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1 To came to pass also, that seven
brethren, together with their mother, were apprehended, and compelled by the
king to eat swine's flesh against the law, for which end they were tormented
with whips and scourges.
2 1 have from heaven, but for the laws of
God I now despise them: because I hope to receive them again from him.
3 2 But one of them, who was the eldest,
said thus: What wouldst thou ask, or learn of us? we
are ready to die rather than to transgress the laws of God, received from our
fathers.
4 3 Then the king being angry commanded fryingpans, and brazen caldrons to be made hot: which
forthwith being heated,
5 4 He commanded to cut out the tongue of
him that had spoken first: and the skin of his head being drawn off, to chop
off also the extremities of his hands and feet, the rest of his brethren, and
his mother, looking on.
6 5 And when he was now maimed in all
parts, he commanded him, being yet alive, to be brought to the Are, and to be fried in the fryingpan:
and while he was suffering therein long torments, the rest, together with the
mother, exhorted one another to die manfully,
7 6 Saying: The Lord God will look upon
the truth, and will take pleasure in us, "as Moses declared in the
profession of the canticle: And In his servants he will take pleasure.
8 7 So when the first was dead after this
manner, they brought the next to make him a, mocking stock: and when they had
pulled off the skin of his head with the hair, they asked him if he would
eat, before he were punished throughout the whole body in every limb.
9 8 But he answered in his own language,
and said: I will not do it. Wherefore Ire also in the next place, received
the torments of the first:
10 9 And when he was at the last gasp, he
said thus: Thou indeed, O most wicked man, destroyest
us out of this present life: but the King of the world will raise us up, who
die for his laws, in the resurrection of eternal life.
11 10 After him the third was made a mocking
stock, and when he was required, he quickly put forth his tongue, and
courageously stretched out his hands:
12 11 And said with confidence: These
13 12 So that the king, and they that were
with him, wondered at the young man's courage, because he esteemed the torments
as nothing.
14 13 And after he was thus dead, they
tormented the fourth in the like manner
15 14 And when he was now ready to die, he
spoke thus: It is better, being put to death by men, to look for hope from
God, to be raised up again by him: for, as to thee thou shalt
have no resurrection unto life.
16 15 And when they had brought the fifth,
they tormented him. But he looking upon the king,
17 16 Said: Whereas thou hast power among
men, though thou art corruptible, thou dost what thou wilt: but think not
that our nation is forsaken by God.
18 17 But stay patiently a while, and thou shalt see his great power, in what manner he will torment
thee and thy seed.
19 18 After him they brought the sixth, and
he being ready to die, spoke thus: Be not deceived without cause: for we
suffer these things for ourselves, having sinned against our God, and things
worthy of admiration are done to us:
20 19 But do not think that thou s escape
unpunished, for that thou attempted to fight against God.
21 20 Now the mother was to be ad above
measure, and worthy to be remembered by good men, who beheld seven sons slain
in the space of one day, and bore it with a good courage, for the hope that
she had in God:
22 21 And she bravely exhorted every o of
them in her own language, being filled with wisdom: and joining a man's heart
to a woman's thought,
23 22 She said to them: I know not how you
were formed in my womb: for I neither gave you breath, nor soul, nor life,
neither did I frame the limbs of every one of you.
24 23 But the Creator of the world, that
formed the nativity of man, and that found out the origin of all, he will re-
store to you again in his mercy, both breath and life, as now you despise
your- selves for the sake of his laws.
25 24 Now Antiochus, thinking himself
despised, and withal despising the voice of the upbraider,
when the youngest was yet alive, did not only exhort him by words, but also
assured him with an oath, that he would make him a rich and a happy man, and,
if he would turn from the laws of his fathers, would take him for a friend,
and furnish him with things necessary.
26 25 But when the young man was not moved
with these things, the king called the mother, and counselled
her to deal with the young man to save his life.
27 26 And when he had exhorted her with many
words, she promised that she would counsel her son.
28 27 So bending herself towards him,
mocking the cruel tyrant, she said her own language: My son, have pi upon me,
that bore thee nine months my womb, and save thee
suck years, and nourished thee, and b thee up unto this age.
29 28 I beseech thee, my son, look upon
heaven and earth, and all that is in them: and consider that God made the out
of nothing, and mankind also:
30 29 So thou shalt
not fear this tormentor, but being made a worthy partner with thy brethren,
receive death, that in that mercy I may receive thee again with thy brethren.
31 30 While she was yet speaking these words,
the young man said: For whom do you stay ? I will not obey the commandment of
the king, but the commandment of the law, which was given us by Moses.
32 31 But thou that hast been the author of
all mischief against the Hebrews, shalt not escape
the hand of God.
33 32 For we suffer thus for our sine.
34 33 And though the Lord our God is angry
with us a little while for our chastisement and correction: yet he will be
reconciled again to his servants.
35 34 But thou, O wicked and of all men most
flagitious, be not lifted up without cause with vain hopes, whilst thou art
raging against his servants.
36 35 For thou hast not yet escaped the
judgment of the almighty God, who beholdeth all
things.
37 36 For my brethren, having now undergone a
short pain, are under the covenant of eternal life: but thou by the judgment
of God shalt receive just punishment for thy pride.
38 37 But I, like my brethren, offer up my
life and my body for the laws of our fathers: calling upon God to be speedily
merciful to our nation, and that thou by torments and stripes mayst confess that he alone is God.
39 38 But in me and in my brethren the wrath
of the Almighty, which hath justly been brought upon all our nation, shall
cease.
40 39 Then the king being incensed with
anger, raged against him more cruelly than all the rest, taking it grievously
that he was mocked.
41 40 So this man also died undefiled, wholly
trusting in the Lord.
42 41 And last of all after the sons the
mother also was consumed.
43 42 But now there is enough said of the
sacrifices, and of the excessive cruelties.
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1- و قبض على سبعة اخوة مع امهم
فاخذ الملك يكرههم عل تناول لحوم الخنزير المحرمة و يعذبهم بالمقارع و السياط.
2- فانتدب احدهم للكلام و قال ماذا تبتغي و عم
تستنطقنا انا لنختار ان نموت و لا نخالف شريعة ابائنا.
3- فحنق الملك و امر باحماء
الطواجن و القدور و لما احميت.
4- امر لساعته بان يقطع لسان الذي انتدب
للكلام و يسلخ جلد راسه و تجدع اطرافه على عيون اخوته و امه.
5- و لما عاد جذمة امر بان يؤخذ
الى النار و فيه رمق من الحياة و يقلى و فيما كان البخار منتشرا من الطاجن كانوا
هم و امهم يحض بعضهم بعضا ان يقدموا على الموت بشجاعة.
6- قائلين ان الرب الاله ناظر و هو يتمجد بنا
كما صرح موسى في نشيده الشاهد في الوجوه اذ قال و يستمجد بعبيده.
7- و لما قضى الاول على هذه الحال ساقوا
الثاني الى الهوان و نزعوا جلد راسه مع شعره ثم سالوه هل ياكل قبل ان يعاقب في
جسده عضوا عضوا.
8- فاجاب بلغة ابائه و قال لا فاذاقوه بقية
العذاب كالاول.
9- و فيما كان على اخر رمق قال انك ايها
الفاجر تسلبنا الحياة الدنيا و لكن ملك العالمين اذا متنا في سبيل شريعته
فسيقيمنا لحياة ابدية.
10- و بعده شرعوا يستهينون بالثالث و امروه
فدلع لسانه و بسط يديه بقلب جليد.
11- و قال اني من الرب السماء اوتيت هذه
الاعضاء و لاجل شريعته ابذلها و اياه ارجو ان استردها من بعد.
12- فبهت الملك و الذين معه من بسالة قلب ذلك
الغلام الذي لم يبال بالعذاب شيئا.
13- و لما قضى عذبوا الرابع و
نكلوا به بمثل ذلك.
14- و لما اشرف على الموت قال حبذا ما يتوقعه
الذي يقتل بايدي الناس من رجاء اقامة الله له اما انت فلا تكون لك قيامة للحياة.
15- ثم ساقوا الخامس و عذبوه
فالتفت الى الملك و قال.
16- انك بما لك من السلطان على البشر مع كونك
فانيا تفعل ما تشاء و لكن لا تظن ان الله قد خذل ذريتنا.
