2 Esdras 11

1And it happened on the second night that I saw a dream, and behold, an eagle was coming up from the sea, and it had twelve feathered wings and three heads.

2And I looked, and behold, it spread its wings over all the earth, and all the winds of heaven were blowing upon it, and the clouds were gathering to it.

3And I looked, and from its wings there grew opposite wings, and these became little pinions, small and slight.

4For its heads were at rest, and the middle head was larger than the other heads, yet it too was at rest with them.

5And I looked, and behold, the eagle flew on its wings to reign over the earth and over those who dwell in it.

6And I saw how everything under heaven was subjected to it, and no one contradicted it, not even one creature that is upon the earth.

7And I looked, and behold, the eagle rose up on its claws and uttered a voice to its wings, saying,

8Do not all keep watch at once; sleep, each one in his own place, and keep watch for a time.

9But let the heads be reserved for the end.

10And I looked, and behold, a voice did not come out from its heads, but from the middle of its body.

11And I counted its opposing wings, and behold, they were eight.

12And I looked, and behold, on the right side one wing rose up and reigned over all the earth.

13And it happened that when it reigned, its end came and it did not appear, so that its place did not appear; then the next rose up and reigned, and it held power for a long time.

14It held power for a long time. And it happened that when it reigned,

15its end was coming, so that it did not appear like the former. And behold, a voice

16was sent to it, saying: “Hear, you who have held the earth all this time,

17I announce this to you before you begin to disappear: after you, no one will hold it for as long, not even half as long.”

18will hold your time, but not even half of it. Then the third rose up and held the rule as the former ones had, and it disappeared, and

19And so it happened to all the wings one by one: they held rule.

20And I looked, and behold, in due time the following wings also rose up on the right side, to hold rule; and among them were some that held it, but

21they immediately disappeared. For some of them also rose up,

22but did not hold the rule. And after this I looked, and behold, not

23the twelve wings and the two little pinions disappeared. And nothing remained on the eagle’s body except the three resting heads and six little pinions.

24And I looked, and behold, two of the six little pinions were separated and remained under the head that was on the right side; for

25four remained in their place. And I looked, and behold, these under-wings

26And I looked, and behold, one rose up, but immediately disappeared; then the second, and this one also

27and the second did not appear, but disappeared more quickly than the former. And I saw, and behold, two that

28those that remained were planning among themselves to reign as well; and while they were planning this, behold, one of the resting heads,

29the one that was in the middle awoke, for it was larger than the two heads. And I saw how it drew the two heads to itself,

30And behold, the head turned with those who were with it,

31and it devoured the two under-wings that were planning to reign.

32And this head held sway over the whole earth and ruled those who inhabited it with much oppression, and it held dominion over the inhabited world more than all the wings that had been before it. And I saw after these things, and behold,

33And after this I looked, and behold, the middle head suddenly disappeared, just as the wings had done.

34But two heads remained, and they too reigned over the earth and over those who dwell in it. And I saw, and behold,

35The head on the right side devoured the one on the left. And I heard a voice saying to me, “Look before you, and—”

36Then I saw, and behold, something like a lion roused from the forest.

37roaring; and I heard how it sent out a human voice to the eagle and said, saying: “Hear, and I will speak to you; the Most High says to you:

38Are you not the one who prevailed over the four beasts that I had made

39Are you not the one that remains of the four beasts which I had made to reign in my age, so that through them the end of my times might come?

40And the fourth that came overcame all the beasts that had passed before, and held the age by its power with great trembling, and the whole world with most grievous oppression, and for so long inhabited the world with deceit.

41And you judged the earth not with truth.

42For you afflicted the meek and injured the peaceable; you hated those who spoke truth and loved liars; you destroyed the dwellings of those who bore fruit, and humbled their walls.

43who did not harm you. And your insolence has gone up to the Most High, and your pride to the Mighty One. And the Most High has looked upon his times, and behold, they are ended, and his ages are completed.

44And the Most High has looked upon his times, and behold, they have ended, and his ages are complete.

45Therefore may you never appear again—you, eagle, and your dreadful wings and your most wicked pinions and your evil heads and your wicked claws and all your worthless body—

46and your wicked claws and your whole worthless body, so that the whole earth may be refreshed and relieved, freed from your violence, and may hope for the judgment and mercy of him who made it.”