Fallen Angels and the Origins of Evil (19 page)

10 On stated months the moon has twenty-nine days.

11 It also has a period of twenty-eight days.

12 Uriel likewise showed me another regulation, when light is poured into the moon, how it is poured into it from the sun.

13 All the time that the moon is in progress with its light, it is poured
into it
in the presence of the sun, until
its
light is in fourteen days completed in heaven.

14 And when it is wholly extinguished, its light is consumed in heaven; and on the first day it is called the new moon, for on that day light is received into it.

15 It becomes precisely completed on the day that the sun descends into the west, while the moon ascends at night from the east.

16 The moon then shines all the night, until the sun rises before it; when the moon disappears in turn before the sun.

17 Where light comes to the moon, there again it decreases, until all its light is extinguished, and the days of the moon pass away.

18 Then its orb remains solitary without light.

19 During three months it effects in thirty days
each month
its period; and during three
more
months it effects it in twenty-nine days each.
These are the times
in which it effects its decrease in its first period, and in the first gate,
namely,
in one hundred and seventy-seven days.

20 And at the time of its going forth during three months it appears thirty days each, and during three
more
months it appears twenty-nine days each.

21 In the night it appears for each twenty
days
as
the face of
a man, and in the day as heaven; for it is nothing else except its light.

1 And now, my son Mathusala, I have shown thee everything; and
the account of
every ordinance of the stars of heaven is finished.

2 He showed me every ordinance respecting these, which
takes place
at all times and in all seasons under every influence, in all years, at the arrival and under the rule of each, during every month and every week.
He showed me
also the decrease of the moon, which is effected in the sixth gate; for in that sixth gate is its light consumed.

3 From this is the beginning of the month; and its decrease is effected in the sixth gate in its period, until a hundred and seventy-seven days are completed; according to the mode of computation by weeks, twenty-five
weeks
and two days.

4
Its period
is less than that of the sun, according to the ordinance of the stars, by five days in one half year [literally, “in one time” (Laurence, p. 110)] precisely.

5 When that
their
visible situation is completed. Such is the appearance and likeness of every luminary, which Uriel, the great angel who conducts them, showed to me.

1 In those days Uriel answered and said to me, Behold, I have showed thee all things, O Enoch;

2 And all things have I revealed to thee. Thou seest the sun, the moon, and those which conduct the stars of heaven, which cause all their operations, seasons, and arrivals to return.

3 In the days of sinners the years shall be shortened.

4 Their seed shall be backward in their prolific soil; and everything done on earth shall be subverted, and disappear in its season. The rain shall be restrained, and heaven shall stand still.

5 In those days the fruits of the earth shall be late, and not flourish in their season; and in their season the fruits of the trees shall be withholden.

6 The moon shall change its laws, and not be seen at its proper period. But in those days shall heaven be seen; and barrenness shall take place in the borders of the great chariots in the west.
Heaven
shall shine more than
when illuminated by
the orders of light; while many chiefs among the stars of authority shall err, perverting their ways and works.

7 Those shall not appear in their season, who command them, and all the classes of the stars shall be shut up against sinners.

8 The thoughts of those who dwell on earth shall transgress within them; and they shall be perverted in all their ways.

9 They shall transgress, and think themselves [or, “them,” i.e., the chiefs among the stars (vs. 6) (Knibb, p. 186)] gods; while evil shall be multiplied among them.

10 And punishment shall come upon them, so that all of them shall be destroyed.

1 He said, O Enoch, look on the book which heaven has gradually dropped down [or, “the book of the tablets of heaven” (Knibb, p. 186)]; and, reading that which is written in it, understand every part of it.

2 Then I looked on all which was written, and understood all, reading the book and everything written in it, all the works of man;

3 And of all the children of flesh upon earth, during the generations of the world.

4 Immediately after I blessed the Lord, the King of glory, who has thus for ever formed the whole workmanship of the world.

5 And I glorified the Lord, on account of his long-suffering and blessing towards the children of the world.

6 At that time I said, Blessed is the man, who shall die righteous and good, against whom no catalogue of crime has been written, and with whom iniquity is not found.

7 Then those three holy ones caused me to approach, and placed me on the earth, before the door of my house.

8 And they said unto me, Explain everything to Mathusala thy son; and inform all thy children, that no flesh shall be justified before the Lord; for he is their Creator.

9 During one year we will leave thee with thy children, until thou shalt again recover thy strength, that thou mayest instruct thy family, write these things, and explain them to all thy children. But in another year they shall take thee from the midst of them, and thy heart shall be strengthened; for the elect shall point out righteousness to the elect; the righteous with the righteous shall rejoice, congratulating each other; but sinners with sinners shall die,

10 And the perverted with the perverted shall be drowned.

11 Those likewise who act righteously shall die on account of the works of man, and shall be gathered together on account of the works of the wicked.

12 In those days they finished conversing with me.

13 And I returned to my fellow men, blessing the Lord of worlds.

1 Now, my son Mathusala, all these things I speak unto thee, and write for thee. To thee I have revealed all, and have given thee books of everything.

