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BOOK OF ENOCH
From-The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament
H.R. Charles
Oxford: The Clarendon Press
INTRODUCTION
[Chapter 1]
1 The words of the blessing of Enoch, wherewith he blessed the elect and righteous, who
will be 2 living in the day of tribulation, when all the wicked and godless are to be
removed. And he took up his parable and said -Enoch a righteous man, whose eyes were
opened by God, saw the vision of the Holy One in the heavens, which the angels showed
me, and from them I heard everything, and from them I understood as I saw, but not for
this generation, but for a remote one which is 3 for to come. Concerning the elect I said,
and took up my parable concerning them:
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The Holy Great One will come forth from His dwelling, |
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4 And the eternal God will tread upon the earth, (even) on Mount Sinai, |
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[And appear from His camp] |
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And appear in the strength of His might from the heaven of heavens. |
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5 And all shall be smitten with fear |
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And the Watchers shall quake, |
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And great fear and trembling shall seize them unto the ends of the earth. |
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6 And the high mountains shall be shaken, |
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And the high hills shall be made low, |
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And shall melt like wax before the flame |
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7 And the earth shall be wholly rent in sunder, |
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And all that is upon the earth shall perish, |
And there shall be a judgement upon all (men). |
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8 But with the righteous He will make peace. |
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And will protect the elect, |
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And mercy shall be upon them. |
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And they shall all belong to God, |
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And they shall be prospered, |
And they shall all be blessed. |
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And He will help them all, |
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And light shall appear unto them, |
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And He will make peace with them'. |
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9 And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of His holy ones |
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To execute judgement upon all, |
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And to destroy all the ungodly: |
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And to convict all flesh |
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Of all the works of their ungodliness which they have ungodly committed, |
And of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him. |
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[Chapter 2]
1 Observe ye everything that takes place in the heaven, how they do not change their
orbits, and the luminaries which are in the heaven, how they all rise and set in order each
in its season, and 2 transgress not against their appointed order. Behold ye the earth, and
give heed to the things which take place upon it from first to last, how steadfast they are,
how none of the things upon earth 3 change, but all the works of God appear to you.
Behold the summer and the winter, how the whole earth is filled with water, and clouds
and dew and rain lie upon it.
[Chapter 3]
Observe and see how (in the winter) all the trees seem as though they had withered and
shed all their leaves, except fourteen trees, which do not lose their foliage but retain the
old foliage from two to three years till the new comes.
[Chapter 4]
And again, observe ye the days of summer how the sun is above the earth over against it.
And you seek shade and shelter by reason of the heat of the sun, and the earth also burns
with growing heat, and so you cannot tread on the earth, or on a rock by reason of its
heat.
[Chapter 5]
1 Observe ye how the trees cover themselves with green leaves and bear fruit: wherefore
give ye heed and know with regard to all His works, and recognize how He that liveth for
ever hath made them so. 2 And all His works go on thus from year to year for ever, and all
the tasks which they accomplish for Him, and their tasks change not, but according as God
hath ordained so is it done. 3 And behold how the sea and the rivers in like manner
accomplish and change not their tasks from His commandments'.
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4 But ye -ye have not been steadfast, nor done the commandments of the Lord, |
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But ye have turned away and spoken proud and hard words |
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With your impure mouths against His greatness. |
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Oh, ye hard-hearted, ye shall find no peace. |
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5 Therefore shall ye execrate your days, |
And the years of your life shall perish, |
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And the years of your destruction shall be multiplied in eternal execration, |
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And ye shall find no mercy. |
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6a In those days ye shall make your names an eternal execration unto all the
righteous, |
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b And by you shall all who curse, curse, |
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And all the sinners and godless shall imprecate by you, |
7c And for you the godless there shall be a curse. |
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6d And all the . . . shall rejoice, |
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e And there shall be forgiveness of sins, |
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f And every mercy and peace and forbearance: |
g There shall be salvation unto them, a goodly light. |
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i And for all of you sinners there shall be no salvation, |
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j But on you all shall abide a curse. |
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7a But for the elect there shall be light and joy and peace, |
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And they shall inherit the earth. |
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8 And then there shall be bestowed upon the elect wisdom, |
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And they shall all live and never again sin, |
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Either through ungodliness or through pride: |
But they who are wise shall be humble. |
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9 And they shall not again transgress, |
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Nor shall they sin all the days of their life, |
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Nor shall they die of (the divine) anger or wrath, |
But they shall complete the number of the days of their life. |
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And their lives shall be increased in peace, |
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And the years of their joy shall be multiplied, |
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In eternal gladness and peace, |
All the days of their life |
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[Chapter 6]
1 And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were
born unto 2 them beautiful and comely daughters. And the angels, the children of the
heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: 'Come, let us choose us wives
from among the children of men 3 and beget us children.' And Semjaza, who was their
leader, said unto them: 'I fear ye will not 4 indeed agree to do this deed, and I alone shall
have to pay the penalty of a great sin.' And they all answered him and said: 'Let us all
swear an oath, and all bind ourselves by mutual imprecations 5 not to abandon this plan
but to do this thing.' Then sware they all together and bound themselves 6 by mutual
imprecations upon it. And they were in all two hundred; who descended in the days of
Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount Hermon, because they
had sworn 7 and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. And these are the
names of their leaders: Samlazaz, their leader, Araklba, Rameel, Kokablel, Tamlel,
Ramlel, Danel, Ezeqeel, Baraqijal, 8 Asael, Armaros, Batarel, Ananel,
Zaqiel, Samsapeel,
Satarel, Turel, Jomjael, Sariel. These are their chiefs of tens.
