2. Makkabeler 7

¹Yedi kardeşin anneleriyle birlikte yakalanıp, kırbaçlar ve hayvan bağırsağından yapılan işkence kayışlarıyla hırpalanarak, kral tarafından yasa dışı olan domuz etinden tatmaya zorlandıkları anlatılır.

²Onlardan sözcü olan biri öne çıkarak şöyle dedi: "Bizden ne sormak ve ne öğrenmek niyetindesin? Çünkü atalarımızın yasalarını çiğnemektense ölmeye hazırız."

³Bunun üzerine öfkeden deliye dönen kral, tavaların ve kazanların ateşte kızdırılmasını emretti.

⁴Bunlar derhal kızdırılınca, diğer kardeşlerinin ve annelerinin gözü önünde, sözcü olan kardeşin dilinin kesilmesini, kafa derisinin İskit usulü yüzülmesini ve uzuvlarının kesilerek sakatlanmasını emretti.

⁵Bütün uzuvları bakımından tamamen işlevsiz hale getirildiğinde, kral onun henüz nefes alırken ateşe götürülmesini ve tavada kızartılmasını emretti; tavanın buharı her yana yayılırken, kardeşler anneleriyle birlikte birbirlerini cesaretle ölmeye teşvik ederek şöyle diyorlardı:

⁶"RAB Tanrı bizi yukarıdan görüyor ve gerçekten bizim üzerimize merhamet ediyor; nitekim Musa da onların yüzüne karşı tanıklık eden ezgisinde bunu açıkça belirterek şöyle demişti: 'Ve O, kullarıyla teselli bulacaktır.'"

⁷Birinci kardeş bu şekilde hayatını kaybettikten sonra, ikinci kardeşi aşağılayıcı alay sahnesine çıkardılar; başının derisini saçlarıyla birlikte yüzdükten sonra ona, "Bedeninin her bir uzvu tek tek cezalandırılmadan önce yiyecek misin?" diye sordular.

⁸O ise kendi ata dilinde cevap vererek, "Hayır!" dedi; bu yüzden o da ilki gibi sırasıyla aynı işkenceleri çekti.

⁹Son nefesini vermek üzereyken şöyle dedi: "Ey yıkıcı zalim, sen bizi bu şimdiki yaşamdan koparıyorsun, ama evrenin Kralı, O'nun yasaları uğruna ölen bizleri sonsuz bir yaşam uyanışıyla diriltecektir."

¹⁰Ondan sonra üçüncüsüyle alay edildi; dilini çıkarması istendiğinde hemen uzattı ve ellerini cesaretle öne doğru açtı.

¹¹Yiğitçe şöyle dedi: "Bunları bana gök verdi; O'nun yasaları uğruna bunlardan vazgeçiyorum ve bunları O'nden tekrar geri almayı umuyorum."

¹²Öyle ki, kral ve yanındakiler, acıları hiç önemsemeyen bu gencin sarsılmaz ruhuna şaşıp kaldılar.

¹³Bu kardeş de hayatını kaybettikten sonra, dördüncü kardeşe de aynı şekilde işkence edip hırpaladılar.

¹⁴Ölmek üzereyken şöyle dedi: "İnsanların eliyle ölüp, Tanrı tarafından tekrar diriltilme umudunu beslemek seçilesi bir şeydir; oysa senin için yaşama yönelik bir diriliş olmayacaktır."

¹⁵Hemen ardından beşinci kardeşi getirip ona işkence etmeye başladılar.

¹⁶O ise kralın gözlerinin içine bakarak şöyle dedi: "Ölümlü bir insan olduğun halde insanlar üzerinde yetkin var ve dilediğini yapıyorsun; ama soyumuzun Tanrı tarafından terk edildiğini sanma.

¹⁷Sen hele biraz bekle ve O'nun yüce gücünü gör; seni ve soyunu nasıl cezalandıracağını seyret."

