2 Esdras 11

New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised

The Vision of the Eagle

11 On the second night I had a dream: I saw rising from the sea an eagle that had twelve feathered wings and three heads. ² I saw it spread its wings over^[a] the whole earth, and all the winds of heaven blew upon it, and the clouds were gathered around it.^{[b] 3} I saw that out of its wings there grew opposing wings; but they became little, puny wings. ⁴ But its heads were at rest; the middle head was larger than the other heads, but it too was at rest with them. ⁵ Then I saw that the eagle flew with its wings, and it reigned over the earth and over those who inhabit it. ⁶ And I saw how all things under heaven were subjected to it, and no one spoke against it—not a single creature that was on the earth. ⁷ Then I saw the eagle rise upon its talons, and it uttered a cry to its wings, saying, ⁸ ‘Do not all watch at the same time; let each sleep in its own place, and watch in its turn; ⁹ but let the heads be reserved for the last.’

¹⁰ I looked again and saw that the voice did not come from its heads, but from the middle of its body. ¹¹ I counted its rival wings, and there were eight of them. ¹² As I watched, one wing on the right side rose up, and it reigned over all the earth. ¹³ And after a time its reign came to an end, and it disappeared, so that even its place was no longer visible. Then the next wing rose up and reigned, and it continued to reign a long time. ¹⁴ While it was reigning its end came also, so that it disappeared like the first. ¹⁵ And a voice sounded, saying to it, ¹⁶ ‘Listen to me, you who have ruled the earth all this time; I announce this to you before you disappear. ¹⁷ After you no one shall rule as long as you have ruled, not even half as long.’

¹⁸ Then the third wing raised itself up, and held the rule as the earlier ones had done, and it also disappeared. ¹⁹ And so it went with all the wings; they wielded power one after another and then were never seen again. ²⁰ I kept looking, and in due time the wings that followed^[c] also rose up on the right^[d] side, in order to rule. There were some of them that ruled, yet disappeared suddenly; ²¹ and others of them rose up, but did not hold the rule.

²² And after this I looked and saw that the twelve wings and the two little wings had disappeared, ²³ and nothing remained on the eagle’s body except the three heads that were at rest and six little wings.

²⁴ As I kept looking I saw that two little wings separated from the six and remained under the head that was on the right side; but four remained in their place. ²⁵ Then I saw that these little wings^[e] planned to set themselves up and hold the rule. ²⁶ As I kept looking, one was set up, but suddenly disappeared; ²⁷ a second also, and this disappeared more quickly than the first. ²⁸ While I continued to look the two that remained were planning between themselves to reign together; ²⁹ and while they were planning, one of the heads that were at rest (the one that was in the middle) suddenly awoke; it was greater than the other two heads. ³⁰ And I saw how it allied the two heads with itself, ³¹ and how the head turned with those that were with it and devoured the two little wings^[f] that were planning to reign. ³² Moreover, this head gained control of the whole earth, and with much oppression dominated its inhabitants; it had greater power over the world than all the wings that had gone before.

³³ After this I looked again and saw the head in the middle suddenly disappear, just as the wings had done. ³⁴ But the two heads remained, which also in like manner ruled over the earth and its inhabitants. ³⁵ And while I looked, I saw the head on the right side devour the one on the left.

A Lion Roused from the Forest

³⁶ Then I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Look in front of you and consider what you see.’ ³⁷ When I looked, I saw what seemed to be a lion roused from the forest, roaring; and I heard how it uttered a human voice to the eagle, and spoke, saying, ³⁸ ‘Listen and I will speak to you. The Most High says to you, ³⁹ “Are you not the one that remains of the four beasts that I had made to reign in my world, so that the end of my times might come through them? ⁴⁰ You, the fourth that has come, have conquered all the beasts that have gone before; and you have held sway over the world with great terror, and over all the earth with grievous oppression; and for so long you have lived on the earth with deceit.^{[g] 41} You have judged the earth, but not with truth, ⁴² for you have oppressed the meek and injured the peaceable; you have hated those who tell the truth, and have loved liars; you have destroyed the homes of those who brought forth fruit, and have laid low the walls of those who did you no harm. ⁴³ Your insolence has come up before the Most High, and your pride to the Mighty One. ⁴⁴ The Most High has looked at his times; now they have ended, and his ages have reached completion. ⁴⁵ Therefore you, eagle, will surely disappear, you and your terrifying wings, your most evil little wings, your malicious heads, your most evil talons, and your whole worthless body, ⁴⁶ so that the whole earth, freed from your violence, may be refreshed and relieved, and may hope for the judgement and mercy of him who made it.”’