[Chapter 7]
1 And all the others together with them took unto themselves wives, and each chose for
himself one, and they began to go in unto them and to defile themselves with them, and
they taught them charms 2 and enchantments, and the cutting of roots, and made them
acquainted with plants. And they 3 became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose
height was three thousand ells: Who consumed 4 all the acquisitions of men. And when
men could no longer sustain them, the giants turned against 5 them and devoured
mankind. And they began to sin against birds, and beasts, and reptiles, and 6 fish, and to
devour one another's flesh, and drink the blood. Then the earth laid accusation against the
lawless ones.
[Chapter 8]
1 And Azazel taught men to make swords, and knives, and shields, and breastplates, and
made known to them the metals of the earth and the art of working them, and bracelets,
and ornaments, and the use of antimony, and the beautifying of the eyelids, and all kinds of
costly stones, and all 2 colouring tinctures. And there arose much godlessness, and they
committed fornication, and they 3 were led astray, and became corrupt in all their ways.
Semjaza taught enchantments, and root-cuttings, 'Armaros the resolving of enchantments,
Baraqijal (taught) astrology, Kokabel the constellations, Ezeqeel the knowledge of the
clouds, Araqiel the signs of the earth, Shamsiel the signs of the sun, and Sariel the course
of the moon. And as men perished, they cried, and their cry went up to heaven . . .
[Chapter 9]
1 And then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much
blood being 2 shed upon the earth, and all lawlessness being wrought upon the earth. And
they said one to another: 'The earth made without inhabitant cries the voice of their
cryingst up to the gates of heaven. 3 And now to you, the holy ones of heaven, the souls
of men make their suit, saying, "Bring our cause 4 before the Most High."' And they said
to the Lord of the ages: 'Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings, and God of the ages,
the throne of Thy glory (standeth) unto all the generations of the 5 ages, and Thy name
holy and glorious and blessed unto all the ages! Thou hast made all things, and power
over all things hast Thou: and all things are naked and open in Thy sight, and Thou seest
all 6 things, and nothing can hide itself from Thee. Thou seest what Azazel hath done,
who hath taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets which were
(preserved) in heaven, which 7 men were striving to learn: And Semjaza, to whom Thou
hast given authority to bear rule over his associates. And they have gone to the daughters
of men upon the earth, and have slept with the 9 women, and have defiled themselves, and
revealed to them all kinds of sins. And the women have 10 borne giants, and the whole
earth has thereby been filled with blood and unrighteousness. And now, behold, the souls
of those who have died are crying and making their suit to the gates of heaven, and their
lamentations have ascended: and cannot cease because of the lawless deeds which are
11
wrought on the earth. And Thou knowest all things before they come to pass, and Thou
seest these things and Thou dost suffer them, and Thou dost not say to us what we are to
do to them in regard to these.'