¹⁸Ondan sonra altıncı kardeşi getirdiler; o da ölmek üzereyken şöyle dedi: "Boş yere aldanma; çünkü biz kendi Tanrımıza karşı günah işlediğimiz için bunları kendi kendimize yapıyoruz, bu yüzden şaşılacak şeyler başımıza geldi.

¹⁹Ama Tanrı'ya karşı savaş açmaya cüret eden sen, cezasız kalacağını sakın aklından geçirme."

²⁰Anne ise her türlü övgünün ötesinde hayranlık uyandırıcı ve iyi bir anılmaya layıktı; yedi oğlunun tek bir gün içinde yok oluşunu seyrettiği halde, RAB'be olan umudu sayesinde buna cesaretle katlandı.

²¹Soylu bir düşünceyle dolu olarak ve kadınsı mantığını erkeksi bir yüreklilikle coşturarak, her birine kendi ata dilinde seslenip onları yüreklendirdi ve şöyle dedi:

²²"Rahmime nasıl düştüğünüzü bilmiyorum; size soluğu ve yaşamı veren ben değilim, her birinizin beden yapısını şekillendiren de ben değilim.

²³Bu yüzden, insanın yaratılışını biçimlendiren ve her şeyin başlangıcını var eden evrenin Yaratıcısı, O'nun yasaları uğruna şimdi kendinizi hiçe saydığınız için, soluğu ve yaşamı merhametiyle size tekrar geri verecektir."

²⁴Antiohos ise kendisiyle alay edildiğini düşünerek ve kadının sesindeki azarlamadan şüphelenerek, en küçük kardeş henüz hayattayken, onu sadece sözlerle ikna etmeye çalışmakla kalmadı; atalarının yasalarından döndüğü takdirde kendisini hem zengin hem de mutlu edeceğine, onu dostu edineceğine ve devlet işlerini ona emanet edeceğine dair yeminlerle güvence verdi.

²⁵Genç adam buna hiç kulak asmayınca, kral annesini çağırıp gence kurtuluşu için öğüt vermesini rica etti.

²⁶Kral ona uzun uzun yalvardıktan sonra, kadın oğlunu ikna etmeyi kabul etti.

²⁷Oğlunun üzerine eğilerek, o gaddar zalimle alay etti ve ata dilinde şöyle dedi: "Oğlum, seni dokuz ay karnında taşıyan, üç yıl boyunca emziren, seni besleyip bu yaşa getiren ve büyüten bana acı.

²⁸Sana yalvarıyorum yavrum, göğe ve yere bak, onlardaki her şeye dikkat et ve bil ki Tanrı bunları yoktan var etti; insan soyu da bu şekilde var oldu.

²⁹Bu cellattan korkma, kardeşlerine layık olduğunu göstererek ölümü kabul et ki, Tanrı'nın merhametiyle kardeşlerinle birlikte seni tekrar geri alabileyim."

³⁰Kadın henüz sözlerini bitirmemişken genç adam şöyle dedi: "Kimi bekliyorsunuz? Kralın buyruğuna uymuyorum; ben, atalarımıza Musa aracılığıyla verilen yasanın buyruğuna uyuyorum.

³¹İbranilere karşı her türlü kötülüğü tasarlayan sen ise, Tanrı'nın elinden asla kaçamayacaksın.

³²Çünkü biz kendi günahlarımız yüzünden acı çekiyoruz.

³³Yaşayan Rabbimiz bizi terbiye etmek ve yola getirmek için kısa bir süre öfkelenmiş olsa bile, kullarıyla yeniden barışacaktır.

³⁴Ama sen, ey imansız ve insanların en alçağı, Tanrı'nın kullarına el kaldırarak, belirsiz umutlarla boş yere böbürlenip kibirlenme.

³⁵Çünkü her şeyi gören Her Şeye Gücü Yeten Tanrı'nın yargısından henüz kaçmış değilsin.

