ΜΑΚΚΑΒΑΙΩΝ Β´ - 2 Maccabei- Maccabees II 7

GREEK BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 συνεβη δε και επτα αδελφους μετα της μητρος συλλημφθεντας αναγκαζεσθαι υπο του βασιλεως απο των αθεμιτων υειων κρεων εφαπτεσθαι μαστιξιν και νευραις αικιζομενους	1 It also happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested and tortured with whips and scourges by the king, to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.
2 εις δε αυτων γενομενος προηγορος ουτως εφη τι μελλεις ερωταν και μανθανειν ημων ετοιμοι γαρ αποθνησκειν εσμεν η παραβαινειν τους πατριους νομους	2 One of the brothers, speaking for the others, said: "What do you expect to achieve by questioning us? We are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors."
3 εκθυμος δε γενομενος ο βασιλευς προσεταξεν τηγανα και λεβητας εκπυρουν	3 At that the king, in a fury, gave orders to have pans and caldrons heated.
4 των δε παραχρημα εκπυρωθεντων τον γενομενον αυτων προηγορον προσεταξεν γλωσσοτομειν και περισκυθισαντας ακρωτηριαζειν των λοιπων αδελφων και της μητρος συνορωντων	4 While they were being quickly heated, he commanded his executioners to cut out the tongue of the one who had spoken for the others, to scalp him and cut off his hands and feet, while the rest of his brothers and his mother looked on.
5 αχρηστον δε αυτον τοις ολοις γενομενον εκελευσεν τη πυρα προσαγειν εμπνουν και τηγανιζειν της δε ατμιδος εφ' ικανον διαδιδουσης του τηγανου αλληλους παρεκαλουν συν τη μητρι γενναιως τελευταν λεγοντες ουτως	5 When he was completely maimed but still breathing, the king ordered them to carry him to the fire and fry him. As a cloud of smoke spread from the pan, the brothers and their mother encouraged one another to die bravely, saying such words as these:
6 ο κυριος ο θεος εφορα και ταις αληθειαις εφ' ημιν παρακαλειται καθαπερ δια της κατα προσωπον αντιμαρτυρουσης ωδης διεσαφησεν μωυσης λεγων και επι τοις δουλοις αυτου παρακληθησεται	6 "The Lord God is looking on, and he truly has compassion on us, as Moses declared in his canticle, when he protested openly with the words, 'And he will have pity on his servants.'"
7 μεταλλαξαντος δε του πρωτου τον τροπον τουτον τον δευτερον ηγον επι τον εμπαιγμον και το της κεφαλης δερμα συν ταις θριξιν περισυραντες επηρωτων ει φαγεσαι προ του τιμωρηθηναι το σωμα κατα μελος	7 When the first brother had died in this manner, they brought the second to be made sport of. After tearing off the skin and hair of his head, they asked him, "Will you eat the pork rather than have your body tortured limb by limb?"
8 ο δε αποκριθεις τη πατριω φωνη προσειπεν ουχι διοπερ και ουτος την εξης ελαβεν βασανον ως ο πρωτος	8 Answering in the language of his forefathers, he said, "Never!" So he too in turn suffered the same tortures as the first.
9 εν εσχατη δε πνοη γενομενος ειπεν συ μεν αλαστωρ εκ του παροντος ημας ζην απολυεις ο δε του κοσμου βασιλευς αποθανοντας ημας υπερ των αυτου νομων εις αιωνιον αναβιωσιν ζωης ημας αναστησει	9 At the point of death he said: "You accursed fiend, you are depriving us of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever. It is for his laws that we are dying."
10 μετα δε τουτον ο τριτος ενεπαιζετο και την γλωσσαν αιτηθεις ταχεως προεβαλεν και τας χειρας ευθαρσως προετεινεν	10 After him the third suffered their cruel sport. He put out his tongue at once when told to do so, and bravely held out his hands,
11 και γενναιως ειπεν εξ ουρανου ταυτα κεκτημαι και δια τους αυτου νομους υπερορω ταυτα και παρ' αυτου ταυτα παλιν ελπιζω κομισασθαι	11 as he spoke these noble words: "It was from Heaven that I received these; for the sake of his laws I disdain them; from him I hope to receive them again."
12 ωστε αυτον τον βασιλεα και τους συν αυτω εκπλησσεσθαι την του νεανισκου ψυχην ως εν ουδενι τας αλγηδονας ετιθετο	12 Even the king and his attendants marveled at the young man's courage, because he regarded his sufferings as nothing.
