Lo! at midnight, unawares, the great day of the Lord omnipotent shall mightily overtake the dwellers
on earth, the bright creation; as oft a daring robber, a crafty thief, prowling about in darkness, in the
murky night, suddenly comes upon careless men bound in sleep, and sorely assails them unprepared.
Then together unto Mount Zion shall ascend a great multitude, radiant and joyful, the faithful of the
Lord; glory shall be theirs. Thereupon from the four corners of the world, from the uttermost regions of
earth, angels all-shining shall with one accord blow their crashing trumpets; the earth shall tremble under
men. Glorious and steadfast they shall sound together over against the course of the stars, chanting in
harmony and making melody from south and from north, from east and from west, throughout the whole
creation; all mankind shall they wake from the dead unto the last judgment; they shall rouse the sons of
men all aghast from the ancient earth, bidding them straightway arise from their deep sleep.
There one may hear a sorrowing people, sad of heart and greatly disquieted, sorely afraid and pitifully
bewailing the deeds done in the body. This shall be the greatest forewarning ever shown unto men before
or since. There all the hosts of angels and of devils shall mingle, the fair and the swart; there shall be a
coming of both the white and the black, according as an abode is prepared all unlike for saints and sinners.
Then suddenly upon Mount Zion a blaze of the sun, shining clear from the southeast, shall come forth
from the Creator, gleaming more brightly than the mind of man can conceive, when the Son of God shall
appear hither through the vault of heaven. All glorious from the eastern skies shall come the presence of
Christ, the aspect of the noble King, gentle in spirit toward His own, bitter toward the wicked, wondrously
varied, diverse to the blessed and the forlorn. Unto the good, the host of the holy, He shall be joyful of
countenance, radiant, winsome, loving, gracious, and fair.1 Sweet and pleasant shall it be for His loved
ones, for those who in days of old pleased Him well by their words and deeds, to gaze upon that shining
face, winningly benign, upon the advent of the King, the Lord of might. But unto the evil and wicked,
unto those who shall come to Him undone by sin, He shall be terrible and awful to behold.
That2 may be a prophetic3 intimation to him who is wise of thought, that he shall have no cause
whatever to be afraid; he shall not be dismayed in soul at the terror of the Presence, when he beholdeth
the Lord of all creation approaching with mighty wonders to the doom of many, while on all sides press
round Him a band of angels, a shining host, legions of the saints in great multitudes.
The vast creation shall resound, and the fiercest of raging fires shall sweep over the whole earth
before the Lord; the fiery flame shall hurtle; the heavens shall burst asunder; all the firm-set flashing stars
shall fall. The sun itself, which shone so brightly above the former world for the sons of men, shall be
turned dark, even to the hue of blood; the moon, also, which of old gave light for mortals in the night
season, shall fall headlong; and the stars shall be hurled from heaven by the fury of the storm-vexed air.
Now shall the Almighty, the glorious Prince, Creator of great kings, come into the assembly with His
angel band. An exultant host of His retainers shall be there also. The souls of the blest shall journey with
their Lord, when the Protector of men shall visit the nations of earth with dread punishment. Then
throughout the broad earth shall be heard the piercing blast of the heavenly trump; from seven quarters
the winds shall rush, blowing and roaring with awful crash, rousing and blighting the world with storm,
filling with terror4 the whole creation. There shall be heard5 a deafening uproar, loud and violent, heavy
and appalling, terrible unto mortals, of all tumults the mightiest.
Then the cursed hosts of men shall turn in throngs unto the all-embracing flame, and living meet the
deadly blaze, some above and some beneath, filled with fire. Certain is it that there the race of Adam shall
lament, a joyless people, full of sorrows, afflicted by no trifling woes but by the greatest of miseries, what
time the livid surging of fire, the dusky flame, shall seize far and wide on all three at once—ocean with its
fish, earth with its mountains, and highest heaven bright with its stars. Fiercely and cruelly shall the
destroying flame burn all three together. At that dread time the whole earth shall mourn, and be sorely
troubled.