³⁶Kardeşlerimiz şimdi kısa bir acıya katlandıktan sonra, Tanrı'nın sonsuz yaşam vaat eden antlaşmasına kavuştular; sen ise Tanrı'nın yargısıyla kibirliliğinin hak ettiği cezayı çekeceksin.

³⁷Ben de kardeşlerim gibi, atalarımızın yasaları uğruna bedenimi ve canımı feda ediyorum; Tanrı'ya yalvarıyorum ki ulusumuza tez zamanda merhamet etsin ve seni işkencelerle, belalarla sınayarak tek Tanrı'nın O olduğunu sana itiraf ettirsin.

³⁸Her Şeye Gücü Yeten'in tüm soyumuzun üzerine haklı olarak getirdiği öfkesi, benimle ve kardeşlerimle son bulsun."

³⁹Bunun üzerine kral öfkeden deliye dönerek, kendisiyle alay edilmesini hazmedemediği için bu gence diğerlerinden çok daha acımasızca davrandı.

⁴⁰Böylece bu genç de RAB'be tamamen güvenerek lekesiz bir şekilde yaşamını yitirdi.

⁴¹En son olarak, oğullarının ardından anne de öldü.

⁴²Kurban organlarını yemeye zorlama şölenleri ve haddi aşan işkenceler hakkında bu kadar açıklama yapılmış olması yeterlidir.

¹ΣΥΝΕΒΗ δὲ καὶ ἑπτὰ ἀδελφοὺς μετὰ τῆς μητρὸς συλληφθέντας ἀναγκάζεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως ἀπὸ τῶν ἀθεμίτων ὑείων κρεῶν ἐφάπτεσθαι μάστιξι καὶ νευραῖς αἰκιζομένους.

²εἶς δὲ αὐτῶν γενόμενος προήγορος οὕτως ἔφη· τί μέλλεις ἐρωτᾶν καὶ μανθάνειν παρ᾿ ἡμῶν; ἕτοιμοι γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκειν ἐσμὲν ἢ παραβαίνειν τοὺς πατρίους νόμους.

³ἔκθυμος δὲ γενόμενος ὁ βασιλεὺς προσέταξε τήγανα καὶ λέβητας ἐκπυροῦν.

⁴τῶν δὲ παραχρῆμα ἐκπυρωθέντων, παραχρῆμα τὸν γενόμενον αὐτῶν προήγορον προσέταξε γλωσσοτομεῖν καὶ περισκυθίσαντες ἀκρωτηριάζειν, τῶν λοιπῶν ἀδελφῶν καὶ τῆς μητρὸς συνορώντων.

⁵ἄχρηστον δὲ αὐτὸν τοῖς ὅλοις γενόμενον ἐκέλευσε τῇ πυρᾷ προσάγειν ἔμπνουν καὶ τηγανίζειν. τῆς δὲ ἀτμίδος ἐφ᾿ ἱκανὸν διαδιδούσης τοῦ τηγάνου, ἀλλήλους παρεκάλουν σὺν τῇ μητρὶ γενναίως τελευτᾶν λέγοντες οὕτως·

⁶ὁ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἐφορᾷ καὶ ταῖς ἀληθείαις ἐφ’ ἡμῖν παρακαλεῖται, καθάπερ διὰ τῆς κατὰ πρόσωπον ἀντιμαρτυρούσης ᾠδῆς διεσάφησε Μωυσῆς λέγων· καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ παρακληθήσεται.

⁷μεταλλάξαντος δὲ τοῦ πρώτου τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον, τὸν δεύτερον ἦγον ἐπὶ τὸν ἐμπαιγμὸν καὶ τὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς δέρμα σὺν ταῖς θριξὶ περισύραντες ἐπηρώτων· εἰ φάγεσαι πρὸ τοῦ τιμωρηθῆναι τὸ σῶμα κατὰ μέλος;

⁸ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς τῇ πατρίῳ φωνῇ εἶπεν· οὐχί· διόπερ καὶ οὗτος τὴν ἑξῆς ἔλαβε βάσανον ὡς ὁ πρῶτος.