[Chapter 10]
1 Then said the Most High, the Holy and Great One spake, and sent Uriel to the son of
Lamech, 2 and said to him: 'Go to Noah and tell him in my name "Hide thyself!" and
reveal to him the end that is approaching: that the whole earth will be destroyed, and a
deluge is about to come 3 upon the whole earth, and will destroy all that is on it. And
now instruct him that he may escape 4 and his seed may be preserved for all the
generations of the world.' And again the Lord said to Raphael: 'Bind Azazel hand and
foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening 5 in the desert, which is in
Dudael, and cast him therein. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him
with darkness, and let him abide there for ever, and cover his face that he may
6,7 not see
light. And on the day of the great judgement he shall be cast into the fire. And heal the
earth which the angels have corrupted, and proclaim the healing of the earth, that they may
heal the plague, and that all the children of men may not perish through all the secret
things that the 8 Watchers have disclosed and have taught their sons. And the whole earth
has been corrupted 9 through the works that were taught by Azazel: to him ascribe all
sin.' And to Gabriel said the Lord: 'Proceed against the bastards and the reprobates, and
against the children of fornication: and destroy [the children of fornication and] the
children of the Watchers from amongst men [and cause them to go forth]: send them one
against the other that they may destroy each other in 10 battle: for length of days shall
they not have. And no request that they (i.e. their fathers) make of thee shall be granted
unto their fathers on their behalf; for they hope to live an eternal life, and
11 that each one
of them will live five hundred years.' And the Lord said unto Michael: 'Go, bind Semjaza
and his associates who have united themselves with women so as to have defiled
themselves 12 with them in all their uncleanness. And when their sons have slain one
another, and they have seen the destruction of their beloved ones, bind them fast for
seventy generations in the valleys of the earth, till the day of their judgement and of their
consummation, till the judgement that is 13 for ever and ever is consummated. In those
days they shall be led off to the abyss of fire: and 14 to the torment and the prison in
which they shall be confined for ever. And whosoever shall be condemned and destroyed
will from thenceforth be bound together with them to the end of all 15 generations. And
destroy all the spirits of the reprobate and the children of the Watchers, because
16 they
have wronged mankind. Destroy all wrong from the face of the earth and let every evil
work come to an end: and let the plant of righteousness and truth appear: and it shall
prove a blessing; the works of righteousness and truth' shall be planted in truth and joy for
evermore.
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17 And then shall all the righteous escape, |
And shall live till they beget thousands of children |
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And all the days of their youth and their old age |
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Shall they complete in peace. |
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18 And then shall the whole earth be tilled in righteousness, and shall all be planted with
trees and 19 be full of blessing. And all desirable trees shall be planted on it, and they shall
plant vines on it: and the vine which they plant thereon shall yield wine in abundance, and
as for all the seed which is sown thereon each measure (of it) shall bear a thousand, and
each measure of olives shall yield 20 ten presses of oil. And cleanse thou the earth from
all oppression, and from all unrighteousness, and from all sin, and from all godlessness:
and all the uncleanness that is wrought upon the earth 21 destroy from off the earth. And
all the children of men shall become righteous, and all nations 22 shall offer adoration and
shall praise Me, and all shall worship Me. And the earth shall be cleansed from all
defilement, and from all sin, and from all punishment, and from all torment, and I will
never again send (them) upon it from generation to generation and for ever.
[Chapter 11]
1 And in those days I will open the store chambers of blessing which are in the heaven, so
as to send 2 them down upon the earth over the work and labour of the children of men.
And truth and peace shall be associated together throughout all the days of the world and
throughout all the generations of men.'
[Chapter 12]
1 Before these things Enoch was hidden, and no one of the children of men knew where
he was 2 hidden, and where he abode, and what had become of him. And his activities
had to do with the Watchers, and his days were with the holy ones. 3 And I Enoch was
blessing the Lord of majesty and the King of the ages, and lo! the Watchers 4 called me -Enoch the scribe- and said to me: 'Enoch, thou scribe of righteousness, go, declare to the
Watchers of the heaven who have left the high heaven, the holy eternal place, and have
defiled themselves with women, and have done as the children of earth do, and have taken
unto themselves 5 wives: "Ye have wrought great destruction on the earth: And ye shall
have no peace nor forgiveness 6 of sin: and inasmuch as they delight themselves in their
children, The murder of their beloved ones shall they see, and over the destruction of their
children shall they lament, and shall make supplication unto eternity, but mercy and peace
shall ye not attain."'