Thus shall the all-devouring spirit, the ravaging fire, overrun the earth and its lofty structures; the6
hot and greedy blast, famed afar, shall, over the earth's plain, fill the whole world with the terror of fire.
The city-walls shall fall in ruins. Mountains shall melt away, along with the headlands which erstwhile
firm and steadfast stoutly shielded the earth from ocean-floods, bulwarks against the waves and heaving
waters. Then shall the death-fire seize on every creature, both bird and beast; the murky flame, a raging
warrior, shall stride over the earth. Wheresoever the waters once flowed, the hurrying floods, there the
fishes of the deep, cut off from ocean, shall be consumed in a bath of fire; every sea-monster exhausted
shall die; water shall burn like wax. There shall be more wonders than mind of man can conceive—how
whirlwind, and tempest, and raging blast shall rend the broad creation. Men shall wail; they shall weep
and lament with mournful voices, downcast and wretched, overwhelmed with sorrow. The swart flame
shall blaze on those fordone by sin; the fire shall consume the golden ornaments, all the ancient treasure
of the kings of the nations. There amid the sounds from heaven an outcry shall be [heard], wailing and
lamentation, the strife of the living, loud weeping, and the sad plaint of men. Herefrom no man guilty of
crime can win refuge, or anywhere escape from the flame, but that fire shall seize on all things throughout
the earth; it shall fiercely delve and eagerly explore the regions of the world within and without, until the
glowing flame hath wholly purged away by its billowing the stain of earthly sin.
Then in great majesty shall God almighty come to that dread mount; the holy King of heavenly
angels, the Lord omnipotent, shall shine resplendent upon the multitudes; round about Him shall brightly
gleam a most goodly throng, holy bands, the blessed company of angels; with terror of the Father shall
they tremble, dismayed in their inmost thoughts. Wherefore it is no marvel that the unclean race of men
should greatly fear and pitifully lament, since even the holy race, the white host of archangels, heavenbright,
are sore affrighted before that Presence, what time the radiant beings await with trembling the
judgment of the Lord. Most terrible of all days shall that be in the world when the King of glory shall
chasten all peoples by His might, and bid speech-uttering men, tribe after tribe, arise from their graves
and come every one unto the assembly.
Then shall the race of Adam assume flesh; there shall be an end to their rest and sojourn in the earth.
At7 Christ's coming every one of them shall arise in newness of life, shall take on body and limbs, and
again be made young; he shall have within him all the good or evil which in former days on the earth, in
the circuit of years, he hath treasured within his heart. He shall have together both body and soul. The
aspect of his works, the memory of his words, and the counsel of his heart, shall come to light before the
King of heaven.
Then shall the race of men be increased and renewed by the Creator; a great multitude shall ascend
unto the judgment when the Author of life shall loose the bonds of death. The air shall be enkindled; the
stars of heaven shall fall; the greedy flame shall ravage far and wide. Spirits shall depart unto their eternal
abode. The deeds of mortals shall be brought to light throughout the world; in no wise can men conceal
their treasures, the thoughts of their hearts, before that Prince; deeds shall not be hidden from Him, but
on that great day the Lord shall know in what sort every man hath merited eternal life, and all shall be
revealed that they have wrought in the world early or late. Naught of man's thoughts shall be concealed,
but that dread day shall bring to light all the secrets of his breast, all the meditations of his heart. He must
bethink him aforetime of his spirit's need, who would bring to God a radiant countenance when the hot
consuming fire maketh trial before the victorious Judge how souls have been kept from sin.
Now the trumpet's blast, the bright ensign, and the hot fire, the exalted host, the company of angels,
the pang of terror, the stern day, and the high rood raised aloft as a sign of sovereignty, shall summon
forward the multitude of men, the souls of all who early or late have taken upon them body and limbs.
