41. Then said I, no, Lord, that can it not. And he said to me, in the grave the chambers of souls are like the womb:
42. for like as a woman that travails makes haste to escape the anguish of the travail: even so do these places haste to deliver those things that are committed to them from the beginning.
43. Then shall it be showed you concerning those things which you desire to see.
44. Then answered I and said, if I have found favor in your sight, and if it be possible, and if I be meet therefore,
45. show me this also, whether there be more to come than is past, or whether the more part is gone over us.
46. For what is gone I know, but what is for to come I know not.
47. And he said to me, Stand up upon the right side, and I shall expound the similitude to you.
48. so I stood, and saw, and, behold, a hot burning oven passed by before me: and it happened, that when the flame was gone by I looked, and, behold, the smoke remained still.
49. After this there passed by before me a watery cloud, and sent down much rain with a storm; and when the stormy rain was past, the drops remained therein still.
50. Then said he to me, Consider with yourself; as the rain is more than the drops, and the fire is greater than the smoke, so the quantity which is past did more exceed; but the drops and the smoke remained still.
51. Then I prayed, and said, May I live, think you, until that time? or who shall be in those days?
52. He answered me, and said, As for the tokens whereof you asked me, I may tell you of them in part: but as touching your life, I am not sent to show you; for I do not know it.