2 Esdr 8:34 For what is man, that thou shouldest take displeasure at him?

or what is a corruptible generation, that thou shouldest be so bitter toward it?

2 Esdr 8:35 For in truth them is no man among them that be born, but he hath dealt wickedly; and among the faithful there is none which hath not done amiss.

2 Esdr 8:36 For in this, O Lord, thy righteousness and thy goodness shall be declared, if thou be merciful unto them which have not the confidence of good works.

2 Esdr 8:37 Then answered he me, and said, Some things hast thou spoken aright, and according unto thy words it shall be.

2 Esdr 8:38 For indeed I will not think on the disposition of them which have sinned before death, before judgment, before destruction:

2 Esdr 8:39 But I will rejoice over the disposition of the righteous, and I will remember also their pilgrimage, and the salvation, and the reward, that they shall have.

2 Esdr 8:40 Like as I have spoken now, so shall it come to pa.s.s.

2 Esdr 8:41 For as the husbandman soweth much seed upon the ground, and planteth many trees, and yet the thing that is sown good in his season cometh not up, neither doth all that is planted take root: even so is it of them that are sown in the world; they shall not all be saved.

2 Esdr 8:42 I answered then and said, If I have found grace, let me speak.

2 Esdr 8:43 Like as the husbandman's seed perisheth, if it come not up, and receive not thy rain in due season; or if there come too much rain, and corrupt it:

2 Esdr 8:44 Even so perisheth man also, which is formed with thy hands, and is called thine own image, because thou art like unto him, for whose sake thou hast made all things, and likened him unto the husbandman's seed.

2 Esdr 8:45 Be not wroth with us but spare thy people, and have mercy upon thine own inheritance: for thou art merciful unto thy creature.

2 Esdr 8:46 Then answered he me, and said, Things present are for the present, and things to cometh for such as be to come.

2 Esdr 8:47 For thou comest far short that thou shouldest be able to love my creature more than I: but I have ofttimes drawn nigh unto thee, and unto it, but never to the unrighteous.

2 Esdr 8:48 In this also thou art marvellous before the most High:

2 Esdr 8:49 In that thou hast humbled thyself, as it becometh thee, and hast not judged thyself worthy to be much glorified among the righteous.

2 Esdr 8:50 For many great miseries shall be done to them that in the latter time shall dwell in the world, because they have walked in great pride.

2 Esdr 8:51 But understand thou for thyself, and seek out the glory for such as be like thee.

2 Esdr 8:52 For unto you is paradise opened, the tree of life is planted, the time to come is prepared, plenteousness is made ready, a city is builded, and rest is allowed, yea, perfect goodness and wisdom.

2 Esdr 8:53 The root of evil is sealed up from you, weakness and the moth is hid from you, and corruption is fled into h.e.l.l to be forgotten:

2 Esdr 8:54 Sorrows are pa.s.sed, and in the end is shewed the treasure of immortality.

2 Esdr 8:55 And therefore ask thou no more questions concerning the mult.i.tude of them that perish.

2 Esdr 8:56 For when they had taken liberty, they despised the most High, thought scorn of his law, and forsook his ways.

2 Esdr 8:57 Moreover they have trodden down his righteous,

2 Esdr 8:58 And said in their heart, that there is no G.o.d; yea, and that knowing they must die.

2 Esdr 8:59 For as the things aforesaid shalt receive you, so thirst and pain are prepared for them: for it was not his will that men should come to nought:

2 Esdr 8:60 But they which be created have defiled the name of him that made them, and were unthankful unto him which prepared life for them.

2 Esdr 8:61 And therefore is my judgment now at hand.

2 Esdr 8:62 These things have I not shewed unto all men, but unto thee, and a few like thee. Then answered I and said,

2 Esdr 8:63 Behold, O Lord, now hast thou shewed me the mult.i.tude of the wonders, which thou wilt begin to do in the last times: but at what time, thou hast not shewed me.

2 Esdr 9:1 He answered me then, and said, Measure thou the time diligently in itself: and when thou seest part of the signs past, which I have told thee before,

2 Esdr 9:2 Then shalt thou understand, that it is the very same time, wherein the Highest will begin to visit the world which he made.

2 Esdr 9:3 Therefore when there shall be seen earthquakes and uproars of the people in the world:

2 Esdr 9:4 Then shalt thou well understand, that the most High spake of those things from the days that were before thee, even from the beginning.

2 Esdr 9:5 For like as all that is made in the world hath a beginning and an end, and the end is manifest:

2 Esdr 9:6 Even so the times also of the Highest have plain beginnings in wonder and powerful works, and endings in effects and signs.

2 Esdr 9:7 And every one that shall be saved, and shall be able to escape by his works, and by faith, whereby ye have believed,

2 Esdr 9:8 Shall be preserved from the said perils, and shall see my salvation in my land, and within my borders: for I have sanctified them for me from the beginning.

2 Esdr 9:9 Then shall they be in pitiful case, which now have abused my ways: and they that have cast them away despitefully shall dwell in torments.

2 Esdr 9:10 For such as in their life have received benefits, and have not known me;

2 Esdr 9:11 And they that have loathed my law, while they had yet liberty, and, when as yet place of repentance was open unto them, understood not, but despised it;

2 Esdr 9:12 The same must know it after death by pain.

2 Esdr 9:13 And therefore be thou not curious how the unG.o.dly shall be punished, and when: but enquire how the righteous shall be saved, whose the world is, and for whom the world is created.

2 Esdr 9:14 Then answered I and said,

2 Esdr 9:15 I have said before, and now do speak, and will speak it also hereafter, that there be many more of them which perish, than of them which shall be saved:

2 Esdr 9:16 Like as a wave is greater than a drop.

2 Esdr 9:17 And he answered me, saying, Like as the field is, so is also the seed; as the flowers be, such are the colours also; such as the workman is, such also is the work; and as the husbandman is himself, so is his husbandry also: for it was the time of the world.

2 Esdr 9:18 And now when I prepared the world, which was not yet made, even for them to dwell in that now live, no man spake against me.

2 Esdr 9:19 For then every one obeyed: but now the manners of them which are created in this world that is made are corrupted by a perpetual seed, and by a law which is unsearchable rid themselves.