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And my soul recovered the spirit of understanding, and I began to talk with the Most High again,
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and said, "O Lord who bearest rule, of every wood of the earth and of all the trees thereof Thou hast chosen Thee only one vine,
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and of all lands of the whole world Thou hast chosen Thee one pit, and of all the flowers thereof one lily,
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and from all the depths of the sea Thou hast filled Thee one river, and of all builded cities Thou hast hallowed Zion unto Thyself,
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and of all the fowls that are created Thou hast named Thee one dove, and of all the flocks that are made Thou hast provided Thee one sheep,
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and among all the multitudes of people Thou hast gotten Thee one people; and unto this people, whom Thou loved, Thou gavest a law that is approved by all.
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And now, O Lord, why hast Thou given this one people over unto many? And upon the one root hast Thou prepared others; and why hast Thou scattered Thy only one people among many?
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And they who did gainsay Thy promises and believed not Thy covenants have trodden them down.
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If Thou didst so much hate Thy people, yet shouldest Thou punish them with Thine own hands."
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Now when I had spoken these words the angel that came to me the night before was sent unto me,Œ
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and said unto me, "Hear me, and I will instruct thee; hearken to the thing that I say, and I shall tell thee more."