The Lost Books of the Bible: The Great Rejected Texts Read online

  56 But the king was repenting about Ahikar, and his repentance brought him nothing.

  57 Then he called for Nadan and said to him, 'Go and take your friends with you and make a mourning and a weeping for your uncle Ahikar, and lament for him as the custom is, doing honor to his memory.'

  58 But when Nadan, the foolish, the ignorant, the hardhearted, went to the house of his uncle, he neither wept nor sorrowed nor wailed, but assembled heartless and dissolute people and set about eating and drinking.

  59 And Nadan began to seize the maidservants and the slaves belonging to Ahikar, and bound them and tortured them and beat them with a harsh beating.

  60 And he did not respect the wife of his uncle, she who had brought him up like her own boy, but wanted her to fall into sin with him.

  61 But Ahikar had been cast into the hiding-place, and he heard the weeping of his slaves and his neighbors, and he praised the Most High God, the Merciful One, and gave thanks, and he always prayed and besought the Most High God.

  62 And the swordsman came from time to time to Ahikar while he was within the hiding-place: and Ahikar met and encouraged him. And the swordsman comforted him and wished his deliverance.

  63 And when the story was reported in other countries that Ahikar the Sage had been killed all the kings were grieved and despised king Sennacherib, and they lamented over Ahikar the solver of riddles.

  CHAP. IV.

  And when the king of Egypt had made sure that Ahikar was slain, he began right away to write a letter to king Sennacherib, saying to him in it of the peace and the health and the might and the honor which we wish specially for you, my beloved brother, king Sennacherib.

  2 I have been desiring to build a castle between the heaven and the earth, and I want you to send me a wise, clever man from yourself (your realm) to build it for me, and to answer me all my questions, and that I may have the taxes and the custom duties of Assyria for three years.'

  3 Then he sealed the letter and sent it to Sennacherib.

  4 He took it and read it and gave it to his chancellors and to the nobles of his kingdom, and they were perplexed and ashamed, and he was angry with a great rage, and was puzzled about how he should act.

  5 Then he assembled the old men and the learned men and the wise men and the philosophers, and the diviners and the astrologers, and every one who was in his country, and read them the letter and said to them, Who among you will go to Pharaoh king of Egypt and answer him his questions?'

  6 And they said to him, ' our lord the king, you know that there is none in your kingdom who is acquainted with these questions except Ahikar, your vizier and secretary.

  7 But as for us, we have no skill in this, unless Nadan his sister's son does, for he taught him all his wisdom and learning and knowledge. Call him to you, possibly he can untie this hard knot.'

  8 Then the king called Nadan and said to him, 'Look at this letter and understand what is in it.' And when Nadan read it, he said, ' my lord, who is able to build a castle between the heaven and the earth?'

  9 And when the king heard the words of Nadan he was sorry with a great and harsh sorrow, and stepped down from his throne and sat in the ashes, and began to weep and wail over Ahikar

  10 Saying, 'I am in grief. Ahikar, knew the secrets and the riddles! Woe is me for you, Ahikar, teacher of my country and ruler of my kingdom, where shall I find anyone like you? Ahikar, teacher of my country, where shall I turn for you? Woe is me for you! How did I destroy you! And I listened to the talk of a stupid, ignorant boy without knowledge, without religion, and without manliness.

  11 Oh, Oh, I say to myself! Who can give you to me just for one more time, or bring me word that Ahikar is alive? And I would give him the half of my kingdom.

  12 Where is this to me? Ah, Ahikar! That I might see you just for once, that I might take my fill of gazing at you, and delighting in you.

  13 Oh! My grief for you is to all time! Ahikar, how could I have killed you? I was impulsive in your case and so I had not seen the end of the matter.'

  14 And the king went on weeping night and day. Now when the swordsman saw the anger and sorrow of the king on account of Ahikar, his heart was softened towards him, and he approached into his presence and said to him:

  15 My lord! Command your servants to cut off my head.' Then said the king to him: 'Woe to you, Abu Samik, 'what is your fault?'

  16 And the swordsman said unto him, ' my master, every slave who acts contrary to the word of his master is killed, and I have acted contrary to your command.'

  17 Then the king said unto him. 'Woe unto you, Abu Samik, in what way have you acted contrary to my command?'

  18 And the swordsman said unto him, ' my lord, you commanded me to kill Ahikar, and I knew that you would change your mind concerning him, and that he had been wronged, and I hid him in a certain place, and I killed one of his slaves, and he is now safe in the cistern, and if you command me I will bring him to you.'

  19 And the king said unto him. 'Woe to you, Abu Samik, you have mocked me and I am your lord.'

  20 And the swordsman said unto him, 'No, but by the life of your head, my lord! Ahikar safe and alive.'

  21 And when the king heard what he was saying, he felt sure of the matter, and his head swam, and he fainted from joy, and he commanded them to bring Ahikar.

  22 And he said to the swordsman, ' trusty servant, if your speech is true, I would pleased and obliged to enrich you, and exalt your dignity above that of all your friends.'