Then that mighty host, immortal and restored too youth, shall, eager or compelled, as they are called by
their names, pass into the presence of the Lord, and bear before God's Son the secrets of their hearts, the
treasures of their souls. The Father will perceive whether His sons bring untainted souls from the land in
which they dwelt. They shall be of good courage who bring unto the Creator a radiant countenance; their
might and joy, the glorious reward of their works, shall be exceeding plenteous as a recompense to their
souls. Well is it for them who at that dread time shall be acceptable unto God.
There shall sinful men, sad at heart, behold the greatest affliction. Not for their behoof shall the cross
of our Lord, brightest of beacons, stand before all nations, wet with the pure blood of heaven's King,
stained with His gore, shining brightly over the vast creation. Shadows shall be put to flight when the
resplendent cross shall blaze upon all peoples. But this shall be8 for an affliction and a punishment to men,
to those malefactors who knew no gratitude to God, that He, the King, was crucified on the holy rood for
the sins of mankind, on that day when He whose body knew no sin nor base iniquity lovingly purchased
life for men with the price with which He ransomed us.9 For all this will He rigorously exact10 recompense
when the red rood shall shine brightly over all in the sun's stead.
Fearfully and sorrowfully shall they look thereon, those black workers of iniquity, fordone by sin; they
shall behold to their bale that which would have been their greatest weal, had they been willing to
apprehend it as their good. With sad hearts shall they behold the ancient gashes and open wounds upon
their Lord, where His foes pierced with nails the white hands and the holy feet, and let forth gore from
His side; blood and water gushed forth together before the eyes of all the people, when He was on the
cross. All this they themselves shall then be able to see, open and manifest, how He suffered many things
for the love of sinners. The sons of men shall clearly behold how the false-hearted denied Him, mocked
Him with blasphemies, spat their spittle in His face, and spake insults against Him; how hell-doomed
men, blind of thought, foolish and erring, struck that blessed countenance with their hands, with their
outstretched palms, with their very fists, and round His head entwined a cruel crown of thorns.
They saw that the dumb creation—verdant earth and high heaven—shudderingly felt the sufferings
of their Lord; and though they had not life, yet moaned in sorrow when wicked men seized on their Savior
with impious hands. The sun became darkened, obscured by misery. In Jerusalem the people saw how11
that choicest of tapestries, which the throng had been wont to look upon as the glory of the holy house,
was torn asunder from the top, so that it lay on the ground in two pieces; the veil of the temple, wrought
of wondrous colors for the adornment of that house, was rent of itself in twain, as if a sharp-edged sword
had passed through it. Divers walls and stones throughout the world burst wide asunder; the earth, stirred
by terror, quaked with a great noise; the broad sea showed forth the power of its might, and fiercely broke
from its confines over earth's bosom; and the stars in their beauteous station forsook their aspect sweet.
At that same time heaven clearly recognized who had nobly made it bright with starry gems on high; of
a truth it sent its herald when first was born the radiant King of creation. Lo! on that same day on which
He suffered, even sinful men saw in sooth a wondrous miracle—that the earth gave up those who lay
within her; they rose up living, those, the dead and buried, whom she had firmly confined, even they who
had kept in their hearts the Lord's command. Hell, the sin-avenging, also perceived that the Creator, the
sovereign Lord, was come, when it gave forth that host from its hot bosom; the hearts of many were
comforted, and sorrows vanished from their souls. Lo! even the sea declared who had set it on its broad
bed, the almighty King, for it made itself passable unto Him when God willed to go over its waves; the
water-flood durst not flow with its billows over its Master's feet. Trees likewise many, and by no means
few, declared who had shaped them with their branches,12 when almighty God ascended one of them and
suffered pain for men's weal, loathsome death for the help of mankind. Then was many a tree suffused
with bloody tears beneath its bark, red and frequent; the sap turned to gore. The inhabitants of earth
cannot tell, with all their wisdom, how many things that have no feeling, lifeless things, felt then the
Lord's sufferings. The noblest of the races of earth and heaven's high creation—all became sad and
dismayed for that13 alone. Although by their nature they had no understanding, yet miraculously did they
apprehend when their Lord departed the body. Blind-hearted men, harder than flint, could not recognize
the Savior, nor that the Lord, God almighty, had saved them from hell-torment by His holy might. From
the beginning of the world far-seeing men, prophets of God, holy and wise of heart, not once but oft
through their wise understanding declared unto men this very thing concerning the glorious Son—that,
through the noble maid, He, the Lord of glory, the Author of bliss, the Precious Stone, should become a
refuge and comfort to all men in the world.
