¹And there was a man whose name was Tseerutsaydan, and he loved iniquity. He boasted in the multitude of his horses, and in the strength of his armies that were under his dominion.

²He had a multitude of priests who served his idols, whom he worshipped, and before whom he bowed down and offered sacrifices by night and by day.

³But in the hardness of his heart, it seemed unto him that they gave him strength and power.

⁴And in his heart it seemed unto him that they gave him dominion over all his kingdom.

⁵And again, in the time of battle, it seemed unto him that they gave him all the dominion which he desired.

⁶And he did sacrifice unto them day and night.

⁷He appointed priests who served his idols.

⁸And while they did eat of that defiled sacrifice, they would tell him, feigning that the idols did eat night and day.

⁹Again, they would make other persons diligent like unto themselves, that they might sacrifice and eat. And again, they would make other persons diligent that they might sacrifice like unto them.

¹⁰But he trusted in his idols that profit not, neither do they avail.

¹¹His days being few, and in the hardness of his heart, it seemed unto him that they did vex him; that they fed him and crowned him. It seemed unto him that they did vex him; for Satan had made deaf his understanding, lest he know his Creator who did vex him, bringing him from death unto life; or lest he with his kindreds know his Creator who did vex him, bringing him from death unto life; that they might go down unto Gehannem of Fire for ever; it being judged upon them with him who calleth them gods, though they be not gods.

¹²As they are never well at any time, it is meet that he should call them dead ones.

¹³As the dominion of Satan that leadeth them astray shall lodge in that graven image; and as he shall tell them their understanding accordingly; and as he shall reveal unto them according to what they loved; he shall judge upon the idols wherein they believed and wherein the children of Adam trust, whose understanding was as ashes.

¹⁴And they shall marvel at the time when they behold that he fulfilled what they thought; and they shall do for him accordingly, until they sacrifice their daughters and their sons that were born of their flesh, and until they spill the clean blood of their daughters and their sons.

¹⁵They were not sorrowful, for Satan had delighted in their sacrifice to fulfil their evil covenant. He desired to drag them down unto Gehenna with him, whence there is no escape for ever, and where they should receive torment.

¹⁶But that Tseerutsaydan was arrogant. He had fifty idols wrought after the likeness of men, and twenty wrought after the likeness of women. And he did boast in those idols that were of no profit. He did glorify them exceedingly, whilst he offered sacrifices morning and evening. And he commanded the people to offer sacrifices unto the idols; and he did eat of that defiled sacrifice; and he commanded other people to eat of the sacrifice. He did especially provoke them unto evil.

¹⁷They had five houses builded for themselves, adorned with idols wrought of iron, brass, and lead.

¹⁸They adorned them with silver and gold, and covered them with curtains and tents.

¹⁹They appointed keepers for the idols, and did continually sacrifice forty beasts unto them: ten fat oxen, ten barren kine, ten fat sheep, and ten barren goats, together with fowls that had wings.

²⁰They believed that their idols did eat; therefore they presented unto them fifty baskets of grapes and fifty dishes of wheat kneaded with oil.

²¹They told their priests to take and give the offerings unto them; and they did eat that which was slain for them, and drank the wine that was presented unto them. And if it sufficed not, they would add the more.

²²They commanded all to eat and to drink of the defiled sacrifice.

²³But out of their evil malice, they sent forth troops throughout the kingdom to seek out any who did not offer sacrifices nor bow down unto the idols. They would seize them and punish them with fire and sword before them, and plunder their substance, and burn their houses, and destroy all their possessions.

²⁴They said, "For they are merciful and great, and they are wroth with us for our wickedness. I shall shew punishment and tribulation unto all who worship not mine idols nor offer sacrifices unto them.

²⁵And I shall shew them punishment and tribulation, for they have provoked the Earth, the Heaven, the sea, the broad moon, the sun, the stars, the rains, the winds, and all that dwell in this world, to be meat and to be satisfied with us."

²⁶But those who worship them shall be chastised with sore tribulation, and it shall not be pleasant unto them.