2 Preserve, my son Mathusala, the books written by thy father; that thou mayest transmit them to future generations.

3 Wisdom have I given to thee, to thy children, and thy posterity, that they may transmit to their children, for generations for ever, this wisdom in their thoughts; and that those who comprehend
it
may not slumber, but hear with their ears; that they may learn this wisdom, and be deemed worthy of eating
this
wholesome food.

4 Blessed are all the righteous; blessed all who walk in
the paths of
righteousness; in whom no crime
is found,
as in sinners, when all their days are numbered.

5 With respect to the progress of the sun in heaven, it enters and goes out of
each
gate for thirty days, with the leaders of the thousand classes of the stars; with four which are added, and appertain to the four quarters of the year, which conduct them, and accompany them at four periods.

6 Respecting these, men greatly err, and do not compute them in the computation of every age; for they greatly err respecting them; nor do men know accurately that they are in the computation of the year. But indeed these are marked down for ever; one in the first gate, one in the third, one in the fourth, and one in the sixth:

7 So that the year is completed in three hundred and sixty-four days.

8 Truly has been stated, and accurately has been computed that which is marked down; for the luminaries, the months, the fixed periods, the years, and the days, Uriel has explained to me, and communicated to me; whom the Lord of all creation, on my account, commanded (according to the might of heaven, and the power which it possesses both by night and by day) to explain
the laws of
light to man, of the sun, moon, and stars, and of all the powers of heaven, which are turned with their respective orbs.

9 This is the ordinance of the stars, which set in their places, in their seasons, in their periods, in their days, and in their months.

10 These are the names of those who conduct them, who watch and enter in their seasons, according to their ordinance in their periods, in their months, in
the times of
their influence, and in their stations.

11 Four conductors of them first enter, who separate the four quarters of the year. After these, twelve conductors of their classes, who separate the months and the year
into
three hundred and sixty-four
days,
with the leaders of a thousand, who distinguish between the days, as well as between the four additional ones; which,
as
conductors, divide the four quarters of the year.

12 These leaders of a thousand are in the midst of the conductors, and the conductors are added each behind his station, and their conductors make the separation. These are the names of the conductors, who separate the four quarters of the year, who are appointed
over them:
Melkel, Helammelak,

13 Meliyal, and Narel.

14 And the names of those who conduct them are Adnarel, Jyasusal, and Jyelumeal.

15 These are the three who follow after the conductors of the classes
of stars;
each following after the three conductors of the classes, which themselves follow after those conductors of the stations, who divide the four quarters of the year.

16 In the first part of the year rises and rules Melkyas, who is named Tamani, and Zahay [or, “the southern sun” (Knibb, p. 190)].

17 All the days of his influence,
during
which he rules, are ninety-one days.

18 And these are the signs of the days which are seen upon earth. In the days of his influence
there is
perspiration, heat, and trouble. All the trees become fruitful; the leaf of every tree comes forth; the corn is reaped; the rose and every species of flowers blossoms in the field; and the trees of winter are dried up.

19 These are the names of the conductors who are under them: Barkel, Zelsabel; and another additional conductor of a thousand is named Heloyalef, the days of whose influence have been completed. The other conductor next after them
is
Helemmelek, whose name they call the splendid Zahay [or, “sun” (Knibb, p. 191)].

20 All the days of his light are ninety-one days.

21 These are the signs of the days upon earth, heat and drought; while the trees bring forth their fruits, warmed and concocted, and give their fruits to dry.

22 The flocks follow and yean [mate and bear young]. All the fruits of the earth are collected, with everything in the fields, and the vines are trodden. This takes place during the time of his influence.

23 These are their names and orders, and
the names
of the conductors who are under them, of those who are chiefs of a thousand: Gedaeyal, Keel, Heel.

24 And the name of the additional leader of a thousand is Asphael.

25 The days of his influence have been completed.

1 And now I have shown thee, my son Mathusala, every sight which I saw prior to thy birth. I will relate another vision, which I saw before I was married; they resemble each other.

2 The first was when I was learning a book; and the other before I was married to thy mother. I saw a potent vision;

3 And on account of these things besought the Lord.

4 I was lying down in the house of my grandfather Malalel,
when
I saw in a vision heaven purifying, and snatched away [or, “was thrown down and removed” (Knibb, p. 192)].

5 And falling to the earth [or, “and when it fell upon the earth” (Knibb, p. 192)], 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 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 [literally, “the word fell down in my mouth” (Laurence, p. 118)]. 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; 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 has known from the beginning, I blessed the Lord of judgment, and magnified him: because he hath sent forth the sun from the chambers [literally, “windows” (Laurence, p. 119)] 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.

1 I lifted up my hands in righteousness, and blessed the holy, and the Great One. I spoke with the breath of my mouth, and with a tongue of flesh, which God has formed for all the sons of mortal men, that with it they may speak; giving them breath, a mouth, and a tongue to converse with.