2 Esdras 14:36–48

^36cLet no man therefore come unto me now, nor seek after me these forty days. ³⁷So I took ^dthe five men, ^eas he commanded me, and we went into the field, and remained there. ³⁸And the next day, behold, a voice called me, saying, Esdras, ^fopen thy mouth, and drink that I give thee to drink. ³⁹Then opened I my mouth, and behold, he reached me a full cup, which was full as it were with water, but the colour of it was like fire. ⁴⁰And I took it, and drank: and when I had drunk of it, my heart uttered understanding, and wisdom grew in my breast, for my spirit strengthened my memory: ⁴¹and ^gmy mouth was opened, and shut no more. ⁴²The Highest gave understanding unto ^ethe five men, and they wrote the wonderful visions of the night that were told, which they knew not: and they sat forty days, and they wrote in the day, and at night they ate bread. ⁴³As for me, I spake in the day, and held not my tongue by night. ^44cIn forty days they wrote two hundred and four books. ⁴⁵And it came to pass, when ^cthe forty days were fulfilled, that the Highest spake, saying, ^hThe first that thou hast written publish openly, that the worthy and unworthy may read it: ⁴⁶but ^hkeep the seventy last, that thou mayest deliver them only to such as be wise among the people: ⁴⁷for in them is the spring of understanding, ⁱthe fountains of wisdom, and the stream of knowledge. ⁴⁸And I did so.

XV.