1He answered me and said, ‘The Most High made this world for the sake of many, but the world to come for the sake of only a few. 2But I tell you a parable, Ezra. Just as, when you ask the earth, it will tell you that it provides a large amount of clay from which earthenware is made, but only a little dust from which gold comes, so is the course of the present world. 3Many have been created, but only a few shall be saved.’

Ezra Again Appeals to God's Mercy

4I answered and said, ‘Then drink your fill of understanding,8.4 Syr: Lat Then release understanding O my soul, and drink wisdom, O my heart. 5For not of your own will did you come into the world,8.5 Syr: Meaning of Lat uncertain and against your will you depart, for you have been given only a short time to live. 6O Lord above us, grant to your servant that we may pray before you, and give us a seed for our heart and cultivation of our understanding so that fruit may be produced, by which every mortal who bears the likeness8.6 Syr: Lat place of a human being may be able to live. 7For you alone exist, and we are a work of your hands, as you have declared. 8And because you give life to the body that is now fashioned in the womb, and furnish it with members, what you have created is preserved amid fire and water, and for nine months the womb8.8 Lat what you have formed endures your creature that has been created in it. 9But that which keeps and that which is kept shall both be kept by your keeping.8.9 Syr: Meaning of Lat uncertain And when the womb gives up again what has been created in it, 10you have commanded that from the members themselves (that is, from the breasts) milk, the fruit of the breasts, should be supplied, 11so that what has been fashioned may be nourished for a time; and afterwards you will still guide it in your mercy. 12You have nurtured it in your righteousness, and instructed it in your law, and reproved it in your wisdom. 13You put it to death as your creation, and make it live as your work. 14If then you will suddenly and quickly8.14 Syr: Lat will with a light command destroy what with so great labour was fashioned by your command, to what purpose was it made? 15And now I will speak out: About all humankind you know best; but I will speak about your people, for whom I am grieved, 16and about your inheritance, for whom I lament, and about Israel, for whom I am sad, and about the seed of Jacob, for whom I am troubled. 17Therefore I will pray before you for myself and for them, for I see the failings of us who inhabit the earth; 18and now also8.18 Syr: Lat but I have heard of the swiftness of the judgement that is to come. 19Therefore hear my voice and understand my words, and I will speak before you.’

Ezra's Prayer

The beginning of the words of Ezra's prayer,8.19 Syr Ethiop; Lat beginning of Ezra's words before he was taken up. He said: 20‘O Lord, you who inhabit eternity,8.20 Or you who abide for ever whose eyes are exalted8.20 Another Lat text reads whose are the highest heavens and whose upper chambers are in the air, 21whose throne is beyond measure and whose glory is beyond comprehension, before whom the hosts of angels stand trembling 22and at whose command they are changed to wind and fire,8.22 Syr: Lat they whose service takes the form of wind and fire whose word is sure and whose utterances are certain, whose command is strong and whose ordinance is terrible, 23whose look dries up the depths and whose indignation makes the mountains melt away, and whose truth is established8.23 Arab 2: Other authorities read truth bears witness for ever— 24hear, O Lord, the prayer of your servant, and give ear to the petition of your creature; attend to my words. 25For as long as I live I will speak, and as long as I have understanding I will answer. 26O do not look on the sins of your people, but on those who serve you in truth. 27Do not take note of the endeavours of those who act wickedly, but of the endeavours of those who have kept your covenants amid afflictions. 28Do not think of those who have lived wickedly in your sight, but remember those who have willingly acknowledged that you are to be feared. 29Do not will the destruction of those who have the ways of cattle, but regard those who have gloriously taught your law.8.29 Syr have received the brightness of your law 30Do not be angry with those who are deemed worse than wild animals, but love those who have always put their trust in your glory. 31For we and our ancestors have passed our lives in ways that bring death;8.31 Syr Ethiop: Meaning of Lat uncertain but it is because of us sinners that you are called merciful. 32For if you have desired to have pity on us, who have no works of righteousness, then you will be called merciful. 33For the righteous, who have many works laid up with you, shall receive their reward in consequence of their own deeds. 34But what are mortals, that you are angry with them; or what is a corruptible race, that you are so bitter against it? 35For in truth there is no one among those who have been born who has not acted wickedly; among those who have existed8.35 Syr: Meaning of Lat uncertain there is no one who has not done wrong. 36For in this, O Lord, your righteousness and goodness will be declared, when you are merciful to those who have no store of good works.’

