The Book of the Secrets of Enoch

(also referred to as "Slavonic Enoch" or "2 Enoch")

Chapter 41 Of how Enoch lamented Adam’s sin 1 And I saw all forefathers from all time with Adam and Eva, and I sighed and broke into tears and said of the ruin of their dishonour: 2 Woe is me for my infirmity and for that of my forefathers, and thought in my heart and said: 3 Blessed is the man who has not been born or who has been born and shall not sin before the Lord’s face, that he come not into this place, nor bring the yoke of this place. Chapter 42 Of how Enoch saw the key-holders and guards of the gates of hell standing 1 I saw the key-holders and guards of the gates of hell standing, like great serpents, and their faces like extinguishing lamps, and their eyes of fire, their sharp teeth, and I saw all the Lord’s works, how they are right, while the works of man are some good, and others bad, and in their works are known those who lie evilly. Chapter 43 Enoch shows his children how he measured and wrote out God’s judgments 1 I, my children, measured and wrote out every work and every measure and every righteous judgment. 2 As one year is more honourable than another, so is one man more honourable than another, some for great possessions, some for wisdom of heart, some for particular intellect, some for cunning, one for silence of lip, another for cleanliness, one for strength, another for comeliness, one for youth, another for sharp wit, one for shape of body, another for sensibility, let it be heard everywhere, but there is none better than he who fears God, he shall be more glorious in time to come. Chapter 44 Enoch instructs his sons, that they revile not the face of man, small or great 1 The Lord with his hands having created man, in the likeness of his own face, the Lord made him small and great. 2 Whoever reviles the ruler’s face, and abhors the Lord’s face, has despised the Lord's face, and he who vents anger on any man without injury, the Lord’s great anger will cut him down, he who spits on the face of man reproachfully, will be cut down at the Lord’s great judgment. 3 Blessed is the man who does not direct his heart with malice against any man, and helps the injured and condemned, and raises the broken down, and shall do charity to the needy, because on the day of the great judgment every weight, every measure and every makeweight will be as in the market, that is to say they are hung on scales and stand in the market, and every one shall learn his own measure, and according to his measure shall take his reward. Chapter 45 God shows how he does not want from men sacrifices, nor burnt-offerings, but pure and contrite hearts 1 Whoever hastens to make offerings before the Lord’s face, the Lord for his part will hasten that offering by granting of his work. 2 But whoever increases his lamp before the Lord’s face and make not true judgment, the Lord will not increase his treasure in the realm of the highest. 3 When the Lord demands bread, or candles, or the flesh of beasts, or any other sacrifice, then that is nothing; but God demands pure hearts, and with all that only tests the heart of man. Chapter 46 Of how an earthly ruler does not accept from man abominable and unclean gifts, then how much more does God abominate unclean gifts, but sends them away with wrath and does not accept his gifts 1 Hear, my people, and take in the words of my lips. 2 If any one bring any gifts to an earthly ruler, and have disloyal thoughts in his heart, and the ruler know this, will he not be angry with him, and not refuse his gifts, and not give him over to judgment? 3 Or if one man make himself appear good to another by deceit of tongue, but have evil in his heart, then will not the other understand the treachery of his heart, and himself be condemned, since his untruth was plain to all? 4 And when the Lord shall send a great light, then there will be judgment for the just and the unjust, and there no one shall escape notice. Chapter 47 Enoch instructs his sons from God’s lips, and hands them the handwriting of this book 1 And now, my children, lay thought on your hearts, mark well the words of your father, which are all come to you from the Lord’s lips. 2 Take these books of your father’s handwriting and read them. 3 For the books are many, and in them you will learn all the Lord’s works, all that has been from the beginning of creation, and will be till the end of time. 4 And if you will observe my handwriting, you will not sin against the Lord; because there is no other except the Lord, neither in heaven, nor in earth, nor in the very lowest places, nor in the one foundation. 