THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS WRITINGS - VOLUME 105
Psalms and Odes of Solomon, Ahikar, Aristeas, Pseudo-Philo and the Sibylline Oracles
c. 500 BC – AD 500

SermonIndex · sermonindex.net/books/

Texts are public domain except where marked in Sources and Credits.

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INTRODUCTION TO THIS VOLUME
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HOW THIS BOOK IS ARRANGED

This is the hundred and fifth volume of a series that gathers the writings of the early
Church. The first volumes of the series follow the writers in order of date; this volume
belongs to the later part of the series, which gathers the apocryphal and pseudepigraphal
writings: the psalms, odes, tales of wisdom and oracles that circulated among Jews and
Christians. This volume holds the Psalms and the Odes of Solomon, the Story of Ahikar, the
Letter of Aristeas, the Fourth Book of Maccabees, the Sayings of the Fathers, the Biblical
Antiquities of Pseudo-Philo, the Sibylline Oracles and a Syriac Jeremiah apocryphon.

Within each work the text is divided into chapters and numbered sections, so that any
passage can be found again and cited. The small bold figures in the text are the section
numbers.

THE TRANSLATIONS

The text is in English only. Wherever a modern English version has been prepared for
SermonIndex it is used here; otherwise the book prints an older public-domain translation.
In both cases the wording is the translator’s own: older translations have not been
altered beyond dividing them into sections. The sources for every work are listed at the
back of the book, together with the licence under which each text is released. All the
works in this volume are printed in older public-domain translations. The translations in
Charles’s Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English, the Odes and
Psalms of Solomon of Harris and Mingana, Terry’s Sibylline Oracles, Herford’s Pirke Aboth
and Mingana’s Syriac texts were read by machine from scans of the printed books and have
not been proofread against the pages, so a misreading may remain. Page numbers and
footnotes are left out. Greek, Hebrew and Latin words in the editors’ notes are left out
or, where a Greek word occurs in the text itself, given in Latin letters. The Syriac
psalms of William Wright were transcribed for Roger Pearse’s collection.

IN THIS VOLUME

The first half of this volume gathers the poetry and wisdom of the Jewish and early
Christian world outside the Bible: the Psalms of Solomon, written in Jerusalem in the
generation after Pompey took the city, the Odes of Solomon, which are the earliest
Christian hymnbook that has come down to us, and the story of the wise Ahikar, which was
already old when the book of Tobit was written.

The second half holds the Letter of Aristeas, which tells how the Septuagint was made, the
Biblical Antiquities that were once ascribed to Philo, and the Sibylline Oracles, in which
Jews and Christians put their own teaching into the mouth of the pagan prophetess. The
Oracles are given in the blank-verse version of Milton Terry.

DATES AND AUTHORSHIP

None of these books is part of the Bible. Some were written by Jews before the time of
Christ, some by Christians in the first centuries, and some much later, and many carry the
name of a patriarch, an apostle or a Father who did not write them. Some of them contain
stories that the Church never received and teaching that it rejected. They are printed
here so that a reader can see what they say and judge them against the Scriptures, as the
Fathers themselves did. The books in this volume range from the fifth century BC to the
fifth century AD, and several of the Syriac psalms are known only from medieval copies.


THE PSALMS OF SOLOMON (GREEK VERSION)
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THE PSALMS OF SOLOMON (GREEK VERSION) Translated by G. B. Gray

1st century BC

Eighteen Jewish psalms of the first century BC, written in Jerusalem after the Roman
general Pompey took the city in 63 BC, lamenting the sins of the rulers and looking for a
Messiah who will be a son of David. The work is ascribed to Solomon but is not by him and
is not part of the Bible. This is Gray’s translation of the Greek text.

PSALM 1

1. I cried unto the Lord when I was in distress, Unto God when sinners assailed. 2.
Suddenly the alarm of war was heard before me; (I said), He will hearken to me, for I am
full of righteousness. 3. I thought in my heart that I was full of righteousness, Because
I was well off and had become rich in children. 4. Their wealth spread to the whole earth,
And their glory unto the end of the earth. 5. They were exalted unto the stars; They said
they would never fall. 6. But they became insolent in their prosperity, And... 7. Their
sins were in secret, And even I had no knowledge (of them). 8. Their transgressions (went)
beyond those of the heathen before them; They utterly polluted the holy things of the
Lord.

PSALM 2: A PSALM. OF SOLOMON. CONCERNING JERUSALEM

1. When the sinner waxed proud, with a battering-ram he cast down fortified walls, And
Thou didst not restrain (him). 2. Alien nations ascended Thine altar, They trampled (it)
proudly with their sandals; 3. Because the sons of Jerusalem had defiled the holy things
of the Lord, Had profaned with iniquities the offerings of God. 4. Therefore He said: Cast
them far from Me; 5. It was set at naught before God, It was utterly dishonoured; 6. The
sons and the daughters were in grievous captivity, Sealed (?) (was) their neck, branded
(?) (was it) among the nations. 7. According to their sins hath He done unto them, For He
hath left them in the hands of them that prevailed. 8. He hath turned away His face from
pitying them, Young and old and their children together; 9. For they had done evil one and
all, in not hearkening. 10. And the heavens were angry, And the earth abhorred them; 11.
For no man upon it had done what they did, 12. And the earth recognized all Thy righteous
judgements, O God. 13. They set the sons of Jerusalem to be mocked at in return for (the)
harlots in her; Every wayfarer entered in in the full light of day. 14. They made mock
with their transgressions, as they themselves were wont to do; In the full light of day
they revealed their iniquities. And the daughters of Jerusalem were defiled in accordance
with Thy judgement, 15. Because they had defiled themselves with unnatural intercourse. I
am pained in my bowels and my inward parts for these things. 16. (And yet) I will justify
Thee, O God, in uprightness of heart, For in Thy judgements is Thy righteousness
(displayed), O God. 17. For Thou hast rendered to the sinners according to their deeds,
Yea according to their sins, which were very wicked.

18. Thou hast uncovered their sins, that Thy judgement might be manifest; 19. Thou hast
wiped out their memorial from the earth. God is a righteous judge, And He is no respecter
of persons. 20. For the nations reproached Jerusalem, trampling it down; Her beauty was
dragged down from the throne of glory. 21. She girded on sackcloth instead of comely
raiment, A rope (was) about her head instead of a crown. 22. She put off the glorious
diadem which God had set upon her, 23. In dishonour was her beauty cast upon the ground.
24. And I saw and entreated the Lord and said, Long enough, O Lord, has Thine hand been
heavy on Israel, in bringing the nations upon (them). 25. For they have made sport
unsparingly in wrath and fierce anger; 26. And they will make an utter end, unless Thou, O
Lord, rebuke them in Thy wrath.

27. For they have done it not in zeal, but in lust of soul, 28. Pouring out their wrath
upon us with a view to rapine. 29. Delay not, O God, to recompense them on (their) heads,
To turn the pride of the dragon into dishonour. 30. And I had not long to wait before God
showed me the insolent one Slain on the mountains of Egypt, Esteemed of less account than
the least, on land and sea; 31. His body (, too,) borne hither and thither on the billows
with much insolence, With none to bury (him), because He had rejected him with dishonour.
He reflected not that he was man, 32. And reflected not on the latter end; 33. He said: I
will be lord of land and sea; And he recognized not that it is God who is great, Mighty in
His great strength. 34. He is king over the heavens, And judgeth kings and kingdoms.

35. (It is He) who setteth me up in glory, And bringeth down the proud to eternal
destruction in dishonour, Because they knew Him not. 36. And now behold, ye princes of the
earth, the judgement of the Lord, For a great king and righteous (is He), judging (all)
that is under heaven. 37. Bless God, ye that fear the Lord with wisdom, For the mercy of
the Lord will be upon them that fear Him, in the Judgement; 38. So that He will
distinguish between the righteous and the sinner, (And) recompense the sinners for ever
according to their deeds; 39. And have mercy on the righteous, (delivering him) from the
affliction of the sinner, And recompensing the sinner for what he hath done to the
righteous. 40. For the Lord is good to them that call upon Him in patience, Doing
according to His mercy to His pious ones, Establishing (them) at all times before Him in
strength.

41. Blessed be the Lord for ever before His servants.

PSALM 3: A PSALM. OF SOLOMON. CONCERNING THE RIGHTEOUS

1. Why sleepest thou, O my soul, And blessest not the Lord? 2. Sing a new song, Unto God
who is worthy to be praised. Esteemed of less account than the least. Held in less account
than a person of the least position: so clearly S; on G cerip c̄hāx̄iērow (or
conjecturally c̄hāx̄iērow), see Ryle and James. Sing and be wakeful against His awaking,
For good is a psalm (sung) to God from a glad heart. 3. The righteous remember the Lord at
all times, With thanksgiving and declaration of the righteousness of the Lord’s
judgements. 4. The righteous despiseth not the chastening of the Lord; His will is always
before the Lord. 5. The righteous stumbleth and holdeth the Lord righteous: He falleth and
looketh out for what God will do to him; 6. He seeketh out whence his deliverance will
come. 7. The steadfastness of the righteous is from God their deliverer; There lodgeth not
in the house of the righteous sin upon sin.

8. The righteous continually searcheth his house, To remove utterly (all) iniquity (done)
by him in error. 9. He maketh atonement for (sins of) ignorance by fasting and afflicting
his soul, 10. And the Lord counteth guiltless every pious man and his house. 11. The
sinner stumbleth and curseth his life, The day when he was begotten, and his mother’s
travail. 12. He addeth sins to sins, while he liveth (?); 13. He falleth—verily grievous
is his fall—and riseth no more. The destruction of the sinner is for ever, 14. And he
shall not be remembered, when the righteous is visited. 15. This is the portion of sinners
for ever. 16. But they that fear the Lord shall rise to life eternal, And their life
(shall be) in the light of the Lord, and shall come to an end no more.

PSALM 4: A CONVERSATION OF SOLOMON WITH THE MEN-PLEASERS

1. Wherefore sittest thou, O profane (man), in the council of the pious, Seeing that thy
heart is far removed from the Lord, Provoking with transgressions the God of Israel? 2.
Extravagant in speech, extravagant in outward seeming beyond all (men), Is he that is
severe of speech in condemning sinners in judgement. 3. And his hand is first upon him as
(though he acted) in zeal, And (yet) he is himself guilty in respect of manifold sins and
of wantonness. 4. His eyes are upon every woman without distinction; His tongue lieth when
he maketh contract with an oath. 5. By night and in secret he sinneth as though unseen,
With his eyes he talketh to every woman of evil compacts. 6. He is swift to enter every
house with cheerfulness as though guileless. 7. Let God remove those that live in
hypocrisy in the company of the pious, (Even) the life of such an one with corruption of
his flesh and penury.

8. Let God reveal the deeds of the men-pleasers, The deeds of such an one with laughter
and derision; 9. That the pious may count righteous the judgement of their God, When
sinners are removed from before the righteous, 10. (Even the) man-pleaser who uttereth law
guilefully. 11. And their eyes (are fixed) upon any man’s house that is (still) secure,
That they may, like (the) Serpent, destroy the wisdom of... with words of transgressors.
12. His words are deceitful that (he) may accomplish (his) wicked desire. 13. He never
ceaseth from scattering (families) as though (they were) orphans, Yea, he layeth waste a
house on account of (his) lawless desire. 14. He deceiveth with words, (saying,) There is
none that seeth, or judgeth. 15. He fills one (house) with lawlessness, And (then) his
eyes (are fixed) upon the next house, the psalmist, or to the leader of that party;
adopting the latter view some have identified the profane man with Alexander Jannaeus
(Wellh.), others with Aristobulus (Ryle and James). To destroy it with words that give
wing to (desire). (Yet) with all these his soul, like Sheol, is not sated.

16. Let his portion, O Lord, be dishonoured before thee; Let him go forth groaning, and
come home cursed. 17. Let his life be (spent) in anguish, and penury, and want, O Lord;
Let his sleep be (beset) with pains and his awaking with perplexities. 18. Let sleep be
withdrawn from his eyelids at night; Let him fail dishonourably in every work of his
hands. 19. Let him come home empty-handed to his house, And his house be void of
everything wherewith he could sate his appetite. 20. (Let) his old age (be spent) in
childless loneliness until his removal (by death). 21. Let the flesh of the men-pleasers
be rent by wild beasts, And (let) the bones of the lawless (lie) dishonoured in the sight
of the sun. 22. Let ravens peck out the eyes of the hypocrites. 23. For they have laid
waste many houses of men, in dishonour, And scattered (them) in (their) lust;

24. And they have not remembered God, Nor feared God in all these things; 25. But they
have provoked God’s anger and vexed Him. May He remove them from off the earth, Because
with deceit they beguiled the souls of the flawless. 26. Blessed are they that fear the
Lord in their flawlessness; 27. The Lord shall deliver them from guileful men and sinners,
And deliver us from every stumbling-block of the lawless (men). 28. Let God destroy them
that insolently work all unrighteousness, For a great and mighty judge is the Lord our God
in righteousness. 29. Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon all them that love Thee.

PSALM 5: A PSALM. OF SOLOMON

1. O Lord God, I will praise Thy name with joy, In the midst of them that know Thy
righteous judgements. 2. For Thou art good and merciful, the refuge of the poor; 3. When I
cry to Thee, do not silently disregard me. 4. For no man taketh spoil from a mighty man;
5. Who, then, can take aught of all that Thou hast made, except Thou Thyself givest? 6. 7.
For man and his portion (lie) before Thee in the balance; He cannot add to, so as to
enlarge, what has been prescribed by Thee. O God, when we are in distress we call upon
Thee for help, And Thou dost not turn back our petition, for Thou art our God. 8. Cause
not Thy hand to be heavy upon us, Lest through necessity we sin. 9. Even though Thou
restore us not, we will not keep away; But unto Thee will we come.

10. For if I hunger, unto Thee will I cry, O God; And Thou wilt give to me. 11. Birds and
fish dost Thou nourish, In that Thou givest rain to the steppes that green grass may
spring up, (So) to prepare fodder in the steppe for every living thing; 12. And if they
hunger, unto Thee do they lift up their face. 13. Kings and rulers and peoples Thou dost
nourish, O God; And who is the help of the poor and needy, if not Thou, O Lord? 14. And
Thou wilt hearken—for who is good and gentle but Thou?— Making glad the soul of the humble
by opening Thine hand in mercy. 15. Man’s goodness is (bestowed) grudgingly and...; And if
he repeat (it) without murmuring, even that is marvellous. 16. But Thy gift is great in
goodness and wealth, And he whose hope is (set) on Thee shall have no lack of gifts.

17. Upon the whole earth is Thy mercy, O Lord, in goodness. 18. Happy is he whom God
remembereth in (granting to him) a due sufficiency; 19. If a man abound overmuch, he
sinneth. 20. Sufficient are moderate means with righteousness, And hereby the blessing of
the Lord (becomes) abundance with righteousness. 21. They that fear the Lord rejoice in
good (gifts), And Thy goodness is upon Israel in Thy kingdom. Blessed is the glory of the
Lord, for He is our king.

PSALM 6: IN HOPE. OF SOLOMON

1. Happy is the man whose heart is fixed to call upon the name of the Lord; 2. When he
remembereth the name of the Lord, he will be saved. 3. His ways are made even by the Lord,
And the works of his hands are preserved by the Lord his God. 4. At what he sees in his
bad dreams, his soul shall not be troubled; 5. When he passes through rivers and the
tossing of the seas, he shall not be dismayed. 6. He ariseth from his sleep, and blesseth
the name of the Lord: 7. When his heart is at peace, he singeth to the name of his God,
And he entreateth the Lord for all his house. 8. And the Lord heareth the prayer of every
one that feareth God, And every request of the soul that hopes for Him doth the Lord
accomplish. 9. Blessed is the Lord, who showeth mercy to those who love Him in sincerity.

PSALM 7: OF SOLOMON. OF TURNING

1. Make not Thy dwelling afar from us, O God; Lest they assail us that hate us without
cause. 2. For Thou hast rejected them, O God; Let not their foot trample upon Thy holy
inheritance. 3. Chasten us Thyself in Thy good pleasure; But give (us) not up to the
nations; 4. For, if Thou sendest pestilence, Thou Thyself givest it charge concerning us;
For Thou art merciful, And wilt not be angry to the point of consuming us. 5. While Thy
name dwelleth in our midst, we shall find mercy; 6. And the nations shall not prevail
against us. For Thou art our shield, 7. And when we call upon Thee, Thou hearkenest to us;
8. For Thou wilt pity the seed of Israel for ever And Thou wilt not reject (them): But we
(shall be) under Thy yoke for ever, And (under) the rod of Thy chastening.

9. Thou wilt establish us in the time that Thou helpest us, Showing mercy to the house of
Jacob on the day wherein Thou didst promise (to help them).

PSALM 8: OF SOLOMON. OF THE CHIEF MUSICIAN

1. Distress and the sound of war hath my ear heard, The sound of a trumpet announcing
slaughter and calamity, 2. The sound of much people as of an exceeding high wind, As a
tempest with mighty fire sweeping through the Negeb. 3. And I said in my heart, Surely (?)
God judgeth us; 4. A sound I hear (moving) towards Jerusalem, the holy city. 5. My loins
were broken at what I heard, my knees tottered; 6. My heart was afraid, my bones were
dismayed like flax. 7. I said: They establish their ways in righteousness. I thought upon
the judgements of God since the creation of heaven and earth; I held God righteous in His
judgements which have been from of old. 8. God laid bare their sins in the full light of
day; All the earth came to know the righteous judgements of God. 9. In secret places
underground their iniquities (were committed) to provoke (Him) to anger;

10. They wrought confusion, son with mother and father with daughter; 11. They committed
adultery, every man with his neighbour’s wife. They concluded covenants with one another
with an oath touching these things; 12. They plundered the sanctuary of God, as though
there was no avenger. 13. They trode the altar of the Lord, (coming straight) from all
manner of uncleanness; And with menstrual blood they defiled the sacrifices, as (though
these were) common flesh. 14. They left no sin undone, wherein they surpassed not the
heathen. 15. Therefore God mingled for them a spirit of wandering; And gave them to drink
a cup of undiluted wine, that they might become drunken. 16. He brought him that is from
the end of the earth, that smiteth mightily; 17. He decreed (?) war against Jerusalem, and
against her land. 18. The princes of the land went to meet him with joy: they said unto
him: Blessed be thy way! Come ye, enter ye in with peace.

19. They made the rough ways even, before his entering in; They opened the gates to
Jerusalem, they crowned its walls. 20. As a father (entereth) the house of his sons, (so)
he entered (Jerusalem) in peace; He established his feet (there) in great safety. 21. He
captured her fortresses and the wall of Jerusalem; 22. For God Himself led him in safety,
while they wandered. 23. He destroyed their princes and every one wise in counsel; He
poured out the blood of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, like the water of uncleanness. 24.
He led away their sons and daughters, whom they had begotten in defilement. 25. They did
according to their uncleanness, even as their fathers (had done): 26. They defiled
Jerusalem and the things that had been hallowed to the name of God. 27. (But) God hath
shown Himself righteous in His judgements upon the nations of the earth;

28. And the pious (servants) of God are like innocent lambs in their midst. 29. Worthy to
be praised is the Lord that judgeth the whole earth in His righteousness. 30. Behold, now,
O God, Thou hast shown us Thy judgement in Thy righteousness; 31. Our eyes have seen Thy
judgements, O God. We have justified Thy name that is honoured for ever; 32. For Thou art
the God of righteousness, judging Israel with chastening. 33. Turn, O God, Thy mercy upon
us, and have pity upon us; 34. Gather together the dispersed of Israel, with mercy and
goodness; 35. For Thy faithfulness is with us. And (though) we have stiffened our neck,
yet Thou art our chastener; 36. Overlook us not, O our God, lest the nations swallow us
up, as though there were none to deliver. 37. But Thou art our God from the beginning. And
upon Thee is our hope (set), O Lord;

38. And we will not depart from Thee, For good are Thy judgements upon us. 39. Ours and
our children’s be Thy good pleasure for ever; O Lord our Saviour, we shall never more be
moved. 40. The Lord is worthy to be praised for His judgements with the mouth of His pious
ones; And blessed be Israel of the Lord for ever.

PSALM 9: OF SOLOMON. FOR REBUKE

1. When Israel was led away captive into a strange land, When they fell away from the Lord
who redeemed them, 2. They were cast away from the inheritance, which the Lord had given
them. Among every nation (were) the dispersed of Israel according to the word of God, 3.
That Thou mightest be justified, O God, in Thy righteousness by reason of our
transgressions: 4. For Thou art a just judge over all the peoples of the earth. 5. For
from Thy knowledge none that doeth unjustly is hidden, 6. And the righteous deeds of Thy
pious ones (are) before Thee, O Lord; Where, then, can a man hide himself from Thy
knowledge, O God? 7. Our works are subject to our own choice and power To do right or
wrong in the works of our hands; 8. And in Thy righteousness Thou visitest the sons of
men. 9. He that doeth righteousness layeth up life for himself with the Lord; And he that
doeth wrongly forfeits his life to destruction;

10. For the judgements of the Lord are (given) in righteousness to (every) man and (his)
house. 11. Unto whom art Thou good, O God, except to them that call upon the Lord? 12. He
cleanseth from sins a soul when it maketh confession, when it maketh acknowledgement; 13.
For shame is upon us and upon our faces on account of all these things. 14. And to whom
doth He forgive sins, except to them that have sinned? 15. Thou blessest the righteous,
and dost not reprove them for the sins that they have committed; And Thy goodness is upon
them that sin, when they repent. 16. And, now, Thou art our God, and we the people whom
Thou hast loved: Behold and show pity, O God of Israel, for we are Thine; And remove not
Thy mercy from us, lest they assail us. 17. For Thou didst choose the seed of Abraham
before all the nations, And didst set Thy name upon us, O Lord,

18. And Thou wilt not reject (us) for ever. Thou madest a covenant with our fathers
concerning us; 19. And we hope in Thee, when our soul turneth (unto Thee). The mercy of
the Lord be upon the house of Israel for ever and ever.

PSALM 10: A HYMN. OF SOLOMON

1. Happy is the man whom the Lord remembereth with reproving, And whom He restraineth from
the way of evil with strokes, That he may be cleansed from sin, that it may not be
multiplied. 2. He that maketh ready his back for strokes shall be cleansed, For the Lord
is good to them that endure chastening. 3. For He maketh straight the ways of the
righteous, And doth not pervert (them) by His chastening. 4. And the mercy of the Lord
(is) upon them that love Him in truth, And the Lord remembereth His servants in mercy. 5.
For the testimony (is) in the law of the eternal covenant, The testimony of the Lord (is)
on the ways of men in (His) visitation. 6. Just and kind is our Lord in His judgements for
ever, And Israel shall praise the name of the Lord in gladness. 7. And the pious shall
give thanks in the assembly of the people; And on the poor shall God have mercy in the
gladness (?) of Israel;

8. For good and merciful is God for ever, And the assemblies of Israel shall glorify the
name of the Lord. The salvation of the Lord be upon the house of Israel unto everlasting
gladness!

PSALM 11: OF SOLOMON. UNTO EXPECTATION

1. Blow ye in Zion on the trumpet to summon (the) saints, 2. Cause ye to be heard in
Jerusalem the voice of him that bringeth good tidings; For God hath had pity on Israel in
visiting them. 3. Stand on the height, O Jerusalem, and behold thy children, From the East
and the West, gathered together by the Lord; 4. From the North they come in the gladness
of their God, From the isles afar off God hath gathered them. 5. High mountains hath He
abased into a plain for them; 6. The hills fled at their entrance. The woods gave them
shelter as they passed by; 7. Every sweet-smelling tree God caused to spring up for them,
That Israel might pass by in the visitation of the glory of their God. 8. Put on, O
Jerusalem, thy glorious garments; Make ready thy holy robe; For God hath spoken good
concerning Israel, for ever and ever.

9. Let the Lord do what He hath spoken concerning Israel and Jerusalem; Let the Lord raise
up Israel by His glorious name. The mercy of the Lord be upon Israel for ever and ever.

PSALM 12: OF SOLOMON. AGAINST THE TONGUE OF TRANSGRESSORS

1. O Lord, deliver my soul from (the) lawless and wicked man, From the tongue that is
lawless and slanderous, and speaketh lies and deceit. 2. Manifoldly twisted (?) are the
words of the tongue of the wicked man, Even as... a fire that burneth up... 3.... to fill
houses with a lying tongue, To cut down the trees of gladness... 4. To involve households
in warfare by means of slanderous lips. May God remove far from the innocent the lips of
transgressors by (bringing them to) want And may the bones of slanderers be scattered
(far) away from them that fear the Lord! 5. In flaming fire perish the slanderous tongue
(far) away from the pious! 6. May the Lord preserve the quiet soul that hateth the
unrighteous; And may the Lord establish the man that followeth peace at home. 7. The
salvation of the Lord be upon Israel His servant for ever; And let the sinners perish
together at the presence of the Lord; But let the Lord’s pious ones inherit the promises
of the Lord.

PSALM 13: OF SOLOMON. A PSALM. COMFORT FOR THE RIGHTEOUS

1. The right hand of the Lord hath covered me; The right hand of the Lord hath spared us.
2. The arm of the Lord hath saved us from the sword that passed through, From famine and
the death of sinners. 3. Noisome beasts ran upon them: With their teeth they tore their
flesh, And with their molars crushed their bones. But from all these things the Lord
delivered us. 4. The righteous was troubled on account of his errors, Lest he should be
taken away along with the sinners; 5. 6. For terrible is the overthrow of the sinner; But
not one of all these things toucheth the righteous. For not alike are the chastening of
the righteous (for sins done) in ignorance, And the overthrow of the sinners. 7. Secretly
(?) is the righteous chastened, Lest the sinner rejoice over the righteous. 8. For He
correcteth the righteous as a beloved son, And his chastisement is as that of a firstborn.

9. For the Lord spareth His pious ones, And blotteth out their errors by His chastening.
For the life of the righteous shall be for ever; 10. But sinners shall be taken away into
destruction, And their memorial shall be found no more. 11. But upon the pious is the
mercy of the Lord, And upon them that fear Him His mercy.

PSALM 14: A HYMN. OF SOLOMON

1. Faithful is the Lord to them that love Him in truth, To them that endure His
chastening, To them that walk in the righteousness of His commandments, In the law which
He commanded us that we might live. 2. The pious of the Lord shall live by it for ever;
The Paradise of the Lord, the trees of life, are His pious ones. 3. Their planting is
rooted for ever; They shall not be plucked up all the days of heaven: For the portion and
the inheritance of God is Israel. 4. But not so are the sinners and transgressors, Who
love (the brief) day (spent) in companionship with their sin; Their delight is in fleeting
corruption, 5. And they remember not God. For the ways of men are known before Him at all
times, And He knoweth the secrets of the heart before they come to pass. 6. Therefore
their inheritance is Sheol and darkness and destruction, And they shall not be found in
the day when the righteous obtain mercy;

7. But the pious of the Lord shall inherit life in gladness.

PSALM 15: A PSALM. OF SOLOMON. WITH A SONG

1. When I was in distress I called upon the name of the Lord, I hoped for the help of the
God of Jacob and was saved; 2. For the hope and refuge of the poor art Thou, O God. 3. For
who, O God, is strong except to give thanks unto Thee in truth? 4. And wherein is a man
powerful except in giving thanks to Thy name? 5. A new psalm with song in gladness of
heart, The fruit of the lips with the well-tuned instrument of the tongue, The firstfruits
of the lips from a pious and righteous heart— 6. He that offereth these things shall never
be shaken by evil; The flame of fire and the wrath against the unrighteous shall not touch
him, 7. When it goeth forth from the face of the Lord against sinners, To destroy all the
substance of sinners, 8. For the mark of God is upon the righteous that they may be saved.
Famine and sword and pestilence (shall be) far from the righteous,

9. For they shall flee away from the pious as men pursued in war; But they shall pursue
sinners and overtake (them), And they that do lawlessness shall not escape the judgement
of God; As by enemies experienced (in war) shall they be overtaken, 10. For the mark of
destruction is upon their forehead. 11. And the inheritance of sinners is destruction and
darkness, And their iniquities shall pursue them unto Sheol beneath. 12. Their inheritance
shall not be found of their children, 13. For sins shall lay waste the houses of sinners.
And sinners shall perish for ever in the day of the Lord’s judgement, 14. When God
visiteth the earth with His judgement. 15. But they that fear the Lord shall find mercy
therein, And shall live by the compassion of their God; But sinners shall perish for ever.

PSALM 16: A HYMN. OF SOLOMON. FOR HELP TO THE PIOUS

1. – 3. When my soul slumbered (being afar) from the Lord, I had all but slipped down to
the pit, When (I was) far from God, my soul had been wellnigh poured out unto death, (I
had been) nigh unto the gates of Sheol with the sinner, when my soul departed from the
Lord God of Israel— Had not the Lord helped me with His everlasting mercy. 4. He pricked
me, as a horse is pricked, that I might serve Him, My saviour and helper at all times
saved me. 5. I will give thanks unto Thee, O God, for Thou hast helped me to (my)
salvation; And hast not counted me with sinners to (my) destruction. 6. Remove not Thy
mercy from me, O God, Nor Thy memorial from my heart until I die. 7. Rule me, O God,
(keeping me back) from wicked sin, And from every wicked woman that causeth the simple to
stumble.

8. And let not the beauty of a lawless woman beguile me, Nor any one that is subject to
(?) unprofitable sin. 9. Establish the works of my hands before Thee, And preserve my
goings in the remembrance of Thee. 10. Protect my tongue and my lips with words of truth;
Anger and unreasoning wrath put far from me. 11. Murmuring, and impatience in affliction,
remove far from me, When, if I sin, Thou chastenest me that I may return (unto Thee). 12.
But with goodwill and cheerfulness support my soul; When Thou strengthenest my soul, what
is given (to me) will be sufficient for me. 13. For if Thou givest not strength, Who can
endure chastisement with poverty? 14. When a man is rebuked by means of his corruption,
Thy testing (of him) is in his flesh and in the affliction of poverty. 15. If the
righteous endureth in all these (trials), he shall receive mercy from the Lord.

PSALM 17: A PSALM. OF SOLOMON. WITH SONG. OF THE KING

1. O Lord, Thou art our King for ever and ever, For in Thee, O God, doth our soul glory.
2. How long are the days of man’s life upon the earth? As are his days, so is the hope
(set) upon him. 3. 4. But we hope in God, our deliverer; For the might of our God is for
ever with mercy, And the kingdom of our God is for ever over the nations in judgement. 5.
Thou, O Lord, didst choose David (to be) king over Israel, And swaredst to him touching
his seed that never should his kingdom fail before Thee. 6. But, for our sins, sinners
rose up against us; They assailed us and thrust us out; What Thou hadst not promised to
them, they took away (from us) with violence. 7. They in no wise glorified Thy honourable
name; They set a (worldly) monarchy in place of (that which was) their excellency;

8. They laid waste the throne of David in tumultuous arrogance. But Thou, O God, didst
cast them down, and remove their seed from the earth, 9. In that there rose up against
them a man that was alien to our race. 10. According to their sins didst Thou recompense
them, O God; So that it befell them according to their deeds. 11. God showed them no pity;
He sought out their seed and let not one of them go free. 12. Faithful is the Lord in all
His judgements Which He doeth upon the earth. 13. The lawless one laid waste our land so
that none inhabited it, They destroyed young and old and their children together. 14. In
the heat of His anger He sent them away even unto the west, And (He exposed) the rulers of
the land unsparingly to derision. 15. Being an alien the enemy acted proudly, And his
heart was alien from our God.

16. – 21. And all... Jerusalem, As also the nations... And the children of the covenant in
the midst of the mingled peoples... There was not among them one that wrought in the midst
of Jerusalem mercy and truth. They that loved the synagogues of the pious fled from them,
As sparrows that fly from their nest. They wandered in deserts that their lives might be
saved from harm, And precious in the eyes of them that lived abroad was any that escaped
alive from them. Over the whole earth were they scattered by lawless (men). For the
heavens withheld the rain from dropping upon the earth, Springs were stopped (that sprang)
perennial(ly) out of the deeps, (that ran down) from lofty mountains. For there was none
among them that wrought righteousness and justice; From the chief of them to the least (of
them) all were sinful; 22. The king was a transgressor, and the judge disobedient, and the
people sinful. Behold, O Lord, and raise up unto them their king, the son of David, At the
time in the which Thou seest, O God, that he may reign over Israel Thy servant. And gird
him with strength, that he may shatter unrighteous rulers, 23. – 26. And that he may purge
Jerusalem from nations that trample (her) down to destruction. Wisely, righteously he
shall thrust out sinners from (the) inheritance, He shall destroy the pride of the sinner
as a potter’s vessel. With a rod of iron he shall break in pieces all their substance, 27.
– 29. He shall destroy the godless nations with the word of his mouth; At his rebuke
nations shall flee before him, And he shall reprove sinners for the thoughts of their
heart. And he shall gather together a holy people, whom he shall lead in righteousness,
And he shall judge the tribes of the people that has been sanctified by the Lord his God.
And he shall not suffer unrighteousness to lodge any more in their midst, Nor shall there
dwell with them any man that knoweth wickedness,

30. For he shall know them, that they are all sons of their God. And he shall divide them
according to their tribes upon the land, 31. And neither sojourner nor alien shall sojourn
with them any more. He shall judge peoples and nations in the wisdom of his righteousness.
Selah. 32. And he shall have the heathen nations to serve him under his yoke; And he shall
glorify the Lord in a place to be seen of (?) all the earth; 33. And he shall purge
Jerusalem, making it holy as of old: 34. So that nations shall come from the ends of the
earth to see his glory, Bringing as gifts her sons who had fainted, 35. And to see the
glory of the Lord, wherewith God hath glorified her. And he (shall be) a righteous king,
taught of God, over them, 36. And there shall be no unrighteousness in his days in their
midst, For all shall be holy and their king the anointed of the Lord.

37. For he shall not put his trust in horse and rider and bow, Nor shall he multiply for
himself gold and silver for war, Nor shall he gather confidence from (?) a multitude (?)
for the day of battle. 38. The Lord Himself is his king, the hope of him that is mighty
through (his) hope in God. All nations (shall be) in fear before him, 39. For he will
smite the earth with the word of his mouth for ever. 40. He will bless the people of the
Lord with wisdom and gladness, 41. And he himself (will be) pure from sin, so that he may
rule a great people. He will rebuke rulers, and remove sinners by the might of his word;
42. And (relying) upon his God, throughout his days he will not stumble; For God will make
him mighty by means of (His) holy spirit, And wise by means of the spirit of
understanding, with strength and righteousness.

43. And the blessing of the Lord (will be) with him: he will be strong and stumble not;
44. His hope (will be) in the Lord: who then can prevail against him? (He will be) mighty
in his works, and strong in the fear of God, 45. (He will be) shepherding the flock of the
Lord faithfully and righteously, And will suffer none among them to stumble in their
pasture. 46. – 48. He will lead them all aright, And there will be no pride among them
that any among them should be oppressed. This (will be) the majesty of the king of Israel
whom God knoweth; He will raise him up over the house of Israel to correct him. His words
(shall be) more refined than costly gold, the choicest; In the assemblies he will judge
the peoples, the tribes of the sanctified. 49. His words (shall be) like the words of the
holy ones in the midst of sanctified peoples.

50. Blessed be they that shall be in those days, In that they shall see the good fortune
of Israel which God shall bring to pass in the gathering together of the tribes. 51. May
the Lord hasten His mercy upon Israel! May He deliver us from the uncleanness of unholy
enemies! The Lord Himself is our king for ever and ever.

PSALM 18: A PSALM. OF SOLOMON. AGAIN OF THE ANOINTED OF THE LORD

1. Lord, Thy mercy is over the works of Thy hands for ever; Thy goodness is over Israel
with a rich gift. 2. Thine eyes look upon them, so that none of them suffers want; 3.
Thine ears listen to the hopeful prayer of the poor. Thy judgements (are executed) upon
the whole earth in mercy; 4. And Thy love (is) toward the seed of Abraham, the children of
Israel. Thy chastisement is upon us as (upon) a first-born, only-begotten son, 5. To turn
back the obedient soul from folly (that is wrought) in ignorance. 6. May God cleanse
Israel against the day of mercy and blessing, Against the day of choice when He bringeth
back His anointed. 7. Blessed shall they be that shall be in those days, In that they
shall see the goodness of the Lord which He shall perform for the generation that is to
come,

8. Under the rod of chastening of the Lord’s anointed in the fear of his God, In the
spirit of wisdom and righteousness and strength; 9. That he may direct (every) man in the
works of righteousness by the fear of God, That he may establish them all before the Lord,
A good generation (living) in the fear of God in the days of mercy. 10. 11. Selah. Great
is our God and glorious, dwelling in the highest. 12. (It is He) who hath established in
(their) courses the lights (of heaven) for determining seasons from year to year, And they
have not turned aside from the way which He appointed them. 13. In the fear of God (they
pursue) their path every day, From the day God created them and for evermore. 14. And they
have erred not since the day He created them. Since the generations of old they have not
withdrawn from their path, Unless God commanded them (so to do) by the command of His
servants.


THE PSALMS OF SOLOMON (SYRIAC VERSION)
======================================

THE PSALMS OF SOLOMON (SYRIAC VERSION) Translated by J. Rendel Harris and Alphonse Mingana

1st century BC

The Syriac version of the Psalms of Solomon, which the manuscript prints after the Odes,
in the Harris and Mingana translation with notes; the usual Greek numbering is given in
italics.

PSALM 1 (SYRIAC PSALM 43)

(1) I cried unto the Lord when I was in affliction at my end; and to God when sinners set
upon me: (2) for suddenly there was heard before me the sound of war: for He will hear me
because I am filled with righteousness. (3) And I reckoned in my heart that I was filled
with righteousness; in the day that I became rich and was with the multitude of (my)
children. (4) Their wealth, however, has been given to the whole earth: and their glory as
far as the ends of the earth. (5) And they were lifted high as the stars: and they said
(6) that they will not fall, and they were insolent in their good things, and they spake
without knowledge. (7) For their sins were in secret and I knew them not: (8) and their
wickedness had exceeded that of the nations that had been before them: and they defiled
the sanctuary of the Lord with pollution.

PSALM 2 (SYRIAC PSALM 44)

(1) In the insolence of the sinful man, he cast down with battering rams the strong walls,
and thou didst not restrain him. (2) And the Gentile foreigners went up on thy altar, and
were XLIV] trampling on it with their shoes in their insolence. (3) For the children of
Jerusalem had polluted the Holy House of the Lord: and they were profaning the offerings
to God with wickedness. (4) Wherefore He said, Remove them, cast them away from me. And He
did not establish with them the beauty of His glory; (5) it was rejected before the Lord:
and it was utterly torn in pieces. (6) Her sons and her daughters were in bitter
captivity, and on their neck was put the sealed yoke of the Gentiles: (7) According to
their sins so He dealt with them: for He suffered them to pass into the hand of him that
was stronger than they. (8) For He turned away His face from His mercy: young men and old
men and their children together; (9) because they also had worked evil together, that they
might not hearken unto me. (10) And the heaven was mightily angered, and the earth
rejected them: (11) because none in (the earth) had done therein like their doings; (12)
and that the earth may know all thy righteous judgements, O God. (13) They set up the sons
of Jerusalem for mockery within her, in the place of harlots; and every one that
transgressed was transgressing as if before the sun: while they made sport in their
villainies as they were used to do. (14) In the face of the sun they made show of their
villainies. And the daughters of Jerusalem were polluted according to thy judgements; (15)
for they had polluted themselves in lustful intercourse. My belly and my bowels are in
pain over these things. (16) But I will justify thee, O Lord, in the uprightness of my
heart; because in thy judgements is thy righteousness, O God. (17) For thou dost reward
sinful men according to their deeds: and according to their wicked and bitter sins. (18)
Thou didst disclose

their sins, in order that thy judgement might be known. (19) And Thou didst not blot out
their remembrance from the earth. God is a judge and righteous, and accepteth no man's
person. (20) For the Gentiles reproached Jerusalem in their wickedness, and her beauty was
cut off from the throne of His glory. (21) And she was covered with sackcloth instead of
beauteous raiment: and there was a rope on her head instead of a crown. (22) She cast off
from her the dazzling glory which God had put upon her; (23) and in contempt her beauty
was cast away on the ground. (24) And I beheld and I besought the face of the Lord, and I
said, Enough! Thou hast made Thy hand heavy. O Lord, upon Israel, by the bringing in of
the Gentiles; (25) for they have mocked and not pitied, in anger; (26) and in reproach
they are consumed, unless thou, O Lord, shalt restrain them in thy wrath. (27) For it is
not in zeal that they did (this), but in the lust of the soul: (28) That they might pour
out their wrath upon us in plundering us. But thou, O Lord, delay not to recompense them
upon their own heads; (29) to cast down the pride of the dragon to contempt. (30) And I
delayed not until the Lord showed me his insolence smitten on the mountains of Egypt: and
despised more than him that is least (honoured) on land and sea:

(31) and his body coming on the waves in much contempt, and none to bury (him). (32)
Because he had rejected Him with scorn, for he did not consider that he is a man. And the
end he did not regard. (33) For he said, I will be the Lord of land and sea: and he knew
not that the Lord is God, great, mighty, and powerful, (34) and He is King over Heaven and
over Earth: and He judges kingdoms and princes, (35) He who raiseth me up in glory and
layeth low the proud for destruction, not for a time but for ever, in contempt; because
they knew Him not. (36) And now behold, ye great ones of the earth, the judgement of the
Lord, for He is a righteous King, and judges what is under the whole Heaven. (37) Bless ye
the Lord, ye who fear the Lord reverently; for the mercies of the Lord are on them that
fear Him with judgement, (38) to separate between the righteous and the sinful, and to
reward the sinful for ever according to their deeds—(39) and to be gracious to the
righteous after their oppression by sinners: and to reward the sinful for what he has done
to the righteous: (40) because the Lord is kind to those that call upon Him in patience,
to do according to His mercy to His saints: so as to stand before Him at all times in
strength. (41) Blessed is the Lord for ever by His servants.

PSALM 3 (SYRIAC PSALM 45)

(1) Why sleepest thou, my soul, and dost not bless the Lord? (2) Sing a new song to God
and keep vigil in His watch. For a Psalm is good (to sing) to God out of a good heart. (3)
The righteous will ever make mention of the Lord: in confession and in righteousness are
the judgements of the Lord. (4) The righteous will never neglect when he is chastened by
the Lord: because his will is always before the Lord. (5) The righteous stumbles and
justifies God: he falls and I wait what the Lord will do to him. (6) And he looks to see
from whence his salvation comes. (7) The stability of the righteous is from God their
Saviour: for in the house of the righteous there does not lodge sin upon sin; (8) because
he always visits the house of the righteous to remove the sins of his transgressions. (9)
And he delivers his soul, in whatever he has sinned without knowledge, by fasting and
humiliation; (10) and the Lord purifies every holy man and his house. (11) But the sinner
stumbleth and curseth his own life, and the day in which he was born: and the birth-pangs
of his mother; (12) and he adds sin upon sin to his life: (13) he falls, and because his
fall is grievous, he rises not again: for the destruction of the sinner is for ever. (14)
And he will not remember Him when He visits the righteous. (15) This is the portion of
sinners for ever. (16) But those who fear the Lord shall rise to eternal life: and their
life shall be in the light of the Lord, and (their life) shall not fail any more.
(Hallelujah).

PSALM 4 (SYRIAC PSALM 46)

Psalms of Solomon IV.

(1) Why sittest thou, O wicked man, in the congregation of the righteous, and thy heart is
far removed from God; and by thy wickedness thou provokest to anger the God of Israel, (2)
exceedingly by thy words and exceedingly by thy outward signs more than all men? He who is
severe in his words in his condemnation of sinners in judgement, (3) and his hand is the
first to be on him, as though (he acted) in zeal: and he is guilty himself of all kinds
XLVI] of sinful crimes. (4) His eyes are on every woman immodestly and his tongue lies
when he answers with oaths. (5) In the night and in the darkness as if he were not seen;
by his eyes he talketh with every woman in the cunning of wickedness: (6) and he is quick
to go into every house with joy as if he had no wickedness. (7) God shall move those who
judge with respect of persons: but He lives with the upright, in the corruption of his
body and in the poverty of his life. (8) God will disclose the deeds of those who are men-
pleasers: in scorn and derision are his works. (9) And let the saints justify the
judgement of their God, when the wicked shall be removed from before the righteous. (10)
The accepter of persons who talks law with guile, (11) and his eyes are on a house,
quietly like a serpent, to dispel the wisdom of each one by words of villainy: (12) his
words are with an evil intent, with a view to the working of the lust of wickedness: (13)
and he does not remove until he has scattered in bereavement, and has desolated the house
because of his sinful lust: (14) and he supposes in his words that there is none that sees
and judges: (15) and he is filled with this sinfulness; and his eyes are on another house
to devastate it with words of prodigality; and his soul is, like Sheol, never satisfied.

(16) For all these things, let his portion O Lord, be before thee in dishonour; let his
going out be with groans and his coming in with curses: (17) in pains, and in poverty, and
in destitution, O Lord, let his life be: let his sleep be in anguish, and his waking in
vexation: (18) let sleep be removed from his eyelids by night: let him fall from every
work of his hands in dishonour, (19) and let him enter his house empty-handed, and let his
house be destitute of everything that can satisfy his soul: (20) and from his offspring
let not one draw near unto him: (21) let the flesh of the hypocrites be scattered by wild
beasts: and the bones of the wicked (lie) before the sun in dishonour: (22) let the raven
pick out the eyes of those who are men-pleasers. (23) Because they have laid waste many
houses of men in dishonour: and have scattered them in lust: (24) and they remembered not
God; nor feared God in all these things; (25) and they provoked God, and He was angered to
destroy them from the earth: because with crafty intent they had played the hypocrite with
innocent souls. (26) Blessed are they that fear the Lord in their innocency: (27) and the
Lord will save them from all the cunning and wicked men; and he will redeem us from every
stumbling-block of the wicked.

(28) God has destroyed all them that work fraud with pride, for a strong judge is the Lord
our God in righteousness. (29) Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon all them that love thee.

PSALM 5 (SYRIAC PSALM 47)

Psalms of Solomon V. (1) O Lord my God, I will praise thy name with exultation, amongst
those that know thy righteous judgements. (2) For thou art gracious and merciful, and the
place of refuge of the poor. (3) When I cry unto thee, be not thou silent unto me. (4) For
one does not take spoil from the strong man. (5) Or who will take aught from what thou
hast made unless thou give it to him? (6) Because he is man, and his portion is before
thee in the balance: and he shall not add aught to better it apart from thy judgement, O
God. (7) In our afflictions, we call thee to our help: and thou hast not turned away our
petition: for thou art our XLVII] God. (8) Delay not thou thy hand from us lest we be
strengthened to sin: (9) and turn not away thy face from us, lest we remove away from
thee: and to thee we will come: (10) for if I should be hungry, O Lord, unto thee will I
cry, O God: and thou wilt bestow. (11) For the fowl and the fish thou dost feed. When thou
givest rain in the desert to cause the grass to spring up, (12) to prepare food in the
wilderness for every living thing, and if they shall be hungry, unto thee will they lift
up their faces: (13) kings and rulers and peoples thou dost provide for, O God: and the
hope of the poor and the miserable, who is it except thyself, O Lord? (14) And thou wilt
answer him because thou art kind and gentle: and his soul shall be satisfied when thou
openest thy hand in mercy: (15) for the kindness of a man is with parsimony, to-day and
to-morrow; and if it should be that he repeats his gift and does not grumble, he is
wonderful. (16) But thy bounty is plenteous in kindness and in wealth; and there is no
expectation towards thee that He will be sparing in gifts. (17) For over all the earth is
thy mercy, O Lord, in kindness. (18) Blessed is the man whom the Lord shall remember in
poverty: for that a man should exceed his measure (means that) he will sin. (19)
Sufficient is a low estate with righteousness (20) For those that fear the Lord are
pleased with good things: and thy grace is on Israel in thy kingdom. (21) Blessed be the
glory of the Lord, for He is our King.

PSALM 6 (SYRIAC PSALM 48)

Psalms of Solomon VI. (1) Blessed is the man whose heart is prepared to call upon the name
of the Lord: (2) and when he shall remember the name of the Lord, he will be saved. (3)
His ways are directed from before the Lord: and the works of his hands are preserved by
his God. (4) And 'in' the evil vision of the night his soul shall not be moved: because he
is His: (5) and his soul shall not be affrighted in the passing through the rivers and in
the tumult of the seas. (6) For he rose from his sleep and praised the name of the Lord:
(7) and in the quietness of his heart he praised the name of the Lord and he made request
from the face of the Lord concerning all his house. (8) And the Lord hears the prayer of
every one that is in His fear, and every petition of the soul that trusts in Him; and the
Lord fulfils it. (9) Blessed is He who doeth mercy upon them that love Him in truth.

PSALM 7 (SYRIAC PSALM 49)

Psalms of Solomon VII. (1) Remove not thy tabernacle from us, O God, lest those rise up
against us who hated us without a cause: (2) for thou hast put them away, O God, that
their foot may not tread the inheritance of thy sanctuary. (3) Thou in thy good pleasure
chasten me, and deliver us not over to the Gentiles. (4) For if thou shouldest send death,
it is thou who givest it command against us: (5) for thou art the merciful one, and wilt
not be angry so as to consume us utterly. (6) For because of thy name that encamps amongst
us, mercies shall be upon us: and the Gentiles shall not be able to prevail against us.
(7) For thou art our strength: we will call upon thee and thou wilt answer us: (8) for
thou wilt be gracious XLIX-L] to the seed of Israel for ever, and thou wilt not forget
him. (9) Establish us in the time of thy help to show favour to the house of Jacob in the
day that is prepared for them.

PSALM 8 (SYRIAC PSALM 50)

Psalms of Solomon VIII. (1) Distress and the sound of war mine ears have heard, the sound
of the trumpet and the noise of slaughter and destruction: (2) the sound of much people
like a mighty and frequent wind: like the tempest of fire which comes over the wilderness.
(3) And I said to my heart: Where will [God] judge him? (4) And I heard a sound in
Jerusalem the Holy City. (5) The bonds of my loins were loosed at the report (6) and my
knees trembled and my bones were moved like flax. (7) And I said, they will make straight
paths in righteousness, and I remembered the judgements of the Lord, from the creation of
the heaven and the earth: and I justified God in all his judgements from the beginning.
(8) But God lay bare their sins before the sun: and to all the earth were known the
righteous judgements of the Lord. (9) For in the secret places of the earth were they
doing evil; (10) the son had connexion with the mother and the father with the daughters:
(11) and all of them committed adultery with their neighbours' wives: and they made them
solemn covenants among themselves concerning these things: (12) they were plundering the
Holy House of God, as if there were none to inherit and to deliver. (13) And they were
treading His sanctuary in all their pollutions,

and in the time of their separation they polluted the sacrifices, as common meat: (14) and
they left no sins which they did not commit, and even worse than the Gentiles. (15) For
this cause God mingled for them a spirit of error, and caused them to drink an unmixed cup
of drunkenness: (16) He brought him from the other side of the world, the one that
afflicts grievously: (17) and he decrees war against Jerusalem and against her land: (18)
and the judges of the land met him with joy: and they said to him: Thy path shall be
ordered, come, enter in peace. (19) They levelled the rough paths for his entering: they
opened the doors against Jerusalem: and they crowned her walls. (20) And he entered like a
father into the house of his children in peace: and he set his feet 'there' in great
firmness: (21) and they took possession of the towers and walls of Jerusalem. (22) For God
brought him in assurance against their error. (23) And they destroyed their princes,
because he was cunning in counsel: and they poured out the blood of the dwellers in
Jerusalem like the water of uncleanness: (24) and he carried off their sons and their
daughters, who had been (born) in pollution, (25) and had wrought their pollution even as
also their fathers had done. (26) And Jerusalem defiled even those things that were
consecrated to the name of God: (27) and God was justified in his judgements upon the
nations of the earth, (28) and the saints of God were as innocent lambs in their midst.
(29) God is to be praised who judges all the earth in His righteousness. (30) Behold, O
God, thou hast shown us 'thy judgement' in thy righteousness, (31) and our eyes have seen
thy judgements, O God; and we have justified thy name that is honoured for ever.

L-LI] (32) For thou art a God of righteousness: who judgest Israel with chastening. (33)
Turn thy mercy towards us and be gracious to us: (34) and gather the dispersion of Israel,
in mercy and in kindness: (35) for thy faithfulness is with us: and we are stiff-necked
and thou art our chastener: (36) do not desert us, O our God! lest the Gentiles should
swallow us up, as though there were none to deliver: (37) and thou art our God from the
beginning, and upon thee is our hope, O Lord: (38) and we will not depart from thee, for
thy judgements are good; (39) and upon us and upon our children is thy good will for ever,
O Lord God, Our Saviour, and we will not be shaken again for ever. (40) The Lord is to be
praised for His judgements by the mouth of His saints: (41) and blessed is Israel from the
Lord for evermore.

PSALM 9 (SYRIAC PSALM 51)

Psalms of Solomon IX.

(1) When Israel went forth into captivity to a strange land, because they departed from
the Lord their Saviour: (2) then were they cast out from the inheritance that God gave
them: amongst all the Gentiles was the dispersion of Israel according to the word of God,
(3) that thou mightest be justified, O God, in thy righteousness over our wickedness: (4)
for thou art a just judge over all the peoples of the earth. (5) For there will not be
hidden from thy knowledge any one who doeth wickedness: (6) and the righteousness of thy
upright ones, O Lord, is before thee. And where shall a man be hidden from thy knowledge,
O God? (7) For we work by freewill and the choice of our own souls to do either [LI-1.1]
good or evil by the work of our hands: (8) and in thy righteousness thou dost visit the
children of men. (9) For he who does righteousness lays up a treasure of life with the
Lord: and he who does wickedness incurs judgement upon his soul in perdition.

(10) For His judgements are in righteousness upon every man and his house. (11) For with
whom will the Lord deal graciously unless with them that call upon the Lord? (12) For he
purifies the sins of the soul by confession, (13) because shame is on us and our faces
because of all these things. (14) For to whom will He remit sins except to those that have
sinned? (15) For the righteous thou dost bless, and dost not reprove them for any of their
sins; for thy grace is on those that have sinned when they have repented. (16) And now,
thou art our God, and we are thy people whom thou hast loved: behold, and have mercy, O
God of Israel; for thine we are: remove not thy compassions from us, lest the Gentiles
should set upon us; (17) for thou hast chosen the seed of Abraham rather than all the
Gentiles, (18) and thou hast put on us thy Name, O Lord: and thou wilt not remove for
ever. (19) Thou didst surely covenant with our Fathers concerning us; and we hope in thee
in the repentance of our souls. (20) The mercies over the house of Israel are of the Lord
now and evermore.

PSALM 10 (SYRIAC PSALM 52)

Psalms of Solomon X. (1) Blessed is the man whom God remembered with reproof: and He has
restrained from him the way of evil by stripes: so as to be purified from his sin, that it
may not abound. (2) For he who prepares his loins for beating shall also be purified: for
He is good to those that receive chastening. (3) For the way of the righteous is straight,
and chastisement does not turn it aside. (4) For the face of the Lord is upon them that
love Him in truth, and the Lord will remember His servants in mercy. (5) For the testimony
is in the law of the everlasting covenant; the testimony of the Lord is in the ways of the
children of men, by 'His' visitations. (6) Righteous and upright is our God in all His
judgements, and Israel will praise the Name of the Lord with joy. (7) And the saints shall
give thanks in the congregation of the People: and on the poor the Lord will have mercy in
the gladness of Israel. (8) For the Lord is kind and merciful for ever: and the
congregations of Israel shall praise the Name of the Lord. (9) For of the Lord is the
salvation upon the house of Israel, unto the everlasting kingdom.

PSALM 11 (SYRIAC PSALM 53)

Psalms of Solomon XI.

(1) Blow ye 'the trumpet' in Zion, the well-known trumpet of the saints: (2) proclaim in
Jerusalem the voice of the heralds, because God is merciful to Israel in His visitation.
(3) Stand up on high Jerusalem, and behold thy children, who are all being gathered from
the east and the west by the Lord: (4) and from the north they come to the joy of their
God: and from the far-away islands God gathered them. (5) Lofty mountains has He humbled
and made plain before them: and the hills fled away before their entrance: (6) the cedars
He caused to shelter them as they passed by: and every tree of sweet odour God made to
breathe upon them: (7) in order that Israel might pass by in the visitation of the glory
of their God. (8) O Jerusalem, put on the garments of thy glory; and make ready thy robe
of holiness. For God has spoken good things to Israel now and ever. (9) May the Lord do
what He hath spoken concerning Israel: and concerning Jerusalem: may the Lord raise up
Israel in the name of His glory. May the mercies of the Lord be upon Israel now and
evermore.

PSALM 12 (SYRIAC PSALM 54)

Psalms of Solomon XII. (1) O Lord, save my soul from the perverse and wicked man, and from
the whispering and transgressing tongue, that spake lies and deceit. (2) For in the
(cunning) response of his words is the tongue of the transgressor of the law: for he shows
like one whose deeds are fair, and kindles fire among the people. (3) For his sojourning
is to fill (set fire to) houses by his lying talk: cutting down the trees of his delight
with the flame of his tongue that does lawlessly. (4) He has destroyed the houses of the
transgressors by war: and the slandering lips God has removed from the innocent, the lips
of the transgressors: and the bones of the slanderer shall be scattered far from those who
fear the Lord. (5) By flaming fire will be destroyed the slanderous tongue from LIV-LV]
among the upright, and their houses. (6) And the Lord shall preserve the soul of the
righteous which hateth them that are evil; and the Lord shall establish the man that makes
peace in the house of the Lord. (7) Of the Lord is salvation upon Israel his servant for
ever: (8) and the sinners shall perish together from before the face of the Lord: and the
saints of the Lord shall inherit the promises of the Lord.

PSALM 13 (SYRIAC PSALM 55)

Psalms of Solomon XIII. (1) The right hand of the Lord has covered us: the right hand of
the Lord has spared us: (2) and the arm of the Lord has saved me from the spear that goes
through and through, and from famine, and the pestilence of sinners. (3) Evil beasts ran
upon them: and with their teeth were tearing their flesh; and with their jaw-teeth were
breaking their bones. But us the Lord has delivered from all these things. (4) But the
wicked man was troubled on account of his transgressions: lest he should be broken along
with the evil men. (5) Because dread is the fall of the wicked: but the righteous not one
of these things shall touch. (6) For one cannot compare the chastening of the righteous
who have (sinned) ignorantly with the overthrow of evil men who (sin) knowingly. (7) For
the righteous is chastened so that the sinner will not exult over him. (8) For the
Righteous One will admonish him as His beloved son;

and his chastening is like that of the first-born: (9) for the Righteous One will spare
His saints, and their transgressions He will blot out by (His) chastisements. For the life
of the righteous is for ever. (10) But sinners shall be cast into perdition: and their
memorial shall no more be found. (11) But upon the saints shall be the mercy of the Lord.
He will cherish all them that fear Him.

PSALM 14 (SYRIAC PSALM 56)

Psalms of Solomon XIV. (1) The Lord is faithful to them that love Him in truth: even to
them that abide His chastening: to them who walk in righteousness in His commandments: He
has given us the law for our life: (2) and the saints of the Lord shall live thereby for
ever. The Paradise of the Lord are the trees of life which are His saints: (3) and the
planting of them is sure for ever; nor shall they be rooted up all the days of the heaven.
For the portion of the Lord and His inheritance is Israel. (4) Not so are the sinners and
evil men, those who have loved a day in the participation of sin: for in the brevity of
wickedness is their lust; (5) and they did not remember God; that the ways of the children
of men are open before Him continually: and the secrets of the heart He knoweth before
they come to pass: (6) therefore their inheritance is Sheol and Perdition and Darkness:
and in the day of mercy upon the righteous they shall not be found. (7) For the saints of
the Lord shall inherit life in delight.

LVII]

PSALM 15 (SYRIAC PSALM 57)

Psalms of Solomon XV.

(1) In my affliction I called on the name of the Lord, and for my help I called on the God
of Jacob: and I was delivered. (2) Because thou, O God, art the hope and refuge of the
poor. (3) For who that is strong will praise thee in truth? (4) And what is the strength
of a man except that he should praise thy name? (5) A new song with the voice in the
delight of the heart: the fruit of the lips with the instrument attuned to the tongue: the
firstfruits of the lips from a heart that is holy and just. (6) No one that doeth these
things shall ever be moved by evil: the flame of fire and the anger of sinners shall not
touch them, (7) when it goeth forth against the sinners from before the Most High to root
up all the roots of sinners: (8) because the sign of the Lord is upon the righteous for
their salvation: death and the spear and famine shall remove from the righteous; (9) for
they shall flee from them as death flees from life: but they shall pursue after the wicked
and catch them: and those who do evil shall not escape from the judgement of the Lord: for
they will get before them like skilled warriors: (10) for the sign of destruction is upon
their faces, (11) and the inheritance of sinners is Perdition and Darkness: and their
iniquity shall pursue them down to the lower hell. (12) And their inheritance shall not be
found by their children: (13) for their sins shall lay waste the houses of sinners: and
sinners shall perish for ever in the day of the Lord's judgement, (14) When God shall
visit the earth in His judgement. (15) And upon those who fear the Lord there shall be
mercy therein; and they shall live in the compassion of our God: and sinners shall perish
unto eternity.

PSALM 16 (SYRIAC PSALM 58)

Psalms of Solomon XVI.

(1) When my soul declined a little from the Lord, I had almost been in the lapses of the
sleep of destruction; and when I was far away from the Lord, (2) my soul had almost been
poured out to death, hard by the gates of Sheol along with the sinners: (3) and when my
soul separated from the God of Israel, unless the Lord had helped me by His mercy which is
for ever! (4) He pricked me, like the spur of the horse, according to His watchfulness: my
Saviour and Helper at all times is He: He saved me. (5) I will praise thee, O God, because
thou hast helped me with thy salvation: and hast not reckoned me with sinners for
destruction. (6) Withdraw not thy mercy from me, O God: and let not the remembrance of
thee remove from my heart until I die: (7) save me, O God, from the wicked and sinful
woman and from every wicked woman who sets traps for the simple: (8) and let not the
beauty of a wicked woman cause me to slip, nor any sin that is, (9) and establish the work
of my hands before thee: and preserve my walk in the remembrance of thee. (10) My tongue
and my lips in words of truth do thou establish; anger and unreasonable passion, (11)
grumbling and little-mindedness in affliction do thou remove from me: for if I shall sin
when thou hast chastened me, it is for repentance: (12) but by the good will of joy
establish my soul: and when thou shalt strengthen my soul whatever has been given shall be
sufficient for me: (13) for if thou strengthenest me not, who can endure thy chastening in
poverty? (14) For a soul shall be reproved in his flesh and by the affliction of his
poverty: (15) and when a righteous man shall endure these things, mercy shall be upon him
from the Lord.