Response to Ezra's Prayer

37He answered me and said, ‘Some things you have spoken rightly, and it will turn out according to your words. 38For indeed I will not concern myself about the fashioning of those who have sinned, or about their death, their judgement, or their destruction; 39but I will rejoice over the creation of the righteous, over their pilgrimage also, and their salvation, and their receiving their reward. 40As I have spoken, therefore, so it shall be.

41‘For just as the farmer sows many seeds in the ground and plants a multitude of seedlings, and yet not all that have been sown will come up8.41 Syr Ethiop will live; Lat will be saved in due season, and not all that were planted will take root; so also those who have been sown in the world will not all be saved.’

42I answered and said, ‘If I have found favour in your sight, let me speak. 43If the farmer's seed does not come up, because it has not received your rain in due season, or if it has been ruined by too much rain, it perishes.8.43 Cn: Compare Syr Arab 1 Arm Georg 2: Meaning of Lat uncertain 44But people, who have been formed by your hands and are called your own image because they are made like you, and for whose sake you have formed all things—have you also made them like the farmer's seed? 45Surely not, O Lord8.45 Ethiop Arab Compare Syr: Lat lacks O Lord above! But spare your people and have mercy on your inheritance, for you have mercy on your own creation.’

Ezra's Final Appeal for Mercy

46He answered me and said, ‘Things that are present are for those who live now, and things that are future are for those who will live hereafter. 47For you come far short of being able to love my creation more than I love it. But you have often compared yourself8.47 Syr Ethiop: Lat brought yourself near to the unrighteous. Never do so! 48But even in this respect you will be praiseworthy before the Most High, 49because you have humbled yourself, as is becoming for you, and have not considered yourself to be among the righteous. You will receive the greatest glory, 50for many miseries will affect those who inhabit the world in the last times, because they have walked in great pride. 51But think of your own case, and inquire concerning the glory of those who are like yourself, 52because it is for you that paradise is opened, the tree of life is planted, the age to come is prepared, plenty is provided, a city is built, rest is appointed,8.52 Syr Ethiop: Lat allowed goodness is established, and wisdom perfected beforehand. 53The root of evil8.53 Lat lacks of evil is sealed up from you, illness is banished from you, and death8.53 Syr Ethiop Arm: Lat lacks death is hidden; Hades has fled and corruption has been forgotten;8.53 Syr: Lat Hades and corruption have fled into oblivion; or corruption has fled into Hades to be forgotten 54sorrows have passed away, and in the end the treasure of immortality is made manifest. 55Therefore do not ask any more questions about the great number of those who perish. 56For when they had opportunity to choose, they despised the Most High, and were contemptuous of his law, and abandoned his ways. 57Moreover, they have even trampled on his righteous ones, 58and said in their hearts that there is no God—though they knew well that they must die. 59For just as the things that I have predicted await8.59 Syr: Lat will receive you, so the thirst and torment that are prepared await them. For the Most High did not intend that anyone should be destroyed; 60but those who were created have themselves defiled the name of him who made them, and have been ungrateful to him who prepared life for them now. 61Therefore my judgement is now drawing near; 62I have not shown this to all people, but only to you and a few like you.’

Then I answered and said, 63‘O Lord, you have already shown me a great number of the signs that you will do in the last times, but you have not shown me when you will do them.’