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The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation) · 126 of 141 · tr. R.H. Charles

Chapter XCVI

XCVI. Grounds of Hopefulness for the Righteous: Woes for the Wicked . p. 137 CHAPTER XCVI. 1. Be hopeful, ye righteous; for suddenly shall the sinners perish before you, And ye shall have lordship over them according to your desires. [ 2. And in the day of the tribulation of the sinners, Your children shall mount and rise as eagles, And higher than the vultures will be your nest, And ye shall ascend and enter the crevices of the earth, And the clefts of the rock for ever as coneys before the unrighteous, And the sirens shall sigh because of you-and weep. ] 3. Wherefore fear not, ye that have suffered; For healing shall be your portion, And a bright light shall enlighten you, And the voice of rest ye shall hear from heaven. 4. Woe unto you, ye sinners, for your riches make you appear like the righteous, But your hearts convict you of being sinners, And this fact shall be a testimony against you for a memorial of (your) evil deeds. 5. Woe to you who devour the finest of the wheat, And drink wine in large bowls , And tread under foot the lowly with your might. 6. Woe to you who drink water from every fountain , For suddenly shall ye be consumed and wither away, Because ye have forsaken the fountain of life. 7. Woe to you who work unrighteousness And deceit and blasphemy: It shall be a memorial against you for evil. 8. Woe to you, ye mighty, Who with might oppress the righteous; For the day of your destruction is coming. p. 138 In those days many and good days shall come to the righteous--in the day of your judgement.
Themes
◆Cosmic Dualismtheology

Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.

The passage is structured around a stark opposition between the righteous and the sinners, with distinct fates for each group.

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◆Divine Lighttheology

The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.

The text explicitly promises that 'a bright light shall enlighten you' as part of the portion of healing for the righteous.

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◆Divine Providencetheology

Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.

The text asserts that the divine actively orders the timing and outcome of events, such as the sudden destruction of sinners.

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◆Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

God is depicted as actively intervening in history, speaking from heaven, and executing judgment and healing.

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◆Rejection Of Hypocrisyethics

Critique of outward religious observance that lacks inner transformation; form without substance.

The passage condemns those whose riches make them 'appear like the righteous' while their hearts convict them of being sinners.

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◆Renunciation Of Wealthethics

The spiritual danger of attachment to material possessions; wealth as a spiritual obstacle.

Wealth is criticized as a source of deception and spiritual danger that leads to the consumption and withering away of the wicked.

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◆Self Examinationpraxis

Daily review of thought and action as spiritual practice.

The sinners are described as having hearts that 'convict you,' implying an internal witness or awareness of their own guilt.

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◇Eschatological Judgmentsoteriology

Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration.

[auto] The passage centrally focuses on the 'day of your judgement,' the sudden perishing of sinners, and the coming tribulation as a final verdict.

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Related passages · 6 parallels
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document FIRST…
“Now therefore, O Light of the Lights, let them not take away my light from me, and let them not say within them, Our power was satisfied with her light, and let them not say, (We) swallowed (down) her power, but let darkness rather come upo…”
Both passages express a hope for the righteous and a condemnation for the wicked, with the righteous being delivered and the wicked facing consequences. They share a theme of divine justice and the eventual triumph of the righteous over their oppressors.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document SECOND“
“This is the answer of the words after which ye seek. Now therefore also, Andreas, yet art thou being in unbelief and with ignorance? But whenever ye should come out of the body and go unto the Height, and arrive at the Place of the Rulers…”
Both passages emphasize the ultimate triumph and exaltation of the righteous over the wicked or unrighteous. They share a theme of divine justice and the reversal of fortunes, where the righteous are vindicated and elevated, while the wicked face condemnation.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document THIRDj
“But if yet in a time of repentance they should renounce [252 ] all the World, with all the 138 matter which is in it, with all the sins of the world, and they (are they) who become in all the subjection to the mysteries of the Light, not an…”
Both passages discuss the fate of the righteous and the wicked, emphasizing the hope and salvation for the righteous and the punishment for the wicked. They share a conceptual parallel in their focus on divine justice and the ultimate reward or penalty for individuals based on their actions.
◆zoroastrianism|Avesta (Gathas)|Ahunavaiti Gatha, Yasna XXX, Section 1b
“And may we be such as those who bring on p. 34 this great renovation, and make this world progressive, (till its perfection shall have been reached). (As) the Ahuras of Mazda 1 (even) may we be; (yea, like Thyself), in helpful readiness t…”
Both passages discuss the ultimate triumph of the righteous and the downfall of the wicked, emphasizing a future state of perfection and justice. They share a theme of hope for the righteous and woe for the wicked, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆zoroastrianism|Avesta (Gathas)|Ahunavaiti Gatha, Yasna XXXIII, Section 1a
“1. As by the laws of the primeval world, so will our spiritual chieftain act (that chief besought-for by the Kine 1 , and named as Zarathu s tra 2 by the Lord). Deeds most just he will do toward the wicked, as toward the righteous, and to…”
Both passages emphasize the contrast between the righteous and the wicked, highlighting the rewards for the righteous and the punishments for the wicked. They share a theme of divine justice and the ultimate triumph of righteousness, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆zoroastrianism|Avesta (Gathas)|Spenta Mainyu Gatha, Yasna XLVIII, Section 1b
“157 [paragraph continues] O Ahura! (to save Thy struggling saint who toils with changing lot) will I place (that refuge) for him in Thy world. 8. (And how shall I beseech Thee for this victory and gift?) What is the (potent 1 ) prayer to…”
Both passages express a hope for the righteous and a condemnation of the wicked, with a focus on divine intervention and the establishment of a righteous order. They share themes of salvation, divine justice, and the eventual triumph of the righteous over the wicked.