The Destruction of Jerusalem

1 And I looked and saw: look, the picture swayed and [from it] emerged, on its left side, a pagan people, and they plundered those who were on the right side, men and women and children: 2 [some they slaughtered,] they kept others with them. 3 Look, I saw them run toward them through four entrances, and they burned the Temple with fire, and they plundered the holy things that were in it.⁠a 4 And I said: "Eternal One! Look, hordes of pagans plunder the people (that spring) from me, whom You have accepted, 5 and they kill some, while they hold others captive as foreigners, and they have burned the Temple with fire, and they rob the beautiful things in it [and destroy]. 6 Eternal, Mighty One! If this is so, why have You now torn my heart, and why should this be so?" 7 And He said to me: "Listen, Abraham. What you have seen will happen because of your descendants who anger me because of the statue which you saw, and because of the human slaughter in the picture, in the Temple of jealousy; 8 and it will be as you saw." 9 And I said: "Eternal, Mighty One! May the works of evil (done) in godlessness now pass by, but instead (show me) those who fulfilled the commandments, even the works of his (?) righteousness. For you can do this." 10 And He said to me: "The time of the righteous first reaches [them] through the holiness (flowing) from kings and rulers who act righteously 11 whom I first created so that some of them would rule among them. 12 But from these come people who care for their interests, as I have told you and you have seen."