15
But now why are you disturbed, seeing that you are to perish? And why are you moved, seeing that you are mortal?
16
And why have you not considered in your mind what is to come, rather than what is now present?"
17
Then I answered and said, "O sovereign Lord, behold, thou hast ordained in thy law that the righteous shall inherit these things, but that the ungodly shall perish.
18
The righteous therefore can endure difficult circumstances while hoping for easier ones; but those who have done wickedly have suffered the difficult circumstances and will not see the easier ones."
19
And he said to me, "You are not a better judge than God, or wiser than the Most High!
20
Let many perish who are now living, rather than that the law of God which is set before them be disregarded!
21
For God strictly commanded those who came into the world, when they came, what they should do to live, and what they should observe to avoid punishment.
22
Nevertheless they were not obedient, and spoke against him; they devised for themselves vain thoughts,
23
and proposed to themselves wicked frauds; they even declared that the Most High does not exist, and they ignored his ways!
24
They scorned his law, and denied his covenants; they have been unfaithful to his statutes, and have not performed his works.
25
"Therefore, Ezra, empty things are for the empty, and full things are for the full.