PSALM 17 (SYRIAC PSALM 59)

Psalms of Solomon XVII. (1) O Lord, thou art our King, now and for ever: for in thee, O
God, our soul shall glory. (2) And what is the life of man upon earth? For according to
his time, so also is his hope. (3) But we hope on God our Saviour: for the empire of our
God is for ever according to mercy: (4) and the kingdom of our God is over the Gentiles
for ever with judgement. (5) Thou, O Lord, didst choose David for king over Israel: and
thou didst swear to him concerning his seed, that their kingdom should not be removed from
before thee. (6) But for our sins sinners rose up against us: and they set upon us and
removed me far away: those to whom thou gavest no command have taken by violence, (7) and
have not glorified thy honourable Name with praises: and they have set up a kingdom
instead of that which was their pride. (8) They laid waste the throne of David in the
exultation of their change. But thou wilt overthrow them and wilt remove their seed from
the earth: (9) even when there shall rise up against them a man that was a stranger to our
race. (10) According to their sins thou wilt reward them, O God: and it shall befall them
according to their works. (11) And thou wilt not have mercy upon them, O God. Uproot their
seed, and do not leave a single one of them.

(12) The Lord is faithful in all His judgements which He has done upon the earth. (13) The
wicked man has devastated our land, so that there is none to dwell therein. They have
destroyed both young and old and their children together. (14) In the splendour of his
wrath he sent them away to the West, and the princes of the land to mockery without
sparing. (15) In his foreign way the enemy exults, and his heart is alien from our God.
(16) And Jerusalem did all things according as the Gentiles did in their cities to their
gods. (17) And the children of the Covenant took hold of them in the midst of the mingled
Gentiles: and there was none amongst them that did mercy and truth in Jerusalem. (18) They
that love the assemblies of the saints fled away from them: and they fled like sparrows
who fly from their nests: (19) and they were wandering in the wilderness, in order to save
their souls from evil: and precious in their eyes was the sojourning with them of any soul
that was saved from them. (20) Over all the earth they were scattered by the wicked.
Therefore were the heavens restrained that they should not send down rain upon the earth,
(21) and the everlasting fountains were restrained, both (from) the abysses, and from the
lofty mountains: because there was none among them who did righteousness and judgement:
from their ruler to the lowest of them they were in every sin.

(22) The king was in transgression and the judge in provocation of wrath, and the people
in sin. (23) Behold, O Lord, and raise up to them their King, the Son of David, according
to the time which thou seest. O God: and let Him reign over Israel thy servant, (24) and
strengthen him with power that He may humble the sinful rulers: (25) and may purify
Jerusalem from the Gentiles who trample her down to destruction, (26) so as to destroy the
wicked from thy inheritance: and to break their pride like the potter's vessel: to break
with LIX] a rod of iron all their firmness: (27) to destroy the sinful Gentiles with the
word of His mouth: at His rebuke the Gentiles shall flee from before His face: and to
reprimand sinners by the word of their heart: (28) that He may gather together a holy
people who shall exult in righteousness: and may judge the tribes of the people whom the
Lord His God sanctifies: (29) and He shall not any more suffer sin to lodge among them;
and no more shall dwell amongst them the man that knoweth evil. (30) For He knoweth them
that they are all the children of God, and He shall divide them according to their tribes
upon the earth: (31) and the sojourner and the foreigner shall not dwell with them: for He
will judge the Gentiles and the peoples in the wisdom of His righteousness: (32) and He
shall possess a people from among the Gentiles: that it may serve Him under His yoke: and
may praise the Lord openly over all the earth: (33) and He shall purify Jerusalem in
holiness, as it was of old time: (34) that the Gentiles may come from the ends of the
earth to behold His glory: bringing gifts to her sons who were scattered from her, (35)
and to see the glory of the Lord, wherewith He hath glorified her: and He, the righteous
King, taught of God, is over them:

(36) and there is no wicked person in His days amongst them, because they are all
righteous and their King is the Lord Messiah: (37) for He will not trust on horse nor on
his rider; nor on the bow: nor shall He multiply to himself gold and silver for war: nor
shall He rely on a multitude in the day of war: (38) for the Lord is His King: His hope
and His strength are in the hope of God, and He will have compassion (over all... (39) for
He will smite the earth with the word of His mouth for ever: (40) and He will bless the
people of the Lord in... and delight (41) and He is pure... the head of a great people, to
(confute) the rulers and to destroy sinners by His word: (42) and He shall not be weakened
in His days from His God: because (God hath made Him powerful by His Holy Spirit) and wise
in the counsel of the prudent with strength and righteousness. (43) and with the blessing
of the Lord in Him, and (He shall not be weak). (His hope) is on his Lord and who shall
stand against Him? (44) For He is strengthened in His deeds, and is mighty in the fear of
His God: (45) feeding the flock of the Lord in righteousness and in faith; and He will not
suffer that any one... in His pasturage: (46) He will gather them with equality:

and pride shall not be found in them that it should rule over them. (47) This is the
beauty of the King of Israel... to raise him up over the house of Israel, to chasten him.
(48) His words are more choice than gold, and they are precious in the synagogues to
distinguish... from a holy people. (49) His words are like the words of the saints among a
holy people: (50) blessed are they who are in those days to see the good men of Israel in
the congregation of the people (which God will make), (51) to hasten His mercies upon
Israel, and to redeem us from the pollutions of the filthy Gentiles: for the Lord is our
King for ever.

PSALM 18 (SYRIAC PSALM 60)

(1) O Lord, thy mercy is upon the work of thy hands for ever: (2) and thy grace with a
rich gift upon Israel. (3) Thine eyes behold everything and there is nothing hid from
them. And thine ears hear the hope of.... Thy judgements are upon all the earth in mercy:
and thy love is upon the seed of Israel the son of Abraham. (Thy chastisement is) upon us
as upon an only firstborn son: to turn away the soul.... which is not instructed and
not.... (May God purify) Israel for the day in blessing for His mercy.... Caetera desunt.

A New Fragment of the Psalms of Solomon in Syriac

The first six verses of the third Psalm are quoted on the margin of a manuscript of the
Hymns of Severus, and it has been suggested that they represent a different translation of
the Psalm from that which occurs in our two manuscripts. The quotation is as follows (see
Hymns of Severus, ed. Brooks, Patr. Or. vii. 726, 727): . F f … Here then we have, as the
variations from our text show, either a revision of that text, or, more probably, as Prof.
Nau suggests, an independent rendering of the Greek. As the next quotation is from the
Wisdom of Solomon, and is introduced by the formula 'Again from the same' (fem.), it is
probable that the extract from the Psalms of Solomon was incorrectly referred to the
Wisdom of Solomon.


THE ODES OF SOLOMON
===================

THE ODES OF SOLOMON late 1st–2nd century

Forty-one of the forty-two Odes (the second is lost) in the Harris and Mingana translation
from the Syriac. Most are hymns of the believer’s joy in the Lord, the crown of truth,
baptism and the Spirit. The first Ode is known only from a quotation in the Coptic Pistis
Sophia.

ODE 1

1 The Lord is upon my head like a crown; And I shall not be without Him. 2 The crown of
truth was woven for me; And it caused thy branches to bud in me; 3 For it is not like a
withered crown that buddeth not: 4 But thou livest upon my head; And thou hast blossomed
upon my head: 5 Thy fruits are full-grown and perfect; They are full of thy salvation.
(Hallelujah.)

ODE 3

1 I clothe (them) with: 2 And (His) members are with Him, And on them do I hang; and He
loves me. 3 For I should not have known how to love the Lord, If He had not loved me. 4
For who is able to distinguish love, Except one that is loved? 5 I love the Beloved, and
my soul loves Him. And where His rest is, there also am I. 6 And I shall be no stranger
(there); For with the Lord Most High and Merciful, there is no grudging. 7 I have been
united (to Him), for the lover has found the Beloved: In order that I may love Him that is
the Son, I shall become a son. 8 For he that is joined to Him that is immortal, Will
himself also become immortal. 9 And He that hath pleasure in the Living One, Will become
living.

10 This is the Spirit of the Lord, which doth not lie, Which teacheth the sons of men to
know His ways. 11 Be wise and understanding and vigilant. Hallelujah.

ODE 4

1 No man, O my God, changeth thy holy place; Nor is (one able) to change it, and put it in
another place. 2a Because he hath no power over it; 2b For thy sanctuary Thou designedst
before thou didst make places: 3a That which is the elder shall not be changed by those
that are younger than itself: 3b Thou hast given thy heart, O Lord, to thy believers. 4
Thou wilt never fail, Nor wilt Thou be without fruits: 5 For one hour of thy Faith Is more
precious than all days and years. 6 For who is there that shall put on thy grace, and be
injured? 7 For thy seal is known: And thy creatures are known to it. 8 And the hosts
possess it: And the elect archangels are clad with it. 9 Thou hast given us thy
fellowship: It was not that thou wast in need of us;

But that we are in need of thee. 10 Distil thy dews upon us; And open thy rich fountains
that pour forth to us milk and honey. 11 For there is no repentance with thee: That thou
shouldest repent of anything that thou hast promised. 12 And the end was known to thee: 13
For what thou gavest, thou gavest freely: So that thou mayest not draw back and take them
again. 14 For all was known to thee as God; And set in order from the beginning before
thee: 15 And thou, O Lord, hast made all things. Hallelujah.

ODE 5

1 I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord; Because I love thee: 2 O Most High, do not thou
forsake me, For thou art my hope. 3 Freely I have received thy grace; I shall live
thereby. 4 My persecutors will come but let them not see me. 5 Let a cloud of darkness
fall on their eyes, And let an air of thick gloom darken them. 6 And let them have no
light to see, That they may take hold upon me. 7 Let their counsel become thick darkness:
And what they have cunningly devised, let it return upon their own heads. 8 For they have
devised a counsel, And it has come to nought. (Powerful as they were, they were overcome).
9 They have prepared themselves maliciously, And were found to be ineffective. 10 For my
hope is upon the Lord; And I will not fear: 11 And because the Lord is my salvation, I
will not fear.

12 And He is as a garland on my head, And I shall not be moved; 13 Even if everything
should be shaken, I stand firm: 14 And if (all) things visible should perish, I shall not
die; 15 Because the Lord is with me, And I am with Him. Hallelujah.

ODE 6

2 So speaks in my members the Spirit of the Lord, And I speak by His love. 3 For He
destroys what is foreign, And everything is of the Lord. 4 For thus He was from the
beginning, And (shall be) to the end. 5 That nothing should be His adversary, And nothing
should stand up against Him. 6 The Lord has multiplied His knowledge; And was zealous that
those things should be known which by His grace have been given to us. 7 And the praise of
His name He gave us: Our spirits praise His holy Spirit. 8 For there went forth a stream,
And became a river great and broad: It swept away everything, and broke up and carried
away the Temple. 9 And the restraints (made) by men were not able to restrain it, Nor the
arts of those whose (business it is to) restrain water.

10 For it spread over the face of the whole earth, And it filled everything. 11 All the
thirsty upon earth were given to drink (of it): And thirst was done away and quenched: 12
For from the Most High the draught was given. 13 Blessed then are the ministers of that
draught, Who have been entrusted with that water of His: 14 They have assuaged the dry
lips, And the will that had fainted they have raised up: 15 And souls that were near
departing They have held back from death: 16 And limbs that had fallen They have
straightened and set up: 17 They gave strength to their coming And light to their eyes. 18
For everyone knew them in the Lord, And they lived by the water an eternal life. John iv.
14. Hallelujah.

ODE 7

1 As is the motion of anger over evil, So is the motion of joy over the Beloved, And
brings in of its fruits without restraint. 2 My joy is the Lord, and my motion is towards
Him: This path of mine is excellent. 3 For I have a Helper, to the Lord. He hath shown
Himself to me without grudging in His simplicity; Because His kindness has minished His
greatness. 4 He became like me that I might receive Him. In similitude was He reckoned
like me, that I might put Him on. 5 And I trembled not when I saw Him; Because He was
gracious to me. 6 Like my nature He became, that I might learn Him. And like my form, that
I might not turn back from Him. 7 The Father of Knowledge Is the Word of Knowledge: 8 He
who created Wisdom Is wiser than His works:

9 And He who created me when yet I was not Knew what I should do when I came into being:
10 Wherefore He pitied me in His abundant grace And granted me to ask from Him and to
receive from His sacrifice; 11 For He it is that is incorrupt; The perfection of the
worlds and the Father of them. 12 He hath given Him to appear to them that are His; That
they may recognize Him that made them; And that they might not suppose that they came of
themselves. 13 For it is to Knowledge He hath appointed His way; He hath widened it and
extended it and brought it to all perfection. 14 And He set over it the traces of His
light; And it proceeded therein even from the beginning to the end. 15 For by Him He was
served, And He was pleased with the Son;

16 And because of His salvation He will take possession of everything; And the Most High
shall be known in His saints: 17 To announce to those that have songs of the coming of the
Lord That they may go forth to meet Him and may sing to Him, With joy and with the harp of
many tones. 18 The Seers shall go before Him, And they shall be seen before Him; 19 And
they shall praise the Lord in His love; Because He is near and seëth; 20 And hatred shall
be taken from the earth; And along with jealousy it shall be drowned: 21 For ignorance
hath been destroyed; Because the knowledge of the Lord hath arrived. 22 Let the Singers
sing the grace of the Lord Most High; And let them bring their songs; 23a And let their
heart be like the day, And like the excellent beauty of the Lord, their harmonies;

23b And let there be nothing without life, Nor without knowledge, nor dumb. 24 For (the
Lord) hath given a mouth to His creation, To open the voice of the mouth towards Him; and
to praise Him; 25 Confess ye His power; And show forth His grace. Hallelujah.

ODE 8

1 Open ye, open ye your hearts to the exultation of the Lord: And let your love abound
from the heart, and even to the lips: 2, Heb. xiii. 15. 2 To bring forth fruits to the
Lord, a holy life, And to talk watchfully in His light. 3 Rise up and stand erect, Ye who
were sometimes brought low; 4 Ye who were in silence, speak out, (Now) that your mouth
hath been opened. 5 Ye who were despised, be lifted up; Now that your righteousness has
been lifted up; 6 For the right hand of the Lord is with you; And He will be your helper.
7 And peace hath been prepared for you, Before ever your war happened. (Christ speaks.) 8
Hear the word of truth, And receive the knowledge of the Most High 9 Your flesh does not
know what I am saying to you; Nor your raiment what I am showing to you;

10 Keep my secret, ye who are kept by it; 11 Keep my faith, ye who are kept by it. 12 And
understand my knowledge, Ye who know me in truth: 13 Love me with affection, Ye who love:
14 For I do not turn away my face from them that are mine; For I know them. 15 Before they
came into being, I took knowledge of them, And on their faces I set my seal. 16 I
fashioned their members; My own breasts I prepared for them; That they might drink my holy
milk and live thereby. VIII] 17 I took pleasure in them, And I am not ashamed of them. 18
For my workmanship are they, And the strength of my thoughts: 19 Who then shall stand up
against my handywork? Or who is there that is not subject to them? 20 I willed, and
fashioned mind and heart; And they are mine. And by my own right hand I set my elect ones.

21 And my righteousness goeth before them; And they shall not be detached from my name:
For it is with them. (The Odist.) 22 Pray and abide continually in the love of the Lord;
Ye beloved ones, in the Beloved; And ye who are kept, in Him that lived (again); And ye
that are saved, in Him that was saved. 23 And ye shall be found incorrupt in all ages, To
the name of your Father. Hallelujah.

ODE 9

1 Open your ears; And I will speak to you. 2 Give me your souls; That I may also give you
my soul. 3 The Word of the Lord and His good pleasures, The holy thought that He has
thought concerning His Messiah. 4 For in the will of the Lord is your life; And His
intention is (your) everlasting life; And your end is incorruptible. 5a Be enriched in God
the Father, And receive the intention of the Most High; 5b Be strong and be redeemed by
His grace. 6 For I announce peace, to you His saints; That none of those who hear may fall
in war. 7 And that those who have known Him may not perish, And that those who receive
(Him) may not be ashamed. 8 An everlasting crown is Truth; Blessed are they who set it on
their heads: 9 A stone of great price (it is); And the wars were on account of the crown.

10 And righteousness hath taken it, And hath given it to you. 11 Put on the crown in the
true covenant of the Lord; And all those who have conquered shall be inscribed in His
book. 12 For their inscription is the victory, which is yours; And she (Victory) sees you
before her, and wills that you shall be saved. Hallelujah.

ODE 10

1 The Lord hath directed my mouth by His Word; And He hath opened my heart by His Light. 2
And He hath caused to dwell in me His deathless life; And gave me to speak the fruit of
His peace: 3 To convert the souls of those who are willing to come to Him; 18. And to lead
captive a good captivity for freedom. (Christ speaks.) 4 I was strengthened and made
mighty and took the world captive; And (the captivity) became to me for the praise of the
Most High and of God my Father. 5 And the Gentiles were gathered together who had been
scattered abroad: And I was unpolluted by my love (for them), Because they confessed me in
high places. 6 And the traces of the light were set upon their hearts; And they walked in
my life and were saved, And they became my people for ever and ever.

Hallelujah.

ODE 11

1 My heart was cloven and its flower appeared; And grace sprang up in it; And it brought
forth fruit to the Lord. 2 For the Most High clave (my heart) by His Holy Spirit, And
exposed towards Him my affection. And filled me with His love. 3 And His cleaving of (my
heart) became my salvation, And I ran in the way, in His peace, In the way of truth. 4
From the beginning and even to the end I received His knowledge. 5 And I was established
upon the rock of truth, Where He had set me up. 6 And speaking waters drew near my lips
From the fountain of the Lord plenteously. 7 And I drank and was inebriated With the
living water that doth not die; Cf. E hes. v. 17, 18. 8a And my inebriation was not one
without knowledge, 8b But I forsook vanity: 9 And I turned to the Most High my God, And I
was enriched by His bounty; 10 And I forsook the folly cast away over the earth; And I
stripped it off and cast it from me.

2. 11 And the Lord renewed me in His raiment, And possessed me by His light; 12 And from
above He gave me rest without corruption; And I became like the land which blossoms and
rejoices in its fruits: 13 And the Lord (was) like the sun (shining) upon the face of the
land; 14 My eyes were enlightened, And my face received the dew: XI] 15 And my nostrils
had the pleasure Of the pleasant odour of the Lord. 16 And He carried me into His
Paradise, Where is the abundance of the pleasure of the Lord; 17 And I worshipped the Lord
on account of His glory; 18 And I said, Blessed, O Lord, are they That are planted in thy
land, And that have a place in thy Paradise, 19 And that grow in the growth of thy trees;
And have changed from darkness to light. Cf. Ps. Sol xiv. 2.

20 Behold! all thy servants are fair, They who do good works, And turn away from
wickedness to thy pleasantness. 21 And they have turned away from themselves the
bitterness of the trees, When they were planted in thy land. Cf. Ephr. (R.E. iii. 588). 22
And everything became like a remembrance of thyself, And a memorial for ever of thy
faithful servants. 23 For there is abundant room in thy Paradise; And nothing is useless
therein: But everything is filled with fruit; Ephr. (R.E. iii. 584). 24 Glory be to thee,
O Lord, the delight of Paradise for ever. Hallelujah.

Critical Notes.

'for there is nothing there that is vain (or useless)'; he was speaking of Paradise, and
the quotation is unmistakable. As it stands we must translate: 'Glory to thee, O God, the
delight of Paradise for ever.' If, however, we imagine to have dropped after we have:
'Glory to thee, O God; with thee is the delight of Paradise for ever.' This is very near
to the Targum of Psalm xvi. 11: 'In thy right hand is delight for ever.'

ODE 12

1 He hath filled me with words of truth, That I may speak the same. 2 And like the flow of
waters, flows truth from my mouth, And my lips showed forth its fruits. 3 And it has
caused its knowledge to abound in me, Because the mouth of the Lord is the true Word, And
the door of His light; 4 And the Most High hath given Him to His Worlds. (Worlds) which
are the interpreters of His own beauty. And the repeaters of His praise, And the
confessors of His thought, And the heralds of His mind, And the instructors of His works.
5 For the swiftness of the Word is inexpressible (?) And like His expression (?) is His
swiftness and His sharpness: And His course has no limit. 6 Never (doth the Word) fall,
but ever it standeth; His descent and His way are incomprehensible. 7 For as His work is,
so is His limit; For He is the light and the dawn of thought.

8 And by Him the worlds spake one to the other: And those that were silent acquired
speech. 9 And from Him came love and concord; And they spake one to the other what they
had (to tell). 10 And they were stimulated by the Word, And they knew Him that made them,
Because they came into concord. 11 For the mouth of the Most High spake to them; And the
interpretation of Himself had its course by Him. 12 For the dwelling-place of the Word is
man, And His truth is love. 13 Blessed are they who by it have comprehended everything,
And who have known the Lord by His truth. Hallelujah.

ODE 13

1 Behold! the Lord is our mirror: Open your eyes and see them in Him. 2 And learn the
manner of your face; And tell forth praises to His Spirit: 3 And wipe off the filth from
your face; And love His holiness and clothe yourselves therewith: 4 And you will be
without stain at all times with Him. Hallelujah.

ODE 14

1 As the eyes of a son to his father, So are my eyes at all time towards thee, O Lord. 2
For with thee are my consolations and my delights. 3 Turn not away thy mercy from me, O
Lord: And take not thy kindness from me. 4 Stretch out to me, my Lord, at all times, thy
right hand; And be my guide even to the end, according to thy good pleasure. 5 Let me be
well-pleasing before thee, because of thy glory: And because of thy name let me be saved
from the Evil One. 6 And let thy gentleness, O Lord, abide with me, And the fruits of thy
love. 7 Teach me the Odes of thy truth That I may bring forth fruit in thee. 8 And open to
me the harp of thy Holy Spirit, That with all (its) notes I may praise thee, O Lord.

9 And according to the multitude of thy mercies So shalt thou give to me: And hasten to
grant our petitions. 10 And thou art able for all our needs. Hallelujah.

ODE 15

1 As the sun is the joy to them that seek for its daybreak So is my joy the Lord: 2
Because He is my Sun, and His rays have lifted me up; And His light hath dispelled all
darkness from my face. 3 In Him I have acquired eyes, And have seen His holy day: 4 Ears I
have acquired, And I have heard His truth. 5 The thought of knowledge I have acquired, And
I have been delighted by Him. 6 The way of error I have left and I went towards Him, And I
have received Salvation from Him abundantly. 7 And according to His bounty He hath given
to me: And according to His excellent beauty He hath made me. 8 I have put on incorruption
through His name, 1 Cor. xv. 54. And I have put off corruption by His grace. 9 Death hath
been destroyed before my face; And Sheol hath been abolished by my word. 1 Cor. xv. 55.

10 And there hath gone up deathless life in the Lord's land; And it hath been made known
to His faithful ones; And hath been given without stint to all those that trust in Him.
Hallelujah.

ODE 16

1 As the work of the husbandman is the ploughshare; And the work of the steersman is the
guidance of the ship; So also my work is the Psalm of the Lord in His praises; 2 My craft
and my occupation are in His praises; Because His love hath nourished my heart, And even
to my lips His fruits He poured out. 3 For my love is the Lord And therefore I will sing
unto Him. 4 For I am made strong in His praise, And I have faith in Him. 5 I will open my
mouth, And His spirit will utter in me The glory of the Lord and His beauty; 6 The work of
His hands And the fabric of His fingers; 7 For the multitude of His mercies, And the
strength of His Word. 8 For the Word of the Lord searches out the unseen thing, And
scrutinizes His thought.

9 For the eye sees His works, And the ear hears His thought. 10 It is He who spread out
the earth, And settled the waters in the sea: 11 He expanded the heavens, And fixed the
stars; 12 And He fixed the creation and set it up: And He rested from His works. 13 And
created things run in their courses, And work their works: And they know not how to stand
(still) and to be idle. 14 And the hosts are subject to His Word. 15 The treasury of the
light is the sun, And the treasury of the darkness is the night. 16 And He made the sun
for the day that it might be bright; But night brings darkness over the face of the earth:
17 And (by) their reception one from the other They speak the beauty of God. 18 And there
is nothing that is without the Lord; For He was before anything came into being.

19 And the Worlds were made by His Word, And by the thought of His heart. (Doxology.) 20
Glory and Honour to His name. Hallelujah.

ODE 17

1 I was crowned by my God; And my crown is living: 2 And I was justified by my Lord; And
my salvation is incorruptible. 3 I was loosed from vanities, And I am not condemned. The
choking bonds were cut off by His hand; 4 I received the face and the fashion of a new
person; And I walked in Him and was redeemed. 5 And the thought of truth led me; And I
walked after it and did not wander. [xvii (Christ speaks.) 6 And all that have seen me
were amazed; And I was supposed by them to be a strange person. 7a And He who knew and
brought me up, Is the Most High in all His perfection: 7b And He glorified me by His
kindness, And raised my thought to the height of Truth. 8 And from thence He gave me the
way of His steps; And I opened the doors that were closed:

9 And I broke in pieces the bars of iron: But my own iron (bonds) melted and dissolved
before me. 10 And nothing appeared closed to me; Because I was the opening of everything.
11 And I went towards all the bondsmen to loose them; That I might not leave any man bound
and binding; 12 And I imparted my knowledge without grudging; And their request to me with
my love. 13 And I sowed my fruits in hearts, And transformed them through myself: 14 And
they received my blessing and lived; And they were gathered to me and were saved. 15
Because they became to me as my own members; And I was their head. (Doxology.) 16 Glory to
thee our Head, the Lord Messiah. Hallelujah. XVII]

ODE 18

1 My heart was lifted up and enriched in the love of the Most High; That I might praise
Him by my name. 2 My members were strengthened That they might not fall from His power. 3
Sickness removed from my body, And it stood for the Lord by His will; For His Kingdom is
firm. 4 O Lord, for the sake of them that are deficient, Do not deprive me of thy word: 5
Nor, for the sake of their works, Do thou restrain from me thy perfection. 6 Let not the
luminary be conquered by the darkness; Nor let truth flee away from falsehood. 7 Let thy
right hand bring our salvation to victory, And receive from all quarters, And preserve
whomsoever is affected by ills. 8 Falsehood and Death are not in thy mouth, my God; But
thy will is perfection. 9 And vanity thou knowest not, For neither doth it know thee.

10 And error thou knowest not, For neither doth it know thee. 11 And ignorance appeared
like dust, And like the scum of the sea: 12 And vain people supposed that it was
(something) great; And they came to resemble it and became vain: 13 And the wise
understood and meditated (thereon), And were unpolluted in their meditations; For such
were in the mind of the Lord. 14 And they mocked at those who were walking in error: 15
And on their part they spake truth, From the inspiration which the Most High breathed into
them. (Doxology.) 16 Praise and great comeliness to His name. Hallelujah.

ODE 19

1 A cup of milk was offered to me; And I drank it in the sweetness of the delight of the
Lord. 2 The Son is the cup, And He who was milked is the Father; And He who milked Him is
the Holy Spirit. 3 Because His breasts were full; And it was not desirable that His milk
should be spilt to no purpose. 4 And the Holy Spirit opened His bosom And mingled the milk
of the two breasts of the Father, 5 And gave the mixture to the world without their
knowing: And those who take (it) are in the fulness of the right hand. 6 The womb of the
Virgin took (it) And she received conception and brought forth: 7 And the Virgin became a
mother with great mercy; 8a And she travailed and brought forth a Son without incurring
pain: 8b For it did not happen without purpose; 9 And she had not required a midwife, For
He delivered her. 10 And she brought forth, as a man, by (God's) will: And she brought
(Him) forth with demonstration And acquired (Him) with great dignity; 11 And loved (Him)
in redemption; And guarded (Him) kindly; And showed (Him) in majesty. Hallelujah.

ODE 20

2 And to Him I offer the offering of His thought. 3 For His thought is not like (the
thought of) the world, Nor (like the thought of) the flesh; Nor like them that serve
carnally. 4 The offering of the Lord is righteousness; And purity of heart and lips, 5
Offer your reins (before Him) blamelessly; And let not thy heart do violence to heart; Nor
thy soul do violence to soul. 6 Thou shalt not acquire a stranger...; Neither shalt thou
seek to deal guilefully with thy neighbour; Neither shalt thou deprive him of the covering
of his nakedness. 7 But put on the grace of the Lord without stint; And come into His
Paradise and make thee a garland from and His tree; Apoc. ii. 7. 8 And put it on thy head
and be glad; And recline on His rest; 9 And His glory shall go before thee;

And thou shalt receive of His kindness and His grace: And thou shalt be fat in truth in
the praise of His holiness. (Doxology.) 10 Praise and honour to His name. Hallelujah.

Critical Notes.

vv. 1, 2. The Semitisms should be noted.

ODE 21

1 My arms I lifted up on high; Even to the grace of the Lord: 2 Because He had cast off my
bonds from me; And my Helper had lifted me up to His grace and His salvation. 3 And I put
off darkness, And clothed myself with light: 4 And my soul acquired members Free from
sorrow, Or affliction or pain. 5 And increasingly helpful to me was the thought of the
Lord; And His incorruptible fellowship. 6 And I was lifted up in the light, And I passed
before Him; Sap. Sol. vi. 19; 6; and Koran iii. 40. 7 And I became near to Him, Praising
and confessing Him. 8 He made my heart overflow; and it was found in my mouth; And it
shone upon my lips. 9 And upon my face the exultation of the Lord increased, And His
praise likewise. Hallelujah.

ODE 22

1 He who brings me down from on high; And brings me up from the regions below; 2 And who
gathers the things that are betwixt, And throws them to me; 3 He who scattered my enemies
And my adversaries; 4 He who gave me authority over bonds, That I might loose them; 5 He
that overthrew by my hands the dragon with seven heads, And set me at his roots that I
might destroy his seed— 6 Thou wast there and didst help me; And in every place Thy name
was round about me. 7 Thy right hand destroyed his wicked venom; And thy hand levelled the
way for those who believe in thee; 8 And it chose them from the graves, And separated them
from the dead. 9 It took dead bones, And covered them with bodies; 10 And they were
motionless, And it gave (them) energy for life.

11 Thy way was without corruption and thy face; Thou didst bring thy world to corruption;
That everything might be dissolved and renewed, 12 And that the foundation for everything
might be thy rock; And on it thou didst build thy Kingdom; And thou becamest the dwelling-
place of the saints. Hallelujah.

ODE 23

1 Joy is of the saints! And who shall put it on but they alone? 2 Grace is of the elect!
And who shall receive it but they who trust in it from the beginning? 3 Love is of the
elect! And who shall put it on, but those who have possessed it from the beginning? 4 Walk
ye in the knowledge of the Most High; And ye shall know the grace of the Lord without
grudging; To His exultation and to the perfection of His knowledge. 5 And His thought was
like a letter, And His will descended from on high; 6 And it was sent like an arrow Which
is violently shot from the bow; 7 And many hands rushed to the letter, To seize it and to
take it and to read it. 8 And it escaped from their fingers, And they were affrighted at
it and at the seal that was on it.

9 For it was not permitted to them to loose the seal; For the power that was over the seal
was greater than they. 10 But those who saw it went after the letter, That they might know
where it would alight, And who should read it, And who should hear it. 11 But a wheel
received it, And (the letter) came over it; 12 And there was with it a sign Of the kingdom
and of the government. 13 And everything which was moving the wheel It mowed and cut down;
14 And it destroyed many things that were adverse; And it spanned the rivers: 15 And
crossed over and rooted up many forests, And made a broad path. 16 The head went down to
the feet; For down to the feet ran the wheel; And that which had come upon it. 17 The
letter was one of recommendation; For there were included in it all districts:

18 And there was seen at its head, a head which was revealed Even the Son of Truth from
the Most High Father; 19 And he inherited and took possession of everything; And the
thought of the many was brought to naught, 20 And all the apostates became bold and fled
away, And the persecutors became extinct and were blotted out. 21 And the letter became a
great tablet, Which was wholly written by the finger of God; 22 And the name of the Father
was upon it; And of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, To rule for ever and ever. Hallelujah.

ODE 24

1 The Dove flew over the head of our Lord the Messiah, Because He was her head; 2 And she
sang over Him, And her voice was heard: 3 And the inhabitants were afraid, And the
sojourners trembled; 4 The birds took to flight, And all creeping things died in their
holes. 5 And the abysses were opened and closed; And they were seeking for the Lord, like
(women) in travail: 6 And He was not given to them for food Because He did not belong to
them: 7 And the abysses were submerged in the submersion of the Lord: And they perished in
the thought which they had existed in from the beginning. 8 For they travailed from the
beginning, And the end of their travail was life. 9 And every one of them that was
defective perished; For it was not permitted to them to make a defence for themselves that
they might remain:

10 And the Lord destroyed the imaginations Of all them that had not the truth with them;
H, over the Messiah. 11 For they were defective in wisdom, They who were lifted up in
their hearts. 12 And they were rejected, Because the truth was not with them. 13 For the
Lord disclosed His way, And spread abroad His grace; 14 And those who understood it Know
His holiness. Hallelujah.

ODE 25

1 I was rescued from my bonds; And unto thee, my God, I fled. 2 For thou wast the right
hand of my salvation, And my helper. 3 Thou hast restrained them that rise up against me,
And they were seen no more: 4 Because thy face was with me, Which saved me by thy grace. 5
But I was despised and rejected in the eyes of many: And I was in their eyes like lead; 6
And I acquired strength from thyself, And help. 7 Thou didst set me a lamp at my right
hand and at my left, That in me there may be nothing that is not bright; 8 And I was
covered with the covering of thy spirit; And I removed from me the raiment of skins. 9 For
thy right hand lifted me up, And removed sickness from me. 10 And I became mighty in thy
truth, And holy by thy righteousness;

11 And all my adversaries were afraid of me: And I became the Lord's by the name of the
Lord: 12 And I was justified by His gentleness, And His rest is for ever and ever.
Hallelujah.

ODE 26

1 I poured out praise to the Lord; For I am His: 2 And I will speak His holy song, For my
heart is with Him. 3 For His Harp is in my hands, And the Odes of His Rest shall not be
silent. 4 I will cry unto Him from my whole heart; I will praise and exalt Him with all my
members. 5 For from the East and even to the West Is His praise: 6 And from the South and
even to the North Is His confession: 7 And from the top of the hills to their utmost bound
Is His perfection. 8 Who can write the Odes of the Lord, Or who read them! 9 Or who can
train his soul for life, That his soul may be saved? 10 Or who can rest on the Most High,
That from His mouth he may speak? 11 Who is able to interpret the wonders of the Lord? For
he who interprets would be dissolved, And that which was interpreted will remain.

12 For it suffices to know and to rest; For in the rest the singers stand; 13 Like a river
which has an abundant fountain, And flows to the help of them that seek it. Hallelujah.

ODE 27

1 I expanded my hands: and I sanctified (them) to my Lord: For the expansion of my hands
is His sign. 2 And my expansion Is the upright wood.

ODE 28

1 As the wings of doves over their nestlings, And the mouths of their nestlings towards
their mouths; So also are the wings of the Spirit over my heart. 2 My heart is delighted
and leaps up, Like the babe who leaps up in the womb of his mother: 3 I believed;
therefore I was at rest: For faithful is He in whom I have believed. 4a He has richly
blessed me; And my head is with Him. 4b And the sword shall not divide me from Him, Nor
the scimitar. 5 For I was ready before destruction came; And I have been set on His
immortal pinions; 6 And deathless life embraced me And kissed me. 7 And from that (life)
is the Spirit within me; And it cannot die, for it lives. (Christ speaks.) 8 They who saw
me marvelled at me, Because I was persecuted; 9 And they supposed that I was swallowed up;
For I seemed to them as one of the lost.

10 But my oppression Became my salvation. 11 And I was their scorn, Because there was no
wrath in me. 12 Because I did good to every man I was hated; 13 And they come round me
like mad dogs; Who ignorantly attack their masters. 14 For their thought is corrupt And
their understanding perverted. 15 But I was carrying water in my right hand, And their
bitterness I endured by my sweetness. 16 And I did not perish, for I was not their
brother, Nor was my birth like theirs. 17 And they sought for my death and could not
(accomplish it); For I was older than the memorial of them; And vainly did they cast lots
against me. 18 And those who came after me Sought without cause to destroy the memorial of
him who was before them. 19 For the thought of the Most High cannot be anticipated; And
His heart is superior to all wisdom. Hallelujah.

ODE 29

1 The Lord is my hope: In Him I shall not be confounded. 2 For according to His praise He
made me, And according to His goodness even so He gave unto me. 3 And according to His
mercies He exalted me; And according to His excellent beauty He set me on high. 4 And He
brought me up out of the depths of Sheol; And from the mouth of death He drew me. 5 And I
laid my enemies low; And He justified me by His grace. 6 For I believed in the Lord's
Messiah; And He appeared to me that He is the Lord. 7 And He showed me His sign, And led
me by His light; 8 And He gave me the rod of His power; That I might subdue the
imaginations of the people: And to bring down the power of the men of might. 9 To make war
by His Word;

And to take victory by His power. 10 And the Lord overthrew my enemy by His Word; And he
became like the stubble which the wind carries away. Ps. i. 4. 11 And I gave praise to the
Most High; Because He exalted His servant and the Son of His Ps. cxv. (cxvi.) 16.
handmaid. Hallelujah.

ODE 30

1 Fill ye water for yourselves from the living fountain of the Lord: For it has been
opened to you: 2 And come all ye thirsty and take a draught; And rest by the fountain of
the Lord. 3 For fair it is and pure; And it gives rest to the soul. 4 Much sweeter is its
water than honey; And the honeycomb of bees is not to be compared with it. 5 For it flows
from the lips of the Lord, And from the heart of the Lord is its name. 6 And it came
unlimited and invisible; And until it was set in the midst they did not know it. 7 Blessed
are they who have drunk therefrom; And rested thereby. Hallelujah.

ODE 31

1 The abysses were dissolved before the Lord; And darkness was destroyed by His
appearance. 2a Error went astray And disappeared from Him, 2b And (as for) Falsehood, I
gave it no path, And it was submerged by the truth of the Lord. 3 He opened His mouth and
spake grace and joy; And He spake a new (song of) praise to His name. 4 And He lifted up
His voice to the Most High, And offered to Him the sons that were in His hands. 5 And His
face was justified; For thus His Holy Father had given to Him. (Christ speaks.) 6 Come
forth, ye that have been afflicted, And receive joy. 7 And possess your souls by grace;
And take to you immortal life, 8 And they condemned me when I rose up; Me who had not been
condemned. 9 And they divided my spoil, Though nothing was due to them.

10 But I endured and held my peace and was silent, That I might not be moved by them. 11
But I stood unshaken like a firm rock, That is beaten by the waves and endures. 12 And I
bore their bitterness for humility's sake; That I might redeem my people and inherit it.
13 And that I might not make void the promises to the patriarchs To whom I was promised
for the salvation of their seed. Hallelujah.

ODE 32

1 To the blessed the joy is from their hearts, And light from Him that dwells in them; 2
And the Word from the Truth who is self-originate. 3 For He hath been strengthened by the
Holy Power of the Most High, And He is unperturbed for ever and ever. Hallelujah.

ODE 33

1 Grace again ran and left the Corruptor And came down upon him to bring him to naught: 2
And he made utter destruction from before him And devastated all his array: 3 And he stood
on a lofty summit and cried aloud From one end of the earth to the other; 4 And drew to
him all those who obeyed him: And he did not appear as an evil person; 5 But a perfect
virgin stood Who was proclaiming and crying and saying: (Wisdom speaks.) 6 O ye sons of
men, return ye; And ye their daughters, come ye; 7 And leave the ways of that Corruptor,
And draw near unto me; 8 And I will enter into you And bring you forth from destruction;
And I will make you wise in the ways of truth. 9 Be not destroyed; Nor perish. 10 Hear ye
me and be saved; For the grace of God I am telling among you:

11 And by my means you shall be redeemed and become blessed: I am your judge; 12 And they
who have put me on shall not be injured: But they shall possess incorruption in the new
world. 13 My chosen ones have walked in me, And my ways I will make known to them that
seek me; And I will make them to trust in my name. Hallelujah.

ODE 34

1 There is no hard way where there is a simple heart; Nor is there any barrier where the
thoughts are upright: 2 Nor is there any storm in the depth of the illuminated thought 3
The one who is surrounded on every side by open country, Is freed from doubts. Moses Bar-
Kepha (B.M. Add. 2121, f. 51 b). 4 The likeness of that which is below Is that which is
above; 5 For everything is above; And below there is nothing, but it is believed to be by
the ignorant. 6 Grace has been revealed for your salvation: Believe and live and be saved.
Hallelujah.

ODE 35

1 The dew of the Lord distilled rest upon me, And a cloud of peace it caused to rise over
my head; 2 That it might guard me continually; And it became salvation to me: 3 Everybody
was shaken and affrighted; And there came forth from them a smoke and a judgement: 4 But I
was keeping quiet in the ranks of the Lord; More than shadow was He to me, and more than
support: 5 And I was carried like a child by its mother; Aud He gave me milk, the dew of
the Lord. 6 And I grew great by His bounty: And I rested in His perfection: 7 And I spread
out my hands in the lifting up of my soul; And I directed myself towards the Most High,
And I was redeemed with Him: Hallelujah.

ODE 36

1 I rested on the Spirit of the Lord; And (the Spirit) raised me on high: 2 And made me to
stand on my feet in the high place of the Lord; Before His perfection and His glory; While
I was praising (Him) by the composition of His odes. [xxxvi (Christ speaks) 3 (The Spirit)
brought me forth before the face of the Lord. And although a Son of Man, I was named the
Luminary, the Son of God: 4 While I was the most glorified among the glorious ones; And
the greatest among the great ones. 5 For according to the greatness of the Most High, so
she made me; And like His own newness He renewed me: Koran iii. 40. 6 And He anointed me
from His own perfection; And I became one of those that are near to Him; 7 And my mouth
was opened like a cloud of dew; And my heart gushed out, as it were, a gush of
righteousness;

8 And my access (to Him) was in peace: And I was established in the Spirit of Providence.
Hallelujah.

ODE 37

1 I stretched out my hands to the Lord; And to the Most High I lifted my voice; 2 And I
spake with the lips of my heart; And He heard me when my voice reached Him. 3 His Word
came to me, And gave me the fruits of my labours: 4 And gave me rest by the grace of the
Lord. Hallelujah. Critical Note.

ODE 38

1 I went up into the Light of Truth as into a chariot: And the Truth led me and brought
me: 2 And carried me across hollows and gulfs, And from the cliffs and reefs it preserved
me; 3 And became to me a Haven of Salvation; And set me on the arms of immortal life. 4
And it went with me and made me rest and suffered me not to err; Because it was and is the
Truth; 5 And I ran no risk because I walked with Him; And I made no error in anything,
because I obeyed Him. 6 For Error fled away from Him: And would not meet Him: 7 But Truth
was proceeding in the right way; And whatever I did not know He made clear to me: 8 All
the drugs of Error and the plagues of death which are considered to be sweet (beverage).

9 And I saw the Destroyer of the Corruptor when the Bride who was being corrupted was
adorned, Along with the Bridegroom who corrupts and is corrupted. 10 And I asked the
Truth, Who are these? and He said to me: This is the Deceiver and the Error: 11 And they
imitate the Beloved and His Bride: And they lead astray and corrupt the world. 12 And they
invite many to the Banquet, And give them to drink of the wine of their intoxication; 13
And they make them vomit up their wisdom and intelligence; And they deprive them of
understanding; 14a And then they leave them; And so these go about like madmen and
corrupt; 14b Since they are without heart; And do not seek after it. 15 And I was made
wise so as not to fall into the hands of the Deceiver; And I congratulated myself that the
Truth had gone with me;

16 And I was established and lived and was redeemed; And my foundations were laid by the
Lord; For He planted me. 17 For He set the root: And watered it and fixed it and blessed
it: And its fruits will be for ever. 18 It struck deep and sprang up and spread wide, And
it was full and was enlarged. 19 And the Lord alone was glorified, In His planting and His
husbandry: 20 In His care and in the blessing of His lips; In the beautiful planting of
His right hand. 21 And in the splendour of His planting, And in the thought of His mind.
Hallelujah.

ODE 39

1 Mighty rivers are the power of the Lord; Which carry headlong Those that despise Him: 2
And entangle their paths, And sweep away their fords: 3 And carry off their bodies And
destroy their souls. 4 For they are more swift than lightning, And more rapid: 5 But those
who cross them in faith Shall not be moved; 6 And those who walk on them without blemish
Shall not be afraid. 7 For the sign in them is the Lord; And the sign becomes the way of
those who cross in the name of the Lord. 8 Put on, therefore, the name of the Most High
and know Him: And you shall cross without danger, While the rivers shall be subject to
you. 9 The Lord has bridged them by His word; And He walked and crossed them on foot; 10
And His footsteps stand (firm) on the waters, and were not erased; They are as a beam that
is firmly fixed.

11 And the waves were lifted up on this side and on that; And the footsteps of our Lord
Messiah stand (firm), 12 And are not obliterated, And are not defaced. 13 And a way has
been appointed for those who cross after Him, And for those who agree to the course of His
faith; And who adore His name, Hallelujah.

ODE 40

1 As the honey distils from the comb of the bees, And the milk flows from the woman that
loves her children, So also is my hope on thee, my God. 2 As the fountain gushes out its
water, So my heart gushes out the praise of the Lord, And my lips utter praises to Him. 3
And my tongue is sweet in His intimate converse And my limbs are made fat by the sweetness
of His Odes. 4 And my face is glad with His exultation; And my spirit exults in His love;
And my soul shines in Him; 5 And the fearful one shall confide in Him; And redemption
shall in Him stand assured; 6 And his gain is immortal life; And those who participate in
it are incorruptible. Hallelujah.

ODE 41

1 Let all the Lord's bairns praise Him, And let us appropriate the truth of His faith. 2a
And His children shall be acknowledged by Him; 2b Therefore let us sing in His love: 3 We
live in the Lord by His grace; And life we receive in His Messiah. 4 For a great day has
shined upon us; And marvellous is He who hath given us of His glory. 5 Let us, therefore,
all of us unite together in the name of the Lord: And let us honour Him in His goodness: 6
And let our faces shine in His light; And let our hearts meditate in His love, By night
and by day. 7 Let us exult with the joy of the Lord. (Christ speaks.) 8 All those that see
me will be astonished; For from another race am I. 9 For the Father of Truth remembered
me; He who possessed me from the beginning.

10 For his riches begat me, And the thought of His heart: (The Odist speaks.) 11 And His
Word is with us in all our way, The Saviour who makes alive and does not reject our souls:
12 The man who was humbled, And was exalted by His own righteousness; 13 The Son of the
Most High appeared In the perfection of His Father; 14 And light dawned from the Word That
was beforetime in Him;

ODE 42

1 I stretched out my hands and approached my Lord; For the stretching out of my hands is
His sign; 2 And my expansion is the outspread wood That was set up on the way of the
Righteous One. (Christ speaks.) 3 And I became of no use to those who knew me: For I shall
hide myself from those who did not take hold of me: 4 But I will be with those Who love
me. 5 All my persecutors have died; And they sought after me who proclaimed about me;
Because I am alive. 6 And I rose up and am with them; And I will speak by their mouths. 7a
For they have despised those who persecute them. 7b And I threw over them the yoke of my
love: 8 Like the arm of the bridegroom over the bride, So is my yoke over those that know
me.

9 And as the couch that is spread in the chambers of the bridegroom and the bride, So is
my love over those that believe in me. 10 I was not rejected, though I was reckoned to be
so; And I did not perish though they thought it of me. 11 Sheol saw me and was in
distress; Death cast me up and many along with me: 12 I have been gall and bitterness to
it, And I went down with it to the extreme of its depth. 13 And the feet and the head it
let go, For it was not able to endure my face: 14 And I made a congregation of living men
amongst his dead men; And I spake with them by living lips: In order that my word may not
be void. 15 And those who had died ran towards me; And they cried and said, Son of God,
have pity on us;

16 And do with us according to thy kindness; And bring us out from the bonds of darkness:
17 And open to us the door By which we shall come out to thee; For we perceive that our
death does not touch thee. 18 Let us also be saved with thee; For thou art our Saviour. 19
And I heard their voice, And I laid up their faith in my heart; 20 And I set my name upon
their heads: For they are free men and they are mine. Hallelujah.


SOME APOCRYPHAL PSALMS IN SYRIAC
================================

SOME APOCRYPHAL PSALMS IN SYRIAC Translated by William Wright

uncertain

Five psalms outside the Bible, ascribed to David and to Hezekiah, found in a Syriac
manuscript and first published by William Wright. The first is the Psalm 151 of the Greek
Bible.

INTRODUCTION

The following Communication has been received from Professor W. Wright.

Some Apocryphal Psalms in Syriac.

In a Syriac MS., formerly belonging to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, but
now deposited in the University Library of Cambridge, I find the following apocryphal
Psalms, which, with the exception of the first, have not yet, so far as I know, been
printed anywhere. The MS. contains the Kethabha dhe-Dhurrasha, or 'Book of Discipline,' a
large theological treatise, composed on a very artificial plan, by Elias, bishop of Peroz-
Shabhor or al-Anbar (who lived about a.d. 920; see Assemani, B.O. iii. 1, p. 258 sq.). At
the end of the first section of this work, the scribe has added a few excerpts for the
purpose of filling up some blank leaves. These are: (1) the Psalms in question, ff.
115a-116b; (2) explanations of some difficult words in 'the Book of the Paradise'; and (3)
a disputation between a Jacobite and a Nestorian, ff. 116b-117b. The scribe was the well
known Homo of Al-Kosh, near Mosul, "the village of the prophet Nahum." He has recorded his
name in several subscriptions, but as the MS. is imperfect at the end, the exact date of
writing is not given. It must, however, roughly speaking, lie between a.d. 1675 and 1712
(see Hoffmann, Opusc. Nestor., pp. Ill, IV), and the watermark in the paper----three
crescents with a rather small adjunct of this shape [*] in one corner of the page----would
seem to belong to the latter part of the xviith century.

These same Psalms, five in number, are also found, with the same adjuncts, in the Vatican
MS. of Elias of al-Anbar's work, Cod. Vat. Syr. clxxxiii, ff. 117b-119a (see Assemani's
Catalogue, t. iii, p. 385). Professor Guidi has, with his usual kindness, collated this
MS. for me. It is dated A. Gr. 2014 = a.d. 1703, and was written at Al-Kosh by one
Khaushabha bar Daniel. The Psalms are five in number, of which the first is that
ordinarily numbered as Ps. cli in Greek and Syriac Hexaplar MSS. (see, for example, the
Codex Ambrosianus, ed. Ceriani, f. 38b). I reproduce the text, so far as possible, exactly
as it stands in the MSS.

I. PS. CLI. A THANKSGIVING OF DAVID

(1) I was the youngest among my brethren, and a youth in my father's house. (2) I used to
feed my father's flock, and I found a lion and a wolf, and slew them and rent them. (3) My
hands made an organ, and my fingers fashioned a harp. (4) Who will show me my Lord? He, my
Lord, is become my God. (5) He sent His angel and took me away from my father's flock, and
anointed me with the oil of anointing. (6) My brethren, the fair and the tall, in them the
Lord had no pleasure. (7) And I went forth to meet the Philistine, and he cursed me by his
idols. (8) But I drew his sword and cut off his head, and took away the reproach from the
children of Israel.

II. THE PRAYER OF HEZEKIAH WHEN ENEMIES SURROUNDED HIM

(1) With a loud voice glorify ye God; in the assembly of many proclaim ye His glory. (2)
Amid the multitude of the upright glorify His praise; and speak of His glory with the
righteous. (3) Join yourselves (literally, your soul) to the good and to the perfect, to
glorify the Most High. (4) Gather yourselves together to make known His strength; and be
not slow in showing forth His deliverance [and His strength] and His glory to all babes.
(5) That the honour of the Lord may be known, wisdom hath been given; and to tell of His
works it hath been made known to men: (6) to make known unto babes His strength, and to
make them that lack understanding (literally, heart) to comprehend His glory; (7) who are
far from His entrances and distant from His gates: (8) because the Lord of Jacob is
exalted, and His glory is upon all His works. (9) And a man who glorifies the Most High,
in him will He take pleasure; as in one who offers fine meal, and as in one who offers he-
goats and calves; (10) and as in one who makes fat the altar with a multitude of burnt
offerings; and as the smell of incense from the hands of the just. (11) From thy upright
gates shall be heard His voice, and from the voice of the upright admonition. (12) And in
their eating shall be satisfying in truth, and in their drinking, when they share
together.

(13) Their dwelling is in the law of the Most High, and their speech is to make known His
strength. (14) How far from the wicked is speech of Him, and from all transgressors to
know Him! (15) Lo, the eye of the Lord taketh pity on the good, and unto them that glorify
Him will He multiply mercy, and from the time of evil will He deliver their soul. (16)
Blessed be the Lord, who hath delivered the wretched from the hand of the wicked; who
raiseth up a horn out of Jacob and a judge of the nations out of Israel; (17) that He may
prolong His dwelling in Zion, and may adorn our age in Jerusalem.

III. WHEN THE PEOPLE OBTAINED PERMISSION FROM CYRUS TO RETURN HOME

(1) O Lord, I have cried unto Thee; hearken Thou unto me. (2) I have lifted up my hands to
Thy holy dwelling-place; incline Thine ear unto me. (3) And grant me my request; my prayer
withhold not from me. (4) Build up my soul, and destroy it not; and lay it not bare before
the wicked. (5) Them that recompense evil things turn Thou away from me, O judge of truth.
(6) O Lord, judge me not according to my sins, because no flesh is innocent before Thee.
(7) Make plain to me, O Lord, Thy law, and teach me Thy judgments; (8) and many shall hear
of Thy works, and the nations shall praise Thine honour. (9) Remember me and forget me
not; and lead me not into things that be too hard for me. (10) The sins of my youth make
Thou to pass from me, and my chastisement let them not remember against me. (11) Cleanse
me, O Lord, from the evil leprosy, and let it no more come unto me. (12) Dry up its roots
in (literally, from) me, and let not its leaves sprout within me. (13) Great art Thou, O
Lord; therefore my request shall be fulfilled from before Thee. (14) To whom shall I
complain that he may give unto me? and what can the strength of men add [unto me]? (15)
From before Thee, O Lord, is my confidence; I cried unto the Lord and He heard me, and
healed the breaking of my heart. (16) I slumbered and slept; I dreamed and was helped, and
the Lord sustained me. (17) They sorely pained my heart; I will return thanks because the
Lord delivered me. (18) Now will I rejoice in their shame; I have hoped in Thee, and I
shall not be ashamed. (19) Give Thou honour for ever, even for ever and ever. (20) Deliver
Israel Thine elect, and them of the house of Jacob Thy proved one.

IV. Spoken by David when he was contending with the lion and the wolf which took a sheep
from his flock. (1) O God, O God, come to my aid; help Thou me and save me; deliver Thou
my soul from the slayer. (2) Shall I go down to Sheol by the mouth of the lion? or shall
the wolf confound me? (3) Was it not enough for them that they lay in wait for my father's
flock, and rent in pieces a sheep of my father's drove, but they were wishing also to
destroy my soul? (4) Have pity, O Lord, and save Thy holy one from destruction; that he
may rehearse Thy glories in all his times, and may praise Thy great name: (5) when Thou
hast delivered him from the hands of the destroying lion and of the ravening wolf, and
when Thou hast rescued my captivity from the hands of the wild beasts. (6) Quickly, O my
Lord (Adonai), send from before Thee a deliverer, and draw me out of the gaping pit, which
imprisons me in its depths.

V. Spoken by David when returning thanks to God, who had delivered him from the lion and
the wolf and he had slain both of them. (1) Praise the Lord, all ye nations; glorify Him,
and bless His name: (2) Who rescued the soul of His elect from the hands of death, and
delivered His holy one from destruction: (3) and saved me from the nets of Sheol, and my
soul from the pit that cannot be fathomed. (4) Because, ere my deliverance could go forth
from before Him, I was well nigh rent in two pieces by two wild beasts. (5) But He sent
His angel, and shut up from me the gaping mouths, and rescued my life from destruction.
(6) My soul shall glorify Him and exalt Him, because of all His kindnesses which He hath
done and will do unto me. Queens' College, Cambridge, 4th May, 1887.

[Most footnotes and all Syriac material omitted] 1. * Or better, as in Cod. Ambros., The
Lord, He is my God. 2. + The feminine suffix seems to be addressed to the city of
Jerusalem. 3. * Cod. Vat. my requests.


SOME UNCANONICAL PSALMS
=======================

SOME UNCANONICAL PSALMS Translated by Alphonse Mingana

medieval, from Syriac and Garshuni manuscripts

Short psalms ascribed to David and Hezekiah that are not in the Bible, from a Syriac
manuscript, such as the Prayer of Hezekiah when surrounded by his enemies.

1 I give in the following pages the text and the translation of five uncanonical Psalms.
Psalm 1 is found in many MSS. of the Syriac Psalter where it is known as Ps. cli. and
where it is often introduced as follows: "This Psalm was said by David on himself, when he
fought Goliath." It is a translation from Greek, but I have remarked in a footnote that
its first verse seems, in thought but not in phraseology, to be reminiscent of the
corresponding verse of the famous Gnostic "Hymn of the Soul." If this comparison were
proved to be possible, we would be allowed to hold the contrary view, viz. that the "Hymn"
itself was under the influence of the "Psalm"; this, however, is a question on which we
cannot dwell at present as it is beyond the scope of our present studies. 2 The four other
Psalms are only found in the interesting work entitled Durrāsha, "Discipline," or more
generally ma'wātha, "Centuries," of the Nestorian writer Elijah of Anbar who died about
940. The work is represented by some other MSS. all of which are, however, much later than
the one marked Mingana Syr. 31 in the custody of the Rendel Harris Library, Birmingham.
The MS. has unfortunately lost a few of its final leaves and is consequently undated, but
on palæographic grounds it may be assigned to about A.D. 1340. It formerly belonged to the
Nestorian writer Isho'yahb bar Mukaddam who died about 1445, and who in an inscription on
fol. 90b informs us that he collated a large part of it with an autograph of the author
himself. There is reason to believe that at least six out of the eight other MSS. in
existence are mere transcripts of this Mingana Syr. 31. A fascimile of the pages
containing the Psalms accompanies the translation. I have also compared the translation
with Syr. MS. Mingana 51 (ff. 100 b-105 a) of about A.D. 1550, in the custody of Rendel
Harris Library, Birmingham.

3 The source of the author for some of these uncanonical Psalms is unknown to me, but
there is no doubt that he was drawing upon excellent material at his disposal. There is in
the matter of elevation of thought and diction considerable difference between all these
uncanonical Psalms, and in reading those numbered 2 and 3 we almost feel that we are
perusing the Bible itself. Their Hebrew parallelism is perfect and there are grounds for
believing that they are a direct translation from Hebrew or Aramaic. Psalms 1, 4-5 refer
more or less distinctly to the deliverance of David from the wild beasts of 1 Sam. xvii.
34-36.

Translation.

4 The Five Psalms of David, which are not written in the Series of the Psalms. I.
Thanksgivings of David. I was the youngest of my brothers, and a child in the house of my
father.1 I shepherded the sheep of my father, and met a lion and also a wolf,2 and I slew
them and rent them. My hands made an organ, and my fingers fitted a harp. Who will show me
to my Lord? —He, my Lord, became my God.3 He sent his angel and removed me from the sheep
of my father, and anointed me with the oil of unction.4 The Lord was not pleased with my
elder and handsome brothers, and I went to meet the Philistine, who cursed me by his
idols; but I unsheathed his sword, cut off his head, and banished the insult from the
children of Israel. 1 Compare this verse with the beginning of the Edessene Gnostic hymn
of the Soul: "While I was a small child, and dwelling in my kingdom in the house of my
father." Bedjan's Acta. iii. 110.

5 2 From 1 Sam. xvii. 34-36 we know that David was met by a lion and a bear and not a
wolf. The variant may be explained by the graphic resemblance that exists in Syriac
between the words bear and wolf. This verse is missing in Greek. 3 The Greek is: "Who will
show it to my Lord? He is the Lord, He heareth me." 4 The Greek is: "Of His unction."

Prayer of Hezekiah when Surrounded by Enemies.

6 Praise God with a loud voice, and proclaim His glory in the congregation of many people.
Praise His magnificence in the assembly of the just, and make known His majesty in the
company of the pious. Extol His praise, and narrate His exalted dignity in unison with the
righteous. Unite your souls with the good and with the meek in order to magnify the Most
High. Gather together in order to proclaim His might, and be not tired in showing forth
His salvation, His power, and His glory to all the children. It is in order that the
majesty of the Lord may be made manifest that Wisdom has been given, and it is in order
that it may proclaim His works that it has been made known to men; for the spreading of
His might among the children, and instructing the weak-hearted in His glory: those who are
remote from its good advices, and far from its doors. Because the Lord of Jacob is high,
and His majesty is on all His servants. The Most High shall be as pleased with the one who
magnifies Him as with the one who offers pure flour, and the one who offers he-goats and
calves, and the one who makes the altar smell with the odour of many holocausts, and as
with the incense from the hands of the righteous. His voice is heard from thy righteous
doors, and there is admonition from the voice of the pious, and true satisfaction from
their food and their drink, when taken in fellowship.

