The Book Of The Secrets Of Enoch
1926 anthology, complete selected publisher reading text
Rutherford H. Platt
XLIII.
Enoch shows his children how he measured and wrote out God’s judgements.
I my children, measured and wrote out every work and every measure and every righteous judgement.
2 As one year is more honourable than another, so is one man more honourable than another, some for great possessions, some for wisdom of heart, some for particular intellect, some for cunning, one for silence of lip, another for cleanliness, one for strength, another for comeliness, one for youth, another for sharp wit, one for shape of body, another for sensibility, let it be heard everywhere, but there is none better than he who fears God, he shall be more glorious in time to come.
XLIV.
Enoch instructs his sons, that they revile not the face of man, small or great.
THE Lord with his hands having created man, in the likeness of his own face, the Lord made him small and great.
2 Whoever reviles the ruler’s face, and abhors the Lord’s face, has despised the Lord’s face, and tie who vents anger on any man without injury, the Lord’s great anger will cut him down, he who spits on the face of man reproachfully, will be cut down at the Lord’s great judgement.
3 Blessed is the man who does not direct his heart with malice against any man, and helps the injured and condemned, and raises the broken down, and shall do charity to the needy, because on the day of the great judgement every weight, every measure and every makeweight will be as in the market, that is to say they are hung on scales and stand in the market, and every one shall learn his own measure, and according to his measure shall take his reward.
XLV.
God shows how he does not want from men sacrifices, nor burnt-offerings, but pure and contrite hearts.
WHOEVER hastens to make offering before the Lord’s face, the Lord for his part will hasten that offering by granting of his work.
2 But whoever increases his lamp before the Lord’s face and make not true judgement, the Lord will not increase his treasure in the realm of the highest.
3 When the Lord demands bread, or candles, or flesh (sc. cattle), or any other sacrifice, then that is nothing; but God demands pure hearts, and with all that only tests the heart of man.
XLVI.
Of how an earthly ruler does not accept from man abominable and unclean gifts, then how much more does God abominate unclean gifts, but sends them away with wrath and does not accept his gifts.
HEAR, my people, and take in the words of my lips.
2 If any one bring any gifts to an earthly ruler, and have disloyal thoughts in his heart, and the ruler know this, will he not be angry with him, and not refuse his gifts, and not give him over to judgement?
3 Or if one man make himself appear good to another by deceit of tongue, but have evil in his heart, then will not the other understand the treachery of his heart, and himself be condemned, since his untruth was plain to all?
4 And when the Lord shall send a great light, then there will be judgement for the just and the unjust, and there no one shall escape notice.
XLVII.
Enoch instructs his sons from God’s lips, and hands them the handwriting of this book.
AND now, my children, lay thought on your hearts, mark well the words of your father, which are all come to you from the Lord’s lips.
2 Take these books of your father’s handwriting and read them.
3 For the books are many, and in them you will learn all the Lord’s works, all that has been from the beginning of creation, and will be till the end of time.
4 And if you will observe my handwriting, you will not sin against the Lord; because there is no other except the Lord, neither in heaven, nor in earth, nor in the very lowest places, nor in the one foundation.
5 The Lord has placed the foundations in the unknown, and has spread forth heavens visible and invisible; he fixed the earth on the waters, and created countless creatures, and who has counted the water and the foundation of the unfixed, or the dust of the earth, or the sand of the sea, or the drops of the rain, or the morning dew, or the wind’s breathings? Who has filled earth and sea, and the indissoluble winter?
6 I cut the stars out of fire, and decorated heaven, and put it in their midst.
XLVIII.
Of the sun’s passage along the seven circles.
THAT the sun go along the seven heavenly circles, which are the, appointment of one hundred and eighty-two thrones, that it go down on a short day, and again one hundred and eighty-two, that it go down on a big day, and he has two thrones on which he rests, revolving hither and thither above the thrones of the months, from the seventeenth day of the month Tsivan it goes down to the month Thevan, from the seventeenth of Thevan it goes up.
3 And thus it goes close to the earth, then the earth is and makes grow its fruit, and when it goes away, then the earth is sad, and trees and all fruits have no florescence.
4 All this he measured, with good measurement of hours, and fixed a measure by his wisdom, of the visible and the invisible.
5 From the invisible he made all things visible, himself being invisible.
6 Thus I make known to you, my children, and distribute the books to your children, into all your generations, and amongst the nations who shall have the sense to fear God, let them receive them, and may they come to love them more than any food or earthly sweets, and read them and apply themselves to them.
7 And those who understand not the Lord, who fear not God, who accept not, but reject, who do not receive them (sc. the books), a terrible judgement awaits these.
8 Blessed is the man who shall bear their yoke and shall drag them along, for he shall be released on the day of the great judgement.
XLIX.
Enoch instructs his sons not to swear either by heaven or earth, and shows God’s promise, even in the mother’s womb.
I SWEAR to you, my children, but I swear not by any oath, neither by heaven nor by earth, nor by any other creature which God created.