2 Baruch

Historical printed page 523

II BARUCH 82. 3—83. 12 8 For lo! we see now the multitude of the prosperity of the Gentiles, Though they act impiously, But they shall be like a vapour: 4 And we behold the multitude of their power, Though they do wickedly, But they shall be made like unto a drop: 5 And wesee the firmness of their might, Though they resist the Mighty One every hour, But they shall be accounted as spittle. 6 And we consider the glory of their greatness, Though they do not keep the statutes of the Most High, But as smoke shall they pass away. 7 And we meditate on the beauty of their gracefulness, Though they have to-do with pollutions, But as grass that withers shall they fade away. 8 And we consider the strength of their cruelty, ' Though they remember not the end (thereof), But as a wave that passes shall they be broken. 9 And we remark the boastfulness of their might, Though they deny the beneficence of God, who gave (it) to them, But they shall pass away as a passing cloud. 1 [For the Most High will assuredly hasten His times, Ixxxiii = nd He will assuredly bring on His hours. Bt 2 And He will assuredly judge those who are in His world, And will visit in truth all things by means of all their hidden works. 3 And He will assuredly examine the secret thoughts, And that which is laid up in the secret chambers of all the members of man. And will make (them) manifest in the presence of all with reproof. . 4 Let none therefore of these present things ascend into your hearts, but above all let us be expec- 5 tant, because that which is promised to us shall come. And let us not now look unto the delights 6 of the Gentiles in the present, but let us remember what has been promised to us in the end. For the ends of the times and of the seasons and whatsoever is with them shall assuredly pass by 7 together. The consummation, moreover, of the age shall then show the great might of its ruler, 8 when all things come to judgement. Do ye therefore prepare your hearts for that which before ye believed, lest ye come to be in bondage in both worlds, so that ye be led away captive here and be 9 tormented there. For that which exists now or which has passed away, or which is to come, in all these things, neither is the evil fully evil, nor again the good fully good. to For all healthinesses of this time are turning into diseases, 11 And all might of this time is turning into weakness, And all the force of this time is turning into impotence, 12 And every energy of youth is turning into old age and consummation. 3,4. avapour...adrop. Cf. 4 Ezra vii. 61, vi. 56 (Isa. xl. 15).' 5. accounted as spittle. The text here and in 4 Ezra vi, 56 agrees with LXX against the Hebrew. LXXXIII. This chapter seems to belong to Β΄. The times are to be hastened (Ixxxiii. 1, 6) and everything brought to judgement (2, 3, 7) ; let them attend not to the present but to the end and its joys (4, 5), and hold to their old faith, to avoid torment in the world to come (8), for this world is passing away with its strength, its virtues and its lusts (9-23). There is a close connexion between Ixxxiii and xx. This chapter seems to have formed originally part of Baruch’s address to the people, and to have followed on xliv. 8-15. 3. See 4 Ezra xvi. 65. Ch 1 Cor. iv. 5; also Heb. iv. 12. 4. Let none therefore, &c. Cf. Col. iii. 2 τὰ ἄνω φρονεῖτε. See xiv. 13, note. ye ew your hearts. See xxxii. 1, note. which before ye believed, refers to apostates, i.e. Christians who had left Judaism. Cf. xli. 3. io, Probably we have here a play on words mand Jan Any ΝΘ. 11,12, 13. might ... beauty ... dominion. xxi. 14; xlviii. 35. 523