Chapter 15, Section 1 (פֶּרֶק ט״ו אוֹת א׳)

1. Rabbi Yishma‘el said (א. אָמַר רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל): When Rabbi Nechunyah ben haKanah saw wicked Rome (כְּיוֹן שֶׁרָאָה ר׳ נְחוּנְיָא בֶּן הַקָּנָה אֶת רוֹמִי הָרְשָׁעָה), that it had taken counsel against the Mighty Ones of Yisrael to destroy them (שֶׁנָּטַל עֵצָה עַל אַבִּירֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאַבְּדָם), he stood and revealed the secret of the world (עָמַד וְגִלָּה סוֹדוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם): a middah which resembles one who is worthy to gaze upon the King (מִדָּה שֶׁהוּא דּוֹמֶה לְמִי שֶׁהוּא רָאוּי לְהִסְתַּכֵּל בַּמֶּלֶךְ), and upon the Throne in His splendor and beauty (וְכִסְאוֹ בְּהַדְרוֹ וְיוֹפְיוֹ), and the Chayot haKodesh (וְחַיּוֹת הַקֹּדֶשׁ), with the Keruvim of might (בִּכְרוּבֵי גְבוּרָה), and with the Ofanim of the Shekhinah (וּבְאוֹפַנֵי שְׁכִינָה), like lightning, agitated (כְּבָזָק מְבוֹהָל), in the awesome Chashmal (בְּחַשְׁמַל נוֹרָא), in a roaring sound (בְּרַגְיוֹן), surrounded around the Throne (שֶׁמוּקָף סָבִיב לַכִּסֵּא), with bridges (בְּגִשְׁרִין) and with flames (וּבִשְׁלֶהָבִיוֹת), that strengthen and ascend between bridge and bridge (שֶׁמִּתְגַּבְּרוֹת וְעוֹלוֹת בֵּין גֶּשֶׁר לְגֶשֶׁר), and in a cloud of smoke (וּבַאֲבַק עָשָׁן), and with a fragrance-this one (וּבְרֵיחַ זוֹ), which raised every dust of its coals (שֶׁהָיָה מַעֲלֶה כָּל אֲבַק גֶּחָלָיו), which covered and concealed all the chambers of the Palace of the Aravot Raki‘a (שֶׁהָיָה מְכוּפֶּה וּמְכַסֶּה אֶת כָּל חַדְרֵי הֵיכַל עֲרָבוֹת רָקִיעַ), in the thick clouds of its coals (בַּעֲרָפְלֵי גֶּחָלָיו). And Suriy"a, the Prince of the Presence (וְסוּרִי״א שַׂר הַפָּנִים), servant of Totrakhiya"l (עֶבֶד טוֹטְרַכִּיאָ״ל), Hashem is exalted (ה׳ גֵּאָה).