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| | Revised Standard Version | 4 Maccabees:9 | LXX |
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| 1 |
"Why do you delay, O tyrant? For we are ready to die rather than transgress our ancestral commandments; | | Τί μέλλεις, ὦ τύραννε; ἕτοιμοι γάρ ἐσμεν ἀποθνῄσκειν ἢ παραβαίνειν τὰς πατρίους ἡμῶν ἐντολάς· |
| 2 |
we are obviously putting our forefathers to shame unless we should practice ready obedience to the law and to Moses our counselor. | | αἰσχυνόμεθα γὰρ τοὺς προγόνους ἡμῶν εἰκότως, εἰ μὴ τῇ τοῦ νόμου εὐπειθείᾳ καὶ συμβούλῳ Μωυσεῖ χρησαίμεθα. |
| 3 |
Tyrant and counselor of lawlessness, in your hatred for us do not pity us more than we pity ourselves. | | σύμβουλε τύραννε παρανομίας, μὴ ἡμᾶς μισῶν ὑπὲρ αὐτοὺς ἡμᾶς ἐλέα. |
| 4 |
For we consider this pity of yours which insures our safety through transgression of the law to be more grievous than death itself. | | χαλεπώτερον γὰρ αὐτοῦ τοῦ θανάτου νομίζομεν εἶναί σου τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ παρανόμῳ σωτηρίᾳ ἡμῶν ἔλεον. |
| 5 |
You are trying to terrify us by threatening us with death by torture, as though a short time ago you learned nothing from Eleazar. | | ἐκφοβεῖς δὲ ἡμᾶς τὸν διὰ τῶν βασάνων θάνατον ἡμῖν ἀπειλῶν ὥσπερ οὐχὶ πρὸ βραχέως παρ' Ελεαζαρου μαθών. |
| 6 |
And if the aged men of the Hebrews because of their religion lived piously while enduring torture, it would be even more fitting that we young men should die despising your coercive tortures, which our aged instructor also overcame. | | εἰ δ' οἱ γέροντες τῶν Εβραίων διὰ τὴν εὐσέβειαν καὶ βασανισμοὺς ὑπομείναντες εὐσέβησαν, ἀποθάνοιμεν ἂν δικαιότερον ἡμεῖς οἱ νέοι τὰς βασάνους τῶν σῶν ἀναγκῶν ὑπεριδόντες, ἃς καὶ ὁ παιδευτὴς ἡμῶν γέρων ἐνίκησεν. |
| 7 |
Therefore, tyrant, put us to the test; and if you take our lives because of our religion, do not suppose that you can injure us by torturing us. | | πείραζε τοιγαροῦν, τύραννε· καὶ τὰς ἡμῶν ψυχὰς εἰ θανατώσεις διὰ τὴν εὐσέβειαν, μὴ νομίσῃς ἡμᾶς βλάπτειν βασανίζων. |
| 8 |
For we, through this severe suffering and endurance, shall have the prize of virtue and shall be with God, for whom we suffer; | | ἡμεῖς μὲν γὰρ διὰ τῆσδε τῆς κακοπαθείας καὶ ὑπομονῆς τὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἆθλα ἕξομεν καὶ ἐσόμεθα παρὰ θεῷ, δι' ὃν καὶ πάσχομεν· |
| 9 |
but you, because of your bloodthirstiness toward us, will deservedly undergo from the divine justice eternal torment by fire." | | σὺ δὲ διὰ τὴν ἡμῶν μιαιφονίαν αὐτάρκη καρτερήσεις ὑπὸ τῆς θείας δίκης αἰώνιον βάσανον διὰ πυρός. |
| 10 |
When they had said these things the tyrant not only was angry, as at those who are disobedient, but also was enraged, as at those who are ungrateful. | | Ταῦτα αὐτῶν εἰπόντων οὐ μόνον ὡς κατὰ ἀπειθούντων ἐχαλέπαινεν ὁ τύραννος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς κατὰ ἀχαρίστων ὠργίσθη. |
| 11 |