[Chapter 13]
1 And Enoch went and said: 'Azazel, thou shalt have no peace: a severe sentence has
gone forth 2 against thee to put thee in bonds: And thou shalt not have toleration nor
request granted to thee, because of the unrighteousness which thou hast taught, and
because of all the works of godlessness 3 and unrighteousness and sin which thou hast
shown to men.' Then I went and spoke to them all 4 together, and they were all afraid,
and fear and trembling seized them. And they besought me to draw up a petition for them
that they might find forgiveness, and to read their petition in the presence 5 of the Lord of
heaven. For from thenceforward they could not speak (with Him) nor lift up their
6 eyes
to heaven for shame of their sins for which they had been condemned. Then I wrote out
their petition, and the prayer in regard to their spirits and their deeds individually and in
regard to their 7 requests that they should have forgiveness and length. And I went off
and sat down at the waters of Dan, in the land of Dan, to the south of the west of
Hermon: I read their petition till I fell 8 asleep. And behold a dream came to me, and
visions fell down upon me, and I saw visions of chastisement, and a voice came bidding
(me) I to tell it to the sons of heaven, and reprimand them. 9 And when I awaked, I came
unto them, and they were all sitting gathered together, weeping in 10 'Abelsjail, which is
between Lebanon and Seneser, with their faces covered. And I recounted before them all
the visions which I had seen in sleep, and I began to speak the words of righteousness, and
to reprimand the heavenly Watchers.
[Chapter 14]
1 The book of the words of righteousness, and of the reprimand of the eternal Watchers in
accordance 2 with the command of the Holy Great One in that vision. I saw in my sleep
what I will now say with a tongue of flesh and with the breath of my mouth: which the
Great One has given to men to 3 converse therewith and understand with the heart. As
He has created and given to man the power of understanding the word of wisdom, so hath
He created me also and given me the power of reprimanding 4 the Watchers, the children
of heaven. I wrote out your petition, and in my vision it appeared thus, that your petition
will not be granted unto you throughout all the days of eternity, and that judgement
5 has
been finally passed upon you: yea (your petition) will not be granted unto you. And from
henceforth you shall not ascend into heaven unto all eternity, and in bonds of the earth the
decree 6 has gone forth to bind you for all the days of the world. And (that) previously
you shall have seen the destruction of your beloved sons and ye shall have no pleasure in
them, but they shall fall before 7 you by the sword. And your petition on their behalf shall
not be granted, nor yet on your own: even though you weep and pray and speak all the
words contained in the writing which I have 8 written. And the vision was shown to me
thus: Behold, in the vision clouds invited me and a mist summoned me, and the course of
the stars and the lightnings sped and hastened me, and the winds in 9 the vision caused me
to fly and lifted me upward, and bore me into heaven. And I went in till I drew nigh to a
wall which is built of crystals and surrounded by tongues of fire: and it began to affright
10 me. And I went into the tongues of fire and drew nigh to a large house which was built
of crystals: and the walls of the house were like a tesselated floor (made) of crystals, and
its groundwork was 11 of crystal. Its ceiling was like the path of the stars and the
lightnings, and between them were 12 fiery cherubim, and their heaven was (clear as)
water. A flaming fire surrounded the walls, and its 13 portals blazed with fire. And I
entered into that house, and it was hot as fire and cold as ice: there 14 were no delights of
life therein: fear covered me, and trembling got hold upon me. And as I quaked
15 and
trembled, I fell upon my face. And I beheld a vision, And lo! there was a second house,
greater 16 than the former, and the entire portal stood open before me, and it was built of
flames of fire. And in every respect it so excelled in splendour and magnificence and
extent that I cannot describe to 17 you its splendour and its extent. And its floor was of
fire, and above it were lightnings and the path 18 of the stars, and its ceiling also was
flaming fire. And I looked and saw therein a lofty throne: its appearance was as crystal,
and the wheels thereof as the shining sun, and there was the vision of 19 cherubim. And
from underneath the throne came streams of flaming fire so that I could not look
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thereon. And the Great Glory sat thereon, and His raiment shone more brightly than the
sun and 21 was whiter than any snow. None of the angels could enter and could behold
His face by reason 22 of the magnificence and glory and no flesh could behold Him. The
flaming fire was round about Him, and a great fire stood before Him, and none around
could draw nigh Him: ten thousand times 23 ten thousand (stood) before Him, yet He
needed no counselor. And the most holy ones who were 24 nigh to Him did not leave by
night nor depart from Him. And until then I had been prostrate on my face, trembling:
and the Lord called me with His own mouth, and said to me: ' Come hither, 25 Enoch,
and hear my word.' And one of the holy ones came to me and waked me, and He made
me rise up and approach the door: and I bowed my face downwards.
