45
show 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 to come I know not."
47
And he said unto me, "Stand up upon the right side, and I shall expound a similitude unto thee."
48
So I stood and saw and, behold, a hot burning oven passed by before me; and it happened that when the flame had 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 for 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 has exceeded more."
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 concerning thy life, I am not sent to show thee, for I do not know it.