5 The Lord has placed the foundations in the unknown, and has spread forth heavens visible and invisible; he fixed the earth on the waters, and created countless creatures, and who has counted the water and the foundation of the unfixed, or the dust of the earth, or the sand of the sea, or the drops of the rain, or the morning dew, or the wind’s breathings? Who has filled earth and sea, and the indissoluble winter? 6 I cut the stars out of fire, and decorated heaven, and put it in their midst. Chapter 48 Of the sun’s passage along the seven circles 1 That the sun go along the seven heavenly circles, which are the appointment of one hundred and eighty-two thrones, that it go down on a short day, and again one hundred and eighty-two, that it go down on a big day, and he has two thrones on which he rests, revolving hither and thither above the thrones of the months, from the seventeenth day of the month Tsivan it goes down to the month Thevan, from the seventeenth of Thevan it goes up. 2 And thus it goes close to the earth, then the earth is glad and makes grow its fruits, and when it goes away, then the earth is sad, and trees and all fruits have no florescence. 3 All this he measured, with good measurement of hours, and fixed a measure by his wisdom, of the visible and the invisible. 4 From the invisible he made all things visible, himself being invisible. 5 Thus I make known to you, my children, and distribute the books to your children, into all your generations, and amongst the nations who shall have the sense to fear God, let them receive them, and may they come to love them more than any food or earthly sweets, and read them and apply themselves to them. 6 And those who understand not the Lord, who fear not God, who accept not, but reject, who do not receive the books, a terrible judgment awaits these. 7 Blessed is the man who shall bear their yoke and shall drag them along, for he shall be released on the day of the great judgment. Chapter 49 Enoch instructs his sons not to swear either by heaven or earth, and shows God’s promise, even in the mother’s womb 1 I swear to you, my children, but I swear not by any oath, neither by heaven nor by earth, nor by any other creature which God created. 2 The Lord said: There is no oath in me, nor injustice, but truth. 4 And I swear to you, yea, yea, that there has been no man in his mother’s womb, but that already before, even to each one there is a place prepared for the repose of that soul, and a measure fixed how much it is intended that a man be tried in this world. 5 Yea, children, deceive not yourselves, for there has been previously prepared a place for every soul of man. Chapter 50 Of how none born on earth can remain hidden nor his work remain concealed, but God bids us to be meek, to endure attack and insult, and not to offend widows and orphans 1 I have put every man’s work in writing and none born on earth can remain hidden nor his works remain concealed. 2 I see all things. 3 Now therefore, my children, in patience and meekness spend the number of your days, that you inherit endless life. 4 Endure for the sake of the Lord every wound, every injury, every evil word and attack. 5 If ill-requitals befall you, return them not either to neighbour or enemy, because the Lord will return them for you and be your avenger on the day of great judgment, that there be no avenging here among men. 6 Whoever of you spends gold or silver for his brother’s sake, he will receive ample treasure in the world to come. 7 Injure not widows nor orphans nor strangers, lest God’s wrath come upon you. Chapter 51 Enoch instructs his sons, that they hide not treasures in the earth, but bids them give alms to the poor 1 Stretch out your hands to the poor according to your strength. 2 Hide not your silver in the earth. 3 Help the faithful man in affliction, and affliction will not find you in the time of your trouble. 4 And every grievous and cruel yoke that come upon you bear all for the sake of the Lord, and thus you will find your reward in the day of judgment. 5 It is good to go morning, midday, and evening into the Lord’s dwelling, for the glory of your creator. 6 Because every breathing thing glorifies him, and every creature visible and invisible returns him praise. Chapter 52 God instructs his faithful, how they are to praise his name 1 Blessed is the man who opens his lips in praise of God of Sabaoth and praises the Lord with his heart. 2 Cursed every man who opens his lips for the bringing into contempt and calumny of his neighbour, because he brings God into contempt. 3 Blessed is he who opens his lips blessing and praising God. 4 Cursed is he before the Lord all the days of his life, who opens his lips to curse and abuse. 5 Blessed is he who blesses all the Lord’s works. 6 Cursed is he who brings the Lord’s creation into contempt. 7 Blessed is he who looks down and raises the fallen. 