13 και τουτου δε μεταλλαξαντος τον τεταρτον ωσαυτως εβασανιζον αικιζομενοι	13 After he had died, they tortured and maltreated the fourth brother in the same way.
14 και γενομενος προς το τελευταν ουτως εφη αιρετον μεταλλασσοντας υπ' ανθρωπων τας υπο του θεου προσδοκαν ελπιδας παλιν αναστησεσθαι υπ' αυτου σοι μεν γαρ αναστασις εις ζωην ουκ εσται	14 When he was near death, he said, "It is my choice to die at the hands of men with the God-given hope of being restored to life by him; but for you, there will be no resurrection to life."
15 εχομενως δε τον πεμπτον προσαγοντες ηκιζοντο	15 They next brought forward the fifth brother and maltreated him. Looking at the king,
16 ο δε προς αυτον ιδων ειπεν εξουσιαν εν ανθρωποις εχων φθαρτος ων ο θελεις ποιεις μη δοκει δε το γενος ημων υπο του θεου καταλελειφθαι	16 he said: "Since you have power among men, mortal though you are, do what you please. But do not think that our nation is forsaken by God.
17 συ δε καρτερει και θεωρει το μεγαλειον αυτου κρατος ως σε και το σπερμα σου βασανιει	17 Only wait, and you will see how his great power will torment you and your descendants."
18 μετα δε τουτον ηγον τον εκτον και μελλων αποθνησκειν εφη μη πλανω ματην ημεις γαρ δι' εαυτους ταυτα πασχομεν αμαρτοντες εις τον εαυτων θεον αξια θαυμασμου γεγονεν	18 After him they brought the sixth brother. When he was about to die, he said: "Have no vain illusions. We suffer these things on our own account, because we have sinned against our God; that is why such astonishing things have happened to us.
19 συ δε μη νομισης αθωος εσεσθαι θεομαχειν επιχειρησας	19 Do not think, then, that you will go unpunished for having dared to fight against God."
20 υπεραγοντως δε η μητηρ θαυμαστη και μνημης αγαθης αξια ητις απολλυμενους υιους επτα συνορωσα μιας υπο καιρον ημερας ευψυχως εφερεν δια τας επι κυριον ελπιδας	20 Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother, who saw her seven sons perish in a single day, yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord.
21 εκαστον δε αυτων παρεκαλει τη πατριω φωνη γενναιω πεπληρωμενη φρονηματι και τον θηλυν λογισμον αρσενι θυμω διεγειρασα λεγουσα προς αυτους	21 Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage, she exhorted each of them in the language of their forefathers with these words:
22 ουκ οιδ' οπως εις την εμην εφανητε κοιλιαν ουδε εγω το πνευμα και την ζωην υμιν εχαρισαμην και την εκαστου στοιχειωσιν ουκ εγω διερρυθμισα	22 "I do not know how you came into existence in my womb; it was not I who gave you the breath of life, nor was it I who set in order the elements of which each of you is composed.
23 τοιγαρουν ο του κοσμου κτιστης ο πλασας ανθρωπου γενεσιν και παντων εξευρων γενεσιν και το πνευμα και την ζωην υμιν παλιν αποδιδωσιν μετ' ελεους ως νυν υπερορατε εαυτους δια τους αυτου νομους	23 Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe who shapes each man's beginning, as he brings about the origin of everything, he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law." Martyrdom of Mother and Sons
24 ο δε αντιοχος οιομενος καταφρονεισθαι και την ονειδιζουσαν υφορωμενος φωνην ετι του νεωτερου περιοντος ου μονον δια λογων εποιειτο την παρακλησιν αλλα και δι' ορκων επιστου αμα πλουτιειν και μακαριστον ποιησειν μεταθεμενον απο των πατριων και φιλον εξειν και χρειας εμπιστευσειν	24 Antiochus, suspecting insult in her words, thought he was being ridiculed. As the youngest brother was still alive, the king appealed to him, not with mere words, but with promises on oath, to make him rich and happy if he would abandon his ancestral customs: he would make him his Friend and entrust him with high office.
25 του δε νεανιου μηδαμως προσεχοντος προσκαλεσαμενος ο βασιλευς την μητερα παρηνει γενεσθαι του μειρακιου συμβουλον επι σωτηρια	25 When the youth paid no attention to him at all, the king appealed to the mother, urging her to advise her boy to save his life.
26 πολλα δε αυτου παραινεσαντος επεδεξατο πεισειν τον υιον	26 After he had urged her for a long time, she went through the motions of persuading her son.
