4. I was lying down in the house of my grandfather Malalel, _when_ I saw
in a vision heaven purifying, and snatched away.
5. And falling to the earth, I saw likewise the earth absorbed by a
great abyss; and mountains suspended over mountains.
6. Hills were sinking upon hills, lofty trees were gliding[193] off from
their trunks, and were in the act of being projected, and of sinking
into the abyss.
7. _Being alarmed_ at these things, my voice faltered.[194] I cried out
and said, The earth is destroyed. Then my grandfather Malalel raised me
up, and said to me: Why dost thou thus cry out, my son? and wherefore
dost thou thus lament?
8. I related to him the whole vision which I had seen. He said to me,
Confirmed is that which thou hast seen, my son;
9. And potent the vision of thy dream respecting every secret sin of the
earth. Its substance shall sink into the abyss, and a great destruction
take place.
10. Now, my son, rise up; and beseech the Lord of glory (for thou art
faithful), that a remnant may be left upon earth, and that he would not
wholly destroy it. My son, all this _calamity_ upon earth comes down
from heaven;[195] upon earth shall there be a great destruction.
11. Then I arose, prayed, and entreated; and wrote down my prayer for
the generations of the world, explaining everything to my son Mathusala.
12. When I went out below, and looking up to heaven, beheld the sun
proceeding from the east, the moon descending to the west, a few
_scattered_ stars, and everything which God[196] has known from the
beginning, I blessed the Lord of judgment, and magnified him: because he
hath sent forth the sun from the chambers[197] of the east; that,
ascending and rising in the face of heaven, it might spring up, and
pursue the path which has been pointed out to it.
Footnote 191:
Paris MS.
Footnote 192:
_before thee._
Footnote 193:
_cutting._
Footnote 194:
_the word fell down in my mouth._
Footnote 195:
_all this upon earth is from heaven._
Footnote 196:
_he._
Footnote 197:
_windows._