8 Cursed is he who looks to and is eager for the destruction of what is not his. 9 Blessed is he who keeps the foundations of his fathers made firm from the beginning. 10 Cursed is he who perverts the decrees of his forefathers. 11 Blessed is he who imparts peace and love. 12 Cursed is he who disturbs those that love their neighbours. 13 Blessed is he who speaks with humble tongue and heart to all. 14 Cursed is he who speaks peace with his tongue, while in his heart there is no peace but a sword. 15 For all these things will be laid bare in the weighing-scales and in the books, on the day of the great judgment. Chapter 53 Enoch confirms the word from the Lord’s lips to his children that they must obey the will of the Lord on their own 1 And now, my children, do not say: Our father is standing before God, and is praying for our sins, for there is there no helper of any man who has sinned. 2 You see how I wrote all works of every man, before his creation, all that is done amongst all men for all time, and none can tell or relate my handwriting, because the Lord see all imaginings of man, how they are vain, where they lie in the treasure-houses of the heart. 3 And now, my children, mark well all the words of your father, that I tell you, lest you regret, saying: Why did our father not tell us? Chapter 54 Enoch instructs his sons, that they should hand the books to others also 1 At that time, not understanding this let these books which I have given you be for an inheritance of your peace. 2 Hand them to all who want them, and instruct them, that they may see the Lord’s very great and marvellous works. Chapter 55 Here Enoch shows his sons, telling them with tears, that the time has approached for him to be taken up into heaven, as the angels are standing before him 1 My children, behold, the day of my term and time have approached. 2 For the angels who shall go with me are standing before me and urge me to my departure from you; they are standing here on earth, awaiting what has been told them. 3 For to-morrow I shall go up on to heaven, to the uppermost Jerusalem to my eternal inheritance. 4 Therefore I bid you do before the Lord’s face all his good pleasure. Chapter 56 Methosalam asks of his father blessing, that he may take Enoch food to eat 1 Mathosalam having answered his father Enoch, said: What is agreeable to your eyes, father, that I may make before your face, that you may bless our dwellings, and your sons, and that your people may be made glorious through you, and then that you may depart thus, as the Lord said? 2 Enoch answered to his son Mathosalam and said: Hear, child, from the time when the Lord anointed me with the ointment of his glory, there has been no food in me, and my soul remembers not earthly enjoyment, neither do I want anything earthly. Chapter 57 Enoch bade his son Methosalam to summon all his brethren 1 My child Methosalam, summon all your brethren and all your household and the elders of the people, that I may talk to them and depart, as is planned for me. 2 And Methosalam made haste, and summoned his brethren, Regim, Riman, Uchan, Chermion, Gaidad, and all the elders of the people before the face of his father Enoch; and he blessed them, and said to them: Chapter 58 Enoch’s instructions to his sons 1 Listen to me, my children, to-day. 2 In those days when the Lord came down on to earth for Adam’s sake, and visited all his creatures, which he created himself, after all these he created Adam, and the Lord called all the beasts of the earth, all the reptiles, and all the birds that soar in the air, and brought them all before the face of our father Adam. 3 And Adam gave the names to all things living on earth. 4 And the Lord appointed him ruler over all, and subjected to him all things under his hands, and made them dumb and made them dull that they be commanded of man, and be in subjection and obedience to him. 5 Thus also the Lord created every man lord over all his possessions. 6 The Lord will not judge a single soul of beast for man’s sake, but adjudges the souls of men to their beasts in this world; for men have a special place. 7 And as every soul of man is according to number, similarly beasts will not perish, nor all souls of beasts which the Lord created, till the great judgment, and they will accuse man, if he feed them ill. Chapter 59 Enoch instructs his sons wherefore they may not touch unclean meat because of what comes from it 1 Whoever defiles the soul of beasts, defiles his own soul. 2 For man brings clean animals to make sacrifice for sin, that he may have cure of his soul. 3 And if they bring for sacrifice clean animals, and birds, man has cure, he cures his soul. 4 All is given you for food, bind it by the four feet, that is to make good the cure, he cures his soul. 5 But whoever kills beast without wounds, kills his own souls and defiles his own flesh. 