What can he expect who refuseth to keep in mind the Savior's gentle precepts, and all the afflictions
that He endured for men because of His desire that we should possess the home of glory unto all eternity?
On the dread day of that great judgment, sad shall it be for him who, defiled by deadly sins, must look
upon the scars, the wounds, the sufferings of the Lord. With aching hearts shall they see the greatest of
sorrows; them did the King Himself, through His merciful spirit, redeem from sin with His own body, that
they might live without iniquity, and enjoy the eternal blessedness of glory; but they gave no thanks unto
their Lord for this heritage, wherefore the unhappy ones shall see to their sorrow signs manifest in such
as are good.
When Christ shall sit on His royal throne, on the high seat, then shall the Father almighty, the
radiant Creator, God of the heavenly hosts, Ruler of the skies, adjudge righteously to each band according
to their deeds. Then shall be gathered on His right hand the folk undefiled, chosen by the election of
Christ Himself, those who in the days of their life have faithfully and joyfully obeyed His commandments;
but to the Creator's left side shall be assigned the workers of iniquity: the righteous King of victory shall
bid the sinful host depart unto His left hand. There, detected, they shall wail and tremble in terror before
the Lord; an impure people, foul as goats, they can expect no mercy. Then in the presence of God shall
be determined for the generations of men the doom of their souls, according as they have wrought erewhile.
Three signs shall there be visible together unto the blessed, inasmuch as they have well kept their
Lord's will in word and deed.
First shall appear this—that they shall shine with light before the nations, with glory and splendor
over the habitations of cities; their former deeds shall shine upon each one of them brighter than the sun.
The second shall likewise be manifest—that they shall know their Sovereign's grace in the bestowal
of14 glory, and shall see, to their eyes' delight, that they may possess bright joys in the heavenly kingdom,
blessed amid the angels.
The third shall be that the happy band shall behold the lost, that host of burning creatures, suffering
pain in the misery of darkness, as a punishment for their sins—raging fire and the bite of serpents with
bitter jaws from this shall spring up a winsome joy for them. When they shall see others suffer the evil that
they escaped through the Savior's mercy, they shall the more earnestly thank God for the bliss and
happiness which they behold—that He hath both saved them from perdition and granted them eternal
joys; hell shall be locked against them, the kingdom of heaven shall be granted unto them. This shall be
given as reward to those that ever faithfully kept the Creator's will in love.
Far different shall be the joy of the others; they can see in themselves too many woes—countless sins,
iniquities aforetime committed. Tribulation and dire evil shall cleave unto the sorrowing ones in three
ways.
One is that they shall see before them too many miseries, dread hell-fire, prepared for their punishment,
in which, suffering torment, they shall for aye endure damnation.
There shall also be a second misery for the shame of the sinful—that the lost shall suffer there the
greatest disgrace; the Lord shall see in them loathsome sins by no means few; so, too, the shining band of
heavenly angels, the sons of men, all the dwellers on earth, and the fell fiend, shall behold the power of
darkness, all the iniquities. Through the body they may see the grievous sins in their souls; their sinful
flesh shall be shamefully transpierced, as if it were clear glass, through which one may most easily look.