7 Their resting place is in the law of the Most High, and their speech is for the
proclamation of His might. How remote is His word from the wicked, and how difficult it is
for all evildoers to understand it! Behold the eye of the Lord looks upon the righteous,
and He will increase His mercy on those who praise Him, and from the time of evil He will
deliver their soul. Blessed be the Lord who delivered the needy from the hand of the
strangers, and saved the meek from the hand of the evildoers, who raises power from Jacob,
and the judge of the Gentiles from Israel, in order that He may lengthen His sojourn in
Zion and adorn all our people of Jerusalem. 8 When the People Received Permission from
Cyrus to Return to their Country. O Lord, I have cried to Thee: listen to me; I have
lifted my hands to the habitations of Thy holiness: incline Thy ear to me, and grant me my
request, and do not refuse my prayer. Build my soul, and do not destroy it, and do not
expose it before the unrighteous. Remove from me those who would requite me with evil, O
Lord, just judge. Do not judge me according to my sins, because all flesh does not triumph
before Thee. Make me, O Lord, understand Thy law and teach me Thy judgments, and many will
hear Thy works and the Gentiles will bear witness to Thy majesty. Remember me, and do not
forget me, and do not inflict on me calamities more than I can bear. Cast away from me the
sins of my youth, and let them not remember my chastisement. Purify me, O Lord, from the
evil leper, and let him not keep walking to me. Dry up his roots from me, and let not his
leaves stretch over me. O Lord, Thou art great, and that is why my prayer is answered.
Whom should I implore to give me anything, and what is the power of the sons of men before
Thee, O Lord, my trust? I cried to the Lord, and He answered me and made whole the wound
of my heart. I lay down and slept, I dreamed and was helped, and Thou, O Lord, hast
sustained me. They have wounded my heart, but I shall receive (joy) because the Lord has
delivered me: let me rejoice now in their confusion! I trusted in Thee and I shall not be
confounded: grant honour for ever, and for ever and ever save Israel, Thy elect, and the
children of Jacob, Thy chosen.

4.

9 Said by David when Fighting the Lion and the Wolf which took a Sheep from his Flock. O
my God, O my God, come to my help. Help me and save me. Deliver my soul from the murderer.
Let me not go down to Sheol in the mouth of the lion, and let the wolf devour me not. Is
it not sufficient for them that they lay in wait for the flock of my father, and took out
a lamb from the flock of my father, that they wish now to destroy my soul? Have pity, O
Lord, and deliver Thy elect from destruction, in order that he may repeat Thy praises in
all his moments, and glorify the name of Thy Majesty. When Thou hast delivered him from
the hands of the lion which destroys and the wolf which devours, and Thou hast returned
the booty from the hands of the beasts. O my Lord, send speedily a deliverer from before
Thee, and pull me out of the open abyss that wishes to secure me in its depths.

10 5. Said by David when Thanking God who saved him from the Lion and the Wolf both of
which he Killed. Praise the Lord, O ye all the peoples; magnify Him and bless His name,
because He has delivered the soul of His elect from the hands of death, and saved His
chosen from destruction. And He delivered me from the snare of Sheol, and my soul also
from the unfathomable pit. Because if my salvation had not come from Him but a very short
time before it did come, I would have been cut into two pieces for two beasts. He sent,
however, His angel who closed the open jaws which were about to devour me, and saved my
life from destruction. Let my soul magnify Him and exalt Him for all His favours that He
did and is doing for me.


THE STORY OF AHIKAR (SYRIAC VERSION)
====================================

THE STORY OF AHIKAR (SYRIAC VERSION) 5th century BC (earliest text); versions of the
1st-10th centuries AD

The story of Ahikar, the wise counsellor of the Assyrian kings, betrayed by his adopted
nephew Nadan, together with his proverbs, as told in the Syriac version. It is a non-
biblical story of the fifth century BC or earlier, known also from an Aramaic papyrus
found at Elephantine. This is Syriac version A, in the translation by J. Rendel Harris, A.
S. Lewis and F. C. Conybeare.

CHAPTER 1

1. AGAIN, by the divine power, I write the proverbs, to wit, the story of Aḥikar, sage and
secretary of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and Nineveh. In the twentieth year of
Sennacherib, son of Sarḥadum, king of Assyria and Nineveh, I, Aḥikar, was the king’s
secretary. 2. And it had been said to me when I was a boy, that no son will be born to
thee: and the wealth that I had acquired was too vast to tell. Sixty wives had I wedded:
and sixty castles did I build them: and I had no son. 3. Thereupon I, Aḥikar, built me a
great altar, all of wood; and kindled fire upon it, and laid good meat thereon, and thus I
spake: 4. ‘O Lord, my God; when I shall die and leave no son, what will men say of me?
they will say that this, then, is Aḥikar the just and good and God-serving: he is dead,
and has left no son to bury him, no! nor a daughter: and his possessions, as if he were
accursed, no man inherits.

5. But I ask of Thee, O God, that I may have a male child; so that when I shall die, he
may cast dust on my eyes:’ 6. and this voice was heard by me, ‘O Aḥikar, wise scribe, all
that thou hast asked of me I have given thee; but as to my having left thee childless, let
it suffice thee: perplex not thyself: but behold! Nadan thy sister’s son: he shall be a
son unto thee: so that with the growth of his stature thou shalt be able to teach him
everything.’ 7. And when I heard these things, I was grieved again, and said, ‘O Lord God!
is it that Thou wilt give me as a son Nadan my sister’s son, so that when I die, he may
throw dust on my eyes?’ And no further answer was returned to me. 8. – 10. And I obeyed
the command and took to me for a son Nadan, my sister’s son: and because he was yet young,
I furnished him with eight wet-nurses: and I brought up my son on honey, and made him lie
on choice carpets, and clothed him in fine linen and purple; and my son grew and shot up
like a cedar, and when my son was grown big, I taught him book-lore 10 and wisdom; and
when the king came from the place to which he had gone, he called me and said to me, ‘O
Ahikar, the wise scribe and master of my thoughts, when thou shalt wax old and die, who is
there to come after thee and to serve me like thyself?’

11. And I answered and said to him, ‘O my lord the king, live for ever! I have a son, wise
like myself, and book-learned like myself, and educated.’ 12. And the king said to me,
‘Bring him and let me see him. If he is able to stand before me, I will release thee in
peace, and thou shalt spend thy old age in honour, until thou shalt end thy days.’ 13.
Then I took my son Nadan and set him before the king, and when my lord the king saw him,
he said, ‘This day shall be a blessed day before God, so that like as Ahikar walked before
my father Sarhadum, and before me also, he shall be rewarded and I will set his son in my
gate in his lifetime, and he shall depart his life [in peace].’ 14. Thereupon I, Ahikar,
bowed down before the king and said, ‘My lord the king, live for ever! And like as I
walked before thy father and before thyself even until now, so do thou also extend thy
forbearance to the youthfulness of this my son, that thy grace which was toward me may be
found multiplied towards him.’

15. Then when the king heard this, he gave me his right hand, and I, Ahikar, bowed down
before the king. Nor did I cease from the instruction of my son, until I had filled him
with instruction as with bread and water. And on this wise was I discoursing to him:

CHAPTER 2

1. ‘Hear, O my son Nadan, and come to the understanding of me, and be mindful of my words,
as the words of God: 2. My son Nadan, if thou hast heard a word, let it die in thy heart,
and reveal it to no man; lest it become a hot coal in thy mouth and burn thee, and thou
lay a blemish on thy soul, and be angered against God. 3. My son, do not tell all that
thou hearest, and do not disclose all that thou seest. 4. My son, do not loose a knot that
is sealed, and do not seal one that is loosed. 5. My son, lift not up thy eyes and look
upon a woman that is bedizened and painted; and do not lust after her in thy heart; for if
thou shouldst give her all that is in thy hands, thou findest no advantage in her; and
thou wilt be guilty of sin against God.

6. My son, commit not adultery with the wife of thy neighbour; lest others should commit
adultery with thy wife. 7. My son, be not in a hurry, like the almond-tree whose blossom
is the first to appear, but whose fruit is the last to be eaten; but be equal and
sensible, like the mulberry-tree whose blossom is the last to appear, but whose fruit is
the first to be eaten. 8. My son, cast down thine eyes, and lower thy voice, and look from
beneath thine eyelids: for if a house could be built by a high voice, the ass would build
two houses in one day: and if by sheer force the plough was guided, its share would never
be loosed from the shoulder of the camel. 9. My son, it is better to remove stones with a
wise man than to drink wine with a fool. 10. My son, pour out thy wine on the graves of
the righteous, rather than drink it with evil men.

11. My son, with a wise man thou wilt not be depraved, and with a depraved man thou wilt
not become wise. 12. My son, associate with the wise man, and thou wilt become wise like
him; and associate not with a garrulous and talkative man, lest thou be numbered with him.
13. My son, while thou hast shoes on thy feet, tread down the thorns and make a path for
thy sons and for thy sons’ sons. 14. My son, the rich man eats a snake, and they say, “He
ate it for medicine.” And the poor man eats it, and they say, “For his hunger he ate it.”
15. My son, eat thy portion, and despise not thy neighbours. 16. My son, it is not
becoming even to eat with a shameless man. 17. My son, envy not the prosperity of thy
enemy; and rejoice not at his adversity.

18. My son, draw not near to a woman that is a whisperer, nor to one whose voice is high.
19. My son, go not after the beauty of a woman, and lust not after her in thy heart
because the beauty of a woman is her good sense, and her adornment is the word of her
mouth. 20. My son, if thine enemy meet thee with evil, meet thou him with wisdom. 21. My
son, the wicked falleth and riseth not; but the just man is not moved, for God is with
him. 22. My son, withhold not thy son from stripes; for the beating of a boy is like
manure to the garden, and like rope to an ass [or any other beast], and like tether on the
foot of an ass. 23. My son, subdue thy son while he is yet a boy, before he wax stronger
than thee and rebel against thee, and thou be shamed in all his corrupt doing.

24. My son, get thee an ox that [is fat and] lies down, and an ass that has good hoofs,
but do not get thee a slave that is runaway nor a maid that is thievish; lest they destroy
all that thou hast gotten. 25. My son, the words of a liar are like fat sparrows; and he
that is void of understanding eateth them. 26. My son, bring not upon thee the curses of
thy father and of thy mother, lest thou rejoice not in the blessings of thy children. 27.
My son, walk not in the way unarmed; because thou knowest not when thy enemy shall come
upon thee. 28. My son, even as a tree is fair in its branches and fruit, and a bosky
mountain in its trees, so is a man fair in his wife and weans; and he that hath not
brethren, nor wife nor weans, is despised and contemptible before his enemies; and he is
like unto a tree by the roadside, from which every passer-by plucketh, and every beast of
the weald teareth down its leafage.

29. My son, say not, “My lord is a fool, and I am wise”; but take hold of him in his
faults and thou shalt obtain mercy. 30. My son, count not thyself to be wise, when others
count thee not to be wise. 31. My son, lie not in thy speech before thy lord, lest thou be
convicted, and he shall say to thee, “Away from my sight!” 32. My son, let thy words be
true, in order that thy lord may say to thee, “Draw near me,” and thou shalt live. 33. My
son, in the day of thy calamity revile not God; lest when He hear thee, He should be
angered against thee. 34. My son, treat not thy slave better than his fellow; for thou
knowest not which of them thou wilt have need of at the last. 35. My son, smite with
stones the dog that has left his own master and followed after thee.

36. My son, the flock that makes many tracks becomes the portion of the wolves. 37. My
son, judge upright judgement in thy youth, in order that in thy age thou mayst have
honour. 38. My son, sweeten thy tongue and make savoury the opening of thy mouth; for the
tail of a dog gives him bread, and his mouth gets him blows. 39. My son, suffer not thy
neighbour to tread on thy foot, lest he tread on thy neck. 40. My son, smite the [wise]
man with wise word, that it may be in his heart like a fever in summer; [but know] that if
thou smite the fool with many blows, he will not understand. 41. My son, send a wise man
and give him no orders; but if thou wilt send a fool, go rather thyself and send him not.
42. My son, test thy son with bread and water, and then thou canst leave in his hands thy
possessions and thy wealth.

43. My son, withdraw at the first cup, and tarry not for lickerish draughts: lest there be
to thee wounds in thy head. 44. My son, he whose hand is full is called wise and
honourable; and he whose hand is scant is called foolish and abject. 45. My son, I have
carried salt and removed lead; and I have not seen anything heavier than that a man should
pay back a debt when he did not borrow. 46. My son, I have carried iron and removed
stones; and they were not heavier on me than a man who settles in the house of his father-
in-law. 47. My son, teach hunger and thirst to thy son, that according as his eye sees he
may govern his house. 48. My son, better is he that is blind of eye than he that is blind
of heart; for the blind of eye straightway learneth the road and walketh in it: but the
blind of heart leaveth the right way and goeth into the desert.

49. My son, better is a friend that is at hand than a brother who is far away: and better
is a good name than much beauty: because a good name standeth for aye, but beauty wanes
and wastes away. 50. My son, death is better than life to a man that hath no rest: and
better is the voice of wailing in the ears of a fool than music and joy. 51. My son,
better is a drumstick in thy hand than a wing [?] in the pot of other people; and better
is a sheep that is at hand than a heifer that is far off: and better is poverty that
gathers than wealth that scatters; and better one sparrow in thy hand than a thousand on
the wing: and better is a woollen coat on thy back than fine linen and silks on the backs
of others.

52. My son, restrain a word in thy heart, and it shall be well with thee; because when
thou hast exchanged thy word, thou hast lost thy friend. 53. My son, let not a word go
forth from thy mouth, until thou hast taken counsel within thy heart: because it is better
for a man to stumble in his heart than to stumble with his tongue. 54. My son, if thou
hear an evil matter, put it seven fathoms deep underground. 55. My son, tarry not where
there is contention: for from strife arises murder. 56. My son, every one who does not
judge right judgement angers God. 57. My son, remove not from thy father’s friend, lest
perchance thy friend come not near to thee. 58. My son, go not down into princes’ gardens,
and draw not near to princes’ daughters. 59. My son, aid thy friend before the ruler, that
thou mayst find out how thou mayst help him from the lion.

60. My son, rejoice not over thy enemy when he dieth. 61. My son, when thou seest a man
who is stronger than thyself, rise up before him. 62. My son, if the waters should stand
up without earth, and the sparrow fly without wings, and the raven become white as snow,
and the bitter become sweet as honey, then may the fool become wise. 63. My son, if thou
art a priest of God, be thou ware of Him and enter His presence in purity, and from His
presence remove not. 64. My son, him that God prospers do thou also honour. 65. My son,
strive not with a man in his day, and stand not against a river in its flood. 66. My son,
the eye of man is like a fountain of water, and it is not satisfied with riches until
filled with dust. 67. My son, if thy will is to be wise, refrain thy tongue from lying,
and thy hand from theft, and thou shalt become wise.

68. My son, have no part in the espousal of a woman; for if it shall go ill with her, she
will curse thee; and if it shall go well with her, she will not remember thee. 69. My son,
he that is elegant in his dress is elegant also in his speech, and he that is contemptible
in his dress is contemptible also in his speech. My son, if thou shalt find a find before
an idol, offer the idol its share of it. My son, the hand that was satisfied and is now
hungry will not give, nor the hand that was hungry and is now satisfied. My son, let not
thine eyes look upon a woman that is beautiful; and be not inquisitive into beauty that
does not belong to thee: because many have perished through the beauty of woman, and her
love has been as a fire that burneth. My son, let the wise man strike thee with many
blows, and let not the fool salve thee with sweet salve. My son, let not thy foot run
after thy friend, lest he be surfeited with thee and hate thee. My son, put not a gold
ring on thy finger, when thou hast not [wealth]3, lest fools make mock of thee. This is
the teaching which Ahikar taught to Nadan his sister’s son.

CHAPTER 3

1. But I, Ahikar, supposed that everything which I had been teaching Nadan he took hold of
in his heart, and that he stood in my stead in the king’s gate; and I knew not that Nadan
listened not to my words, but scattered them, as it were to the wind, and returned and
said that ‘my father Ahikar is grown old, and stands at the door of his grave; and his
intelligence has withdrawn and his understanding is diminished’; 2. and my son Nadan began
[to ill-treat] my servants by beating them and slaughtering them and destroying them; and
he showed no mercy on my servants and my handmaidens though they were industrious and
well-beloved and excellent; and my horses he slew and my good mules he hamstrung. 3. So
when I beheld me that my son Nadan was doing detestable things, I answered and said to
him, ‘My son Nadan, touch not my property; my son, it is said in the proverb, “What the
hand did not acquire, the eye did not spare.”’

4. Moreover I showed to Sennacherib my lord all these matters; and my lord spake on this
wise: ‘As long as Ahikar lives, no man shall have power over his wealth.’ 5. Then when my
son Nadan saw his brother Nebuzardan standing in my house, he was very irate and he spake
on this wise: ‘My father Ahikar is grown old and his wits have waned; [and as for his wise
words, he despised them]; hath he given his possessions to Nebuzardan my brother, and hath
he removed me from his house?’ 6. When I, Ahikar, heard these things, I said, ‘Alas for
thee, my wisdom, that my son Nadan has made insipid; and as for my wise sayings, he has
contemned them.’ 7. Now when my son Nadan heard thereof, he was angry and went to the gate
of the king, and devised evil in his heart; and sat down and wrote two letters to two
kings who were enemies of Sennacherib my lord; one to Akhi, the son of Hamselim, king of
Persia and Elam, as follows:

8. ‘From Ahikar the Secretary and Great Seal of Sennacherib king of Assyria and Nineveh,
greeting. When this letter reaches thee, arise and come to Assyria to meet me; and I will
bring thee into Assyria, and thou shalt seize the kingdom without war.’ 9. 10. And he
wrote another letter, as follows: ‘To Pharaoh, king of Egypt, from Ahikar, Secretary and
Great Seal of the king of Assyria and Nineveh, greeting. When this letter shall reach
thee, arise and come to meet me at Eagles’ dale, which lieth to the south, on the twenty-
fifth day of the month of Ab. And I will bring thee into Nineveh without war and thou
shalt seize the kingdom.’ And he made these writings of his like to my own handwriting;
and he sealed them in the king’s palace, and went his way. And he wrote further another
letter to me, as if from my lord the king Sennacherib; and on this wise he wrote it:

11. ‘From Sennacherib the King, to Ahikar, my Secretary and Great Seal, greeting. When
this letter reaches thee, gather all thy forces together, to the rock that is called Sis:
and come forth from thence and come to meet me at Eagles’ dale, which lieth to the south,
on the twenty-fifth day of the month Ab. 12. And when thou seest me approaching to thee,
array thy forces against me, like a man that is ready for battle: for ambassadors of
Pharaoh the king of Egypt are come to me, that they may see what forces I have.’ 13. And
my son Nadan sent this letter to me by the hands of two of the king’s servants. And
thereupon my son Nadan took the letters that he had written, as if he had actually found
them; and he read them before the king; and when my lord the king heard them, he lamented
and said, ‘O God, wherein have I sinned against Ahikar, that he should do unto me on this
fashion?’

14. And my son Nadan answered and said to the king, ‘My lord, do not fret nor rage. Arise
and let us go to Eagles’ dale on the day that is written by him in the letter. And if it
be true, then all that thou commandest shall be done.’ 15. So my son Nadan took the king
my lord, and they came to me at Eagles’ dale: and they found me having with me great
forces that were gathered there. And when I saw the king, I put my forces in array against
him, as it was written in the letter. And when the king saw it, he was much afraid. 16.
Then my son Nadan answered and said to him: ‘Let it not disturb thee, my lord the king.
Return and come into thy chamber in peace: and I will bring Ahikar before thee.’ Then my
lord the king returned to his house.

17. And my son Nadan came to me and said to me, ‘All that thou hast done, thou hast done
finely: and much hath the king praised thee; and he commands thee to dismiss thy forces
that they may go every man to his own place and his own district. And do thou come to me
thyself alone.’

CHAPTER 4

1. Thereupon I came before the king, and when he saw me, he said unto me, ‘Art thou come,
Ahikar, my Secretary and the foster-child of Assyria and Nineveh, thou whom I caused to
come into honour? but thou hast turned back and taken the part of my enemies.’ 2. And he
gave me those letters that were written in my name and were sealed with the seal of my own
ring. And when I read them, my tongue stammered and my limbs became faint: and I sought
for a single word from the words of wisdom and I found me none. 3. And my son Nadan
answered and said to me, ‘Away with thee from the king’s sight, thou foolish old man: and
give thy hands to bonds and thy feet to iron fetters.’ Then Sennacherib the king turned
away his face from me, and he talked with Nabusemakh... and said to him, ‘Arise, go slay
Aḥikar, and separate his head a hundred ells from his body.’

4. Then I fell on my face on the ground and worshipped the king, and I said, ‘My lord the
king, live for ever. Seeing, my lord, that it hath pleased thee to kill me, thy will be
done. I know, however, that I have not sinned against thee. But command them, my lord the
king, that they kill me at the door of my house: 5. and let them give my body to burial.’
6. – 10. And the king said to Nabusemakh..., ‘Go, kill Aḥikar at the door of his house,
and give his body to burial. Thereupon I, Ahikar, sent to Eshfagni my wife that she should
bring forth from the daughters of my tribe maids a thousand and one: ‘and let them put on
raiment of mourning, and let them wail and lament and weep over me. And let them come to
meet me, and let them make a funeral feast over me before I die. And prepare thou bread
and a table and a banquet for Nabusemakh... and his Parthians that are with him, and come
to meet them, and receive them and bring them into my house. And I too will come into the
house as a guest. And Eshfagni my wife, for that she was exceeding wise, understood all my
message, and did whatsoever I had sent to her to do; and she came forth to meet them, and
she brought them into my house: and they did eat bread, and with her own hand she served
them, until they fell asleep from drunkenness, every man in his place. Thereat I, Ahikar,
entered and said to Nabusemakh, ‘Look towards God, and remember the love that there was
between us brother: and grieve not over my death:

and remember that thee also did Sarhadum the father of Sennacherib deliver to me that I
should slay thee, yet I slew thee not, because I was aware that there was in thee no
ground of offence; and I kept thee alive until the king desired thee, and when I brought
thee before him, he gave me great gifts, and many presents did I carry off from him. And
do thou too, now, preserve me alive and recompense me this kindness: and in order that the
word come not abroad that I was not killed and that the king may not quarrel with thee,
behold, I have in my prison-house a slave, Marzifan hight, and he is due to die: clothe
this slave in my raiment and rouse up the Parthians against him and they will slay him:
and I shall not die, because I have done no wrong. 11. And when I spake thus, moreover
Nabusemakh... also was sore grieved over me, and he took my raiments and clad in them the
slave that was in the prison-house. And he roused up the Parthians, and they arose in the
fumes of their wine, and they slew him and removed his head a hundred ells from his corse,
and they gave over his body for burial. 12. 13. Then went forth the report in Assyria and
Nineveh, that Ahikar the Secretary is killed. And Nabusemakh... rose up, and Eshfagni my
wife, and they made for me a hiding-place underground; its breadth was three cubits and
its height five cubits, under the threshold of the door of my house. And they put bread
and water with me, and went and showed to Sennacherib the king that Ahikar, the Secretary,
was dead: and when the men heard it, they wept; and the women disfigured their faces and
said: ‘Alas for thee, Ahikar the wise Secretary, thou fence of the breaches of our
country: for like thee there will never be any one to us.’

14. Then Sennacherib the king called my son Nadan, and said to him, ‘Go make a funeral
feast for thy father Ahikar, and then return to me.’ 15. And when Nadan my son came, no
funeral feast did he make for me, nor any remembrance at all; but gathered him the vain
and lewd folk, and set them down at my table, with singing and with great joy; and my
beloved servants and handmaidens he stripped and flogged without mercy. 16. Nor had he any
reverence for my wife Eshfagni, but sought to do with her the way of man with woman. 17.
And I, Ahikar, was cast into darkness in the pit beneath. And I was hearing the voice of
my bakers, cooks, and butlers as they wept and sobbed within my house. 18. And after a few
days came Nabusemakh... and opened [my prison] over me and comforted me; and set before me
bread and water; and I said to him, ‘When thou goest forth from me, remember me before
God, and say, O God, just and righteous, and that showest grace upon the earth, hear the
voice of Thy servant Ahikar, and remember that he sacrificed to Thee fatted oxen like
sucking lambs. And now he is cast into the darksome pit where he seeth no light. And dost
Thou not save him that crieth unto Thee? O Lord, hear the voice of my colleague, [I pray
Thee.]

CHAPTER 5

1. Now when Pharaoh, king of Egypt, heard that I, Ahikar, had been slain, he was greatly
rejoiced, and he wrote a letter to Sennacherib on this wise: 2. 3. ‘Pharaoh, king of
Egypt, to Sennacherib, king of Assyria and Nineveh, greeting. I am planning to build a
castle between heaven and earth, wherefore seek out and send me from thy kingdom a man who
is a skilled architect, that he may give me reply concerning all that I shall ask him. And
when thou shalt send me such a man, I will collect and send thee the revenue of Egypt for
three years: and if thou send me not a man who shall give me reply concerning all that I
ask him, then do thou collect and send me the tribute of Assyria and Nineveh for three
years, by the hands of these ambassadors that come to thee.’ 4. And when this letter was
read before the king, he cried out to all the nobles and franklins of his kingdom, and
said unto them: ‘Which of you will go to Egypt to give reply to the king concerning all
that he shall ask him? And he shall build him the castle that he planneth, and bring back
the three years’ tribute of Egypt and come hither.’

5. And when the nobles heard this, they answered and said unto the king: ‘My lord the
king, thou knowest that not only in the years of thy reign, but also in the years of thy
father Sarhadum, Ahikar the Secretary was in the habit of resolving questions like these.
6. And now, also, behold his son Nadan, he is instructed in his father’s book-lore and
wisdom.’ And when my son Nadan heard these things, he cried out before the king and said:
‘The gods themselves cannot do things like these; let alone men’ 7. 8. And when the king
heard these words, he was much perturbed, and he descended from his throne and sat on the
ground, and spake thus: ‘Alas for thee, Ahikar the wise, that I destroyed thee for the
words of a boy! Who will give thee to me for such a time as this? I would give him thy
weight in gold.’ For Ahikar, whom thou didst command me to slay, is yet alive.’

9. And when the king heard these words, he answered and said, ‘Speak on, speak on,
Nabusemakh; speak on, thou good and clever man, unskilled in evil. If it is indeed as thou
sayest, and thou show me Ahikar alive, then I will give thee presents of silver, a hundred
talents in weight, and of purple, fifty talents in value.’ 10. And Nabusemakh answered and
said, ‘Swear to me, my lord the king, that, if there be not found before thee other sins
of mine, this sin shall not be remembered against me.’ And the king gave him his right
hand on this matter. 11. And forthwith the king mounted his chariot, and came unto me in
haste, and opened [my prison] over me, and I ascended and came and fell before the king;
the hair of my head had grown down on my shoulders, and my beard reached my breast; and my
body was foul with the dust, and my nails were grown long like eagles’.

12. And when the king saw me, he wept and was ashamed to talk with me, and in great grief
he said to me, ‘It was not I that sinned against thee, Ahikar; but thy son whom thou
broughtest up, he it was that sinned against thee.’ 13. Thereupon I answered and said to
him, ‘Because I have seen thy face, my lord, no evil is in my mind.’ And the king said to
me, ‘Go to thy house, Ahikar, and shave off thy hair, and wash thy body, and recover thy
strength forty days; and after that come to me.’

CHAPTER 6

1. Therefore I went to my house, and I was in my house about thirty days, and when I was
recovered, I came to the king, and the king answered and said to me: ‘Hast thou seen,
Ahikar, what a letter Pharaoh, king of Egypt, has written me?’ 2. – 5. And I answered and
said, ‘My lord the king, let there be no trouble to thee over this affair. I will go to
Egypt and build the king a castle: and I will make him answer concerning all that he may
ask me: and I will bring back with me the three years’ tribute of Egypt.’ And when the
king heard these things he rejoiced with a great joy: and he gave me gifts: and as for
Nabusemakh... he set him at the head of all. And after this I wrote a letter to Eshfagni
my wife, as follows: ‘When this letter reaches thee, command my huntsmen that they catch
me two young eagles: and command the workers in flax, that they make me hempen ropes; the
length of each one of them shall be a thousand ells, and their thickness that of one’s
little finger. And bid the carpenters to make me cages for the young eagles: and deliver
over Ubael and Tabshelim, the two boys, who do not yet know how to talk, and let them
teach them to say on this wise: “Give the builders mud, mortar, tiles, bricks, for they
are idle.”’

6. And Eshfagni my wife did all that I commissioned her: then I said to the king:
‘Command, my lord, and send me that I go to Egypt.’ And when the king commanded me to go,
I took me a force of soldiers and went. 7. And when we came to the first halting-place, I
let out the young eagles and bound the ropes to their feet and made the boys ride on them;
and they took them and went up to a height, and the boys cried out as they had been
taught, ‘Mud, mortar, tiles, bricks supply to the builders who are idle.’ Then I pulled
them in again. 8. And when we came to Egypt, I went to the king’s gate: and his nobles
told the king, ‘There is come the man whom the king of Assyria has sent.’ And the king
commanded and gave me a place to reside in; and on the following day I came in before him
and worshipped him and inquired after his health.

9. And the king answered and said unto me, ‘What is thy name?’ And I said to him, ‘My name
is Abikam: one of the contemptible ants of the kingdom.’ And the king answered and said to
me, ‘Am I thus despised of thy lord, that he has sent me a despised ant of his kingdom?
Go, Abikam, to thy lodging, and come to me early in the morning.’ 10. Then the king
commanded his nobles, ‘On the morrow clothe yourselves in red,’ and the king dressed
himself in fine linen, and sat on his throne. And he commanded and I came into his
presence: and he said to me, ‘To what am I like, Abikam, and to what are my nobles like?’
And I answered and said to him, ‘My lord the king, thou art like unto Bel, and thy nobles
are like unto his priests.’ And again he said to me, ‘Go to thy lodging, and come to me on
the morrow.’

11. And the king commanded his nobles, ‘On the morrow clothe yourselves in robes of white
linen,’ and the king himself put on white and sat on his throne. And he commanded and I
came into his presence: and he said to me, ‘To what am I like, Abikam, and to what are my
nobles like?’ And I said to him, ‘My lord the king, thou art like to the sun, and thy
nobles to his rays.’ And again he said to me, ‘Get thee to thy lodging, and come to me to-
morrow.’ 12. And again the king commanded his nobles, ‘On the morrow clothe yourselves in
black,’ and the king put on crimson. And he commanded, and I came into his presence: and
he said to me, ‘To what am I like, Abikam; and to what are my nobles like?’ And I said to
him, ‘My lord the king, thou art like to the moon, and thy nobles to the stars.’ And again
he said to me, ‘Go to thy house: and come to me to-morrow.’

13. And the king commanded his nobles, ‘On the morrow dress in diverse and varied colours,
and let the doors of the palace be covered with red hangings.’ And the king himself was
robed in fine needlework. And he commanded and I came into his presence: and he said to
me, ‘To what am I like, Abikam? and my nobles, to what are they like?’ And I said to him,
‘My lord the king, thou art like to the month Nisan, and thy nobles to its flowers.’ Then
the king said to me, ‘The first time thou didst compare me to Bel, and my nobles to his
priests. 14. The second time thou hast compared me to the sun, and my nobles to its rays.
The third time thou hast compared me to the moon, and my nobles to the stars. And the
fourth time thou hast likened me to Nisan, and my nobles to the flowers thereof. And now
tell me, Abikam, to what is thy lord like?’

15. And I answered and said to him, ‘Be it far from me, my lord the king, that I should
make mention of my lord Sennacherib, whilst thou art seated. 16. My lord Sennacherib is
like [the God of Heaven] and his nobles to the lightnings that are in the clouds: for when
he wills, he fashions the rain and the dew [and] the hail; and if he thunders, he
restrains the sun from rising, and its rays from being seen; and he will restrain Bel from
coming in and from going forth in the street, and his nobles from being seen; and he will
hinder the moon from rising and the stars from appearing.’ 17. And when the king heard
these things he was exceeding wroth, and said to me, ‘By the life of thy lord, I adjure
thee tell me what is thy name?’ 18. And I answered and said to him, ‘I am Ahikar the
Secretary and Great Seal of Sennacherib king of Assyria and Nineveh.’

19. And the king said to me, ‘Did I not certainly hear that thy lord had killed thee?’ And
I said to him, ‘I am yet alive, my lord the king: and God saved me from something which my
hands did not.’ 20. And the king said to me, ‘Go, Ahikar, to thy house, and come to me to-
morrow, and tell me a word which I never heard nor any one of my nobles, and which was
never heard in the city of my kingdom.’

CHAPTER 7

1. Then I sat down and meditated in my heart and wrote a letter as follows: ‘From Pharaoh,
king of Egypt, to Sennacherib, king of Assyria and Nineveh, greeting. 2. ‘Kings have need
of kings and brethren of brethren: and at this time my gifts are become scant, because
silver is scarce in my treasury: command, therefore, to send me from thy treasury 900
talents of silver, and in a little while I will return them to their place.’ 3. This
letter, then, I folded and held it in my hands: and the king commanded and I came into his
presence, and I said to him, ‘Perhaps in this letter there is a word that was never heard
by thee.’ And when I read it before the king and before his nobles, they cried out, as
they were ordered by the king to do, and said, ‘This has been heard by all of us, and it
is so.’

4. Whereupon I said to them, ‘Behold, [in that case] there is a debt of 900 talents from
Egypt to Assyria.’ And when the king heard this, he marvelled. 5. Then he said to me, ‘I
am planning to build a castle between earth and heaven. Its height from the earth shall be
one thousand fathoms.’ 6. Then I brought out the young eagles and bound the ropes to their
feet, and set the boys on their backs; and they were saying, ‘Provide mud, mortar;
[foreman, mix] tiles and bricks for the builders, because they are idle.’ And when the
king saw it, he was confounded. 7. Then I, Aḥikar, took a switch and beat the king’s
nobles, till they all took to flight. Then the king was indignant with me, and said to me,
‘Thou art gone clean mad, Aḥikar: who is able to carry up anything to these boys?’

8. And I said to him, ‘Concerning the affairs of Sennacherib my lord, say ye nothing; for
if he had been at hand, he would have built a couple of castles in one day.’ And the king
said to me, ‘Have done with the castle, Aḥikar, and go to thy lodging; and in the morning
come to me.’ 9. And when it was morning, I came into his presence, and he said to me,
‘Explain to me, Aḥikar, the following matter. The horse of thy lord neighs in Assyria, and
our mares hear his voice here, and their foals miscarry.’ 10. Then I went forth from the
king’s presence, and commanded my servants to catch me a cat, and I whipped it in the
streets of the city; and when the Egyptians saw it, they went and told the king that
‘Aḥikar has acted contemptuously of our people and makes mock of us. For he has caught a
cat and whips it in the streets of our city.’

11. And the king sent for me and called me; and I came into his presence. 12. 13. And he
said to me, ‘In what way art thou insulting us?’ and I answered and said to him, ‘This cat
has seriously damaged me in no slight matter; for a cock had been entrusted to me by my
lord, whose voice was extremely beautiful, and by the time that he crowed I understood
that my lord wished for me, and I went to the gate of my lord. And in this past night this
cat went to Assyria and tore off the head of this cock of mine and returned.’ And the king
answered and said to me, ‘As far as I can see, Aḥikar, since thou art grown old thou art
become stark mad. For it is 360 parasangs from here to Assyria; and how canst thou say
that in a single night this cat went and cut off the head of the cock and came back?’

14. Then I said to him, ‘And if it is 360 parasangs from Egypt to Assyria, how do thy
mares in this place hear the voice of the horse of my lord, and their foals miscarry?’ 15.
And when the king heard this, he was sore vexed, and he said to me, ‘Aḥikar, expound to me
this riddle: A pillar has on its head twelve cedars; in every cedar there are thirty
wheels, and in every wheel two cables, one white and one black.’ 16. And I answered and
said to him, ‘My lord the king, the ox-herds in our country understand this riddle that
thou tellest. The pillar of which thou hast spoken to me is the year; the twelve cedars
are the twelve months of the year; the thirty wheels are the thirty days of the month; the
two cables, one white and one black, are the day and the night.’

17. Again he said to me, ‘Twine me five cables from the sand of the river.’ And I said to
him, ‘My lord the king, bid them bring me from thy treasury one rope of sand, and I will
make one to match it.’ Then he said to me, ‘Unless thou do this, I will not give thee the
Egyptian tribute.’ 18. Thereupon I sat down and calculated in my heart how I should do it.
And I went out from the king’s palace and bored five holes in the eastern wall of the
palace. 19. And when the sun entered the holes I scattered sand in them, and the sun’s
path began to appear as if [the sand] were twined in the holes. Then I said to the king;
‘My lord, bid them take up these, and I will weave you others in their stead.’ And when
the king and his nobles saw it, they were amazed.

20. And again the king commanded to bring me an upper millstone that was broken: and he
said to me, ‘Aḥikar, sew up for us this broken millstone.’ Then I went and brought a
nether millstone, and cast it down before the king and said to him, ‘My lord the king,
since I am a stranger here, and have not the tools of my craft with me, bid the cobblers
cut me strips (?) from this lower millstone which is the fellow of the upper millstone;
and forthwith I will sew it together.’ 21. And when the king heard it, he laughed and
said, ‘The day in which Ahikar was born shall be blessed before the God of Egypt; and
since I have seen thee alive, I will make it a great and appropriate day.’ 22. Then he
gave me the revenue of Egypt for three years, and straightway I returned and came to my
lord the king Sennacherib: and he came forth to meet me and received me.

23. And he made it a great day and set me at the head of his household: and he said to me,
‘Ask what thou wilt, Ahikar’; and I worshipped the king and said, ‘Whatever thou willest
to give me, bestow it upon Nabusemakh...’; because he gave me my life; and for myself, my
lord, bid them give me my son Nadan, that I may teach him a further lesson. For he has
forgotten my former teaching.’ 24. 25. And the king commanded and gave me my son Nadan;
and the king said to me, ‘Go thy way, Ahikar, and work thy will on thy son Nadan; for no
man shall rescue his body from thy hands.’ Thereupon I took Nadan my son, and brought him
to my house; and I bound him with iron chains whose weight was twenty talents, and I
fastened the chains in rings, and I fastened collars on his neck; and I struck him one
thousand blows on the shoulders and a thousand and one on his loins; and I put him in the
porch of the door of my palace, and gave him bread by weight and water by measure.

26. And I delivered him to my boy Nabuel to guard, and told my boy, ‘Write down in a
tablet whatever I say to my son Nadan, when I go in or come out.’ And I answered and said
to my son Nadan as follows:

CHAPTER 8

2. as for me, my righteousness has saved me. 3. Thou hast been to me, my son, like a
scorpion, which strikes at a rock. And the rock said to it, “Thou hast struck at an
unconcerned heart.” And it struck at a needle, and they say to it, “Thou hast struck at a
sting worse than thy own.” 4. My son, thou hast been to me like a gazelle that was
standing over a sumach-tree and eating it. And the sumach-tree said to it, “Why eatest
thou me, seeing that they tan thy skin with me?” And the gazelle said, “I eat thee in my
life, and when I am dead they will pluck thee up by thy roots.” 5. My son, thou hast been
to me like the man that threw a stone at the heaven, and it did not reach the heaven; but
he incurred sin against God.

6. My son, thou hast been like the man who saw his companion shivering from cold, and took
a pitcher of water and threw it over him. In the primitive sense of ‘almsgiving’?
Apparently the point of the story is missed, which is that the sumach-tree has its revenge
on the gazelle: ‘thy skin shall be dyed with my roots presently.’ 7. My son, not when thou
hadst killed me, wouldst thou have been able to stand in my place; for be well aware, my
son, that even if the tail of the swine should grow to seven ells, he would never take the
place of the horse: and even if his hair should become soft and woolly, he would never
ride on the back of a free man. 8. My son, I said that thou shouldst be in my place; and
thou shouldst acquire my house and my wealth, and inherit them. But God was not pleased
therewith and has not heard thy voice.

9. My son, thou hast been to me as the lion that came upon an ass in the morning of the
day and said to him, “Welcome, my lord Kyrios.” But the ass said to him, “May the same
welcome that thou givest me be the portion of him that tied me up last night, and did not
make my halter fast, so that I had not seen thy face.” 10. My son, a snare was set upon a
dunghill, and there came a sparrow and looked at it and said, “What doest thou here?” And
the snare said, “I am praying to God.” The sparrow said, “And what is that in thy mouth?”
The snare said, “Bread for guests.” Then the sparrow drew near and took it, and the snare
caught him by the neck. And the sparrow said, as he was being shaken, “If this is thy
bread for guests, may the God to whom thou prayest never listen to thy voice.”

11. My son, thou hast been to me as an ox that was bound with a lion; and the lion turned
and crushed him. 12. My son, thou hast been to me like the weevil that is in the corn,
which destroys kings’ granaries, and is itself of no account. 13. My son, thou hast been
to me like the pot, to which they made golden handles, but its bottom was not cleansed
from blackness. 14. My son, thou hast been to me like a husbandman that sowed a field with
twenty measures of barley; and when he reaped it, it made him twenty measures. And he said
to it: “What I scattered, I have gathered, but thou art shamed with thine evil name, in
that thou hast made a bushel into a bushel: and I, [how] am I to live?” 15. My son, thou
hast been to me like the... bird that could not save himself from death, and by his voice
slaughtered his companions.

16. My son, thou hast been to me like the buck that led his companions into the
slaughterhouse; and yet he did not save his own life. 17. – 20. My son, thou hast been to
me like the dog that came to the potters’ oven to warm himself, and after he was warm rose
up to bark at them. My son, thou hast been to me like the swine that had been to the
baths, and when it saw a muddy ditch, went down and washed in it, and cried to its
companions, “Come and wash.” My son, my finger is upon thy mouth, and thy finger is upon
my eyes. Why have I brought thee up, thou jackal, that thy eyes look thus upon apples? My
son, the dog that eats of his hunting will become the portion of wolves: and the hand that
is not industrious shall be cut off from its shoulder: and the eye in which there is no
vision the raven shall pluck it out.

21. What good hast thou done me, my son, that I remembered thee and that my soul had
comfort in thee? My son, if the gods steal, by whom shall they make them to swear? 22. And
a lion that steals a piece of land, how will he sit down and eat it? 23. My son, I caused
thee to behold the face of the king, and brought thee to great honour: and thou hast
chosen to do me evil. 24. My son, thou hast been to me like the tree that said to its
woodcutters, “If there had not been somewhat from me in your hands, ye had not fallen upon
me.” 25. My son, thou hast been to me like the young swallows which fell out of their
nest; and a cat caught them and said to them, “If it had not been for me, great evil would
have befallen you.” They answered and said to her, “Is that why thou hast put us in thy
mouth?”

26. My son, thou hast been to me like the cat, to which they say, “Leave off thy thievish
ways, and thou shalt go out from and come in to the king’s palace, according to thy
heart’s wish.” And she answered and said, “If I should have eyes of silver and ears of
gold, I will not leave off my thieving.” 27. My son, thou hast been to me like a serpent
that was mounted on a thorn-bush and thrown into a river; and a wolf saw them and said to
them: “Bad rides on bad, and worse than either carries them off.” The serpent said to him,
“If thou hadst been here, thou shouldst have paid the reckoning for the she-goats and
their young ones.” 28. My son, I have seen a shegoat brought into the slaughter-house, and
because its time was not yet come, it returned to its place and saw its children and its
children’s children. My son, I have seen colts that have become slayers of their mothers.

29. My son, I fed thee with every pleasant meat: and thou, my son, hast fed me with bread
of ashes, and I was not satisfied therewith. 30. My son, I salved thee with sweet salves,
and thou, my son, hast fouled my body with dust. 31. My son, I trained up thy stature like
a cedar, but thou hast humbled me in my life, and hast made me drunken with thy
wickedness. 32. My son, I raised thee like a tower and said, “If the enemy should come
upon me, I will go up and dwell in thee”: and thou, when thou sawest my enemy, didst bow
before him. 33. My son, thou hast been to me like the mole that came up out of the earth
that he might get possession of the sun, because he had no eyes; and an eagle saw him and
struck him and carried him off.’

34. My son Nadan answered and said to me, ‘My father Ahikar, such things be far from thee:
do to me according to thy mercy: for God also forgives the fault of men: and thou also,
forgive me this my folly: and I will tend thy horses and feed thy pigs which are in thy
house, and I shall be called evil: but thou, devise not evil against me.’ 35. I answered
and said to him, ‘My son, thou hast been to me like that palm-tree that stood by a river,
and cast all its fruit into the river, and when its lord came to cut it down, it said to
him, “Let me alone this year, and I will bring thee forth carobs.” And its lord said unto
it, “Thou hast not been industrious in what is thine own, and how wilt thou be industrious
in what is not thine own?”

36. My son, they say to the wolf, “Why dost thou follow after the sheep?” He said to them,
“Their dust is exceeding good for my eyes.” Again they brought him into the school-house:
the master said to him, “Aleph, Beth”; the wolf said, “Kid, Lamb.” 37. My son, I taught
thee that there is a God: and thou risest up against good servants, and beatest those that
have not sinned; and like as God has kept me alive on account of my righteousness so hath
He destroyed thee for thy works. 38. My son, they set the head of the ass over a dish at
the table, and he rolled off and fell in the dust. And they say, “He spites himself; he
does not receive honour.” 39. My son, thou hast verified the proverb, which is current:
“Call him whom thou hast begotten, thy son, and him whom thou hast purchased, thy slave.”

40. My son, the proverb is true that is current: “Take thy sister’s son under thy arm and
dash him against a stone.” But God is He that hath kept me alive, and He will judge
between us.’ 41. Thereat Nadan swelled up like a bag and died. And to him that doeth good,
what is good shall be recompensed: and to him that doeth evil, what is evil shall be
rewarded. And he that diggeth a pit for his neighbour, filleth it with his own stature.
And to God be glory, and His mercy be upon us. Amen. The proverbs of Ahikar the sage and
secretary of Sennacherib king of Assyria and Nineveh are ended.


THE STORY OF AHIKAR (ARABIC VERSION)
====================================

THE STORY OF AHIKAR (ARABIC VERSION) 5th century BC (earliest text); versions of the
1st-10th centuries AD

The story of Ahikar (Haiqar in the Arabic), the wise counsellor of the Assyrian kings,
betrayed by his adopted nephew Nadan, together with his proverbs, as told in the Arabic
version. It is a non-biblical story of the fifth century BC or earlier. This is the Arabic
version in the translation by J. Rendel Harris, A. S. Lewis and F. C. Conybeare, with the
Syriac and Armenian versions given beside it in the book.

CHAPTER 1

1. In the name of God the Creator, the Living One, the Source of Reason, we hereby begin
with the help of the Most High God and His best guidance, to write the story of Haiqār the
Wise, Vizier of Sennacherib the King, and of Nadan, sister’s son to Haiqār the Sage. There
was a Vizier in the days of King Sennacherib, son of Sarhadum, King of Assyria and
Nineveh, a wise man named Haiqār, and he was 2. Vizier of the king Sennacherib. He had a
fine fortune and much goods, and he was skilful, wise, a philosopher, [in] knowledge, [in]
opinion and [in] government, and he had married sixty women, and had built a castle for
each of them. But with it all he had no child by any of these women, who might be his
heir. 3. And he was very sad on account of this, and one day he assembled the astrologers
and the learned men and the wizards and explained to them his condition and the matter of
his barrenness. And they said to him, ‘Go, sacrifice to the gods and beseech them that
perchance they may provide thee with a boy.’

4. And he did as they told him and offered sacrifices to the idols, and besought them and
implored them with request and entreaty. And they answered him not one word. And he went
away sorrowful and dejected, departing with a pain at his heart. 5. And he returned, and
implored the Most High God, and believed, beseeching Him with a burning in his heart,
saying, ‘O Most High God, O Creator of the Heavens and of the earth, O Creator of all
created things! I beseech Thee to give me a boy, that I may be consoled by him, that he
may be present at my death, that he may close my eyes, and that he may bury me.’ Then
there came to him a voice saying, ‘Inasmuch as thou hast relied first of all on graven
images, and hast offered sacrifices to them, for this reason thou shalt remain childless
thy life long.

6. But take Nadan thy sister’s son, and make him thy child and teach him thy learning and
thy good breeding, and at thy death he shall bury thee.’ 7. Thereupon he took Nadan his
sister’s son, who was a little suckling. And he handed him over to eight wet-nurses, that
they might suckle him and bring him up. 8. And they brought him up with good food and
gentle training and silken clothing, and purple and crimson. 9. And he was seated upon
couches of silk. And when Nadan grew big and walked, shooting up like a tall cedar, he
taught him good manners and writing and science and philosophy. 10. And after many days
King Sennacherib looked at Haiqār and saw that he had grown very old, and moreover he said
to him, ‘O my honoured friend, the skilful, the trusty, the wise, the governor, my
secretary, my vizier, my Chancellor’ and director; verily thou art grown very old and
weighted with years; and thy departure from this world must be near. Tell me who shall
have a place in my service after thee.’

11. And Haiqār said to him, ‘O my lord, may thy head live for ever! There is Nadan my
sister’s son, I have made him my child. And I have brought him up and taught him my wisdom
and my knowledge.’ 12. And the king said to him, ‘O Haiqār! bring him to my presence, that
I may see him, and if I find him suitable, put him in thy place; and thou shalt go thy
way, to take a rest and to live the remainder of thy life in sweet repose.’ 13. Then
Haiqār went and presented Nadan his sister’s son. And he did homage and wished him power
and honour. And he looked at him and admired him and rejoiced in him and said to Haiqār:
‘Is this thy son, O Haiqār? I pray that God may preserve him. And as thou hast served me
and my father Sarhadum so may this boy of thine serve me and fulfil my undertakings, my
needs, and my business, so that I may honour him and make him powerful for thy sake.’

14. And Haiqār did obeisance to the king and said to him, ‘May thy head live, O my lord
the king, for ever! I seek from thee that thou mayst be patient with my boy Nadan and
forgive his mistakes that he may serve thee as it is fitting.’ Then the king swore to him
that he would make him the greatest of his favourites, and the most powerful of his
friends, and that he should be with him in all honour and respect. 15. And he kissed his
hands and bade him farewell. And he took Nadan his sister’s son with him and seated him in
a parlour and set about teaching him night and day till he had crammed him with wisdom and
knowledge more than with bread and water. Literally ‘the sealer of my secrets’, passim.
Thus he taught him, saying:

CHAPTER 2

1. ‘O my son! hear my speech and follow my advice and remember what I say. 2. O my son! if
thou hearest a word, let it die in thy heart, and reveal it not to another, lest it become
a live coal and burn thy tongue and cause a pain in thy body, and thou gain a reproach,
and art shamed before God and man. 3. O my son! if thou hast heard a report, spread it
not; and if thou hast seen something, tell it not. 4. O my son! make thy eloquence easy to
the listener, and be not hasty to return an answer. 5. O my son! when thou hast heard
anything, hide it not. 6. O my son! loose not a sealed knot, nor untie it, and seal not a
loosened knot. 7. O my son! covet not outward beauty, for it wanes and passes away, but an
honourable remembrance lasts for aye.

8. O my son! let not a silly woman deceive thee with her speech, lest thou die the most
miserable of deaths, and she entangle thee in the net till thou art ensnared. 9. O my son!
desire not a woman bedizened with dress and with ointments, who is despicable and silly in
her soul. Woe to thee if thou bestow on her anything that is thine, or commit to her what
is in thine hand and she entice thee into sin, and God be wroth with thee. 10. O my son!
be not like the almond-tree, for it brings forth leaves before all the trees, and edible
fruit after them all, but be like the mulberry-tree, which brings forth edible fruit
before all the trees, and leaves after them all. 11. O my son! bend thy head low down, and
soften thy voice, and be courteous, and walk in the straight path, and be not foolish. And
raise not thy voice when thou laughest, for if it were by a loud voice that a house was
built, the ass would build many houses every day; and if it were by dint of strength that
the plough were driven, the plough would never be removed from under the shoulders of the
camels.

12. O my son! the removing of stones with a wise man is better than the drinking of wine
with a sorry man. 13. O my son! pour out thy wine on the tombs of the just, and drink not
with ignorant, contemptible people. 14. O my son! cleave to wise men who fear God and be
like them, and go not near the ignorant, lest thou become like him and learn his ways. 15.
O my son! when thou hast got thee a comrade or a friend, try him, and afterwards make him
a comrade and a friend; and do not praise him without a trial; and do not spoil thy speech
with a man who lacks wisdom. 16. O my son! while a shoe stays on thy foot, walk with it on
the thorns, and make a road for thy son, and for thy household and thy children, and make
thy ship taut before she goes on the sea and its waves and sinks and cannot be saved.

17. [O my son! if the rich man eat a snake, they say “It is by his wisdom”, and if a poor
man eat it, the people say “From his hunger”.] 18. O my son! be content with thy daily
bread and thy goods, and covet not what is another’s. 19. O my son! be not neighbour to
the fool, and eat not bread with him, and rejoice not in the calamities of thy neighbours.
If thine enemy wrong thee, show him kindness. 20. O my son! a man who fears God do thou
fear him and honour him. 21. O my son! the ignorant man falls and stumbles, and the wise
man, even if he stumbles, he is not shaken, and even if he falls he gets up quickly, and
if he is sick, he can take care of his life. But as for the ignorant, stupid man, for his
disease there is no drug.

22. O my son! if a man approach thee who is inferior to thyself, go forward to meet him,
and remain standing, and if he cannot recompense thee, his Lord will recompense thee for
him. 23. O my son! spare not to beat thy son, for the drubbing of thy son is like manure
to the garden, and like tying the mouth of a purse, and like the tethering of beasts, and
like the bolting of the door. 24. O my son! restrain thy son from wickedness, and teach
him manners before he rebels against thee and brings thee into contempt amongst the people
and thou hang thy head in the streets and the assemblies and thou be punished for the evil
of his wicked deeds. 25. O my son! get thee a fat ox with a foreskin, and an ass great
with its hoofs, and get not an ox with large horns, nor make friends with a tricky man,
nor get a quarrelsome slave, nor a thievish handmaid, for everything which thou committest
to them they will ruin.

26. O my son! let not thy parents curse thee, and the Lord be pleased with them; for it
hath been said, “He who despiseth his father or his mother let him die the death (I mean
the death of sin); and he who honoureth his parents shall prolong his days and his life
and shall see all that is good.” 27. O my son! walk not on the road without weapons, for
thou knowest not when the foe may meet thee, so that thou mayst be ready for him. 28. O my
son! be not like a bare, leafless tree that doth not grow, but be like a tree covered with
its leaves and its boughs; for the man who has neither wife nor children is disgraced in
the world and is hated by them, like a leafless and fruitless tree. 29. O my son! be like
a fruitful tree on the roadside, whose fruit is eaten by all who pass by, and the beasts
of the desert rest under its shade and eat of its leaves.

30. O my son! every sheep that wanders from its path and its companions becomes food for
the wolf. 31. O my son! say not, “My lord is a fool and I am wise,” and relate not the
speech of ignorance and folly, lest thou be despised by him. 32. O my son! be not one of
those servants, to whom their lords say, “Get away from us,” but be one of those to whom
they say, “Approach and come near to us.” 33. (O my son! caress not thy slave in the
presence of his companion, for thou knowest not which of them shall be of most value to
thee in the end.) 34. O my son! be not afraid of thy Lord who created thee, lest He be
silent to thee. 35. O my son! make thy speech fair and sweeten thy tongue; and permit not
thy companion to tread on thy foot, lest he tread at another time on thy breast.

36. O my son! if thou beat a wise man with a word of wisdom, it will lurk in his breast
like a subtle sense of shame; but if thou drub the ignorant with a stick he will neither
understand nor hear. 37. O my son! if thou send a wise man for thy needs, do not give him
many orders, for he will do thy business as thou desirest: and if thou send a fool, do not
order him, but go thyself and do thy business, for if thou order him, he will not do what
thou desirest. If they send thee on business, hasten to fulfil it quickly. 38. O my son!
make not an enemy of a man stronger than thyself, for he will take thy measure, and his
revenge on thee. 39. O my son! make trial of thy son, and of thy servant, before thou
committest thy belongings to them, lest they make away with them; for he who hath a full
hand is is called wise, even if he be stupid and ignorant, and he who hath an empty hand
is called poor, ignorant, even if he be the prince of sages.

40. O my son! I have eaten a colocynth, and swallowed aloes, and I have found nothing more
bitter than poverty and scarcity. 41. O my son! teach thy son frugality and hunger, that
he may do well in the management of his household. 42. O my son! teach not to the ignorant
the language of wise men, for it will be burdensome to him. 43. O my son! display not thy
condition to thy friend, lest thou be despised by him. 44. O my son! the blindness of the
heart is more grievous than the blindness of the eyes, for the blindness of the eye may be
guided little by little, but the blindness of the heart is not guided, and it leaves the
straight path, and goes in a crooked way. 45. O my son! the stumbling of a man with his
foot is better than the stumbling of a man with his tongue.

46. O my son! a friend who is near is better than a more excellent brother who is far
away. 47. O my son! beauty fades but learning lasts, and the world wanes and becomes vain,
but a good name neither becomes vain nor wanes. 48. O my son! the man who hath no rest,
his death were better than his life; and the sound of weeping is better than the sound of
singing; for sorrow and weeping, if the fear of God be in them, are better than the sound
of singing and rejoicing. 49. O my child! the thigh of a frog in thy hand is better than a
goose in the pot of thy neighbour; and a sheep near thee is better than an ox far away;
and a sparrow in thy hand is better than a thousand sparrows flying; and poverty which
gathers is better than the scattering of much provision; and a living fox is better than a
dead lion; and a pound of wool is better than a pound of wealth, I mean of gold and
silver; for the gold and the silver are hidden and covered up in the earth, and are not
seen; but the wool stays in the markets and it is seen, and it is a beauty to him who
wears it.

50. O my son! a small fortune is better than a scattered fortune. 51. O my son! a living
dog is better than a dead poor man. 52. O my son! a poor man who does right is better than
a rich man who is dead in sins. 53. O my son! keep a word in thy heart, and it shall be
much to thee, and beware lest thou reveal the secret of thy friend. 54. O my son! let not
a word issue from thy mouth till thou hast taken counsel with thy heart. And stand not
betwixt persons quarrelling, because from a bad word there comes a quarrel, and from a
quarrel there comes war, and from war there comes fighting, and thou wilt be forced to
bear witness; but run from thence and rest thyself. 55. O my son! withstand not a man
stronger than thyself, but get thee a patient spirit, and endurance and an upright
conduct, for there is nothing more excellent than that.

56. O my son! hate not thy first friend, for the second one may not last. 57. O my son!
visit the poor in his affliction, and speak of him in the Sultan’s presence, and do thy
diligence to save him from the mouth of the lion. 58. O my son! rejoice not in the death
of thine enemy, for after a little while thou shalt be his neighbour, and him who mocks
thee do thou respect and honour and be beforehand with him in greeting. 59. O my son! if
water would stand still in heaven, and a black crow become white, and myrrh grow sweet as
honey, then ignorant men and fools might understand and become wise. 60. O my son! if thou
desire to be wise, restrain thy tongue from lying, and thy hand from stealing, and thine
eyes from beholding evil; then thou wilt be called wise.

61. O my son! let the wise man beat thee with a rod, but let not the fool anoint thee with
sweet salve. Be humble in thy youth and thou shalt be honoured in thine old age. 62. O my
son! withstand not a man in the days of his power, nor a river in the days of its flood.
63. O my son! be not hasty in the wedding of a wife, for if it turns out well, she will
say, ‘My lord, make provision for me’; and if it turns out ill, she will rate at him who
was the cause of it. 64. (O my son! whosoever is elegant in his dress, he is the same in
his speech; and he who has a mean appearance in his dress, he also is the same in his
speech.) 65. O my son! if thou hast committed a theft, make it known to the Sultan, and
give him a share of it, that thou mayst be delivered from him, for otherwise thou wilt
endure bitterness.

66. O my son! make a friend of the man whose hand is satisfied and filled, and make no
friend of the man whose hand is closed and hungry. 67. There are four things in which
neither the king nor his army can be secure: oppression by the vizier, and bad government,
and perversion of the will, and tyranny over the subject; and four things which cannot be
hidden: the prudent, and the foolish, and the rich, and the poor.

CHAPTER 3

1. 2. Thus spake Haiqār, and when he had finished these injunctions and proverbs to Nadan,
his sister’s son, he imagined that he would keep them all, and he knew not that instead of
that he was displaying to him weariness and contempt and mockery. Thereafter Haiqār sat
still in his house and delivered over to Nadan all his goods, and the slaves, and the
hand-maidens, and the horses, and the cattle, and everything else that he had possessed
and gained; and the power of bidding and of forbidding remained in the hand of Nadan; and
Haiqār sat at rest in his house, and every now and then Haiqār went and paid his respects
to the king, and returned home. Now when Nadan perceived that the power of bidding and of
forbidding was in his own hand, he despised the position of Haiqār and scoffed at him, and
set about blaming him whenever he appeared, saying, ‘My uncle Haiqār is in his dotage, and
he knows nothing now’; and he began to beat the slaves and the handmaidens, and to sell
the horses and the camels and be spendthrift with all that his uncle Haiqār had owned.

3. And when Haiqār saw that he had no compassion on his servants nor on his household, he
arose and chased him from his house, and sent to inform the king that he had scattered his
possessions and his provision. 4. 5. And the king arose and called Nadan and said to him:
‘Whilst Haiqār remains in health, no one shall rule over his goods, nor over his
household, nor over his possessions.’ And the hand of Nadan was lifted off from his uncle
Haiqār and from all his goods, and in the meantime he went neither in nor out, nor did he
greet him. 6. Thereupon Haiqār repented him of his toil with Nadan his sister’s son, and
he continued to be very sorrowful. And Nadan had a younger brother named Benuzārdān, so
Haiqār took him to himself in place of Nadan, and brought him up and honoured him with the
utmost honour. And he delivered over to him all that he possessed, and made him governor
of his house.

7. Now when Nadan perceived what had happened he was seized with envy and jealousy, and he
began to complain to every one who questioned him, and to mock his uncle Haiqār, saying:
‘My uncle has chased me from his house, and has preferred my brother to me, but if the
Most High God give me the power, I shall bring upon him the misfortune of being killed.’
And Nadan continued to meditate as to the stumbling-block he might contrive for him. And
after a while Nadan turned it over in his mind, and wrote a letter to Achish, son of Shah
the Wise, king of Persia, saying thus; 8. ‘Peace and health and might and honour from
Sennacherib king of Assyria and Nineveh, and from his vizier and his secretary Haiqār unto
thee, O great king! Let there be peace between thee and me. And when this letter reaches
thee, if thou wilt arise and go quickly to the plain of Nisrin, and to Assyria and
Nineveh, I will deliver up the kingdom to thee without war and without battle-array.’

9. And he wrote also another letter in the name of Haiqār to Pharaoh king of Egypt. ‘Let
there be peace between thee and me, O mighty king! If at the time of this letter reaching
thee thou wilt arise and go to Assyria and Nineveh to the plain of Nisrin, I will deliver
up to thee the kingdom without war and without fighting.’ 10. And the writing of Nadan was
like to the writing of his uncle Haiqār. Then he folded the two letters, and sealed them
with the seal of his uncle Haiqār; they were nevertheless in the king’s palace. 11. 12.
Then he went and wrote a letter likewise from the king to his uncle Haiqār: ‘Peace and
health to my Vizier, my Secretary, my Chancellor, Haiqār. O Haiqār, when this letter
reaches thee, assemble all the soldiers who are with thee, and let them be perfect in
clothing and in numbers, and bring them to me on the fifth day in the plain of Nisrin, and
when thou shalt see me there coming towards thee, haste and make the army move against me
as an enemy who would fight with me, for I have with me the ambassadors of Pharaoh king of
Egypt, that they may see the strength of our army and may fear us, for they are our
enemies and they hate us.’

