The second book of the prophet Esdras, the son of Saraias, the son of Azarias, the son of Helchias, the son of Sadamias, the son of Sadoc, the son of Achitob,
Thus saith the Lord, I brought this people out of bondage, and I gave them my commandments by menservants the prophets; whom they would not hear, but despised my counsels.
In the thirtieth year after the ruin of the city I was in Babylon, and lay troubled upon my bed, and my thoughts came up over my heart:
And the angel that was sent unto me, whose name was Uriel, gave me an answer,
Nevertheless as coming the tokens, behold, the days shall come, that they which dwell upon earth shall be taken in a great number, and the way of truth shall be hidden, and the land shall be barren of faith.
And he said unto me, In the beginning, when the earth was made, before the borders of the world stood, or ever the winds blew,
And when I had made an end of speaking these words, there was sent unto me the angel which had been sent unto me the nights afore:
And he answered me, saying, The most High hath made this world for many, but the world to come for few.
He answered me then, and said, Measure thou the time diligently in itself: and when thou seest part of the signs past, which I have told thee before,
And it so came to pass, that when my son was entered into his wedding chamber, he fell down, and died.
Then saw I a dream, and, behold, there came up from the sea an eagle, which had twelve feathered wings, and three heads.
And it came to pass, whiles the lion spake these words unto the eagle, I saw,
And it came to pass after seven days, I dreamed a dream by night:
And it came to pass upon the third day, I sat under an oak, and, behold, there came a voice out of a bush over against me, and said, Esdras, Esdras.
Behold, speak thou in the ears of my people the words of prophecy, which I will put in thy mouth, saith the Lord:
Woe be unto thee, Babylon, and Asia! woe be unto thee, Egypt and Syria!