⁹ἐν ἐσχάτῃ δὲ πνοῇ γενόμενος εἶπε· σὺ μὲν ἀλάστωρ ἐκ τοῦ παρόντος ἡμᾶς ζῆν ἀπολύεις, ὁ δὲ τοῦ κόσμου βασιλεὺς ἀποθανόντας ἡμᾶς ὑπὲρ τῶν αὐτοῦ νόμων εἰς αἰώνιον ἀναβίωσιν ζωῆς ἡμᾶς ἀναστήσει.

¹⁰μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον ὁ τρίτος ἐνεπαίζετο καὶ τὴν γλῶσσαν αἰτηθεὶς ταχέως προέβαλε καὶ τὰς χεῖρας εὐθαρσῶς προέτεινε

¹¹καὶ γενναίως εἶπεν· ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ταῦτα κέκτημαι καὶ διὰ τοὺς αὐτοῦ νόμους ὑπερορῶ ταῦτα καὶ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ ταῦτα πάλιν ἐλπίζω κομίσασθαι·

¹²ὥστε αὐτὸν τὸν βασιλέα καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ ἐκπλήσσεσθαι τὴν τοῦ νεανίσκου ψυχήν, ὡς ἐν οὐδενὶ τὰς ἀλγηδόνας ἐτίθετο.

¹³καὶ τούτου δὲ μεταλλάξαντος, τὸν τέταρτον ὡσαύτως ἐβασάνιζον αἰκιζόμενοι.

¹⁴καὶ γενόμενος πρὸς τὸ τελευτᾶν οὕτως ἔφη· αἱρετὸν μεταλλάσσοντα ὑπ᾿ ἀνθρώπων τὰς ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ προσδοκᾶν ἐλπίδας πάλιν ἀναστήσεσθαι ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ· σοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἀνάστασις εἰς ζωὴν οὐκ ἔσται.

¹⁵ἐχομένως δὲ τὸν πέμπτον προσάγοντες ᾐκίζοντο.

¹⁶ὁ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἰδὼν εἶπεν· ἐξουσίαν ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἔχων φθαρτὸς ὤν, ὃ θέλεις ποιεῖς· μὴ δόκει δὲ τὸ γένος ἡμῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ καταλελεῖφθαι.

¹⁷σὺ δὲ καρτέρει καὶ θεώρει τὸ μεγαλεῖον αὐτοῦ κράτος, ὡς σὲ καὶ τὸ σπέρμα σου βασανίσει.

¹⁸μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον ἦγον τὸν ἕκτον, καὶ μέλλων ἀποθνήσκειν ἔφη· μὴ πλανῶ μάτην, ἡμεῖς γὰρ δι᾿ ἑαυτοὺς ταῦτα πάσχομεν ἁμαρτάνοντες εἰς τὸν ἑαυτῶν Θεόν, διὸ ἄξια θαυμασμοῦ γέγονε.

¹⁹σὺ δὲ μὴ νομίσῃς ἀθῷος ἔσεσθαι θεομαχεῖν ἐπιχειρήσας.

²⁰ὑπεραγόντως δὲ ἡ μήτηρ θαυμαστὴ καὶ μνήμης ἀγαθῆς ἀξία, ἥτις ἀπολλυμένους υἱοὺς ἑπτὰ συνορῶσα μιᾶς ὑπὸ καιρὸν ἡμέρας εὐψύχως ἔφερε διὰ τὰς ἐπὶ Κύριον ἐλπίδας.

²¹ἕκαστον δὲ αὐτῶν παρεκάλει τῇ πατρίῳ φωνῇ γενναίῳ πεπληρωμένη φρονήματι καὶ τὸν θῆλυν λογισμὸν ἄρσενι θυμῷ διεγείρασα, λέγουσα πρὸς αὐτούς·

²²οὐκ οἶδ᾿ ὅπως εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἐφάνητε κοιλίαν, οὐδὲ ἐγὼ τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ τὴν ζωὴν ὑμῖν ἐχαρισάμην, καὶ τὴν ἑκάστου στοιχείωσιν οὐκ ἐγὼ διερρύθμισα.

