The Book of Enoch 99
Book V The Epistle of Enoch Chapters 91–108 · 2nd - 1st century BCE
Enoch's testament to his children: woes against the wicked and rich, comfort for the righteous, the Apocalypse of Weeks, and a closing appendix on the miraculous birth of Noah.
Dating & manuscripts. The Apocalypse of Weeks is one of the earliest datable parts. Chapters 106-107 (the Birth of Noah) are a later appendix drawn from a separate Noah tradition.
In the manuscripts the Apocalypse of Weeks runs 93:1-10 then 91:11-17; Charles rearranged the verses to restore that order, which is why some editions number these chapters differently.
1 Enoch is an anthology of five distinct works, composed over roughly three centuries.
Woes on the Godless and Sinners
Righteous raise prayers as a memorial and place them as a testimony before the angels that they may place the sin of the sinners before the Most High. Themes: Divine Judgment and the Flood
1oe to you who work godlessness, And glory in lying and extol them: Ye shall perish, and no happy life shall be yours.
2 Woe to them who pervert the words of uprightness, And transgress the eternal law, And transform themselves into what they were not into sinners: They shall be trodden under foot upon the earth.
3 In those days make ready, ye righteous, to raise your prayers as a memorial, And place them as a testimony before the angels, That they may place the sin of the sinners for a memorial before the Most High.
4 In those days the nations shall be stirred up, And the families of the nations shall arise on the day of destruction.
5 And in those days the destitute shall go forth and carry off their children, And they shall abandon them, so that their children shall perish through them: Yea, they shall abandon their children (that are still) sucklings, and not return to them, And shall have no pity on their beloved ones.
6 And again I swear to you, ye sinners, that sin is prepared for a day of unceasing bloodshed.
7 And they who worship stones, and grave images of gold and silver and wood (and stone) and clay, and those who worship impure spirits and demons, and all kinds of idols not according to knowledge, shall get no manner of help from them.
8 And they shall become godless by reason of the folly of their hearts, And their eyes shall be blinded through the fear of their hearts And through visions in their dreams.
9 Through these they shall become godless and fearful; For they shall have wrought all their work in a lie, And shall have worshiped a stone: Therefore in an instant shall they perish.
10 But in those days blessed are all they who accept the words of wisdom, and understand them, And observe the paths of the Most High, and walk in the path of His righteousness, And become not godless with the godless; For they shall be saved.
11 Woe to you who spread evil to your neighbours; For you shall be slain in Sheol.
12 Woe to you who make deceitful and false measures, And (to them) who cause bitterness on the earth; For they shall thereby be utterly consumed.
13 Woe to you who build your houses through the grievous toil of others, And all their building materials are the bricks and stones of sin; I tell you ye shall have no peace.
14 Woe to them who reject the measure and eternal heritage of their fathers And whose souls follow after idols; For they shall have no rest.
15 Woe to them who work unrighteousness and help oppression, And slay their neighbours until the day of the great judgement.
16 For He shall cast down your glory, And bring affliction on your hearts, And shall arouse His fierce indignation And destroy you all with the sword; And all the holy and righteous shall remember your sins.
Did You Know?
Righteous raise prayers as a memorial and place them as a testimony before the angels that they may place the sin of the sinners before the Most High.
The destitute shall abandon their suckling children so that the children perish through them and shall have no pity on their beloved ones.
They who worship stones and grave images of gold and silver and wood and clay and impure spirits and demons shall get no manner of help from them.
They become godless and fearful through the folly of their hearts and visions in their dreams then perish in an instant for having worshiped a stone.
Those who build their houses through the grievous toil of others and whose building materials are the bricks and stones of sin shall have no peace.
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Commentary
In brief
The chapter recounts woes against those who work godlessness and glory in lying, pervert the words of uprightness, worship idols, and oppress neighbors, as they perish in bloodshed while nations arise on the day of destruction. The righteous raise prayers as a memorial, and those who accept wisdom and walk in righteousness are saved.