¹And he took me and led me toward the west; and when the time of the setting came, I beheld again the bird coming before it, and as soon as he came I beheld the angels, and they lifted the crown from its head. But the bird stood exhausted and with wings drawn in. And beholding these things, I said, Lord, wherefore did they lift the crown from the head of the sun, and wherefore is the bird so exhausted? And the angel said unto me, The crown of the sun, when it hath run through the day, four angels take it, and bear it up to heaven, and renew it, because it and its rays have been defiled upon earth; moreover it is so renewed each day. And I Baruch said, Lord, and wherefore are its beams defiled upon earth? And the angel said unto me, Because it beholdeth the iniquity and unrighteousness of men, namely fornications, adulteries, thefts, extortions, idolatries, drunkenness, murders, strife, jealousies, evil-speakings, murmurings, whisperings, divinations, and such like, which are not well-pleasing unto God. On account of these things is it defiled, and therefore is it renewed.

²But thou askest concerning the bird, how it is exhausted. Because by restraining the rays of the sun through the fire and burning heat of the whole day, it is exhausted thereby. For, as we said before, unless his wings were screening the rays of the sun, no living creature should be preserved.