13. Then he sealed the letter and sent it to Haiqār by one of the king’s servants. And he
took the other letter which he had written and spread it before the king and read it to
him and showed him the seal. And when the king heard what was in the letter he was
perplexed with a great perplexity and was wroth with a great and fierce wrath, and said,
‘Ah, I have shown my wisdom! what have I done to Haiqār that he has written these letters
to my enemies? Is this my recompense from him for my benefits to him?’ 14. And Nadan said
to him, ‘Be not grieved, O king! nor be wroth, but let us go to the plain of Nisrin and
see if the tale be true or not.’ 15. Then Nadan arose on the fifth day and took the king
and the soldiers and the vizier, and they went to the desert to the plain of Nisrin. And
the king looked, and lo! Haiqār and the army were set in array. And when Haiqār saw that
the king was there, he approached and signalled to the army to move as in war and to fight
in array against the king as it had been found in the letter, he not knowing what a pit
Nadan had digged for him. And when the king saw the act of Haiqār he was seized with
anxiety and terror and perplexity, and was wroth with a great wrath.

16. And Nadan said to him, ‘Hast thou seen, O my lord the king! what this wretch has done?
but be not thou wroth and be not grieved nor pained, but go to thy house and sit on thy
throne, and I will bring Haiqār to thee bound and chained with chains, and I will chase
away thine enemy from thee without toil.’ And the king returned to his throne, being
provoked about Haiqār, and did nothing concerning him. And Nadan went to Haiqār and said
to him, ‘W’allah, O my uncle! The king verily rejoiceth in thee with great joy and thanks
thee for having done what he commanded thee. And now he hath sent me to thee that thou
mayst dismiss the soldiers to their duties and come thyself to him with thy hands bound
behind thee, and thy feet chained, that the ambassadors of Pharaoh may see this, and that
the king may be feared by them and by their king.’ Then answered Haiqār and said, ‘To hear
is to obey.’ And he arose straightway and bound his hands behind him, and chained his
feet.

CHAPTER 4

1. And Nadan took him and went with him to the king. And when Haiqār entered the king’s
presence he did obeiance before him on the ground, and wished for power and perpetual life
to the king. Then said the king, ‘O Haiqār, my Secretary, the Governor of my affairs, my
Chancellor, the ruler of my State, tell me what evil have I done to thee that thou hast
rewarded me by this ugly deed.’ 2. Then they showed him the letters in his writing and
with his seal. And when Haiqār saw this, his limbs trembled and his tongue was tied at
once, and he was unable to speak a word from fear; but he hung his head towards the earth
and was dumb. And when the king saw this, he felt certain that the thing was from him, and
he straightway arose and commanded them to kill Haiqār, and to strike his neck with the
sword outside of the city.

3. Then Nadan screamed and said, ‘O Haiqār, O blackface! what avails thee thy meditation
or thy power in the doing of this deed to the king?’ 4. Thus says the story-teller. And
the name of the swordsman was Ibn Samik. And the king said to him, ‘O swordsman! arise,
go, cleave the neck of Haiqār at the door of his house, and cast away his head from his
body a hundred cubits.’ 5. Then Haiqār knelt before the king, and said, ‘Let my lord the
king live for ever! and if thou desire to slay me, let thy wish be [fulfilled]; and I know
that I am not guilty, but the wicked man has to give an account of his wickedness;
nevertheless, O my lord the king! I beg of thee and of thy friendship, permit the
swordsman to give my body to my slaves, that they may bury me, and let thy slave be thy
sacrifice.’

6. – 9. The king arose and commanded the swordsman to do with him according to his desire.
And he straightway commanded his servants to take Haiqār and the swordsman and to go with
him naked that they might slay him. And when Haiqār knew for certain that he was to be
slain he sent to his wife and said to her, ‘Come out and meet me, and let there be with
thee a thousand young virgins, and dress them in gowns of purple and silk that they may
weep for me before my death. And prepare a table for the swordsman and for his servants.
And mingle plenty of wine, that they may drink.’ And she did all that he commanded her.
And she was very wise, clever, and prudent. And she united all possible courtesy and
learning. And when the army of the king and the swordsman arrived they found the table set
in order, and the wine and the luxurious viands, and they began eating and drinking till
they were gorged and drunken. Then Haiqār took the swordsman aside apart from the company
and said, ‘O Abu Samik, dost thou not know that when Sarhadum the king, the father of
Sennacherib, wanted to kill thee. I took thee and hid thee in a certain place till the
king’s anger subsided and he asked for thee? And when I brought thee into his presence he
rejoiced in thee: and now remember the kindness I did thee.

10. And I know that the king will repent him about me and will be wroth with a great wrath
about my execution. For I am not guilty, and it shall be when thou shalt present me before
him in his palace, thou shalt meet with great good fortune, and know that Nadan my
sister’s son has deceived me and has done this bad deed to me, and the king will repent of
having slain me; and now I have a cellar in the garden of my house, and no one knows of
it. 11. Hide me in it with the knowledge of my wife. And I have a slave in prison who
deserves to be killed. Bring him out and dress him in my clothes, and command the servants
when they are drunk to slay him. They will not know who it is they are killing. 12. And
cast away his head a hundred cubits from his body, and give his body to my slaves that
they may bury it. And thou shalt have laid up a great treasure with me. And then the
swordsman did as Haiqār had commanded him, and he went to the king and said to him, ‘May
thy head live for ever!’

13. Then Haiqār’s wife let down to him in the hiding-place every week what sufficed for
him, and no one knew of it but herself. And the story was reported and repeated and spread
abroad in every place of how Haiqār the Sage had been slain and was dead, and all the
people of that city mourned for him. And they wept and said: ‘Alas for thee, O Haiqār! and
for thy learning and thy courtesy! How sad about thee and about thy knowledge! Where can
another like thee be found? and where can there be a man so intelligent, so learned, so
skilled in ruling as to resemble thee that he may fill thy place?’ But the king was
repenting about Haiqār, and his repentance availed him naught. 14. 15. Then he called for
Nadan and said to him, ‘Go and take thy friends with thee and make a mourning and a
weeping for thy uncle Haiqār, and lament for him as the custom is, doing honour to his
memory.’ But when Nadan, the foolish, the ignorant, the hard-hearted, went to the house of
his uncle, he neither wept nor sorrowed nor wailed, but assembled heartless and dissolute
people and set about eating and drinking. And Nadan began to seize the maidservants and
the slaves belonging to Haiqār, and bound them and tortured them and drubbed them with a
sore drubbing.

16. 17. And he did not respect the wife of his uncle, she who had brought him up like her
own boy, but wanted her to fall into sin with him. But Haiqār had been cast into the
hiding-place, and he heard the weeping of his slaves and his neighbours, and he praised
the Most High God, the Merciful One, and gave thanks, and he always prayed and besought
the Most High God. 18. And the swordsman came from time to time to Haiqār whilst he was in
the midst of the hiding-place: and Haiqār came and entreated him. And he comforted him and
wished him deliverance. 19. And when the story was reported in other countries that Haiqār
the Sage had been slain, all the kings were grieved and despised king Sennacherib, and
they lamented over Haiqār the solver of riddles.

CHAPTER 5

1. And when the king of Egypt had made sure that Haiqār was slain, he arose straightway
and wrote a letter to king Sennacherib, reminding him in it ‘of the peace and the health
and the might and the honour which we wish specially for thee, my beloved brother, king
Sennacherib. 2. 3. I have been desiring to build a castle between the heaven and the
earth, and I want thee to send me a wise, clever man from thyself to build it for me, and
to answer me all my questions, and that I may have the taxes and the custom duties of
Assyria for three years.’ Then he sealed the letter and sent it to Sennacherib. He took it
and read it and gave it to his viziers and to the nobles of his kingdom, and they were
perplexed and ashamed, and he was wroth with a great wrath, and was puzzled about how he
should act.

4. Then he assembled the old men and the learned men and the wise men and the
philosophers, and the diviners and the astrologers, and every one who was in his country,
and read them the letter and said to them, ‘Who amongst you will go to Pharaoh king of
Egypt and answer him his questions?’ 5. And they said to him, ‘O our lord the king! know
thou that there is none in thy kingdom who is acquainted with these questions except
Haiqâr, thy vizier and secretary. 6. But as for us, we have no skill in this, unless it be
Nadan, his sister’s son, for he taught him all his wisdom and learning and knowledge. Call
him to thee, perchance he may untie this hard knot.’ Then the king called Nadan and said
to him, ‘Look at this letter and understand what is in it.’ And when Nadan read it, he
said, ‘O my lord! who is able to build a castle between the heaven and the earth?’

7. And when the king heard the speech of Nadan he sorrowed with a great and sore sorrow,
and stepped down from his throne and sat in the ashes, and began to weep and wail over
Haiqār, saying, ‘O my grief! O Haiqār, who didst know the secrets and the riddles! woe is
me for thee, O Haiqār! O teacher of my country and ruler of my kingdom, where shall I find
thy like? O Haiqār, O teacher of my country, where shall I turn for thee? woe is me for
thee! how did I destroy thee! and I listened to the talk of a stupid, ignorant boy without
knowledge, without religion, without manliness. Ah! and again Ah for myself! who can give
thee to me just for once, or bring me word that Haiqār is alive? and I would give him the
half of my kingdom. Whence is this to me? Ah, Haiqār! that I might see thee just for once,
that I might take my fill of gazing at thee, and delighting in thee. Ah! O my grief for
thee to all time! O Haiqār, how have I killed thee! and I tarried not in thy case till I
had seen the end of the matter.’ And the king went on weeping night and day.

8. Now when the swordsman saw the wrath of the king and his sorrow for Haiqār, his heart
was softened towards him, and he approached into his presence and said to him: ‘O my lord!
command thy servants to cut off my head.’ Then said the king to him: ‘Woe to thee, Abu
Samik, what is thy fault?’ And the swordsman said unto him, ‘O my master! every slave who
acts contrary to the word of his master is killed, and I have acted contrary to thy
command.’ Then the king said unto him, ‘Woe unto thee, O Abu Samik, in what hast thou
acted contrary to my command?’ And the swordsman said unto him, ‘O my lord! 9. – 11. thou
didst command me to kill Haiqār, and I knew that thou wouldst repent thee concerning him,
and that he had been wronged, and I hid him in a certain place, and I killed one of his
slaves, and he is now safe in the cistern, and if thou command me I will bring him to
thee.’ And the king said unto him, ‘Woe to thee, O Abu Samik! thou hast mocked me and I am
thy lord.’ And the swordsman said unto him, ‘Nay, but by the life of thy head, O my lord!
Haiqār is safe and alive.’ And when the king heard that saying, he felt sure of the
matter, and his head swam, and he fainted from joy, and he commanded [them] to bring
[Haiqār]. And he said to the swordsman, ‘O trusty servant! if thy speech be true, I would
fain enrich thee, and exalt thy dignity above that of all thy friends.’ And the swordsman
went along rejoicing till he came to Haiqār’s house. And he opened the door of the hiding-
place, and went down and found Haiqār sitting, praising God, and thanking Him. And he
shouted to him, saying, ‘O Haiqār, I bring the greatest of joy, and happiness, and
delight!’ And Haiqār said to him, ‘What is the news, O Abu Samik?’ And he told him all
about Pharaoh from the beginning to the end. Then he took him and went to the king. And
when the king looked at him, he saw him in a state of want, and that his hair had grown
long like the wild beasts’ and his nails like the claws of an eagle, and that his body was
dirty with dust, and the colour of his face had changed and faded and was now like ashes.

12. And when the king saw him he sorrowed over him and rose at once and embraced him and
kissed him, and wept over him and said: ‘Praise be to God! who hath brought thee back to
me.’ Then he consoled him and comforted him. And he stripped off his robe, and put it on
the swordsman, and was very gracious to him, and gave him great wealth, and made Haiqār
rest. 13. 14. Then said Haiqār to the king, ‘Let my lord the king live for ever! These be
the deeds of the children of the world. I have reared me a palm-tree that I might lean on
it, and it bent sideways, and threw me down. But, O my lord! since I have appeared before
thee, let not care oppress thee.’ And the king said to him: ‘Blessed be God, who showed
thee mercy, and knew that thou wast wronged, and saved thee and delivered thee from being
slain. But go to the warm bath, and shave thy head, and cut thy nails, and change thy
clothes, and amuse thyself for the space of forty days, that thou mayst do good to thyself
and improve thy condition and the colour of thy face may come back to thee.’

15. Then the king stripped off his costly robe, and put it on Haiqār, and Haiqār thanked
God and did obeisance to the king, and departed to his dwelling glad and happy, praising
the Most High God. And the people of his household rejoiced with him, and his friends and
every one who heard that he was alive rejoiced also.

CHAPTER 6

1. 2. And he did as the king commanded him, and took a rest for forty days. Then he
dressed himself in his gayest dress, and went riding to the king, with his slaves behind
him and before him, rejoicing and delighted. But when Nadan his sister’s son perceived
what was happening, fear took hold of him and terror, and he was perplexed, not knowing
what to do. And when Haiqār saw it he entered into the king’s presence and greeted him,
and he returned the greeting, and made him sit down at his side, saying to him, ‘O my
darling Haiqār! look at these letters which the king of Egypt sent to us, after he had
heard that thou wast slain. They have provoked us and overcome us, and many of the people
of our country have fled to Egypt for fear of the taxes that the king of Egypt has sent to
demand from us.’ Then Haiqār took the letter and read it and understood all its contents.
Then he said to the king, ‘Be not wroth, O my lord! I will go to Egypt, and I will return
the answers to Pharaoh, and I will display this letter to him, and I will reply to him
about the taxes, and I will send back all those who have run away; and I will put thy
enemies to shame with the help of the Most High God, and for the happiness of thy
kingdom.’

3. And when the king heard this speech from Haiqār he rejoiced with a great joy, and his
heart was expanded and he showed him favour. And Haiqār said to the king: ‘Grant me a
delay of forty days that I may consider this question and manage it.’ And the king
permitted this. 4. And Haiqār went to his dwelling, and he commanded the huntsmen to
capture two young eaglets for him, and they captured them and brought them to him: and he
commanded the weavers of ropes to weave two cables of cotton for him, each of them two
thousand cubits long, and he had the carpenters brought and ordered them to make two great
boxes, and they did this. 5. Then he took two little lads, and spent every day sacrificing
lambs and feeding the eagles and the boys, and making the boys ride on the backs of the
eagles, and he bound them with a firm knot, and tied the cable to the feet of the eagles,
and let them soar upwards little by little every day, to a distance of ten cubits, till
they grew accustomed and were educated to it; and they rose all the length of the rope
till they reached the sky; the boys being on their backs. Then he drew them to himself.

6. And when Haiqār saw that his desire was fulfilled he charged the boys that when they
were borne aloft to the sky they were to shout, saying, ‘Bring us clay and stone, that we
may build a castle for king Pharaoh, for we are idle.’ And Haiqār was never done training
them and exercising them till they had reached the utmost possible point (of skill). Then
leaving them he went to the king and said to him, ‘O my lord! the work is finished
according to thy desire. Arise with me that I may show thee the wonder.’ 7. So the king
sprang up and sat with Haiqār and went to a wide place and sent to bring the eagles and
the boys, and Haiqār tied them and let them off into the air all the length of the ropes,
and they began to shout as he had taught them. Then he drew them to himself and put them
in their places. And the king and those who were with him wondered with a great wonder:
and the king kissed Haiqār between his eyes and said to him, ‘Go in peace, O my beloved! O
pride of my kingdom! to Egypt and answer the questions of Pharaoh and overcome him by the
strength of the Most High God.’

8. 9. Then he bade him farewell, and took his troops and his army and the young men and
the eagles, and went towards the dwellings of Egypt; and when he had arrived, he turned
towards the country of the king. And when the people of Egypt knew that Sennacherib had
sent a man of his Privy Council to talk with Pharaoh and to answer his questions, they
carried the news to king Pharaoh, and he sent a party of his Privy Councillors to bring
him before him. And he came and entered into the presence of Pharaoh, and did obeisance to
him as it is fitting to do to kings. And he said to him: ‘O my lord the king! Sennacherib
the king hails thee with abundance of peace and might, and honour; and he has sent me, who
am one of his slaves, that I may answer thee thy questions, and may fulfil all thy desire:
for thou hast sent to seek from my lord the king a man who will build thee a castle
between the heaven and the earth.

10. And I by the help of the Most High God and thy noble favour and the power of my lord
the king will build [it] for thee as thou desirest. But, O my lord the king! what thou
hast said in it about the taxes of Egypt for three years—now the stability of a kingdom is
strict justice, and if thou winnest and my hand hath no skill in replying to thee, then my
lord the king will send thee the taxes which thou hast mentioned, and if I shall have
answered thee in thy questions, it shall remain for thee to send whatever thou hast
mentioned to my lord the king.’ 11. And when Pharaoh heard that speech, he wondered and
was perplexed by the freedom of his tongue and the pleasantness of his speech. 12. – 14.
And king Pharaoh said to him, ‘O man! what is thy name?’ And he said, ‘Thy servant is
Abiqâm, and I am a little ant of the ants of king Sennacherib.’ And Pharaoh said to him,
‘Had thy lord no one of higher dignity than thee, that he has sent me a little ant to
reply to me, and to converse with me?’

15. 16. And Haiqâr said to him, ‘O my lord the king! I would to God Most High that I may
fulfil what is on thy mind, for God is with the weak that He may confound the strong.’
Then Pharaoh commanded that they should prepare a dwelling for Abiqâm and supply him with
provender, meat, and drink, and all that he needed. And when it was finished, three days
afterwards Pharaoh clothed himself in purple and red and sat on his throne, and all his
viziers and the magnates of his kingdom were standing with their hands crossed, their feet
close together, and their heads bowed. And Pharaoh sent to fetch Abiqâm, and when he was
presented to him, he did obeisance before him, and kissed the ground in front of him. And
king Pharaoh said to him, ‘O Abiqâm, whom am I like? and the nobles of my kingdom, to whom
are they like?’ And Haiqâr said to him, ‘O my lord the king! thou art like the idol Bel,
and the nobles of thy kingdom are like his servants.’ He said to him, ‘Go, and come back
hither to-morrow.’ So Haiqâr went as king Pharaoh had commanded him.

17. And on the morrow Haiqar went into the presence of Pharaoh, and did obeisance, and
stood before the king. 18. And Pharaoh was dressed in a red colour, and the nobles were
dressed in white. And Pharaoh said to him, ‘O Abiqam, whom am I like? and the nobles of my
kingdom, to whom are they like?’ And Abiqam said to him, ‘O my lord! thou art like the
sun, and thy servants are like [its] beams.’ And Pharaoh said to him, ‘Go to thy dwelling,
and come hither to-morrow.’ 19. Then Pharaoh commanded his Court to wear pure white, and
Pharaoh was dressed like them and sat upon his throne, and he commanded them to fetch
Haiqar. And he entered and sat down before him. 20. And Pharaoh said to him, ‘O Abiqam,
whom am I like? and my nobles, to whom are they like?’ And Abiqam said to him, ‘O my lord!
thou art like the moon, and thy nobles are like the planets and the stars.’ And Pharaoh
said to him, ‘Go, and to-morrow be thou here.’

21. Then Pharaoh commanded his servants to wear robes of various colours, and Pharaoh wore
a red velvet dress, and sat on his throne, and commanded them to fetch Abiqam. And he
entered and did obeisance before him. 22. And he said, ‘O Abiqam, whom am I like? and my
armies, to whom are they like?’ And he said, ‘O my lord! thou art like the month of April,
and thy armies are like its flowers. 23. And when the king heard it he rejoiced with a
great joy, and said, ‘O Abiqam! the first time thou didst compare me to the idol Bel, and
my nobles to his servants. And the second time thou didst compare me to the sun, and my
nobles to the sunbeams. And the third time thou didst compare me to the moon, and my
nobles to the planets and the stars. And the fourth time thou didst compare me to the
month of April, and my nobles to its flowers.

24. But now, O Abiqam! tell me, thy lord, king Sennacherib, whom is he like? and his
nobles, to whom are they like? And Haiqar shouted with a loud voice and said: ‘Be it far
from me to make mention of my lord the king and thou seated on thy throne. But get up on
thy feet that I may tell thee whom my lord the king is like and to whom his nobles are
like.’ 25. And Pharaoh was perplexed by the freedom of his tongue and his boldness in
answering. Then Pharaoh arose from his throne, and stood before Haiqar, and said to him,
‘Tell me now, that I may perceive whom thy lord the king is like, and his nobles, to whom
they are like.’ 26. And Haiqar said to him: ‘My lord is the God of heaven, and his nobles
are the lightnings and the thunder, and when he wills the winds blow and the rain falls.
And he commands the thunder, and it lightens and rains, and he holds the sun, and it gives
not its light, and the moon and the stars, and they circle not. And he commands the
tempest, and it blows and the rain falls and it tramples on April and destroys its flowers
and its houses.

27. And when Pharaoh heard this speech, he was greatly perplexed and was wroth with a
great wrath, and said to him: ‘O man! tell me the truth, and let me know who thou really
art.’ 28. And he told him the truth, ‘I am Haiqâr the scribe, greatest of the Privy
Councillors of king Sennacherib, and I am his vizier and the Governor of his kingdom, and
his Chancellor.’ 29. And he said to him, ‘Thou hast told the truth in this saying. But we
have heard of Haiqâr, that king Sennacherib has slain him, yet thou dost seem to be alive
and well.’ And Haiqâr said to him, ‘Yes, so it was, but praise be to God, who knoweth what
is hidden, for my lord the king commanded me to be killed, and he believed the word of
profligate men, but the Lord delivered me, and blessed is he who trusteth in Him.’

30. And Pharaoh said to Haiqâr, ‘Go, and to-morrow be thou here, and tell me a word that I
have never heard from my nobles nor from the people of my kingdom and my country.’

CHAPTER 7

1. And Haiqār went to his dwelling, and wrote a letter, saying in it on this wise: ‘From
Sennacherib king of Assyria and Nineveh to Pharaoh king of Egypt. 2. ‘Peace be to thee, O
my brother! and what we make known to thee by this is that a brother has need of his
brother, and kings of each other, and [my] hope from thee is that thou wouldst lend me
nine hundred talents of gold, for I need it for the victualling of some of the soldiers,
that I may spend [it] upon them. And after a little while I will send it thee.’ Then he
folded the letter, and presented it on the morrow to Pharaoh. 3. And when he saw it, he
was perplexed and said to him, ‘Verily I have never heard anything like this language from
any one.’ 4. Then Haiqār said to him, ‘Truly this is a debt which thou owest to my lord
the king.’ And Pharaoh accepted this, saying, ‘O Haiqār, it is the like of thee who are
honest in the service of kings. Blessed be God who hath made thee perfect in wisdom, and
hath adorned thee with philosophy and knowledge.

5. 6. And now, O Haiqār, there remains what we desire from thee, that thou shouldst build
us a castle between heaven and earth.’ Then said Haiqār, ‘To hear is to obey. I will build
thee a castle according to thy wish and choice; but, O my lord! prepare us lime and stone
and clay and workmen, and I have skilled builders who will build for thee as thou
desirest’. And the king prepared all that for him, and they went to a wide place; and
Haiqār and his boys came to it, and he took the eagles and the young men with him; and the
king and all his nobles went and the whole city assembled, that they might see what Haiqār
would do. Then Haiqār let the eagles out of the boxes, and tied the young men on their
backs, and tied the ropes to the eagles’ feet, and let them go in the air. And they soared
upwards, till they remained between heaven and earth. And the boys began to shout, saying,
‘Bring bricks, bring clay, that we may build the king’s castle, for we are standing idle!’

7. 8. And the crowd were astonished and perplexed, and they wondered. And the king and his
nobles wondered. And Haiqār and his servants began to beat the workmen, and they shouted
for the king’s troops, saying to them, ‘Bring to the skilled workmen what they want and do
not hinder them from their work.’ And the king said to him, ‘Thou art mad; who can bring
anything up to that distance?’ And Haiqār said to him, ‘O my lord! how shall we build a
castle in the air? and if my lord the king were here, he would have built several castles
in a single day.’ And Pharaoh said to him, ‘Go, O Haiqār, to thy dwelling, and rest, for
we have given up building the castle, and to-morrow come to me’. 9. 10. Then Haiqār went
to his dwelling and on the morrow he appeared before Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said, ‘O Haiqār,
what news is there of the horse of thy lord? for when he neighs in the country of Assyria
and Nineveh, and our mares hear his voice, they cast their young.’ And when Haiqār heard
this speech he went and took a cat, and bound her and began to flog her with a violent
flogging till the Egyptians heard it, and they went and told the king about it.

11. – 13. And Pharaoh sent to fetch Haiqār, and said to him, ‘O Haiqār, wherefore dost
thou flog thus and beat that dumb beast?’ And Haiqār said to him, ‘O my lord the king!
verily she has done an ugly deed to me, and has deserved this drubbing and flogging, for
my lord king Sennacherib had given me a fine cock, and he had a strong true voice and knew
the hours of the day and the night. And the cat got up this very night and cut off its
head and went away, and because of this deed I have treated her to this drubbing.’ And
Pharaoh said to him, ‘O Haiqār, I see from all this that thou art growing old and art in
thy dotage, for between Egypt and Nineveh there are sixty-eight parasangs, and how did she
go this very night and cut off the head of thy cock and come back?’

14. And Haiqār said to him, ‘O my lord! if there were such a distance between Egypt and
Nineveh, how could thy mares hear when my lord the king’s horse neighs and cast their
young? and how could the voice of the horse reach to Egypt?’ 15. 16. And when Pharaoh
heard that, he knew that Haiqār had answered his questions. And Pharaoh said, ‘O Haiqār, I
want thee to make me ropes of the sea-sand.’ And Haiqār said to him, ‘O my lord the king!
order them to bring me a rope out of the treasury that I may make one like it.’ Then
Haiqār went to the back of the house, and bored holes in the rough shore of the sea, and
took a handful of sand in his hand, sea-sand, and when the sun rose, and penetrated into
the holes, he spread the sand in the sun till it became as if woven like ropes. And Haiqār
said, ‘Command thy servants to take these ropes, and whenever thou desirest it, I will
weave thee (some) like them.’

17. And Pharaoh said, ‘O Haiqār, we have a millstone here and it has been broken and I
want thee to sew it up.’ Then Haiqār looked at it, and found another stone. 18. And he
said to Pharaoh, ‘O my lord! I am a foreigner, and I have no tool for sewing. But I want
thee to command thy faithful shoemakers to cut awls from this stone, that I may sew that
millstone.’ 19. Then Pharaoh and all his nobles laughed. And he said, ‘Blessed be the Most
High God, who gave thee this wit and knowledge.’ 20. And when Pharaoh saw that Haiqār had
overcome him, and returned him his answers, he at once became excited, and commanded them
to collect for him three years’ taxes, and to bring them to Haiqār. 21. And he stripped
off his robes and put them upon Haiqār, and his soldiers, and his servants, and gave him
the expenses of his journey. And he said to him, ‘Go in peace, O strength of his lord and
pride of his Doctors! have any of the Sultans thy like? give my greetings to thy lord king
Sennacherib, and say to him how we have sent him gifts, for kings are content with
little.’

22. Then Haiqār arose, and kissed king Pharaoh’s hands and kissed the ground in front of
him, and wished him strength and continuance, and abundance in his treasury, and said to
him, ‘O my lord! I desire from thee that not one of our countrymen may remain in Egypt.’
23. And Pharaoh arose and sent heralds to proclaim in the streets of Egypt that not one of
the people of Assyria or Nineveh should remain in the land of Egypt, but that they should
go with Haiqār. Then Haiqār went and took leave of king Pharaoh, and journeyed, seeking
the land of Assyria and Nineveh; and he had some treasures and a great deal of wealth. 24.
And when the newsreached king Sennacherib that Haiqār was coming, he went out to meet him
and rejoiced over him exceedingly with great joy and embraced him and kissed him, and said
to him, ‘Welcome home, O kinsman! my brother Haiqār, the strength of my kingdom, and pride
of my realm. Ask what thou wouldst have from me, even if thou desirest the half of my
kingdom and of my possessions.’ Then said Haiqār unto him, ‘O my lord the king, live for
ever! Show favour, O my lord the king! to Abu Samik in my stead, for my life was in the
hands of God and in his.’

25. 26. Then said Sennacherib the king, ‘Honour be to thee, O my beloved Haiqār! I will
make the station of Abu Samik the swordsman higher than all my Privy Councillors and my
favourites.’ Then the king began to ask him how he had got on with Pharaoh from his first
arrival until he had come away from his presence, and how he had answered all his
questions, and how he had received the taxes from him, and the changes of raiment and the
presents. And Sennacherib the king rejoiced with a great joy, and said to Haiqār, ‘Take
what thou wouldst fain have of this tribute, for it is all within the grasp of thy hand.’
And Haiqār said: ‘Let the king live for ever! I desire naught but the safety of my lord
the king and the continuance of his greatness. O my lord! what can I do with wealth and
its like? but if thou wilt show me favour, give me Nadan, my sister’s son, that I may
recompense him for what he has done to me, and grant me his blood and hold me guiltless of
it.’

27. And Sennacherib the king said, ‘Take him, I have given him to thee.’ And Haiqār took
Nadan, his sister’s son, and bound his hands with chains of iron, and took him to his
dwelling, and put a heavy fetter on his feet, and tied it with a tight knot, and after
binding him thus he cast him into a dark room, beside the retiring-place, and appointed
Nebu-hal as sentinel over him and commanded him to give him a loaf of bread and a little
water every day; and whenever Haiqār went in or out he scolded Nadan, his sister’s son,
saying to him wisely:

CHAPTER 8

2. thou didst treat me with killing and didst repay me with my ruin. But the Lord knew
that I was wronged, and He saved me from the snare which thou hadst set for me, for the
Lord healeth the broken hearts and hindereth the envious and the haughty. 3. O my boy!
thou hast been to me like the scorpion which, when it strikes on brass, pierces it. 4. O
my boy! thou art like the gazelle who was eating the roots of the madder, and it said to
her, “Eat of me today and take thy fill, and tomorrow they will tan thy hide in my roots.”
5. O my boy! thou hast been to me like a man who saw his comrade naked in the chilly time
of winter; and he took cold water and poured it upon him. 6. O my boy! thou hast been to
me like a man who took a stone, and threw it up to heaven to stone his Lord with it. And
the stone did not hit, and did not reach high enough, but it became the cause of guilt and
sin.

7. O my boy! if thou hadst honoured me and respected me and hadst listened to my words
thou wouldst have been my heir, and wouldst have reigned over my dominions. 8. O my son!
know thou that if the tail of the dog or the pig were ten cubits long it would not
approach to the worth of the horse’s even if it were like silk. 9. O my boy! I thought
that thou wouldst have been my heir at my death; and thou through thy envy and thy
insolence didst desire to kill me. But the Lord delivered me from thy cunning. 10. O my
son! thou hast been to me like a trap which was set up on the dunghill, and there came a
sparrow and found the trap set up. And the sparrow said to the trap, “What doest thou
here?” Said the trap, “I am praying here to God.” And the lark asked it also, “What is the
piece of wood that thou holdest?” Said the trap, “That is a young oak-tree on which I lean
at the time of prayer.” Said the lark: “And what is that thing in thy mouth?” Said the
trap: “That is bread and victuals which I carry for all the hungry and the poor who come
near to me.” Said the lark: “Now then may I come forward and eat, for I am hungry?” And
the trap said to him, ‘Come forward.’ And the lark approached that it might eat. But the
trap sprang up and seized the lark by its neck. And the lark answered and said to the
trap, “If that is thy bread for the hungry God accepteth not thine alms and thy kind
deeds. And if that is thy fasting and thy prayers, God accepteth from thee neither thy
fast nor thy prayer, and God will not perfect what is good concerning thee.”

11. O my boy! thou hast been to me (as) a lion who made friends with an ass, and the ass
kept walking before the lion for a time; and one day the lion sprang upon the ass and ate
it up. 12. O my boy! thou hast been to me like a weevil in the wheat, for it does no good
to anything, but spoils the wheat and gnaws it. 12. O my boy! thou hast been like a man
who sowed ten measures of wheat, and when it was harvest time, he arose and reaped it, and
garnered it, and threshed it, and toiled over it to the very utmost, and it turned out to
be ten measures, and its master said to it: “O thou lazy thing! thou hast not grown and
thou hast not shrunk.” 13. O my boy! thou hast been to me like the partridge that had been
thrown into the net, and she could not save herself, but she called out to the partridges,
that she might cast them with her(self) into the net.

14. O my son! thou hast been to me like the dog that was cold and it went into the
potter’s house to get warm. And when it had got warm, it began to bark at them, and they
chased it out and beat it, that it might not bite them. 15. O my son! thou hast been to me
like the pig who went into the hot bath with people of quality, and when it came out of
the hot bath, it saw a filthy hole and it went down and wallowed in it. 16. O my son! thou
hast been to me like the goat which joined its comrades (on their way) to the sacrifice,
and it was unable to save itself. 17. O my boy! the dog which is not fed from its hunting
becomes food for flies. 18. O my son! the hand which does not labour and plough and
(which) is greedy and cunning shall be cut away from its shoulder.

19. O my son! the eye in which light is not seen, the ravens shall pick at it and pluck it
out. 20. O my boy! thou hast been to me like a tree whose branches they were cutting, and
it said to them, “If (something) of me were not in your hands, verily you would be unable
to cut me.” The maggot of the bread ate 12d the body of a king, but was itself of no use
to any one nor profitable, but vile. Son, thou hast been to me 13 like the young of the
swallow which fell out of its nest, and a weasel found it and said: If it had not been for
me 1, then a great evil would have befallen you. The nestling said to the weasel: Thy good
which thou hast done to me shall return upon thine head. 21. O my boy! thou art like the
cat to whom they said: “Leave off thieving till we make for thee a chain of gold and feed
thee with sugar and almonds.” And she said, “I am not forgetful of the craft of my father
and my mother.”

22. O my son! thou hast been like the serpent riding on a thorn-bush when he was in the
midst of a river, and a wolf saw them and said, “Mischief upon mischief, and let him who
is more mischievous than they direct both of them.” And the serpent said to the wolf, “The
lambs and the goats and the sheep which thou hast eaten all thy life, wilt thou return
them to their fathers and to their parents or no?” Said the wolf, “No.” And the serpent
said to him, “I think that after myself thou art the worst of us.” 23. O my boy! I fed
thee with good food and thou didst not feed me with dry bread. 24. O my boy! I gave thee
sugared water to drink and good syrup, and thou didst not give me water from the well to
drink. 25. O my boy! I taught thee, and brought thee up, and thou didst dig a hiding-place
for me and didst conceal me.

26. O my boy! I brought thee up with the best upbringing and trained thee like a tall
cedar; and thou hast twisted and bent me. 27. O my boy! it was my hope concerning thee
that thou wouldst build me a fortified castle, that I might be concealed from my enemies
in it, and thou didst become to me like one burying in the depth of the earth; but the
Lord took pity on me and delivered me from thy cunning. 28. O my boy! I wished thee well,
and thou didst reward me (with) evil and hatefulness, and now I would fain tear out thine
eyes, and make thee food for dogs, and cut out thy tongue, and take off thy head with the
edge of the sword, and recompense thee for thine abominable deeds.’ 29. And when Nadan
heard this speech from his uncle Haiqar, he said: ‘O my uncle! deal with me according to
thy knowledge, and forgive me my sins, for who is there who hath sinned like me, or who is
there who forgives like thee? Accept me, O my uncle! Now I will serve in thy house, and
groom thy horses and sweep up the dung of thy cattle, and feed thy sheep, for I am the
wicked and thou art the righteous: I the guilty and thou the forgiving.’

30. And Haiqar said to him, ‘O my boy! thou art like the tree which was fruitless beside
the water, and its master was fain to cut it down, and it said to him, “Remove me to
another place, and if I do not bear fruit, cut me down.” And its masters said to it, “Thou
being beside the water hast not borne fruit, how shalt thou bear fruit when thou art in
another place?” 31. O my boy! the old age of the eagle is better than the youth of the
crow. 32. O my boy! they said to the wolf, “Keep away from the sheep lest their dust
should harm thee.” And the wolf said, “The dregs of the sheep’s milk are good for my
eyes.” 33. O my boy! they made the wolf go to school that he might learn to read, and they
said to him, “Say A, B.” He said, “Lamb and goat in my belly.”

34. O my boy! they set the ass down at the table and he fell, and began to roll himself in
the dust, and one said, “Let him roll himself, for it is his nature, he will not change.”
35. O my boy! the saying has been confirmed which runs: “If thou begetest a boy, call him
thy son, and if thou rearest a boy, call him thy slave.” 36. O my boy! he who doeth good
shall meet with good; and he who doeth evil shall meet with evil, for the Lord requiteth a
man according to the measure of his work. 37. O my boy! what shall I say more to thee than
these sayings? for the Lord knoweth what is hidden, and is acquainted with the mysteries
and the secrets. And He will requite thee and will judge betwixt me and thee, and will
recompense thee according to thy desert.

38. And when Nadan heard that speech from his uncle Haiqar, he swelled up immediately and
became like a blown-out bladder. And his limbs swelled and his legs and his feet and his
side, and he was torn and his belly burst asunder and his entrails were scattered, and he
perished, and died. And his latter end was destruction, and he went to hell. For he who
digs a pit for his brother shall fall into it; and he who sets up traps shall be caught in
them. This is what happened and (what) we found about the tale of Haiqar, and praise be to
God for ever. Amen, and peace. This chronicle is finished with the help of God, may He be
exalted! Amen, Amen, Amen. A. S. LEWIS.


THE LETTER OF ARISTEAS
======================

THE LETTER OF ARISTEAS Translated by H. T. Andrews

2nd century BC

A letter, said to be from Aristeas, an officer of King Ptolemy II of Egypt, to his brother
Philocrates, telling how the king had the Jewish law translated into Greek by seventy-two
elders sent from Jerusalem, and describing the Temple, the high priest Eleazar and the
seven banquets at which the elders answered the king’s questions. It is the origin of the
story of the Septuagint. It was written in Greek by a Jew of Alexandria, probably in the
second century BC, and the story is legend. It is a Jewish work outside the Bible.

SECTIONS 1–45

1. Since I have collected material for a memorable history of my visit to Eleazar the High
priest of the Jews, and because you, Philocrates, as you lose no opportunity of reminding
me, have set great store upon receiving an account of the motives and object of my
mission, I have attempted to draw up a clear exposition of the matter for you, for I
perceive that you possess a natural love of learning, 2. a quality which is the highest
possession of man—to be constantly attempting 'to add to his stock of knowledge and
acquirements' whether through the study of history or by actually participating in the
events themselves. It is by this means, by taking up into itself the noblest elements,
that the soul is established in purity, and having fixed its aim on piety, the noblest
goal of all, it uses this as its infallible guide and so acquires a definite purpose.

3. It was my devotion to the pursuit of religious knowledge that led me to undertake the
embassy to the man I have mentioned, who was held in the highest esteem by his own
citizens and by others both for his virtue and his majesty and who had in his possession
documents of the highest value to the Jews in his own country and in foreign lands for the
interpretation of the divine law, for their 4. laws are written on leather parchments in
Jewish characters. This embassy then I undertook with enthusiasm, having first of all
found an opportunity of pleading with the king on behalf of the Jewish captives who had
been transported from Judea to Egypt by the king's father, when he first obtained
possession of this city and conquered the land of Egypt. It is worth while that I should
tell 5. you this story, too, since I am convinced that you, with your disposition towards
holiness and your sympathy with men who are living in accordance with the holy law, will
all the more readily listen to the account which I purpose to set forth, since you
yourself have lately come to us from the 6. island and are anxious to hear everything that
tends to build up the soul. On a former occasion, too, I sent you a record of the facts
which I thought worth relating about the Jewish race,—the record which I had obtained from
the most learned high priests of the most learned land of Egypt.

As you are so eager to acquire the knowledge of those things which can benefit the mind, I
feel it incumbent upon me to impart to you all the information in my power. I should feel
the same duty towards all who possessed the same disposition but I feel it especially
towards you since you have aspirations which are so noble, and since you are not only my
brother in character no less than in blood but are one with me as well in the pursuit of
goodness. For neither the pleasure derived from gold nor any other of the possessions
which are prized by shallow minds confers the same benefit as the pursuit of culture and
the study which we expend in securing it. But that I may not weary you by a too lengthy
introduction, I will proceed at once to the substance of my narrative. 9. Demetrius of
Phalerum, the president of the king's library, received vast sums of money, for the
purpose of collecting together, as far as he possibly could, all the books in the world.
By means of purchase and transcription, he carried out, to the best of his ability, the
purpose of the king. On one occasion when I was present he was asked, How many thousand
books are there in the library? 10. and he replied, 'More than two hundred thousand, O
king, and I shall make endeavour in the immediate future to gather together the remainder
also, so that the total of five hundred thousand may be reached. I am told that the laws
of the Jews are worth transcribing and deserve a place in your library.' 'What is to
prevent you from doing this?' replied the king. 'Everything that is necessary has been
placed at your disposal.' 'They need to be translated,' answered Demetrius, 'for in the
country of the Jews they use a peculiar alphabet (just as the Egyptians, too, have a
special form of letters) and speak a peculiar dialect. They are supposed to use the Syriac
tongue, but this is not the case; their language is quite different.' And the king when he
understood all the facts of the case ordered a letter to be written to the Jewish High
Priest that his purpose (which has already been described) might be accomplished.

12. Thinking that the time had come to press the demand, which I had often laid before
Sosibius of Tarentum and Andreas, the chief of the bodyguard, for the emancipation of the
Jews who had been transported from Judea by the king's father—for when by a combination of
good fortune and courage he had brought his attack on the whole district of Coele-Syria
and Phoenicia to a successful issue, in the process of terrorising the country into
subjection, he transported some of his foes and others he reduced to captivity. The number
of those whom he transported from the country of the Jews to Egypt amounted to no less
than a hundred thousand. Of these he armed thirty thousand picked men and settled them in
garrisons in the country districts. (And even before this time large numbers of Jews had
come into Egypt with the Persian, and in an earlier period still others had been sent to
Egypt to help Psammetichus in his campaign against the king of the Ethiopians. But these
were nothing like so numerous as the captives whom Ptolemy the son of Lagus transported.

As I have already said Ptolemy picked out the best of these, the men who were in the prime
of life and distinguished for their courage, and armed them, but the great mass of the
others, those who were too old or too young for this purpose, and the women too, he
reduced to slavery, not that he wished to do this of his own free will, but he was
compelled by his soldiers who claimed them as a reward for the services which they had
rendered in war. Having, as has already been stated, obtained an opportunity for securing
their emancipation, I addressed the king with the following arguments. 'Let us not be so
unreasonable as to allow our deeds to give the lie to our words. Since the law which we
wish not only to transcribe but also to translate belongs to the whole Jewish race, what
justification shall we be able to find for our embassy while such vast numbers of them
remain in a state of slavery in your kingdom? In the perfection and wealth of your
clemency release those who are held in such miserable bondage, since as I have been at
pains to discover, the God who gave them their law is the God who maintains your kingdom.
They worship the same God—the Lord and Creator of the Universe, as all other men, as we
ourselves, O king, though we call him by different names, such as Zeus or Dis.

This name was very appropriately bestowed upon him by our first ancestors, in order to
signify that He through whom all things are endowed with life and come into being, is
necessarily the ruler and lord of the Universe. Set all mankind an example of magnanimity
by releasing those who are held in bondage.' After a brief interval, while I was offering
up an earnest prayer to God that He would so dispose the mind of the king that all the
captives might be set at liberty—(for the human race, being the creation of God, is swayed
and influenced by Him. Therefore with many divers prayers I called upon Him who ruleth the
heart that the king might be constrained to grant my request. For I had great hopes with
regard to the salvation of the men since I was assured that God would grant a fulfilment
of my prayer.

For when men from pure motives plan some action in the interest of righteousness and the
performance of noble deeds, Almighty God brings their efforts and purposes to a successful
issue)—the king raised his head and looking up at me with a cheerful countenance asked,
'How many thousands do you think they will number?' Andreas, who was standing near,
replied, 'A little more than a hundred thousand.' 'It is a small boon indeed,' said the
king, 'that Aristeas asks of us!' Then Sosibius and some others who were present said,
'Yes, but it will be a fit tribute to your magnanimity for you to offer the
enfranchisement of these men as an act of devotion to the supreme God. You have been
greatly honoured by Almighty God and exalted above all your forefathers in glory and it is
only fitting that you should render to Him the greatest thankoffering in your power.'
Extremely pleased with these arguments he gave orders that an addition should be made to
the wages of the soldiers by the amount of the redemption money, that twenty drachmae
should be paid to the owners for every slave, that a public order should be issued and
that registers of the captives should be attached to it.

He showed the greatest enthusiasm in the business, for it was God who had brought our
purpose to fulfilment in its entirety and constrained him to redeem not only those who had
come into Egypt with the army of his father but any who had come before that time or had
been subsequently brought into the kingdom. It was pointed out to him that the ransom
money would exceed four hundred talents. 21. I think it will be useful to insert a copy of
the decree, for in this way the magnanimity of the king, who was empowered by God to save
such vast multitudes, will be made clearer and more manifest. 22. The decree of the king
ran as follows: 'All who served in the army of our father in the campaign against Syria
and Phoenicia and in the attack upon the country of the Jews and became possessed of
Jewish captives and brought them back to the city of Alexandria and the land of Egypt or
sold them to others—and in the same way any captives who were in our land before that time
or were brought hither afterwards—all who possess such captives are required to set them
at liberty at once, receiving twenty drachmae per head as ransom money. The soldiers will
receive this money as a gift added to their wages, the others from the king's treasury.

23. We think that it was against our father's will and against all propriety that they
should have been made captives and that the devastation of their land and the
transportation of the Jews to Egypt was an act of military wantonness. The spoil which
fell to the soldiers on the field of battle was all the booty which they should have
claimed. To reduce the people to slavery in addition was an act of absolute injustice. 24.
Wherefore since it is acknowledged that we are accustomed to render justice to all men and
especially to those who are unfairly in a condition of servitude, and since we strive to
deal fairly with all men according to the demands of justice and piety, we have decreed,
in reference to the persons of the Jews who are in any condition of bondage in any part of
our dominion, that those who possess them shall receive the stipulated sum of money and
set them at liberty and that no man shall show any tardiness in discharging his
obligations. Within three days after the publication of this decree, they must make lists
of slaves for the officers appointed to carry out our will, and immediately produce the
persons of the captives.

25. For we consider that it will be advantageous to us and to our affairs that the matter
should be brought to a conclusion. Any one who likes may give information about any who
disobey the decree, on condition that if the man is proved guilty he will become his
slave; his property, however, will be handed over to the royal treasury.' 26. When the
decree was brought to be read over to the king for his approval, it contained all the
other provisions except the phrase 'any captives who were in the land before that time or
were brought hither afterwards,' and in his magnanimity and the largeness of his heart the
king inserted this clause and gave orders that the grant of money required for the
redemption should be deposited in full with the paymasters of the forces and the royal
bankers, and so the matter was decided and the decree ratified within seven days.

27. The grant for the redemption amounted to more than six hundred and sixty talents; for
many infants at the breast were emancipated together with their mothers. When the question
was raised whether the sum of twenty talents was to be paid for these, the king ordered
that it should be done, and thus he carried out his decision in the most comprehensive
way. 28. When this had been done, he ordered Demetrius to draw up a memorial with regard
to the transcription of the Jewish books. For all affairs of state used to be carried out
by means of decrees and with the most painstaking accuracy by these Egyptian kings, and
nothing was done in a slipshod or haphazard fashion. And so I have inserted copies of the
memorial and the letters, the number of the presents sent and the nature of each, since
every one of them excelled in magnificence and technical skill.

29. The following is a copy of the memorial. The Memorial of Demetrius to the great king.
'Since you have given me instructions, O king, that the books which are needed to complete
your library should be collected together, and that those which are defective should be
repaired, I have devoted myself with the utmost care to the fulfilment of your wishes, and
I now have the following proposal to lay before you. 30. The books of the law of the Jews
(with some few others) are absent from the library. They are written in the Hebrew
characters and language and have been carelessly interpreted, and do not represent the
original text as I am informed by those who know; for they have never had a king's care to
protect them. It is necessary that these should be made accurate for your library since
the law which they contain, in as much as it is of divine origin, is full of wisdom and
free from all blemish. For this reason literary men and poets and the mass of historical
writers have held aloof from referring to these books and the men who have lived and are
living in accordance with them, because their conception of life is so sacred and
religious, as Hecataeus of Abdera says. If it please you, O king, a letter shall be
written to the High Priest in Jerusalem, asking him to send six elders out of every
tribe—men who have lived the noblest life and are most skilled in their law—that we may
find out the points in which the majority of them are in agreement, and so having obtained
an accurate translation may place it in a conspicuous place in a manner worthy of the work
itself and your purpose. May continual prosperity be yours!

33. When this memorial had been presented, the king ordered a letter to be written to
Eleazar on the matter, giving also an account of the emancipation of the Jewish captives.
And he gave fifty talents weight of gold and seventy talents of silver and a large
quantity of precious stones to make bowls and vials and a table and libation cups. He also
gave orders to those who had the custody of his coffers to allow the artificers to make a
selection of any materials they might require for the purpose, and that a hundred talents
in money should be sent to provide sacrifices for the temple and for other needs. I shall
give you a full account of the workmanship after I have set before you copies of the
letters. The letter of the king ran as follows: 35. 'King Ptolemy sends greeting and
salutation to the High Priest Eleazar. Since there are many Jews settled in our realm who
were carried off from Jerusalem by the Persians at the time of their power and many more
who came with my father into Egypt as captives—large numbers of these he placed in the
army and paid them higher wages than usual, and when he had proved the loyalty of their
leaders he built fortresses and placed them in their charge that the native Egyptians
might be intimidated by them. And I, when I ascended the throne, adopted a kindly attitude
towards all my subjects, and more particularly to those who were citizens of yours—I have
set at liberty more than a hundred thousand captives, paying their owners the appropriate
market price for them, and if ever evil has been done to your people through the passions
of the mob, I have made them reparation. The motive which prompted my action has been the
desire to act piously and render unto the supreme God a thankoffering for maintaining my
kingdom in peace and great glory in all the world. Moreover those of your people who were
in the prime of life I have drafted into my army, and those who were fit to be attached to
my person and worthy of the confidence of the court, I have established in official
positions.

Now since I am anxious to show my gratitude to these men and to the Jews throughout the
world and to the generations yet to come, I have determined that your law shall be
translated from the Hebrew tongue which is in use amongst you into the Greek language,
that these books may be added to the other royal books in my library. It will be a
kindness on your part and a reward for my zeal if you will select six elders from each of
your tribes, men of noble life and skilled in your law and able to interpret it, that in
questions of dispute we may be able to discover the verdict in which the majority agree,
for the investigation is of the highest possible importance. I hope to win great renown by
the accomplishment of this work. I have sent Andreas, the chief of my bodyguard, and
Aristeas—men whom I hold in high esteem—to lay the matter before you and present you with
a hundred talents of silver, the firstfruits of my offering for the temple and the
sacrifices and other religious rites. If you will write to me concerning your wishes in
these matters, you will confer a great favour upon me and afford me a new pledge of
friendship, for all your wishes shall be carried out as speedily as possible. Farewell. To
this letter Eleazar replied appropriately as follows: Eleazar the High priest sends
greetings to King Ptolemy his true friend.

My highest wishes are for your welfare and the welfare of Queen Arsinoe your sister and
your children. I also am well. I have received your letter and am greatly rejoiced by your
purpose and your noble counsel. I summoned together the whole people and read it to them
that they might know of your devotion to our God. I showed them too the cups which you
sent, twenty of gold and thirty of silver, the five bowls and the table of dedication, and
the hundred talents of silver for the offering of the sacrifices and providing the things
of which the temple stands in need. These gifts were brought to me by Andreas, one of your
most honoured servants, and by Aristeas, both good men and true, distinguished by their
learning, and worthy in every way to be the representatives of your high principles and
righteous purposes. These men imparted to me your message and received from me an answer
in agreement with your letter. I will consent to everything which is advantageous to you
even though your request is very unusual. For you have bestowed upon our citizens great
and never to be forgotten benefits in many (ways).

45. Immediately therefore I offered sacrifices on behalf of you, your sister, your
children, and your friends, and all the people prayed that your plans might prosper
continually, and that Almighty God might preserve your kingdom in peace with honour, and
that the translation of the holy law might prove advantageous to you and be carried out
successfully.

SECTIONS 46–90

46. In the presence of all the people I selected six elders from each tribe, good men and
true, and I have sent them to you with a copy of our law. It will be a kindness, O
righteous king, if you will give instruction that as soon as the translation of the law is
completed, the men shall be restored again to us in safety. Farewell.' 47. The following
are the names of the elders: Of the first tribe, Joseph, Ezekiah, Zachariah, John,
Ezekiah, Elisha. Of the second tribe, Judas, Simon, Samuel, Adaeus, Mattathias,
Eschlemias. Of the third tribe, Nehemiah, Joseph, Theodosius, Baseas, Ornias, Dakis. 48.
Of the fourth tribe, Jonathan, Abraeus, Elisha, Ananias, Chabrias... Of the fifth tribe,
Isaac, Jacob, Jesus, Sabbataeus, Simon, Levi. 49. Of the sixth tribe, Judas, Joseph,
Simon, Zacharias, Samuel, Selemias. Of the seventh tribe, Sabbataeus, Zedekiah, Jacob,
Isaac, Jesias, Natthaeus. Of the eighth tribe, Theodosius, Jason, Jesus, Theodotus, John,
Jonathan. Of the ninth tribe, Theophilus, Abraham, Arsamos, Jason, Endemias, Daniel.

50. Of the tenth tribe, Jeremiah, Eleazar, Zachariah, Baneas, Elisha, Dathaeus. Of the
eleventh tribe, Samuel, Joseph, Judas, Jonathes, Chabu, Dositheus. Of the twelfth tribe,
Isaelus, John, Theodosius, Arsamos, Abietes, Ezekiel. They were seventy-two in all. Such
was the answer which Eleazar and his friends gave to the king's letter. 51. I will now
proceed to redeem my promise and give a description of the works of art. They were wrought
with exceptional skill, for the king spared no expense and personally superintended the
workmen individually. They could not therefore scamp any part of the work or finish it off
negligently. 52. First of all I will give you a description of the table. The king was
anxious that this piece of work should be of exceptionally large dimensions, and he caused
enquiries to be made of the Jews in the locality with regard to the size of the table
already in the temple at Jerusalem.

53. And when they described the measurements, he proceeded to ask whether he might make a
larger structure. And some of the priests and the other Jews replied that there was
nothing to prevent him. And he said that he was anxious to make it five times the size,
but he hesitated lest it should prove useless for the temple services. 54. He was desirous
that his gift should not merely be stationed in the temple, for it would afford him much
greater pleasure if the men whose duty it was to offer the fitting sacrifices were able to
do so appropriately on the table which he had made. 55. He did not suppose that it was
owing to lack of gold that the former table had been made of small size, but there seems
to have been, he said, some reason why it was made of this dimension. For had the order
been given, there would have been no lack of means. Wherefore we must not transgress or go
beyond the proper measure.

56. At the same time he ordered them to press into service all the manifold forms of art,
for he was a man of the most lofty conceptions and nature had endowed him with a keen
imagination which enabled him to picture the appearance which would be presented by the
finished work. He gave orders too, that where there were no instructions laid down in the
Jewish Scriptures, everything should be made as beautiful as possible. When such
instructions were laid down, they were to be carried out to the letter. 57. They made the
table two cubits long (one cubit broad) one and a half cubits high, fashioning it of pure
solid gold. What I am describing was not thin gold laid over another foundation, but the
whole structure was of massive gold welded together. 58. And they made a border of a
hand's breadth round about it. And there was a wreath of wave-work, engraved in relief in
the form of ropes marvellously wrought on its three sides.

59. For it was triangular in shape and the style of the work was exactly the same on each
of the sides, so that whichever side they were turned, they presented the same appearance.
Of the two sides under the border, the one which sloped down to the table was a very
beautiful piece of work, but it was the outer side which attracted the gaze of the
spectator. 60. Now the upper edge of the two sides, being elevated, was sharp since, as we
have said, the rim was three-sided, from whatever point of view one approached it. And
there were layers of precious stones on it in the midst of the embossed cord-work, and
they were interwoven with one another by an inimitable artistic device. 61. For the sake
of security they were all fixed by golden needles which were inserted in perforations in
the stones. 62. At the sides they were clamped together by fastenings to hold them firm.
On the part of the border round the table which slanted upwards and met the eyes, there
was wrought a pattern of eggs in precious stones, elaborately engraved by a continuous
piece of fluted relief-work, closely connected together round the whole table.

63. And under the stones which had been arranged to represent eggs the artists made a
crown containing all kinds of fruits, having at its top clusters of grapes and ears of
corn, dates also and apples, and pomegranates and the like, conspicuously arranged. These
fruits were wrought out of precious stones, of the same colour as the fruits themselves
and they fastened them edgeways round all the sides of the table with a band of gold. 64.
And after the crown of fruit had been put on, underneath there was inserted another
pattern of eggs in precious stones, and other fluting and embossed work, that both sides
of the table might be used, according to the wishes of the owners and for this reason the
wave-work and the border were extended down to the feet of the table. 65. They made and
fastened under the whole width of the table a massive plate four fingers thick, that the
feet might be inserted into it, and clamped fast with linch-pins which fitted into sockets
under the border, so that which ever side of the table people preferred, might be used.
Thus it became manifestly clear that the work was intended to be used massive gold welded
together: lit. the plate of beaten metal was attached to it.

66. either way. On the table itself they engraved a 'maeander', having precious stones
standing out in the middle of it, rubies and emeralds and an onyx too and many other kinds
of stones which excel in beauty. 67. And next to the 'maeander' there was placed a
wonderful piece of network, which made the centre of the table appear like a rhomboid in
shape, and on it a crystal and amber, as it is called, had been wrought, which produced an
incomparable impression on the beholders. 68. They made the feet of the table with heads
like lilies, so that they seemed to be like lilies bending down beneath the table, and the
parts which were visible represented leaves which stood upright. 69. The basis of the foot
on the ground consisted of a ruby and measured a hand's breadth high all round. It had the
appearance of a shoe and was eight fingers broad. Upon it the whole expanse of the foot
rested.

70. And they made the foot appear like ivy growing out of the stone, interwoven with
akanthus and surrounded with a vine which encircled it with clusters of grapes, which were
worked in stones, up to the top of the foot. All the four feet were made in the same
style, and everything was wrought and fitted so skilfully, and such remarkable skill and
knowledge were expended upon making it true to nature, that when the air was stirred by a
breath of wind, movement was imparted to the leaves, and everything was fashioned to
correspond with the actual reality which it represented. 71. And they made the top of the
table in three parts like a triptychon, and they were so fitted and dovetailed together
with spigots along the whole breadth of the work, that the meeting of the joints could not
be seen or even discovered. The thickness of the table was not less than half a cubit, so
that the whole work must have cost many talents.

72. For since the king did not wish to add to its size he expended on the details the same
sum of money which would have been required if the table could have been of larger
dimensions. And everything was completed in accordance with his plan, in a most wonderful
and remarkable way, with inimitable art and incomparable beauty. 73. Of the mixing bowls,
two were wrought (in gold), and from the base to the middle were engraved with relief work
in the pattern of scales, and between the scales precious stones were inserted with great
artistic skill. 74. Then there was a 'maeander' a cubit in height, with its surface
wrought out of precious stones of many colours, displaying great artistic effort and
beauty. Upon this there was a mosaic, worked in the form of a rhombus, having a net-like
appearance and reaching right up to the brim. 75. In the middle, small shields which were
made of different precious stones, placed alternately, and varying in kind, not less than
four fingers broad, enhanced the beauty of their appearance. On the top of the brim there
was an ornament of lilies in bloom, and intertwining clusters of grapes were engraven all
round.

76. Such then was the construction of the golden bowls, and they held more than two
firkins each. The silver bowls had a smooth surface, and were wonderfully made as if they
were intended for looking-glasses, so that everything which was brought near to them was
reflected even more clearly than in mirrors. 77. But it is impossible to describe the real
impression which these works of art produced upon the mind when they were finished. For,
when these vessels had been completed and placed side by side, first a silver bowl and
then a golden, then another silver, and then another golden, the appearance they presented
is altogether indescribable, and those who came to see them were not able to tear
themselves from the brilliant sight and entrancing spectacle. 78. The impressions produced
by the spectacle were various in kind. When men looked at the golden vessels, and their
minds made a complete survey of each detail of workmanship, their souls were thrilled with
wonder. Again when a man wished to direct his gaze to the silver vessels, as they stood
before him, everything seemed to flash with light round about the place where he was
standing, and afforded a still greater delight to the onlookers. So that it is really
impossible to describe the artistic beauty of the works.

79. The golden vials they engraved in the centre with vine wreaths. And about the rims
they wove a wreath of ivy and myrtle and olive in relief work and inserted precious stones
in it. The other parts of the relief work they wrought in different patterns, since they
made it a point of honour to complete everything in a way worthy of the majesty of the
king. 80. In a word it may be said that neither in the king's treasury nor in any other,
were there any works which equalled these in costliness or in artistic skill. For the king
spent no little thought upon them, for he loved to gain glory for the excellence of his
designs. 81. For oftentimes he would neglect his official business, and spend his time
with the artists in his anxiety that they should complete everything in a manner worthy of
the place to which the gifts were to be sent. So everything was carried out on a grand
scale, in a manner worthy of the king who sent the gifts and of the high priest who was
the ruler of the land.