²³τοιγαροῦν ὁ τοῦ κόσμου κτίστης, ὁ πλάσας ἀνθρώπου γένεσιν καὶ πάντων ἐξευρὼν γένεσιν καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ τὴν ζωὴν ὑμῖν πάλιν ἀποδώσει μετ᾿ ἐλέους, ὡς νῦν ὑπερορᾶται ἑαυτοὺς διὰ τοὺς αὐτοῦ νόμους.

²⁴ὁ δὲ ᾿Αντίοχος οἰόμενος καταφρονεῖσθαι καὶ τὴν ὀνειδίζουσαν ὑφορώμενος φωνήν, ἔτι τοῦ νεωτέρου περιόντος, οὐ μόνον διὰ λόγων ἐποιεῖτο τὴν παράκλησιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ δι᾿ ὅρκων ἐπίστου ἅμα πλουτιεῖν καὶ μακαριστὸν ποιήσειν μεταθέμενον ἀπὸ τῶν πατρίων νόμων καὶ φίλον ἕξειν καὶ χρείας ἐμπιστεύσειν.

²⁵τοῦ δὲ νεανίου μηδαμῶς προσέρχοντος, προσκαλεσάμενος ὁ βασιλεὺς τὴν μητέρα παρῄνει τοῦ μειρακίου γενέσθαι σύμβουλον ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ.

²⁶πολλὰ δὲ αὐτοῦ παραινέσαντος ἐπεδέξατο πείσειν τὸν υἱόν.

²⁷προσκύψασα δὲ αὐτῷ, χλευάσασα τὸν ὠμὸν τύραννον οὕτως ἔφησε τῇ πατρῴᾳ φωνῇ· υἱέ, ἐλέησόν με τὴν ἐν γαστρὶ περιενέγκασάν σε μῆνας ἐννέα καὶ θηλάσασάν σε ἔτη τρία καὶ ἐκθρέψασάν σε καὶ ἀγαγοῦσαν εἰς τὴν ἡλικίαν ταύτην καὶ τροφοφορήσασαν.

²⁸ἀξιῶσε, τέκνον, ἀναβλέψαντα εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς πάντα ἰδόντα, γνῶναι ὅτι ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ἐποίησεν αὐτὰ ὁ Θεὸς καὶ τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος οὕτως γεγένηται.

²⁹μὴ φοβηθῇς τὸν δήμιον τοῦτον, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἄξιος γενόμενος, ἐπίδεξαι τὸν θάνατον, ἵνα ἐν τῷ ἐλέει σὺν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς σου κομίσωμαί σε.

³⁰ἔτι δὲ ταύτης καταλεγούσης ὁ νεανίας εἶπε· τίνα μένετε; οὐχ ὑπακούω τοῦ προστάγματος τοῦ βασιλέως, τοῦ δὲ προστάγματος ἀκούω τοῦ νόμου τοῦ δοθέντος τοῖς πατράσιν ἡμῶν διὰ Μωυσέως.

³¹σὺ δὲ πάσης κακίας εὑρετὴς γενόμενος εἰς τοὺς ῾Εβραίους, οὐ μὴ διαφύγῃς τὰς χεῖρας τοῦ Θεοῦ.

³²ἡμεῖς γὰρ διὰ τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἁμαρτίας πάσχομεν.

³³εἰ δὲ χάριν ἐπιπλήξεως καὶ παιδείας ὁ ζῶν Κύριος ἡμῶν βραχέως ἐπώργισται, καὶ πάλιν καταλλαγήσεται τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ δούλοις.

