but

And as for those who before knew not but afterwards knew life, and mingled (only) with the seed of the people which had separated itself, the time of these (is) the latter, and is accounted as something exalted.

But, do thou, Baruch, direct your heart to that which has been said to you, And understand those things which have been shown to you; For there are many eternal consolations for you.

But withdraw you not from the way of the law, But guard and admonish the people which remain, Lest they withdraw from the commandments of the Mighty One.

But withdraw you not from the way of the law, But guard and admonish the people which remain, Lest they withdraw from the commandments of the Mighty One.

Because whatever is now is nothing, But that which shall be is very great. For everything that is corruptible shall pass away,

For to them shall be given the world to come, But the dwelling of the rest who are many shall be in the fire.'

But only prepare you your hearts, that you may obey the law, And be subject to those who in fear are wise and understanding; And prepare your souls that you may not depart from them.

But with regard to the word that I was to be taken I did not make (it) known to them or to my son.]

But with you hours are as a time, And days as generations.

But I will speak now before you, And I will say as my heart thinks.

But My judgment exacts its own And My law exacts its rights.

For there shall not be found many wise at that time, And the intelligent shall be but a few: Moreover, even those who know shall most of all be silent.

Because each of the inhabitants of the earth knew when he was transgressing. But My Law they knew not by reason of their pride.

But many shall then assuredly weep, Yea, over the living more than over the dead.'

But again I will speak in Your presence.

['But now let us dismiss the wicked and inquire about the righteous.

For the earth shall then assuredly restore the dead, [Which it now receives, in order to preserve them]. It shall make no change in their form, But as it has received, so shall it restore them, And as I delivered them unto it, so also shall it raise them.

When therefore they see those, over whom they are now exalted, (but) who shall then be exalted and glorified more than they, they shall respectively be transformed, the latter into the splendor of angels, and the former shall yet more waste away in wonder at the visions and in the beholding of the forms.

But those who have been saved by their works, And to whom the law has been now a hope, And understanding an expectation, And wisdom a confidence, Shall wonders appear in their time.

For then they chose (not) for themselves this time, Which, beyond the reach of anguish, could not pass away: But they chose for themselves that time, Whose issues are full of lamentations and evils, And they denied the world which ages not those who come to it, And they rejected the time of glory, So that they shall not come to the honor of which I told you before.'

[But even in the face of these things will I speak.

For in the first beginning they were black and many (Or a time, and afterwards I saw that the waters became bright, but they were not many, and after these things again I saw black (waters), and after these things again bright, and again black and again bright.

Now this was done twelve times, but the black were always more numerous than the bright.

(You) for whom nothing is too hard, But who do everything easily by a nod:

But now, as for you, you wicked that now are, turn you to destruction, because you shall speedily be visited, in that formerly you rejected the understanding of the Most High.

Adam is therefore not the cause, save only of his own soul, But each of us has been the Adam of his own soul.

But do You, O Lord, expound to me regarding those things which you have revealed to me, And inform me regarding that which I besought you.

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

But also the heavens at that time were shaken from their place, and those who were under the throne of the Mighty One were perturbed, when He was taking Moses unto Himself.

But then also He showed to him the measures of the fire, also the depths of the abyss, and the weight of the winds, and the number of the drops of rain:

But even Israel was then polluted by sins in the days of the judges, though they saw many signs which were from Him who made them.

But regarding the Gentiles it were tedious to tell how they always wrought impiety and wickedness, and never wrought righteousness.

And at that time I burned their bodies within, but their raiment and arms I preserved outwardly, in order that the still more wonderful deeds of the Mighty One might appear, and that thereby His name might be spoken of throughout the whole earth.

But also against the two tribes and a half went forth a decree that they should also be led away captive, as you have now seen.

For he had not lived perfectly, for he was not worthy-but that thenceforward he might know by whom finally he should be tormented.

And not only did he slay the impious that were living, but they also took from the sepulchers the bones of the dead and burned them with fire.

[But how will it serve towards His righteous judgment?]

But the king of Babylon will arise who has now destroyed Zion, And he will boast over the people, And he will speak great things in his heart in the presence of the Most High.

But he also shall fall at last. These are the black waters.

But it will come to pass after these things that there will be the fall of many nations.

But all those who have ruled over you, or have known you, shall be given up to the sword.

Because, if assuredly you did not have compassion on man, Those who are under Your right hand, They could not come to those things, But those who are in the numbers named can be called.

But if, indeed, we who exist know wherefore we have come, And submit ourselves to Him who brought us out of Egypt, We shall come again and remember those things which have passed, And shall rejoice regarding that which has been.

But if now we know not wherefore we have come, And recognize not the principate of Him who brought us up out of Egypt, We shall come again and seek after those things which have been now, And be grieved with pain because of those things which have befallen.'

For you shall surely depart from this earth, nevertheless not unto death, but you shall be preserved unto the consummation of the times.

Now this shall befall after forty days. Go now therefore during these days and instruct the people so far as you are able, that they may learn so as not to die at the last time, but may learn in order that they may live at the last times.'

But behold! you are here with me.

If, therefore, you direct your ways aright, Ye also shall not depart as your brethren departed, But they shall come to you.

