2Esdr 4:1 

And the angel that was sent unto me, whose name was Uriel, 

gave me an answer, 

2Esdr 4:2 

And said, Thy heart hath gone to far in this world, and 

thinkest thou to comprehend the way of the most High? 

2Esdr 4:3 

Then said I, Yea, my lord. And he answered me, and said, I am 

sent to shew thee three ways, and to set forth three similitudes 

before thee: 

2Esdr 4:4 

Whereof if thou canst declare me one, I will shew thee also 

the way that thou desirest to see, and I shall shew thee from 

whence the wicked heart cometh. 

2Esdr 4:5 

And I said, Tell on, my lord. Then said he unto me, Go thy 

way, weigh me the weight of the fire, or measure me the blast of 

the wind, or call me again the day that is past. 

2Esdr 4:6 

Then answered I and said, What man is able to do that, that 

thou shouldest ask such things of me? 

2Esdr 4:7 

And he said unto me, If I should ask thee how great dwellings 

are in the midst of the sea, or how many springs are in the 

beginning of the deep, or how many springs are above the 

firmament, or which are the outgoings of paradise: 

2Esdr 4:8 

Peradventure thou wouldest say unto me, I never went down 

into the deep, nor as yet into hell, neither did I ever climb up 

into heaven. 

2Esdr 4:9 

Nevertheless now have I asked thee but only of the fire and 

wind, and of the day wherethrough thou hast passed, and of 

things from which thou canst not be separated, and yet canst 

thou give me no answer of them. 

2Esdr 4:10 

He said moreover unto me, Thine own things, and such as are 

grown up with thee, canst thou not know; 

2Esdr 4:11 

How should thy vessel then be able to comprehend the way of 

the Highest, and, the world being now outwardly corrupted to 

understand the corruption that is evident in my sight? 

2Esdr 4:12 

Then said I unto him, It were better that we were not at all, 

than that we should live still in wickedness, and to suffer, and 

not to know wherefore. 

2Esdr 4:13 

He answered me, and said, I went into a forest into a plain, 

and the trees took counsel, 

2Esdr 4:14 

And said, Come, let us go and make war against the sea that 

it may depart away before us, and that we may make us more 

woods. 

2Esdr 4:15 

The floods of the sea also in like manner took counsel, and 

said, Come, let us go up and subdue the woods of the plain, that 

there also we may make us another country. 

2Esdr 4:16 

The thought of the wood was in vain, for the fire came and 

consumed it. 

2Esdr 4:17 

The thought of the floods of the sea came likewise to nought, 

for the sand stood up and stopped them. 

2Esdr 4:18 

If thou wert judge now betwixt these two, whom wouldest thou 

begin to justify? or whom wouldest thou condemn? 

2Esdr 4:19 

I answered and said, Verily it is a foolish thought that they 

both have devised, for the ground is given unto the wood, and 

the sea also hath his place to bear his floods. 

2Esdr 4:20 

Then answered he me, and said, Thou hast given a right 

judgment, but why judgest thou not thyself also? 

2Esdr 4:21 

For like as the ground is given unto the wood, and the sea to 

his floods: even so they that dwell upon the earth may 

understand nothing but that which is upon the earth: and he that 

dwelleth above the heavens may only understand the things that 

are above the height of the heavens. 

2Esdr 4:22 

Then answered I and said, I beseech thee, O Lord, let me have 

understanding: 

2Esdr 4:23 

For it was not my mind to be curious of the high things, but 

of such as pass by us daily, namely, wherefore Israel is given 

up as a reproach to the heathen, and for what cause the people 

whom thou hast loved is given over unto ungodly nations, and why 

the law of our forefathers is brought to nought, and the written 

covenants come to none effect, 

2Esdr 4:24 

And we pass away out of the world as grasshoppers, and our 

life is astonishment and fear, and we are not worthy to obtain 

mercy. 

2Esdr 4:25 

What will he then do unto his name whereby we are called? of 

these things have I asked. 