[Chapter 15]
1 And He answered and said to me, and I heard His voice: 'Fear not, Enoch, thou
righteous 2 man and scribe of righteousness: approach hither and hear my voice. And go,
say to the Watchers of heaven, who have sent thee to intercede for them: "You should
intercede" for men, and not men 3 for you: Wherefore have ye left the high, holy, and
eternal heaven, and lain with women, and defiled yourselves with the daughters of men
and taken to yourselves wives, and done like the children 4 of earth, and begotten giants
(as your) sons? And though ye were holy, spiritual, living the eternal life, you have defiled
yourselves with the blood of women, and have begotten (children) with the blood of flesh,
and, as the children of men, have lusted after flesh and blood as those also do who die
5
and perish. Therefore have I given them wives also that they might impregnate them, and
beget 6 children by them, that thus nothing might be wanting to them on earth. But you
were formerly 7 spiritual, living the eternal life, and immortal for all generations of the
world. And therefore I have not appointed wives for you; for as for the spiritual ones of
the heaven, in heaven is their dwelling. 8 And now, the giants, who are produced from the
spirits and flesh, shall be called evil spirits upon 9 the earth, and on the earth shall be their
dwelling. Evil spirits have proceeded from their bodies; because they are born from men
and from the holy Watchers is their beginning and primal origin; 10 they shall be evil
spirits on earth, and evil spirits shall they be called. [As for the spirits of heaven, in heaven
shall be their dwelling, but as for the spirits of the earth which were born upon the earth,
on the earth shall be their dwelling.] And the spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy,
attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food,
but nevertheless 12 hunger and thirst, and cause offences. And these spirits shall rise up
against the children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded from
them.
[Chapter 16]
1 From the days of the slaughter and destruction and death of the giants, from the souls of
whose flesh the spirits, having gone forth, shall destroy without incurring judgement -thus
shall they destroy until the day of the consummation, the great judgement in which the age
shall be 2 consummated, over the Watchers and the godless, yea, shall be wholly
consummated." And now as to the watchers who have sent thee to intercede for them,
who had been aforetime in heaven, (say 3 to them): "You have been in heaven, but all the
mysteries had not yet been revealed to you, and you knew worthless ones, and these in the
hardness of your hearts you have made known to the women, and through these mysteries
women and men work much evil on earth." 4 Say to them therefore: " You have no
peace."'
[Chapter 17]
1 And they took and brought me to a place in which those who were there were like
flaming fire, 2 and, when they wished, they appeared as men. And they brought me to the
place of darkness, and to a mountain the point of whose summit reached to heaven. And I
saw the places of the luminaries and the treasuries of the stars and of the thunder and in
the uttermost depths, where were 4 a fiery bow and arrows and their quiver, and a fiery
sword and all the lightnings. And they took 5 me to the living waters, and to the fire of
the west, which receives every setting of the sun. And I came to a river of fire in which
the fire flows like water and discharges itself into the great sea towards 6 the west. I saw
the great rivers and came to the great river and to the great darkness, and went
7 to the
place where no flesh walks. I saw the mountains of the darkness of winter and the place
8
whence all the waters of the deep flow. I saw the mouths of all the rivers of the earth and
the mouth of the deep.
[Chapter 18]
1 I saw the treasuries of all the winds: I saw how He had furnished with them the whole
creation 2 and the firm foundations of the earth. And I saw the corner-stone of the earth:
I saw the four 3 winds which bear [the earth and] the firmament of the heaven. And I saw
how the winds stretch out the vaults of heaven, and have their station between heaven and
earth: these are the pillars 4 of the heaven. I saw the winds of heaven which turn and
bring the circumference of the sun and 5 all the stars to their setting. I saw the winds on
the earth carrying the clouds: I saw the paths 6 of the angels. I saw at the end of the
earth the firmament of the heaven above. And I proceeded and saw a place which burns
day and night, where there are seven mountains of magnificent stones, 7 three towards the
east, and three towards the south. And as for those towards the east, was of
coloured stone, and one of pearl, and one of jacinth, and those towards the south of red
stone. 8 But the middle one reached to heaven like the throne of God, of alabaster, and
the summit of the 9,10 throne was of sapphire. And I saw a flaming fire. And beyond
these mountains Is a region the end of the great earth: there the heavens were completed.
And I saw a deep abyss, with columns of heavenly fire, and among them I saw columns of
fire fall, which were beyond measure alike towards 12 the height and towards the depth.