³⁴σὺ δέ, ὦ ἀνόσιε καὶ πάντων ἀνθρώπων μιαρώτατε, μὴ μάτην μετεωρίζου φρυαττόμενος ἀδήλοις ἐλπίσιν, ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ ἐπαιρόμενος χεῖρα·

³⁵οὕπω γὰρ τὴν τοῦ Παντοκράτορος ἐπόπτου Θεοῦ, κρίσιν ἐκπέφευγας.

³⁶οἱ μὲν γὰρ νῦν ἡμέτεροι ἀδελφοὶ βραχὺν ὑπενέγκαντες πόνον ἀεννάου ζωῆς ὑπὸ διαθήκην Θεοῦ πεπτώκασι· σὺ δὲ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ κρίσει δίκαια τὰ πρόστιμα τῆς ὑπερηφανίας ἀποίσῃ.

³⁷ἐγὼ δὲ καθάπερ οἱ ἀδελφοί μου καὶ σῶμα καὶ ψυχὴν προδίδωμι περὶ τῶν πατρίων νόμων, ἐπικαλούμενος τὸν Θεὸν ἵλεων ταχὺ τῷ ἔθνει γενέσθαι καὶ σὲ μετὰ ἐτασμῶν καὶ μαστίγων ἐξομολογήσασθαι, διότι μόνος αὐτὸς Θεός ἐστιν,

³⁸ἐν ἐμοὶ δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου στῆναι τὴν τοῦ Παντοκράτορος ὀργὴν τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ σύμπαν ἡμῶν γένος δικαίως ἐπηγμένην.

³⁹ἔκθυμος δὲ γενόμενος ὁ βασιλεύς, τούτῳ παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους χειρίστως ἀπήντησε πικρῶς φέρων ἐπὶ τῷ μυκτηρισμῷ.

⁴⁰καὶ οὗτος οὖν καθαρὸς τὸν βίον μετήλλαξε παντελῶς ἐπὶ τῷ Κυρίῳ πεποιθώς.

⁴¹ἐσχάτη δὲ τῶν υἱῶν ἡ μήτηρ ἐτελεύτησε.

⁴²τὰ μὲν οὖν περὶ τοὺς σπλαγνισμούς καὶ τὰς ὑπερβαλλούσας αἰκίας ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον δεδηλώσθω.

¹It came to pass also, that seven brethren with their mother were taken, and compelled by the king against the law to taste swine’s flesh, and were tormented with scourges and whips.

²But one of them that spake first said thus, What wouldest thou ask or learn of us? we are ready to die, rather than to transgress the laws of our fathers.

³Then the king, being in a rage, commanded pans and caldrons to be made hot:

⁴Which forthwith being heated, he commanded to cut out the tongue of him that spake first, and to cut off the utmost parts of his body, the rest of his brethren and his mother looking on.

⁵Now when he was thus maimed in all his members, he commanded him being yet alive to be brought to the fire, and to be fried in the pan: and as the vapour of the pan was for a good space dispersed, they exhorted one another with the mother to die manfully, saying thus,

⁶The Lord God looketh upon us, and in truth hath comfort in us, as Moses in his song, which witnessed to their faces, declared, saying, And he shall be comforted in his servants.

⁷So when the first was dead after this number, they brought the second to make him a mocking stock: and when they had pulled off the skin of his head with the hair, they asked him, Wilt thou eat, before thou be punished throughout every member of thy body?

⁸But he answered in his own language, and said, No. Wherefore he also received the next torment in order, as the former did.

⁹And when he was at the last gasp, he said, Thou like a fury takest us out of this present life, but the King of the world shall raise us up, who have died for his laws, unto everlasting life.

¹⁰After him was the third made a mocking stock: and when he was required, he put out his tongue, and that right soon, holding forth his hands manfully.

¹¹And said courageously, These I had from heaven; and for his laws I despise them; and from him I hope to receive them again.

¹²Insomuch that the king, and they that were with him, marvelled at the young man’s courage, for that he nothing regarded the pains.

