¹'And the black ninth waters which thou hast seen, this is all the wickedness which was in the days of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah.

²For he wrought much impiety, and he slew the righteous, and he wrested judgment, and he shed the blood of the innocent, and wedded women he violently polluted, and he overturned the altars, and destroyed their offerings, and drove forth their priests lest they should minister in the sanctuary.

³And he made an image with five faces: four of them looked to the four winds, and the fifth on the summit of the image as ah adversary of the zeal of the Mighty One.

⁴And then wrath went forth from the presence of the Mighty One to the intent that Zion should be rooted out, as also it befell in thy days.

⁵But also against the two tribes and a half went forth a decree that they should also be led away captive, as thou hast now seen.

⁶And to such a degree did the impiety of Manasseh increase, that it removed the praise of the Most High from the sanctuary.

⁷On this account Manasseh was at that time named 'the impious," and finally his abode was in the fire.

⁸For though his prayer was heard with the Most High, finally, when he was cast into the brazen horse and the brazen horse was melted, it served as a sign unto him for the hour.

⁹For he had not lived perfectly, for he was not worthy-but that thenceforward he might know by whom finally he should be tormented.

¹⁰For he who is able to benefit is also able to torment.