2Esdr 4:26 

Then answered he me, and said, The more thou searchest, the 

more thou shalt marvel; for the world hasteth fast to pass away, 

2Esdr 4:27 

And cannot comprehend the things that are promised to the 

righteous in time to come: for this world is full of 

unrighteousness and infirmities. 

2Esdr 4:28 

But as concerning the things whereof thou askest me, I will 

tell thee; for the evil is sown, but the destruction thereof is 

not yet come. 

2Esdr 4:29 

If therefore that which is sown be not turned upside down, 

and if the place where the evil is sown pass not away, then 

cannot it come that is sown with good. 

2Esdr 4:30 

For the grain of evil seed hath been sown in the heart of 

Adam from the beginning, and how much ungodliness hath it 

brought up unto this time? and how much shall it yet bring forth 

until the time of threshing come? 

2Esdr 4:31 

Ponder now by thyself, how great fruit of wickedness the 

grain of evil seed hath brought forth. 

2Esdr 4:32 

And when the ears shall be cut down, which are without 

number, how great a floor shall they fill? 

2Esdr 4:33 

Then I answered and said, How, and when shall these things 

come to pass? wherefore are our years few and evil? 

2Esdr 4:34 

And he answered me, saying, Do not thou hasten above the most 

Highest: for thy haste is in vain to be above him, for thou hast 

much exceeded. 

2Esdr 4:35 

Did not the souls also of the righteous ask question of these 

things in their chambers, saying, How long shall I hope on this 

fashion? when cometh the fruit of the floor of our reward? 

2Esdr 4:36 

And unto these things Uriel the archangel gave them answer, 

and said, Even when the number of seeds is filled in you: for he 

hath weighed the world in the balance. 

2Esdr 4:37 

By measure hath he measured the times; and by number hath he 

numbered the times; and he doth not move nor stir them, until 

the said measure be fulfilled. 

2Esdr 4:38 

Then answered I and said, O Lord that bearest rule, even we 

all are full of impiety. 

2Esdr 4:39 

And for our sakes peradventure it is that the floors of the 

righteous are not filled, because of the sins of them that dwell 

upon the earth. 

2Esdr 4:40 

So he answered me, and said, Go thy way to a woman with 

child, and ask of her when she hath fulfilled her nine months, 

if her womb may keep the birth any longer within her. 

2Esdr 4:41 

Then said I, No, Lord, that can she not. And he said unto me, 

In the grave the chambers of souls are like the womb of a woman: 

2Esdr 4:42 

For like as a woman that travaileth maketh haste to escape 

the necessity of the travail: even so do these places haste to 

deliver those things that are committed unto them. 

2Esdr 4:43 

From the beginning, look, what thou desirest to see, it shall 

be shewed thee. 

2Esdr 4:44 

Then answered I and said, If I have found favour in thy 

sight, and if it be possible, and if I be meet therefore, 

2Esdr 4:45 

Shew me then whether there be more to come than is past, or 

more past than is to come. 

2Esdr 4:46 

What is past I know, but what is for to come I know not. 

2Esdr 4:47 

And he said unto me, Stand up upon the right side, and I 

shall expound the similitude unto thee. 

2Esdr 4:48 

So I stood, and saw, and, behold, an hot burning oven passed 

by before me: and it happened that when the flame was gone by I 

looked, and, behold, the smoke remained still. 

2Esdr 4:49 

After this there passed by before me a watery cloud, and sent 

down much rain with a storm; and when the stormy rain was past, 

the drops remained still. 

2Esdr 4:50 

Then said he unto me, Consider with thyself; as the rain is 

more than the drops, and as the fire is greater than the smoke; 

but the drops and the smoke remain behind: so the quantity which 

is past did more exceed. 

2Esdr 4:51 

Then I prayed, and said, May I live, thinkest thou, until 

that time? or what shall happen in those days? 

2Esdr 4:52 

He answered me, and said, As for the tokens whereof thou 

askest me, I may tell thee of them in part: but as touching thy 

life, I am not sent to shew thee; for I do not know it.