And beyond that abyss I saw a place which had no firmament of the heaven above, and no
firmly founded earth beneath it: there was no water upon it, and no 13 birds, but it was a
waste and horrible place. I saw there seven stars like great burning mountains,
14 and to
me, when I inquired regarding them, The angel said: 'This place is the end of heaven and
earth: this has become a prison for the stars and the host of heaven. And the stars which
roll over the fire are they which have transgressed the commandment of the Lord in the
beginning of 16 their rising, because they did not come forth at their appointed times. And
He was wroth with them, and bound them till the time when their guilt should be
consummated (even) for ten thousand years.'
[Chapter 19]
1 And Uriel said to me: 'Here shall stand the angels who have connected themselves with
women, and their spirits assuming many different forms are defiling mankind and shall lead
them astray into sacrificing to demons as gods, (here shall they stand,) till the day of the
great judgement in 2 which they shall be judged till they are made an end of. And the
women also of the angels who 3 went astray shall become sirens.' And I, Enoch, alone
saw the vision, the ends of all things: and no man shall see as I have seen.
[Chapter 20]
1,2 And these are the names of the holy angels who watch. Uriel, one of the holy angels,
who is 3 over the world and over Tartarus. Raphael, one of the holy angels, who is over
the spirits of men. 4,5 Raguel, one of the holy angels who takes vengeance on the world
of the luminaries. Michael, one 6 of the holy angels, to wit, he that is set over the best
part of mankind and over chaos. Saraqael, 7 one of the holy angels, who is set over the
spirits, who sin in the spirit. Gabriel, one of the holy 8 angels, who is over Paradise and
the serpents and the Cherubim. Remiel, one of the holy angels, whom God set over those
who rise.
[Chapter 21]
1,2 And I proceeded to where things were chaotic. And I saw there something horrible: I
saw neither 3 a heaven above nor a firmly founded earth, but a place chaotic and horrible.
And there I saw 4 seven stars of the heaven bound together in it, like great mountains and
burning with fire. Then 5 I said: 'For what sin are they bound, and on what account have
they been cast in hither?' Then said Uriel, one of the holy angels, who was with me, and
was chief over them, and said: 'Enoch, why 6 dost thou ask, and why art thou eager for
the truth? These are of the number of the stars of heaven, which have transgressed the
commandment of the Lord, and are bound here till ten thousand years, 7 the time entailed
by their sins, are consummated.' And from thence I went to another place, which was still
more horrible than the former, and I saw a horrible thing: a great fire there which burnt
and blazed, and the place was cleft as far as the abyss, being full of great descending
columns of 8 fire: neither its extent or magnitude could I see, nor could I conjecture.
Then I said: 'How 9 fearful is the place and how terrible to look upon!' Then Uriel
answered me, one of the holy angels who was with me, and said unto me: 'Enoch, why
hast thou such fear and affright?' And 10 I answered: 'Because of this fearful place, and
because of the spectacle of the pain.' And he said unto me: 'This place is the prison of the
angels, and here they will be imprisoned for ever.'
[Chapter 22]
1 And thence I went to another place, and he mountain [and] of hard rock.
2 And there
was in it four hollow places, deep and wide and very smooth. How smooth are the hollow
places and deep and dark to look at. 3 Then Raphael answered, one of the holy angels
who was with me, and said unto me: 'These hollow places have been created for this very
purpose, that the spirits of the souls of the dead should 4 assemble therein, yea that all the
souls of the children of men should assemble here. And these places have been made to
receive them till the day of their judgement and till their appointed period [till the period
appointed], till the great judgement (comes) upon them.' I saw (the spirit of) a dead man
making suit, 5 and his voice went forth to heaven and made suit. And I asked Raphael the
angel who was 6 with me, and I said unto him: 'This spirit which maketh suit, whose is it,
whose voice goeth forth and maketh suit to heaven ?' 7 And he answered me saying:
'This is the spirit which went forth from Abel, whom his brother Cain slew, and he makes
his suit against him till his seed is destroyed from the face of the earth, and his seed is
annihilated from amongst the seed of men.' 8 The I asked regarding it, and regarding all
the hollow places: 'Why is one separated from the other?' 9 And he answered me and said
unto me: 'These three have been made that the spirits of the dead might be separated.
And such a division has been make (for) the spirits of the righteous, in which there is the
bright spring of 10 water. And such has been made for sinners when they die and are
buried in the earth and judgement has not been executed on them in their 11 lifetime.
Here their spirits shall be set apart in this great pain till the great day of judgement and
punishment and torment of those who curse for ever and retribution for their spirits.