27 προσκυψασα δε αυτω χλευασασα τον ωμον τυραννον ουτως εφησεν τη πατριω φωνη υιε ελεησον με την εν γαστρι περιενεγκασαν σε μηνας εννεα και θηλασασαν σε ετη τρια και εκθρεψασαν σε και αγαγουσαν εις την ηλικιαν ταυτην και τροφοφορησασαν	27 In derision of the cruel tyrant, she leaned over close to her son and said in their native language: "Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months, nursed you for three years, brought you up, educated and supported you to your present age.
28 αξιω σε τεκνον αναβλεψαντα εις τον ουρανον και την γην και τα εν αυτοις παντα ιδοντα γνωναι οτι ουκ εξ οντων εποιησεν αυτα ο θεος και το των ανθρωπων γενος ουτω γινεται	28 I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earth and see all that is in them; then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things; and in the same way the human race came into existence.
29 μη φοβηθης τον δημιον τουτον αλλα των αδελφων αξιος γενομενος επιδεξαι τον θανατον ινα εν τω ελεει συν τοις αδελφοις σου κομισωμαι σε	29 Do not be afraid of this executioner, but be worthy of your brothers and accept death, so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them."
30 ετι δε ταυτης καταληγουσης ο νεανιας ειπεν τινα μενετε ουχ υπακουω του προσταγματος του βασιλεως του δε προσταγματος ακουω του νομου του δοθεντος τοις πατρασιν ημων δια μωυσεως	30 She had scarcely finished speaking when the youth said: "What are you waiting for? I will not obey the king's command. I obey the command of the law given to our forefathers through Moses.
31 συ δε πασης κακιας ευρετης γενομενος εις τους εβραιους ου μη διαφυγης τας χειρας του θεου	31 But you, who have contrived every kind of affliction for the Hebrews, will not escape the hands of God.
32 ημεις γαρ δια τας εαυτων αμαρτιας πασχομεν	32 We, indeed, are suffering because of our sins.
33 ει δε χαριν επιπληξεως και παιδειας ο ζων κυριος ημων βραχεως επωργισται και παλιν καταλλαγησεται τοις εαυτου δουλοις	33 Though our living Lord treats us harshly for a little while to correct us with chastisements, he will again be reconciled with his servants.
34 συ δε ω ανοσιε και παντων ανθρωπων μιαρωτατε μη ματην μετεωριζου φρυαττομενος αδηλοις ελπισιν επι τους ουρανιους παιδας επαιρομενος χειρα	34 But you, wretch, vilest of all men! do not, in your insolence, concern yourself with unfounded hopes, as you raise your hand against the children of Heaven.
35 ουπω γαρ την του παντοκρατορος εποπτου θεου κρισιν εκπεφευγας	35 You have not yet escaped the judgment of the almighty and all-seeing God.
36 οι μεν γαρ νυν ημετεροι αδελφοι βραχυν υπενεγκαντες πονον αεναου ζωης υπο διαθηκην θεου πεπτωκασιν συ δε τη του θεου κρισει δικαια τα προστιμα της υπερηφανιας αποιση	36 My brothers, after enduring brief pain, have drunk of never-failing life, under God's covenant, but you, by the judgment of God, shall receive just punishments for your arrogance.
37 εγω δε καθαπερ οι αδελφοι και σωμα και ψυχην προδιδωμι περι των πατριων νομων επικαλουμενος τον θεον ιλεως ταχυ τω εθνει γενεσθαι και σε μετα ετασμων και μαστιγων εξομολογησασθαι διοτι μονος αυτος θεος εστιν	37 Like my brothers, I offer up my body and my life for our ancestral laws, imploring God to show mercy soon to our nation, and by afflictions and blows to make you confess that he alone is God.
38 εν εμοι δε και τοις αδελφοις μου στησαι την του παντοκρατορος οργην την επι το συμπαν ημων γενος δικαιως επηγμενην	38 Through me and my brothers, may there be an end to the wrath of the Almighty that has justly fallen on our whole nation."
39 εκθυμος δε γενομενος ο βασιλευς τουτω παρα τους αλλους χειριστως απηντησεν πικρως φερων επι τω μυκτηρισμω	39 At that, the king became enraged and treated him even worse than the others, since he bitterly resented the boy's contempt.
40 και ουτος ουν καθαρος μετηλλαξεν παντελως επι τω κυριω πεποιθως	40 Thus he too died undefiled, putting all his trust in the Lord.
41 εσχατη δε των υιων η μητηρ ετελευτησεν	41 The mother was last to die, after her sons.
42 τα μεν ουν περι τους σπλαγχνισμους και τας υπερβαλλουσας αικιας επι τοσουτον δεδηλωσθω	42 Enough has been said about the sacrificial meals and the excessive cruelties.