  23 And the swordsman went along rejoicing until he came to Ahikar's house. And he opened the door of the hiding-place, and went down and found Ahikar sitting, praising God, and thanking Him.

  24 And he shouted to him, saying, ' Ahikar, I bring the greatest of joy, and happiness, and delight!'

  25 And Ahikar said to him, 'What is the news, Abu Samik?' And he told him all about Pharaoh from the beginning to the end. Then he took him and went to the king.

  26 And when the king looked at him, he saw him in a state of need, being bereft, and that his hair had grown long like that of the wild beasts' and his nails were like the claws of an eagle, and that his body was dirty with dust, and the color of his face had changed and faded and was now like ashes.

  27 And when the king saw him he sorrowed over him and rose at once and embraced him and kissed him, and wept over him and said: 'Praise be to God, who has brought you back to me.'

  28 Then he consoled him and comforted him. And he stripped off his robe, and put it on the swordsman, and was very gracious to him, and gave him great wealth, and made Ahikar rest (recuperate).

  29 Then Ahikar said to the king, 'Let my lord the king live forever! These are the deeds of the children of the world. I have raised me a palm - tree that I might lean on it, and it bent sideways, and threw me down.

  30 But, my lord, I am in your presence and do not want to make you sad.' And the king said to him: 'Blessed be God, who showed you mercy, and knew that you were wronged, and saved you and rescued you from being killed.

  31 But go to the warm bath, and shave your head, and cut your nails, and change your clothes and amuse yourself for the space of forty days, that you may do good to yourself and improve your condition and so the color of your face may come back to you.

  32 Then the king stripped off his costly robe, and put it on Ahikar, and Ahikar thanked God and bowed to the king, and departed to his home glad and happy, praising the Most High God.

  33 And the people of his household rejoiced with him, and his friends and every one who heard that he was alive rejoiced also.

  CHAP. V.

  1 And he did as the king commanded him, and took a rest for forty days.

  2 Then he dressed himself in his gayest dress, and went riding to the king, with his slaves behind him and before him, rejoicing and delighted.

  3 But when Nadan, his sister's son, found out what was happening, fear took hold of him and terror, and he was confused, not knowing what to do.

  4 And when Ahikar saw i
t he entered into the king's presence and greeted him, and he returned the greeting, and made him sit down at his side, saying to him, 'my beloved Ahikar, look at these letters which the king of Egypt sent to us, after he had heard that you were dead.

  5 They have provoked us and overcome us, and many of the people of our country have fled to Egypt for fear of the taxes that the king of Egypt has sent to demand from us.'

  6 Then Ahikar took the letter and read it and understood all that was in it.

  7 Then he said to the king, do not be angry, my lord! I will go to Egypt, and I will give the answers to Pharaoh, and I will display this letter to him, and I will reply to him about the taxes, and I will send back all those who have run away; and I will put your enemies to shame with the help of the Most High God, and for the Happiness of your kingdom.'

  8 And when the king heard these word from Ahikar, he rejoiced with a great joy, and his heart was expanded and he showed him favor.

  9 And Ahikar said to the king: 'Grant me a delay of forty days that I may consider this question and manage it.' And the king permitted this.

  10 And Ahikar went to his home, and he commanded the huntsmen to capture two young eaglets for him, and they captured them and brought them to him: and he commanded the weavers of ropes to weave two cables of cotton for him, each of them two thousand cubits long (about 3000 ft.), and he had the carpenters brought and ordered them to make two great boxes, and they did this.

  11 Then he took two little lads, and spent every day sacrificing lambs and feeding the eagles and the boys, and making the boys ride on the backs of the eagles, and he bound them with a firm knot, and tied the cable to the feet of the eagles and let them soar upwards little by little every day, to a distance of ten cubits, till they grew accustomed and were educated to it; and they rose all the length of the rope until they reached the sky; the boys being on their backs. Then he drew them to himself.

  12 And when Ahikar saw that his desire was fulfilled he charged the boys that when they were borne aloft to the sky they were to shout, saying:

  13 Bring us clay and stone that we may build a castle for king Pharaoh, for we are idle.'

  14 And Ahikar was never done training them and exercising them until they had reached the greatest possible point of skill.

  15 Then leaving them he went to the king and said to him, ' my lord, the work you desired is finished. Come with me that I may show you the wonder.'

  16 So the king sprang up and sat with Ahikar and went to a wide place and sent to bring the eagles and the boys, and Ahikar tied them and let them off into the air all the length of the ropes and they began to shout as he had taught them. Then he drew them to himself and put them in their places.

  17 And the king and those who were with him wondered with a great wonder: and the king kissed Ahikar between his eyes and said to him, 'Go in peace, to Egypt and answer the questions of Pharaoh and overcome him by the strength of the Most High God. You are my beloved and the pride of my kingdom.’

  18 Then he said his farewell to the king, and took his troops and his army and the young men and the eagles, and went toward the dwellings of Egypt; and when he had arrived, he turned towards the country of the king.