There 12 He shall bind them for ever. And such a division has been made for the spirits
of those who make their suit, who make disclosures concerning their destruction, when
they were slain in the days 13 of the sinners. Such has been made for the spirits of men
who were not righteous but sinners, who were complete in transgression, and of the
transgressors they shall be companions: but their spirits shall not be slain in the day of
judgement nor shall they be raised from thence.' 14 The I blessed the Lord of glory and
said: 'Blessed be my Lord, the Lord of righteousness, who ruleth for ever.'
[Chapter 23]
1,2 From thence I went to another place to the west of the ends of the earth. And I saw a
burning 3 fire which ran without resting, and paused not from its course day or night but
(ran) regularly. And 4 I asked saying: 'What is this which rests not?' Then Raguel, one of
the holy angels who was with me, answered me and said unto me: 'This course of fire
which thou hast seen is the fire in the west which persecutes all the luminaries of
heaven.'
[Chapter 24]
1 And from thence I went to another place of the earth, and he showed me a mountain
range of 2 fire which burnt day and night. And I went beyond it and saw seven
magnificent mountains all differing each from the other, and the stones (thereof) were
magnificent and beautiful, magnificent as a whole, of glorious appearance and fair exterior:
three towards the east, one founded on the other, and three towards the south, one upon
the other, and deep rough ravines, no one of which 3 joined with any other. And the
seventh mountain was in the midst of these, and it excelled them 4 in height, resembling
the seat of a throne: and fragrant trees encircled the throne. And amongst them was a
tree such as I had never yet smelt, neither was any amongst them nor were others like it:
it had a fragrance beyond all fragrance, and its leaves and blooms and wood wither not for
ever: 5 and its fruit is beautiful, and its fruit n resembles the dates of a palm. Then I said:
'How beautiful is this tree, and fragrant, and its leaves are fair, and its blooms very
delightful in appearance.' 6 Then answered Michael, one of the holy and honoured angels
who was with me, and was their leader.
[Chapter 25]
1 And he said unto me: 'Enoch, why dost thou ask me regarding the fragrance of the tree,
2 and why dost thou wish to learn the truth?' Then I answered him saying: 'I wish to
3
know about everything, but especially about this tree.' And he answered saying: 'This
high mountain which thou hast seen, whose summit is like the throne of God, is His
throne, where the Holy Great One, the Lord of Glory, the Eternal King, will sit, when He
shall come down to visit 4 the earth with goodness. And as for this fragrant tree no
mortal is permitted to touch it till the great judgement, when He shall take vengeance on
all and bring (everything) to its consummation 5 for ever. It shall then be given to the
righteous and holy. Its fruit shall be for food to the elect: it shall be transplanted to the
holy place, to the temple of the Lord, the Eternal King.
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6 Then shall they rejoice with joy and be glad, |
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And into the holy place shall they enter; |
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And its fragrance shall be in their bones, |
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And they shall live a long life on earth, |
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Such as thy fathers lived: |
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And in their days shall no sorrow or plague |
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Or torment or calamity touch them.' |
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7 Then blessed I the God of Glory, the Eternal King, who hath prepared such things for
the righteous, and hath created them and promised to give to them.
[Chapter 26]
1 And I went from thence to the middle of the earth, and I saw a blessed place in which
there were 2 trees with branches abiding and blooming [of a dismembered tree]. And
there I saw a holy mountain, 3 and underneath the mountain to the east there was a stream
and it flowed towards the south. And I saw towards the east another mountain higher
than this, and between them a deep and narrow 4 ravine: in it also ran a stream
underneath the mountain. And to the west thereof there was another mountain, lower
than the former and of small elevation, and a ravine deep and dry between them: and
another deep and dry ravine was at the extremities of the three mountains. And all the
ravines were deep and narrow, (being formed) of hard rock, and trees were not planted
upon 6 them. And I marveled at the rocks, and I marveled at the ravine, yea, I marveled
very much.
[Chapter 27]
1 Then said I: 'For what object is this blessed land, which is entirely filled with trees, and
this 2 accursed valley between?' Then Uriel, one of the holy angels who was with me,
answered and said: 'This accursed valley is for those who are accursed for ever: Here
shall all the accursed be gathered together who utter with their lips against the Lord
unseemly words and of His glory speak hard things. Here shall they be gathered together,
and here 3 shall be their place of judgement. In the last days there shall be upon them the
spectacle of righteous judgement in the presence of the righteous for ever: here shall the
merciful bless the Lord of glory, the Eternal King. 4 In the days of judgement over the
former, they shall bless Him for the mercy in accordance with 5 which He has assigned
them (their lot).' Then I blessed the Lord of Glory and set forth His glory and lauded Him
gloriously.