Then at his command the guards brought forward the eldest, and having torn off his tunic, they bound his hands and arms with thongs on each side. | | ὅθεν τὸν πρεσβύτατον αὐτῶν κελευσθέντες παρῆγον οἱ ὑπασπισταὶ καὶ διαρρήξαντες τὸν χιτῶνα διέδησαν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς βραχίονας ἱμᾶσιν ἑκατέρωθεν. |
| 12 |
When they had worn themselves out beating him with scourges, without accomplishing anything, they placed him upon the wheel. | | ὡς δὲ τύπτοντες ταῖς μάστιξιν ἐκοπίασαν μηδὲν ἀνύοντες, ἀνέβαλον αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸν τροχόν· |
| 13 |
When the noble youth was stretched out around this, his limbs were dislocated, | | περὶ ὃν κατατεινόμενος ὁ εὐγενὴς νεανίας ἔξαρθρος ἐγίνετο. |
| 14 |
and though broken in every member he denounced the tyrant, saying, | | καὶ κατὰ πᾶν μέλος κλώμενος ἐκακηγόρει λέγων |
| 15 |
"Most abominable tyrant, enemy of heavenly justice, savage of mind, you are mangling me in this manner, not because I am a murderer, or as one who acts impiously, but because I protect the divine law." | | Τύραννε μιαρώτατε καὶ τῆς οὐρανίου δίκης ἐχθρὲ καὶ ὠμόφρων, οὐκ ἀνδροφονήσαντά με τοῦτον καταικίζεις τὸν τρόπον οὐδὲ ἀσεβήσαντα ἀλλὰ θείου νόμου προασπίζοντα. |
| 16 |
And when the guards said, "Agree to eat so that you may be released from the tortures," | | καὶ τῶν δορυφόρων λεγόντων Ὁμολόγησον φαγεῖν, ὅπως ἀπαλλαγῇς τῶν βασάνων, |
| 17 |
he replied, "You abominable lackeys, your wheel is not so powerful as to strangle my reason. Cut my limbs, burn my flesh, and twist my joints. | | ὁ δὲ εἶπεν Οὐχ οὕτως ἰσχυρὸς ὑμῶν ἐστιν ὁ τροχός, ὦ μιαροὶ διάκονοι, ὥστε μου τὸν λογισμὸν ἄγξαι· τέμνετέ μου τὰ μέλη καὶ πυροῦτέ μου τὰς σάρκας καὶ στρεβλοῦτε τὰ ἄρθρα. |
| 18 |
Through all these tortures I will convince you that sons of the Hebrews alone are invincible where virtue is concerned." | | διὰ πασῶν γὰρ ὑμᾶς πείσω τῶν βασάνων ὅτι μόνοι παῖδες Εβραίων ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς εἰσιν ἀνίκητοι. |
| 19 |
While he was saying these things, they spread fire under him, and while fanning the flames they tightened the wheel further. | | ταῦτα λέγοντι ὑπέστρωσαν πῦρ καὶ τὸ διερεθίζον τὸν τροχὸν προσεπικατέτεινον· |
| 20 |
The wheel was completely smeared with blood, and the heap of coals was being quenched by the drippings of gore, and pieces of flesh were falling off the axles of the machine. | | ἐμολύνετο δὲ πάντοθεν αἵματι ὁ τροχός, καὶ ὁ σωρὸς τῆς ἀνθρακιᾶς τοῖς τῶν ἰχώρων ἐσβέννυτο σταλαγμοῖς, καὶ περὶ τοὺς ἄξονας τοῦ ὀργάνου περιέρρεον αἱ σάρκες. |
| 21 |
Although the ligaments joining his bones were already severed, the courageous youth, worthy of Abraham, did not groan, | | καὶ περιτετμημένον ἤδη ἔχων τὸ τῶν ὀστέων πῆγμα ὁ μεγαλόφρων καὶ Αβραμιαῖος νεανίας οὐκ ἐστέναξεν, |
| 22 |
but as though transformed by fire into immortality he nobly endured the rackings. | | ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἐν πυρὶ μετασχηματιζόμενος εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν ὑπέμεινεν εὐγενῶς τὰς στρέβλας |