The third shall be a sorrow and sore grief for the wretched—that they behold how the joyful, the
righteous, rejoice in the good deeds which they, the unhappy ones, scorned to do while days were still
theirs; and concerning their own works it shall be a grievous tribulation that they had freely wrought
unrighteousness. They shall see the better ones shine in glory; their own misery shall not be their sole
punishment, but the happiness of others shall be to them a grief, because in former days they forsook joys
so fair and sweet for the delusive pleasure of the body, the vain lust of the sinful flesh. There, ashamed
and distressed by their ignominy, they shall wander dizzily about; they shall bear their evil works, the
burden of their sin; on that shall the people gaze.
Wherefore it had been better for them had they felt shame before one man for every evil deed and
transgression, had they told God's messenger that they knew to their sorrow the sins within them. The
confessor cannot look through the flesh into the soul [to discover] whether a man speaketh truth or
falsehood concerning himself, when he confesseth15 his sins. One can, however, heal every transgression,
every unclean sin, if he but tell it to one man; but none on that dread day can conceal the crime
unatoned; multitudes shall there behold it.
O that we might now see with the eyes of our body the deadly iniquities in our souls, the wounds of
sin, the wicked thoughts, the impure imaginings!
No16 one can tell another with what eagerness each should17 strive in every way to sustain his life and
anxiously prolong his existence, wash away the rust of sin and chasten himself, and remove the defilement
of a former wound during the brief span of life here below; so that before the eyes of the dwellers on earth
he may enjoy an abode among men, blameless and unashamed, while body and soul may yet dwell together.
Now must we look sharply and earnestly with the eyes of the heart through the soul's covering upon
the sin beneath. With our other eyes, the jewels of the head, we can in no way look through the seat18 of
thought [to see] whether good or evil dwelleth within each one, so that at that dread time he may be
acceptable unto God.
When from His lofty throne the high King of heaven shall shine in glory, with a dazzling light, over
every nation, then shall He first speak unto the blessed, before the angels and before all nations, and
graciously promise them love; He shall gently comfort them with His holy speech, and shall proclaim
peace to them; He shall bid them depart safe and sanctified to the land of angels' bliss, and joyfully possess
it world without end:
'Receive ye now with friends my Father's kingdom, the bliss and the glory and the fair beauty of that
home which was joyfully prepared for you before all ages, against the time when with the best beloved ye
might behold the riches of life eternal, the precious joys of heaven. This indeed ye merited when with
compassionate hearts ye willingly received the poor and needy. When in my name they humbly besought
mercy of you, then did ye help them and give them shelter, bread to the hungry and clothing to the naked;
those that lay sick in pain, grievously suffering, bound by disease, ye gently strengthened in spirit with the
affection of your hearts. For me ye did all this when ye sought them in love, and with consolation stayed
their spirits. For this shall ye long enjoy a fair reward with my loved ones.'
Then with far different words, with fearful menace, shall God almighty begin to address the evil ones
on His left hand. They need not then expect mercy from the Lord, neither life nor grace, but recompense
for their words and deeds shall fall to men, to those endowed with speech, according to their works; they
shall suffer the one righteous doom, full of terror. On that day the great compassion of the Almighty shall
be withdrawn from the dwellers on earth, when with bitter words He fiercely chargeth their sins upon the
stubborn-hearted, and commandeth them to render account of the lives which He had given the sinful
for their weal. Then shall the Lord almighty begin to speak as if to one alone, and yet shall He mean the
whole band of the sinful:
'Lo! I wrought thee, O man, of old with my hands, and gave thee understanding; I formed for thee
limbs of clay and gave thee a living spirit; I honored thee above all creatures, and caused thee to have
form and aspect like unto myself; I gave thee fulness of power and wealth overall spacious lands; thou
knewest naught of the woe and darkness that thou wast to suffer. Yet for this thou wast not grateful.