[Chapter 28]
1 And thence I went towards the east, into the midst of the mountain range of the desert,
and 2 I saw a wilderness and it was solitary, full of trees and plants. And water gushed
forth from 3 above. Rushing like a copious watercourse [which flowed] towards the
north-west it caused clouds and dew to ascend on every side.
[Chapter 29]
1 And thence I went to another place in the desert, and approached to the east of this
mountain 2 range. And there I saw aromatic trees exhaling the fragrance of frankincense
and myrrh, and the trees also were similar to the almond tree.
[Chapter 30]
1,2 And beyond these, I went afar to the east, and I saw another place, a valley (full) of
water. And 3 therein there was a tree, the colour (?) of fragrant trees such as the mastic.
And on the sides of those valleys I saw fragrant cinnamon. And beyond these I proceeded
to the east.
[Chapter 31]
1 And I saw other mountains, and amongst them were groves of trees, and there flowed
forth from 2 them nectar, which is named sarara and galbanum. And beyond these
mountains I saw another mountain to the east of the ends of the earth, whereon were aloe-trees, and all the trees were full
3 of stacte, being like almond-trees. And when one burnt
it, it smelt sweeter than any fragrant odour.
[Chapter 32]
1 And after these fragrant odours, as I looked towards the north over the mountains I saw
seven mountains full of choice nard and fragrant trees and cinnamon and pepper.
2 And
thence I went over the summits of all these mountains, far towards the east of the earth,
and passed above the Erythraean sea and went far from it, and passed over the angel
Zotiel. And I came to the Garden of Righteousness, 3 I and from afar off trees more
numerous than I these trees and great-two trees there, very great, beautiful, and glorious,
and magnificent, and the tree of knowledge, whose holy fruit they eat and know great
wisdom. 4 That tree is in height like the fir, and its leaves are like (those of) the Carob
tree: and its fruit 5 is like the clusters of the vine, very beautiful: and the fragrance of the
tree penetrates afar. Then 6 I said: 'How beautiful is the tree, and how attractive is its
look!' Then Raphael the holy angel, who was with me, answered me and said: 'This is the
tree of wisdom, of which thy father old (in years) and thy aged mother, who were before
thee, have eaten, and they learnt wisdom and their eyes were opened, and they knew that
they were naked and they were driven out of the garden.'
[Chapter 33]
1 And from thence I went to the ends of the earth and saw there great beasts, and each
differed from the other; and (I saw) birds also differing in appearance and beauty and
voice, the one differing from the other. And to the east of those beasts I saw the ends of
the earth whereon the heaven 2 rests, and the portals of the heaven open. And I saw how
the stars of heaven come forth, and 3 I counted the portals out of which they proceed, and
wrote down all their outlets, of each individual star by itself, according to their number
and their names, their courses and their positions, and their 4 times and their months, as
Uriel the holy angel who was with me showed me. He showed all things to me and wrote
them down for me: also their names he wrote for me, and their laws and their
companies.
[Chapter 34]
1 And from thence I went towards the north to the ends of the earth, and there I saw a
great and 2 glorious device at the ends of the whole earth. And here I saw three portals of
heaven open in the heaven: through each of them proceed north winds: when they blow
there is cold, hail, frost, 3 snow, dew, and rain. And out of one portal they blow for good:
but when they blow through the other two portals, it is with violence and affliction on the
earth, and they blow with violence.
[Chapter 35]
1 And from thence I went towards the west to the ends of the earth, and saw there three
portals of the heaven open such as I had seen in the east, the same number of portals, and
the same number of outlets.
[Chapter 36]
1 And from thence I went to the south to the ends of the earth, and saw there three open
portals 2 of the heaven: and thence there come dew, rain, and wind. And from thence I
went to the east to the ends of the heaven, and saw here the three eastern portals of
heaven open and small portals 3 above them. Through each of these small portals pass the
stars of heaven and run their course to the west on the path which is shown to them. And
as often as I saw I blessed always the Lord of Glory, and I continued to bless the Lord of
Glory who has wrought great and glorious wonders, to show the greatness of His work to
the angels and to spirits and to men, that they might praise His work and all His creation:
that they might see the work of His might and praise the great work of His hands and bless
Him for ever.
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