The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch (2 Baruch) (chapters 77: Baruch’s Admonition to the People and his writing of two Letters—one to the nine and a half tribes in Assyria and the other to the two and a half in Babylon–87: The Dispatch of the Letter to the Nine and a Half Tribes)

The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch (2 Baruch)

continued

Chapter 77: Baruch’s Admonition to the People and his writing of two Letters—one to the nine and a half tribes in Assyria and the other to the two and a half in Babylon

1. And I. Baruch, went thence and came to the people, and assembled them together from the lxxviigreatest to the least, and said unto them: 2. ‘Hear, ye children of Israel, behold how many ye are who lxxxiiremain of the twelve tribes of Israel. 3. For to you and to your fathers the Lord gave a law more B excellent than to all peoples. 4. And because your brethren transgressed the commandments of the Most High, He brought vengeance upon you and upon them, And He spared not the former, And the latter also He gave into captivity: And He left not a residue of them, But behold! 5. ye are here with me. 6. If, therefore, ye direct your ways aright, Ye also shall not depart as your brethren departed, But they shall come to you. 7. For He is merciful whom ye worship, And He is gracious in whom ye hope, And He is true, so that He shall do good and not evil.

8. Have ye not seen here what has befallen Zion? 9. Or do ye perchance think that the place had sinned, And that on this account it was overthrown? Or that the land had wrought foolishness, And that therefore it was delivered up? 10. And know ye not that on account of you who did sin, That which sinned not was overthrown, And, on account of those who wrought wickedly, That which wrought not foolishness was delivered up to (its) enemies?’ 11. And the whole people answered and said unto me: ‘So far as we can recall the good things which the Mighty One has done unto us, we do recall them; and those things which we do not remember He in His mercy knows. 12. Nevertheless, do this for us thy people: write also to our brethren in Babylon an epistle of doctrine and a scroll of hope, that thou mayst confirm them also before thou dost depart from us.

13. For the shepherds of Israel have perished, And the lamps which gave light are extinguished, And the fountains have withheld their stream whence we used to drink. 14. And we are left in the darkness, And amid the trees of the forest, And the thirst of the wilderness.’ 15. And I answered and said unto them: ‘Shepherds and lamps and fountains come from the law: And though we depart, yet the law abideth. 16. If therefore ye have respect to the law, And are intent upon wisdom, A lamp will not be wanting, And a shepherd will not fail, And a fountain will not dry up. 17. Nevertheless, as ye said unto me, I will write also unto your brethren in Babylon, and I will send by means of men, and I will write in like manner to the nine tribes and a half, and send by means of a bird.’

18. And it came to pass on the one and twentieth day in the eighth month that I, Baruch, came and sat down under the oak under the shadow of the branches, and no man was with me, but I was alone. 19. And I wrote these two epistles: one I sent by an eagle to the nine and a half tribes; 20. and the other I sent to those that were at Babylon by means of three men. And I called the eagle and spake these words unto it: 21. ‘The Most High hath made thee that thou shouldst be higher than all birds. 22. And now go and tarry not in (any) place, nor enter a nest, nor settle upon any tree, till thou hast passed over the breadth of the many waters of the river Euphrates, and hast gone to the people that dwell there, and cast down to them this epistle.

23. Remember, moreover, that, at the time of the deluge, Noah received from a dove the fruit of the olive, when he sent it forth from the ark. 24. 25. Yea, also the ravens ministered to Elijah, bearing him food, as they had been commanded. Solomon also, in the time of his kingdom, whithersoever he wished to send or seek for anything, commanded a bird (to go thither), and it obeyed him as he commanded it. 26. And now let it not weary thee, and turn not to the right hand nor the left, but fly and go by a direct way, that thou mayst preserve the command of the Mighty One, according as I said unto thee.’ WROTE TO THE NINE AND A HALF TRIBES.

Chapter 78: The Epistle of Baruch the Son of Neriah which He

1. These are the words of that epistle which Baruch the son of Neriah sent to the nine and a half tribes, which were across the river Euphrates, in which these things were written. 2. Thus saith Baruch the son of Neriah to the brethren carried into captivity: 3. ‘Mercy and peace.’ I bear in mind, my brethren, the love of Him who created us, who loved us from of old, and never hated us, but above all educated us. 4. And truly I know that behold all we the twelve tribes are bound by one bond, inasmuch as we are born from one father. 5. Wherefore I have been the more careful to leave you the words of this epistle before I die, that ye may be comforted regarding the evils which have come upon you, and that ye may be grieved also regarding the evil that has befallen your brethren; and again, also, that ye may justify His judgement which He has decreed against you that ye should be carried away captive—for what ye have suffered is disproportioned to what ye have done—in order that, at the last times, ye may be found worthy of your fathers.

