2 Baruch 21

1And I went away from there and sat in the valley of Kidron, in a cave of the earth. And I sanctified my soul there. I ate no bread, yet I was not hungry; and I drank no water, yet I was not thirsty. And I remained there until the seventh day, as he had commanded me.

2And afterward I came to the place where he had spoken with me.

3And I answered and said:

4“Woe to my heart, for it bursts open into a spring of grief, and from there tears flow from my eyes, and I am not satisfied with weeping.”

5You who have commanded the air by a nod and have seen the things that are to come.

6And I came to the place where you spoke with me, and I sat in the cave of the earth.

7And you know the number of those who pass away and of those who abide.

8And the hosts of heaven know by the spirit.

9From the beginning of the world, you call the things that do not exist, and they listen to you.

10You command the lightning at your signal, and you have seen the things that are to come, as the things that have passed.

11In the great reckoning, the offenses of those who are before you are kept before you.

12For even the former things that have passed away are not distant from you, with all their possessors and their remembrance.

13For if the things that have been are not remembered, the things that stand before you are yours, and the things that are to come are remembered in their times.

14And it belongs to you alone to search out the origin of the whole order.

15You do not decree rain and flood except on account of sinful man.

16You alone know the arrangement of the times, without being shaken.

17Look, for you alone are able to sustain all who are, those who have passed, and those who are to come,

18of those who live and of those who are as nothing. For life that is not gladdened is no life.

19Therefore, the one who lives is not gladdened in his life. And I considered the sons of men, and I saw that they were not many and were nothing but the vanity of Adam.

20And I saw that, because of one man, those who live came to be, and also the dwelling place of those who are to come.

21For if this life alone were given to human beings, nothing would be more bitter than this.

22For what is visible in them? Or what visible hope is there? Or what visible dwelling is not vanity?

23For in his kingdom the death of the sons of men is seen. And what truly exists whose end is not known?

24And how was it revealed if afterward they do not understand?

25If what is reserved for the world were not in them, they would be comforted by their hope.

26But because he was created from the earth and from dust, whatever passes away departs from it to its own place.

27And what is preserved remains for what is made new.

28And let what is preserved for its time continue.

29And because the world was created for a time, and those in it are sustained with much trouble, command concerning evil.

30so that man's ruin may not again appear as if man had not been created.

31For the spirit of man is the ruler of the world, yet they do not know what belongs to it.

32They see what is, but not what is to be.

33[Have regard to] the love of your name that is before you above all.

34Therefore from now on show your greatness, and do not overlook what is brought to nothing under the kingdom of death.

35Let your glory be seen, and let the greatness of your goodness be known.

36Let Sheol be sealed, so that from now on it may not receive the dead.

37And let the treasuries of the souls restore those who are shut up in them, that there may be a gathering of the sons of men, as you commanded from of old.

38And let it be known to those who are with them, who are like them, that this is the time.

39Bring near those who are sought, and let what began in toil rejoice at the arrival of your glory.

40And let no one who reigns and has become king boast and grow proud through the pride of man.”