4 Esdras (2 Esdras) 8

And he answered me and said: The Most High made this age for the sake of many, but the age to come for the sake of few.

But I will tell you a likeness, Esdras. As when you ask the earth, it will tell you that it yields much soil from which earthenware is made, but only a little dust from which gold comes; so also are the doings of the present age.

Many indeed have been created, but few shall be saved.

And I answered and said: Then drink in understanding, O my soul, and devour wisdom, O my heart.

For you have agreed to listen, and you are willing to prophesy; for no space has been given to you except only to live.

O Lord, if you will not permit your servant to pray before you, and to give us the seed of the heart, and tillage to the understanding, so that fruit may come, by which every corruptible one who bears the place of man may live, who then could live?

For you alone exist, and we are one creation of your hands, as you have spoken;

and just as now the body is formed in the womb, and you supply its members; your creation is preserved in fire and water, and for nine months your handiwork bears your creature which is created within it;

and that which preserves, and that which is preserved, both shall be preserved; and in due time the womb gives back again that which has grown up in it.

For you commanded out of the very members, that is, the breasts, to supply milk, the fruit of the breasts,

that what is formed may be nourished for a certain time, and afterward you commit it to your mercy.

You nourished him with your righteousness, and instructed him in your law, and corrected him with your understanding;

and you will put him to death, as your creature; and you will give him life, as your work.

If then you destroy him who was formed with so great labour, it is easy to ordain by your command that what was being made should also be preserved.

And now, Lord, I will speak: concerning every man, you know best; but concerning your people, for whom I grieve,

and concerning your inheritance, for which I mourn; and concerning Israel, for whom I am sorrowful; and concerning Jacob, for whom I grieve,

therefore I will begin to pray before you for myself and for them, for I see the failings of us who dwell upon the earth.

But I have heard of the swiftness of the Judge who is to come.

Therefore hear my voice, and understand my speech, and I will speak before you.

The beginning of the words of Esdras, before he was taken up. And I said: O Lord, you who dwell in the age, whose eyes are lifted up to the heights and the air,

and whose throne is beyond all reckoning, and whose glory is beyond comprehension, before whom the host of angels stands with trembling,

whose service is turned into wind and fire, whose word is true, and whose sayings abide,

whose command is strong, and whose ordinance is terrible, whose look dries up the depths, and whose indignation makes the mountains melt away, and whose truth bears witness;

hear the prayer of your servant, and give ear to the supplication of your handiwork.

For while I live, I will speak; and while I have understanding, I will answer.

Do not look upon the transgressions of your people, but upon those who serve you in truth.

Do not regard the ungodly endeavours of the nations, but those who have kept your testimonies amid sorrows.

Do not think upon those who have walked falsely in your sight, but remember those who, of their own will, have known the fear of you.

Do not will to destroy those who have lived like cattle, but look upon those who have gloriously taught your law.

Do not be indignant against those who are judged worse than beasts; but love those who always trust in your righteousness and glory.

For we and our fathers languish with such diseases; but you, for our sake who are sinners, shall be called merciful.

For if you desire to have mercy on us, then you shall be called merciful, namely to us who have no works of righteousness.

For the righteous, who have many works laid up, shall receive their reward out of their own works.

For what is man, that you should be indignant against him? Or what is a corruptible race, that you should be so bitter toward it?

For in truth there is no one among those born who has not acted ungodly, and among those who confess, no one who has not sinned.

For in this your righteousness and your goodness, O Lord, shall be proclaimed, when you show mercy to those who have no substance of good works.

And he answered me and said: You have spoken some things aright; and according to your words, so it shall come to pass.

For truly I will not take thought concerning the fashioning of those who have sinned, before death, before judgement, before destruction;

but I will rejoice over the fashioning of the righteous, and I will remember also their sojourning, and their salvation, and their receiving of reward.

As therefore I have spoken, so it is.

For as the husbandman sows many seeds upon the ground, and plants a multitude of plants, but not all that are sown are saved in due time, nor will all that are planted take root; so also not all who are sown in the age shall be saved.

And I answered and said: If I have found grace, I will speak.

As the husbandman's seed perishes if it does not spring up, or does not receive your rain in due time, or if it is ruined by an excess of rain,

so perishes also the man who was formed by your hands, and was named your image, since you have likened him to yourself, for whose sake you formed all things, and likened him to the husbandman's seed.

Do not be angry with us, but spare your people, and have mercy on your inheritance; for you have mercy on your own creation.

And he answered me and said: The things of the present are for those who are present, and the things of the future for those who are to come.

For you fall far short of being able to love my creature more than I; but you have often drawn near to yourself, but to the unrighteous never.

But even in this you are wonderful before the Most High,

in that you have humbled yourself as is fitting for you, and have not judged yourself worthy to be greatly glorified among the righteous.

Because of this, many miseries and wretched things shall come upon those who dwell in the age in the last days, because they have walked in great pride.

But understand for yourself, and seek glory concerning those like you.

For Paradise has been opened to you, the tree of life has been planted, the age to come has been prepared, abundance has been made ready, a city has been built, rest has been approved, goodness has been perfected, and wisdom made complete.

The root of evil has been sealed away from you; infirmity and the moth have been hidden from you; and corruption has fled into Hades, into oblivion.

The sorrows have passed away, and at the end the treasure of immortality has been shown.

Therefore do not go on inquiring about the multitude of those who perish.

For they themselves, having received freedom, despised the Most High, and scorned his law, and forsook his ways.

And moreover, they trampled upon his righteous ones,

and said in their hearts that there is no God; and yet they knew that they must die.

For just as the things that have been foretold shall receive you, so for them are thirst and torments which have been prepared; for he did not will that man should perish.

But they themselves, who were created, defiled the name of him who made them, and were ungrateful to him who prepared life for them.

Therefore my judgement now draws near.

These things I have not shown to all, but only to you, and to a few like you. And I answered and said:

Behold now, O Lord, you have shown me the multitude of signs which you will begin to do in the last days; but you have not shown me at what time.