Chapter 34, Section 5 (פֶּרֶק ל״ד אוֹת ה׳)

5. And the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself stands to bring out the Mashiach from the prison house (ה. וְעוֹמֵד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהוֹצִיא הַמָּשִׁיחַ הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ מִבֵּית הָאֲסוּרִין), as it is said: “You went forth to save Your people” (Chavakuk 3:13) (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יָצָאתָ לְיֵשַׁע עַמֶּךָ), and it is written: “From prison he came forth to reign” (Kohelet 4:14) (וְכָתוּב: מִבֵּית אֲסוּרִים יָצָא לִמְלֹךְ). But once he came out of the prison house (אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצָא מִבֵּית הָאֲסוּרִים), and beheld all the battalions that were assembled against him (וּמִסְתַּכֵּל בְּכָל הַחֵילוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֶסְפוּ עָלָיו), he trembled and said (הָיָה מִזְדַּעֲזֵעַ וְאוֹמֵר): “Who can stand against all these hosts?” (מִי יוּכַל לַעֲמוֹד בְּכָל הַחֵילוֹת הָאֵלֶּה). At that moment, he gathers forces from Israel (בְּאוֹתוֹ שָׁעָה מַכְנִיס חֵילוֹת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל), and goes to Bavel, and seeks mercy (וּבָא לְבָבֶל וּמְבַקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים). And all Israel disgraces him (וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל מְבַזִּין אוֹתוֹ), companions turn away from him (חֲבֵרִין חוֹזְרִין מִמֶּנּוּ), and say: “Woe-he who was imprisoned for eight years in the prison house” (וְאוֹמְרִים: הוֹי שֶׁנֶּחְבַּשׁ שְׁמוֹנֶה שָׁנִים בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִין). He says: “I am a messenger” (הוּא אוֹמֵר: שָׁלִיחַ אֲנִי), “and now, when they brought me out from the prison house, I stood to ask for mercy” (וְעַכְשָׁו כְּשֶׁהוֹצִיאוּנִי מִבֵּית הָאֲסוּרִין עָמַדְתִּי וּבִקַּשְׁתִּי רַחֲמִים). In that disgrace with which they disgrace him (בְּתוֹךְ הַבִּזָּיוֹן שֶׁמְּבַזִּין אוֹתוֹ), the Holy One, blessed be He, answers him (הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹנֶה אוֹתוֹ), as it is said: “Now I know that Hashem saves His anointed one” (Tehillim 20:7) (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יָדַעְתִּי כִּי הוֹשִׁיעַ ה׳ מְשִׁיחוֹ), and all fall beneath him, as it is said: “They have bowed and fallen” (Tehillim 9) (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הֵמָּה כָּרְעוּ וְנָפָלוּ).