6 And he who does any beast any injury whatsoever, in secret, it is evil practice, and he defiles his own soul. Chapter 60 He who does injury to the soul of another man, does injury to his own soul 1 He who works the killing of a man’s soul, kills his own soul, and kills his own body, and there is no cure for him for all time. 2 He who puts a man in any snare, shall stick in it himself, and there is no cure for him for all time. 3 He who puts a man in any vessel, his retribution will not be wanting at the great judgment for all time. 4 He who works crookedly or speaks evil against any soul, will not make justice for himself for all time. Chapter 61 Enoch instructs his sons to keep themselves from injustice, to help others and to share 1 And now, my children, keep your hearts from every injustice, which the Lord hates. Just as a man asks something for his own soul from God, so let him do to every living soul, because I know all things, how in the great time to come there is much inheritance prepared for men, good for the good, and bad for the bad, without number many. 2 Blessed are those who enter the good houses, for in the bad houses there is no peace nor return from them. 3 Hear, my children, small and great! When man puts a good thought in his heart, brings gifts from his labours before the Lord’s face and his hands made them not, then the Lord will turn away his face from the labour of his hand, and that man cannot find the labour of his hands. 4 And if his hands made it, but his heart murmur, and his heart cease not making murmur incessantly, he has not any advantage. Chapter 62 Of how it is fitting to bring one’s gifts in faith, because there is no repentance after death 1 Blessed is the man who in his patience brings his gifts with faith before the Lord’s face, because he will find forgiveness of sins. 2 But if he take back his words before the time, there is no repentance for him; and if the time pass and he do not of his own will what is promised, there is no repentance after death. 3 Because every work which man does before the time, is all deceit before men, and sin before God. Chapter 63 Of how not to despise the poor, but to share with them equally, lest you be murmured against before God 1 When man clothes the naked and fills the hungry, he will find reward from God. 2 But if his heart murmur, he commits a double evil; ruin of himself and of that which he gives; and for him there will be no finding of reward on account of that. 3 And if his own heart is filled with his food and his own flesh, clothed with his own clothing, he commits contempt, and will forfeit all his endurance of poverty, and will not find reward of his good deeds. 4 Every proud and magniloquent man is hateful to the Lord, and every false speech, clothed in untruth; it will be cut with the blade of the sword of death, and thrown into the fire, and shall burn for all time. Chapter 64 Of how the Lord calls up Enoch, and people took counsel to go and kiss him at the place called Achuzan 1 When Enoch had spoken these words to his sons, all people far and near heard how the Lord was calling Enoch. They took counsel together: 2 Let us go and kiss Enoch, and two thousand men came together and came to the place Achuzan where Enoch was, and his sons. 3 And the elders of the people, the whole assembly, came and bowed down and began to kiss Enoch and said to him: 4 Our father Enoch, may you be blessed of the Lord, the eternal ruler, and now bless your sons and all the people, that we may be glorified to-day before your face. 5 For you shalt be glorified before the Lord’s face for all time, since the Lord chose you, rather than all men on earth, and designated you writer of all his creation, visible and invisible, and redeemed of the sins of man, and helper of your household. Chapter 65 Of Enoch’s instructions to his sons 1 And Enoch answered all his people saying: Hear, my children, before that all creatures were created, the Lord created the visible and invisible things. 2 And as much time as there was and went past, understand that after all that he created man in the likeness of his own form, and put into him eyes to see, and ears to hear, and heart to reflect, and intellect wherewith to deliberate. 3 And the Lord saw all man’s works, and created all his creatures, and divided time, from time he fixed the years, and from the years he appointed the months, and from the months he appointed the days, and of days he appointed seven. 4 And in those he appointed the hours, measured them out exactly, that man might reflect on time and count years, months, and hours, their alternation, beginning, and end, and that he might count his own life, from the beginning until death, and reflect on his sin and write his work bad and good; because no work is hidden before the Lord, that every man might know his works and never transgress all his commandments, and keep my handwriting from generation to generation. 