THE BOOK OF
THE SECRETS OF
ENOCH
COMMONLY CALLED
SLAVONIC ENOCH OR
SECOND ENOCH
CHAPTER 1
There was a very wise man and a worker of great things: God loved him, and received him, so that he should see the heavenly abodes, the kingdoms of the wise, great, inconceivable and never-changing God, the Lord of all, the wonderful and glorious, and bright and all-beholding station of the servants of the Lord, and the unapproachable throne of the Lord, and the degrees and manifestations of the incorporeal hosts, and should be an eye-witness of the unspeakable ministrations of the multitude of creatures, and of the varying appearance, and indescribable singing of the host of Cherubim, and of the immeasurable world.
1 At that time he said: ‘Hardly had I accomplished 165 years, when I begat my son Methusal: after that I lived 200 years and accomplished all the years of my life, 365 years.
2 On the first day of the first month I was alone in my house, and I rested on my bed and slept.
3 And as I slept a great grief came upon my heart, and I wept with mine eyes in my dream, and I could not understand what this grief meant, or what would happen to me.
4 And there appeared to me two men very tall, such as I have never seen on earth.
5 And their faces shone like the sun, and their eyes were like burning lamps; and fire came forth from their lips. Their dress had the appearance of feathers: their feet were purple, their wings were brighter than gold; their hands whiter than snow. They stood at the head of my bed and called me by my name.
6 I awoke from my sleep and saw clearly these men standing in front of me.
7 I hastened and made obeisance to them and was terrified, and the appearance of my countenance was changed from fear.
8 And these men said to me: “Be of good cheer, Enoch, be not afraid; the everlasting God hath sent us to thee, and lo! to-day thou shalt ascend with us into heaven.
9 And tell thy sons and thy servants, all! who work in thy house, and let no one seek thee, till the Lord bring thee back to them.”
10 And I hastened to obey them, and went out of my house. And I called my sons Methusal, Regim [and Gaidal], and told them what wonderful things the two men had said to me.