Honi the circle-drawerחוני המעגל

וְנִתְפַּלֵּל וְלֹא יָרְדוּ גְשָׁמִים. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי בּוּן. שֶׁלֹּא בָא בָעֲנָוָה. אָמַר רִבִּי יוּדָן גֵּירִיָּא. הָדֵין חוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל בַּר בְּרֵיהּ דְּחוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל הֲוָה סְמִיךְ לְחָרְבַּן בֵּית מוּקְדְּשָׁא. נְפַק לְטוּרָא לְגַבֵּי פָעֲלֵיי. עַד דּוּ תַמָּן נְחַת מִיטְרָא. עָאַל לֵיהּ לִמְעַרְתָּא. מִן יְתִיב נָם וּדְמָךְ לֵיהּ. וַעֲבַד שְׁקִיעַ בְּשִׁינְתֵּיהּ שׁוּבְעִין שְׁנִין עַד דַּחֲרַב בֵּית מוּקְדְּשָׁא וְאִיתְבְּנִי זְמַן תִּינְיָינוּת. לְסוֹף שׁוּבְעִין שְׁנִין אִיתְעַר מִן שִׁינְתֵּיהּ. נְפַק לֵיהּ מִן מְעַרְתָּא וַחֲמָא עָלְמָא מֻחְלַף. זָוִוי דַהֲוָות כְּרָמִין עֲבִידָא זֵייתִין. זָוִויי דַהֲוָות זֵייתִין עֲבִידָא זַרְעוּ. שְׁאַל לֵיהּ לִמְדִינָתָּא. אֲמַר לוֹן. מָה קָלָא בָעָלְמָא. אָמְרוּן לֵיהּ. וְלֵית אַתְּ יְדַע מָה קָלָא בָעָלְמָא. אֲמַר לוֹן. לֹא. אָמְרִין לֵיהּ. מָאן אַתְּ. אֲמַר לוֹן. חוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל. אָמְרוּן לֵיהּ. שְׁמַעְנָן דַּהֲוָה עֲלִיל לָעֲזָרָה וְהִיא מִנְהָרָה. עָאַל וְאַנָהָרַת. וְקָרָא עַל גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּשׁוּב יי אֶת שִׁיבַת צִיּוֹן הָיִינוּ כְּחוֹלְמִים.

“He prayed but no rain fell..” Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, because he did not come in meekness. Rebbi Yudan son of proselytes said, this Onias the circle drawer was the grandson of Onias the circle-drawer {who lived} close to the destruction of the Temple. He went to a mountain to his workers. While he was there, rain fell. He went to a cave; when he was sitting down he slumbered and fell asleep. He stayed in his sleep for 70 years, while the Temple was destroyed and rebuilt. At the end of 70 years he awoke from his sleep. He left the cave and found the world changed. At a place where there had been vineyards were olive trees. At a place were there had been olive trees was a field. He asked about the province, and said to them, what is news in the world? They answered him, do you not know what is news in the world? He said, no. They asked him, who are you? He answered them, Onias the circle-drawer. They told him, we heard that when he entered the Temple courtyard it lit up. He went there and it lit up. He recited about himself, when the Eternal leads back the return of Zion we were like sleepers.