XII-XVI. Dream Vision of Enoch: his intercession for Azâzêl and the fallen Angels: and his announcement to them of their first and final doom.
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Charles, R. H. (Robert Henry)
XII. 1. Before these things Enoch was hidden, and no one of the children of men knew where he was hidden, and where he abode, and what had become of him. 2. And his activities had to do with the Watchers, and his days were with the holy ones.
3. And I, Enoch, was blessing the Lord of majesty and the King of the ages, and lo! the Watchers called me—Enoch the scribe—and said to me: 4. ‘Enoch, thou scribe of righteousness, go, †declare† to the Watchers of the heaven who have left the high heaven, the holy eternal place, and have defiled themselves with women, and have done as the children of earth do, and have taken unto themselves wives: “Ye have wrought great destruction on the earth: 5. And ye shall have no peace nor forgiveness of sin: and inasmuch as †they† delight themselves in †their† children, 6. The murder of †their† beloved ones shall †they† see, and over the destruction of †their† children shall †they† lament, and shall make supplication unto eternity, but mercy and peace shall ye not attain.”’
XIII.
1. And Enoch went and said: ‘Azâzêl, thou shalt have no peace: a severe sentence has gone forth against thee to put thee in bonds:
2. And thou shalt not have toleration nor †request† granted to thee, because of the unrighteousness which thou hast taught, and because of all the works of godlessness and unrighteousness and sin which thou hast shown to men.’
3. Then I went and spoke to them all together, and they were all afraid, and fear and trembling seized them.
4. And they besought me to draw up a petition for them that they might find forgiveness, and to read their petition in the presence of the Lord of heaven.
5. For from thenceforward they could not speak (with Him) nor lift up their eyes to heaven for shame of their sins for which they had been condemned.
6. Then I wrote out their petition, and the prayer †in regard to their spirits and their deeds individually and in regard to their requests that they should have forgiveness and length ‹of days›†.
7. And I went off and sat down at the waters of Dan, in the land of Dan, to the south of the west of Hermon: I read their petition till I fell asleep.
8. And behold a dream came to me, and visions fell down upon me, and I saw visions of chastisement, ⌜and a voice came bidding (me)⌝ to tell it to the sons of heaven, and reprimand them.
9. And when I awaked, I came unto them, and they were all sitting gathered together, weeping in ’Abelsjâîl, which is between Lebanon and Sênêsêr, with their faces covered.
10. And I recounted before them all the visions which I had seen in sleep, and I began to speak the words of righteousness, and to reprimand the heavenly Watchers.
XIV.
1. The book of the words of righteousness, and of the reprimand of the eternal Watchers in accordance with the command of the Holy Great One in that vision.
2. I saw in my sleep what I will now say with a tongue of flesh and with the breath of my mouth: which the Great One has given to men to converse therewith and understand with the heart.
3. As He hath created and given 〚to man the power of understanding the word of wisdom, so hath He created me also and given〛 me the power of reprimanding the Watchers, the children of heaven.
4. I wrote out your petition, and in my vision it appeared thus, that your petition will not be granted unto you 〚throughout all the days of eternity, and that judgement has been finally passed upon you: yea (your petition) will not be granted unto you〛.
5. And from henceforth you shall not ascend into heaven unto all eternity, and ⌜in bonds⌝ of the earth the decree has gone forth to bind you for all the days of the world.
6. And (that) previously you shall have seen the destruction of your beloved sons and you shall have no pleasure in them, but they shall fall before you by the sword.
7. And your petition on their behalf shall not be granted, nor yet on your own: even though you weep and pray and speak all the words contained in the writing which I have written.
8. And the vision was shown to me thus: Behold, in the vision clouds invited me and a mist summoned me, and the course of the stars and the lightnings sped and hastened me, and the winds in the vision caused me to fly and lifted me upward, and bore me into heaven.
9. And I went in till I drew nigh to a wall which is built of crystals and surrounded by tongues of fire: and it began to affright me.
10. And I went into the tongues of fire and drew nigh to a large house which was built of crystals: and the walls of the house were like a tesselated floor (made) of crystals, and its groundwork was of crystal.
11. Its ceiling was like the path of the stars and the lightnings, and between them were fiery cherubim, and their heaven was (clear as) water.
12. A flaming fire surrounded the walls, and its portals blazed with fire.
13. And I entered into that house, and it was hot as fire and cold as ice: there were no delights of life therein: fear covered me, and trembling gat hold upon me.
14. And as I quaked and trembled, I fell upon my face. And I beheld a vision,
15. And lo! there was a second house, greater than the former, and the entire portal stood open before me, and it was built of flames of fire.
16. And in every respect it so excelled in splendour and magnificence and extent that I cannot describe to you its splendour and its extent.
17. And its floor was of fire, and above it were lightnings and the path of the stars, and its ceiling also was flaming fire.
18. And I looked and saw 〚therein〛 a lofty throne: its appearance was as crystal, and the wheels thereof as the shining sun, and there was the vision of cherubim.
19. And from underneath the throne came streams of flaming fire so that I could not look thereon.
20. And the Great Glory sat thereon, and His raiment shone more brightly than the sun and was whiter than any snow.
21. None of the angels could enter and could behold His face by reason of the magnificence and glory, and no flesh could behold Him.
22. The flaming fire was round about Him, and a great fire stood before Him, and none around could draw nigh Him: ten thousand times ten thousand (stood) before Him, yet He needed no counsellor.
23. And the most holy ones who were nigh to Him did not leave by night nor depart from Him.
24. And until then I had been prostrate on my face, trembling: and the Lord called me with His own mouth, and said to me: ‘Come hither, Enoch, and hear my word.’ 25. ⌜And one of the holy ones came to me and waked me⌝, and He made me rise up and approach the door: and I bowed my face downwards.
XV.
1. And He answered and said to me, and I heard His voice: ‘Fear not, Enoch, thou righteous man and scribe of righteousness: approach hither and hear my voice.