1 Enoch: The Hermeneia Translation

A Final Book by Enoch (Chapter 108) 108:1 Another book that Enoch wrote for his son Methuselah and for those who would come after him and keep the law in the last days. 2 You who have observed (it) anda are waiting in these days until the evildoers are brought to an end and the power of the sinners is brought to an end— 3/ you wait until sin passes away. For their names will be erased from the book of life and from the books of the holy ones,b and their descendants will perish forever; their spirits will be slaughtered, and they will cry out and groan in a desolate, unseen place, and in fire they will burn, for there is no earth there. 4 I saw there something like a cloud, which could not be discerned , since because of its depth I was unable to look up at it. And flames of fire I saw burning gloriously, and something like glorious mountains were turning over and quaking to and fro. 5 And I asked one of the holy angels who were with me, “What is this glorious (place), for there is no heaven, but only flames of fire that are burning and the sound of weeping and crying and groaning and severe pain.” 6 And he said to me, “The place that you see—here are thrown the spirits of the sinners and blasphemers and those who do evil and those who alter everything that the Lord has said a Five mss omit and. b Mss differ as to which books are meant. See 1 Enoch 1, 552. 167 168 1 Enoch 108:6-11 by the mouth of the prophets (about) the things that will be done. 7 For there are books and records about them in heaven above, so that the angels may read them and know what will happen to the sinners and the spirits of the humble, and those who afflicted their bodies, and were recompensed by God; and those who were abused by evil men; 8 those who love God, and do not love gold and silver and all the good things that are in the world; but gave their bodies to torment; 9 and those who from the time they existed did not desire the food that is in the world, but considered themselves as a breath that passes away; and to this they kept. The Lord tested them much, and their spirits were found pure, so that they might bless his name. 10 And all their blessings I have recounted in the books. And he has recompensed them for their lives, for these were found to have loved heaven more than their life that is in the world.a Although they were trampled down by evil men and heard reproach and insult from them and were abused, yet they blessed me. 11 And now I will summon the spirits of the pious (who are) from the generation of light; and I will transform those who b darkness, who in their bodies were not recompensed with the honor appropriate to their faithfulness. a All but one ms read everlasting life. Reading of the one ms followed above, parallels the expression in vv 8b and 9a. b Emending tawaldu (were born [in]) to waradu. Cf. 102:7. [18.218.61.16] Project MUSE (2024-04-24 05:44 GMT) 1 Enoch 108:12-15 169 12 Indeed, I will bring forth in shining light those who loved my holy name, and I will seat each one on the throne of his honor, 13 and they will shine for times without number. For righteous is the judgment of God, and to the faithful he shows faithfulness, because they abide in the paths of truth. 14 And the righteous, as they shine, will see those who were born in darkness cast into darkness; 15 and the sinners will cry out and see them shining; and they, for their part, will depart to where the days and times are written for them. [18.218.61.16] Project MUSE (2024-04-24 05:44 GMT) ...