Metatron shows R. Ishmael past and future events recorded on the Curtain of the Throne
1 R. Ishmael said: Metatron said to me: Come, and I will show thee the Curtain of MAQOM (the Divine Majesty) which is spread before the Holy One, blessed be He, (and) whereon are graven all the generations of the world and all their doings, both what they have done and what they will do until the end of all generations.
2 And I went, and he showed it to me pointing it out with his fingerslike a father who teaches his children the letters of Tora. And I saw each generation, the rulers of each generation,
and the heads of each generation,
the shepherds of each generation,
the oppressors (drivers) of each generation,
the keepers of each generation,
the scourgers of each generation,
the overseers of each generation,
the judges of each generation,
the court officers of each generation,
the teachers of each generation,
the supporters of each generation,
the chiefs of each generation,
the presidents of academies of each generation,
the magistrates of each generation,
the princes of each generation,
the counsellors of each generation,
the nobles of each generation,
and the men of might of each generation,
the elders of each generation,
and the guides of each generation.
3 And I saw Adam, his generation, their doings and their thoughts,
Noah and his generation, their doings and their thoughts,
and the generation of the flood, their doings and their thoughts,
Shem and his generation, their doings and their thoughts,
Nimrod and the generation of the confusion of tongues, and his
generation, their doings and their thoughts,
Abraham and his generation, their doings and their thoughts,
Isaac and his generation, their doings and their thoughts,
Ishmael and his generation, their doings and their thoughts,
Jacob and his generation, their doings and their thoughts,
Joseph and his generation, their doings and their thoughts,
the tribes and their generation, their doings and their thoughts,
Amram and his generation, their doings and their thoughts,
Moses and his generation, their doings and their thoughts,
4 Aaron and Mirjam their works and their doings,
the princes and the elders, their works and doings,
Joshua and his generation, their works and doings,
the judges and their generation, their works and doings,
Eli and his generation, their works and doings,
Phinehas, their (?) works and doings,
Elkanah and his generation, their works and their doings,
Samuel and his generation, their works and doings,
the kings of Judah with their generations, their works and their doings,
the kings of Israel and their generations, their works and their doings,
the princes of Israel, their works and their doings; the princes of the nations of the world, their works and their doings,
the heads of the councils of Israel, their works and their doings ;
the heads of (the councils in) the nations of the world, their generations, their works and their doings ;
the rulers of Israel and their generation, their works and their doings ;
the nobles of Israel and their generation, their works and their doings ; the nobles of the nations of the world and their generation(s), their works and their doings;
the men of reputation in Israel, their generation, their works and their doings ;
the judges of Israel, their generation, their works and their doings;
the judges of the nations of the world and their generation, their works and their doings ;
the teachers of children in Israel, their generations, their works and their doings ; the teachers of children in the nations of the world, their generations, their works and their doings;
the counsellors (interpreters) of Israel, their generation, their works and their doings ; the counsellors (interpreters) of the nations of the world, their generation, their works and their doings;
all the prophets of Israel, their generation, their works and their doings; all the prophets of the nations of the world, their generation, their works and their doings ;
5 and all the fights and wars that the nationsof the world wrought against the people of Israel in the time of their kingdom.
And I saw Messiah, son of Joseph, and his generationand their works and their doings that they will do against the nations of the world. And I saw Messiah, son of David, and his generation, and all the fights and wars, and their works and their doings that they will do with Israel both for good and evil. And I saw all the fights and wars that Gog and Magog will fightin the days of Messiah, and all that the Holy One, blessed be He, will do with them in the time to come.
6 And all the rest of allthe leaders of the generations and all the works of the generations both in Israel and in the nations of the world, both what is done and what will be done hereafter to all generations until the end of time, (all) were graven on the Curtain of MAQOM. And I saw all these things with my eyes ; and after I had seen it, I opened my mouth in praise of MAQOM (the Divine Majesty) (saying thus): “For the King's word hath power (and who may say unto him: What doest thou?) Whoso keepeth the commandments shall know no evil thing”. And I said: “O Lord, how manifold are thy works!”