And it came to pass on the one and twentieth day in the eighth month that I, Baruch, came and sat down under the oak under the shadow of the branches, and no man was with me, but I was alone.

And now let it not weary you, and turn not to the right hand nor the left, but fly and go by a direct way, that you may preserve the command of the Mighty One, according as I said unto you.'

Thus says Baruch the son of Neriah to the brethren carried into captivity: 'Mercy and peace.' I bear in mind, my brethren, the love of Him who created us, who loved us from of old, and never hated us, but above all educated us.

For if you so do these things, He will continually remember you, He who always promised on our behalf to those who were more excellent than we, that He will never forget or forsake us, but with much mercy will gather together again those who were dispersed.

But we have been left here, being very few.

But regarding consolation, hear the word.

For lo! we see now the multitude of the prosperity of the Gentiles, Though they act impiously, But they shall be like a vapor:

And we behold the multitude of their power, Though they do wickedly, But they shall be made like unto a drop:

And we see the firmness of their might. Though they resist the Mighty One every hour, But they shall be accounted as spittle.

And we consider the glory of their greatness, Though they do not keep the statutes of the Most High, But as smoke shall they pass away.

And we meditate on the beauty of their gracefulness, Though they have to do with pollutions, But as grass that withers shall they fade away.

And we consider the strength of their cruelty, Though they remember not the end (thereof), But as a wave that passes shall they be broken.

And we remark the boastfulness of their might, Though they deny the beneficence of God, who gave (it) to them, But they shall pass away as a passing cloud.

Let none therefore of these present things ascend into your hearts, but above all let us be expectant, because that which is promised to us shall come.

And let us not now look unto the delights of the Gentiles in the present, but let us remember what has been promised to us in the end.

[Since therefore all these things are done now, does anyone think that they will not be avenged? But the consummation of all things will come to the truth.]

Remember that formerly Moses assuredly called heaven and earth to witness against you and said: 'If you transgress the law you shall be dispersed, but if you keep it you shall be kept.'

And at all times make request perseveringly and pray diligently with your whole heart that the Mighty One may be reconciled to you, and that He may not reckon the multitude of your sins, but remember the rectitude of your fathers.

But they became insolent in their prosperity, And they were without understanding,

For they have done it not in zeal, but in lust of soul,

But they that fear the Lord shall rise to life eternal, And their life (shall be) in the light of the Lord, and shall come to an end no more.

But they have provoked God's anger and vexed Him. May He remove them from off the earth, Because with deceit they beguiled the souls of the flawless.

Even though Thou restore us not, we will not keep away; But unto Thee will we come.

And Thou wilt hearken -for who is good and gentle but Thou— Making glad the soul of the humble by opening Thine hand in mercy.

But Thy gift is great in goodness and wealth, And he whose hope is (set) on Thee shall have no lack of gifts.

Chasten us Thyself in Thy good pleasure; But give (us) not up to the nations;

For Thou wilt pity the seed of Israel for ever And Thou wilt not reject (them): But we (shall be) under Thy yoke for ever, And (under) the rod of Thy chastening.

(But) God hath shown Himself righteous in His judgments upon the nations of the earth;

But Thou art our God from the beginning, And upon Thee is our hope (set), O Lord;

The salvation of the Lord be upon Israel His servant for ever; And let the sinners perish together at the presence of the Lord; But let the Lord's pious ones inherit the promises of the Lord.

Noisome beasts ran upon them: With their teeth they tore their flesh, And with their molars crushed their bones. But from all these things the Lord delivered us,

For terrible is the overthrow of the sinner; But not one of all these things toucheth the righteous. For not alike are the chastening of the righteous (for sins done) in ignorance, And the overthrow of the sinners

But sinners shall be taken away into destruction, And their memorial shall be found no more.

But upon the pious is the mercy of the Lord, And upon them that fear Him His mercy.

But not so are the sinners and transgressors, Who love (the brief) day (spent) in companionship with their sin; Their delight is in fleeting corruption,

But the pious of the Lord shall inherit life in gladness.

For they shall flee away from the pious as men pursued in war; But they shall pursue sinners and overtake (them), And they that do lawlessness shall not escape the judgment of God; As by enemies experienced (in war) shall they be overtaken,

But they that fear the Lord shall find mercy therein, And shall live by the compassion of their God; But sinners shall perish for ever.

But they that fear the Lord shall find mercy therein, And shall live by the compassion of their God; But sinners shall perish for ever.

When my soul slumbered (being afar) from the Lord, I had all but slipped down to the pit, When (I was) far from God,

But with goodwill and cheerfulness support my soul; When Thou strengthenest my soul, what is given (to me) will be sufficient for me.

But we hope in God, our deliverer; For the might of our God is for ever with mercy,

But, for our sins, sinners rose up against us; They assailed us and thrust us out; What Thou hadst not promised to them, they took away (from us) with violence.

They laid waste the throne of David in tumultuous arrogance. But Thou, O God, didst cast them down and remove their seed from the earth,

But in that fertile field of Paradise

Their nakedness, but with hearts far from evil

But the dread serpent drew them off by guile

But the wife then first traitress proved to God;

But on them the Immortal set his wrath

But man his heel; for death is neighbor near

But as subdued by sleep; most happy men

The King, God. But they also did transgress,