In the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church canon, 4 Baruch (also known as the Paralipomena of Jeremiah or the Rest of the Words of Baruch) is considered a canonical book within the broader 'Jeremiah Cycle.' Unlike 1 Baruch, which is deuterocanonical in Western traditions, 4 Baruch is unique to the Ethiopian tradition. This text narrates the events following the fall of Jerusalem, including the miraculous preservation of the Temple vessels, Abimelech's 66-year sleep with fresh figs, a talking eagle as a messenger to Jeremiah in Babylon, and Jeremiah's eventual martyrdom by stoning. The text contains explicit Christological prophecies, indicating a Christian composition likely dating to the 1st or 2nd century AD. The source text provided is based on English translations of the Ge'ez manuscript tradition.
4 Baruch
Chapter 4
And when morning came, behold the host of the Chaldeans surrounded the city.
And the great angel trumpeted, saying: Enter the city, host of the Chaldeans; for behold, the gate is opened for you.
Therefore let the king enter, with his multitudes, and let him take all the people captive.
But taking the keys of the temple, Jeremiah went outside the city and threw them away in the presence of the sun, saying: I say to you, Sun, take the keys of the temple of God and guard them until the day in which the Lord asks you for them.
For we have not been found worthy to keep them, for we have become unfaithful guardians.
While Jeremiah was still weeping for the people, they brought him out with the people and dragged them into Babylon.
But Baruch put dust on his head and sat and wailed this lamentation, saying: Why has Jerusalem been devastated? Because of the sins of the beloved people she was delivered into the hands of enemies — because of our sins and those of the people.
But let not the lawless ones boast and say: "We were strong enough to take the city of God by our might;" but it was delivered to you because of our sins.
And God will pity us and cause us to return to our city, but you will not survive!
Blessed are our fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, for they departed from this world and did not see the destruction of this city.
When he had said this, Baruch departed from the city, weeping and saying: Grieving because of you, Jerusalem, I went out from you.
And he remained sitting in a tomb, while the angels came to him and explained to him everything that the Lord revealed to him through them.