16. On the second night, Phaltiel a leader of the people came to me and said, "Where were you, and why is your face sad?
17. Don’t you realize that Israel has been entrusted to you while it is in exile in this land?
18. Arise then, and take some food so that you may not abandon us like a shepherd who leaves his flock in the power of cruel wolves."
19. I said to him, "Leave me and don’t come near me again for seven days. After that, you will come to me." He heard how I spoke and withdrew from me.
20. I didn’t eat food for seven days, wailing and weeping, as the angel Uriel had commanded me.
21. After seven days, my deepest thoughts were again very troubling to me.
22. Then I recovered my wits and I began again to speak words before the Most High:
23. Supreme Lord, you chose one vine from every forest on earth and from all its trees,
24. and from all this world’s lands you chose for yourself one region, and from all the world’s flowers you chose for yourself one lily,
25. and from all the ocean’s depths you filled for yourself one river, and from all cities that have been built you dedicated for yourself Zion,