82. There was no stint of precious stones, for not less than five thousand were used and
they were all of large size. The most exceptional artistic skill was employed, so that the
cost of the stones and the workmanship was five times as much as that of the gold. 83. I
have given you this description of the presents because I thought it was necessary. The
next point in the narrative is an account of our journey to Eleazar, but I will first of
all give you a description of the whole country. When we arrived in the land of the Jews
we saw the city situated 84. in the middle of the whole of Judea on the top of a mountain
of considerable altitude. On the summit the temple had been built in all its splendour. It
was surrounded by three walls more than seventy cubits high and in length and breadth
corresponding to the structure of the edifice. All the buildings

85. were characterised by a magnificence and costliness quite unprecedented. It was
obvious that no expense had been spared on the door and the fastenings, which connected it
with the door-posts, and 86. the stability of the lintel. The style of the curtain too was
thoroughly in proportion to that of the entrance. Its fabric owing to the draught of wind
was in perpetual motion, and as this motion was communicated from the bottom and the
curtain bulged out to its highest extent, it afforded a pleasant 87. spectacle from which
a man could scarcely tear himself away. The construction of the altar was in keeping with
the place itself and with the burnt offerings which were consumed by fire upon it, and the
approach to it was on a similar scale. There was a gradual slope up to it, conveniently
arranged for the purpose of decency, and the ministering priests were robed in linen
garments, down to their

88. ankles. The Temple faces the east and its back is toward the west. The whole of the
floor is paved with stones and slopes down to the appointed places, that water may be
conveyed to wash away the 89. blood from the sacrifices, for many thousand beasts are
sacrificed there on the feast days. And there is an inexhaustible supply of water, because
an abundant natural spring gushes up from within the temple area. There are moreover
wonderful and indescribable cisterns underground, as they pointed out to me, at a distance
of five furlongs all round the site of the temple, and each of them has countless pipes
90. so that the different streams converge together. And all these were fastened with lead
at the bottom and at the sidewalls, and over them a great quantity of plaster had been
spread, and every part of the work had been most carefully carried out. There are many
openings for water at the base of the altar which are invisible to all except to those who
are engaged in the ministration, so that all the blood of the sacrifices which is
collected in great quantities is washed away in the twinkling of an

SECTIONS 91–135

91. eye. Such is my opinion with regard to the character of the reservoirs and I will now
show you how it was confirmed. They led me more than four furlongs outside the city and
bade me peer down towards a certain spot and listen to the noise that was made by the
meeting of the waters, so that the great size of the reservoirs became manifest to me, as
has already been pointed out. 92. The ministration of the priests is in every way
unsurpassed both for its physical endurance and for its orderly and silent service. For
they all work spontaneously, though it entails much painful exertion, and each one has a
special task allotted to him. The service is carried on without interruption—some provide
the wood, others the oil, others the fine wheat flour, others the spices; others 93. again
bring the pieces of flesh for the burnt offering, exhibiting a wonderful degree of
strength. For they take up with both hands the limbs of a calf, each of them weighing more
than two talents, and throw them with each hand in a wonderful way on to the high place of
the altar and never miss placing them on the proper spot. In the same way the pieces of
the sheep and also of the goats are wonderful both for their weight and their fatness. For
those, whose business it is, always select the beasts which are without blemish and
specially fat, and thus the sacrifice which I have described, is carried out.

94. There is a special place set apart for them to rest in, where those who are relieved
from duty sit. When this takes place, those who have already rested and are ready to
resume their duties rise up spontaneously since there is no one to give orders with regard
to the arrangement of the sacrifices. The most complete silence reigns so that one might
imagine that there was not a single person present, though there are actually seven
hundred men engaged in the work, besides the vast number of those who are occupied in
bringing up the sacrifices. Everything is carried out with reverence and in a way worthy
of the great God. We were greatly astonished, when we saw Eleazar engaged in the
ministration, at the mode of his dress, and the majesty of his appearance, which was
revealed in the robe which he wore and the precious stones upon his person. There were
golden bells upon the garment which reached down to his feet, giving forth a peculiar kind
of melody, and on both sides of them there were pomegranates with variegated flowers of a
wonderful hue. He was girded with a girdle of conspicuous beauty, woven in the most
beautiful colours. On his breast he wore the oracle of God, as it is called, on which
twelve stones, of different kinds, were inset, fastened together with gold, containing the
names of the leaders of the tribes, according to their original order, each one flashing
forth in an indescribable way its own particular colour.

On his head he wore a tiara, as it is called, and upon this in the middle of his forehead
an inimitable turban, the royal diadem full of glory with the name of God inscribed in
sacred letters on a plate of gold... having been judged worthy to wear these emblems in
the ministrations. Their appearance created such awe and confusion of mind as to make one
feel that one had come into the presence of a man who belonged to a different world. I am
convinced that any one who takes part in the spectacle which I have described will be
filled with astonishment and indescribable wonder and be profoundly affected in his mind
at the thought of the sanctity which is attached to each detail of the service. 100. But
in order that we might gain complete information, we ascended to the summit of the
neighbouring citadel and looked around us. It is situated in a very lofty spot, and is
fortified with many towers, which have been built up to the very top of immense stones,
with the object, as we were informed, of guarding the temple precincts, so that if there
were an attack, or an insurrection or an onslaught of the enemy, no one would be able to
force an entrance within the walls that surround the temple. On the towers of the citadel
engines of war were placed and different kinds of machines, and the position was much
higher than the circle of walls which I have mentioned. The towers were guarded too by
most trusty men who had given the utmost proof of their loyalty to their country. These
men were never allowed to leave the citadel, except on feast days and then only in
detachments, nor did they permit any stranger to enter it. They were also very careful
when any command came from the chief officer to admit any visitors to inspect the place,
as our own experience taught us. They were very reluctant to admit us,—though we were but
two unarmed men—to view the offering of the sacrifices.

And they asserted that they were bound by an oath when the trust was committed to them,
for they had all sworn and were bound to carry out the oath sacredly to the letter, that
though they were five hundred in number they would not permit more than five men to enter
at one time. The citadel was the special protection of the temple and its founder had
fortified it so strongly that it might efficiently protect it. The size of the city is of
moderate dimensions. It is about forty furlongs in circumference, as far as one could
conjecture. It has its towers arranged in the shape of a theatre, with thoroughfares
leading between them now the cross roads of the lower towers are visible but those of the
upper towers are more frequented. For the ground ascends, since the city is built upon a
mountain. There are steps too which lead up to the cross roads, and some people are always
going up, and others down and they keep as far apart from each other as possible on the
road because of those who are bound by the rules of purity, lest they should touch
anything which is unlawful. It was not without reason that the original founders of the
city built it in due proportions, for they possessed clear insight with regard to what was
required. For the country is extensive and beautiful.

Some parts of it are level, especially the districts which belong to Samaria, as it is
called, and which border on the land of the Idumeans, other parts are mountainous,
especially (those which are contiguous to the land of Judea). The people therefore are
bound to devote themselves to agriculture and the cultivation of the soil that by this
means they may have a plentiful supply of crops. In this way cultivation of every kind is
carried on and an abundant harvest reaped in the whole of the aforesaid land. The cities
which are large and enjoy a corresponding prosperity are well-populated, but they neglect
the country districts, since all men are inclined to a life of enjoyment, for every one
has a natural tendency towards the pursuit of pleasure. The same thing happened in
Alexandria, which excels all cities in size and prosperity. Country people by migrating
from the rural districts and settling in the city brought agriculture into disrepute: and
so to prevent them from settling in the city, the king issued orders that they should not
stay in it for more than twenty days. And in the same way he gave the judges written
instructions, that if it was necessary to issue a summons against any one who lived in the
country, the case must be settled within five days.

And since he considered the matter one of great importance, he appointed also legal
officers for every district with their assistants, that the farmers and their advocates
might not in the interests of business empty the granaries of the city, I mean, of the
produce of husbandry. I have permitted this digression because it was Eleazar who pointed
out with great clearness the points which have been mentioned. For great is the energy
which they expend on the tillage of the soil. For the land is thickly planted with
multitudes of olive trees, with crops of corn and pulse, with vines too, and there is
abundance of honey. Other kinds of fruit trees and dates do not count compared with these.
There are cattle of all kinds in great quantities and a rich pasturage for them. Wherefore
they rightly recognise that the country districts need a large population, and the
relations between the city and the villages are properly regulated. A great quantity of
spices and precious stones and gold is brought into the country by the Arabs. For the
country is well adapted not only for agriculture but also for commerce, and the city is
rich in the arts and lacks none of the merchandise which is brought across the sea. It
possesses too suitable and commodious harbours at Askalon, Joppa, and Gaza, as well as at
Ptolemais which was founded by the King and holds a central position compared with the
other places named, being not far distant from any of them.

The country produces everything in abundance, since it is well watered in all directions
and well protected from storms. The river Jordan, as it is called, which never runs dry,
flows through the land. Originally (the country) contained not less than 60 million
acres—though afterwards the neighbouring peoples made incursions against it—and 600,000
men were settled upon it in farms of a hundred acres each. The river like the Nile rises
in harvest-time and irrigates a large portion of the land. Near the district belonging to
the people of Ptolemais it issues into another river and this flows out into the sea.
Other mountain torrents, as they are called, flow down into the plain and encompass the
parts about Gaza and the district of Ashdod. The country is encircled by a natural fence
and is very difficult to attack and cannot be assailed by large forces, owing to the
narrow passes, with their overhanging precipices and deep ravines, and the rugged
character of the mountainous regions which surround all the land. We were told that from
the neighbouring mountains of Arabia copper and iron were formerly obtained.

This was stopped, however, at the time of the Persian rule, since the authorities of the
time spread abroad a false report that the working of the mines was useless and expensive,
in order to prevent their country from being destroyed by the mining in these districts
and possibly taken away from them owing to the Persian rule, since by the assistance of
this false report they found an excuse for entering the district. I have now, my dear
brother Philocrates, given you all the essential information upon this subject in brief
form. I shall describe the work of translation in the sequel. The High priest selected men
of the finest character and the highest culture, such as one would expect from their noble
parentage. They were men who had not only acquired proficiency in Jewish literature, but
had studied most carefully that of the Greeks as well. They were specially qualified
therefore for serving on embassies and they undertook this duty whenever it was necessary.
They possessed a great facility for conferences and the discussion of problems connected
with the law. They espoused the middle course—and this is always the best course to
pursue. They abjured the rough and uncouth manner, but they were altogether above pride
and never assumed an air of superiority over others, and in conversation they were ready
to listen and give an appropriate answer to every question.

And all of them carefully observed this rule and were anxious above everything else to
excel each other in its observance and they were all of them worthy of their leader and of
his virtue. And one could observe how they loved Eleazar by their unwillingness to be torn
away from him and how he loved them. For besides the letter which he wrote to the king
concerning their safe return, he also earnestly besought Andreas to work for the same end
and urged me, too, to assist to the best of my ability. And although we promised to give
our best attention to the matter, he said that he was still greatly distressed, for he
knew that the king out of the goodness of his nature considered it his highest privilege,
whenever he heard of a man who was superior to his fellows in culture and wisdom, to
summon him to his court. For I have heard of a fine saying of his to the effect that by
securing just and prudent men about his person he would secure the greatest protection for
his kingdom, since such friends would unreservedly give him the most beneficial advice.
And the men who were now being sent to him by Eleazar undoubtedly possessed these
qualities. And he frequently asserted upon oath that he would never let the men go if it
were merely some private interest of his own that constituted the impelling motive—but it
was for the common advantage of all the citizens that he was sending them.

For, he explained, the good life consists in the keeping of the enactments of the law, and
this end is achieved much more by hearing than by reading. From this and other similar
statements it was clear what his feelings towards them were. 128. It is worth while to
mention briefly the information which he gave in reply to our questions. For I suppose
that most people feel a curiosity with regard to some of the enactments in the law,
especially those about meats and drinks and animals recognised as unclean. When we asked
why, since there is but one form of creation, some animals are regarded as unclean for
eating, and others unclean even to the touch (for though the law is scrupulous on most
points, it is specially scrupulous on such matters as these) he began his reply as
follows: 'You observe,' he said, 'what an effect our modes of life and our associations
produce upon us; by associating with the bad, men catch their depravities and become
miserable throughout their life; but if they live with the wise and prudent, they find the
means of escaping from ignorance and amending their lives. Our Lawgiver first of all laid
down the principles of piety and righteousness and inculcated them point by point, not
merely by prohibitions but by the use of examples as well, demonstrating the injurious
effects of sin and the punishments inflicted by God upon the guilty. For he proved first
of all that there is only one God and that his power is manifested throughout the
universe, since every place is filled with his sovereignty and none of the things which
are wrought in secret by men upon the earth escapes His knowledge.

For all that a man does and all that is to come to pass in the future are manifest to Him.
Working out these truths carefully and having made them plain, he showed that even if a
man should think of doing evil—to say nothing of actually effecting it,—he would not
escape detection, for he made it clear that the power of God pervaded the whole of the
law. Beginning from this starting point he went on to show that all mankind except
ourselves believe in the existence of many gods, though they themselves are much more
powerful than the beings whom they vainly worship. For when they have made statues of
stone and wood, they say that they are the images of those who have invented something
useful for life and they worship them, though they have clear proof that they possess no
feeling. For it would be utterly foolish to suppose that any one became a god in virtue of
his inventions. For the inventors simply took certain objects already created and by
combining them together, showed that they possessed a fresh utility: they did not
themselves create the substance of the thing, and so it is a vain and foolish thing for
people to make gods of men like themselves. For in our times there are many who are much
more inventive and much more learned than the men of former days who have been deified,
and yet they would never come to worship them.

The makers and authors of these myths think that they are the wisest of the Greeks. Why
need we speak of other infatuated people, Egyptians and the like, who place their reliance
upon wild beasts and most kinds of creeping things and cattle, and worship them, and offer
sacrifices to them both while living and when dead? Now our Lawgiver being a wise man and
specially endowed by God to understand all things, took a comprehensive view of each
particular detail, and fenced us round with impregnable ramparts and walls of iron, that
we might not mingle at all with any of the other nations, but remain pure in body and
soul, free from all vain imaginations, worshipping the one Almighty God above the whole
creation.

SECTIONS 136–180

Hence the leading Egyptian priests having looked carefully into many matters, and being
cognizant with (our) affairs, call us "men of God". This is a title which does not belong
to the rest of mankind but only to those who worship the true God. The rest are men not of
God but of meats and drinks and clothing. For their whole disposition leads them to find
solace in these things. Among our people such things are reckoned of no account, but
throughout their whole life their main consideration is the sovereignty of God. Therefore
lest we should be corrupted by any abomination, or our lives be perverted by evil
communications, he hedged us round on all sides by rules of purity, affecting alike what
we eat, or drink, or touch, or hear, or see. For though, speaking generally, all things
are alike in their natural constitution, since they are all governed by one and the same
power, yet there is a deep reason in each individual case why we abstain from the use of
certain things and enjoy the common use of others. For the sake of illustration I will run
over one or two points and explain them to you.

For you must not fall into the degrading idea that it was out of regard to mice and
weasels and other such things that Moses drew up his laws with such exceeding care. All
these ordinances were made for the sake of righteousness to aid the quest for virtue and
the perfecting of character. For all the birds that we use are tame and distinguished by
their cleanliness, feeding on various kinds of grain and pulse, such as for instance
pigeons, turtle-doves, locusts, partridges, geese also, and all other birds of this class.
But the birds which are forbidden you will find to be wild and carnivorous, tyrannising
over the others by the strength which they possess, and cruelly obtaining food by preying
on the tame birds enumerated above. And not only so, but they seize lambs and kids, and
injure human beings too, whether dead or alive, and so by naming them unclean, he gave a
sign by means of them that those, for whom the legislation was ordained, must practise
righteousness in their hearts and not tyrannise over any one in reliance upon their own
strength nor rob them of anything, but steer their course of life in accordance with
justice, just as the tame birds, already mentioned, consume the different kinds of pulse
that grow upon the earth and do not tyrannise to the destruction of their own kindred.

Our legislator taught us therefore that it is by such methods as these that indications
are given to the wise, that they must be just and effect nothing by violence, and refrain
from tyrannising over others in reliance upon their own strength. For since it is
considered unseemly even to touch such unclean animals, as have been mentioned, on account
of their particular habits, ought we not to take every precaution lest our own characters
should be destroyed to the same extent? Wherefore all the rules which he has laid down
with regard to what is permitted in the case of these birds and other animals, he has
enacted with the object of teaching us a moral lesson. For the division of the hoof and
the separation of the claws are intended to teach us that we must discriminate between our
individual actions with a view to the practice of virtue. For the strength of our whole
body and its activity depend upon our shoulders and limbs. Therefore he compels us to
recognise that we must perform all our actions with discrimination according to the
standard of righteousness—more especially because we have been distinctly separated from
the rest of mankind.

152. For most other men defile themselves by promiscuous intercourse, thereby working
great iniquity, and whole countries and cities pride themselves upon such vices. For they
not only have intercourse with men but they defile their own mothers and even their
daughters. 153. But we have been kept separate from such sins. And the people who have
been separated in the aforementioned way are also characterised by the Laugier as
possessing the gift of memory. For all animals "which are cloven-footed and chew the cud"
represent to the initiated the symbol of memory. 154. For the act of chewing the cud is
nothing else than the reminiscence of life and existence. For life is wont to be sustained
by means of food, 155. wherefore he exhorts us in the Scripture also in these words: "Thou
shalt surely remember the Lord that wrought in thee those great and wonderful things". For
when they are properly conceived, they are manifestly great and glorious; first the
construction of the body and the disposition of the

156. food and the separation of each individual limb and, far more, the organisation of
the senses, the operation and invisible movement of the mind, the rapidity of its
particular actions and its discovery of the arts, display an infinite resourcefulness.
157. Wherefore he exhorts us to remember that the aforesaid parts are kept together by the
divine power with consummate skill. For he has marked out every time and place that we may
continually remember the God who rules and preserves (us). 158. For in the matter of meats
and drinks he bids us first of all offer part as a sacrifice and then forthwith enjoy our
meal. Moreover, upon our garments he has given us a symbol of remembrance, and in like
manner he has ordered us to put the divine oracles upon our gates and doors as a
remembrance of God. 159. And upon our hands, too, he expressly orders the symbol to be
fastened, clearly showing that we ought to perform every act in righteousness, remembering
(our own creation), and above all the fear of God.

160. He bids men also, when lying down to sleep and rising up again, to meditate upon the
works of God, not only in word, but by observing distinctly the change and impression
produced upon them, when they are going to sleep, and also their waking, how divine and
incomprehensible the change from one of these states to the other is. 161. The excellency
of the analogy in regard to discrimination and memory has now been pointed out to you,
according to our interpretation of "the cloven hoof and the chewing of the cud". For our
laws have not been drawn up at random or in accordance with the first casual thought that
occurred to the mind, but with a view to truth and the indication of right reason. 162.
For by means of the directions which he gives with regard to meats and drinks and
particular cases of touching, he bids us neither to do nor listen to anything
thoughtlessly nor to resort to injustice by the abuse of the power of reason.

163. In the case of the wild animals, too, the same principle may be discovered. For the
character of the weasel and of mice and such animals as these, which are expressly
mentioned, is destructive. 164. Mice defile and damage everything, not only for their own
food but even to the extent of rendering absolutely useless to man whatever it falls in
their way to damage. 165. The weasel class, too, is peculiar: for besides what has been
said, it has a characteristic which is defiling: It conceives through the ears and brings
forth through the mouth. 166. And it is for this reason that a like practice is declared
unclean in men. For by embodying in speech all that they receive through the ears, they
involve others in evils and work no ordinary impurity, being themselves altogether defiled
by the pollution of impiety. And your king, as we are informed, does quite right in
destroying such men.'

167. Then I said 'I suppose you mean the informers, for he constantly exposes them to
tortures and to painful forms of death'. 'Yes,' he replied, 'these are the men I mean; for
to watch for men's destruction is an unholy thing. And our law forbids us to injure any
one either by word or deed. My brief account of these matters ought to have convinced you,
that all our regulations have been drawn up with a view to righteousness, and that nothing
has been enacted in the Scripture thoughtlessly or without due reason, but its purpose is
to enable us throughout our whole life and in all our actions to practise righteousness
before all men, being mindful of Almighty God. And so concerning meats and things unclean,
creeping things, and wild beasts, the whole system aims at righteousness and righteous
relationships between man and man.' 170. He seemed to me to have made a good defence on
all the points; for in reference also to the calves and rams and goats which are offered,
he said that it was necessary to take them from the herds and flocks, and sacrifice tame
animals and offer nothing wild, that the offerers of the sacrifices might understand the
symbolic meaning of the lawgiver and not be under the influence of an arrogant self-
consciousness. For he, who offers a sacrifice, makes an offering also of his own soul in
all its moods. I think that these particulars with regard to our discussion are worth
narrating, and on account of the sanctity and natural meaning of the law, I have been
induced to explain them to you clearly, Philocrates, because of your own devotion to
learning.

172. And Eleazar, after offering the sacrifice, and selecting the envoys, and preparing
many gifts for the king, despatched us on our journey in great security. And when we
reached Alexandria, the king was at once informed of our arrival. On our admission to the
palace, Andreas and I warmly greeted the king and handed over to him the letter written by
Eleazar. The king was very anxious to meet the envoys, and gave orders that all the other
officials should be dismissed and the envoys 175. summoned to his presence at once. Now
this excited general surprise, for it is customary for those who come to seek an audience
with the king on matters of importance to be admitted to his presence on the fifth day,
while envoys from kings or very important cities with difficulty secure admission to the
Court in thirty days—but these men he counted worthy of greater honour, since he held
their master in such high esteem, and so he immediately dismissed those whose presence he
regarded as superfluous and continued walking about until they came in and he was able to
welcome them.

176. When they entered with the gifts which had been sent with them and the valuable
parchments, on which the law was inscribed in gold in Jewish characters, for the parchment
was wonderfully prepared and the connexion between the pages had been so effected as to be
invisible, the king as soon 177. as he saw them began to ask them about the books. And
when they had taken the rolls out of their coverings and unfolded the pages, the king
stood still for a long time and then making obeisance about seven times, he said: 'I thank
you, my friends, and I thank him that sent you still more, and most of all God, whose
oracles these are.' 178. And when all, the envoys and the others who were present as well,
shouted out at one time and with one voice: 'God save the King!' he burst into tears of
joy. For his exaltation of soul and the sense of the overwhelming honour which had been
paid him compelled him to weep over his good fortune.

179. He commanded them to put the rolls back in their places and then after saluting the
men, said: 'It was right, men of God, that I should first of all pay my reverence to the
books for the sake of which I summoned you here and then, when I had done that, to extend
the right-hand of friendship to you. It was for this reason that I did this first. 180. I
have enacted that this day, on which you arrived, shall be kept as a great day and it will
be celebrated annually throughout my life time. It happens also that it is the anniversary
of my naval victory over Antigonus.

SECTIONS 181–225

181. Therefore I shall be glad to feast with you to-day.' 'Everything that you may have
occasion to use', he said, 'shall be prepared (for you) in a befitting manner and for me
also with you.' After they had expressed their delight, he gave orders that the best
quarters near the citadel should be assigned to them, and that preparations should be made
for the banquet. 182. And Nicanor summoned the lord high steward, Dorotheus, who was the
special officer appointed to look after the Jews, and commanded him to make the necessary
preparation for each one. For this arrangement had been made by the king and it is an
arrangement which you see maintained to-day. For as many cities (as) have (special)
customs in the matter of drinking, eating, and reclining, have special officers appointed
to look after their requirements. And whenever they come to visit the kings, preparations
are made in accordance with their own customs, in order that there may be no discomfort to
disturb the enjoyment of their visit. The same precaution was taken in the case of the
Jewish envoys. Now Dorotheus who was the patron appointed to look after Jewish guests was
a very conscientious man.

183. All the stores which were under his control and set apart for the reception of such
guests, he brought out for the feast. He arranged the seats in two rows in accordance with
the king's instructions. For he had ordered him to make half the men sit at his right hand
and the rest behind him, in order that he might not withhold from them the highest
possible honour. When they had taken their seats he instructed Dorotheus to carry out
everything in accordance with the customs which were in use amongst his Jewish guests.
184. Therefore he dispensed with the services of the sacred heralds and the sacrificing
priests and the others who were accustomed to offer the prayers, and called upon one of
our number, Eleazar, the oldest of the Jewish priests, to offer prayer instead. And he
rose up and made a remarkable prayer. 'May Almighty God enrich you, O king, with all the
good things which He has made and may He grant you and your wife and your children and
your comrades the continual possession of them as long as you live!'

185. At these words a loud and joyous applause broke out which lasted for a considerable
time, and then they turned to the enjoyment of the banquet which had been prepared. 186.
All the arrangements for service at table were carried out in accordance with the
injunction of Dorotheus. Among the attendants were the royal pages and others who held
places of honour at the king's court. 187. Taking an opportunity afforded by a pause in
the banquet the king asked the envoy who sat in the seat of honour (for they were arranged
according to seniority). How he could keep his kingdom unimpaired to the end? 188. After
pondering for a moment he replied, 'You could best establish its security if you were to
imitate the unceasing benignity of God. For if you exhibit clemency and inflict mild
punishments upon those who deserve them in accordance with their deserts, you will turn
them from evil and lead them to repentance.'

189. The king praised the answer and then asked the next man, How he could do everything
for the best in all his actions? And he replied, 'If a man maintains a just bearing
towards all, he will always act rightly on every occasion, remembering that every thought
is known to God. If you take the fear of God as your starting-point, you will never miss
the goal.' 190. The king complimented this man, too, upon his answer and asked another,
How he could have friends like-minded with himself? He replied, 'If they see you studying
the interests of the multitudes over whom you rule; you will do well to observe how God
bestows his benefits on the human race, providing for them health and food and all other
things in due season.' 191. After expressing his agreement with the reply, the king asked
the next guest, How in giving audiences and passing judgments he could gain the praise
even of those who failed to win their suit? And he said, 'If you are fair in speech to all
alike and never act insolently nor tyrannically in your treatment of offenders.

192. And you will do this if you watch the method by which God acts. The petitions of the
worthy are always fulfilled, while those who fail to obtain an answer to their prayers are
informed by means of dreams or events of what was harmful in their requests and that God
does not smite them according to their sins or the greatness of His strength, but acts
with forbearance towards them.' 193. The king praised the man warmly for his answer and
asked the next in order, How he could be invincible in military affairs? And he replied,
'If he did not trust entirely to his multitudes or his warlike forces, but called upon God
continually to bring his enterprises to a successful issue, while he himself discharged
all his duties in the spirit of justice.' 194. Welcoming this answer, he asked another how
he might become an object of dread to his enemies. And he replied, 'If while maintaining a
vast supply of arms and forces he remembered that these things were powerless to achieve a
permanent and conclusive result. For even God instils fear into the minds of men by
granting reprieves and making merely a display of the greatness of his power.'

195. This man the king praised and then said to the next, What is the highest good in
life? And he answered 'To know that God is Lord of the Universe, and that in our finest
achievements it is not we who attain success but God who by his power brings all things to
fulfilment and leads us to the goal.' 196. The king exclaimed that the man had answered
well and then asked the next How he could keep all his possessions intact and finally hand
them down to his successors in the same condition? And he answered 'By praying constantly
to God that you may be inspired with high motives in all your undertakings and by warning
your descendants not to be dazzled by fame or wealth, for it is God who bestows all these
gifts and men never by themselves win the supremacy'. 197. The king expressed his
agreement with the answer and enquired of the next guest, How he could bear with
equanimity whatever befell him? And he said, 'If you have a firm grasp of the thought that
all men are appointed by God to share the greatest evil as well as the greatest good,
since it is impossible for one who is a man to be exempt from these. But God, to whom we
ought always to pray, inspires us with courage to endure.'

198. Delighted with the man's reply, the king said that all their answers had been good.
'I will put a question to one other', he added, 'and then I will stop for the present:
that we may turn our attention to the enjoyment of the feast and spend a pleasant time.'
199. Thereupon he asked the man, What is the true aim of courage? And he answered, 'If a
right plan is carried out in the hour of danger in accordance with the original intention.
For all things are accomplished by God to your advantage, O king, since your purpose is
good.’ 200. When all had signified by their applause their agreement with the answer, the
king said to the philosophers (for not a few of them were present), 'It is my opinion that
these men excel in virtue and possess extraordinary knowledge, since on the spur of the
moment they have given fitting answers to these questions which I have put to them, and
have all made God the starting-point of their words.'

201. And Menedemus, the philosopher of Eretria, said, 'True, O King—for since the universe
is managed by providence and since we rightly perceive that man is the creation of God, it
follows that all power and beauty of speech proceed from God.' When the king had nodded
his assent to this sentiment, the speaking ceased and they proceeded to enjoy themselves.
When evening came on, the banquet ended. 203. On the following day they sat down to table
again and continued the banquet according to the same arrangements. When the king thought
that a fitting opportunity had arrived to put inquiries to his guests, he proceeded to ask
further questions of the men who sat next in order to those who 204. had given answers on
the previous day. He began to open the conversation with the eleventh man, for there were
ten who had been asked questions on the former occasion. When silence was

205. established, he asked How he could continue to be rich? After a brief reflection, the
man who had been asked the question replied—'If he did nothing unworthy of his position,
never acted licentiously, never lavished expense on empty and vain pursuits, but by acts
of benevolence made all his subjects well disposed towards himself. For it is God who is
the author of all good things and 206. Him man must needs obey.' The king bestowed praise
upon him and then asked another How he could maintain the truth? In reply to the question
he said, 'By recognizing that a lie brings great disgrace upon all men, and more
especially upon kings. For since they have the power to do whatever they wish, why should
they resort to lies? In addition to this you must always remember, O King, that God is a
lover of the truth.' 207. The king received the answer with great delight and looking at
another said, 'What is the teaching of wisdom?' And the other replied, 'As you wish that
no evil should befall you, but to be a partaker of all good things, so you should act on
the same principle towards your subjects and offenders, and you should mildly admonish the
noble and good. For God draws all men to Himself by his benignity.'

208. The king praised him and asked the next in order How he could be the friend of men?
And he replied, 'By observing that the human race increases and is born with much trouble
and great suffering: wherefore you must not lightly punish or inflict torments upon them,
since you know that the life of men is made up of pains and penalties. For if you
understood everything you would be filled with pity, for God also is pitiful.' 209. The
king received the answer with approbation and inquired of the next 'What is the most
essential qualification for ruling?' 'To keep oneself', he answered, 'free from bribery
and to practise sobriety during the greater part of one's life, to honour righteousness
above all things, and to make friends of men of this type. For God, too, is a lover of
justice.' 210. Having signified his approval, the king said to another 'What is the true
mark of piety?' And he replied, 'To perceive that God constantly works in the Universe and
knows all things, and no man who acts unjustly and works wickedness can escape His notice.
As God is the benefactor of the whole world, so you, too, must imitate Him and be void of
offence.'

211. The king signified his agreement and said to another 'What is the essence of
kingship?' And he replied, 'To rule oneself well and not to be led astray by wealth or
fame to immoderate or unseemly desires, this is the true way of ruling if you reason the
matter well out. For all that you really need is yours, and God is free from need and
benignant withal. Let your thoughts be such as become a man, and desire not many things
but only such as are necessary for ruling.’ 212. The king praised him and asked another
man How his deliberations might be for the best? and he replied, 'If he constantly set
justice before him in everything and thought that injustice was equivalent to deprivation
of life. For God always promises the highest blessings to the just.' 213. Having praised
him, the king asked the next How he could be free from disturbing thoughts in his sleep?
And he replied, 'You have asked me a question which is very difficult to answer, for we
cannot bring our true selves into play during the hours of sleep, but are held fast in
these by imaginations that cannot be controlled by reason.

214. For our souls possess the feeling that they actually see the things that enter into
our consciousness during sleep. But we make a mistake if we suppose that we are actually
sailing on the sea in boats or flying through the air or travelling to other regions or
anything else of the kind. And yet we actually do imagine such things to be taking place.
215. So far as it is possible for me to decide, I have reached the following conclusion.
You must in every possible way, O King, govern your words and actions by the rule of piety
that you may have the consciousness that you are maintaining virtue and that you never
choose to gratify yourself at the expense of reason and never by abusing your power do
despite to righteousness. 216. For the mind mostly busies itself in sleep with the same
things with which it occupies itself when awake. And he who has all his thoughts and
actions set towards the noblest ends establishes himself in righteousness both when he is
awake and when he is asleep. Wherefore you must be stedfast in the constant discipline of
self.'

217. The king bestowed praise on the man and said to another—'Since you are the tenth to
answer, when you have spoken, we will devote ourselves to the banquet.' And then he put
the question, How can I avoid doing anything unworthy of myself? 218. And he replied,
'Look always to your own fame and your own supreme position, that you may speak and think
only such things as are consistent therewith, knowing that all your subjects think and
talk about you. 219. For you must not appear to be worse than the actors, who study
carefully the rôle, which it is necessary for them to play, and shape all their actions in
accordance with it. You are not acting a part, but are really a king, since God has
bestowed upon you a royal authority in keeping with your character.' 220. When the king
had applauded loud and long in the most gracious way, the guests were urged to seek
repose. So when the conversation ceased, they devoted themselves to the next course of the
feast.

221. On the following day, the same arrangement was observed, and when the king found an
opportunity of putting questions to the men, he questioned the first of those who had been
left over for the next interrogation, What is the highest form of government? 222. And he
replied, 'To rule oneself and not to be carried away by impulses. For all men possess a
certain natural bent of mind. 223. It is probable that most men have an inclination
towards food and drink and pleasure, and kings a bent towards the acquisition of territory
and great renown. But it is good that there should be moderation in all things. What God
gives, that you must take and keep, but never yearn for things that are beyond your
reach.' 224. Pleased with these words, the king asked the next How he could be free from
envy? And he after a brief pause replied, 'If you consider first of all that it is God who
bestows on all kings glory and great wealth and no one is king by his own power. All men
wish to share this glory but cannot, since it is the gift of God.'

225. The king praised the man in a long speech and then asked another How he could despise
his enemies? And he replied, 'If you show kindness to all men and win their friendship,
you need fear no one. To be popular with all men is the best of good gifts to receive from
God.’


THE LETTER OF ARISTEAS
======================

THE LETTER OF ARISTEAS continued

SECTIONS 226–270

226. Having praised this answer the king ordered the next man to reply to the question,
How he could maintain his great renown? and he replied that 'If you are generous and
large-hearted in bestowing kindness and acts of grace upon others, you will never lose
your renown, but if you wish the aforesaid graces to continue yours, you must call upon
God continually.' 227. The king expressed his approval and asked the next, To whom ought a
man to show liberality? And he replied, 'All men acknowledge that we ought to show
liberality to those who are well disposed towards us, but I think that we ought to show
the same keen spirit of generosity to those who are opposed to us that by this means we
may win them over to the right and to what is advantageous to ourselves. But we must pray
to God that this may be accomplished, for he rules the minds of all men.'

228. Having expressed his agreement with the answer, the king asked the sixth to reply to
the question, To whom ought we to exhibit gratitude? And he replied, 'To our parents
continually, for God has given us a most important commandment with regard to the honour
due to parents. In the next place He reckons the attitude of friend towards friend for He
speaks of "a friend which is as thine own soul". You do well in trying to bring all men
into friendship with yourself.' 229. The king spoke kindly to him and then asked the next,
What is it that resembles beauty in value? And he said, 'Piety, for it is the pre-eminent
form of beauty, and its power lies in love, which is the gift of God. This you have
already acquired and with it all the blessings of life.' 230. The king in the most
gracious way applauded the answer and asked another How, if he were to fail, he could
regain his reputation again in the same degree? And he said, 'It is not possible for you
to fail, for you have sown in all men the seeds of gratitude which produce a harvest of
goodwill,

231. and this is mightier than the strongest weapons and guarantees the greatest security.
But if any man does fail, he must never again do those things which caused his failure,
but he must form friendships and act justly. For it is the gift of God to be able to do
good actions and not the contrary.' 232. Delighted with these words, the king asked
another How he could be free from grief? And he replied, 'If he never injured any one, but
did good to everybody and followed the pathway of 233. righteousness, for its fruits bring
freedom from grief. But we must pray to God that unexpected evils such as death or disease
or pain or anything of this kind may not come upon us and injure us. But since you are
devoted to piety, no such misfortune will ever come upon you.' 234. The king bestowed
great praise upon him and asked the tenth, What is the highest form of glory? And he said,
'To honour God, and this is done not with gifts and sacrifices but with purity of soul and
holy conviction, since all things are fashioned and governed by God in accordance with His
will. Of this purpose you are in constant possession as all men can see from your
achievements in the past and in the present.'

235. With loud voice the king greeted them all and spoke kindly to them, and all those who
were present expressed their approval, especially the philosophers. For they were far
superior to them [i.e. the philosophers] both in conduct and in argument, since they
always made God their starting-point. After this the king to show his good feeling
proceeded to drink the health of his guests. 236. On the following day the same
arrangements were made for the banquet, and the king, as soon as an opportunity occurred,
began to put questions to the men who sat next to those who had already responded, and he
said to the first 'Is wisdom capable of being taught?' And he said, 'The soul is so
constituted that it is able by the divine power to receive all the good and reject the
contrary.' 237. The king expressed approval and asked the next man, What is it that is
most beneficial to health? And he said, 'Temperance, and it is not possible to acquire
this unless God create a disposition towards it.'

238. The king spoke kindly to the man and said to another, 'How can a man worthily pay the
debt of gratitude to his parents?' And he said, 'By never causing them pain, and this is
not possible unless God dispose the mind to the pursuit of the noblest ends.' 239. The
king expressed agreement and asked the next How he could become an eager listener? And he
said, 'By remembering that all knowledge is useful, because it enables you by the help of
God in a time of emergency to select some of the things which you have learned and apply
them to the crisis which confronts you. And so the efforts of men are fulfilled by the
assistance of God.' 240. The king praised him and asked the next How he could avoid doing
anything contrary to law? And he said, 'If you recognize that it is God who has put the
thoughts into the hearts of the lawgivers that the lives of men might be preserved, you
will follow them.'

241. The king acknowledged the man's answer and said to another, 'What is the advantage of
kinship?' And he replied, 'If we consider that we ourselves are afflicted by the
misfortunes which fall upon our relatives and if their sufferings become our own—then the
strength of kinship is apparent at once, for it is only when such feeling is shown that we
shall win honour and esteem in their eyes. 242. For help, when it is linked with
kindliness, is of itself a bond which is altogether indissoluble. And in the day of their
prosperity we must not crave their possessions, but must pray God to bestow all manner of
good upon them.' 243. And having accorded to him the same praise as to the rest, the king
asked another How he could attain freedom from fear? And he said, 'When the mind is
conscious that it has wrought no evil, and when God directs it to all noble counsels.'

244. The king expressed his approval and asked another How he could always maintain a
right judgement? And he replied, 'If he constantly set before his eyes the misfortunes
which befall men and recognized that it is God who takes away prosperity from some and
brings others to great honour and glory.' 245. The king gave a kindly reception to the man
and asked the next to answer the question How he could avoid a life of ease and pleasure?
And he replied, 'If he continually remembered that he was the ruler of a great empire and
the lord of vast multitudes, and that his mind ought not to be occupied with other things,
but he ought always to be considering how he could best promote their welfare. He must
pray, too, to God that no duty might be neglected.' 246. Having bestowed praise upon him,
the king asked the tenth How he could recognize those who were dealing treacherously with
him? And he replied to the question, 'If he observed whether the bearing of those about
him was natural and whether they maintained the proper rule of precedence at receptions
and councils, and in their general intercourse, never going beyond the bounds of propriety
in congratulations or in other matters of deportment.

247. But God will incline your mind, O King, to all that is noble.' When the king had
expressed his loud approval and praised them all individually (amid the plaudits of all
who were present), they turned to the enjoyment of the feast. 248. And on the next day,
when the opportunity offered, the king asked the next man, What is the grossest form of
neglect? And he replied, 'If a man does not care for his children and devote every effort
to their education. For we always pray to God not so much for ourselves as for our
children that every blessing may be theirs. Our desire that our children may possess self-
control is only realized by the power of God.' 249. The king said that he had spoken well
and then asked another How he could be patriotic? 'By keeping before your mind,' he
replied, 'the thought that it is good to live and die in one's own country. Residence
abroad brings contempt upon the poor and shame upon the rich as though they had been
banished for a crime. If you bestow benefits upon all, as you continually do, God will
give you favour with all and you will be accounted patriotic.'

250. After listening to this man, the king asked the next in order How he could live
amicably with his wife? And he answered, 'By recognizing that womankind are by nature
headstrong and energetic in the pursuit of their own desires, and subject to sudden
changes of opinion through fallacious reasoning, and their nature is essentially weak. It
is necessary to deal wisely with them and not to provoke strife. 251. For the successful
conduct of life the steersman must know the goal toward which he ought to direct his
course. It is only by calling upon the help of God that men can steer a true course of
life at all times.' 252. The king expressed his agreement and asked the next How he could
be free from error? And he replied, 'If you always act with deliberation and never give
credence to slanders, but prove for yourself the things that are said to you and decide by
your own judgement the requests which are made to you and carry out everything in the
light of your judgement, you will be free from error, O King. But the knowledge and
practice of these things is the work of the Divine power.'

253. Delighted with these words, the king asked another How he could be free from wrath?
And he said in reply to the question, 'If he recognized that he had power over all even to
inflict death upon them, if he gave way to wrath, and that it would be useless and pitiful
if he, just because he was lord, 254. deprived many of life. What need was there for
wrath, when all men were in subjection and no one was hostile to him? It is necessary to
recognize that God rules the whole world in the spirit of kindness and without wrath at
all, and you,' said he, 'O King, must of necessity copy His example.' 255. The king said
that he had answered well and then inquired of the next man, What is good counsel? 'To act
well at all times and with due reflection,' he explained, 'comparing what is advantageous
to our own policy with the injurious effects that would result from the adoption of the
opposite view, in order that by weighing every point we may be well advised and our
purpose may be accomplished. And most important of all, by the power of God every plan of
yours will find fulfilment because you practise piety.'

256. The king said that this man had answered well, and asked another What is philosophy?
And he explained, 'To deliberate well in reference to any question that emerges and never
to be carried away by impulses, but to ponder over the injuries that result from the
passions, and to act rightly as the circumstances demand, practising moderation. But we
must pray to God to instil into our mind a regard for these things.' 257. The king
signified his consent and asked another How he could meet with recognition when travelling
abroad? 'By being fair to all men,' he replied, 'and by appearing to be inferior rather
than superior to those amongst whom he was travelling. For it is a recognized principle
that God by His very nature accepts the humble. And the human race loves those who are
willing to be in subjection to them.' 258. Having expressed his approval at this reply,
the king asked another How he could build in such a way that his structures would endure
after him? And he replied to the question, 'If his creations were on a great and noble
scale, so that the beholders would spare them for their beauty, and if he never dismissed
any of those who wrought such works and never compelled others to minister to his needs
without wages. For observing how God provides for the human race, granting them health and
mental capacity and all other gifts, he himself should follow His example by rendering to
men a recompense for their arduous toil. For it is the deeds that are wrought in
righteousness that abide continually.'

260. The king said that this man, too, had answered well and asked the tenth, What is the
fruit of wisdom? And he replied, 'That a man should be conscious in himself that he has
wrought no evil and that he should live his life in the truth. Since it is from these, O
mighty King, that the greatest joy and stedfastness of soul and strong faith in God accrue
to you if you rule your realm in piety.' And when they heard the answer they all shouted
with loud acclaim, and afterwards the king in the fullness of his joy began to drink their
healths. 262. And on the next day the banquet followed the same course as on previous
occasions, and when the opportunity presented itself the king proceeded to put questions
to the remaining guests, and he said to the first, 'How can a man keep himself from
pride?' And he replied, 'If he maintains equality and remembers on all occasions that he
is a man ruling over men. And God brings the proud to nought, and exalts the meek and
humble.'

264. The king spoke kindly to him and asked the next, Whom ought a man to select as his
counsellors? and he replied, 'Those who have been tested in many affairs and maintain
unmingled goodwill towards him and partake of his own disposition. And God manifests
Himself to those who are worthy that these ends may be attained.' 265. The king praised
him and asked another, What is the most necessary possession for a king? 'The friendship
and love of his subjects,' he replied, 'for it is through this that the bond of goodwill
is rendered indissoluble. And it is God who ensures that this may come to pass in
accordance with your wish.' 266. The king praised him and inquired of another, What is
goal of speech? And he replied, 'To convince your opponent by showing him his mistakes in
a well-ordered array of arguments. For in this way you will win your hearer, not by
opposing him, but by bestowing praise upon him with a view to persuading him. And it is by
the power of God that persuasion is accomplished.'

267. The king said that he had given a good answer, and asked another How he could live
amicably with the many different races who formed the population of his kingdom? 'By
acting the proper part towards each,' he replied, 'and taking righteousness as your guide,
as you are now doing with the help of the insight which God bestows upon you.' 268. The
king was delighted by this reply, and asked another 'Under what circumstances ought a man
to suffer grief?' 'In the misfortunes that befall our friends,' he replied, 'when we see
that they are protracted and irremediable. Reason does not allow us to grieve for those
who are dead and set free from evil, but all men do grieve over them because they think
only of themselves and their own advantage. It is by the power of God alone that we can
escape all evil.' 269. The king said that he had given a fitting answer, and asked
another, How is reputation lost? And he replied, 'When pride and unbounded self-confidence
hold sway, dishonour and loss of reputation are engendered. For God is the Lord of all
reputation and bestows it where He will.'

270. The king gave his confirmation to the answer, and asked the next man, To whom ought
men to entrust themselves? 'To those,' he replied, 'who serve you from goodwill and not
from fear or self-interest, thinking only of their own gain. For the one is the sign of
love, the other the mark of ill-will and time-serving. For the man who is always watching
for his own gain is a traitor at heart. But you possess the affection of all your subjects
by the help of the good counsel which God bestows upon you.'

SECTIONS 271–322

271. The king said that he had answered wisely, and asked another, What is it that keeps a
kingdom safe? And he replied to the question, 'Care and forethought that no evil may be
wrought by those who are placed in a position of authority over the people, and this you
always do by the help of God who inspires you with grave judgement'. 272. The king spoke
words of encouragement to him, and asked another, What is it that maintains gratitude and
honour? And he replied, 'Virtue, for it is the creator of good deeds, and by it evil is
destroyed, even as you exhibit nobility of character towards all by the gift which God
bestows upon you.' 273. The king graciously acknowledged the answer and asked the eleventh
(since there were two more than seventy), How he could in time of war maintain
tranquillity of soul? And he replied, 'By remembering that he had done no evil to any of
his subjects, and that all would fight for him in return for the benefits which they had
received, knowing that even if they lose their lives, you will care for those

274. dependent on them. For you never fail to make reparation to any—such is the kind-
heartedness with which God has inspired you.' The king loudly applauded them all and spoke
very kindly to them and then drank a long draught to the health of each, giving himself up
to enjoyment, and lavishing the most generous and joyous friendship upon his guests. 275.
On the seventh day much more extensive preparations were made, and many others were
present from the different cities (among them a large number of ambassadors). When an
opportunity occurred, the king asked the first of those who had not yet been questioned
How he could avoid 276. being deceived by fallacious reasoning? and he replied, 'By
noticing carefully the speaker, the thing spoken, and the subject under discussion, and by
putting the same questions again after an interval in different forms. But to possess an
alert mind and to be able to form a sound judgement in every case is one of the good gifts
of God, and you possess it, O King.'

277. The king loudly applauded the answer and asked another, Why is it that the majority
of men never become virtuous? 'Because,' he replied, 'all men are by nature intemperate
and inclined to 278. pleasure. Hence, injustice springs up and a flood of avarice. The
habit of virtue is a hindrance to those who are devoted to a life of pleasure because it
enjoins upon them the preference of temperance and righteousness. For it is God who is the
master of these things.' 279. The king said that he had answered well, and asked, What
ought kings to obey? And he said, 'The laws, in order that by righteous enactments they
may restore the lives of men. Even as you by such conduct in obedience to the Divine
command have laid up in store for yourself a perpetual memorial.' 280. The king said that
this man, too, had spoken well, and asked the next, Whom ought we to appoint as governors?
And he replied, 'All who hate wickedness, and imitating your own conduct act righteously
that they may maintain a good reputation constantly. For this is what you do, O mighty
King,' he said, 'and it is God who has bestowed upon you the crown of righteousness.'

281. The king loudly acclaimed the answer and then looking at the next man said, 'Whom
ought we to appoint as officers over the forces?' And he explained, 'Those who excel in
courage and righteousness and those who are more anxious about the safety of their men
than to gain a victory by risking their lives through rashness. For as God acts well
towards all men, so too you in imitation of Him are the benefactor of all your subjects.'
282. The king said that he had given a good answer and asked another, What man is worthy
of admiration? And he replied, 'The man who is furnished with reputation and wealth and
power and possesses a soul equal to it all. You yourself show by your actions that you are
most worthy of admiration through the help of God who makes you care for these things.'
283. The king expressed his approval and said to another 'To what affairs ought kings to
devote most time?' And he replied, 'To reading and the study of the records of official
journeys, which are written in reference to the various kingdoms, with a view to the
reformation and preservation of the subjects. And it is by such activity that you have
attained to a glory which has never been approached by others, through the help of God who
fulfils all your desires.'

284. The king spoke enthusiastically to the man and asked another How ought a man to
occupy himself during his hours of relaxation and recreation? And he replied, 'To watch
those plays which can be acted with propriety and to set before one's eyes scenes taken
from life and enacted 285. with dignity and decency is profitable and appropriate. For
there is some edification to be found even in these amusements, for often some desirable
lesson is taught by the most insignificant affairs of life. But by practising the utmost
propriety in all your actions, you have shown that you are a philosopher and you are
honoured by God on account of your virtue.' 286. The king, pleased with the words which
had just been spoken, said to the ninth man, How ought a man to conduct himself at
banquets? And he replied, 'You should summon to your side men of learning and those who
are able to give you useful hints with regard to the affairs of your kingdom and the lives
of your subjects (for you could not find any theme more suitable or more

287. educative than this) since such men are dear to God because they have trained their
minds to contemplate the noblest themes—as you indeed are doing yourself, since all your
actions are directed by God.' 288. Delighted with the reply, the king inquired of the next
man, What is best for the people? That a private citizen should be made king over them or
a member of the royal family? And he 289. replied, 'He who is best by nature. For kings
who come of royal lineage are often harsh and severe towards their subjects. And still
more is this the case with some of those who have risen from the ranks of private
citizens, who after having experienced evil and borne their share of 290. poverty, when
they rule over multitudes turn out to be more cruel than the godless tyrants. But, as I
have said, a good nature which has been properly trained is capable of ruling, and you are
a great king, not so much because you excel in the glory of your rule and your wealth but
rather because you have surpassed all men in clemency and philanthropy, thanks to God who
has endowed you with these qualities.'

291. The king spent some time in praising this man and then asked the last of all, What is
the greatest achievement in ruling an empire? And he replied, 'That the subjects should
continually dwell in a state of peace, and that justice should be speedily administered in
cases of dispute. 292. These results are achieved through the influence of the ruler, when
he is a man who hates evil and loves the good and devotes his energies to saving the lives
of men, just as you consider injustice the worst form of evil and by your just
administration have fashioned for yourself an undying reputation, since God bestows upon
you a mind which is pure and untainted by any evil.' 293. And when he ceased, loud and
joyful applause broke out for some considerable time. When it stopped the king took a cup
and gave a toast in honour of all his guests and the words which they had uttered. Then in
conclusion he said, 'I have derived the greatest benefit from your presence.

294. I have profited much by the wise teaching which you have given me in reference to the
art of ruling.' Then he ordered that three talents of silver should be presented to each
of them, and appointed one of his slaves to deliver over the money. All at once shouted
their approval, and the banquet became a scene of joy, while the king gave himself up to a
continuous round of festivity. 295. I have written at length and must crave your pardon,
Philocrates. I was astonished beyond measure at the men and the way in which on the spur
of the moment they gave answers which really needed a long time to devise. 296. For though
the questioner had given great thought to each particular question, those who replied one
after the other had their answers to the questions ready at once and so they seemed to me
and to all who were present and especially to the philosophers to be worthy of admiration.
And I suppose that the thing will seem incredible to those who will read my narrative in
the future.

297. But it is unseemly to misrepresent facts which are recorded in the public archives.
And it would not be right for me to transgress in such a matter as this. I tell the story
just as it happened, conscientiously avoiding any error. I was so impressed by the force
of their utterances, that I made an effort to consult those whose business it was to make
a record of all that happened at the royal audiences and banquets. 298. For it is the
custom, as you know, from the moment the king begins to transact business until the time
when he retires to rest, for a record to be taken of all his sayings and doings—a most
excellent and useful arrangement. 299. For on the following day the minutes of the doings
and sayings of the previous day are read over before business commences, and if there has
been any irregularity, the matter is at once set right.

300. I obtained therefore, as has been said, accurate information from the public records,
and I have set forth the facts in proper order since I know how eager you are to obtain
useful information. 301. Three days later Demetrius took the men and passing along the
sea-wall, seven stadia long, to the island, crossed the bridge and made for the northern
districts of Pharos. There he assembled them in a house, which had been built upon the
sea-shore, of great beauty and in a secluded situation, and invited them to carry out the
work of translation, since everything that they needed for the purpose was placed at their
disposal. 302. So they set to work comparing their several results and making them agree,
and whatever they agreed upon was suitably copied out under the direction of Demetrius.
303. And the session lasted until the ninth hour; after this they were set free to
minister to their physical needs.

304. Everything they wanted was furnished for them on a lavish scale. In addition to this
Dorotheus made the same preparations for them daily as were made for the king himself—for
thus he had been commanded by the king. In the early morning they appeared daily at the
Court, and after saluting the king went back to their own place. 305. And as is the custom
of all the Jews, they washed their hands in the sea and prayed to God and then devoted
themselves to reading and translating the particular passage upon which they were engaged,
and I put the question to them. 306. Why it was that they washed their hands before they
prayed? And they explained that it was a token that they had done no evil (for every form
of activity is wrought by means of the hands) since in their noble and holy way they
regard everything as a symbol of righteousness and truth.

307. As I have already said, they met together daily in the place which was delightful for
its quiet and its brightness and applied themselves to their task. And it so chanced that
the work of translation was completed in seventy-two days, just as if this had been
arranged of set purpose. 308. When the work was completed, Demetrius collected together
the Jewish population in the place where the translation had been made, and read it over
to all, in the presence of the translators, who met with a great reception also from the
people, because of the great benefits which they had conferred upon them. They bestowed
warm praise upon Demetrius, too, and urged him to have the whole law transcribed and
present a copy to their leaders. 309. After the books had been read, the priests and the
elders of the translators and the Jewish community and the leaders of the people stood up
and said, that since so excellent and sacred and accurate a translation had been made, it
was only right that it should remain as it was and no alteration should be made in it. And
when the whole company expressed their approval, they bade them pronounce a curse in
accordance with their custom upon any one who should make any alteration either by adding
anything or changing in any way whatever any of the words which had been written or making
any omission. This was a very wise precaution to ensure that the book might be preserved
for all the future time unchanged.

312. When the matter was reported to the king, he rejoiced greatly, for he felt that the
design which he had formed had been safely carried out. The whole book was read over to
him and he was greatly astonished at the spirit of the lawgiver. And he said to Demetrius,
'How is it that none of the historians or the poets have ever thought it worth their while
to allude to such a wonderful achievement?' And he replied, 'Because the law is sacred and
of divine origin. And some of those who formed the intention of dealing with it have been
smitten by God and therefore desisted from their purpose.' He said that he had heard from
Theopompus that he had been driven out of his mind for more than thirty days because he
intended to insert in his history some of the incidents from the earlier and somewhat
unreliable translations of the law. When he had recovered a little, he besought God to
make it clear to him why the misfortune had befallen him. And it was revealed to him in a
dream, that from idle curiosity he was wishing to communicate sacred truths to common men,
and that if he desisted he would recover his health. I have heard, too, from the lips of
Theodectes, one of the tragic poets, that when he was about to adapt some of the incidents
recorded in the book for one of his plays, he was affected with cataract in both his eyes.
And when he perceived the reason why the misfortune had befallen him, he prayed to God for
many days and was afterwards restored.

317. And after the king, as I have already said, had received the explanation of Demetrius
on this point, he did homage and ordered that great care should be taken of the books, and
that they should be sacredly guarded. 318. And he urged the translators to visit him
frequently after their return to Judea, for it was only right, he said, that he should now
send them home. But when they came back, he would treat them as friends, as was right, and
they would receive rich presents from him. 319. He ordered preparations to be made for
them to return home, and treated them most munificently. He presented each one of them
with three robes of the finest sort, two talents of gold, a sideboard weighing one talent,
all the furniture for three couches. 320. And with the escort he sent Eleazar ten couches
with silver legs and all the necessary equipment, a sideboard worth thirty talents, ten
robes, purple, and a magnificent crown, and a hundred pieces of the finest woven linen,
also bowls and dishes, and two golden beakers to be dedicated to God.

321. He urged him also in a letter that if any of the men preferred to come back to him,
not to hinder them. For he counted it a great privilege to enjoy the society of such
learned men, and he would rather lavish his wealth upon them than upon vanities. 322. And
now Philocrates, you have the complete story in accordance with my promise. I think that
you find greater pleasure in these matters than in the writings of the mythologists. For
you are devoted to the study of those things which can benefit the soul, and spend much
time upon it. I shall attempt to narrate whatever other events are worth recording, that
by perusing them you may secure the highest reward for your zeal.


THE FOURTH BOOK OF MACCABEES
============================

THE FOURTH BOOK OF MACCABEES Translated by R. B. Townshend

1st century AD

A Jewish sermon in Greek of the first century AD on the thesis that the Inspired Reason
can master the passions, which it proves by the martyrdoms of Eleazar and of the seven
brothers and their mother under King Antiochus. It is included in some manuscripts of the
Septuagint, and some of them ascribe it to Josephus, who did not write it; it is not part
of the Bible in the Jewish or the usual Christian canon. This is R. B. Townshend’s
translation, in eighteen chapters.

CHAPTER 1

1 Philosophical in the highest degree is the question I propose to discuss, namely whether
the Inspired Reason is supreme ruler over the passions; and to the philosophy of it I
would seriously entreat your earnest attention. For not only is the subject generally
necessary as a branch of knowledge, but it includes the praise of the greatest of virtues,
whereby I mean self-control. That is to say, if Reason is proved to control the passions
adverse to temperance, gluttony and lust, it is also clearly shown to be lord over the
passions, like malevolence, opposed to justice, and over those opposed to manliness,
namely rage and pain and fear. But, some may ask, if the Reason is master of the passions,
why does it not control forgetfulness and ignorance? their object being to cast ridicule.
The answer is that Reason is not master over defects inhering in the mind itself, but over
the passions or moral defects that are adverse to justice and manliness and temperance and
judgement; and its action in their case is not to extirpate the passions, but to enable us
to resist them successfully.

2 I could bring before you many examples, drawn from various sources, where Reason has
proved itself master over the passions, but the best instance by far that I can give is
the noble conduct of those who died for the sake of virtue, Eleazar, and the Seven
Brethren and the Mother. For these all by their contempt of pains, yea, even unto death,
proved that Reason rises superior to the passions. I might enlarge here in praise of their
virtues, they, the men with the Mother, dying on this day we celebrate for the love of
moral beauty and goodness, but rather would I felicitate them on the honours they have
attained. For the admiration felt for their courage and endurance, not only by the world
at large but by their very executioners, made them the authors of the downfall of the
tyranny under which our nation lay, they defeating the tyrant by their endurance, so that
through them was their country purified. But I shall presently take opportunity to discuss
this, after we have begun with the general theory, as I am in the habit of doing, and I
will then proceed to their story, giving glory to the all-wise God.

3 Our enquiry, then, is whether the Reason is supreme master over the passions. But we
must define just what the Reason is and what passion is, and how many forms of passion
there are, and whether the Reason is supreme over all of them. Reason I take to be the
mind preferring with is revealed to the soul of the ‘righteous man’ in the Book of Moses,
and I therefore translate by ‘The Inspired Reason’, that is to say the Reason or Rational
Will obeying the guidance of the Law. When so guided, the becomes our higher self, and
includes not only reason, but the moral sense and that noblest form of courage which
consists in perfect self-sacrifice for the sake of our ideal. With regard to I have only
used ‘Inspired’ for it when thus connected with. Elsewhere it is generally represented by
‘righteous’, which must be taken in the meaning it usually bears in the Old Testament of
‘following the Law’ in the Jewish sense. Similarly is either ‘righteousness’ or
‘religion’, according to the context, with the same definitely limited connotation of
orthodox Judaism. clear deliberation the life of wisdom. Wisdom I take to be the knowledge
of things, divine and human, and of their causes. This I take to be the culture acquired
under the Law, through which we learn with due reverence the things of God and for our
worldly profit the things of man. Now wisdom is manifested under the forms of judgement
and justice, and courage, and temperance.

4 But judgement or self-control is the one that dominates them all, for through it, in
truth, Reason asserts its authority over the passions. But of the passions there are two
comprehensive sources, namely, pleasure and pain, and either belongs essentially also to
the soul as well as to the body. And with respect both to pleasure and pain there are many
cases where the passions have certain sequences. Thus while desire goes before pleasure,
satisfaction follows after, and while fear goes before pain, after pain comes sorrow.
Anger, again, if a man will retrace the course of his feelings, is a passion in which are
blended both pleasure and pain. Under pleasure, also, comes that moral debasement which
exhibits the widest variety of the passions. It manifests itself in the soul as
ostentation, and covetousness, and vain-glory, and contentiousness, and backbiting, and in
the body as eating of strange meat, and gluttony, and gormandizing in secret. Now pleasure
and pain being as it were two trees, growing from body and soul, many offshoots of these
passions sprout up; and each man’s Reason as master-gardener, weeding and pruning and
binding up, and turning on the water and directing it hither and thither, brings the
thicket of dispositions and passions under domestication. For while Reason is the guide of
the virtues it is master of the passions. Observe, now, in the first place, that Reason
becomes supreme over the passions in virtue of the inhibitory action of temperance.
Temperance, I take it, is the repression of the desires;

5 but of the desires some are mental and some physical, and both kinds are clearly
controlled by Reason; when we are tempted towards forbidden meats, how do we come to
relinquish the pleasures to be derived from them? Is it not that Reason has power to
repress the appetites? In my opinion it is so. Accordingly when we feel a desire to eat
water-animals and birds and beasts and meats of every description forbidden to us under
the Law, we abstain through the predominance of Reason. For the propensions of our
appetites are checked and inhibited by the temperate mind, and all the movements of the
body obey the bridle of Reason.