When I had shaped thee so beautiful and winsome, and had given thee power that thou mightst rule over
the creatures of earth, I set thee in the fair region to enjoy the rich luxuriance and bright hues of
Paradise;19 thou wouldst not obey the word of life, but at the bidding of thy destroyer didst break my
commandment; thou didst rather hearken to the wily foe, the perfidious fiend, than to thy Creator. Now
will I pass over that ancient tale, how thou didst first devise evil and didst lose by thy wicked deeds what
I had granted thee for thy weal. When I had bestowed upon thee so many blessings, and when to thy mind
it seemed too little happiness unless thou mightst have fulness of power equal to God's, then to thy foes'
delight didst thou become estranged from that joy, cast out afar; sad of heart, cheerless and sinful,
deprived of all blessings and joys, thou wast forced to give up the glory of Paradise, the abode of spirits;
thou wast driven into the dark world, where long thereafter thou didst suffer great hardships, sorrow and
grievous toil, and swart death, and after thy departure, bereft of helpers, wast doomed to fall headlong
down to hell.
'Then it began to repent me that my handiwork should fall into the power of fiends, that the offspring
of man should see destruction, should learn to know an inhospitable abode and sore vicissitudes.
Thereupon I myself descended as a child into my mother, yet her virginity was wholly inviolate. I was the
Only-begotten for the help of men. With their hands they swathed me, wrapped me in the garments of
the poor, and laid me in darkness, wound about with sable raiment. Lo! this I endured for the world! Little
did I seem unto the sons of men; on the hard stone I lay, a young child in the manger, in order that I might
put away from thee the torment and hot misery of hell; that thou mightst shine holy and blessed in life
eternal, for that I suffered the pain.
'It was not out of pride, but in my youth I endured suffering and shameful pain of body that through
it I might become like unto thee, and that thou, freed from sin, mightst become like me in aspect; because
of my love for man, my head bore the grievous blow. Nor was my face spared:20 often my countenance
received spittle from the mouths of the impious, the workers of iniquity. They cruelly mixed for me a sour
drink of vinegar and gall. For mankind's sake I endured the hatred of foes; they pursued me with
outrages—they shrank not from deadly hostility—and smote me with scourges. All that pain, scorn, and
abuse, I humbly bore for thee. About my head they wound a sharp and cruel crown, and pitilessly pressed
it on; of thorns was it wrought. Then was I hanged upon a lofty tree, fastened to a cross. And straightway
with a spear they let forth from my side blood and gore upon the earth, that through it thou mightst be
saved from the devil's tyranny. Sinless, I suffered punishment and sore torment, until I gave up from my
body the living ghost. Behold now the deadly wounds which they made in my hands and feet, by which I
hung there, cruelly fastened; here canst thou also see, still visible, the bloody wound in my side.
'How unequal was the reckoning betwixt us two! I bore thy pain that thou, happy and blessed,
mightst possess my kingdom; and by my death I dearly bought long life for thee, that thenceforth thou
mightst dwell in light, radiant and free from sin. My body, which had harmed no man, lay buried in the
earth, hidden beneath in the tomb, that thou mightst dwell in splendor in the skies above, mighty amid
the angels.
'Why didst thou forsake that glorious life which out of love I graciously bought for thee with my body,
as a help to the wretched? Thou wast so witless that thou didst not render thanks unto the Lord for thy
redemption. Naught demand I now for that bitter death which I suffered for thee; but do thou give unto
me thy life, for which, in martyrdom, I once gave up mine own as ransom; I claim that life which thou to
thine own disgrace hast sinfully destroyed by thy transgressions. Why didst thou, through evil lusts and
foul sin, wilfully defile that tabernacle which I consecrated in thee as my sweet21 home of joy? Yea, working
iniquity, thou didst shamefully pollute the body which I redeemed for myself from the power of fiends,
and then forbade it sin. Why hast thou crucified me on the cross of thy hands more painfully than when
I hung of old? O, this one, methinks, is more grievous! Now is the cross of thy sins, on which I am bound
unwillingly, more bitter to me than was that other which I ascended of my own free will, what time thy
misery grieved my heart most sorely, when I drew thee forth from hell—if only thou hadst been willing to
hold to it henceforth!
