Preface.

called me, saying Esdras, open your
mouth, and drink, that which I have given you to drink. And
I opened my mouth, and behold, a chalice, full
as it were with water; its color, however,
like unto fire. And I took and drank, and
when I had drunk, my heart was tormented
in understanding, and in my breast
wisdom was growing. For my Spirit
was preserved in memory. And opened
was my mouth, and was not closed
anymore. The Most High gave understanding to
the five men, and they wrote, what was being said
excesses of the night, which they did not know.
At night, however, they were eating
bread. I, however, spoke by day,
and by night I was not silent. There were
written, however, during forty days books
two hundred and four. And it came to pass, when
they had completed forty days, spoke
the Most High, saying: The former, which you have
written, put out in the open, and let the worthy
and unworthy read: the newest however seventy
you will preserve, so that you may hand them over to the wise
among your people. In these indeed is the
vein of understanding, and the fountain of wisdom,
and the river of knowledge. And I did so. That is: