- 2ND MACCABEES
- <
- 7
- >

CHAPTER 7
1 Forsooth it befell, that seven brethren taken together with the mother, were constrained of the king, for to taste against the law swine’s flesh; and were tormented with scourgings, and torment made of bull’s leather.
2 Forsooth one of them, that was the first, said thus, What seekest thou? and what wilt thou learn of us? we be ready for to die, more than to break the fathers’ laws of God.
3 Therefore the king was wroth, and commanded brazen pans [or pans of brass], and brass pots for to be made full hot.
4 And when those anon were made full hot [or tended], he commanded the tongue for to be cut off from him that spake first; and when the skin of the head was drawn away, he bade both the highest parts of his hands and of his feet for to be cut off, the while the other brethren of him and the mother of him beheld.
5 And when he was made then [or made now] unprofitable by all things, he commanded fire for to be brought to him, and yet all quick, breathing, or groaning, for to be burnt in the brazen pan; in which when he was long tormented, the others together with the mother, admonished them together for to die strongly, saying,
6 The Lord God shall behold truth, and shall give comfort, or give solace, in us, as Moses declared in before-witnessing of his song, And in his servants he shall give comfort.
7 Therefore when that first was dead in this manner, they led forth the next for to be scorned; and when the skin of his head was drawn off, with the hairs, they asked, if he would eat, before that he were punished in all the body, by all members by themselves.
8 And he answered by the [country] voice of fathers, and said, I shall not do it. For which thing, and this in pursuing place, received like torments of the first.
9 And when he was ordained in the last spirit, he said thus, Soothly thou most wicked, or cursed, losest us in this life, but the King of the world shall raise us that be dead for his laws, in again-rising of everlasting life.
10 After this the third was scorned; and when he was bidden, he proffered soon forth his tongue, and steadfastly held forth his hands,
11 and said with trust, Of heaven I wield these limbs, but for the laws of God now I despise these same; for I hope, that I shall receive those [or them] of him.
12 So that the king, and they that were with him, wondered on the wisdom of the young man, that he led the torments as nought.
13 And when this was thus dead, they travailed the fourth, and tormented him in like manner.
14 And when he was then at the death, he said thus, Well the rather it is need [or Rather it is], that men given to death of men, abide the hope of God, for they shall be raised-again again of him; forsooth again-rising to life shall not be to thee.
15 And when they had brought the fifth, they travailed him.
16 And he beheld into him, and said, Thou hast power among men, and though thou be corruptible, thou doest what thou wilt; but do not thou guess, that our kin is forsaken of God.
17 But abide thou patiently, and thou shalt see the great power of him, how he shall torment thee, and thy seed.
18 After [this] they brought also the sixth; and this began for to die, and said thus, [or this beginning for to die, saith thus], Do not thou err idly; for we suffer these things for ourselves, sinning against our God, and things worthy of wondering be made in us;
19 but deem thou not, that it shall be without pain to thee, that thou hast tempted for to fight against God.
20 Forsooth the marvellous mother of them/Forsooth the mother is wonderful above manner, and worthy the mind of good men, which beheld seven sons perishing under the time of one day, and suffered above manner with good will, for the hope that she had into God;
21 she admonished each of them by voice of fathers [or of country], and was strongly filled with wisdom, and setted man’s wit to woman’s thought, and said to them,
22 Sons, I know not how ye appeared in my womb; for neither I have given to you spirit, and soul, and life, and I myself joined not together the members of each;
23 but [or soothly] the Maker of nought of the world, that formed the nativity of man, and found beginning of all, shall yield again to you spirit, and life, with mercy, as now ye despise yourselves for the laws of him.
24 Forsooth Antiochus deemed him for to be despised, and also by despisable voice of a reprover [or also despised by voice of the reproving], and when yet the younger was alive, not only he admonished by words, but with an oath he affirmed to make him rich and blissful, or blessful, [or blessed], and to have him a friend, translated from laws of fathers, and to give to him needful things.
25 But when the young man was not bowed to these things, the king called the mother, and softly counselled her, that she should be made to the young man into health.
26 Forsooth when he admonished her by many words, she promised him for to counsel her son.
27 Therefore she bowed down to him, and scorned the cruel tyrant [or scorning the cruel tyrant], and said in country voice, Son, have mercy on me, that bare thee in womb nine months, and gave milk by three years, and nourished or nursed, and fully brought into this age.
28 I ask, child, that thou behold to heaven and earth, and all things that be in them, and understand, that God made them of nought, and the kind of men.
29 So it shall be done, that thou dread not this tormentor, but be thou made worthy to thy brethren, and receive death, that in that mercy doing I receive thee with thy brethren.
30 When she said yet these things [or When she yet said these things], the young man said, Whom abide ye? I obey not to the bidding of the king, but to commandment of the law, that was given to us by Moses.
31 Forsooth thou, that art made finder of all malice against Hebrews, shalt not escape the hand of God.
32 For we suffer these things for our sins;
33 and though our Lord be a little wroth to us, for blaming and chastising, but again he shall be reconciled to his servants.
34 Forsooth thou cursed, and most flagitious, or fullest of evil doings, and stirrings, of all men, do not thou vainly be enhanced, that art enflamed by vain hope against his servants;
35 for thou hast not escaped yet the doom of Almighty God, and beholding all things.
36 For my brethren suffered now a little sorrow, and be made under testament of everlasting life; thou soothly by doom of God shall pay just pains of pride.
37 Soothly I, as my brethren, betake my soul and body for the laws of fathers; and I call God to help [or in-calling God], that more ripely he be made helpful to our folk, and that thou acknowledge with torments and beatings, that he is God alone.
38 Forsooth the wrath of Almighty shall fail or shall have an end in me, and in my brethren, which is justly brought in on all our kin. [For in me and in my brethren, the wrath of Almighty God shall fail, which is justly brought in upon all our kin.]
39 Then the king was kindled with wrath, and was fierce against him more cruelly above all; and bare unworthily, either heavily, himself scorned.
40 Therefore this was also clean, and died, trusting by all things in the Lord.
41 Forsooth at the last also the mother was wasted, either died, after the sons.
42 Therefore of sacrifices, and over-great cruelties, is enough said.

- 2ND MACCABEES
- <
- 7
- >

© 2001,2010,2011,2012,2013,2015 Terry Noble