CHAPTER 2

1 And what is there to be surprised at if the natural desire of the soul to enjoy the
fruition of beauty is quenched? This, certainly, is why we praise the virtuous Joseph,
because by his Reason, with a mental effort, he checked the carnal impulse. For he, a
young man at the age when physical desire is strong, by his Reason quenched the impulse of
his passions. And Reason is proved to subdue the impulse not only of sexual desire, but of
all sorts of covetings. For the Law says, ‘Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor
anything that is thy neighbour’s. Verily, when the Law orders us not to covet, it should,
I think, confirm strongly the argument that the Reason is capable of controlling covetous
desires, even as it does the passions that militate against justice. How else can a man,
naturally gormandizing and greedy and drunken, be taught to change his nature, if the
Reason be not manifestly the master of the passions? Certainly, as soon as a man orders
his life according to the Law, if he is miserly he acts contrary to his nature, and lends
money to the needy without interest, and at the seventh-year periods cancels the debt. And
if he is parsimonious, he is overruled by the Law through the action of Reason, and
refrains from gleaning his stubbles or picking the last grapes from his vineyards. And
with regard to all the rest we can recognize that Reason is in the position of master over
the passions or affections.

2 For the Law ranks above affection for parents, so that a man may not for their sakes
surrender his virtue, and it overrides love for a wife, so that if she transgress a man
should rebuke her, and it governs love for children, so that if they are naughty a man
should punish them, and it controls the claims of friendship, so that a man should reprove
his friends if they do evil. And do not think it a paradoxical thing when Reason through
the Law is able to overcome even hatred, so that a man refrains from cutting down the
enemy’s orchards, and protects the property of the enemy from the spoilers, and gathers up
their goods that have been scattered. And the rule of Reason is likewise proved to extend
through the more aggressive passions or vices, ambition, vanity, ostentation, pride, and
backbiting. For the temperate mind repels all these debased passions, even as it does
anger, for it conquers even this. Yea, Moses when he was angered against Dathan and Abiram
did not give free course to his wrath, but governed his anger by his Reason. For the
temperate mind is able, as I said, to win the victory over the passions, modifying some,
while crushing others absolutely. Why else did our wise father Jacob blame the houses of
Simeon and Levi for their unreasoning slaughter of the tribe of the Shechemites, saying,
‘Accursed be their anger! For had not Reason possessed the power to restrain their anger
he would not have spoken thus.

3 For in the day when God created man, he implanted in him his passions and inclinations,
and also, at the very same time, set the mind on a throne amidst the senses to be his
sacred guide in all things; and to the mind he gave the Law, by the which if a man order
himself, he shall reign over a kingdom that is temperate, and just, and virtuous, and
brave. Well then, some one may ask, if Reason is master of the passions why is it not
master of forgetfulness and ignorance?

CHAPTER 3

1 But the argument is supremely ridiculous. For Reason is not shown to be master over
passions or defects in itself, but over those of the body. For example, none of you is
able to extirpate our natural desire, but the Reason can enable him to escape being made a
slave by desire. None of you is able to extirpate anger from the soul, but it is possible
for the Reason to come to his aid against anger. None of you can extirpate a malevolent
disposition, but Reason can be his powerful ally against being swayed by malevolence.
Reason is not the extirpator of the passions, but their antagonist. 2 The case of the
thirst of King David may serve at least to make this clearer. For when David had fought
the live-long day against the Philistines, and by the help of our country’s warriors had
slain many of them, he came at eventide, all fordone with sweat and toil, to the royal
tent, around which was encamped the whole army of our ancestors. So all the host fell to
their evening meal; but the king, being consumed with an intense thirst, though he had
abundance of water, was unable to slake it. Instead, an irrational desire for the water
that was in the possession of the enemy with growing intensity burned him up and unmanned
and consumed him. Then when his body-guard murmured against the craving of the king, two
youths, mighty warriors, ashamed that their king should lack his desire, put on all their
armour, and took a water-vessel, and scaled the enemy’s ramparts; and stealing undetected
past the guards at the gate, they searched through all the enemy’s camp. And they bravely
found the spring, and drew from it a draught for the king. But David, though still burning
with the thirst, considered that such a draught, reckoned as equivalent to blood, was a
grievous danger to his soul. Therefore, opposing his Reason to his desire, he poured out
the water as an offering to God. For the temperate mind is able to conquer the dictates of
the passions, and to quench the fires of desire, and to wrestle victoriously with the
pangs of our bodies though they be exceeding strong, and by the moral beauty and goodness
of Reason to defy with scorn all the domination of the passions. And now the occasion
calls us to set forth the story of the self-controlled Reason.

CHAPTER 4

1 At a time when our fathers enjoyed great peace through the due observance of the Law,
and were in happy case, so that Seleucus Nicanor, the king of Asia, sanctioned the tax for
the temple-service, and recognized our polity, precisely then, certain men, acting
factiously against the general concord, involved us in many and various calamities. Onias,
a man of the highest character, being then high priest and having the office for his life,
a certain Simon raised a faction against him, but since despite every kind of slander he
failed to injure him on account of the people, he fled abroad with intent to betray his
country. So he came to Apollonius, the governor of Syria and Phoenicia and Cilicia, and
said, ‘Being loyal to the king, I am here to inform you that in the treasuries of
Jerusalem are stored many thousands of private deposits, not belonging to the temple
account, and rightfully the property of King Seleucus. Apollonius, having made inquiry
into the details of the matter, praised Simon for his loyal service to the king, and
hastening to the court of Seleucus, disclosed to him the valuable treasure; then, after
receiving authority to deal with the matter, he promptly marched into our country,
accompanied by the accursed Simon and a very powerful army, and announced that he was
there by the king’s command to take possession of the private deposits in the treasury.

2 Our people were deeply angered by this announcement, and protested strongly, considering
it an outrageous thing for those who had entrusted their deposits to the temple treasury
to be robbed of them, and they threw all possible obstacles in his way. Apollonius,
however, with threats, made his way into the temple. Then the priests in the temple and
the women and children besought God to come to the rescue of his Holy Place that was being
violated; and when Apollonius with his armed host marched in to seize the moneys, there
appeared from heaven angels, riding upon horses, with lightning flashing from their arms,
and cast great fear and trembling upon them. And Apollonius fell down half-dead in the
Court of the Gentiles, and stretched out his hands to heaven, and with tears he entreated
the Hebrews that they would make intercession for him and stay the wrath of the heavenly
host. For he said that he had sinned and was worthy even of death, and that if he were
given his life he would laud to all men the blessedness of the Holy Place. Moved by these
words, Onias, the high-priest, although most scrupulous in other cases, made intercession
for him lest King Seleucus should possibly think that Apollonius had been overthrown by a
human device and not by divine justice. Apollonius, accordingly, after his astonishing
deliverance departed to report to the king the things that had befallen him. But Seleucus
dying, his successor on the throne was his son Antiochus Epiphanes, an overweening
terrible man;

3 who dismissed Onias from his sacred office, and made his brother Jason high-priest
instead, the condition being that in return for the appointment Jason should pay him three
thousand six hundred and sixty talents yearly. So he appointed Jason high-priest and made
him chief ruler over the people. And he (Jason) introduced to our people a new way of life
and a new constitution in utter defiance of the Law; so that not only did he lay out a
gymnasium on the Mount of our fathers, but he actually abolished the service of the
temple. Wherefore the divine justice was kindled to anger and brought Antiochus himself as
an enemy against us. For when he was carrying on war with Ptolemy in Egypt and heard that
the people of Jerusalem had rejoiced exceedingly over a report of his death, he
immediately marched back against them. And when he had plundered the city he made a decree
denouncing the penalty of death upon any who should be seen to live after the Law of our
fathers. But he found all his decrees of no avail to break down the constancy of our
people to the Law, and he beheld all his threats and penalties utterly despised, so that
even women for circumcising their sons, though they knew beforehand what would be their
fate, were flung, together with their offspring, headlong from the rocks.

4 When therefore his decrees continued to be condemned by the mass of the people, he
personally tried to force by tortures each man separately to eat unclean meats and thus
abjure the Jewish religion.

CHAPTER 5

1 Accordingly, the tyrant Antiochus, accompanied by his councillors, sat in judgement on a
certain high place with his troops drawn up around him in full armour, and he ordered his
guards to drag there every single man of the Hebrews and compel them to eat swine’s flesh
and things offered to idols; but if any should refuse to defile themselves with the
unclean things, they were to be tortured and put to death. And when many had been taken by
force, one man first from among the company was brought before Antiochus, a Hebrew whose
name was Eleazar, a priest by birth, trained in knowledge of the law, a man advanced in
years and well known to many of the tyrant’s court for his philosophy. And Antiochus,
looking on him, said: 2 ‘Before I allow the tortures to begin for you, O venerable man, I
would give you this counsel, that you should eat of the flesh of the swine and save your
life; for I respect your age and your grey hairs, although to have worn them so long a
time, and still to cling to the Jewish religion, makes me think you no philosopher. For
most excellent is the meat of this animal which Nature has graciously bestowed upon us,
and why should you abominate it? Truly it is folly not to enjoy innocent pleasures, and it
is wrong to reject Nature’s favours. But it will be still greater folly, I think, on your
part if with idle vapouring about truth you shall proceed to defy even me to your own
punishalso that the Creator of the world, as a Lawgiver, feels for us according to our
nature. He has commanded us to eat the things that will be convenient for our souls, and
he has forbidden us to eat meats that would be the contrary. But it is the act of a tyrant
that you should compel us not only to transgress the Law, but should also make us eat in
such manner that you may mock at this defilement so utterly abominable to us. But you
shall not mock at me thus, neither will I break the sacred oaths of my ancestors to keep
the Law, not even though you tear out mine eyes and burn out mine entrails.

3 I am not so unmanned by old age but that when righteousness is at stake the strength of
youth returns to my Reason. So twist hard your racks and blow your furnace hotter. I do
not so pity mine old age as to break the Law of my fathers in mine own person. I will not
belie thee, O Law that wast my teacher; I will not desert thee, O beloved self-control; I
will not put thee to shame, O wisdom-loving Reason, nor will I deny ye, O venerated
priesthood and knowledge of the Law. Neither shalt thou sully the pure mouth of mine old
age and my lifelong constancy to the Law. Clean shall my fathers receive me, unafraid of
thy torments even to the death. For thou indeed mayest be tyrant over unrighteous men, but
thou shalt not lord it over my resolution in the matter of righteousness either by thy
words or through thy deeds.

CHAPTER 6

1 But when Eleazar replied thus eloquently to the exhortations of the tyrant, the guards
around him dragged him roughly to the torturing place. And first they unclothed the old
man, who was adorned with the beauty of holiness. Then binding his arms on either side
they scourged him, a herald standing and shouting out over against him, ‘Obey the orders
of the king!’ But the great-souled and noble man, an Eleazar in very truth, was no more
moved in his mind than if he were being tormented in a dream; yea, the old man keeping his
eyes steadfastly raised to heaven suffered his flesh to be torn by the scourges till he
was bathed in blood and his sides became a mass of wounds; and even when he fell to the
ground because his body could no longer support the pain he still kept his Reason erect
and inflexible. With his foot then one of the cruel guards as he fell kicked him savagely
in the side to make him get up. But he endured the anguish, and despised the compulsion,
and bore up under the torments, and like a brave athlete taking punishment, the old man
outwore his tormentors. The sweat stood on his brow, and he drew his breath in hard gasps,
till his nobility of soul extorted the admiration of his tormentors themselves. Hereupon,
partly in pity for his old age, partly in sympathy for their friend, partly in admiration
of his courage, some of the courtiers of the king went up to him and said: ‘Why, O
Eleazar, dost thou madly destroy thyself in this misery? We will bring to thee of the
seethed meats, but do thou feign only to partake of the swine’s flesh, and so save
thyself.’

2 And Eleazar, as if their counsel did but add to his tortures, cried loudly: ‘No. May we
sons of Abraham never have so evil a thought as with faint heart to counterfeit a part
unseemly to us. Contrary to Reason, indeed, were it for us, after living unto the truth
till old age, and guarding in lawful guise the repute of so living, now to change and
become in our own persons a pattern to the young of impiety, to the end that we should
encourage them to eat unclean meat. Shame were it if we should live on a little longer,
during that little being mocked of all men for cowardice, and while despised by the tyrant
as unmanly should fail to defend the Divine Law unto the death. Therefore, O sons of
Abraham, do ye die nobly for righteousness’ sake; but as for you, O minions of the tyrant,
why pause ye in your work?’

3 So they, seeing him thus triumphant over the tortures and unmoved even by the pity of
his executioners, dragged him to the fire. There they cast him on it, burning him with
cruelly cunning devices, and they poured broth of evil odour into his nostrils. But when
the fire already reached to his bones and he was about to give up the ghost, he lifted up
his eyes to God and said, ‘Thou, O God, knowest that though I might save myself I am dying
by fiery torments for thy Law. Be merciful unto thy people, and let our punishment be a
satisfaction in their behalf. Make my blood their purification, and take my soul to ransom
their souls.’ And with these words the holy man nobly yielded up his spirit under the
torture, and for the sake of the Law held out by his Reason even against the torments unto
death.

4 Beyond question, then, the Inspired Reason is master over the passions; for if his
passions or sufferings had prevailed over his Reason we should have credited them with
this evidence of their superior power. But now his Reason having conquered his passions,
we properly attribute to it the power of commanding them. And it is right that we should
admit that the mastery lies with Reason, in cases at least where it conquers pains that
come from outside ourselves; for it were ridiculous to deny it. And my proof covers not
only the superiority of Reason to pains, but its superiority to pleasures also; neither
does it surrender to them.

CHAPTER 7

1 For the Reason of our father Eleazar, like a fine steersman steering the ship of
sanctity on the sea of the passions, though buffeted by the threats of the tyrant and
swept by the swelling waves of the tortures, never shifted for one moment the helm of
sanctity until he sailed into the haven of victory over death. No city besieged with many
and cunning engines ever defended itself so well as did that holy man when his sacred soul
was attacked with scourge and rack and flame, and he moved them who were laying siege to
his soul through his Reason that was the shield of sanctity. For our father Eleazar,
setting his mind firm as a beetling sea-cliff, broke the mad onset of the surges of the
passions. O priest worthy of thy priesthood, thou didst not defile thy holy teeth, nor
didst thou befoul with unclean meat thy belly that had room only for piety and purity. O
confessor of the Law and philosopher of the Divine life! Such should those be whose office
is to serve the Law and defend it with their own blood and honourable sweat in the face of
sufferings to the death. Thou, O father, didst fortify our fidelity to the Law through thy
steadfastness unto glory;

2 and having spoken in honour of holiness thou didst not belie thy speech, and didst
confirm the words of divine philosophy by thy deeds, O aged man that wast more forceful
than the tortures, O reverend elder that wast tenser-strung than the flame, thou great
king over the passions, Eleazar. For as our father Aaron, armed with the censer, ran
through the massed congregation against the fiery angel and overcame him, so the son of
Aaron, Eleazar, being consumed by the melting heat of the fire, remained unshaken in his
Reason. And yet most wonderful of all, he, being an old man, with the sinews of his body
unstrung and his muscles relaxed and his nerves weakened, grew a young man again in the
spirit of his Reason and with Isaac-like Reason turned the hydra-headed torture to
impotence. O blessed age, O reverend grey head, O life faithful to the Law and perfected
by the seal of death!

3 Assuredly, then, if an old man despised the torments unto death for righteousness’ sake
it must be admitted that the Inspired Reason is able to guide the passions. But some
perhaps may answer that not all men are masters of the passions because not all men have
their Reason enlightened. But as many as with their whole heart make righteousness their
first thought, these alone are able to master the weakness of the flesh, believing that
unto God they die not, as our patriarchs, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, died not, but that
they live unto God. Therefore there is nothing contradictory in certain persons appearing
to be slaves to passion in consequence of the weakness of their Reason. For who is there
that being a philosopher following righteously the whole rule of philosophy, and having
put his trust in God, and knowing that it is a blessed thing to endure all hardness for
the sake of virtue, would not conquer his passions for the sake of righteousness? For the
wise and self-controlled man alone is the brave ruler of the passions. Yea, by this means
even young boys, being philosophers by virtue of the Reason which is according to
righteousness, have triumphed over yet more grievous tortures.

CHAPTER 8

1 For when the tyrant found himself notably defeated in his first attempt, and impotent to
compel an old man to eat unclean meat, then truly in violent rage he ordered the guards to
bring others of the young men of the Hebrews, and if they would eat unclean meat to
release them after eating it, but if they refused, to torture them yet more savagely. And
under these orders of the tyrant seven brethren together with their aged mother were
brought prisoners before him, all handsome, and modest, and well-born, and generally
attractive. And when the tyrant saw them there, standing as if they were a festal choir
with their mother in the midst, he took notice of them, and struck by their noble and
distinguished bearing he smiled at them, and calling them nearer said: 2 ‘O young men, I
wish well to each one of you, and admire your beauty, and honour highly so large a band of
brothers; so not only do I advise you not to persist in the madness of that old man who
has already suffered, but I even entreat of you to yield to me and become partakers in my
friendship. For, as I am able to punish those who disobey my orders, so am I able to
advance those who do obey me. Be assured then that you shall be given positions of
importance and authority in my service if you will reject the ancestral law of your
polity. Share in the Hellenic life, and walk in a new way, and take some pleasure in your
youth; for if you drive me to anger with your disobedience you will compel me to resort to
terrible penalties and put every single one of you to death by torture. Have pity then on
yourselves, whom even I, your opponent, pity for your youth and your beauty. Will you not
consider with yourselves this thing, that if you disobey me there is nothing before you
but death in torments?’

3 With these words he ordered the instruments of torture to be brought forward in order to
persuade them by fear to eat unclean meat. But when the guards had produced wheels, and
jointdislocators, and racks, and bone-crushers, and catapults, and chaldrons, and
braziers, and thumbscrews, and iron claws, and wedges, and branding irons, the tyrant
spoke again and said, ‘You had better feel fear, my lads, and the Justice you worship will
pardon your unwilling transgression’. But they, hearing his persuasions, and seeing his
dreadful engines, not only showed no fear but actually arrayed their philosophy in
opposition to the tyrant, and by their right Reason did abuse his tyranny. And yet
consider; supposing some amongst them to have been faint-hearted and cowardly, what sort
of language would they have used? would it not have been to this effect? 4 ‘Alas!
miserable creatures that we are and foolish above measure! When the king invites us and
appeals to us on terms of kind treatment shall we not obey him? Why do we encourage
ourselves with vain desires and dare a disobedience that is to cost us our lives? Shall we
not, O men my brothers, fear the dread instruments and weigh well his threats of the
tortures, and abandon these empty vaunts and this fatal bragging? Let us take pity on our
own youth and have compassion on our mother’s age; and let us lay to heart that if we
disobey we shall die. And even the divine justice will have mercy on us, if compelled by
necessity we yield to the king in fear. Why should we cast away from us this dear life and
rob ourselves of this sweet world? Let us not strive against necessity nor with vain
confidence invite our torture. Even the Law itself does not willingly condemn us to death,
we being in terror of the instruments of torture. Why does such contentiousness inflame us
and a fatal obstinacy find favour with us, when we might have a peaceful life by obeying
the king? But no such words escaped these young men at the prospect of the torture, nor
did such thoughts enter into their minds. For they were despisers of the passions and
masters over pain. And thus no sooner did the tyrant conclude his urging of them to eat
unclean meat than all with one voice together, and as with one soul, said to him:

CHAPTER 9

1 ‘Why dost thou delay, O tyrant? We are ready to die rather than transgress the
commandments of our fathers. For we should be putting our ancestors also to shame, if we
did not walk in obedience to the Law and take Moses as our counsellor. O tyrant that
counsellest us to transgress the Law, do not, hating us, pity us beyond ourselves. For we
esteem thy mercy, giving us our life in return for a breach of the Law, a thing harder to
bear than death itself. Thou wouldst terrify us with thy threats of death under torture,
as if a little while ago thou hadst learned nothing from Eleazar. But if the old men of
the Hebrews endured the tortures for righteousness’ sake, yea, until they died, more
befittingly will we young men die despising the torments of thy compulsion, over which he
our aged teacher also triumphed. Make trial therefore, O tyrant. And if thou takest our
lives for the sake of righteousness, think not that thou hurts us with thy tortures. For
we through this our evil entreatment and our endurance of it shall win the prize of
virtue; but thou for our cruel murder shalt suffer at the hands of divine justice
sufficient torment by fire for ever.’

2 These words of the youths redoubled the wrath of the tyrant, not at their disobedience
only but at what he considered their ingratitude. So by his orders the scourgers brought
forward the eldest of them and stripped him of his garment and bound his hands and arms on
either side with thongs. But when they had scourged him till they were weary, and gained
nothing thereby, they cast him upon the wheel. And on it the noble youth was racked till
his bones were out of joint. And as joint after joint gave way, he denounced the tyrant in
these words: ‘O thou most abominable tyrant, thou enemy of the justice of heaven and
bloody-minded, thou dost torment me in this fashion not for manslaying nor for impiety but
for defending the Law of God.’ And when the guards said to him, ‘Consent to eat, that so
you may be released from your tortures,’ he said to them, ‘Your method, O miserable
minions, is not strong enough to lead captive my Reason. Cut off my limbs, and burn my
flesh, and twist my joints; through all the torments I will show you that in behalf of
virtue the sons of the Hebrews alone are unconquerable.’ As he thus spake they set hot
coals upon him besides, and intensifying the torture strained him yet tighter on the
wheel. And all the wheel was besmeared with his blood, and the heaped coals were quenched
by the humours of his body dropping down, and the rent flesh ran round the axles of the
machine.

3 And with his bodily frame already in dissolution this great-soulled youth, like a true
son of Abraham, groaned not at all; but as if he were suffering a change by fire to
incorruption, he nobly endured the torment, saying, ‘Follow my example, O brothers. Do not
for ever desert me, and forswear not our brotherhood in nobility of soul. War a holy and
honourable warfare on behalf of righteousness, through which may the just Providence that
watched over our fathers become merciful unto his people and take vengeance on the
accursed tyrant.’ And with these words the holy youth yielded up the ghost. But while all
were wondering at his constancy of soul, the guards brought forward the second in age of
the sons, and grappling him with sharp-clawed hands of iron they fastened him to the
engines and the catapult. But when they heard his noble resolve in answer to their
question, ‘Would he eat rather than be tortured?’ these panther-like beasts tore at his
sinews with claws of iron, and rent away all the flesh from his cheeks, and tore off the
skin from his head. But he steadfastly enduring this agony said, ‘How sweet is every form
of death for the sake of the righteousness of our fathers!’ And to the tyrant he said, ‘O
most ruthless of tyrants, doth not it seem to thee that at this moment thou thyself
sufferest tortures worse than mine in seeing thy tyranny’s arrogant intention overcome by
my endurance for righteousness’ sake? For I am supported under pain by the joys that come
through virtue, whereas thou art in torment whilst glorying in thy impiety; neither shalt
thou escape, O most abominable tyrant, the penalties of the divine wrath.’

CHAPTER 10

1 And when he had bravely met his glorious death, the third son was brought forward and
was earnestly entreated by many to taste and so to save himself. But he answered in a loud
voice, ‘Are ye ignorant that the same father begat me and my brothers that are dead, and
the same mother gave us birth, and in the same doctrines was I brought up? I do not
forswear the noble bond of brotherhood. Therefore if ye have any engine of torment, apply
it to this body of mine; for my soul ye cannot reach, not if ye would. But they were
greatly angered at the bold speech of the man, and they dislocated his hands and his feet
with their dislocating engines, and wrenched his limbs out of their sockets, and unstrung
them; and they twisted round his fingers, and his arms, and his legs, and his elbow-
joints. And in no wise being able to strangle his spirit they stripped off his skin,
taking the points of the fingers with it, and tore in Scythian fashion the scalp from his
head, and straightway brought him to the wheel. And on this they twisted his spine till he
saw his own flesh hanging in strips and great gouts of blood pouring down from his
entrails. And at the point of death he said, ‘We, O most abominable tyrant, suffer thus
for our upbringing and our virtue that are of God; but thou for thy impiety and thy
cruelty shalt endure torments without end.

2 And when this man had died worthily of his brothers, they brought up the fourth, and
said to him, ‘Be not thou also mad with the same madness as thy brethren, but obey the
king and save thyself. But he said unto them, ‘For me ye have no fire so exceeding hot as
to make me a coward. By the blessed death of my brethren, by the eternal doom of the
tyrant, and by the glorious life of the righteous, I will not deny my noble brotherhood.
Invent tortures, O tyrant, in order that thou mayest learn thereby that I am brother of
those who have been already tortured. When he heard this the bloodthirsty, murderous, and
utterly abominable Antiochus bade them cut out his tongue. But he said, ‘Even if thou dost
remove my organ of speech, God is a hearer also of the speechless. Lo, I put out my tongue
ready: cut it out, for thou shalt not thereby silence my Reason. Gladly do we give our
bodily members to be mutilated for the cause of God. But God will speedily pursue after
thee; for thou cuttest out the tongue that sang songs of praise unto him.’

CHAPTER 11

1 But when this man also was put to a death of agony with the tortures, the fifth sprang
forward saying, ‘I shrink not, O tyrant, from demanding the torture for virtue’s sake.
Yea, of myself I come forward, in order that, slaying me also, thou mayest by yet more
misdeeds increase the penalty thou owest to the justice of Heaven. O enemy of virtue and
enemy of man, for what crime dost thou destroy us in this way? Doth it seem evil to thee
that we worship the Creator of all and live according to his virtuous Law? But these
things are worthy of honours not of tortures, if thou didst understand human aspirations
and hadst hope of salvation before God. Lo, now thou art God’s enemy and makest war on
those that worship God.’ As he spake thus the guards bound him and brought him before the
catapult; and they tied him thereto on his knees, and, fastening them there with iron
cramps, they wrenched his loins over the rolling ‘wedge’ so that he was completely curled
back like a scorpion and every joint was disjointed. And thus in grievous strait for
breath and anguish of body he exclaimed, ‘Glorious, O tyrant, glorious against thy will
are the boons that thou bestowest on me, enabling me to show my fidelity to the Law
through yet more honourable tortures.

2 And when this man also was dead, the sixth was brought, a mere boy, who in answer to the
tyrant’s inquiry whether he was willing to eat and be released, said: ‘I am not so old in
years as my brethren, but I am as old in mind. For we were born and reared for the same
purpose and are equally bound also to die for the same cause; so if thou chooseth to
torture us for not eating unclean meat, torture.’ As he spake these words they brought him
to the wheel, and with care they stretched him out and dislocated the bones of his back
and set fire under him. And they made sharp skewers red-hot and ran them into his back,
and piercing through his sides they burned away his entrails also. But he in the midst of
his tortures exclaimed, ‘O contest worthy of saints, wherein so many of us brethren, in
the cause of righteousness, have been entered for a competition in torments, and have not
been conquered! For the righteous understanding, O tyrant, is unconquerable. In the armour
of virtue I go to join my brothers in death, and to add in myself one strong avenger more
to punish thee, O deviser of the tortures and enemy of the truly righteous. We six youths
have overthrown thy tyranny. For is not thine impotence to alter our Reason or force us to
eat unclean meat an overthrow for thee?

3 Thy fire is cool for us, thy engines of torture torment not, and thy violence is
impotent. For the guards have been officers for us, not of a tyrant, but of the Divine
Law; and therefore have we our Reason yet unconquered.’

CHAPTER 12

1 And when this one also died a blessed death, being cast into the cauldron, the seventh
son, the youngest of them all, came forward. But the tyrant, although fiercely exasperated
by his brethren, felt pity for the boy, and seeing him there already bound he had him
brought near, and sought to persuade him, saying, ‘Thou seest the end of the folly of thy
brethren; for through their disobedience they have been racked to death. Thou, too, if
thou dost not obey, wilt thyself also be miserably tortured and put to death before thy
time; but if thou dost obey thou shalt be my friend, and thou shalt be advanced to high
office in the business of the kingdom. And while thus appealing to him he sent for the
boy’s mother, in order that in her sorrow for the loss of so many sons she might urge the
survivor to obey and be saved. But the mother, speaking in the Hebrew tongue, as I shall
tell later on, encouraged the boy, and he said to the guards, ‘Loose me, that I may speak
to the king and to all his friends with him. And they, rejoicing at the boy’s request,
made haste to loose him. And running up to the red-hot brazier, ‘O impious tyrant,’ he
cried, ‘and most ungodly of all sinners, art thou not ashamed to take thy blessings and
thy kingship at the hands of God, and to slay his servants and torture the followers of
righteousness?

2 For which things the divine justice delivers thee unto a more rapid and an eternal fire
and torments which shall not leave hold on thee to all eternity. Art thou not ashamed,
being a man, O wretch with the heart of a wild beast, to take men of like feelings with
thyself, made from the same elements, and tear out their tongues, and scourge and torture
them in this manner? But while they have fulfilled their righteousness towards God in
their noble deaths, thou shalt miserably cry ‘Woe is me! for thy unjust slaying of the
champions of virtue. And then standing on the brink of death he said, ‘I am no renegade to
the witness borne by my brethren. And I call upon the God of my fathers to be merciful
unto my nation. And thee will he punish both in this present life and after that thou art
dead. And with this prayer he cast himself into the red-hot brazier, and so gave up the
ghost.

CHAPTER 13

1 If therefore the seven brethren despised the tortures even to the death, it is
universally proved that the Inspired Reason is supreme lord over the passions. For if they
had yielded to their passions or sufferings and eaten unclean meat, we should have said
that they had been conquered thereby. But in this case it was not so; on the contrary by
their Reason, which was commended in the sight of God, they rose superior to their
passions. And it is impossible to deny the supremacy of the mind; for they won the victory
over their passions and their pains. How can we do otherwise than admit right Reason’s
mastery over passion with these men who shrank not before the agonies of burning? For even
as towers on harbour-moles repulse the assaults of the waves and offer a calm entrance to
those entering the haven, so the seven-towered right Reason of the youths defended the
haven of righteousness and repulsed the tempestuousness of the passions. They formed a
holy choir of righteousness as they cheered one another on, saying: ‘Let us die like
brothers, O brethren, for the Law. Let us imitate the Three Children at the Assyrian court
who despised this same ordeal of the furnace. Let us not turn cravens before the proof of
righteousness. And one said, ‘Brother, be of good cheer,’ and another, ‘Bear it out
nobly’; and another, recalling the past, ‘Remember of what stock ye are, and at whose
fatherly hand Isaac for righteousness’ sake yielded himself to be a sacrifice.

2 And each and all of them together, looking at each other brightly and very boldly, said,
‘With a whole heart will we consecrate ourselves unto God who gave us our souls, and let
us lend our bodies to the keeping of the Law. Let us not fear him who thinketh he kills;
for a great struggle and peril of the soul awaits in eternal torment those who transgress
the ordinance of God. Let us then arm ourselves with divine Reason’s mastery of the
passions. After this our passion, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob shall receive us, and all our
forefathers shall praise us. And to each separate one of the brothers, as they were
dragged off, those whose turn was yet to come said, ‘Do not disgrace us, brother, nor be
false to our brethren already dead. You are not ignorant of the love of brethren, whereof
the divine and all-wise Providence has given an inheritance to those who are begotten
though their fathers, implanting it in them even through the mother’s womb; wherein
brethren do dwell the like period, and take their form during the same time, and are
nourished from the same blood, and are quickened with the same soul, and are brought into
the world after the same space, and they draw milk from the same founts, whereby their
fraternal souls are nursed together in arms at the breast; and they are knit yet closer
through a common nurture and daily companionship and other education, and through our
discipline under the Law of God.

3 The feeling of brotherly love being thus naturally strong, the seven brethren had their
mutual concord made yet stronger. For trained in the same Law, and disciplined in the same
virtues, and brought up together in the upright life, they loved one another the more
abundantly. Their common zeal for moral beauty and goodness heightened their mutual
concord, for in conjunction with their piety it rendered their brotherly love more
fervent. But though nature, companionship, and their virtuous disposition increased the
ardour of their brotherly love, nevertheless the surviving sons through their religion
supported the sight of their brethren, who were on the rack, being tortured to death; nay
more, they even encouraged them to face the agony, so as not only to despise their own
tortures, but also to conquer their passion of brotherly affection for their brethren.

CHAPTER 14

1 O Reasoning minds, more kingly than kings, than freemen more free, of the harmony of the
seven brethren, holy and well attuned to the keynote of piety! None of the seven youths
turned coward, none shrunk in the face of death, but all hastened to the death by torture
as if running the road to immortality. For as hands and feet move in harmony with the
promptings of the soul, so those holy youths, as if prompted by the immortal soul of
religion, went in harmony to death for its sake. O all-holy sevenfold companionship of
brethren in harmony! For as the seven days of the creation of the world do enring
religion, so did the youths choir-like ening their sevenfold companionship, and made the
terror of the tortures of no account. We now shudder when we hear of the suffering of
those youths; but they, not only seeing it with their eyes, nor merely hearing the spoken,
imminent threat, but actually feeling the gang, endured it through; and that in the
torture by fire, than which what greater agony can be found? For sharp and stringent is
the power of fire, and swiftly did it bring their bodies to dissolution.

2 And think it not wonderful if with those men Reason triumphed over the tortures, when
even a woman’s soul despised a yet greater diversity of pains; for the mother of the seven
youths endured the torments inflicted on each several one of her children. But consider
how manifold are the yearnings of a mother’s heart, so that her feeling for her offspring
becomes the centre of her whole world; and indeed, here, even the irrational animals have
for their young an affection and love similar to men’s. For example, among the birds, the
tame ones sheltering under our roofs defend their nestlings; and those that nest upon the
mountain tops, and in the rock clefts, and in the holes of trees, and in the branches, and
hatch their young there, do also drive away the intruder. And then, if they be unable to
drive him away, they flutter around the nestlings in a passion of love, calling to them in
their own speech, and they give succour to their young ones in whatever fashion they can.
And what need have we of examples of the love of offspring among irrational animals, when
even the bees, about the season of the making of the comb, fend off intruders, and stab
with their sting, as with a sword, those who approach their brood, and do battle against
them even to the death? But she, the mother of those young men, with a soul like Abraham,
was not moved from her purpose by her affection for her children.

CHAPTER 15

1 O Reason of the sons, lord over the passions! O religion, that wast dearer to the mother
than her children! The mother, having two choices before her, religion and the present
saving alive of her seven sons according to the tyrant’s promise, loved rather religion,
which saveth unto eternal life according to God. O how may I express the passionate love
of parents for children? We stamp a marvellous likeness of our soul and of our shape on
the tender nature of the child, and most of all through the mother’s sympathy with her
children being deeper than the father’s. For women are softer of soul than men, and the
more children they bear the more do they abound in love for them. But, of all mothers, she
of the seven sons abounded in love beyond the rest, seeing that, having in seven child-
bearings felt maternal tenderness for the fruit of her womb, and having been constrained
because of the many pangs in which she bore each to a close affection, she nevertheless
through the fear of God rejected the present safety of her children. Ay, and more than
that, through the moral beauty and goodness of her sons and their obedience to the Law,
her maternal love for them was made stronger. For they were just, and temperate, and
brave, and great-souled, and lovers of each other and of their mother in such manner that
they obeyed her in the keeping of the Law even unto death.

2 But nevertheless, though she had so many temptations to yield to her maternal instincts,
in no single instance did the dreadful variety of tortures have power to alter her Reason;
but the mother urged each son separately, and all together, to die for their religion. O
holy nature, and parental love, and yearning of parents for offspring, and wages of
nursing, and unconquerable affection of mothers! The mother, seeing them one by one racked
and burned, remained unshaken in soul for religion’s sake. She saw the flesh of her sons
being consumed in the fire, and the extremities of their hands and feet scattered on the
ground, and the flesh-coverings, torn off from their heads right to their cheeks, strewn
about like masks. O mother, who now knew sharper pangs than the pangs of labour! O woman,
alone among women, the fruit of whose womb was perfect religion! Thy firstborn, giving up
the ghost, did not alter thy resolution, nor thy second, looking with eyes of pity on thee
under his tortures, nor thy third, breathing out his spirit. Neither didst thou weep when
thou beheldest the eyes of each amid the torments looking boldly on the same anguish, and
sawest in their quivering nostrils the signs of approaching death.

3 When thou sawest the flesh of one son being severed after the flesh of another, and hand
after hand being cut off, and head after head being flayed, and corpse cast upon corpse,
and the place crowded with spectators on account of the tortures of thy children, thou
sheddest not a tear. Not the melodies of the sirens nor the songs of swans with sweet
sound do so charm the hearers’ ears, as sounded the voices of the sons, speaking to the
mother from amid the torments. How many and how great were the tortures with which the
mother was tormented while her sons were being tortured with torments of rack and fire!
But Inspired Reason lent her heart a man’s strength under her passion of suffering, and
exalted her to make no account of the present yearnings of mother-love. 4 And although she
saw the destruction of her seven children and the many and varied forms of their torments,
the noble mother willingly surrendered them through faith in God. For she beheld in her
own mind, even as it had been cunning advocates in a council-chamber, nature, and
parenthood, and mother-love, and her children on the rack, and it was as if she, the
mother, having the choice between two votes in the case of her children, one for their
death and one to save them alive, thereupon regarded not the saving of her seven sons for
a little time, but, as a true daughter of Abraham, called to mind his God-fearing courage.
O mother of the race, vindicator of our Law, defender of our religion, and winner of the
prize in the struggle within thyself! O woman, nobler to resist than men, and braver than
warriors to endure! For as the Ark of Noah, with the whole living world for her burden in
the world-whelming Deluge, did withstand the mighty surges, so thou, the keeper of the
Law, beaten upon every side by the surging waves of the passions, and strained as with
strong blasts by the tortures of thy sons, didst nobly weather the storms that assailed
thee for religion’s sake.

CHAPTER 16

1 Thus then, if one both a woman and advanced in years, and the mother of seven sons,
endured the sight of her children being tortured to death, the Inspired Reason must
confessedly be supreme ruler over the passions. I have proved, accordingly, that not only
have men triumphed over their sufferings, but that a woman also has despised the most
dreadful tortures. And not so fierce were the lions around Daniel, not so hot was the
burning fiery furnace of Mishael, as burned in her the instinct of motherhood at the sight
of her seven sons being tortured. But by her religion-guided Reason the mother quenched
her passions, many and strong as they were. For there is this also to consider, that had
the woman been weak of spirit, despite her motherhood, she might have wept over them, and
perchance spoken thus: ‘Ah, thrice wretched me, and more than thrice wretched! Seven
children have I borne and am left childless! In vain was I seven times with child, and to
no profit was my ten months’ burden seven times borne, and fruitless have been my
nursings, and sorrowful my sucklings. In vain for you, O my sons, did I endure the many
pangs of labour, and the more difficult cares of your upbringing. Alas, for my sons, that
some were yet unwed, and those that were wedded had begotten no children; I shall never
see children of yours, nor shall I be called by the name of grandparent.

2 Ah me, that had many beautiful children, and am a widow and desolate in my woe! Neither
will there be any son to bury me when I am dead! But the holy and God-fearing mother
wailed not with this lamentation over any one of them, neither besought she any to escape
death, nor lamented over them as dying men; but, as though she had a soul of adamant and
were bringing forth the number of her sons, for a second time, into immortal life, she
besought rather and entreated of them that they should die for religion’s sake. O mother,
warrior of God in the cause of religion, old and a woman, thou didst both defeat the
tyrant by thy endurance, and wast found stronger than a man, in deeds as well as words.
For verily when thou wast put in bonds with thy sons, thou stoodest there seeing Eleazar
being tortured, and thou spakest to thy sons in the Hebrew tongue: ‘My sons, noble is the
fight; and do ye, being called thereto to bear witness for our nation, fight therein
zealously on behalf of the Law of our fathers. For it would be shameful if, while this
aged man endured the agony for religion’s sake, you that are young men shrank before the
pain. Remember that for the sake of God ye have come into the world, and have enjoyed
life, and that therefore ye owe it to God to endure all pain for his sake;

3 for whom also our father Abraham made haste to sacrifice his son Isaac, the ancestor of
our nation; and Isaac, seeing his father’s hand lifting the knife against him, did not
shrink. And Daniel, the just man, was cast to the lions, and Ananias, Azarias, and Mishael
were flung into the furnace of fire, and they endured for God’s sake. And ye also, having
the same faith unto God, be not troubled; for it were against Reason that ye, knowing
righteousness, should not withstand the pains. With these words the mother of the seven
encouraged every single one of her sons to die rather than transgress the ordinance of
God; they themselves also knowing well that men dying for God live unto God, as live
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the patriarchs.

CHAPTER 17

1 Some of the guards declared that when she also was about to be seized and put to death,
she cast herself on the pyre in order that no man might touch her body. O mother, that
together with thy seven sons didst break the tyrant’s force, and bring to nought his evil
devices, and gavest an example of the nobleness of faith. Thou wert nobly set as a roof
upon thy sons as pillars, and the earthquake of the torments shook thee not at all.
Rejoice therefore, pure-souled mother, having the hope of thy endurance certain at the
hand of God. Not so majestic stands the moon amid the stars in heaven as thou, having lit
the path of thy seven starlike sons unto righteousness, standest in honour with God; and
thou art set in heaven with them. For thy child-bearing was from the son of Abraham. And
had it been lawful for us to paint, as might some artist, the tale of thy piety, would not
the spectators have shuddered at the mother of seven sons suffering for righteousness’
sake multitudinous tortures even unto death? And indeed it were fitting to inscribe these
words over their resting-place, speaking for a memorial to future generations of our
people:

2 HERE LIE AN AGED PRIEST AND A WOMAN FULL OF YEARS AND HER SEVEN SONS THROUGH THE
VIOLENCE OF A TYRANT DESIRING TO DESTROY THE HEBREW NATION. THEY VINDICATED THE RIGHTS OF
OUR PEOPLE LOOKING UNTO GOD AND ENDURING THE TORMENTS EVEN UNTO DEATH. 3 For truly it was
a holy war which was fought by them. For on that day virtue, proving them through
endurance, set before them the prize of victory in incorruption in everlasting life. But
the first in the fight was Eleazar, and the mother of the seven sons played her part, and
the brethren fought. The tyrant was their adversary and the world and the life of man were
the spectators. And righteousness won the victory, and gave the crown to her athletes. Who
but wondered at the athletes of the true Law? Who were not amazed at them? The tyrant
himself and his whole council admired their endurance, whereby they now do both stand
beside the throne of God and live the blessed age. For Moses says, ‘All also who have
sanctified themselves are under thy hands. And these men, therefore, having sanctified
themselves for God’s sake, not only have received this honour, but also the honour that
through them the enemy had no more power over our people, and the tyrant suffered
punishment, and our country was purified, they having as it were become a ransom for our
nation’s sin; and through the blood of these righteous men and the propitiation of their
death, the divine Providence delivered Israel that before was evil entreated. For when the
tyrant Antiochus saw the heroism of their virtue, and their endurance under the tortures,
he publicly held up their endurance to his soldiers as an example;

4 and he thus say that a few years ago, when the Red Indian tortures still awaited
captives, many frontiersmen, men whom it would hardly have been safe to call cowards, made
no secret that they intended to keep their last bullet (if need be) for themselves. As to
whether a woman could harden her heart to the act, let me borrow the words of the author
of this book, ‘, and say that many a woman in every age and every land has chosen death
rather than that polluted hands should touch her body. inspired his men with a sense of
honour and heroism on the field of battle and in the labours of besieging, so that he
plundered and overthrew all his enemies.

CHAPTER 18

1 O Israelites, children born of the seed of Abraham, obey this Law, and be righteous in
all ways, recognizing that Inspired Reason is lord over the passions, and over pains, not
only from within, but from without ourselves; by which means those men, delivering up
their bodies to the torture for righteousness’ sake, not only won the admiration of
mankind, but were deemed worthy of a divine inheritance. And through them the nation
obtained peace and restoring the observance of the Law in our country hath captured the
city from the enemy. And vengeance hath pursued the tyrant Antiochus upon earth, and in
death he suffers punishment. For when he failed utterly to constrain the people of
Jerusalem to live like Gentiles and abandon the customs of our fathers, he thereupon left
Jerusalem and marched away against the Persians. Now these are the words that the mother
of the seven sons, the righteous woman, spake to her children: ‘I was a pure maiden, and I
strayed not from my father’s house, and I kept guard over the rib that was builded into
Eve. No seducer of the desert, no deceiver in the field, corrupted me; nor did the false,
beguiling Serpent sully the purity of my maidenhood; I lived with my husband all the days
of my youth; but when these my sons were grown up, their father died. Happy was he; for he
lived a life blessed with children, and he never knew the pain of their loss.

2 Who, while he was yet with us, taught you the Law and the prophets. He read to us of
Abel who was slain by Cain, and of Isaac who was offered as a burnt-offering, and of
Joseph in the prison. And he spake to us of Phineas, the zealous priest, and he taught you
the song of Ananias, Azarias, and Mishael in the fire. And he glorified also Daniel in the
den of lions, and blessed him; and he called to your minds the saying of Isaiah, “Yea even
though thou pass through the fire, the flame shall not hurt thee. He sang to us the words
of David the psalmist, “Many are the afflictions of the just. He quoted to us the proverb
of Solomon, “He is a tree of life to all them that do his will. He confirmed the words of
Ezekiel, “Shall these dry bones live? For he forgot not the song that Moses taught, which
teaches, “I will slay and I will make alive. This is your life and the blessedness of your
days.”

3 Ah, cruel was the day, and yet not cruel, when the cruel tyrant of the Greeks set the
fire blazing for his barbarous braziers, and with his passions boiling brought to the
catapult and back again to his tortures the seven sons of the daughter of Abraham, and
blinded the eyeballs of their eyes, and cut out their tongues, and slew them with many
kinds of torment. For which cause the judgement of God pursued, and shall pursue, the
accursed wretch. But the sons of Abraham, with their victorious mother, are gathered
together unto the place of their ancestors, having received pure and immortal souls from
God, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.


PIRKE ABOTH, THE SAYINGS OF THE FATHERS
=======================================

PIRKE ABOTH, THE SAYINGS OF THE FATHERS Translated by R. T. Herford

c. AD 200

The Sayings of the Fathers, the best-known tractate of the Mishnah: short maxims of the
Jewish teachers of the law from the men of the Great Synagogue to the rabbis of about AD
200, beginning with the chain of those who handed down the Torah. The sixth chapter is a
later addition. This is R. T. Herford’s translation, and the work is a Jewish one outside
the Bible.

CHAPTER 1

1. Moses received Torah from Sinai and delivered it to Joshua, and Joshua to the Elders,
and the Elders to the Prophets, and the Prophets delivered it to the men of the Great
Synagogue. They said three things: Be deliberate in judgement; and raise up many
disciples; and make a fence for the Torah. 2. Simeon the Just was of the remnants of the
Great Synagogue. He used to say: On three things the world standeth: on the Torah, and on
the Service, and on the doing of kindnesses. 3. Antigonos of Socho received from Simeon
the Just. He used to say: Be not like slaves who serve the master with a view to receiving
a present; but be like slaves who serve the master not with a view to receiving a present:
and let the fear of Heaven be upon you. 4. Jose ben Joezer of Zeredah and Jose ben Johanan
of Jerusalem received from them. Jose b. Joezer of Zeredah said: Let thy house be a house
of meeting for the Wise, and bedust thyself with the dust of their feet, and drink with
thirst their words.

5. Jose b. Johanan of Jerusalem said: Let thy house be opened wide; and let poor folk be
thy household; and talk not much with the wife. [He said it concerning his own wife; much
more concerning the wife of his associate. Hence the Wise have said: So long as a man
talks much with the wife he causes evil to himself, and desists from words of Torah, and
his end is that he inherits Gehenna.] 6. Joshua b. Perahiah and Nittai the Arbelite
received from them. Joshua b. Perahiah said: Make to thyself a teacher; and get thee an
associate; and judge every man with a leaning to his merit. 7. Nittai the Arbelite said:
Keep far from an evil neighbour, and consort not with the wicked, and be not heedless of
retribution. 8. Judah b. Tabbai and Simeon b. Shetah received from them. Judah b. Tabbai
said: Make not thyself as those that prepare the judges; and when the suitors are standing
before thee let them be in thine eyes as wicked men; and when they have been dismissed
from before thee let them be in thine eyes as just men who have received their sentence.

9. Simeon b. Shetah said: Do much in examining the witnesses; and be careful in thy words;
perchance by means of them they may learn to lie. 10. Shemaiah and Abtalion received from
them. Shemaiah said: Love work, and hate mastery, and make not thyself known to the
government. 11. Abtalion said: Ye Wise, be careful in your words; lest ye become guilty
with the guilt that involves exile, and be exiled to a place of evil waters, and the
disciples that come after you drink and die, and the Name of Heaven be found profaned. 12.
Hillel and Shammai received from them. Hillel said: Be of the disciples of Aaron, one that
loves peace, that pursues peace, that loves mankind and brings them nigh to Torah. 13. He
used to say: Whoso makes great his name destroys his name; whoso adds not makes to cease;
and he who will not learn is guilty so as to deserve killing. And whoso serves himself
with the crown passes away.

14. He used to say: If I am not for myself, who is for me? And when I am for myself, what
am I? And if not now, when? 15. Shammai said: Make thy Torah a fixed duty; say little and
do much; and receive every man with the look of a cheerful face. 16. Rabban Gamaliel said:
Make to thyself a teacher; and remove thyself from what is doubtful; and do not often
tithe by mental valuation. 17. Simeon his son said: All my days I have grown up among the
Wise, and I have not found anything better than silence; and not study is the chief thing
but action; and whoso makes many words occasions sin. 18. Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel said:
On three things the world stands: on judgement, on truth, and on peace. [As it is said:
‘Truth and judgement of peace judge ye in your gates.’]

CHAPTER 2

1. Rabbi said: What is that right way which a man should choose for himself? Whatever is
an honour to him that does it and an honour to him in the sight of men. And be careful
over a light precept as over a weighty, for thou knowest not the giving of the rewards of
the precepts. And reckon the loss involved in a precept against its reward, and the reward
of a sin against its loss. And keep in view three things, and thou wilt not come into the
clutches of sin; know what is above thee, an eye that sees and an ear that hears, and all
thy deeds written in a book. 2. Rabban Gamaliel the son of Rabbi Judah the Prince said:
Comely is study of Torah with worldly occupation, for toil in both makes sin forgotten.
And all Torah without work ends in failure and brings with it sin. And let all who labour
with the congregation labour with them for the Name of Heaven, for the merit of their
fathers upholds them, and their righteousness standeth for ever. And ye—I confer upon you,
saith God, [plenteous] reward, as if ye had wrought.

3. Be careful with the government, for they do not come near to a man except for their own
need; and they appear like friends in the hour of their advantage, and they stand not by a
man in the hour of his need. 4. He used to say: Make His will as thy will that He may make
thy will as His will; efface thy will before His will that He may efface the will of
others before thy will. 5. Hillel said: Separate thyself not from the congregation, and be
not sure of thyself till the day of thy death; and judge not thine associate until thou
comest to his place. And say not of a word which cannot be understood that it will be
understood in the end. And say not ‘when I am at leisure I will study’; perchance thou
wilt not be at leisure. 6. He used to say: A rude man fears not sin; and no vulgar person
is pious; and the shy man does not learn nor the passionate teach, nor he that hath much
business become wise. And in a place where there are no men strive to be a man.

7. Moreover, he saw a skull which floated on the face of the water, and he said to it:
Because thou drownedst they drowned thee; and at the last they who drowned thee shall be
drowned. 8. He used to say: More flesh more worms; more wealth more care; more
maidservants more lewdness; more menservants more thieving; more women more witchcraft;
more Torah more life; more classroom more wisdom; more counsel more discernment; more
righteousness more peace. Whoso has gained a good name has gained it for himself; who has
gained for himself words of Torah has gained for himself the life of the world to come. 9.
Rabban Johanan b. Zaccai received from Hillel and from Shammai. He used to say: If thou
hast practised much Torah, take not credit to thyself, for thereunto wast thou created.
10. Five disciples there were to Rabban Johanan b. Zaccai, and these are they: Rabbi
Eliezer b. Hyrcanus, Rabbi Joshua b. Hananiah, Rabbi Jose the priest, Rabbi Simeon b.
Nathaniel, and Rabbi Eleazar b. Arach. He used to sum up their praise—Eliezer b. Hyrcanus
is a plastered cistern which loseth not a drop; Joshua b. Hananiah, happy is she who bore
him; Jose the priest is pious; Simeon b. Nathaniel feareth sin; Eleazar b. Arach is a
full-flowing spring.

11. He used to say: If all the Wise of Israel were in one scale of the balance and Eliezer
b. Hyrcanus in the other scale, he would weigh down them all. Abba Saul said, in his name:
If all the Wise of Israel were in one scale of the balance and Eliezer b. Hyrcanus with
them, and Eleazar b. Arach in the other scale, he would weigh them all down. 12. He said
to them: Go and see what is that good way to which a man should cleave. R. Eliezer said: A
good eye. R. Joshua said: A good associate. R. Jose said: A good neighbour. R. Simeon
said: He that regards the result of an action. R. Eleazar said: A good heart. He said to
them: I regard the words of Eleazar b. Arach more than your words, for your words are
included in his. 13. He said to them: Go and see what is that evil way from which a man
should keep himself. R. Eliezer said: An evil eye. R. Joshua said: An evil associate. R.
Jose said: An evil neighbour. R. Simeon said: He that borrows and does not pay. [He that
borrows from man is as he that borrows from God, blessed be He; as it is said, ‘The wicked
borroweth and payeth not, but the righteous showeth favour and giveth.’] R. Eleazar said:
An evil heart. He said to them: I regard the words of Eleazar b. Arach more than your
words; for your words are included in his.

14. They said each three things. R. Eliezer said: Let the honour of thine associate be
dear to thee as thine own. And be not easily wroth; and repent one day before thy death.
And warm thyself at the fire of the Wise, and be careful of their glowing coal lest thou
be singed. For their bite is the bite of a jackal, and their sting the sting of a
scorpion, and their hiss the hiss of a serpent, and all their words like coals of fire.
15. R. Joshua said: An evil eye and the evil principle and hatred of mankind drive a man
out of the world. 16. R. Jose said: Let the wealth of thy associate be dear to thee as
thine own. And set thyself to learn Torah, for it is not a legacy to thee. And let all thy
actions be to the Name of Heaven.

17. R. Simeon said: Be careful in reading the ‘Shema’ and in prayer. And when thou prayest
make not thy prayer a fixed form, but [mercies and] entreaties before God. [As it is said:
‘For he is gracious and merciful, longsuffering and full of compassion, and repenteth him
of the evil.’] And be not wicked in thine own sight. 18. R. Eleazar said: Be alert to
learn Torah, [and know] what thou shalt answer to an Epicurean; and know before whom thou
toilest, and who is master of thy work, [who will pay the hire of thy labour]. 19. R.
Tarphon said: The day is short and the work is great, and the labourers are slow, and the
hire is much, and the master of the house is urgent. 20. He used to say: It is not
incumbent on thee to finish the work, and thou art not free to desist from it. If thou
hast learned much Torah, they will give thee much hire; and the master of thy work is
faithful who will pay thee the hire of thy labour; and know that the giving of the reward
of the righteous is for the time to come.

CHAPTER 3

1. Akabia b. Mahalalel said: Keep in view three things, and thou wilt not come into the
clutches of sin;—know whence thou comest, and whither thou goest, and before whom thou art
to give strict account. Know whence thou comest,—from a fetid drop; and whither thou
goest,—to the place of dust, worm, and maggot; and before whom thou art to give strict
account,—before the King of the kings of the kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. 2. R.
Hanina, the deputy of the priests, said: Pray for the peace of the kingdom; for except for
the fear of that we should have swallowed up each his neighbour alive. 3. R. Hanina b.
Teradion said: When two sit and there are not between them words of Torah, lo, this is
‘the seat of the scornful’, as it is said: ‘Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful’. But
when two sit and there are between them words of Torah, the Shechinah rests between them,
as it is said: ‘Then they that feared the Lord spake one with another, [and the Lord
hearkened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared
the Lord and that thought upon His name’].

4. [I find here only two. Whence it is proved that when even one sits and is occupied with
Torah the Holy One, blessed be He, fixes for him a reward? As it is said: ‘Let him sit
alone and be silent, for he hath taken it upon him.’] 5. R. Simeon said: Three who have
eaten at one table and have not said over it words of Torah, lo, they are as if they had
eaten sacrifices of the dead, as it is said: ‘For all tables are full of vomit and
filthiness without God.’ But three who have eaten at one table and have said over it words
of Torah are as if they had eaten from the table of God, blessed be He, as it is said:
‘And he said to me, This is the table that is before the Lord.’ 6. R. Hanina b. Hachinai
said: He who wakes in the night, and he who walks alone by the way and turns his heart to
idle thoughts, lo, he makes himself guilty against his soul.

7. R. Nehunia b. ha-Kanah said: Every one who receives upon him the yoke of Torah, they
remove from him the yoke of the kingdom and the yoke of worldly occupation. And every one
who breaks off from him the yoke of Torah, they lay upon him the yoke of the kingdom and
the yoke of worldly occupation. 8. R. Halaphta [b. Dosa] of Chephar Hanania said: When ten
sit and are occupied with Torah, the Shechinah is among them, as it is said: ‘God stands
in the congregation of God.’ [And whence is it proved for even five? As it is said: ‘He
hath founded His troop upon the earth.’] whence even three? As it is said: ‘He judgeth
among gods.’ And whence even two? As it is said: ‘Then they that feared the Lord spake
often one to another.’ And whence even one? As it is said: ‘In every place where I record
My name I will come to thee and will bless thee.’

9. R. Eleazar b. Judah of Bartotha said: Give Him of what is His, for thou and thine are
His. And thus the Scripture saith, in the place concerning David, ‘For all things come of
Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee.’ 10. R. Jacob said: He who walks by the way and
studies and breaks off his study and says, ‘How beautiful is that tree,’ and ‘how
beautiful is that fallow’, the Scripture reckons it to him as if he had made himself
guilty against his soul. 11. R. Dosthai b. Jannai, in the name of R. Meir, said: A
disciple of the Wise who sits and studies and forgets a word of his study, the Scripture
reckons it to him as if he had made himself guilty against his soul; as it is said: ‘Only
take heed to thyself and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine
eyes have seen.’ It may be that his study has been hard to him. Learn to say, ‘Lest they
depart from thy heart all the days of thy life.’ Lo! he makes not himself guilty until he
sits and turns them away from his heart.

12. R. Hanina b. Dosa said: Every one whose fear of sin precedes his wisdom, his wisdom
endures; and every one whose wisdom precedes his fear of sin, his wisdom does not endure.
13. He used to say: Every one whose deeds are more than his wisdom, his wisdom endures.
And every one whose wisdom is more than his deeds, his wisdom does not endure. 14. He used
to say: Every one with whom the spirit of mankind is pleased, the Spirit of God is pleased
with him. And every one with whom the spirit of mankind is not pleased, the Spirit of God
is not pleased with him. 15. R. Dosa b. Harchinas said: Morning sleep, and midday wine,
and children’s talk, and sitting in the meeting-houses of the vulgar, drive a man out from
the world. 16. R. Eleazar, the Modiite, said: He who profanes holy things and despises the
set feasts [and shames his associate in public], and makes void the covenant of Abraham
our father, and discloses meanings in the Torah which are not according to the Rule, yea,
even if he have [Torah and] good works, he has no portion in the world to come.

17. R. Ishmael said: Be light-minded and yielding to forced service, and receive every man
with gladness. 18. R. Akiba said: Laughter and light-mindedness accustom a man to shame.
Tradition is a fence for Torah. Vows are a fence for separation. A fence for wisdom is
silence. 19. He used to say: Beloved is man in that he was created in the image of God.
[Greater love was it that it was known to him that he was made in the image.] As it is
said: ‘In the image of God he made man.’ Beloved are Israel, that they are called sons of
God. Greater love was it that it was known to them that they were called sons of God. As
it is said: ‘Sons are ye to the Lord your God.’ xii. Beloved are Israel, in that to them
was given the precious instrument wherewith the world was created. Greater love was it
that it was known to them that there was given to them the precious instrument wherewith
the world was created, as it is said: ‘For a good doctrine I have given you; forsake not
my Torah.’ All is foreseen, and free-will is given, and the world is judged by goodness,
and all is according to the amount of work.

20. He used to say: All is given on pledge, and the net is spread over all the living; and
the shop is open and the shopman gives credit, and the account-book is open and the hand
writes, and every one who will borrow comes and borrows, and the collectors go round
continually every day, and exact payment from man whether with his knowledge or without
it; and they have whereon to lean, and the judgement is a judgement of truth; and
everything is prepared for the banquet. 21. R. Eleazar b. Azariah said: If there is no
Torah there is no worldly occupation; if there is no worldly occupation there is no Torah.
If there is no wisdom there is no fear; if there is no fear there is no wisdom. If there
is no knowledge there is no discernment; if there is no discernment there is no knowledge.
If there is no meal there is no Torah; if there is no Torah there is no meal.

22. He used to say: Every one whose wisdom is greater than his deeds, to what is he like?
To a tree whose branches are many and its roots few; and the wind comes and roots it up
and turns it over on its face. [As it is said: ‘For he shall be like a tamarisk in the
desert, and he shall not see when good cometh, but shall inhabit the parched places in the
wilderness, a salt land undwelt in.’] But every one whose deeds are more than his wisdom,
to what is he like? To a tree whose branches are few and its roots many, which, if all the
winds that are in the world come and blow upon it, they move it not from its place; [as it
is said: ‘For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that sendeth out its roots
by the river, and shall not fear when heat cometh, but his leaf shall be green; and in the
year of drought he shall not be anxious, neither shall cease from yielding fruit].

23. R. Eleazar Hisma said: Offerings of birds and purifications, these are the main Rules.
Astronomy and geometry are mere fringes to wisdom.

CHAPTER 4

1. Ben Zoma said: Who is wise? He who learns from every man; as it is said: ‘From all my
teachers I get understanding, for thy testimonies are my conversation.’ Who is mighty? He
who controlleth his evil disposition; as it is said: ‘Better is the long-suffering than
the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.’ Who is rich? He
that rejoiceth in his portion; as it is said: ‘When thou eatest of the labour of thy
hands, happy art thou and it shall be well with thee.’ ‘Happy art thou’ in this world, and
‘it shall be well with thee’ in the world to come. Who is honoured? He who honoureth
mankind; as it is said: ‘For them that honour Me I will honour, and they that despise Me
shall be lightly esteemed.’ 2. Ben Azai said: Be swift towards a light precept [as towards
a weighty one] and flee from sin; for precept leads to precept and sin leads to sin. For
the reward of a precept is a precept, and the reward of a sin is a sin.