5 When all creation visible and invisible, as the Lord created it, shall end, then every man goes to the great judgment, and then all time shall perish, and the years, and thenceforward there will be neither months nor days nor hours, they will be adhered together and will not be counted. 6 There will be one aeon, and all the righteous who shall escape the Lord’s great judgment, shall be collected in the great aeon, for the righteous the great aeon will begin, and they will live eternally, and then too there will be amongst them neither labour, nor sickness, nor humiliation, nor anxiety, nor need, nor brutality, nor night, nor darkness, but great light. 7 And they shall have a great indestructible wall, and a paradise bright and incorruptible, for all corruptible things shall pass away, and there will be eternal life. Chapter 66 Enoch instructs his sons and all the elders of the people, how they are to walk with terror and trembling before the Lord, and serve him alone and not bow down to idols, but to God, who created heaven and earth and every creature, and to his image 1 And now, my children, keep your souls from all injustice, such as the Lord hates. 2 Walk before his face with terror and trembling and serve him alone. 3 Bow down to the true God, not to dumb idols, but bow down to his similitude, and bring all just offerings before the Lord’s face. The Lord hates what is unjust. 4 For the Lord sees all things; when man takes thought in his heart, then he counsels the intellects, and every thought is always before the Lord, who made firm the earth and put all creatures on it. 5 If you look to heaven, the Lord is there; if you take thought of the sea’s deep and all the under-earth, the Lord is there. 6 For the Lord created all things. Bow not down to things made by man, leaving the Lord of all creation, because no work can remain hidden before the Lord’s face. 7 Walk, my children, in long-suffering, in meekness, honesty, in provocation, in grief, in faith and in truth, in reliance on promises, in illness, in abuse, in wounds, in temptation, in nakedness, in privation, loving one another, till you go out from this age of ills, that you become inheritors of endless time. 8 Blessed are the just who shall escape the great judgment, for they shall shine forth more than the sun sevenfold, for in this world the seventh part is taken off from all, light, darkness, food, enjoyment, sorrow, paradise, torture, fire, frost, and other things; he put all down in writing, that you might read and understand. Chapter 67 The Lord let out darkness on to the earth and covered the people and Enoch, and Enoch was taken up on high, and light came again in the heaven 1 When Enoch had talked to the people, the Lord sent out darkness on to the earth, and there was darkness, and it covered those men standing with Enoch, and they took Enoch up on to the highest heaven, where the Lord is; and he received him and placed him before his face, and the darkness went off from the earth, and light came again. 2 And the people saw and understood not how Enoch had been taken, and glorified God, and found a roll in which was traced The Invisible God; and all went to their dwelling places. Chapter 68 Conclusion 1 Enoch was born on the sixth day of the month Tsivan, and lived three hundred and sixty-five years. 2 He was taken up to heaven on the first day of the month Tsivan and remained in heaven sixty days. 3 He wrote all these signs of all creation, which the Lord created, and wrote three hundred and sixty-six books, and handed them over to his sons and remained on earth thirty days, and was again taken up to heaven on the sixth day of the month Tsivan, on the very day and hour when he was born. 4 As every man’s nature in this life is dark, so are also his conception, birth, and departure from this life. 5 At what hour he was conceived, at that hour he was born, and at that hour too he died. 6 Methosalam and his brethren, all the sons of Enoch, made haste, and erected an altar at that place called Achuzan, whence and where Enoch had been taken up to heaven. 7 And they took sacrificial oxen and summoned all people and sacrificed the sacrifice before the Lord’s face. 8 All people, the elders of the people and the whole assembly came to the feast and brought gifts to the sons of Enoch. 9 And they made a great feast, rejoicing and making merry three days, praising God, who had given them such a sign through Enoch, who had found favour with him, and that they should hand it on to their sons from generation to generation, from age to age. 10Amen.