6. Therefore, if ye consider that ye have now suffered those things for your good, that ye may not finally be condemned and tormented, then ye will receive eternal hope: if above all ye destroy from your heart vain error, on account of which ye departed hence. 7. For if ye so do these things, He will continually remember you, He who always promised on our behalf to those who were more excellent than we, that He will never forget or forsake us, but with much mercy will gather together again those who were dispersed.

Chapter 79

1. Now, my brethren, learn first what befell Zion: how that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against us. 2. For we have sinned against Him who made us, and we have not kept the commandments which he commanded us, yet he hath not chastened us as we deserved. 3. For what befell you we also suffer in a pre-eminent degree, for it befell us also.

Chapter 80

1. And now, my brethren, I make known unto you that when the enemy had surrounded the city, the angels of the Most High were sent, and they overthrew the fortifications of the strong wall, and they destroyed the firm iron corners, which could not be rooted out. 2. Nevertheless, they hid all the vessels of the sanctuary, lest the enemy should get possession of them. 3. And when they had done these things, they delivered thereupon to the enemy the overthrown wall, and the plundered house, and the burnt temple, and the people who were overcome because they were delivered up, lest the enemy should boast and say: ‘Thus by force have we been able to lay waste even the house of the Most High in war.’ 4. Your brethren also have they bound and led away to Babylon, and have caused them to dwell there. 5. 6. But we have been left here, being very few. This is the tribulation about which I wrote to you.

7. For assuredly I know that (the consolation of) the inhabitants of Zion consoleth you: so far as ye knew that it was prospered (your consolation) was greater than the tribulation which ye endured in having to depart from it.

Chapter 81

1. 2. But regarding consolation, hear ye the word. For I was mourning regarding Zion, and I prayed for mercy from the Most High, and I said: 3. ‘How long will these things endure for us? And will these evils come upon us always?’ 4. And the Mighty One did according to the multitude of His mercies, And the Most High according to the greatness of His compassion, And He revealed unto me the word, that I might receive consolation, And He showed me visions that I should not again endure anguish, And He made known to me the mystery of the times. And the advent of the hours he showed me.

Chapter 82

1. Therefore, my brethren, I have written to you, that ye may comfort yourselves regarding the multitude of your tribulations. 2. For know ye that our Maker will assuredly avenge us on all our enemies, according to all that they have done to us, also that the consummation which the Most High will make is very nigh, and His mercy that is coming, and the consummation of His judgement, is by no means far off. 3. For lo! we see now the multitude of the prosperity of the Gentiles, Though they act impiously, But they shall be like a vapour: 4. And we behold the multitude of their power, Though they do wickedly, But they shall be made like unto a drop: 5. And we see the firmness of their might, Though they resist the Mighty One every hour, But they shall be accounted as spittle. 6. And we consider the glory of their greatness, Though they do not keep the statutes of the Most High, But as smoke shall they pass away.

7. And we meditate on the beauty of their gracefulness, Though they have to do with pollutions, But as grass that withers shall they fade away. 8. And we consider the strength of their cruelty, Though they remember not the end (thereof), But as a wave that passes shall they be broken. 9. And we remark the boastfulness of their might, Though they deny the beneficence of God, who gave (it) to them, But they shall pass away as a passing cloud.

Chapter 83

1. [For the Most High will assuredly hasten His times, And He will assuredly bring on His hours. 2. And He will assuredly judge those who are in His world, And will visit in truth all things by means of all their hidden works. 3. And He will assuredly examine the secret thoughts, And that which is laid up in the secret chambers of all the members of man. And will make (them) manifest in the presence of all with reproof. 4. – 9. Let none therefore of these present things ascend into your hearts, but above all let us be expectant, because that which is promised to us shall come. And let us not now look unto the delights of the Gentiles in the present, but let us remember what has been promised to us in the end. For the ends of the times and of the seasons and whatsoever is with them shall assuredly pass by together. The consummation, moreover, of the age shall then show the great might of its ruler, when all things come to judgement. Do ye therefore prepare your hearts for that which before ye believed, lest ye come to be in bondage in both worlds, so that ye be led away captive here and be tormented there. For that which exists now or which has passed away, or which is to come, in all these things, neither is the evil fully evil, nor again the good fully good.

10. For all healthinesses of this time are turning into diseases, 11. And all might of this time is turning into weakness, And all the force of this time is turning into impotence, 12. And every energy of youth is turning into old age and consummation. And every beauty of gracefulness of this time is turning faded and hateful, 13. And every proud dominion of the present is turning into humiliation and shame, 14. And every praise of the glory of this time is turning into the shame of silence, And every vain splendour and insolence of this time is turning into voiceless ruin. 15. And every delight and joy of this time is turning to worms and corruption, 16. And every clamour of the pride of this time is turning into dust and stillness. 17. And every possession of riches of this time is being turned into Sheol alone,

18. And all the rapine of passion of this time is turning into involuntary death, And every passion of the lusts of this time is turning into a judgement of torment. 19. And every artifice and craftiness of this time is turning into a proof of the truth, 20. And every sweetness of unguents of this time is turning into judgement and condemnation, 21. And every love of lying is turning to contumely through truth. 22. Since therefore all these things are done now, does anyone think that they will not be avenged? But the consummation of all things will come to the truth.]