'I in this world was poor, that thou mightst be rich in heaven; I was wretched in thy homeland, that
thou in mine mightst be blessed. Yet for all this thou wast in no wise grateful in soul unto thy Savior.
'I commanded you that ye should cherish well my brethren in this earthly kingdom, and help the
needy with those possessions which I gave to you on earth. Ill have ye performed it; ye have forbidden the
poor to enter beneath your roof, and with hard hearts have denied them everything—raiment to the
naked, food to the hungry. Though, weary and feeble, distressed for drink, void of all sustenance and
parched with thirst, they prayed for water in my name, ye did insolently deny them. Ye sought not out the
sorrowful, nor spake to them a kindly word of comfort, that they might pluck up a more buoyant spirit
within their breasts. All this ye did in scorn of me, the King of heaven. Wherefore ye shall endure sore
punishment for ever, suffering torment with demons.'
Then over them all, over the doomed folk, the Lord of victories shall Himself send forth a dread
decree, full of tribulation—He shall say to the host of sinful souls:
'Depart22 now, accursed, by your own wills dispossessed of the angels' joy, into everlasting fire, hot and
fierce, which was prepared for Satan and his followers, for the devil and his black crew; into that shall ye
fall headlong.' Nor can they, bereft of resource, disregard the command of heaven's King; those who
erstwhile strove against God shall straightway fall into that horrid abyss. Then shall the Lord of sovereign
sway be stern and mighty, terrible and full of wrath. No foe upon this earth can then abide His presence.
With His right hand shall He swing the victor-sword so that the devils shall fall down into the deep
pit, the sinful band into the dusky flame, the fated spirits beneath earth's surface, the corrupt and damned
crew to perdition in the abode of fiends, the house of torment, the death-hall of the devil. Thereafter they
shall in no wise come to the remembrance of the Lord; they shall not escape from sin, but, guilty of crimes,
wrapped in flame, they shall there suffer death. The punishment for transgression shall stand revealed
before them; it is torment everlasting. Never can the burning abyss in that eternal night purge away the
sin of the dwellers in hell, the stain of their souls; but the deep, bottomless pit shall feed the disconsolate,
and hold the spirits in darkness; it shall burn them with its ancient flame and with its terrible frost; it shall
afflict the multitudes with hateful serpents, with countless torments, with jaws deadly and terrible.
Of this may we be certain, with one voice may we speak and truly declare, that he hath lost his soul's
keeper, the wisdom of life, who heedeth not now whether his spirit is to be sad or joyous in that place
where after death it shall abide for ever. He feareth not, rash man, to commit sin, nor hath he aught of
regret within his soul lest because of his misdeeds the Holy Spirit should depart from him in this fleeting
time.
Then the sinner, black and guilty of death, cursed for his crimes, shall stand trembling before the Lord
at the judgment; the transgressor, unworthy of eternal life, shall be filled with fire, and overwhelmed with
terror in the presence of God; ghastly and hideous, he shall have the hue of 'the damned, the sign of a life
of guilt. Then shall the sons of iniquity pour out their tears and bewail their sins, when the time is past;
but too late shall they seek help for their souls, for23 the Lord of hosts will not heed how the doers of evil
sorely bewail their ancient treasures at that all-revealing time. That sorrowful season will not be granted
to the peoples, in order that he who obtaineth not his life's redemption while dwelling here may there
find salvation. There no grief shall be shown to the good, nor weal to the wicked; but each one shall bring
before [God] his own work.
Therefore he who desireth to have life24 with the Creator should bestir himself while body and spirit
are joined together. Let him zealously foster the beauty of his soul according to God's will, and be careful
in word and deed, in thought and conduct, while this world, speeding with its shadows, may still shine for
him; so that he lose not in this fleeting time the blessedness of his joy and the fulness of his days, the
beauty of his work and the reward of glory, which the righteous King of heaven shall give at that holy tide
as a meed of victory to those who in spirit obey Him with gladness.