3. He used to say: Despise not any man, and be not captious at any thing; for you find no
man that has not his hour, and no thing that has not its place. 4. R. Levitas of Jabneh
said: Be exceedingly humble, for the hope of man is only the worm. 5. R. Johanan b.
Berokah said: ‘Every one who profanes the Name of Heaven in secret, they exact punishment
of him openly; the ignorant and the wilful are alike sinners in regard to the profaning of
the Name. 6. R. Ishmael his son said: He who learns with a view to teaching, they give him
the opportunity to learn and to teach; he who learns with a view to doing, they give him
the opportunity to learn and to teach and to do. 7. R. Zadok said: [Separate not thyself
from the congregation, and be not as they who prepare the judges]. Make not them a crown
wherewith to magnify thyself, nor a dish to eat from. And thus Hillel used to say: He who
serves himself with the crown passes away. Behold, [thou hast learned.] ‘Every one that
makes a profit from words of Torah removes his life from the world.’

8. R. Jose said: Every one who honours the Torah is himself honoured of men. And every one
who dishonours the Torah is himself dishonoured of men. 9. R. Ishmael his son said: He who
withdraws from judgement gets rid of enmity, theft and perjury; and he who is haughty in
his teaching is foolish, wicked and arrogant. 10. He used to say: Judge not alone; for
there is none save One that judgeth alone. And say not to thy colleagues, Receive my
opinion; for they are entitled and thou art not. 11. R. Jonathan said: Every one who
fulfils the Torah when poor will in the end fulfil it when rich; and every one who makes
it vain when rich will in the end make it vain when poor. 12. R. Meir said: Do little in
business and be busy with the Torah; and be humble of spirit before all men; and if thou
hast been idle in respect of the Torah, there will be many idle things in thy way; and if
thou hast laboured at the Torah, there will be for Him much reward to give thee.

13. R. Eliezer b. Jacob said: He who does one precept gains for himself one advocate; and
he who commits one transgression gains for himself one accuser; repentance and good works
are as a shield in face of punishment. 14. R. Johanan, the sandal-maker, said: Every
assembly which is for the sake of Heaven will in the end be established; and one that is
not for the sake of Heaven will in the end not be established. 15. R. Eleazar b. Shammua
said: Let the honour of thy disciple be dear to thee as the honour of thy associate, and
the honour of thy associate as the fear of thy teacher, and the fear of thy teacher as the
fear of Heaven. 16. R. Judah said: Be careful in teaching; for error in teaching amounts
to sin. 17. R. Simeon said: There are three crowns; the crown of Torah, the crown of
priesthood and the crown of royalty; but the crown of a good name mounts above them.

18. R. Nehorai said: Betake thyself to a place of Torah, and say not it shall come after
thee; for thine associates will fulfil it through thee. And ‘Lean not upon thine own
understanding’. 19. R. Jannai said: It is not in our hands to explain either the
prosperity of the wicked or the chastisements of the righteous. 20. R. Matthia b. Harash
said: Be first in greeting every man; and be a tail to lions and not a head to foxes. 21.
R. Jacob said: This world is like a porch before the world to come. Make thyself ready in
the porch, that thou mayst enter into the banqueting-hall. 22. He used to say: Fairer is
one hour of repentance and good works in this world than all the life of the world to
come; and fairer is one hour of calmness of spirit in the world to come than all the life
of this world.

23. R. Simeon b. Eleazar said: Pacify not thy associate in the hour of his anger, and
console him not in the hour when his dead is stretched out before him; and question him
not in the hour of his vow, and seek not to behold him in the hour of his degradation. 24.
Samuel, the small, said: ‘Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be
glad when he is overthrown, [lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away
His wrath from him’]. 25. Elisha b. Abuiah said: He who learns when a youth, to what is he
like? To ink written on new paper. And he who learns when an old man, to what is he like?
To ink written on erased paper. 26. R. Jose b. Judah, of Chephar ha-Babli, said: He who
learns from the young, to what is he like? To one that eats unripe grapes and drinks wine
from his winepress. He that learns from the old, to what is he like? To one that eats ripe
grapes and drinks old wine.

27. Rabbi said: Look not at the pitcher but at what is in it. There is a new pitcher that
is full of old wine, and an old pitcher in which there is not even new wine. 28. R.
Eleazar ha-Kappar said: Jealousy and desire and ambition drive a man out of the world. 29.
He used to say: Those that are born are for death, and the dead for making alive, and the
living to be judged; to know and to make known and to be known that He is the maker and He
the creator, and He the discerner, and He the Judge, and He the witness, and He the
adversary, and He will judge in whose presence there is neither obliquity nor
forgetfulness nor respect of persons nor taking a bribe; for all is His; and know that all
is according to reckoning. Let not thy nature make thee believe that the grave is a place
of refuge. For not of thy will wast thou formed, and not of thy will dost thou live, and
not of thy will dost thou die, and not of thy will art thou to give just account and
reckoning before the King of the kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.

CHAPTER 5

1. By ten Sayings the world was created. And why does the Scripture teach this? Could not
the world have been created by one Saying? But it was in order to exact penalty from the
wicked who destroy the world that was created by ten Sayings, and to give good reward to
the righteous who establish the world that was created by ten Sayings. 2. Ten generations
from Adam to Noah, to make known how much long-suffering is with Him; for all the
generations provoked Him, until He brought the flood upon them. 3. Ten generations from
Noah to Abraham, to make known how much long-suffering is with Him; for all the
generations provoked Him, until Abraham our father came, and received the reward of them
all. 4. Ten trials Abraham our father was tried with, and he bore them all, to make known
how great was the love of Abraham our father.

5. Ten wonders were done for our fathers in Egypt, and ten by the sea. 6. [Ten plagues did
the Holy One, blessed be He, bring upon the Egyptians in Egypt, and ten by the sea.] 7.
Ten trials did our fathers try God with in the wilderness, as it is said: ‘And they
tempted Me these ten times, and did not hearken to My voice.’ 8. Ten wonders were done in
the Sanctuary, [for our fathers]. No woman miscarried through the smell of the sacred
flesh; and the sacred flesh did not ever stink; and no uncleanness befell the High Priest
on the day of Atonement; and no fly was seen in the slaughter-house; and no defect was
found in the sheaf, or in the two loaves, or in the shewbread; and rain never quenched the
fire; and wind never overcame the pillar of smoke; the people stood close together yet had
room to bow themselves; no serpent nor scorpion did harm in Jerusalem; and none said to
his companion, The place is too narrow for me that I should lodge in Jerusalem.

9. Ten things were created ‘between the suns’. And these are they: The mouth of the earth;
the mouth of the well; the mouth of the ass of Balaam; the bow; and the manna, and the rod
of Moses; and the shamir-worm; and writing; and the writing; and the Tables. Some say,
also the evil spirits, and the grave of Moses, and the ram of Abraham our father; and some
say also the tongs that are made with tongs. 10. Seven things concerning a rude man, and
seven concerning a wise man. A wise man does not speak in the presence of one who is
greater than he in wisdom; and he does not break in upon the words of his associate; and
he does not hasten to reply; he asks according to the Rule, and answers according to the
subject; and he speaks on the first thing first, and on the last last; concerning what he
has not heard he says, I have not heard; and he acknowledges the truth. The opposites of
these are found in the rude man.

11. Seven kinds of punishment come upon the world for seven main transgressions. When some
men tithe and some do not tithe, famine from drought comes; some go hungry and some are
full. When they have resolved that they will not tithe at all, famine from tumult and from
drought comes. And when they have resolved that they will not offer the cake of dough a
famine of extermination comes. Pestilence comes upon the world for the capital crimes
mentioned in the Torah which are not within the jurisdiction of the court of justice.
Also, for fruits of the seventh year. The sword comes upon the world for suppression of
justice and for perversion of justice, and for those that teach in the Torah not according
to Rule. The wild beast comes on the world for false swearing, and for profaning of the
Name. Exile comes upon the world for false worship, for incest, for bloodshed, and for not
giving release to the earth.

12. At four seasons pestilence increases; in the fourth year, in the seventh, at the end
of the seventh, and at the end of the Feast in each year. In the fourth, because of the
tithe for the poor in the third; in the seventh, because of the tithe for the poor in the
sixth; at the end of the seventh, because of the fruits of the seventh; and at the end of
the Feast, because of the robbery of the gifts assigned to the poor. 13. Four types of
men: He that says, What is mine is mine and what is thine is thine; this is the average
type, some say it is the type of Sodom. He that says, What is mine is mine and what is
thine is mine, is one of the vulgar; He that says, What is mine and what is thine are
thine, is pious. He who says, What is thine and what is mine are mine, is wicked.

14. Four types of character: Easy to provoke and easy to pacify, his gain is cancelled by
his loss. Hard to provoke and hard to pacify, his loss is cancelled by his gain. Hard to
provoke and easy to pacify, he is pious. Easy to provoke and hard to pacify, he is wicked.
15. Four types of disciples: Quick to hear and quick to lose, his gain is cancelled by his
loss. Slow to learn and slow to lose, his loss is cancelled by his gain. Quick to hear and
slow to lose, he is wise. Slow to hear and quick to lose, this is an evil lot. 16. Four
types of almsgivers: He who is willing to give but not that others should give, his eye is
evil towards what is theirs; he who is willing that others should give but does not give
himself, his eye is evil towards what is his; he who is willing to give and that others
should give, is pious; he who is not willing that he should give or that others should
give, is wicked.

17. Four types of them that go to the house of learning: He that goes and does nothing,
has the reward of his going; he that goes not but does something, has the reward of doing;
he that goes and does something, is pious; he that neither goes nor does anything, is
wicked. 18. Four types of them that sit before the Wise: A sponge, a funnel, a strainer
and a sieve. A sponge, because it sucks up everything; a funnel, because it receives at
one end and lets out at the other; a strainer, because it lets out the wine and keeps back
the dregs; a sieve, because it lets out the coarse meal and keeps the fine flour. 19. All
love which depends on something—if the thing ceases, the love ceases. If it does not
depend on something it ceases not for ever. What love is that which depends on something?
This is the love of Amnon and Tamar. And that which does not depend on something? This is
the love of David and Jonathan.

20. Every controversy which is for the name of Heaven will in the end be established; and
that which is not for the name of Heaven will not in the end be established. What
controversy is that which is for the name of Heaven? The controversy of Shammai and
Hillel. And that which is not for the name of Heaven? This is the controversy of Korah.
21. Every one that makes the many virtuous, sin comes not by his means; and every one that
maketh the many to sin, they give him not the opportunity to repent. Moses was virtuous
and made the many virtuous, and the virtue of the many depended on him; as it is said: ‘He
executed the righteousness of the Lord, and His judgements with Israel.’ Jeroboam sinned
and made the many to sin, the sin of the many depended on him; as it is said: ‘For the sin
of Jeroboam who sinned and made Israel to sin.’

22. Every one who has three things is one of the disciples of Abraham our father. And
every one who has three other things is one of the disciples of Balaam the wicked. If he
has a good eye, and a lowly soul and a humble spirit, he is of the disciples of Abraham
our father. If he has an evil eye, and a boastful soul and a haughty spirit, he is of the
disciples of Balaam the wicked. What is the difference between the disciples of Abraham
our father and the disciples of Balaam the wicked? The disciples of Balaam the wicked
inherit Gehenna and go down to the pit of destruction, as it is said: ‘But Thou, O God,
wilt bring them down to the pit of destruction. Men of blood and deceit shall not live out
half their days; but I will trust in Thee.’ But the disciples of Abraham our father
inherit the Garden of Eden and inherit the world to come; as it is said: ‘That I may cause
them that love me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries.’

23. R. Judah b. Tema said: Be bold as a leopard, and light as an eagle, and swift as a
gazelle, and strong as a lion to do the will of thy Father which is in heaven. 24. [He
used to say: The bold-faced man is for Gehenna, and the shame-faced man is for the Garden
of Eden. May it be Thy will, O Lord our God and the God of our fathers, that Thy city may
be built speedily in our days; and grant our portion to be in Thy Torah.] 25. [Ben Bag-Bag
said: Turn it, and turn it again, for the whole is in it, and the whole of thee is in it;
and from it swerve not, for there is to thee no greater good than it.] 26. [Ben He-He
said: According to the toil is the pay.] 27. [He said: At five years old one is fit for
the Scripture, at ten years for Mishnah, at thirteen for the commandments, at fifteen for
Talmud, at eighteen for marriage, at twenty for retribution, at thirty for power, at forty
for discernment, at fifty for counsel, at sixty for elderhood, at seventy for grey hairs,
at eighty for strength, at ninety for decrepitude, and at a hundred he is as if he were
dead and had passed away and vanished from the world.]

CHAPTER 6: THE ACQUISITION OF TORAH, THE CHAPTER OF R. MEIR

1. The Wise have taught in the language of the Mishnah; blessed is He that made choice of
them and of their Mishnah. beloved, one that loves God and loves mankind, makes glad both
God and mankind. And it clothes him with humbleness and fear, and purifies him to become
righteous, pious, upright and faithful; keeps him far from sin and brings him to virtue.
Men enjoy from him counsel and sound knowledge, discernment and might; as it is said:
‘Counsel is mine and sound knowledge; I am discernment; I have might.’ And it gives him
sovereignty and dominion and searching out of justice; and they disclose for him secrets
of Torah. And he is made like a spring which ceases not, and like a stream that goes on
getting stronger. And he is modest and longsuffering and forgiving of insult. And it makes
him great and lifts him above all the things that are done.

2. R. Joshua b. Levi has said: Every day a Bath-Qol goes forth from Mount Horeb and
proclaims and says ‘Woe to mankind because of their insulting of the Torah’; for every one
that is not occupied with the Torah is called reprobate; as it is said: ‘As a jewel of
gold in the snout of a swine, so is a fair woman without sense.’ And Scripture says: ‘And
the tables were the work of God, and the writing writing of God, graven on the tables.’
Read not ‘haruth’ (graven) but ‘heruth’ (freedom); for none is your freeman, but he who is
occupied with the study of Torah. And every one who is occupied in the study of Torah, lo,
he exalts himself, as it is said: ‘And from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to
Bamoth.’ 3. He who learns from his associate one chapter, one rule, one verse, one saying,
even one letter, must show honour to him; for thus we find in the case of David, king of
Israel, that he learned from Ahithophel only two things, but he called him his master, his
teacher, his familiar friend; as it is said: ‘But thou, a man mine equal, my teacher and
my familiar friend’. And are not these things an argument a fortiori? If David, king of
Israel, who learned from Ahithophel only two things, called him his master, his teacher,
his familiar friend, how much more one who learns from his associate one chapter or one
rule, or one verse, or one saying, or even one letter, ought to show honour to him: and
‘honour’ simply means Torah; as it is said: ‘The wise shall inherit honour’; and ‘The
perfect shall inherit good’: and ‘good’ simply means Torah; as it is said: ‘For I have
given thee good doctrine, forsake not my Torah.’

4. This is the way of Torah: A morsel with salt thou shalt eat, ‘and thou shalt drink
water by measure’; and thou shalt sleep on the ground, and thou shalt live a life of
hardship, and thou shalt labour in the Torah. If thou doest thus ‘happy’ shalt thou be,
and it shall be well with thee’; ‘happy’ in this world, and ‘well with thee’ in the world
to come. 5. Seek not greatness for thyself, neither covet honour. Perform more than thou
hast learned. And crave not for the tables of kings; for thy table is greater than their
table, and thy crown greater than their crown; and faithful is He, the master of thy work,
to pay thee the reward of thy labour. 6. Greater is Torah than priesthood and than
sovereignty. For sovereignty is acquired through thirty qualifications, and priesthood by
twenty-four; but the Torah is acquired by forty-eight things. And these are they:—‘By
learning, the listening of the ear, the ordering of the lips, the discernment of the
heart, fear, dread, humility, cheerfulness, purity, attendance on the Wise, discussion
with associates, argument with disciples, sedateness, Scripture, Mishnah; by little
business, little intercourse with the world, little sleep, little conversation, little
luxury, little merriment; by forbearance, a good heart, faith in the Wise, acceptance of
chastisements; by being one that knows his place, and rejoices in his portion, and makes a
fence for his words, and claims not goodness for himself, that is loved, that loves God,
that loves mankind, that loves deeds of charity, that loves uprightness, that loves
reproofs, and keeps himself far from honour, and puffs not up his heart with his learning,
and delights not in giving decisions, that bears the yoke along with his associate, and
judges him with a leaning to merit, and establishes him upon truth, and establishes him
upon peace, and settles his heart in his study, that asks and answers, that hears and adds
thereto, that learns with a view to teaching, and that learns with a view to action, that
makes his teacher wise, that makes sure what he hears, and that repeats a word in the name
of him who said it. See, thou hast learned: Every one that says a word in the name of him
who said it brings redemption into the world; as it is said: ‘And Esther said to the king
in the name of Mordecai.’

7. Great is Torah, for it gives to them that practise it life in this world and in the
world to come; as it is said: ‘For they are life to them that find them, and health to all
their flesh.’ And Scripture says: ‘It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy
bones.’ And it says: ‘She shall be a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and
happy are they that retain her.’ And it says: ‘For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto
thy head, and chains about thy neck.’ And it says: ‘She shall give to thine head a chaplet
of grace; a crown of beauty shall she deliver thee.’ And it says: ‘For by me thy days
shall be multiplied, and they shall increase to thee years of life.’ And it says: ‘Length
of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honour.’ And it says: ‘For
length of days, and years of life, and peace shall they add to thee.’

8. R. Simeon b. Judah, in the name of R. Simeon b. Johai, said: Beauty, strength, riches,
honour, wisdom, old age, grey hairs, children, are comely for the righteous and comely for
the world; as it is said: ‘The hoary head is a crown of glory; it shall be found in the
way of righteousness.’ And it says: ‘Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the
glory of children are their fathers.’ And it says: ‘The glory of young men is their
strength; and the beauty of old men is the hoary head.’ And it says: ‘Then the moon shall
be confounded and the sun ashamed; for the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in
Jerusalem, and before His ancients gloriously.’ 9. R. Simeon b. Menasia said: These seven
attributes, which the Wise have assigned to the righteous, were all exemplified in Rabbi
and in his sons.

10. R. Jose b. Kisma has said: Once I was walking by the way and there met me a man, and
he greeted me, and I greeted him again. He said to me, Rabbi, whence comest thou? I said
to him, I am from a great city of wise men and scribes. He said to me, Rabbi, wilt thou
dwell with us in our place, and I will give thee a thousand thousand gold pieces and
precious stones and pearls? I said to him, If thou gavest me all the silver and gold and
precious stones and pearls which are in the world I would not dwell except in a place of
Torah. For thus it is written in the book of Psalms, by the hands of David, king of
Israel: ‘The Torah of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.’ And
not only so, but in the hour of a man’s death it is not silver or gold or precious stones
or pearls which accompany him, but Torah and good works alone; as it is said: ‘When thou
walkest it shall lead thee, when thou liest down it shall watch over thee, and when thou
wakest it shall talk with thee.’ ‘When thou walkest it shall lead thee’—in this world.
‘When thou liest down it shall watch over thee’—in the grave. ‘When thou wakest it shall
talk with thee’—in the world to come. And it says: ‘The silver is Mine and the gold is
Mine, saith the Lord of Hosts.’

11. Five possessions hath the Holy One, blessed be He, acquired in His world, and these
are they: Torah is one possession; heaven and earth are one possession; Abraham is one
possession; Israel is one possession; the house of the sanctuary is one possession. Whence
is this proved concerning Torah? That which is written: ‘The Lord possessed me in the
beginning of His way, before His works of old.’ Whence concerning heaven and earth? That
which is written: ‘Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Heaven is My throne and the earth the
footstool of My feet: what is this house that ye build for Me, and what is the place of My
rest?’ And it says: ‘How manifold are Thy works, O Lord! in wisdom hast Thou made them
all: the earth is full of Thy possessions.’ Whence concerning Abraham? That which is
written: ‘And he blessed him and said, Blessed be Abraham of God Most High, possessor of
heaven and earth.’ Whence concerning Israel? That which is written: ‘Till Thy people pass
over, O Lord, till the people pass over which Thou hast possessed.’ And it says: ‘As for
the saints that are in the earth, they are the excellent in whom is all my delight.’
Whence concerning the house of the Sanctuary? That which is written: ‘The place, O Lord,
which Thou hast made for Thee to dwell in, the Sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have
founded.’ And it says: ‘And He brought them to the border of His Sanctuary, to this
mountain which His right hand hath possessed.’

12. All that the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world, He created it only for His
glory; as it is said: ‘Every one that is called by My name, and whom I have created for My
glory, I have formed him, I have made him.’ And it says: ‘The Lord shall reign for ever
and ever.’


THE BIBLICAL ANTIQUITIES OF PHILO (CHAPTERS 1–19)
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THE BIBLICAL ANTIQUITIES OF PHILO Pseudo-Philo

1st century AD

A retelling of the history of Israel from Adam to the death of Saul in sixty-five
chapters, with long speeches, prayers and stories that are not in the Bible, such as the
rescue of Abraham from the fire, the hymn of Deborah and the sacrifice of Jephthah’s
daughter. It was written in Hebrew about the first century AD, survives only in Latin, and
was long printed with the works of Philo of Alexandria, though he did not write it.

CHAPTER 1

1. The beginning of the world. Adam begat three sons and one daughter, Cain, Noaba, Abel
and Seth. 2. And Adam lived after he begat Seth 700 years, and begat 12 sons and 8
daughters. 3. And these are the names of the males: Eliseel, Suris, Elamiel, Brabal, Naat,
Zarama, Zasam, Maathal, and Anath. 4. And these are his daughters: Phua, Iectas, Arebica,
Sifa, Tecia, Saba, Asin. 5. And Seth lived 105 years and begat Enos. And Seth lived after
he begat Enos 707 years, and begat 3 sons and 2 daughters. 6. And these are the names of
his sons: Elidia, Phonna, and Matha: and of his daughters, Malida and Thila. 7. And Enos
lived 180 years and begat Cainan. And Enos lived after he begat Cainan 715 years, and
begat 2 sons and a daughter. 8. And these are the names of his sons: Phoe and Thaal; and
of the daughter, Catennath.

9. And Cainan lived 520 years and begat Malalech. And Cainan lived after he begat Malalech
730 years, and begat 3 sons and 2 daughters. 10. And these are the names of the males:
Athach, Socer, Lopha: and the names of the daughters, Ana and Leua. 11. And Malalech lived
165 years and begat Jareth. And Malalech lived after he begat Jareth 730 years, and begat
7 sons and 5 daughters. 12. And these are the names of the males: Leta, Matha, Cethar,
Melie, Suriel, Lodo, Othim. And these are the names of the daughters: Ada and Noa, Iebal,
Mada, Sella. 13. And Jareth lived 172 years and begat Enoch. And Jareth lived after he
begat Enoch 800 years and begat 4 sons and 2 daughters. 14. And these are the names of the
males: Lead, Anac, Soboac and Iectar: and of the daughters, Tetzeco, Lesse. 15. And Enoch
lived 165 years and begat Matusalam. And Enoch lived after he begat Matusalam 200 years,
and begat 5 sons and 3 daughters.

16. But Enoch pleased God at that time and was not found, for God translated him. 17. Now
the names of his sons are: Anaz, Zeum, Achaun, Pheledi, Elith; and of the daughters,
Theiz, Lefith, Leath. 18. And Mathusalam lived 187 years and begat Lamech. And Mathusalam
lived after he begat Lamech 782 years, and begat 2 sons and 2 daughters. 19. And these are
the names of the males: Inab and Rapho; and of the daughters, Aluma and Amuga. 20. And
Lamech lived 182 years and begat a son, and called him according to his nativity Noe,
saying: This child will give rest to us and to the earth from those who are therein, upon
whom (or in the day when) a visitation shall be made because of the iniquity of their evil
deeds. 21. And Lamech lived after he begat Noe 585 years. 22. And Noe lived 300 years and
begat 3 sons, Sem, Cham, and Japheth.

CHAPTER 2

1. But Cain dwelt in the earth trembling, according as God appointed unto him after he
slew Abel his brother; and the name of his wife was Themech. 2. And Cain knew Themech his
wife and she conceived and bare Enoch. 3. Now Cain was 15 years old when he did these
things; and from that time he began to build cities, until he had founded seven cities.
And these are the names of the cities: The name of the first city according to the name of
his son Enoch. The name of the second city Mauli, and of the third Leeth, and the name of
the fourth Teze, and the name of the fifth Iesca; the name of the sixth Celeth, and the
name of the seventh Iebbath. 4. And Cain lived after he begat Enoch 715 years and begat 3
sons and 2 daughters. And these are the names of his sons: Olad, Lizaph, Fosal; and of his
daughters, Citha and Maac. And all the days of Cain were 730 years, and he died.

5. Then took Enoch a wife of the daughters of Seth, which bare him Ciram and Cuuth and
Madab. But Ciram begat Matusael, and Matusael begat Lamech. 6. But Lamech took unto
himself two wives: the name of the one was Ada and the name of the other Sella. 7. And Ada
bare him Iobab: he was the father of all that dwell in tents and feed flocks. And again
she bare him Iobal, which was the first to teach all playing of instruments (lit. every
psalm of organs). 8. And at that time, when they that dwelt on the earth had begun to do
evil, every one with his neighbour's wife, defiling them, God was angry. And he began to
play upon the lute (kinnor) and the harp and on every instrument of sweet psalmody (lit.
psaltery), and to corrupt the earth. 9. But Sella bare Tubal and Misa and Theffa, and this
is that Tubal which showed unto men arts in lead and tin and iron and copper and silver
and gold: and then began the inhabiters of the earth to make graven images and to worship
them.

10. Now Lamech said unto his two wives Ada and Sella: Hear my voice, ye wives of Lamech,
give heed to my precept: for I have corrupted men for myself, and have taken away
sucklings from the breasts, that I might show my sons how to work evil, and the inhabiters
of the earth. And now shall vengeance be taken seven times of Cain, but of Lamech seventy
times seven.

CHAPTER 3

1. And it came to pass when men had begun to multiply on the earth, that beautiful
daughters were born unto them. And the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were
exceeding fair, and took them wives of all that they had chosen. 2. And God said: My
spirit shall not judge among these men for ever, because they are of flesh; but their
years shall be 120. Upon whom he laid (or wherein I have set) the ends of the world, and
in their hands wickednesses were not put out (or the law shall not be quenched). 3. And
God saw that in all the dwellers upon earth works of evil were fulfilled: and inasmuch as
their thought was upon iniquity all their days, God said: I will blot out man and all
things that have budded upon the earth, for it repenteth me that I have made him.

4. But Noe found grace and mercy before the Lord, and these are his generations. Noe,
which was a righteous man and undefiled in his generation, pleased the Lord. Unto whom God
said: The time of all men that dwell upon the earth is come, for their deeds are very
evil. And now make thee an ark of cedar wood, and thus shalt thou make it. 300 cubits
shall be the length thereof, and 50 cubits the breadth, and 30 cubits the height. And thou
shalt enter into the ark, thou and thy wife and thy sons and thy sons' wives with thee.
And I will make my covenant with thee, to destroy all the dwellers upon earth. Now of
clean beasts and of the fowls of the heaven that are clean thou shalt take by sevens male
and female, that their seed may be saved alive upon the earth. But of unclean beasts and
fowls thou shalt take to thee by twos male and female, and shalt take provision for thee
and for them also.

5. And Noe did that which God commanded him, and entered into the ark, he and all his sons
with him. And it came to pass after 7 days that the water of the flood began to be upon
the earth. And in that day all the depths were opened and the great spring of water and
the windows of heaven, and there was rain upon the earth 40 days and 40 nights. 6. And it
was then the 1652nd (1656th) year from the time when God had made the heaven and the earth
in the day when the earth was corrupted with the inhabiters thereof by reason of the
iniquity of their works. 7. And when the flood continued 140 days upon the earth, Noe only
and they that were with him in the ark remained alive: and when God remembered Noe, he
made the water to diminish. 8. And it came to pass on the 90th day that God dried the
earth, and said unto Noe: Go out of the ark, thou and all that are with thee, and grow and
multiply upon the earth. And Noe went out of the ark, he and his sons and his sons' wives,
and all the beasts and creeping things and fowls and cattle brought he forth with him as
God commanded him. Then built Noe an altar unto the Lord, and took of all the cattle and
of the clean fowls and offered burnt offerings on the altar: and it was accepted of the
Lord for a savour of rest.

9. And God said: I will not again curse the earth for man's sake, for the guise of man's
heart hath left off from his youth. And therefore I will not again destroy together all
living as I have done. But it shall be, when the dwellers upon earth have sinned, I will
judge them by famine or by the sword or by fire or by pestilence (lit. death), and there
shall be earthquakes, and they shall be scattered into places not inhabited (or, the
places of their habitation shall be scattered). But I will not again spoil the earth with
the water of a flood, and in all the days of the earth seed time and harvest, cold and
heat, summer and autumn, day and night shall not cease, until I remember them that dwell
on the earth, even until the times are fulfilled. 10. But when the years of the world
shall be fulfilled, then shall the light cease and the darkness be quenched: and I will
quicken the dead and raise up from the earth them that sleep: and Hell shall pay his debt
and destruction give back that which was committed unto him, that I may render unto every
man according to his works and according to the fruit of their imaginations, even until I
judge between the soul and the flesh. And the world shall rest, and death shall be
quenched, and Hell shall shut his mouth. And the earth shall not be without birth, neither
barren for them that dwell therein: and none shall be polluted that hath been justified in
me. And there shall be another earth and another heaven, even an everlasting habitation.

11. And the Lord spake further unto Noe and to his sons saying: Behold I will make my
covenant with you and with your seed after you, and will not again spoil the earth with
the water of a flood. And all that liveth and moveth therein shall be to you for meat.
Nevertheless the flesh with the blood of the soul shall ye not eat. For he that sheddeth
man's blood, his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God was man made. And ye, grow
ye and multiply and fill the earth as the multitude of fishes that multiply in the waters.
And God said: This is the covenant that I have made betwixt me and you; and it shall be
when I cover the heaven with clouds, that my bow shall appear in the cloud, and it shall
be for a memorial of the covenant betwixt me and you, and all the dwellers upon earth.

CHAPTER 4

1. And the sons of Noe which went forth of the ark were Sem, Cham, and Japheth. 2. The
sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, and Madai, Nidiazech, Tubal, Mocteras, Cenez, Riphath, and
Thogorma, Elisa, Dessin, Cethin, Tudant. And the sons of Gomer: Thelez, Lud, Deberlet. And
the sons of Magog: Cesse, Thipha, Pharuta, Ammiel, Phimei, Goloza, Samanach. And the sons
of Duden: Sallus, Phelucta Phallita. And the sons of Tubal: Phanatonova, Eteva. And the
sons of Tyras: Maac, Tabel, Ballana, Samplameac, Elaz. And the sons of Mellech: Amboradat,
Urach, Bosara. And the sons of Ascenez: Jubal, Zaraddana, Anac. And the sons of Heri:
Phuddet, Doad, Dephadzeat, Enoc. And the sons of Togorma: Abiud, Saphath, Asapli, Zepthir.
And the sons of Elisa: Etzaac, Zenez, Mastisa, Rira. And the sons of Zepti: Macziel,
Temna, Aela, Phinon. And the sons of Tessis: Meccul, Loon, Zelataban. And the sons of
Duodennin: Itheb, Beath, Phenech.

3. And these are they that were scattered abroad, and dwelt in the earth with the Persians
and Medes, and in the islands that are in the sea. And Phenech, the son of Dudeni, went up
and commanded that ships of the sea should be made: and then was the third part of the
earth divided. 4. Domereth and his sons took Ladech; and Magog and his sons took Degal;
Madam and his sons took Besto; Iuban (sc. Javan) and his sons took Ceel; Tubal and his
sons took Pheed; Misech and his sons took Nepthi; Tiras and his sons took Rôô; Duodennut
and his sons took Goda; Riphath and his sons took Bosarra; Torgoma and his sons took Fud;
Elisa and his sons took Thabola; Thesis (sc. Tarshish) and his sons took Marecham; Cethim
and his sons took Thaan; Dudennin and his sons took Caruba. 5. And then began they to till
the earth and to sow upon it: and when the earth was athirst, the dwellers therein cried
unto the Lord and he heard them and gave rain abundantly, and it was so, when the rain
descended upon the earth, that the bow appeared in the cloud, and the dwellers upon earth
saw the memorial of the covenant and fell upon their faces and sacrificed, offering burnt
offerings unto the Lord.

6. Now the sons of Cham were Chus, Mestra, and Phuni, and Chanaan. And the sons of Chus:
Saba, and... Tudan. And the sons of Phuni: [Effuntenus], Zeleutelup, Geluc, Lephuc. And
the sons of Chanaan were Sydona, Endain, Racin, Simmin, Uruin, Nenugin, Amathin, Nephin,
Telaz, Elat, Cusin. 7. And Chus begat Nembroth. He began to be proud before the Lord. But
Mestram begat Ludin and Megimin and Labin and Latuin and Petrosonoin and Ceslun: thence
came forth the Philistines and the Cappadocians. 8. And then did they also begin to build
cities: and these are the cities which they built: Sydon, and the parts that lie about it,
that is Resun, Beosa, Maza, Gerara, Ascalon, Dabir, Camo, Tellun, Lacis, Sodom and
Gomorra, Adama and Seboim. 9. And the sons of Sem: Elam, Assur, Arphaxa, Luzi, Aram. And
the sons of Aram: Gedrum, Ese. And Arphaxa begat Sale, Sale begat Heber, and unto Heber
were born two sons: the name of the one was Phalech, for in his days the earth was
divided, and the name of his brother was Jectan.

10. And Jectan begat Helmadam and Salastra and Mazaam, Rea, Dura, Uzia, Deglabal, Mimoel,
Sabthphin, Evilac, Iubab. And the sons of Phalech: Ragau, Rephuth, Zepheram, Aculon,
Sachar, Siphaz, Nabi, Suri, Seciur, Phalacus, Rapho, Phalthia, Zaldephal, Zaphis, and
Arteman, Heliphas. These are the sons of Phalech, and these are their names, and they took
them wives of the daughters of Jectan and begat sons and daughters and filled the earth.
11. But Ragau took him to wife Melcha the daughter of Ruth, and she begat him Seruch. And
when the day of her delivery came she said: Of this child shall be born in the fourth
generation one who shall set his dwelling on high, and shall be called perfect, and
undefiled, and he shall be the father of nations, and his covenant shall not be broken,
and his seed shall be multiplied for ever. 12. And Ragau lived after he begat Seruch 119
years and begat 7 sons and 5 daughters. And these are the names of his sons: Abiel, Obed,
Salma, Dedasal, Zeneza, Accur, Nephes. And these are the names of his daughters: Cedema,
Derisa, Seipha, Pherita, Theila.

13. And Seruch lived 29 years and begat Nachor. And Seruch lived after he begat Nachor 67
years and begat 4 sons and 3 daughters. And these are the names of the males: Zela, Zoba,
Dica and Phodde. And these are his daughters: Tephila, Oda, Selipha. 14. And Nachor lived
34 years and begat Thara. And Nachor lived after he begat Thara 200 years and begat 8 sons
and 5 daughters. And these are the names of the males: Recap, Dediap, Berechap, Iosac,
Sithal, Nisab, Nadab, Camoel. And these are his daughters: Esca, Thipha, Bruna, Ceneta.
15. And Thara lived 70 years and begat Abram, Nachor, and Aram. And Aram begat Loth. 16.
Then began they that dwelt on the earth to look upon the stars, and began to prognosticate
by them and to make divination, and to make their sons and daughters pass through the
fire. But Seruch and his sons walked not according to them.

17. And these are the generations of Noe upon the earth according to their languages and
their tribes, out of whom the nations were divided upon the earth after the flood.

CHAPTER 5

1. Then came the sons of Cham, and made Nembroth a prince over themselves: but the sons of
Japheth made Phenech their chief: and the sons of Sem gathered together and set over them
Jectan to be their prince. 2. And when these three had met together they took counsel that
they would look upon and take account of the people of their followers. And this was done
while Noe was yet alive, even that all men should be gathered together: and they lived at
one with each other, and the earth was at peace. 3. Now in the 340th year of the going
forth of Noe out of the ark, after that God dried up the flood, did the princes take
account of their people. 4. And first Phenech the son of Japheth looked upon them. The
sons of Gomer all of them passing by according to the sceptres of their captaincies were
in number 5,800.

But of the sons of Magog all of them passing by according to the sceptres of their leading
the number was 6,200. And of the sons of Madai all of them passing by according to the
sceptres of their captaincies were in number 5,700. And the sons of Tubal all of them
passing by according to the sceptres of their captaincies were in number 9,400. And the
sons of Mesca all of them passing by according to the sceptres of their captaincies were
in number 5,600. The sons of Thiras all of them passing by according to the sceptres of
their captaincies were in number 12,300. And the sons of Riphath passing by according to
the sceptres of their captaincies were in number 11,500. And the sons of Thogorma passing
by according to the sceptres of their captaincy were in number 14,400. But the sons of
Elisa passing by according to the sceptres of their captaincy were in number 14,900.

And the sons of Thersis all of them passing by according to the sceptres of their
captaincy were in number 12,100. The sons of Cethin all of them passing by according to
the sceptres of their captaincy were in number 17,300. And the sons of Doin passing by
according to the sceptres of their captaincies were in number 17,700. And the number of
the camp of the sons of Japheth, all of them men of might and all girt with their armour,
which were set in the sight of their captains was 140,202 besides women and children. The
account of Japheth in full was in number 142,000. 5. And Nembroth passed by, he and the
son(s) of Cham, all of them passing by according to the sceptres of their captaincies were
found in number 24,800. The sons of Phua all of them passing by according to the sceptres
of their captaincies were in number 27,700.

And the sons of Canaan all of them passing by according to the sceptres of their
captaincies were found in number 32,800. The sons of Soba all of them passing by according
to the sceptres of their captaincies were found in number 4,300. The sons of Lebilla all
of them passing by according to the sceptres of their captaincies were found in number
22,300. And the sons of Sata all of them passing by according to the sceptres of their
captaincies were found in number 25,300. And the sons of Remma all of them passing by
according to the sceptres of their captaincies were found in number 30,600. And the sons
of Sabaca all of them passing by according to the sceptres of their captaincies were found
in number 46,400. And the number of the camp of the sons of Cham, all of them mighty men,
and furnished with armour, which were set in the sight of their captaincies was in number
244,900 besides women and children.

6. And Jectan the son of Sem looked upon the sons of Elam, and they were all of them
passing by according to the number of the sceptres of their captaincies in number 47,000.
And the sons of Assur all of them passing by according to the sceptres of their
captaincies were found in number 73,000. And the sons of Aram all of them passing by
according to the sceptres of their captaincies were found in number 87,300. The sons of
Lud all of them passing by according to the sceptres of their captaincies were found in
number 30,600. [The number of the sons of Cham was 73,000.] But the sons of Arfaxat all of
them passing by according to the sceptres of their captaincies were in number 114,600. And
the whole number of them was 347,600. 7. The number of the camp of the sons of Sem, all of
them setting forth in valour and in the commandment of war in the sight of their
captaincies was ix besides women and children.

8. And these are the generations of Noe set forth separately, whereof the whole number
together was 914,000. And all these were counted while Noe was yet alive, and in the
presence of Noe 350 years after the flood. And all the days of Noe were 950 years, and he
died.

CHAPTER 6

1. Then all they that had been divided and dwelt upon the earth gathered together
thereafter, and dwelt together; and they set forth from the East and found a plain in the
land of Babylon: and there they dwelt, and they said every man to his neighbour: Behold,
it will come to pass that we shall be scattered every man from his brother, and in the
latter days we shall be fighting one against another. Now, therefore, come and let us
build for ourselves a tower, the head whereof shall reach unto heaven, and we shall make
us a name and a renown upon the earth. 2. And they said everyone to his neighbour: Let us
take bricks (lit. stones), and let us, each one, write our names upon the bricks and burn
them with fire: and that which is thoroughly burned shall be for mortar and brick.
(Perhaps, that which is not thoroughly burned shall be for mortar, and that which is, for
brick.)

3. And they took every man their bricks, saving 12 men, which would not take them, and
these are their names: Abraham, Nachor, Loth, Ruge, Tenute, Zaba, Armodath, Iobab, Esar,
Abimahel, Saba, Auphin. 4. And the people of the land laid hands on them and brought them
before their princes and said: These are the men that have transgressed our counsels and
will not walk in our ways. And the princes said unto them: Wherefore would ye not set
every man your bricks with the people of the land? And they answered and said: We will not
set bricks with you, neither will we be joined with your desire. One Lord know we, and him
do we worship. And if ye should cast us into the fire with your bricks, we will not
consent to you. 5. And the princes were wroth and said: As they have said, so do unto
them, and if they consent not to set bricks with you, ye shall burn them with fire
together with your bricks.

6. Then answered Jectan which was the first prince of the captains: Not so, but there
shall be given them a space of 7 days. And it shall be, if they repent of their evil
counsels, and will set bricks along with us, they shall live; but if not, let them be
burned according to your word. But he sought how he might save them out of the hands of
the people; for he was of their tribe, and he served God. 7. And when he had thus said he
took them and shut them up in the king's house: and when it was evening the prince
commanded 50 mighty men of valour to be called unto him, and said unto them: Go forth and
take to-night these men that are shut up in mine house, and put provision for them from my
house upon 10 beasts, and the men bring ye to me, and their provision together with the
beasts take ye to the mountains and wait for them there: and know this, that if any man
shall know what I have said unto you, I will burn you with fire.

8. And the men set forth and did all that their prince commanded them, and took the men
from his house by night; and took provision and put it upon beasts and took them to the
hill country as he commanded them. 9. And the prince called unto him those 12 men and said
to them: Be of good courage and fear not, for ye shall not die. For God in whom ye trust
is mighty, and therefore be ye stablished in him, for he will deliver you and save you.
And now lo, I have commanded 50 men to take [you with] provision from my house, and go
before you into the hill country and wait for you in the valley: and I will give you other
50 men which shall guide you thither: go ye therefore and hide yourselves there in the
valley, having water to drink that floweth down from the rocks: hold yourselves there for
30 days, until the anger of the people of the land be appeased and until God send his
wrath upon them and break them. For I know that the counsel of iniquity which they have
agreed to perform shall not stand, for their thought is vain. And it shall be when 7 days
are expired and they shall seek for you, I will say unto them: They have gone forth and
have broken the door of the prison wherein they were shut up and have fled by night, and I
have sent 100 men to seek them. So will I turn them from their madness that is upon them.

10. And there answered him 11 of the men saying: Thy servants have found favour in thy
sight, in that we are set free out of the hands of these proud men. 11. But Abram only
kept silence, and the prince said unto him: Wherefore answerest thou not me, Abram,
servant of God? Abram answered and said: Lo, I flee away to-day into the hill country, and
if I escape the fire, wild beasts will come out of the mountains and devour us. Or our
victuals will fail and we shall die of hunger; and we shall be found fleeing from the
people of the land and shall fall in our sins. And now, as he liveth in whom I trust, I
will not remove from my place wherein they have put me: and if there be any sin of mine so
that I be indeed burned, the will of God be done. And the prince said unto him:

Thy blood be upon thy head, if thou refuse to go forth with these. But if thou consent,
thou shall be delivered. Yet if thou wilt abide, abide as thou art. And Abram said: I will
not go forth, but I will abide here. 12. And the prince took those 11 men and sent other
50 with them, and commanded them saying: Wait, ye also, in the hill country for 15 days
with those 50 which were sent before you; and after that ye shall return and say: "We have
not found them," as I said to the former ones. And know that if any man transgress one of
all these words that I have spoken unto you, he shall be burned with fire. So the men went
forth, and he took Abram by himself and shut him up where he had been shut up aforetime.
13. And after 7 days were passed, the people were gathered together and spake unto their
prince saying: Restore us the men which would not consent unto us, that we may burn them
with fire. And they sent captains to bring them, and they found them not, save Abram only.
And they gathered all of them to their prince saying: The men whom ye shut up are fled and
have escaped that which we counselled.

14. And Phenech and Nemroth said unto Jectan: Where are the men whom thou didst shut up?
But he said: They have broken prison and fled by night: but I have sent 100 men to seek
them, and commanded them if they find them that they should not only burn them with fire
but give their bodies to the fowls of the heaven and so destroy them. 15. Then said they:
This fellow which is found alone, let us burn him. And they took Abram and brought him
before their princes and said to him: Where are they that were with thee? And he said:
Verily at night I slept, and when I awaked I found them not. 16. And they took him and
built a furnace and kindled it with fire, and put bricks burned with fire into the
furnace. Then Jectan the prince being amazed (lit. melted) in his mind took Abram and put
him with the bricks into the furnace of fire.

17. But God stirred up a great earthquake, and the fire gushed forth of the furnace and
brake out into flames and sparks of fire and consumed all them that stood round about in
sight of the furnace; and all they that were burned in that day were 83,500. But upon
Abram was there not any the least hurt by the burning of the fire. 18. And Abram arose out
of the furnace, and the fiery furnace fell down, and Abram was saved. And he went unto the
11 men that were hid in the hill country and told them all that had befallen him, and they
came down with him out of the hill country rejoicing in the name of the Lord, and no man
met them to affright them that day. And they called that place by the name of Abram, and
in the tongue of the Chaldeans Deli, which is being interpreted, God.

CHAPTER 7

1. And it came to pass after these things, that the people of the land turned not from
their evil thoughts: and they came together again unto their princes and said: The people
shall not be overcome for ever: and now let us come together and build us a city and a
tower which shall never be removed. 2. And when they had begun to build, God saw the city
and the tower which the children of men were building, and he said: Behold, this is one
people and their speech is one, and this which they have begun to build the earth will not
sustain, neither will the heaven suffer it, beholding it: and it shall be, if they be not
now hindered, that they shall dare all things that they shall take in mind to do. 3.
Therefore, lo, I will divide their speech, and scatter them over all countries, that they
may not know every man his brother, neither every man understand the speech of his
neighbour. And I will deliver them to the rocks, and they shall build themselves
tabernacles of stubble and straw, and shall dig themselves caves and shall live therein
like beasts of the field, and thus shall they continue before my face for ever, that they
may never devise such things. And I will esteem them as a drop of water, and liken them
unto spittle: and unto some of them their end shall come by water, and other of them shall
be dried up with thirst.

4. And before all of them will I choose my servant Abram, and I will bring him out from
their land, and lead him into the land which mine eye hath looked upon from the beginning
when all the dwellers upon earth sinned before my face, and I brought on them the water of
the flood: and then I destroyed not that land, but preserved it. Therefore the fountains
of my wrath did not break forth therein, neither did the water of my destruction come down
upon it. For there will I make my servant Abram to dwell, and I will make my covenant with
him, and bless his seed, and will be called his God for ever. 5. Howbeit when the people
that dwelt in the land had begun to build the tower, God divided their speech, and changed
their likeness. And they knew not every man his brother, neither did each understand the
speech of his neighbour. So it came to pass that when the builders commanded their helpers
to bring bricks they brought water, and if they asked for water, the others brought them
straw. And so their counsel was broken and they ceased building the city: and God
scattered them thence over the face of all the earth. Therefore was the name of that place
called Confusion, because there God confounded their speech, and scattered them thence
over the face of all the earth.

CHAPTER 8

1. But Abram went forth thence and dwelt in the land of Chanaan, and took with him Loth
his brother's son, and Sarai his wife. And because Sarai was barren and had no offspring,
then Abram took Agar her maid, and she bare him Ismahel. And Ismahel begat 12 sons. 2.
Then Loth departed from Abram and dwelt in Sodom [but Abram dwelt in the land of Cam]. And
the men of Sodom were very evil and sinners exceedingly. 3. And God appeared unto Abraham
saying: Unto thy seed will I give this land; and thy name shall be called Abraham, and
Sarai thy wife shall be called Sara. And I will give thee of her an eternal seed and make
my covenant with thee. And Abraham knew Sara his wife, and she conceived and bare Isaac.
4. And Isaac took him a wife of Mesopotamia, the daughter of Bathuel, which conceived and
bare him Esau and Jacob.

5. And Esau took to him for wives Judin the daughter of Bereu, and Basemath the daughter
of Elon, and Elibema the daughter of Anan, and Manem the daughter of Samahel. And Basemath
bare him Adelifan, and the sons of Adelifan were Temar, Omar, Seffor, Getan, Tenaz,
Amalec. And Judin bare Tenacis, Ieruebemas, Bassemen, Rugil: and the sons of Rugil were
Naizar, Samaza; and Elibema bare Auz, Iollam, Coro. Manem bare Tenetde, Thenatela. 6. And
Jacob took to him for wives the daughters of Laban the Syrian, Lia and Rachel, and two
concubines, Bala and Zelpha. And Lia bare him Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Juda, Isachar, Zabulon,
and Dina their sister. But Rachel bare Joseph and Benjamin. Bala bare Dan and Neptalim,
and Zelpha bare Gad and Aser. These are the 12 sons of Jacob and one daughter. 7. And
Jacob dwelt in the land of Chanaan, and Sichem the son of Emor the Correan forced his
daughter Dina and humbled her. And Simeon and Levi the sons of Jacob went in and slew all
their city with the edge of the sword, and took Dina their sister, and went out thence.

8. And thereafter Job took her to wife and begat of her 14 sons and 6 daughters, even 7
sons and 3 daughters before he was smitten with affliction, and thereafter when he was
made whole 7 sons and 3 daughters. And these are their names: Eliphac, Erinoe, Diasat,
Philias, Diffar, Zellud, Thelon: and his daughters Meru, Litaz, Zeli. And such as had been
the names of the former, so were they also of the latter. 9. Now Jacob and his 12 sons
dwelt in the land of Chanaan: and his sons hated their brother Joseph, whom also they
delivered into Egypt, to Petephres the chief of the cooks of Pharao, and he abode with him
14 years. 10. And it came to pass after that the king of Egypt had seen a dream, that they
told him of Joseph, and he declared him the dreams. And it was so after he declared his
dreams, that Pharao made him prince over all the land of Egypt. At that time there was a
famine in all the land, as Joseph had foreseen. And his brethren came down into Egypt to
buy food, because in Egypt only was there food. And Joseph knew his brethren, and was made
known to them, and dealt not evilly with them. And he sent and called his father out of
the land of Chanaan, and he came down unto him.

11. And these are the names of the sons of Israel which came down into Egypt with Jacob,
each one with his house. The sons of Reuben, Enoch and Phallud, Esrom and Carmin; the sons
of Simeon, Namuhel and Iamin and Dot and Iachin, and Saul the son of a Canaanitish woman.
The sons of Levi, Gerson, Caat and Merari: but the sons of Juda, Auna, Selon, Phares,
Zerami. The sons of Isachar, Tola and Phua, Iob and Sombram. The sons of Zabulon, Sarelon
and Iaillil. And Dina their sister bare 14 sons and 6 daughters. And these are the
generations of Lia whom she bare to Jacob. All the souls of sons and daughters were 72.
12. Now the sons of Dan were Usinam. The sons of Neptalim, Betaal, Neemmu, Surem,
Optisariel. And these are the generations of Balla which she bare to Jacob. All the souls
were 8.

13. But the sons of Gad:... Sariel, Sua, Visui, Mophat and Sar: their sister the daughter
of Seriebel, Melchiel. These are the generations of Zelpha the wife of Jacob which she
bare to him. And all the souls of sons and daughters were in number 10. 14. And the sons
of Joseph, Ephraim and Manassen: and Benjamin begat Gela, Esbel, Abocmephec, Utundeus. And
these were the souls which Rachel bare to Jacob, 14. And they went down into Egypt and
abode there 210 years.

CHAPTER 9

1. And it came to pass after the departure of Joseph, the children of Israel were
multiplied and increased greatly. And there arose another king in Egypt which knew not
Joseph: and he said to his people: Lo, this people is multiplied more than we. Come let us
take counsel against them that they multiply not. And the king of Egypt commanded all his
people saying: Every son that shall be born to the Hebrews, cast into the river, but keep
the females alive. And the Egyptians answered their king saying: Let us slay their males
and keep their females, to give them to our bondmen for wives: and he that is born of them
shall be a bondman and serve us. And this is that that did appear most evil before the
Lord. 2. Then the elders of the people assembled the people with mourning and mourned and
lamented saying: An untimely birth have the wombs of our wives suffered. Our fruit is
delivered over to our enemies and now we are cut off. Yet let us appoint us an ordinance,
that no man come near his wife, lest the fruit of their womb be defiled, and our bowels
serve idols: for it is better to die childless, until we know what God will do.

3. And Amram answered and said: It will sooner come to pass that the age shall be utterly
abolished and the immeasurable world fall, or the heart of the depths touch the stars,
than that the race of the children of Israel should be diminished. And it shall be, when
the covenant is fulfilled whereof God when he made it spake to Abraham saying: Surely thy
sons shall dwell in a land that is not theirs, and shall be brought into bondage and
afflicted 400 years.—And lo, since the word was passed which God spake to Abraham, there
are 350 years. And since we have been in bondage in Egypt it is 130 years. 4. Now
therefore I will not abide by that which ye ordain, but will go in and take my wife and
beget sons, that we may be made many on the earth. For God will not continue in his anger,
neither will he alway forget his people, nor cast forth the race of Israel to nought upon
the earth, neither did he in vain make his covenant with our fathers: yea, when as yet we
were not, God spake of these things.

5. Now therefore I will go and take my wife, neither will I consent to the commandment of
this king. And if it be right in your eyes, so let us do all of us, for it shall be, when
our wives conceive, they shall not be known to be great with child until 3 months are
fulfilled, like as also our mother Thamar did, for her intent was not to fornication, but
because she would not separate herself from the sons of Israel she took thought and said:
It is better for me to die for sinning with my father-in-law than to be joined to
Gentiles. And she hid the fruit of her womb till the 3rd month, for then was it perceived.
And as she went to be put to death she affirmed it saying: The man whose is this staff and
this ring and goat-skin, of him have I conceived. And her device delivered her out of all
peril.

6. Now therefore let us also do thus. And it shall be when the time of bringing forth is
come, if it be possible, we will not cast forth the fruit of our womb. And who knoweth if
thereby God will be provoked, to deliver us from our humiliation? 7. And the word which
Amram had in his heart was pleasing before God: and God said: Because the thought of Amram
is pleasing before me, and he hath not set at nought the covenant made between me and his
fathers, therefore, lo now, that which is begotten of him shall serve me for ever, and by
him will I do wonders in the house of Jacob, and will do by him signs and wonders for my
people which I have done for none other, and will perform in them my glory and declare
unto them my ways. 8. I the Lord will kindle for him my lamp to dwell in him, and will
show him my covenant which no man hath seen, and manifest to him my great excellency, and
my justice and judgments and will shine for him a perpetual light. For in ancient days I
thought of him, saying: My spirit shall not be a mediator among these men for ever, for
they are flesh, and their days shall be 120 years.

9. And Amram of the tribe of Levi went forth and took a wife of his tribe, and it was so
when he took her, that the residue did after him and took their wives. Now he had one son
and one daughter, and their names were Aaron and Maria. 10. And the spirit of God came
upon Maria by night, and she saw a dream, and told her parents in the morning saying: I
saw this night, and behold a man in a linen garment stood and said to me: Go and tell thy
parents: behold, that which shall be born of you shall be cast into the water, for by him
water shall be dried up, and by him will I do signs, and I will save my people, and he
shall have the captaincy thereof alway. And when Maria had told her dream her parents
believed her not.

11. But the word of the king of Egypt prevailed against the children of Israel and they
were humiliated and oppressed in the work of bricks. 12. But Jochabeth conceived of Amram
and hid the child in her womb 3 months, for she could not hide it longer: because the king
of Egypt had appointed overseers of the region, that when the Hebrew women brought forth
they should cast the males into the river straightway. And she took her child and made him
an ark of the bark of a pine-tree and set the ark on the edge of the river. 13. Now the
boy was born in the covenant of God and in the covenant of his flesh. 14. And it came to
pass, when they cast him out, all the elders gathered together and chode with Amram
saying: Are not these the words which we spake saying: "It is better for us to die
childless than that our fruit should be cast into the water?" And when they said so, Amram
hearkened not to them.

15. But the daughter of Pharao came down to wash in the river according as she had seen in
a dream, and her maids saw the ark, and she sent one of them and took it and opened it.
And when she saw the child and looked upon the covenant, that is, the testament in his
flesh, she said: He is of the children of the Hebrews. 16. And she took him and nourished
him and he became her son, and she called his name Moyses. But his mother called him
Melchiel. And the child was nourished and became glorious above all men, and by him God
delivered the children of Israel, as he had said.

CHAPTER 10

1. Now when the king of Egypt was dead another king arose, and afflicted all the people of
Israel. But they cried unto the Lord and he heard them, and sent Moses and delivered them
out of the land of Egypt: and God sent also upon them 10 plagues and smote them. Now these
were the plagues, namely, blood, and frogs, and all manner of flies, hail, and death of
cattle, locusts and gnats, and darkness that might be felt, and the death of the
firstborn. 2. And when they had gone forth thence and were journeying, the heart of the
Egyptians was yet again hardened, and they continued to pursue them, and found them by the
Red Sea. And the children of Israel cried unto their God and spake to Moyses saying: Lo,
now is come the time of our destruction, for the sea is before us and the multitude of
enemies behind us, and we in the midst. Was it for this that God brought us out, or are
these the covenants which he made with our fathers saying: To your seed will I give the
land wherein ye dwell? and now let him do with us that which seemeth good in his sight.

3. Then did the children of Israel sever their counsels into three divisions of counsels,
because of the fear of the time. For the tribe of Ruben and of Isachar and of Zabulon and
of Symeon said: Come, let us cast ourselves into the sea, for it is better for us to die
in the water than to be slain of our enemies. And the tribe of Gad and of Aser and of Dan
and Neptalim said: Nay, but let us return with them, and if they will give us our lives,
we will serve them. But the tribe of Levi and of Juda and Joseph and the tribe of Benjamin
said: Not so, but let us take our weapons and fight them, and God will be with us. 4.
Moses also cried unto the Lord and said: O Lord God of our fathers, didst thou not say
unto me: Go and tell the sons of Lia, God hath sent me unto you? And now, behold, thou
hast brought thy people to the brink of the sea, and the enemy follow after them: but
thou, Lord, remember thy name.

5. And God said: Whereas thou hast cried unto me, take thy rod and smite the sea, and it
shall be dried up. And when Moses did all this, God rebuked the sea, and the sea was dried
up: the seas of waters stood still and the depths of the earth appeared, and the
foundations of the dwelling-place were laid bare at the noise of the fear of God and at
the breath of the anger of my Lord. 6. And Israel passed over on dry land in the midst of
the sea. And the Egyptians saw and went on to pursue after them, and God hardened their
mind, and they knew not that they were entering into the sea. And so it was that while the
Egyptians were in the sea God commanded the sea yet again, and said to Moses: Smite the
sea yet once again. And he did so. And the Lord commanded the sea and it returned unto his
waves, and covered the Egyptians and their chariots and their horsemen unto this day.

7. But as for his own people, he led them forth into the wilderness: forty years did he
rain bread from heaven for them, and he brought them quails from the sea, and a well of
water following them brought he forth for them. And in a pillar of cloud he led them by
day and in a pillar of fire by night did he give light unto them.

CHAPTER 11

1. And in the 3rd month of the journeying of the children of Israel out of the land of
Egypt, they came into the wilderness of Sinai. And God remembered his word and said: I
will give light unto the world, and lighten the habitable places, and make my covenant
with the children of men, and glorify my people above all nations, for unto them will I
put forth an eternal exaltation which shall be unto them a light, but unto the ungodly a
chastisement. 2. And he said unto Moses: Behold, I will call thee to-morrow: be thou ready
and tell my people: "For three days let not a man come near his wife," and on the 3rd day
I will speak unto thee and unto them, and after that thou shalt come up unto me. And I
will put my words in thy mouth and thou shalt enlighten my people. For I have given into
thy hands an everlasting law whereby I will judge all the world. For this shall be for a
testimony. For if men say: "We have not known thee, and therefore we have not served
thee," therefore will I take vengeance upon them, because they have not known my law.

3. And Moses did as God commanded him, and sanctified the people and said unto them: Be ye
ready on the 3rd day, for after 3 days will God make his covenant with you. And the people
were sanctified. 4. And it came to pass on the 3rd day that, lo, there were voices of
thunderings (lit. them that sounded) and brightness of lightnings and the voice of
instruments sounding aloud. And there was fear upon all the people that were in the camp.
And Moses put forth the people to meet God. 5. And behold the mountains burned with fire
and the earth shook and the hills were removed and the mountains overthrown: the depths
boiled, and all the habitable places were shaken: and the heavens were folded up and the
clouds drew up water. And flames of fire shone forth and thunderings and lightnings were
multiplied and winds and tempests made a roaring: the stars were gathered together and the
angels ran before, until God established the law of an everlasting covenant with the
children of Israel, and gave unto them an eternal commandment which should not pass away.

6. And at that time the Lord spake unto his people all these words, saying: I am the Lord
thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou
shalt not make to thyself graven gods, neither shalt thou make any abominable image of the
sun or the moon or any of the ornaments of the heaven, nor the likeness of all things that
are upon the earth nor of such as creep in the waters or upon the earth. I am the Lord thy
God, a jealous God, requiting the sins of them that sleep upon the living children of the
ungodly, if they walk in the ways of their fathers, unto the third and fourth generation,
doing (or shewing) mercy unto 1000 generations to them that love me and keep my
commandments. 7. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, that my ways be
not made vain. For God abominateth him that taketh his name in vain.

8. Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it. Six days do thy work, but the seventh day is the
sabbath of the Lord. In it thou shalt do no work, thou and all thy labourers, saving that
therein ye praise the Lord in the congregation of the elders and glorify the Mighty One in
the seat of the aged. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that
are in them, and all the world, the wilderness that is not inhabited, and all things that
do labour, and all the order of the heaven, and God rested the seventh day. Therefore God
sanctified the seventh day, because he rested therein. 9. Thou shalt love thy father and
thy mother and fear them: and then shall thy light rise, and I will command the heaven and
it shall pay thee the rain thereof, and the earth shall hasten her fruit, and thy days
shall be many, and thou shalt dwell in thy land, and shalt not be childless, for thy seed
shall not fail, even that of them that dwell therein.

10. Thou shalt not commit adultery, for thine enemies did not commit adultery with thee,
but thou camest out with a high hand. 11. Thou shalt not kill: because thine enemies got
not the mastery over thee to slay thee, but thou beheldest their death. 12. Thou shalt not
bear false witness against thy neighbour, speaking falsely, lest thy watchmen speak
falsely against thee. 13. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, nor that which he
hath, lest others also covet thy land. 14. And when the Lord ceased speaking, the people
feared with a great fear: and they saw the mountain burning with torches of fire, and they
said to Moses: Speak thou unto us, and let not God speak unto us, lest peradventure we
die. For, lo, to-day we know that God speaketh with man face to face, and man shall live.
And now have we perceived of a truth how that the earth bare the voice of God with
trembling. And Moses said unto them: Fear not, for for this cause came this voice unto
you, that ye should not sin (or, for this cause, that he might prove you, God came unto
you, that ye might receive the fear of him unto you, that ye sin not).

