43
From the beginning, look, what thou desirest to see, it shall be shewed thee.
44
Then answered I and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, and if it be possible, and if I be meet therefore,
45
Shew me then whether there be more to come than is past, or more past than is to come.
46
What is past I know, but what is for to come I know not.
47
And he said unto me, Stand up upon the right side, and I shall expound the similitude unto thee.
48
So I stood, and saw, and, behold, an hot burning oven passed by before me: and it happened that when the flame was gone by I looked, and, behold, the smoke remained still.
49
After this there passed by before me a watery cloud, and sent down much rain with a storm; and when the stormy rain was past, the drops remained still.
50
Then said he unto me, Consider with thyself; as the rain is more than the drops, and as the fire is greater than the smoke; but the drops and the smoke remain behind: so the quantity which is past did more exceed.
51
Then I prayed, and said, May I live, thinkest thou, until that time? or what shall happen in those days?
52
He answered me, and said, As for the tokens whereof thou askest me, I may tell thee of them in part: but as touching thy life, I am not sent to shew thee; for I do not know it.