The Lantern

II Baruch56

2-baruch

Nevertheless, because thou hast besought the Most High to reveal to thee the interpretation of the vision which thou hast seen, I have been sent to say to thee.

And the Mighty One hath assuredly made known to thee the methods of the times that have passed, and of those that are destined to pass in His world from the beginning of its creations even unto its consummation, of those things which (are) deceit and of those which (are) in truth.

For as thou didst see a great cloud which ascended from the sea, and went and covered the earth, this is the duration of the world which the Mighty One made when he took counsel to make the world.

And it came to pass when the word had gone forth from His presence, that the duration of the world had come into being in a small degree, and was established according to the multitude of the intelligence of Him who sent it.

And as thou didst previously see on the summit of the cloud black waters which descended previously on the earth, this is the transgression wherewith Adam the first man transgressed.

For owing to his transgression untimely death came into being, and grief was named and anguish was prepared, and pain was created, and trouble perfected, and boasting began to be established, and Sheol to demand that it should be renewed in blood, and the begetting of children was brought about, and the passion of parents produced, and the greatness of humanity was humiliated, and goodness languished.

What therefore can be blacker or darker than these things?

This is the beginning of the black waters which thou hast seen.

And from these black (waters) again were black derived, and the darkness of darkness was produced.

For he was a danger to his own soul: even to the angels was he a danger.

For, moreover, at that time when he was created, they enjoyed liberty.

And some of them descended, and mingled with the women.

And then those who did so were tormented in chains.

But the rest of the multitude of the angels, of which there is no number, restrained themselves.

And those who dwelt on the earth perished together (with them) through the waters of the deluge.

These are the black first waters."