  19 And when the people of Egypt knew that Sennacherib had sent a man of his Private Council to talk with Pharaoh and to answer his questions, they carried the news to king Pharaoh, and he sent a party of his Private Councilors to bring Ahikar before him.

  20 And he came and entered into the presence of Pharaoh, and bowed to him as it is fitting to do to kings.

  21 And he said to him: ' my lord the king! Sennacherib the king hails you with abundance of peace, and might, and honor.

  22 And he has sent me, who am one of his servants, that I may answer your questions, and may fulfill all your desire: for you have sent to seek from my lord the king a man who will build you a castle between the heaven and the earth.

  23 And I by the help of the Most High God and your noble favor and the power of my lord the king will build it for you as you desire.

  24 But, my lord the king, what you have said in it about the taxes of Egypt for three years - now the stability of a kingdom is strict justice, and if you win and my hand has no skill in replying to you, then my lord the king will send you the taxes which you have mentioned.

  25 And if I shall have answered you in your questions, it shall remain for you to send whatever you have mentioned to my lord the king.'

  26 And when Pharaoh heard that speech, he wondered and was perplexed by the freedom of his tongue and the pleasantness of his speech.

  27 And king Pharaoh said to him, 'Man, what is your name?' And he said, 'Your servant is Abiqam, and I a little ant of the ants of king Sennacherib.'

  28 And Pharaoh said to him, 'Had your lord no one of higher dignity than you, that he has sent me a little ant to reply to me, and to converse with me?'

  29 And Ahikar said to him, 'My lord the king! I would to God Most High that I may fulfill what is on your mind, for God is with the weak that He may confound the strong.'

  30 Then Pharaoh commanded that they should prepare a place to live for Abiqam and supply him with provisions of meat, and drink, and all that he needed.

  31 And when it was finished, three days afterwards Pharaoh clothed himself in purple and red and sat on his throne, and all his counselors and the magnates of his kingdom were standing with their hands crossed, their feet close together, and their heads bowed.

  32 And Pharaoh sent to fetch Abiqam, and when he was presented to him, he did bowed before him and kissed the ground in front of him.

  33 And king Pharaoh said to him, 'Abiqam, whom am I like, and the nobles of my kingdom, to whom are they like?'

  34 And Ahikar said to him ' my lord the king, you are like the idol Bel, and the nobles of your kingdom are like his servants.'

  35 He said to him, 'Go, and come back here tomorrow.' So Ahikar went as king Pharaoh had commanded him.

  36 And the next day Ahikar went into the presence of Pharaoh, and bowed and stood before the king. And Pharaoh was dressed in a red color, and the nobles were dressed in white.

  37 And Pharaoh said to him ' Abiqam, whom am I like, and the nobles of my kingdom, to whom are they like?'

  35 And Abiqam said to him, ' my lord, you are like the sun, and your servants are like its beams.' And Pharaoh said to him, 'Go to your house, and come here tomorrow.'

  39 Then Pharaoh commanded his Court to wear pure white, and Pharaoh was dressed like them and sat upon his throne and he commanded them to fetch Ahikar. And he entered and sat down before him.

  40 And Pharaoh said to him, ' Abiqam, whom am I like, and my nobles, to whom are they like?'

  41 And Abiqam said to him, ' my lord, you are like the moon, and your nobles are like the planets and the stars.' And Pharaoh said to him, 'Go, and tomorrow be here.'

  42 Then Pharaoh commanded his servants to wear robes of various colors, and Pharaoh wore a red velvet dress, and sat on his throne, and commanded them to fetch Abiqam. And he entered and bowed before him.

  43 And he said, ' Abiqam, whom am I like, and my armies, to whom are they like?' And he said, ' my lord, you are like the month of April, and your armies are like its flowers.'

  44 And when the king heard It he rejoiced with a great joy, and said, ' Abiqam, the first time you compared me to the idol Bel, and my nobles to his servants.

  45 And the second time you compared me to the sun, and my nobles to the sunbeam'.

  46 And the third time you compared me to the moon, and my nobles to the planets and the stars.

  47 And the fourth time you compared me to the month of April, and my nobles to its flowers. But now, Abiqam, tell me, your lord, king Sennacherib, whom is he like, and his nobles, to whom are they like?'

  48 And Ahikar shouted with a loud voice and said: 'Be it far from me to make mention of my lord the king and you seated on your throne. But get up on your feet that I may tell you whom my lord the king is like and to whom his nobles are
like.'

  49 And Pharaoh was perplexed by the freedom of his tongue and his boldness in answering. Then Pharaoh arose from his throne, and stood before Ahikar, and said to him, 'Tell me now, that I may understand whom your lord the king is like, and his nobles, to whom they are like.'

  50 And Ahikar said to him: 'My lord is the God of heaven, and his nobles are the lightning and the thunder, and when he wills the winds blow and the rain falls.

  51 And he commands the thunder, and it lightens and rains, and he holds the sun, and it gives not its light, and the moon and the stars, and they do not circle.

  52 And he commands the tempest, and it blows and the rain falls and it tramples on April and destroys its flowers and its houses.'