厄斯德拉四書（拉丁 2 Esdras） 第 3 章

In the thirtieth year after the fall of the city, I, Salathiel who is also Esdras, was in Babylon, and lay troubled upon my bed, and my thoughts rose up within my heart;

for I saw the desolation of Zion, and the abundance of those who dwelt in Babylon.

My spirit was greatly stirred, and I began to speak fearful words to the Most High,

and I said: O Lord, Sovereign, you spoke from the beginning, when you planted the earth, and this by yourself alone, and gave command to the people,

and you gave Adam a lifeless body; but it too was the work of your hands, and you breathed into him the breath of life, and he became living before you.

And you brought him into Paradise, which your right hand had planted before ever the earth came to be.

And you commanded him to love your way, but he transgressed it, and immediately you appointed death for him and for his generations; and there were born nations, and tribes, and peoples, and kindreds without number.

And every nation walked after its own will, and did ungodly things before you, and despised your commandments.

And again in due time you brought a flood upon the inhabitants of the world, and destroyed them.

And it came upon each of them: as death came to Adam, so the flood came to these.

But you left one of these, Noah with his house, and from him came all the righteous.

And it came to pass, when those who dwelt upon the earth began to multiply, they brought forth many children, and peoples, and many nations; and again they began to commit ungodliness, more than those before them.

And it came to pass, when they did iniquity before you, that you chose for yourself a man from among them, whose name was Abraham.

And you loved him, and to him alone you revealed your will,

and you established with him an everlasting covenant, and told him that you would never forsake his seed. And you gave him Isaac, and to Isaac you gave Jacob and Esau.

And you set apart Jacob for yourself, but Esau you separated. And Jacob became a great multitude.

And it came to pass, when you brought his seed out of Egypt, you led them to Mount Sinai.

And you bowed the heavens, and fixed the earth, and shook the world, and made the depths tremble, and troubled the age,

and your glory passed through the four gates of fire, and earthquake, and wind, and frost, that you might give the law to the seed of Jacob, and diligence to the generation of Israel.

And yet you did not take away from them the evil heart, that your law might bear fruit in them.

For the first Adam, bearing the evil heart, transgressed and was overcome; and so also were all who were born of him.

And so the infirmity became permanent; the law was in the heart of the people, together with the malice of the root; and what was good departed, and the evil remained.

And the times passed, and the years were ended; and you raised up for yourself a servant named David,

and you told him to build a city for your name, and to offer you in it incense and oblations.

And this was done for many years; and those who dwelt in the city transgressed,

doing in all things just as Adam did and all his generations. For they too used the evil heart.

And you delivered your city into the hands of your enemies.

Do those who dwell in Babylon do any better? And because of this shall Zion be brought under dominion?

It came to pass, when I had come here, and had seen ungodly deeds without number; and my soul saw many transgressors in this thirtieth year, and my heart failed me;

because I saw how you bear with those who sin, and have spared those who act ungodly, and have destroyed your own people, and have preserved your enemies, and have given no sign.

I cannot recall how this way is to be left aside. Does Babylon do any better than Zion?

Or has any other nation known you besides Israel? Or what tribes have believed your covenants, as Jacob has?

Their reward has not appeared, nor has their labour borne fruit. For I have passed through and through among the nations, and saw them abounding, yet not mindful of your commandments.

Now therefore weigh in the balance our iniquities and those of the inhabitants of the world; and your name will be found nowhere except in Israel.

Or when have the dwellers on earth not sinned in your sight? Or what nation has kept your commandments so well?

You will indeed find men by name who have kept your commandments, but you will not find whole nations.