17- اصبر قليلا فترى باسه الشديد
كيف يعذبك انت و نسلك.
18- و بعده ساقوا السادس فلما قارب ان يموت
قال لا تغتر بالباطل فانا نحن جلبنا على انفسنا هذا العذاب لانا خطانا الى الهنا
و لذلك وقع لنا ما يقضي بالعجب.
19- و اما انت لا تحسب انك تترك
سدى بعد تعرضك لمناصبة الله.
20- و كانت امهم اجدر الكل بالعجب و الذكر
الحميد فانها عاينت بنيها السبعة يهلكون في مدة يوم واحد و صبرت على ذلك بنفس
طيبة ثقة بالرب.
21- و كانت تحرض كلا منهم بلغة
ابائها و هي ممتلئة من الحكمة السامية و قد القت على كلامها الانثوي بسالة
رجلية.
22- قائلة لهم اني لست اعلم كيف نشاتم في
احشائي و لا انا منحتكم الروح و الحياة و لا احكمت تركيب اعضائكم.
23- على ان خالق العالم الذي جبل تكوين
الانسان و ابدع لكل شيء تكوينه سيعيد اليكم برحمته الروح و الحياة لانكم الان
تبذلون انفسكم في سبيل شريعته.
24- و ان انطيوكس اذ تخيل انه يستخف به و خشي
صوت معير يعيره اخذ يحرض بالكلام اصغرهم الباقي بل اكد له بالايمان انه يغنيه و
يسعده اذا ترك شريعة ابائه و يتخذه خليلا له و يقلده المناصب.
25- و لمل لم يصخ الغلام لذلك البتة دعا الملك
امه و حثها ان تشير على الغلام بما يبلغ الي خلاصه.
26- و الح عليها حتى وعدت بانها تشير على
ابنها.
27- ثم انحنت اليه و استهزات بالملك العنيف و
قالت بلغة ابائها يا بني ارحمني انا التي حملتك في جوفها تسعة اشهر و ارضعتك
ثلاث سنين و عالتك و بلغتك الى هذه السن و ربتك.
28- انظر يا ولدي الى السماء و
الارض و اذا رايت كل ما فيهما فاعلم ان الله صنع الجميع من العدم و كذلك وجد جنس
البشر.
29- فلا تخف من هذا الجلاد لكن كن مستاهلا
لاخوتك و اقبل الموت لاتلقاك مع اخوتك بالرحمة.
30- و فيما هي تتكلم قال الغلام ماذا انتم
منتظرون اني لا اطيع امر الملك و انما اطيع امر الشريعة التي القيت الى ابائنا
على يد موسى.
31- و انت ايها المخترع كل شر على العبرانيين
انك لن تنجو من يدي الله.
32- فنحن انما نعاقب على خطايانا.
33- و ربنا الحي و ان سخط علينا حينا يسيرا
لتوبيخنا و تاديبنا سيتوب على عبيده من بعد.
34- و اما انت ايها المنافق يا
اخبث كل بشر فلا تتشامخ باطلا و تتنمر بامالك الكاذبة و انت رافع يدك على عبيده.
35- لانك لم تنج من دينونة الله القدير
الرقيب.
36- و لقد صبر اخوتنا على الم ساعة ثم فازوا
بحياة ابدية و هم في عهد الله و اما انت فسيحل بك بقضاء الله العقاب الذي
تستوجبه بكبريائك.
37- و انا كاخوتي ابذل جسدي و نفسي في سبيل شريعة
ابائنا و ابتهل الى الله ان لا يبطئ في توبته على امتنا و ان يجعلك بالمحن و
الضربات تعترف بانه هو الاله وحده.
38- و ان ينتهي في و في اخوتي غضب القدير الذي
حل على امتنا عدلا.
39- فحنق الملك و لم يحتمل ذلك الاستهزاء
فزاده نكالا على اخوته.
40- و هكذا قضى هذا الغلام طاهرا و قد وكل الى
الرب كل امره.
41- و في اخر الامر هلكت الام على اثر بنيها.
42- و بما اوردناه عن الضحايا و
التعذيبات المبرحة كفاية
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