another, but doth not fulfil it, is it not robbery? 5 Or he who soweth the earth, but doth not reap its fruit in its season, doth he not lose everything? 6 Or he who planteth a plant, unless it groweth till the time suitable to it, doth he who planted it expect to receive fruit from it? 7 Or a woman who hath conceived, if she bring forth untimely, doth she not assuredly slay her infant? 8 Or he who buildeth a house, if he doth not roof it and complete it, can it be called a house? Tell me that first.’
Chapter 23
1 And I answered and said: “Not so, O Lord, my Lord.” 2 And He answered and said unto me: “Why therefore art thou troubled about that which thou knowest not, and why art thou ill at ease about things in which thou art ignorant? 3 For as thou hast not forgotten the people who now are and those who have passed away, so I remember those who are appointed to come. 4 Because when Adam sinned and death was decreed against those who should be born, then the multitude of those who should be born was numbered, and for that number a place was prepared where the living might dwell and the dead might be guarded.
5 Before, therefore, the number aforesaid is fulfilled, the creature will not live again [for My spirit is the creator of life], and Sheol shall receive the dead.
6 And, again, it is given to thee to hear what things are to come after these times. 7 For truly My redemption hath drawn nigh, and is not far distant as aforetime.
Chapter 24
1 “For behold! the days come and the books shall be opened in which are written the sins of all those who have sinned; and, again, also the treasuries in which the righteousness of all those who have been righteous in creation is gathered. 2 For it shall come to pass at that time that thou shalt see — and many that are with thee — the long-suffering of the Most High, which hath been throughout all generations, Who hath been long-suffering towards all who are born, (alike) those who sin and (those who) are righteous.” 3 And I answered and said: “But, behold! O Lord, no one knoweth the number of those things which have passed, nor yet of those things which are to come. 4 For I know, indeed, that which hath befallen us, but what will happen to our enemies I know not; and when Thou wilt visit Thy works.”
Chapter 25
1 And He answered and said unto me: “Thou, too, shalt be preserved till that time, till that sign which the Most High will work for the inhabitants of the earth in the end of days. 2 This, therefore, shall be the sign. 3 When a stupor shall seize the inhabitants of the earth, and they shall fall into many tribulations, and again, when they shall fall into great torments. 4 And it shall come to pass when they say in their thoughts by reason of their much tribulation: ‘The Mighty One doth no longer remember the earth’ — yea, it will come to pass when they abandon hope, that the time will then awake.”
Chapter 26
1 And I answered and said: “Will that tribulation which is to be continue a long time, and will that necessity embrace many years?”
Chapter 27
1 And He answered and said unto me: “Into twelve parts is that time divided, and each one of them is reserved for that which is appointed for it. 2 In the first part there shall be the beginning of commotions. 3 And in the second part (there shall be) slayings of the great ones. 4 And in the third part the fall of many by death. 5 And in the fourth part the sending of the sword. 6 And in the fifth part famine and the withholding of rain.
7 And in the sixth part earthquakes and terrors.
8 [Wanting.] 9 And in the eighth part a multitude of spectres and attacks of the Shedim. 10 And in the ninth part the fall of fire. 11 And in the tenth part rapine and much oppression. 12 And in the eleventh part wickedness and unchastity. 13 And in the twelfth part confusion from the mingling together of all those things aforesaid. 14 For these parts of that time are reserved, and shall be mingled one with another and minister one to another. 15 For some shall leave out some of their own, and receive (in its stead) from others; and some shall complete their own and that of others, so that those may not understand who are upon the earth in those days that this is the consummation of the times.
Chapter 28
1 “Nevertheless, whosoever understandeth shall then be wise. 2 For the measure and reckoning of that time are two parts a week of seven weeks.” 3 And I answered and said: “It is good for a man to come and behold, but it is better that he should not come lest he fall. 4 [But I will say this also. 5 ‘Will he who is incorruptible despise those things which are corruptible, and whatever befalleth in the case of those things which are corruptible, so that he might look only to those things which are not corruptible?’] 6 But if, O Lord, those things shall assuredly come to pass which Thou hast foretold to me; so do Thou show this also unto me if, indeed, I have found grace in Thy sight. 7 Is it in one place or in one of the parts of the earth that those things are to come to pass, or will the whole earth experience (them)?”
