4 Maccabees 12

Thomson · Brenton · Greek · public domain

Thomson 1808

Brenton 1851

Greek · Brenton

Thomson—

BrentonWhen he, too, had undergone blessed martyrdom, and died in the caldron into which he had been thrown, the seventh, the youngest of all, came forward:

GreekὩς δὲ καὶ οὗτος μακαρίως ἐναπέθανεν καταβληθεὶς εἰς λέβητα, ὁ ἕβδομος παρεγίνετο, πάντων νεώτερος.

Thomson—

Brentonwhom the tyrant pitying, though he had been dreadfully reproached by his brethren,

GreekὍν κατοικτειρήσας ὁ τύραννος, καίπερ δεινῶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ κακισθεὶς, ὁρῶν ἤση τὰ δεσμὰ περικείμενον,

Thomson—

Brentonseeing him already encompassed with chains, had him brought nearer, and endeavoured to counsel him, saying,

Greekπλησιέστερον αὐτὸν μετεπέμψατο, καὶ παρηγορεῖν ἐπειρᾶτο, λέγων,

Thomson—

BrentonThou seest the end of the madness of thy brethren: for they have died in torture through disobedience; and you, if disobedient, having been miserably tormented, will yourself perish prematurely.

GreekΤῆς μὲν τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου ἀπονοίας τὸ τὲλος ὁρᾷς· διὰ γὰρ ἀπείθειαν στρεβλωθέντες τεθνήκασιν, σὺ, εἰ μὲν μὴ πεισθείης, τὰλας βασανισθεὶς καὶ πασανισθεὶς καὶ αὐτὸς τεθνήξῃ πρὸ ὥρας.

Thomson—

BrentonBut if you obey, you shall be my friend, and have a charge over the affairs of the kingdom.

GreekΠεισθείης δὲ φίλος ἔσῃ, καὶ τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς βασιλείας ἀφηγήσῃ πραγμάτων.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd having thus exhorted him, he sent for the mother of the boy; that, by condoling with her for the loss of so many sons, he might incline her, through the hope of safety, to render the survivor obedient.

GreekΚαὶ ταῦτα παρακαλῶν, τὴν μητέρα τοῦ παιδὸς μετεπέμψατο, ὄπως αὐτὴν ἐμεήσαν υἱῶν στερηθῖσαν παρορμήσειεν ἐπὶ τὴν μσωτηρίαν, εὐπειθῆ τὸν περιλειπόμενον.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd he, after his mother had urged him on in the Hebrew tongue, (as we shall soon relate) says,

GreekὉ δὲ τῆν μητρὸς τῇ Ἐβραΐδι φωνῇ προτρεψαμένης· αὐτὸν (ὡς ἐροῦμεν μετὰ μικρὸν ὕστερον.) ἀπολύσατε με, φησίν·

Thomson—

BrentonRelease me, that I may speak to the king and all his friends.

Greekεἴπω τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ φίλοις πᾶσιν.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd they, rejoicing exceedingly at the promise of the youth, quickly let him go.

GreekΚαὶ ἐπιχαρέντες μάλιστα ἐπὶ τῇ ἐπαγγελίᾳ τοῦ παιδὸς ταχέως ἔλυσαν αὐτόν.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd he, running up to the pans, said,

GreekΚαὶ σραμὼν ἐπὶ πλησίον τῶν τηγάνων, ἔφη, ἀνόσιε,

Thomson—

BrentonImpious tyrant, and most blasphemous man, wert thou not ashamed, having received prosperity and a kingdom from God, to slay His servants, and to rack the doers of godliness?

Greekφησὶν, καὶ πάντων τῶν πονηρῶν ἀσεβέστατε τύραννε, οὐκ ᾐδέσθης παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ λαβὼν τὰ ἀγαθὰ καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν, τούς θεράποντας αὐτοῦ κατακτεῖναι, καὶ τοὺς τῆς εὐσεβείας στρεβλῶσαι;

Thomson—

BrentonWherefore the divine vengeance is reserving thee for eternal fire and torments, which shall cling to thee for all time.

GreekἈνθ ὧ ταμιεύεταί σε ἡ θεια δίκη πυκνοτέρῳ καὶ αἰωνίῳ πυεὶ καὶ βασάνοις, αἳ εἰς ὅλον τὸν αιῶνα οὐκ ἀνήσουσίν σε.

Thomson—

BrentonWert thou not ashamed, man as thou art, yet most savage, to cut out the tongues of men of like feeling and origin, and having thus abused to torture them?

GreekΟὐκ ᾐδέσθης ἄνθρωπος ὢν, θηριωδέστατε, τοὺς ὁμοιοπαθεῖς καὶ ἐκ τῶν αὐτῶν γεγονότας στοιξείων γλωττοτομῆσαι, καὶ τοῦτον καταικίσας τὸν τρόπον βασανίσαι;

Thomson—

BrentonBut they, bravely dying, fulfilled their religion towards God.

GreekἈλλʼ οἱ μὴν εὐγενῶς ἀποθανόντες ἐπλήρωσαν τὴν εἰν τὸν Θεὸν εὐσέβειαν.

Thomson—

BrentonBut thou shalt groan according to thy deserts for having slain without cause the champions of virtue.

GreekΣὺ δὲ κακὸς κακῶς οἰμώξεις, τοὺς τῆς ἀρετῆν ἀγωνιστὰν ἀναιτίως ἀποκτεῖναι.

Thomson—

BrentonWherefore, he continued, I myself, being about to die,

GreekὍθεν καὶ αὐτὸς ἀποθνήσκειν μέλλων, ἔφη,

Thomson—

Brentonwill not forsake the testimony of my brethren.

Greekοὐκ ἀπαυτομολῶ τῆς τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου μαρτυρίας.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd I call upon the God of my fathers to be merciful to my race.

GreekἘπικαλοῦμαι δὲ τὸν πατρῷον Θεὸν, ὅπως ἵλεως γένει μου.

Thomson—

BrentonBut thee, both living and dead, he will punish.

GreekΣὲ δὲ καὶ ἐν τῷ νῦν βίῳ καὶ θανόντα τιμωρήσεται.

Thomson—

BrentonThus having prayed, he hurled himself into the pans; and so expired.

GreekΚαὶ ταῦτα κατευξάμενος, ἐαυτὸν ἔοιψεν κατὰ τῶν τηγάνων· καὶ οὕτως ἀπέδεκεν.