Then shall heaven and hell be fulfilled with the sons of men, with the souls of mortals. The deeps
shall swallow God's adversaries; tossing flame shall harass wicked men, those arch-malefactors, and shall
not let them depart thence in joy to a place of safety; but the fire shall hold the multitude fast, and vex
the sons of iniquity. Foolhardy methinketh it that beings endowed with souls should take no heed, when
they commit25 sin, what the Lord hath prescribed as penalty for them, the people of his foes. When life
and death shall devour souls, the house of torment shall stand open and revealed before the perjurers,
and sinful men shall fill it with their black souls. Then as a punishment for iniquity the guilty host shall
be cut off, the base from the holy, unto terrible destruction. There thieves and robbers, the lying and
adulterous, need not hope for life, and the forsworn shall see retribution for sin, severe and awful. Then
shall hell receive the host of the faithless, and the Lord shall give them over to the fiends unto perdition;
the damned shall suffer mortal agony most grievous. Wretched shall he be who chooseth to deserve by
his transgressions that at the judgment day he shall be separated as a guilty man from his Savior unto
death below, among the hosts of hell, in the hot fire, beneath barriers of flame; there shall they stretch
forth their limbs to be bound, and burned, and scourged, as a punishment for sin. Then the Holy Ghost,
through the power of God, shall at the King's command lock up hell, chiefest of all the houses of torment,
filled with fire and the host of fiends. That is the greatest of agonies for both devils and men. It is a joyless
abode. There none can ever escape from the cold fetters. They broke the King's command, the sublime
precept of the Scriptures; wherefore those who here scorned the glory26 of the heavenly realm must dwell
in eternal night, and, guilty of sin, thenceforth endure their everlasting pain.
But the elect shall bring before Christ bright treasures; their glory shall live at the judgment day; they
shall possess the joy of a tranquil life with God, such as is granted unto every saint in the kingdom of
heaven. That is the home which shall have no end, and there for evermore the sinless shall possess their
joy, and, clothed with light, enfolded in peace, shielded from sorrows, honored by joys, endeared to the
Savior, shall praise the Lord, the beloved Protector of life; radiant with grace they shall enjoy in bliss the
fellowship of angels, and worship the Guardian of men for ever and ever. The Father of all shall have and
hold dominion over the hosts of the sanctified.
Footnotes
1 Lit. 'fair in joys.'
2 The meaning of this passage is somewhat doubtful.
3 The usual sense of w les is here inappropriate. I have accepted Professor Cook's suggestion (cf. his note on line 182) that
in w les we may possibly have a form of the root w t-, as seen in w tga, 'prophet.'
4 Reading f re with Cook. Cf. his note on line 952.
5 Lit. 'made manifest.'
6 The rendering of lines 973-4 is somewhat doubtful.
7 Lit. 'before.'
8 I have not translated the get od of line 1090; it is inserted by Grein and later editors solely for metrical reasons.
9 This passage may be corrupt. Cf. Cook's Christ, note on line 1097.
10 Reading gemonian with Grein.
11 Reading h with Grein.
12 Perhaps 'fruits,' or 'blossoms.'
13 Or 'them,' or 'Him.'
14 Cf. Cook's Christ, note on line 12431 1243.
15 The usual translation of big n is 'to commit.'
16 This paragraph seems out of keeping with the context; cf. Cook's Christ, note on line 1316.
17 Lit. 'will.'
18 Lit. 'soul.'
19 Somewhat freely rendered.
20 Lit. 'My face suffered.'
21 Or, 'own.'
22 With evident reference to Matt. 25. 41.
23 Lit. 'when.'
24 Reading l c with Grein.
25 Reading fremmað with Grein.
26 Or, perhaps, 'Lord.'