Chapter 29
1 And He answered and said unto me: “Whatever shall then befall (shall befall) the whole earth; therefore all who live shall experience (them). 2 For at that time I will protect only those who are found in those self-same days in this land. 3 And it shall come to pass when all is accomplished that was to come to pass in those parts, that the Messiah shall then begin to be revealed. 4 And Behemoth shall be revealed from his place, and Leviathan shall ascend from the sea, those two great monsters which I created on the fifth day of creation, and shall have kept until that time; and then they shall be for food for all that are left. 5 The earth also shall yield its fruit ten thousandfold, and on one vine there shall be a thousand branches, and each branch shall produce a thousand clusters, and each cluster shall produce a thousand grapes, and each grape shall produce a cor of wine. 6 And those who have hungered shall rejoice; moreover, also, they shall behold marvels every day. 7 For winds shall go forth from before Me to bring every morning the fragrance of aromatic fruits, and at the close of the day clouds distilling the dew of health. 8 And it shall come to pass at that self-same time that the treasury of manna shall again descend from on high, and they shall eat of it in those years, because these are they who have come to the consummation of time.
Chapter 30
1 ‘And it shall come to pass after these things, when the time of the advent of the Messiah is fulfilled, and He shall return in glory.
2 Then shall all who have fallen asleep in hope of Him rise again. And it shall come to pass at that time that the treasuries shall be opened in which is preserved the number of the souls of the righteous, and they shall come forth, and a multitude of souls shall be seen together in one assemblage of one thought, and the first shall rejoice and the last shall not be grieved. 3 For they know that the time hath come of which it is said, that it is the consummation of the times. 4 But the souls of the wicked, when they behold all these things, shall then waste away the more. 5 For they shall know that their torment hath come and their perdition hath arrived.”
Chapter 31
1 And it came to pass after these things that I went to the people and said unto them: “Assemble unto me all your elders and I will speak words unto them.” 2 And they all assembled in the valley of the Cedron. 3 And I answered and said unto them:
“Hear, O Israel, and I will speak to thee, And give ear, O seed of Jacob, and I will instruct thee.
4 Forget not Zion, But hold in remembrance the anguish of Jerusalem.
5 For lo! the days come, When everything that existeth will become the prey of corruption, And be as though it had not been.
Chapter 32
1 “But as for you, if ye prepare your hearts, so as to sow in them the fruits of the Law, it shall protect you in that time in which the Mighty One is to shake the whole creation. [2 Because after a little time the building of Zion shall be shaken in order that it may again be built. 3 But that building shall not remain, but shall again after a time be rooted out, and shall remain desolate until the time. 4 And afterwards it must be renewed in glory, and perfected for evermore.] 5 Therefore we should not be distressed so much over the evil which hath now come as over that which is still to be. 6 For there shall be a greater trial than these two tribulations when the Mighty One shall renew His creation.
7 And now do not draw near to me for a few days, nor seek me till I come to you.” 8 And it came to pass when I had spoken to them all these words, that I, Baruch, went my way; and when the people saw me setting out, they lifted up their voice and lamented and said: 9 “Whither departest thou from us, Baruch, and forsakest us as a father who forsaketh his orphan children, and departeth from them?
Chapter 33
1 “Are these the commands which thy companion, Jeremiah the prophet, commanded thee, and said unto thee: 2 ‘Look to this people till I go and make ready the rest of the brethren in Babylon, against whom hath gone forth the sentence that they should be led into captivity?’ 3 And now if thou also forsake us, it were good for us all to die before thee, and then that thou shouldst withdraw from us.”
Chapter 34
1 And I answered and said unto the people: “Far be it from me to forsake you or to withdraw from you, but I will only go unto the Holy of Holies to enquire of the Mighty One concerning you and concerning Zion, if in some respect I should receive more illumination; and after these things I will return to you.”