| 23 |
"Imitate me, brothers," he said. "Do not leave your post in my struggle or renounce our courageous brotherhood. | | Μιμήσασθέ με, ἀδελφοί, λέγων, μή μου τὸν ἀγῶνα λειποτακτήσητε μηδὲ ἐξομόσησθέ μου τὴν τῆς εὐψυχίας ἀδελφότητα. |
| 24 |
Fight the sacred and noble battle for religion. Thereby the just Providence of our ancestors may become merciful to our nation and take vengeance on the accursed tyrant." | | ἱερὰν καὶ εὐγενῆ στρατείαν στρατεύσασθε περὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας, δι' ἧς ἵλεως ἡ δικαία καὶ πάτριος ἡμῶν πρόνοια τῷ ἔθνει γενηθεῖσα τιμωρήσειεν τὸν ἀλάστορα τύραννον. |
| 25 |
When he had said this, the saintly youth broke the thread of life. | | καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ ἱεροπρεπὴς νεανίας ἀπέρρηξεν τὴν ψυχήν. |
| 26 |
While all were marveling at his courageous spirit, the guards brought in the next eldest, and after fitting themselves with iron gauntlets having sharp hooks, they bound him to the torture machine and catapult. | | Θαυμασάντων δὲ πάντων τὴν καρτεροψυχίαν αὐτοῦ ἦγον οἱ δορυφόροι τὸν καθ' ἡλικίαν τοῦ προτέρου δεύτερον καὶ σιδηρᾶς ἐναρμοσάμενοι χεῖρας ὀξέσι τοῖς ὄνυξιν ὀργάνῳ καὶ καταπέλτῃ προσέδησαν αὐτόν. |
| 27 |
Before torturing him, they inquired if he were willing to eat, and they heard this noble decision. | | ὡς δ' εἰ φαγεῖν βούλοιτο πρὶν βασανίζεσθαι πυνθανόμενοι τὴν εὐγενῆ γνώμην ἤκουσαν, |
| 28 |
These leopard-like beasts tore out his sinews with the iron hands, flayed all his flesh up to his chin, and tore away his scalp. But he steadfastly endured this agony and said, | | ἀπὸ τῶν τενόντων ταῖς σιδηραῖς χερσὶν ἐπισπασάμενοι μέχρι τῶν γενείων τὴν σάρκα πᾶσαν καὶ τὴν τῆς κεφαλῆς δορὰν οἱ παρδάλεοι θῆρες ἀπέσυρον. ὁ δὲ ταύτην βαρέως τὴν ἀλγηδόνα καρτερῶν ἔλεγεν |
| 29 |
"How sweet is any kind of death for the religion of our fathers!" | | Ὡς ἡδὺς πᾶς θανάτου τρόπος διὰ τὴν πάτριον ἡμῶν εὐσέβειαν. ἔφη τε πρὸς τὸν τύραννον |
| 30 |
To the tyrant he said, "Do you not think, you most savage tyrant, that you are being tortured more than I, as you see the arrogant design of your tyranny being defeated by our endurance for the sake of religion? | | Οὐ δοκεῖς, πάντων ὠμότατε τύραννε, πλέον ἐμοῦ σε βασανίζεσθαι ὁρῶν σου νικώμενον τὸν τῆς τυραννίδος ὑπερήφανον λογισμὸν ὑπὸ τῆς διὰ τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἡμῶν ὑπομονῆς; |
| 31 |
I lighten my pain by the joys that come from virtue, | | ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ ταῖς διὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἡδοναῖς τὸν πόνον ἐπικουφίζομαι, |
| 32 |
but you suffer torture by the threats that come from impiety. You will not escape, most abominable tyrant, the judgments of the divine wrath." | | σὺ δὲ ἐν ταῖς τῆς ἀσεβείας ἀπειλαῖς βασανίζῃ. οὐκ ἐκφεύξῃ δέ, μιαρώτατε τύραννε, τὰς τῆς θείας ὀργῆς δίκας. |
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