¹³Now when this man was dead also, they tormented and mangled the fourth in like manner.

¹⁴So when he was ready to die he said thus, It is good, being put to death by men, to look for hope from God to be raised up again by him: as for thee, thou shalt have no resurrection to life.

¹⁵Afterward they brought the fifth also, and mangled him.

¹⁶Then looked he unto the king, and said, Thou hast power over men, thou art corruptible, thou doest what thou wilt; yet think not that our nation is forsaken of God;

¹⁷But abide a while, and behold his great power, how he will torment thee and thy seed.

¹⁸After him also they brought the sixth, who being ready to die said, Be not deceived without cause: for we suffer these things for ourselves, having sinned against our God: therefore marvellous things are done unto us.

¹⁹But think not thou, that takest in hand to strive against God, that thou shalt escape unpunished.

²⁰But the mother was marvellous above all, and worthy of honourable memory: for when she saw her seven sons slain within the space of one day, she bare it with a good courage, because of the hope that she had in the Lord.

²¹Yea, she exhorted every one of them in her own language, filled with courageous spirits; and stirring up her womanish thoughts with a manly stomach, she said unto them,

²²I cannot tell how ye came into my womb: for I neither gave you breath nor life, neither was it I that formed the members of every one of you;

²³But doubtless the Creator of the world, who formed the generation of man, and found out the beginning of all things, will also of his own mercy give you breath and life again, as ye now regard not your own selves for his laws’ sake.

²⁴Now Antiochus, thinking himself despised, and suspecting it to be a reproachful speech, whilst the youngest was yet alive, did not only exhort him by words, but also assured him with oaths, that he would make him both a rich and a happy man, if he would turn from the laws of his fathers; and that also he would take him for his friend, and trust him with affairs.

²⁵But when the young man would in no case hearken unto him, the king called his mother, and exhorted her that she would counsel the young man to save his life.

²⁶And when he had exhorted her with many words, she promised him that she would counsel her son.

²⁷But she bowing herself toward him, laughing the cruel tyrant to scorn, spake in her country language on this manner; O my son, have pity upon me that bare thee nine months in my womb, and gave thee suck three years, and nourished thee, and brought thee up unto this age, and endured the troubles of education.

²⁸I beseech thee, my son, look upon the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, and consider that God made them of things that were not; and so was mankind made likewise.

²⁹Fear not this tormentor, but, being worthy of thy brethren, take thy death that I may receive thee again in mercy with thy brethren.

³⁰Whiles she was yet speaking these words, the young man said, Whom wait ye for? I will not obey the king’s commandment: but I will obey the commandment of the law that was given unto our fathers by Moses.

³¹And thou, that hast been the author of all mischief against the Hebrews, shalt not escape the hands of God.

³²For we suffer because of our sins.

³³And though the living Lord be angry with us a little while for our chastening and correction, yet shall he be at one again with his servants.

³⁴But thou, O godless man, and of all other most wicked, be not lifted up without a cause, nor puffed up with uncertain hopes, lifting up thy hand against the servants of God:

³⁵For thou hast not yet escaped the judgment of Almighty God, who seeth all things.

³⁶For our brethren, who now have suffered a short pain, are dead under God’s covenant of everlasting life: but thou, through the judgment of God, shalt receive just punishment for thy pride.

³⁷But I, as my brethren, offer up my body and life for the laws of our fathers, beseeching God that he would speedily be merciful unto our nation; and that thou by torments and plagues mayest confess, that he alone is God;

³⁸And that in me and my brethren the wrath of the Almighty, which is justly brought upon our nation, may cease.

³⁹Then the king, being in a rage, handed him worse than all the rest, and took it grievously that he was mocked.

⁴⁰So this man died undefiled, and put his whole trust in the Lord.

⁴¹Last of all after the sons the mother died.

⁴²Let this be enough now to have spoken concerning the idolatrous feasts, and the extreme tortures.