Chapter 84

1. Behold! I have therefore made known unto you (these things) whilst I live: for I have said (it) lxxxiv that ye should learn the things that are excellent; for the Mighty One hath commanded me to B instruct you: and I will set before you some of the commandments of His judgement before I die. 2. Remember that formerly Moses assuredly called heaven and earth to witness against you and said: 3. ‘If ye transgress the law ye shall be dispersed, but if ye keep it ye shall be kept.’ And other things also he used to say unto you when ye the twelve tribes were together in the desert. 4. And after his death ye cast them away from you: on this account there came upon you what had been predicted. 5. And now Moses used to tell you before they befell you, and lo! they have befallen you:

6. for ye have forsaken the law. Lo! I also say unto you after ye have suffered, that if ye obey those things which have been said unto you, ye will receive from the Mighty One whatever has been laid up and reserved for you. 7. Moreover, let this epistle be for a testimony between me and you, that ye may remember the commandments of the Mighty One, and that also there may be to me a defence in the presence of Him who sent me. 8. And remember ye the law and Zion, and the holy land and your brethren, and the covenant of your fathers, and forget not the festivals and the sabbaths. 9. And deliver ye this epistle and the traditions of the law to your sons after you, as also your fathers delivered (them) to you. 10. And at all times make request perseveringly and pray diligently with your whole heart that the Mighty One may be reconciled to you, and that He may not reckon the multitude of your sins, but remember the rectitude of your fathers.

11. For if He judge us not according to the multitude of His mercies, woe unto all us who are born.

Chapter 85

1. [Know ye, moreover, that In former times and in the generations of old our fathers had helpers, Righteous men and holy prophets: 2. Nay more, we were in our own land [And they helped us when we sinned], And they interceded for us with Him who made us, [Because they trusted in their works], And the Mighty One heard their prayer and forgave us. 3. But now the righteous have been gathered And the prophets have fallen asleep, And we also have gone forth from the land, And Zion has been taken from us, And we have nothing now save the Mighty One and His law. 4. If therefore we direct and dispose our hearts, We shall receive everything that we lost, And much better things than we lost by many times. 5. For what we have lost was subject to corruption, And what we shall receive shall not be corruptible.

6. [Moreover, also, I have written thus to our brethren to Babylon, that to them also I may attest these very things.] 7. And let all those things aforesaid be always before your eyes, Because we are still in the spirit and the power of our liberty. 8. Again, moreover, the Most High also is long-suffering towards us here, And He hath shown to us that which is to be, And hath not concealed from us what will befall in the end. 9. Before therefore judgement exact its own, And truth that which is its due, Let us prepare our soul That we may possess, and not be taken possession of, And that we may hope and not be put to shame, And that we may rest with our fathers, and not be tormented with our enemies. 10. For the youth of the world is past, And the strength of the creation already exhausted, And the advent of the times is very short, Yea, they have passed by; And the pitcher is near to the cistern, And the ship to the port, And the course of the journey to the city, And life to (its) consummation.

11. And again prepare your souls, so that when ye sail and ascend from the ship ye may have rest and not be condemned when ye depart. 12. For lo! when the Most High will bring to pass all these things, There shall not there be again [a place of repentance, nor] a limit to the times, Nor a duration for the hours, Nor a change of ways, Nor place for prayer, Nor sending of petitions, Nor receiving of knowledge, Nor giving of love, Nor place of repentance for the soul, Nor supplication for offences, Nor intercession of the fathers, Nor prayer of the prophets, Nor help of the righteous. 13. There there is the sentence of corruption, The way of fire, And the path which bringeth to Gehenna. 14. On this account there is one law by one, One age and an end for all who are in it.

15. Then He will preserve those whom He can forgive, And at the same time destroy those who are polluted with sins.]

Chapter 86

1. 2. When therefore ye receive this my epistle, read it in your congregations with care. And meditate thereon, above all on the days of your fasts. 3. And bear me in mind by means of this epistle, as I also bear you in mind in it, and always. Fare ye well.

Chapter 87: The Dispatch of the Letter to the Nine and a Half Tribes

1. And it came to pass when I had ended all the words of this epistle, and had written it sedulously to its close, that I folded it, and sealed it carefully, and bound it to the neck of the eagle, and dismissed and sent it. HERE ENDS THE BOOK OF BARUCH