15. And all the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near unto the cloud, knowing that
God was there. And then God spake unto him his justice and judgements, and kept him by him
40 days and 40 nights. And there did he command him many things, and showed him the tree
of life, whereof he cut and took and put it into Mara, and the water of Mara was made
sweet and followed them in the desert 40 years, and went up into the hills with them and
came down into the plain. Also he commanded him concerning the tabernacle and the ark of
the Lord, and the sacrifice of burnt offerings and of incense, and the ordinance of the
table and of the candlestick and concerning the laver and the base thereof, and the
shoulder-piece and the breastplate, and the very precious stones, that the children of
Israel should make them so: and he shewed him the likeness of them to make them according
to the pattern which he saw. And said unto him: Make for me a sanctuary and the tabernacle
of my glory shall be among you.

CHAPTER 12

1. And Moses came down: and whereas he was covered with invisible light—for he had gone
down into the place where is the light of the sun and moon,—the light of his face overcame
the brightness of the sun and moon, and he knew it not. And it was so, when he came down
to the children of Israel, they saw him and knew him not. But when he spake, then they
knew him. And this was like that which was done in Egypt when Joseph knew his brethren but
they knew not him. And it came to pass after that, when Moses knew that his face was
become glorious, he made him a veil to cover his face. 2. But while he was in the mount,
the heart of the people was corrupted, and they came together to Aaron saying: Make us
gods that we may serve them, as the other nations also have. For this Moses by whom the
wonders were done before us, is taken from us. And Aaron said unto them: Have patience,
for Moses will come and bring judgement near to us, and light up a law for us, and set
forth from his mouth the great excellency of God, and appoint judgements unto our people.

3. And when he said this, they hearkened not unto him, that the word might be fulfilled
which was spoken in the day when the people sinned in building the tower, when God said:
And now if I forbid them not, they will adventure all that they take in mind to do, and
worse. But Aaron feared, because the people was greatly strengthened, and said to them:
Bring us the earrings of your wives. And the men sought every one his wife, and they gave
them straightway, and they put them in the fire and they were made into a figure, and
there came out a molten calf. 4. And the Lord said to Moses: Make haste hence, for the
people is corrupted and hath dealt deceitfully with my ways which I commanded them. What
and if the promises are at an end which I made to their fathers when I said: To your seed
will I give this land wherein ye dwell? For behold the people is not yet entered into the
land, even though they bear my judgements, yet have they forsaken me. And therefore I know
that if they enter the land they will do yet greater iniquities. Now therefore I also will
forsake them: and I will turn again and make peace with them, that a house may be built
for me among them; and that house also shall be done away, because they will sin against
me, and the race of men shall be unto me as a drop of a pitcher, and shall be counted as
spittle.

5. And Moses hasted and came down and saw the calf, and he looked upon the tables and saw
that they were not written: and he hasted and brake them; and his hands were opened and he
became like a woman travailing of her firstborn, which when she is taken in her pangs her
hands are upon her bosom, and she shall have no strength to help her to bring forth. 6.
And it came to pass after an hour he said within himself: Bitterness prevaileth not for
ever, neither hath evil the dominion alway. Now therefore will I arise, and strengthen my
loins: for albeit they have sinned, yet shall not these things be in vain that were
declared unto me above. 7. And he arose and brake the calf and cast it into the water, and
made the people drink. And it was so, if any man's will in his mind were that the calf
should be made, his tongue was cut off, but if any had been constrained thereto by fear,
his face shone.

8. And then Moses went up into the mount and prayed the Lord, saying: Behold now, thou art
God which hast planted this vineyard and set the roots thereof in the deep, and stretched
out the shoots of it unto thy most high seat. Look upon it at this time, for the vineyard
hath put forth her fruit and hath not known him that tilled her. And now if thou be wroth
with thy vineyard and root it up out of the deep, and wither up the shoots from thy most
high eternal seat, the deep will come no more to nourish it, neither thy throne to refresh
that thy vineyard which thou hast burned. 9. For thou art he that art all light, and hast
adorned thy house with precious stones and gold and perfumes and spices (or and jasper),
and wood of balsam and cinnamon, and with roots of myrrh and costum hast thou strewed
thine house, and with divers meats and sweetness of many drinks hast thou satisfied it. If
therefore thou have not pity upon thy vineyard, all these things are done in vain, Lord,
and thou wilt have none to glorify thee. For even if thou plant another vineyard, neither
will that one trust in thee, because thou didst destroy the former. For if verily thou
forsake the world, who will do for thee that that thou hast spoken as God? And now let thy
wrath be restrained from thy vineyard the more (because of) that thou hast said and that
which remaineth to be spoken, and let not thy labour be in vain, neither let thine
heritage be torn asunder in humiliation.

10. And God said to him: Behold I am become merciful according to thy words. Hew thee out
therefore two tables of stone from the place whence thou hewedst the former, and write
upon them again my judgements which were on the first.

CHAPTER 13

1. And Moses hasted and did all that God commanded him, and came down and made the tables
(and the tabernacle), and the vessels thereof, and the ark and the lamps and the table and
the altar of burnt offerings and the altar of incense and the shoulderpiece and the
breastplate and the precious stones and the laver and the bases and all things that were
shewn him. And he ordered all the vestures of the priests, the girdles and the rest, the
mitre, the golden plate and the holy crown: he made also the anointing oil for the
priests, and the priests themselves he sanctified. And when all things were finished the
cloud covered all of them. 2. Then Moses cried unto the Lord, and God spake to him from
the tabernacle saying: This is the law of the altar, whereby ye shall sacrifice unto me
and pray for your souls. But as concerning that which ye shall offer me, offer ye of
cattle the calf, the sheep and the she goat: but of fowls the turtle and the dove.

3. And if there be leprosy in your land, and it so be that the leper is cleansed, let them
take for the Lord two live young birds, and wood of cedar and hyssop and scarlet; and he
shall come to the priest, and he shall kill one, and keep the other. And he shall order
the leper according to all that I have commanded in my law. 4. And it shall be when the
times come round to you, ye shall sanctify me with a feast-day and rejoice before me at
the feast of the unleavened bread, and set bread before me, keeping a feast of remembrance
because on that day ye came forth of the land of Egypt. 5. And in the feast of weeks ye
shall set bread before me and make me an offering for your fruits. 6. But the feast of
trumpets shall be for an offering for your watchers, because therein I oversaw my
creation, that ye may be mindful of the whole world. In the beginning of the year, when ye
show them me, I will acknowledge the number of the dead and of them that are born, and the
fast of mercy. For ye shall fast unto me for your souls, that the promises of your fathers
may be fulfilled.

7. Also the feast of tabernacles bring ye to me: ye shall take for me the pleasant fruit
of the tree, and boughs of palm-tree and willows and cedars, and branches of myrrh: and I
will remember the whole earth in rain, and the measure of the seasons shall be
established, and I will order the stars and command the clouds, and the winds shall sound
and the lightnings run abroad, and there shall be a storm of thunder, and this shall be
for a perpetual sign. Also the nights shall yield dew, as I spake after the flood of the
earth 8. when I (or Then he) gave him precept as concerning the year of the life of Noe,
and said to him: These are the years which I ordained after the weeks wherein I visited
the city of men, at what time I shewed them (or him) the place of birth and the colour (or
and the serpent), and I (or he) said: This is the place of which I taught the first man
saying: If thou transgress not that I bade thee, all things shall be subject unto thee.
But he transgressed my ways and was persuaded of his wife, and she was deceived by the
serpent. And then was death ordained unto the generations of men.

9. And furthermore the Lord shewed (or, And the Lord said further: I shewed) him the ways
of paradise and said unto him: These are the ways which men have lost by not walking in
them, because they have sinned against me. 10. And the Lord commanded him concerning the
salvation of the souls of the people and said: If they shall walk in my ways I will not
forsake them, but will alway be merciful unto them, and will bless their seed, and the
earth shall haste to yield her fruit, and there shall be rain for them to increase their
gains, and the earth shall not be barren. Yet verily I know that they will corrupt their
ways, and I shall forsake them, and they will forget the covenants which I made with their
fathers. Yet will I not forget them for ever: for in the last days they shall know that
because of their sins their seed was forsaken; for I am faithful in my ways.

CHAPTER 14

1. At that time God said unto him: Begin to number my people from 20 years and upwards
unto 40 years, that I may show your tribes all that I declared unto their fathers in a
strange land. For by the 50th part of them did I raise them up out of the land of Egypt,
but 40 and 9 parts of them died in the land of Egypt. 2. When thou hast ordered them and
numbered them (or, while ye abode there. And when thou hast numbered them, etc.), write
the tale of them, till I fulfil all that I spake unto their fathers, and set them firmly
in their own land: for I will not diminish any word of those I have spoken unto their
fathers, even of those which I said to them: Your seed shall be as the stars of heaven for
multitude. By number shall they enter into the land, and in a short time shall they become
without number.

3. Then Moses went down and numbered them, and the number of the people was 604,550. But
the tribe of Levi numbered he not among them, for so was it commanded him; only he
numbered them that were upwards of 50 years, of whom the number was 47,300. Also he
numbered them that were below 20 years, and the number of them was 850,850. And he looked
over the tribe of Levi and the whole number of them was CXX. CCXD. DCXX. CC. DCCC. 4. And
Moses declared the number of them to God; and God said to him: These are the words which I
spake to their fathers in the land of Egypt, and appointed a number, even 210 years, unto
all that saw my wonders. Now the number of them all was 9000 times 10,000, 200 times
95,000 men, besides women, and I put to death the whole multitude of them because they
believed me not, and the 50th part of them was left and I sanctified them unto me.
Therefore do I command the generation of my people to give me tithes of their fruits, to
be before me for a memorial of how great oppression I have removed from them.

5. And when Moses came down and declared these things to the people, they mourned and
lamented and abode in the desert two years.

CHAPTER 15

1. And Moses sent spies to spy out the land, even 12 men, for so was it commanded him. And
when they had gone up and seen the land, they returned to him bringing of the fruits of
the land, and troubled the heart of the people, saying: Ye will not be able to inherit the
land, for it is shut up with iron bars by their mighty men. 2. But two men out of the 12
spake not so, but said: Like as hard iron can overcome the stars, or as weapons can
conquer the lightnings, or the fowls of the air put out the thunder, so can these men
resist the Lord. For they saw how that as they went up the lightnings of the stars shone
and the thunders followed, sounding with them. 3. And these are the names of the men:
Chaleb the son of Jephone, the son of Beri, the son of Batuel, the son of Galipha, the son
of Zenen, the son of Selimun, the son of Selon, the son of Juda. The other, Jesus the son
of Naue, the son of Eliphat, the son of Gal, the son of Nephelien, the son of Emon, the
son of Saul, the son of Dabra, the son of Effrem, the son of Joseph.

4. But the people would not hear the voice of the twain, but were greatly troubled, and
spake saying: Be these the words which God spake to us saying: I will bring you into a
land flowing with milk and honey? And how now doth he bring us up that we may fall on the
sword, and our women shall go into captivity? 5. And when they said thus, the glory of God
appeared suddenly, and he said to Moses: Doth this people thus persevere to hearken unto
me not at all? Lo now the counsel which hath gone forth from me shall not be in vain. I
will send the angel of mine anger upon them to break up their bodies with fire in the
wilderness. And I will give commandment to mine angels which watch over them that they
pray not for them, for I will shut up their souls in the treasuries of darkness, and I
will say to my servants their fathers: Behold, this is the seed unto which I spake saying:

Your seed shall come into a land that is not theirs, and the nation whom they shall serve
I will judge. And I fulfilled my words and made their enemies to melt away, and subjected
angels under their feet, and put a cloud for a covering of their heads, and commanded the
sea, and the depths were broken before their face and walls of water stood up. 6. And
there hath not been the like of this word since the day when I said: Let the waters under
the heaven be gathered into one place, unto this day. And I brought them out, and slew
their enemies and led them before me unto the Mount

CHAPTER 16

1. [The scan lacks the page that holds the end of chapter 15 and the beginning of chapter
16.] 2. … now are the thoughts of men greatly polluted. 3. Lo, I will command the earth,
and it shall swallow up body and soul together, and their dwelling shall be in darkness
and in destruction, and they shall not die but shall pine away until I remember the world
and renew the earth. And then shall they die and not live, and their life shall be taken
away out of the number of all men: neither shall Hell vomit them forth again, and
destruction shall not remember them, and their departure shall be as that of the tribe of
the nations of whom I said, "I will not remember them," that is, the camp of the
Egyptians, and the people whom I destroyed with the water of the flood. And the earth
shall swallow them, and I will not do any more unto them.

4. And when Moses spake all these words unto the people, Choreb, and his men were yet
unbelieving. And Choreb sent to call his seven sons which were not of counsel with him. 5.
But they sent to him in answer saying: As the painter showeth not forth an image made by
his art unless he be first instructed, so we also when we received the law of the Most
Mighty which teacheth us his ways, did not enter therein save that we might walk therein.
Our father begat us [not], but the Most Mighty formed us, and now if we walk in his ways
we shall be his children. But if thou believe not, go thine own way. And they came not up
unto him. 6. And it came to pass after this that the earth opened before them, and his
sons sent unto him saying: If thy madness be still upon thee, who shall help thee in the
day of thy destruction? and he hearkened not unto them. And the earth opened her mouth and
swallowed them up, and their houses, and four times was the foundation of the earth moved
to swallow up the men, as it was commanded her. And thereafter Choreb and his company
groaned, until the firmament of the earth should be delivered back.

7. But the assemblies of the people said unto Moses: We cannot abide round about this
place where Choreb and his men have been swallowed up. And he said to them: Take up your
tents from round about them, neither be ye joined to their sins. And they did so.

CHAPTER 17

1. Then was the lineage of the priests of God declared by the choosing of a tribe, and it
was said unto Moses: Take throughout every tribe one rod and put them in the tabernacle,
and then shall the rod of him to whomsoever my glory shall speak, flourish, and I will
take away the murmuring from my people. 2. And Moses did so and set 12 rods, and the rod
of Aaron came out, and put forth blossom and yielded seed of almonds. 3. And this likeness
which was born there was like unto the work which Israel wrought while he was in
Mesopotamia with Laban the Syrian, when he took rods of almond, and put them at the
gathering of waters, and the cattle came to drink and were divided among the peeled rods,
and brought forth [kids] white and speckled and parti-coloured. 4. Therefore was the
synagogue of the people made like unto a flock of sheep, and as the cattle brought forth
according to the almond rods, so was the priesthood established by means of the almond
rods.

CHAPTER 18

1. At that time Moses slew Seon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and divided all their
land unto his people, and they dwelt therein. 2. But Balac was the king of Moab, that
lived over against them, and he was greatly afraid, and sent to Balaam the son of Beor the
interpreter of dreams, which dwelt in Mesopotamia, and charged him saying: Behold I know
how that in the reign of my father Sefor, when the Amorites fought against him, thou didst
curse them and they were delivered up before him. And now come and curse this people, for
they are many, more than we, and I will do thee great honour. 3. And Balaam said: Lo, this
is good in the sight of Balac, but he knoweth not that the counsel of God is not as man's
counsel. And he knoweth not that the spirit which is given unto us is given for a time,
and our ways are not guided except God will. Now therefore abide ye here, and I will see
what the Lord will say to me this night.

4. And in the night God said unto him: Who are the men that are come unto thee? And Balaam
said: Wherefore, Lord, dost thou tempt the race of man? They therefore cannot sustain it,
for thou knewest more than they, all that was in the world, before thou foundedst it. And
now enlighten thy servant if it be right that I go with them. 5. And God said to him: Was
it not concerning this people that I spake unto Abraham in a vision saying: Thy seed shall
be as the stars of heaven, when I raised him up above the firmament and showed him all the
orderings of the stars, and required of him his son for a burnt offering? and he brought
him to be laid upon the altar, but I restored him to his father. And because he resisted
not, his offering was acceptable in my sight, and for the blood of him did I choose this
people. And then I said unto the angels that work subtilly: Said I not of him: To Abraham
will I reveal all that I do?

6. Jacob also, when he wrestled in the dust with the angel that was over the praises, did
not let him go until he blessed him. And now, behold, thou thinkest to go with these, and
curse them whom I have chosen. But if thou curse them, who is he that shall bless thee? 7.
And Balaam arose in the morning and said: Go your way, for God will not have me to come
with you. And they went and told Balac all that was said of Balaam. And Balac sent yet
again other men to Balaam saying: Behold, I know that when thou offerest burnt offerings
to God, God will be reconciled with man, and now ask yet again of thy Lord, and entreat by
burnt offerings, as many as he will. For if peradventure he will be propitiated in my
necessity, thou shalt have thy reward, if so be God accept thy offerings.

8. And Balaam said to them: Lo, the son of Sephor is foolish, and knoweth not that he
dwelleth hard by (lit. round about) the dead: And now tarry here this night and I will see
what God will say unto me. And God said to him: Go with them, and thy journey shall be an
offence, and Balac himself shall go unto destruction. And he arose and went with them. 9.
And his she-ass came by the way of the desert and saw the angel, and he opened the eyes of
Balaam and he saw the angel and worshipped him on the earth. And the angel said to him:
Haste and go on, for what thou sayest shall come to pass with him. 10. And he came unto
the land of Moab and built an altar and offered sacrifices: and when he had seen a part of
the people, the spirit of God abode not in him, and he took up his parable and said: Lo,
Balac hath brought me hither unto the mount, saying: Come, run into the fire of these men.
Lo I cannot abide that fire which waters quench, but that fire which consumeth water who
shall endure? And he said to him: It is easier to take away the foundations and all the
topmost part of them, and to quench the light of the sun and darken the shining of the
moon, than for him who will to root up the planting of the Most Mighty or spoil his
vineyard. And Balac himself hath not known it, because his mind is puffed up, to the
intent his destruction may come swiftly.

11. For behold, I see the heritage which the Most Mighty showed me in the night, and lo
the days come when Moab shall be amazed at that which befalleth her, for Balac desired to
persuade the Most Mighty with gifts and to purchase decision with money. Oughtest thou not
to have asked what he sent upon Pharao and upon his land because he would bring them into
bondage? Behold an overshadowing vine, desirable exceedingly, and who shall be jealous
against it, for it withereth not? But if any say in his counsel that the Most Mighty hath
laboured in vain or chosen them to no purpose, lo now I see the salvation of deliverance
which is to come unto them. I am restrained in the speech of my voice and I cannot express
that which I see with mine eyes, for but a little is left to me of the holy spirit which
abideth in me, since I know that in that I was persuaded of Balac I have lost the days of
my life:

12. Lo, again I see the heritage of the abode of this people, and the light of it shineth
above the brightness of lightning, and the running of it is swifter than arrows. And the
time shall come when Moab shall groan, and they that serve Cham (Chemosh?) shall be weak,
even such as took this counsel against them. But I shall gnash my teeth because I was
deceived and did transgress that which was said to me in the night. Yet my prophecy shall
remain manifest, and my words shall live, and the wise and prudent shall remember my
words, for when I cursed I perished, and though I blessed I was not blessed. And when he
had so said he held his peace. And Balac said: Thy God hath defrauded thee of many gifts
from me. 13. Then Balaam said unto him: Come and let us advise what thou shalt do to them.
Choose out the most comely women that are among you and that are in Midian and set them
before them naked, and adorned with gold and jewels, and it shall be when they shall see
them and lie with them, they will sin against their Lord and fall into your hands, for
otherwise thou canst not subdue them.

14. And so saying Balaam turned away and returned to his place. And thereafter the people
were led astray after the daughters of Mcab, for Balac did all that Balaam had showed him.

CHAPTER 19

1. At that time Moses slew the nations, and gave half of the spoils to the people, and he
began to declare to them the words of the law which God spake to them in Oreb. 2. And he
spake to them, saying: Lo, I sleep with my fathers, and shall go unto my people. But I
know that ye will arise and forsake the words that were ordained unto you by me, and God
will be wroth with you and forsake you and depart out of your land, and bring against you
them that hate you, and they shall have dominion over you, but not unto the end, for he
will remember the covenant which he made with your fathers. 3. But then both ye and your
sons and all your generations after you will arise and seek the day of my death and will
say in their heart: Who will give us a shepherd like unto Moses, or such another judge to
the children of Israel, to pray for our sins at all times, and to be heard for our
iniquities?

4. Howbeit, this day I call heaven and earth to witness against you, for the heaven shall
hear this and the earth shall take it in with her ears, that God hath revealed the end of
the world, that he might covenant with you upon his high places, and hath kindled an
everlasting lamp among you. Remember, ye wicked, how that when I spake unto you, ye
answered saying: All that God hath said unto us we will hear and do. But if we transgress
or corrupt our ways, he shall call a witness against us and cut us off. 5. But know ye
that ye did eat the bread of angels 40 years. And now behold I do bless your tribes,
before my end come. But ye, know ye my labour wherein I have laboured with you since the
day ye came up out of the land of Egypt.

6. And when he had so said, God spake unto him the third time, saying: Behold, thou goest
to sleep with thy fathers, and this people will arise and seek me, and will forget my law
wherewith I have enlightened them, and I shall forsake their seed for a season. 7. But
unto thee will I show the land before thou die, but thou shall not enter therein in this
age, lest thou see the graven images whereby this people will be deceived and led out of
the way. I will show thee the place wherein they shall serve me 740 (l. 850) years. And
thereafter it shall be delivered into the hand of their enemies, and they shall destroy
it, and strangers shall compass it about, and it shall be in that day as it was in the day
when I brake the tables of the covenant which I made with thee in Oreb: and when they
sinned, that which was written therein vanished away. Now that day was the 17th day of the
4th month.

8. And Moses went up into Mount Oreb, as God had bidden him, and prayed, saying: Behold, I
have fulfilled the time of my life, even 120 years. And now I pray thee let thy mercy be
with thy people and let thy compassion be continued upon thine heritage, Lord, and thy
long-suffering in thy place upon the race of thy choosing, for thou hast loved them more
than all. 9. And thou knowest that I was a shepherd of sheep, and when I fed the flock in
the desert, I brought them unto thy Mount Oreb, and then first saw I thine angel in fire
out of the bush; but thou calledst me out of the bush, and I feared and turned away my
face, and thou sentest me unto them, and didst deliver them out of Egypt, and their
enemies thou didst sink in the water. And thou gavest them a law and judgements whereby
they should live. For what man is he that hath not sinned against thee? How shall thine
heritage be established except thou have mercy on them? Or who shall yet be born without
sin? Yet wilt thou correct them for a season, but not in anger.

10. Then the Lord shewed him the land and all that is therein and said: This is the land
which I will give to my people. And he shewed him the place from whence the clouds draw up
water to water all the earth, and the place whence the river receiveth his water, and the
land of Egypt, and the place of the firmament, from whence the holy land only drinketh. He
shewed him also the place from whence it rained manna for the people, and even unto the
paths of paradise. And he shewed him the measures of the sanctuary, and the number of the
offerings, and the sign whereby men shall interpret (lit. begin to look upon) the heaven,
and said: These are the things which were forbidden to the sons of men because they
sinned. 11. And now, thy rod wherewith the signs were wrought shall be for a witness
between me and my people. And when they sin I shall be wroth with them and remember my
rod, and spare them according to my mercy, and thy rod shall be in my sight for a
remembrance all the days, and shall be like unto the bow wherein I made a covenant with
Noe when he came out of the ark, saying: I will set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a
sign between me and men that the water of a flood be no more upon the earth.

12. But thee will I take hence and give thee sleep with thy fathers and give thee rest in
thy slumber, and bury thee in peace, and all the angels shall lament for thee, and the
hosts of heaven shall be sorrowful. But there shall not any, of angels or men, know thy
sepulchre wherein thou art to be buried, but thou shalt rest therein until I visit the
world, and raise thee up and thy fathers out of the earth [of Egypt] wherein ye shall
sleep, and ye shall come together and dwell in an immortal habitation that is not subject
unto time. 13. But this heaven shall be in my sight as a fleeting cloud, and like
yesterday when it is past, and it shall be when I draw near to visit the world, I will
command the years and charge the times, and they shall be shortened, and the stars shall
be hastened, and the light of the sun make speed to set, neither shall the light of the
moon endure, because I will hasten to raise up you that sleep, that in the place of
sanctification which I shewed thee, all they that can live may dwell therein.

14. And Moses said: If I may ask yet one thing of thee, O Lord, according to the multitude
of thy mercy, be not wroth with me. And shew me what measure of time hath passed by and
what remaineth. 15. And the Lord said to him: An instant, the topmost part of a hand, the
fulness of a moment, and the drop of a cup. And time hath fulfilled all. For 4½ have
passed by, and 2½ remain. 16. And Moses when he heard was filled with understanding, and
his likeness was changed gloriously: and he died in glory according to the mouth of the
Lord, and he buried him as he had promised him, and the angels lamented at his death, and
lightnings and torches and arrows went before him with one accord. And on that day the
hymn of the hosts was not said because of the departure of Moses. Neither was there any
day like unto it since the Lord made man upon earth, neither shall there be any such for
ever, that he should make the hymn of the angels to cease because of a man; for he loved
him greatly; and he buried him with his own hands on an high place of the earth, and in
the light of the whole world.


THE BIBLICAL ANTIQUITIES OF PHILO (CHAPTERS 20–36)
==================================================

THE BIBLICAL ANTIQUITIES OF PHILO continued

CHAPTER 20

1. And at that time God made his covenant with Jesus the son of Naue which remained of the
men that spied out the land: for the lot had fallen upon them that they should not see the
land because they spake evil of it, and for this cause that generation died. 2. Then said
God unto Jesus the son of Naue: Wherefore mournest thou, and wherefore hopest thou in
vain, thinking that Moses shall yet live? Now therefore thou waitest to no purpose, for
Moses is dead. Take the garments of his wisdom and put them on thee, and gird thy loins
with the girdle of his knowledge, and thou shalt be changed and become another man. Did I
not speak for thee unto Moses my servant, saying: "He shall lead my people after thee, and
into his hand will I deliver the kings of the Amorites"? 3. And Jesus took the garments of
wisdom and put them on, and girded his loins with the girdle of understanding. And it came
to pass when he put it on, that his mind was kindled and his spirit stirred up, and he
said to the people: Lo, the former generation died in the wilderness because they spake
against their God. And, behold now, know, all ye captains, this day that if ye go forth in
the ways of your God, your paths shall be made straight.

4. But if ye obey not his voice, and are like your fathers, your works shall be spoiled,
and ye yourselves broken, and your name shall perish out of the land, and then where shall
be the words which God spake unto your fathers? For even if the heathen say: It may be God
hath failed, because he hath not delivered his people, yet whereas they perceive that he
hath chosen to himself other peoples, working for them great wonders, they shall
understand that the Most Mighty accepteth not persons. But because ye sinned through
vanity, therefore he took his power from you and subdued you. And now arise and set your
heart to walk in the ways of your Lord and he shall direct you. 5. And the people said
unto him: Lo, this day see we that which Eldad and Modat prophesied in the days of Moses,
saying: After that Moses resteth, the captainship of Moses shall be given unto Jesus the
son of Naue. And Moses was not envious, but rejoiced when he heard them; and thenceforth
all the people believed that thou shouldest lead them, and divide the land unto them in
peace: and now also if there be conflict, be strong and do valiantly, for thou only shalt
be leader in Israel.

6. And when he heard that, Jesus thought to send spies into Jericho. And he called Cenez
and Seenamias his brother, the two sons of Caleph, and spake to them, saying: I and your
father were sent of Moses in the wilderness and went up with other ten men: and they
returned and spake evil of the lands and melted the heart of the people, and they were
scattered and the heart of the people with them. But I and your father only fulfilled the
word of the Lord, and lo, we are alive this day. And now will I send you to spy out the
land of Jericho. Do like unto your father and ye also shall live. 7. And they went up and
spied out the city. And when they brought back word, the people went up and besieged the
city and burned it with fire. 8. And after that Moses was dead, the manna ceased to come
down for the children of Israel, and then began they to eat the fruits of the land. And
these are the three things which God gave his people for the sake of three persons, that
is, the well of the water of Mara for Maria's sake, and the pillar of cloud for Aaron's
sake, and the manna for the sake of Moses. And when these three came to an end, those
three gifts were taken away from them.

9. Now the people and Jesus fought against the Amorites, and when the battle waxed strong
against their enemies throughout all the days of Jesus, 30 and 9 kings which dwelt in the
land were cut off. And Jesus gave the land by lot to the people, to every tribe according
to the lots, according as he had received commandment. 10. Then came Caleph unto him and
said: Thou knowest how that we two were sent by lot by Moses to go with the spies, and
because we fulfilled the word of the Lord, behold we are alive at this day: and now if it
be well-pleasing in thy sight, let there be given unto my son Cenez for a portion the
territory of the three (or the tribe of the) towers. And Jesus blessed him, and did so.

CHAPTER 21

1. And when Jesus was become old and well-stricken in years, God said to him: Behold, thou
waxest old and well-stricken in days, and the land is become very great, and there is none
to divide it (or take it by lot), and it shall be after thy departure this people will
mingle with the inhabitants of the land and go astray after other gods, and I shall
forsake them as I testified in my word unto Moses; but do thou testify unto them before
thou diest. 2. And Jesus said: Thou knowest more than all, O Lord, what moveth the heart
of the sea before it rageth, and thou hast tracked out the constellations and numbered the
stars, and ordered the rain. Thou knowest the mind of all generations before they be born.
And now, Lord, give unto thy people an heart of wisdom and a mind of prudence, and it
shall be when thou givest these ordinances unto thine heritage, they shall not sin before
thee and thou shall not be wroth with them.

3. Are not these the words which I spake before thee, Lord, when Achar stole of the curse,
and the people were delivered up before thee, and I prayed in thy sight and said: Were it
not better for us, O Lord, if we had died in the Red Sea, wherein thou drownedst our
enemies? or if we had died in the wilderness, like our fathers, than to be delivered into
the hand of the Amorites that we should be blotted out for ever? 4. Yet if thy word be
about us, no evil shall befall us: for even though our end be removed unto death, thou
livest which art before the world and after the world; and whereas a man cannot devise how
to put one generation before another, he saith "God hath destroyed his people whom he
chose": and, behold, we shall be in Hell: yet thou wilt make thy word alive. And now let
the fulness of thy mercies have patience with thy people, and choose for thine heritage a
man which shall rule over thy people, he and his generation.

5. Was it not for this that our father Jacob spake, saying: A prince shall not depart from
Juda, nor a leader from his loins. And now confirm the words spoken aforetime, that the
nations of the earth and tribes of the world may learn that thou art everlasting. 6. And
he said furthermore: O Lord, behold the days shall come and the house of Israel shall be
like unto a brooding dove which setteth her young in the nest and will not forsake them
nor forget her place. So, also, these shall turn from their deeds and fight against the
salvation that shall be born unto them. 7. And Jesus went down from Galgala and built an
altar of very great stones, and brought no iron upon them, as Moses had commanded, and set
up great stones on mount Gebal, and whitened them and wrote on them the words of the law
very plainly: and gathered all the people together and read in their ears all the words of
the law.

8. And he came down with them and offered upon the altar peace-offerings, and they sang
many praises, and lifted up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the tabernacle with
timbrels and dances and lutes and harps and psalteries and all instruments of sweet sound.
9. And the priests and Levites were going up before the ark and rejoicing with psalms, and
they set the ark before the altar, and lifted up on it yet again peace-offerings very
many, and the whole house of Israel sang together with a loud voice saying: Behold, our
Lord hath fulfilled that which he spake with our fathers saying: To your seed will I give
a land wherein to dwell, a land flowing with milk and honey. And lo, he hath brought us
into the land of our enemies and hath delivered them broken in heart before us, and he is
the God which sent to our fathers in the secret places of souls, saying: Behold, the Lord
hath done all that he spake unto us. And now know we of a truth that God hath confirmed
all the words of the law which he spake to us in Oreb; and if our heart keep his ways it
will be well with us, and with our sons after us.

10. And Jesus blessed them and said: The Lord grant your heart to continue therein (or in
him) all the days, and if ye depart not from his name, the covenant of the Lord shall
endure with you. And he grant that it be not corrupted, but that the dwelling-place of God
be builded among you, as he spake when he sent you into his inheritance with mirth and
gladness.

CHAPTER 22

1. And it came to pass after these things, when Jesus and all Israel had heard that the
children of Ruben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasse which dwelt about
Jordan had built them an altar and did offer sacrifices thereon and had made priests for
the sanctuary, all the people were troubled above measure and came unto them to Silon. 2.
And Jesus and all the elders spake to them saying: What be these works which are done
among you, while as yet we are not settled in our land? Are not these the words which
Moses spake to you in the wilderness saying: See that when ye enter into the land ye spoil
not your doings, and corrupt all the people? And now wherefore is it that our enemies have
so much abounded, save because ye do corrupt your ways and have made all this trouble, and
therefore will they assemble against us and overcome us.

3. And the children of Ruben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasse said
unto Jesus and all the people of Israel: Lo now hath God enlarged the fruit of the womb of
men, and hath set up a light that that which is in darkness may see, for he knoweth what
is in the secret places of the deep, and with him light abideth. Now the Lord God of our
fathers knoweth if any of us or if we ourselves have done this thing in the way of
iniquity, but only for our posterity's sake, that their heart be not separated from the
Lord our God lest they say to us: Behold now, our brethren which be beyond Jordan have an
altar, to make offerings upon it, but we in this place that have no altar, let us depart
from the Lord our God, because our God hath set us afar off from his ways, that we should
not serve him.

4. And then verily spake we among ourselves: Let us make us an altar, that they may have a
zeal to seek the Lord. And verily there be some of us that stand by and know that we are
your brothers and stand guiltless before your face. Do ye therefore that which is pleasing
in the sight of the Lord. 5. And Jesus said: Is not the Lord our king mightier than 1000
sacrifices? And wherefore taught ye not your sons the words of the Lord which ye heard of
us? For if your sons had been occupied in the meditation of the law of the Lord, their
mind would not have been led aside after a sanctuary made with hands. Or know ye not that
when the people were forsaken for a moment in the wilderness when Moses went up to receive
the tables, their mind was led astray, and they made themselves idols? And except the
mercy of the God of your fathers had kept us, all the synagogues should have become a
byword, and all the sins of the people should have been blazed abroad because of your
foolishness.

6. Therefore now go and dig down the sanctuaries that ye have builded you, and teach your
sons the law, and they shall be meditating therein day and night, that the Lord may be
with them for a witness and a judge unto them all the days of their life. And God shall be
witness and judge between me and you, and between my heart and your heart, that if ye have
done this thing in subtlety it shall be avenged upon you, because you would destroy your
brothers: but if ye have done it ignorantly as ye say, God will be merciful unto you for
your sons' sake. And all the people answered: Amen, Amen. 7. And Jesus and all the people
of Israel offered for them 1,000 rams for a sin-offering (lit. the word of excusing), and
prayed for them and sent them away in peace: and they went and destroyed the sanctuary,
and fasted and wept, both they and their sons, and prayed and said: O God of our fathers,
that knowest before the heart of all men, thou knowest that our ways were not wrought in
iniquity in thy sight, neither have we swerved from thy ways, but have served thee all of
us, for we are the work of thy hands: now therefore remember thy covenant with the sons of
thy servants.

8. And after that Jesus went up unto Galgala, and reared up the tabernacle of the Lord,
and the ark of the covenant and all the vessels thereof, and set it up in Silo, and put
there the Demonstration and the Truth (i. e. the Urim and Thummim). And at that time
Eleazar the priest which served the altar did teach by the Demonstration all them of the
people that came to inquire of the Lord, for thereby it was shown unto them, but in the
new sanctuary that was in Galgala, Jesus appointed even unto this day the burnt offerings
that were offered by the children of Israel every year. 9. For until the house of the Lord
was builded in Jerusalem, and so long as the offerings were made in the new sanctuary, the
people were not forbidden to offer therein, because the Truth and the Demonstration
revealed all things in Silo. And until the ark was set by Solomon in the sanctuary of the
Lord they went on sacrificing there unto that day. But Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest
of the Lord ministered in Silo.

CHAPTER 23

1. And Jesus the son of Naue ordered the people and divided unto them the land, being a
mighty man of valour. And while yet the adversaries of Israel were in the land, the days
of Jesus drew near that he should die, and he sent and called all Israel throughout all
their land with their wives and their children, and said unto them: Gather yourselves
together before the ark of the covenant of the Lord in Silo and I will make a covenant
with you before I die. 2. And when all the people were gathered together on the 16th day
of the 3rd month before the face of the Lord in Silo with their wives and their children,
Jesus said unto them: Hear, O Israel, behold I make with you the covenant of this law
which the Lord ordained with our fathers in Oreb, and therefore tarry ye here this night
and see what God will say unto me concerning you. 3.

3. And as the people waited there that night, the Lord appeared unto Jesus in a vision and
spake saying: According to all these words will I speak unto this people. 4. And Jesus
came in the morning and assembled all the people and said unto them: Thus saith the Lord:
One rock was there from whence I digged out your father, and the cutting of that rock
brought forth two men, whose names were Abraham and Nachor, and out of the chiselling of
that place were born two women whose names were Sara and Melcha. And they dwelled together
beyond the river. And Abraham took Sara to wife and Nachor took Melcha. 5. And when the
people of the land were led astray, every man after his own devices, Abraham believed in
me and was not led aside after them. And I saved him out of the fire and took him and
brought him over into all the land of Chanaan. And I spake unto him in a vision saying:
Unto thy seed will I give this land. And he said unto me: Behold now thou hast given me a
wife and she is barren. And how shall I have seed of that womb that is shut up?

6. And I said unto him: Take for me a calf of three years old and a she-goat of three
years and a ram of three years, a turtle-dove and a pigeon. And he took them as I
commanded him. And I sent a sleep upon him and compassed him about with fear, and I set
before him the place of fire wherein the works of them that commit iniquity against me
shall be avenged, and I showed him the torches of fire whereby the righteous which have
believed in me shall be enlightened. 7. And I said unto him: These shall be for a witness
between me and thee that I will give thee seed of the womb that is shut up. And I will
liken thee unto the dove, because thou hast received for me the city which thy sons shall
(begin to) build in my sight. But the turtle-dove I will liken unto the prophets which
shall be born of thee. And the ram will I liken unto the wise men which shall be born of
thee and enlighten thy sons. But the calf I will liken unto the multitude of the peoples
which shall be multiplied through thee. And the she-goat I will liken unto the women whose
wombs I will open and they shall bring forth. These things shall be for a witness betwixt
us that I will not transgress my words.

8. And I gave him Isaac and formed him in the womb of her that bare him, and commanded it
that it should restore him quickly and render him unto me in the 7th month. And for this
cause every woman that bringeth forth in the 7th month, her child shall live: because upon
him did I call my glory, and showed forth the new age. 9. And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and
Esau, and unto Esau I gave the land of Seir for an heritage. And Jacob and his sons went
down into Egypt. And the Egyptians brought your fathers low, as ye know, and I remembered
your fathers, and sent Moses my friend and delivered them from thence and smote their
enemies. 10. And I brought them out with a high hand and led them through the Red Sea, and
laid the cloud under their feet, and brought them out through the depth, and brought them
beneath the mount Sina, and I bowed the heavens and came down, and I congealed the flame
of the fire, and stopped up the springs of the deep, and impeded the course of the stars,
and tamed the sound of the thunder, and quenched the fulness of the wind, and rebuked the
multitude of the clouds, and stayed their motions, and interrupted the storm of the hosts,
that I should not break my covenant, for all things were moved at my coming down, and all
things were quickened at my advent, and I suffered not my people to be scattered, but gave
unto them my law, and enlightened them, that if they did these things they may live and
have length of days and not die.

11. And I have brought you into this land and given you vineyards. Ye dwell in cities
which ye built not. And I have fulfilled the covenant which I spake unto your fathers. 12.
And now if ye obey your fathers, I will set my heart upon you for ever, and will
overshadow you, and your enemies shall no more fight against you, and your land shall be
renowned throughout all the world and your seed be elect in the midst of the peoples,
which shall say: Behold the faithful people; because they believed the Lord, therefore
hath the Lord delivered them and planted them. And therefore will I plant you as a
desirable vineyard and will rule you as a beloved flock, and I will charge the rain and
the dew, and they shall satisfy you all the days of your life. 13. And it shall be at the
end that the lot of every one of you shall be in eternal life, both for you and your seed,
and I will receive your souls and lay them up in peace, until the time of the age is
fulfilled, and I restore you unto your fathers and your fathers unto you, and they shall
know at your hand that it is not in vain that I have chosen you. These are the words that
the Lord hath spoken unto me this night.

14. And all the people answered and said: The Lord is our God, and him only will we serve.
And all the people made a great feast that day and a renewal thereof for 28 days.

CHAPTER 24

1. And after these days Jesus the son of Naue assembled all the people yet again, and said
unto them: Behold now the Lord hath testified unto you this day: I have called heaven and
earth to witness to you that if ye will continue to serve the Lord ye shall be unto him a
peculiar people. But if ye will not serve him and will obey the gods of the Amorites in
whose land ye dwell, say so this day before the Lord and go forth. But I and my house will
serve the Lord. 2. And all the people lifted up their voice and wept saying: Peradventure
the Lord will account us worthy, and it is better for us to die in the fear of him, than
to be destroyed out of the land. 3. And Jesus the son of Naue blessed the people and
kissed them and said unto them: Let your words be for mercy before our Lord, and let him
send his angel, and preserve you: Remember me after my death, and remember ye Moses the
friend of the Lord. And let not the words of the covenant which he hath made with you
depart from you all the days of your life. And he sent them away and they departed every
man to his inheritance.

4. But Jesus laid himself upon his bed, and sent and called Phineës the son of Eleazar the
priest and said unto him: Behold now I see with mine eyes the transgression of this people
wherein they will begin to deceive: but thou, strengthen thy hands in the time that thou
art with them. And he kissed him and his father and his sons and blessed him and said: The
Lord God of your fathers direct your ways and the ways of this people. 5. And when he
ceased speaking unto them, he drew up his feet into the bed and slept with his fathers.
And his sons laid their hands upon his eyes. 6. And then all Israel gathered together to
bury him, and they lamented him with a great lamentation, and thus said they in their
lamentation: Weep ye for the wing of this swift eagle, for he hath flown away from us. And
weep ye for the strength of this lion's whelp, for he is hidden from us. Who now will go
and report unto Moses the righteous, that we have had forty years a leader like unto him?
And they fulfilled their mourning and buried him with their own hands in the mount Effraim
and returned every man unto his tent. And after the death of Jesus the land of Israel was
at rest.

CHAPTER 25

1. And the Philistines sought to fight with K the men of Israel: and they inquired of the
Lord and said: Shall we go up and fight against the Philistines? and God said to them: If
ye go up with a pure heart, fight; but if your heart is defiled, go not up. And they
inquired yet again saying: How shall we know if all the heart of the people be alike? and
God said to them: Cast lots among your tribes, and it shall be unto every tribe that
cometh under the lot, that it shall be set apart into one lot, and then shall ye know
whose heart is clean and whose is defiled. 2. And the people said: Let us first appoint
over us a prince, and so cast lots. And the angel of the Lord said to them: Appoint. And
the people said: Whom shall we appoint that is worthy, Lord? And the angel of the Lord
said to them: Cast the lot upon the tribe of Caleb, and he that is shown by the lot, even
he shall be your prince. And they cast the lot for the tribe of Caleb and it came out upon
Cenez, and they made him ruler over Israel.

3. And Cenez said to the people: Bring your tribes unto me and hear ye the word of the
Lord. And the people gathered together and Cenez said to them: Ye know that which Moses
the friend of the Lord charged you, that ye should not transgress the law to the right
hand or to the left. And Jesus also who was after him gave you the same charge. And now,
lo, we have heard of the mouth of the Lord that your heart is defiled. And the Lord hath
charged us to cast lots among your tribes to know whose heart hath departed from the Lord
our God. Shall not the fury of anger come upon the people? But I promise you this day that
even if a man of mine own house come out in the lot of sin, he shall not be saved alive,
but shall be burned with fire. And the people said: Thou hast spoken a good counsel, to
perform it.

4. And the tribes were brought before him, and there were found of the tribe of Juda 345
men, and of the tribe of Ruben 560, and of the tribe of Simeon 775, and of the tribe of
Levi 150, and of the tribe of Zabulon 655 (or 645), and of the tribe of Isachar 665, and
of the tribe of Gad 380. Of the tribe of Aser 665, and of the tribe of Manasse 480, and of
the tribe of Effraim 468, and of the tribe of Benjamin 267. And all the number of them
that were found by the lot of sin was 6110. And Cenez took them all and shut them up in
prison, till it should be known what should be done with them. 5. And Cenez said: Was it
not of this that Moses the friend of the Lord spake saying: There is a strong root among
you bringing forth gall and bitterness? Now blessed be the Lord who hath revealed all the
devices of these men, neither hath he suffered them to corrupt his people by their evil
works. Bring hither therefore the Demonstration and the Truth and call forth Eleazar the
priest, and let us inquire of the Lord by him.

6. Then Cenez and Eleazar and all the elders and the whole synagogue prayed with one
accord saying: Lord God of our fathers, reveal unto thy servants the truth, for we are
found not believing in the wonders which thou didst for our fathers since thou broughtest
them out of the land of Egypt unto this day. And the Lord answered and said: First ask
them that were found, and let them confess their deeds which they did subtilly, and
afterwards they shall be burned with fire. 7. And Cenez brought them forth and said to
them: Behold now ye know how that Achiar confessed when the lot fell on him, and declared
all that he had done. And now declare unto me all your wickedness and your inventions: who
knoweth, if ye tell us the truth, even though ye die now, yet God will have mercy upon you
when he shall quicken the dead?

8. And one of them named Elas said unto him: Shall not death come now upon us, that we
shall die by fire? Nevertheless I tell thee, my Lord, there are none inventions like unto
these which we have made wickedly. But if thou wilt search out the truth plainly, ask
severally the men of every tribe, and so shall some one of them that stand by perceive the
difference of their sins. 9. And Cenez asked them of his own tribe and they told him: We
desired to imitate and make the calf that they made in the wilderness. And after that he
asked the men of the tribe of Ruben, which said: We desired to sacrifice unto the gods of
them that dwell in the land. And he asked the men of the tribe of Levi, which said: We
would prove the tabernacle, whether it were holy. And he asked the remnant of the tribe of
Isachar, which said: We would inquire by the evil spirits of the idols, to see whether
they revealed plainly: and he asked the men of the tribe of Zabulon, which said: We
desired to eat the flesh of our children and to learn whether God hath care for them. And
he asked the remnant of the tribe of Dan, which said: The Amorites taught us that which
they did, that we might teach our children. And lo, they are hid under the tent of Elas,
who told thee to inquire of us. Send therefore and thou shall find them. And Cenez sent
and found them.

10. And thereafter asked he them that were left over of the tribe of Gad, and they said:
We committed adultery with each other's wives. And he asked next the men of the tribe of
Aser, which said: We found seven golden images which the Amorites called the holy Nymphs,
and we took them with the precious stones that were set upon them, and hid them: and lo,
now they are laid up under the top of the mount Sychem. Send therefore and thou shalt find
them. And Cenez sent men and removed them thence. 11. Now these are the Nymphs which when
they were called upon did show unto the Amorites their works in every hour. For these are
they which were devised by seven evil men after the flood, whose names are these: <? Cham>
Chanaan, Phuth, Selath, Nembroth, Elath, Desuath. Neither shall there be again any like
similitude in the world graven by the hand of the artificer and adorned with variety of
painting, but they were set up and fixed for the consecration (i. e. the holy place?) of
idols. Now the stones were precious, brought from the land of Euilath, among which was a
crystal and a prase (or one crystalline and one green), and they shewed their fashion,
being carved after the manner of a stone pierced with open-work, and another of them was
graven on the top, and another as it were marked with spots (or like a spotted
chrysoprase) so shone with its graving as if it shewed the water of the deep lying
beneath.

12. And these are the precious stones which the Amorites had in their holy places, and the
price of them was above reckoning. For when any entered in by night, he needed not the
light of a lantern, so much did the natural light of the stones shine forth. Wherein that
one gave the greatest light which was cut after the form of a stone pierced with open-
work, and was cleansed with bristles; for if any of the Amorites were blind, he went and
put his eyes thereupon and recovered his sight. Now when Cenez found them, he set them
apart and laid them up till he should know what should become of them. 13. And after that
he asked them that were left of the tribe of Manasse, and they said: We did only defile
the Lord's sabbaths. And he asked the forsaken of the tribe of Effraim, which said: We
desired to pass our sons and our daughters through the fire, that we might know if that
which was said were manifest. And he asked the forsaken of the tribe of Benjamin, which
said: We desired at this time to examine the book of the law, whether God had plainly
written that which was therein, or whether Moses had taught it of himself.

CHAPTER 26

1. And when Cenez had taken all these words and written them in a book and read them
before the Lord, God said to him: Take the men and that which was found with them and all
their goods and put them in the bed of the river Phison, and burn them with fire that mine
anger may cease from them. 2. And Cenez said: Shall we burn these precious stones also
with fire, or sanctify them unto thee, for among us there are none like unto them? And God
said to him: If God should receive in his own name any of the accursed thing, what should
man do? Therefore now take these precious stones and all that was found, both books and
men: and when thou dealest so with the men, set apart these stones with the books, for
fire will not avail to burn them, and afterwards I will shew thee how thou must destroy
them. But the men and all that was found thou shalt burn with fire. And thou shalt
assemble all the people, and say to them: Thus shall it be done unto every man whose heart
turneth away from his God.

3. And when the fire hath consumed those men, then the books and the precious stones which
cannot be burned with fire, neither cut with iron, nor blotted out with water, lay them
upon the top of the mount beside the new altar; and I will command a cloud, and it shall
go and take up dew and shed it upon the books, and shall blot out that which is written
therein, for they cannot be blotted out with any other water than such as hath never
served men. And thereafter I will send my lightning, and it shall burn up the books
themselves. 4. But as concerning the precious stones, I will command mine angel and he
shall take them and go and cast them into the depths of the sea, and I will charge the
deep and it shall swallow them up, for they may not continue in the world because they
have been polluted by the idols of the Amorites. And I will command another angel, and he
shall take for me twelve stones out of the place whence these seven were taken; and thou,
when thou findest them in the top of the mount where he shall lay them, take and put them
on the shoulder-piece over against the twelve stones which Moses set therein in the
wilderness, and sanctify them in the breastplate (lit. oracle) according to the twelve
tribes: and say not, How shall I know which stone I shall set for which tribe? Lo, I will
tell thee the name of the tribe answering unto the name of the stone, and thou shall find
both one and other graven.

5. And Cenez went and took all that had been found and the men with it, and assembled all
the people again, and said to them: Behold, ye have seen all the wonders which God hath
shewed us unto this day, and lo, when we sought out all that had subtilly devised evil
against the Lord and against Israel, God hath revealed them according to their works, and
now cursed be every man that deviseth to do the like among you, brethren. And all the
people answered Amen, Amen. And when he had so said, he burned all the men with fire, and
all that was found with them, saving the precious stones. 6. And after that Cenez desired
to prove whether the stones could be burned with fire, and cast them into the fire. And it
was so, that when they fell therein, forthwith the fire was quenched. And Cenez took iron
to break them, and when the sword touched them the iron thereof was melted; and thereafter
he would at the least blot out the books with water; but it came to pass that the water
when it fell upon them was congealed. And when he saw that, he said: Blessed be God who
hath done so great wonders for the children of men, and made Adam the first-created and
shewed him all things; that when Adam had sinned thereby, then he should deny him all
these things, lest if he shewed them unto the race of men they should have the mastery
over them.

7. And when he had so said, he took the books and the stones and laid them on the top of
the mount by the new altar as the Lord had commanded him, and took a peace-offering and
burnt-offerings, and offered upon the new altar 2000, offering them all for a burnt
sacrifice. And on that day they kept a great feast, he and all the people together. 8. And
God did that night as he spake unto Cenez, for he commanded a cloud, and it went and took
dew from the ice of paradise and shed it upon the books and blotted them out. And after
that an angel came and burned them up, and another angel took the precious stones and cast
them into the heart of the sea, and he charged the depth of the sea, and it swallowed them
up. And another angel went and brought twelve stones and laid them hard by the place
whence he had taken those seven. And he graved thereon the names of the twelve tribes.

9. And Cenez arose on the morrow and found those twelve stones on the top of the mount
where himself had laid those seven. And the graving of them was so as if the form of eyes
was portrayed upon them. 10. And the first stone, whereon was written the name of the
tribe of Ruben, was like a sardine stone. The second stone was graven with a tooth (or
ivory), and therein was graven the name of the tribe of Simeon, and the likeness of a
topaz was seen in it; and on the third stone was graven the name of the tribe of Levi, and
it was like unto an emerald. But the fourth stone was called a crystal, wherein was graven
the name of the tribe of Juda, and it was likened to a carbuncle. The fifth stone was
green, and upon it was graven the name of the tribe of Isachar, and the colour of a
sapphire stone was therein. And of the sixth stone the graving was as if it had been
inscribed, (or as a chrysoprase) speckled with diverse markings, and thereon was written
the tribe of Zabulon, and the jasper stone was likened unto it.

11. Of the seventh stone the graving shone and shewed within itself, as it were, enclosed
the water of the deep, and therein was written the name of the tribe of Dan, which stone
was like a ligure. But the eighth stone was cut out with adamant, and therein was written
the name of the tribe of Neptalim, and it was like an amethyst. And of the ninth stone the
graving was pierced, and it was from Mount Ophir, and therein was written the tribe of
Gad, and an agate stone was likened unto it. And of the tenth stone the graving was
hollowed, and gave the likeness of a stone of Theman, and there was written the tribe of
Aser, and a chrysolite was likened unto it. And the eleventh stone was an elect stone from
Libanus, and thereon was written the name of the tribe of Joseph, and a beryl was likened
to it. And the twelfth stone was cut out of the height of Sion (or the quarry), and upon
it was written the tribe of Benjamin; and the onyx stone was likened unto it.

12. And God said to Cenez: Take these stones and put them in the ark of the covenant of
the Lord with the tables of the covenant which I gave unto Moses in Oreb, and they shall
be there with them until Jahel arise to build an house in my name, and then he shall set
them before me upon the two cherubim, and they shall be in my sight for a memorial of the
house of Israel. 13. And it shall be when the sins of my people are filled up, and their
enemies have the mastery over their house, that I will take these stones and the former
together with the tables, and lay them up in the place whence they were brought forth in
the beginning, and they shall be there until I remember the world, and visit the dwellers
upon earth. And then will I take them and many other better than they, from that place
which eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it come up into the heart of man, until
the like cometh to pass unto the world, and the just shall have no need of the light of
the sun nor of the shining of the moon, for the light of the precious stones shall be
their light.

14. And Cenez arose and said: Behold what good things God hath done for men, and because
of their sins have they been deprived of them all. And now know I this day that the race
of men is weak, and their life shall be accounted as nothing. 15. And so saying, he took
the stones from the place where they were laid, and as he took them there was as it were
the light of the sun poured out upon them, and the earth shone with their light. And Cenez
put them in the ark of the covenant of the Lord with the tables as it was commanded him,
and there they are unto this day.

CHAPTER 27

1. And after this he armed of the people 300,000 men and went up to fight against the
Amorites, and slew on the first day 800,000 men, and on the second day he slew about
500,000. 2. And when the third day came, certain men of the people spake evil against
Cenez, saying: Lo, now, Cenez alone lieth in his house with his wife and his concubines,
and sendeth us to battle, that we may be destroyed before our enemies. 3. And when the
servants of Cenez heard, they brought him word. And he commanded a captain of fifty, and
he brought of them thirty-seven men who spake against him and shut them up in ward. 4. And
their names are these: Le and Uz, Betul, Ephal, Dealma, Anaph, Desac, Besac, Gethel,
Anael, Anazim, Noac, Cehec, Boac, Obal, Iabal, Enath, Beath, Zelut, Ephor, Ezeth, Desaph,
Abidan, Esar, Moab, Duzal, Azath, Phelac, Igat, Zophal, Eliesor, Ecar, Zebath, Sebath,
Nesach and Zere. And when the captain of fifty had shut them up as Cenez commanded, Cenez
said: When the Lord hath wrought salvation for his people by my hand, then will I punish
these men.

5. And so saying, Cenez commanded the captain of fifty, saying: Go and choose of my
servants 300 men, and as many horses, and let no man of the people know of the hour when I
shall go forth to battle; but only in what hour I shall tell thee, prepare the men that
they be ready this night. 6. And Cenez sent messengers, spies, to see where was the
multitude of the camp of the Amorites. And the messengers went and spied, and saw that the
multitude of the camp of the Amorites was moving among the rocks devising to come and
fight against Israel. And the messengers returned and told him according to this word. And
Cenez arose by night, he and 300 horsemen with him, and took a trumpet in his hand and
began to go down with the 300 men. And it came to pass, when he was near to the camp of
the Amorites, that he said to his servants: Abide here and I will go down alone and view
the camp of the Amorites. And it shall be, if I blow with the trumpet ye shall come down,
but if not, wait for me here.

7. And Cenez went down alone, and before he went down he prayed, and said: O Lord God of
our fathers, thou hast shewn unto thy servant the marvellous things which thou hast
prepared to do by thy covenant in the last days: and now, send unto thy servant one of thy
wonders, and I will overcome thine adversaries, that they and all the nations and thy
people may know that the Lord delivereth not by the multitude of an host, neither by the
strength of horsemen, when they shall perceive the sign of deliverance which thou shalt
work for me this day (or horsemen, and that thou, Lord, wilt perform a sign of salvation
with me this day). Behold, I will draw my sword out of the scabbard and it shall glitter
in the camp of the Amorites: and it shall be, if the Amorites perceive that it is I,
Cenez, then I shall know that thou hast delivered them into mine hand. But if they
perceive not that it is I, and think that it is another, then I shall know that thou hast
not hearkened unto me, but hast delivered me unto mine enemies. But and if I be indeed
delivered unto death, I shall know that because of mine iniquities the Lord hath not heard
me, and hath delivered me unto mine enemies; but he will not destroy his inheritance by my
death.

8. And he set forth after he had prayed, and heard the multitude of the Amorites saying:
Let us arise and fight against Israel: for we know that our holy Nymphs are there among
them and will deliver them into our hands. 9. And Cenez arose, for the spirit of the Lord
clothed him as a garment, and he drew his sword, and when the light of it shone upon the
Amorites like sharp lightning, they saw it, and said: Is not this the sword of Cenez which
hath made our wounded many? Now is the word justified which we spake, saying that our holy
Nymphs have delivered them into our hands. Lo, now, this day shall there be feasting for
the Amorites, when our enemy is delivered unto us. Now, therefore, arise and let everyone
gird on his sword and begin the battle. 10. And it came to pass when Cenez heard their
words, he was clothed with the spirit of might and changed into another man, and went down
into the camp of the Amorites and began to smite them. And the Lord sent before his face
the angel Ingethel (or Gethel), who is set over the hidden things, and worketh unseen,
(and another) angel of might helping with him: and Ingethel smote the Amorites with
blindness, so that every man that saw his neighbour counted them his adversaries, and they
slew one another. And the angel Zeruel, who is set over strength, bare up the arms of
Cenez lest they should perceive him; and Cenez smote of the Amorites forty and five
thousand men, and they themselves smote one another, and fell forty and five thousand men.

11. And when Cenez had smitten a great multitude, he would have loosened his hand from his
sword, for the handle of the sword clave, that it could not be loosed, and his right hand
had taken into it the strength of the sword. Then they that were left of the Amorites fled
into the mountains; but Cenez sought how he might loose his hand: and he looked with his
eyes and saw a man of the Amorites fleeing, and he caught him and said to him: I know that
the Amorites are cunning: now therefore shew me how I may loose my hand from this sword,
and I will let thee go. And the Amorite said: Go and take a man of the Hebrews and kill
him, and while his blood is yet warm hold thine hand beneath and receive his blood, so
shall thine hand be loosed. And Cenez said: As the Lord liveth, if thou hadst said, Take a
man of the Amorites, I would have taken one of them and saved thee alive: but forasmuch as
thou saidest "of the Hebrews" that thou mightest show thine hatred, thy mouth shall be
against thyself, and according as thou hast said, so will I do unto thee. And when he had
thus said Cenez slew him, and while his blood was yet warm, he held his hand beneath and
received it therein, and it was loosed.

12. And Cenez departed and put off his garments, and cast himself into the river and
washed, and came up again and changed his garments, and returned to his young men. Now the
Lord cast upon them a heavy sleep in the night, and they slept and knew not any thing of
all that Cenez had done. And Cenez came and awaked them out of sleep; and they looked
[upon him] with their eyes and saw, and behold, the field was full of dead bodies: and
they were astonished in their mind, and looked every man on his neighbour. And Cenez said
unto them: Why marvel ye? Are the ways of the Lord as the way of men? For with men a
multitude prevaileth, but with God that which he appointeth. And therefore if God hath
willed to work deliverance for this people by my hands, wherefore marvel ye? Arise and
gird on every man your swords, and we will go home to our brethren.

13. And when all Israel heard the deliverance that was wrought by the hands of Cenez, all
the people came out with one accord to meet him, and said: Blessed be the Lord which hath
made thee ruler over his people, and hath shown that those things are sure which he spake
unto thee: that which we heard by speech we see now with our eyes, for the work of the
word of God is manifest. 14. And Cenez said unto them: Ask now your brethren, and let them
tell you how greatly they laboured with me in the battle. And the men that were with him
said: As the Lord liveth, we fought not, neither knew we anything, save only when we
awaked, we saw the field full of dead bodies. And the people answered: Now know we that
when the Lord appointeth to work deliverance for his people, he hath no need of a
multitude, but only of sanctification.

15. And Cenez said to the captain of fifty which had shut up those men in prison: Bring
forth those men that we may hear their words. And when he had brought them forth, Cenez
said to them: Tell me, what saw ye in me that ye murmured among the people? And they said:
Why askest thou us? Why askest thou us? Now therefore command that we be burned with fire,
for we die not for this sin that we have now spoken, but for that former one wherein those
men were taken which were burned in their sins; for then we did consent unto their sin,
saying: Peradventure the people will not perceive us; and then we did escape the people.
But now have we been (rightly) made a public example by our sins in that we fell into
slandering of thee. And Cenez said: If ye yourselves therefore witness against yourselves,
how shall I have compassion upon you? And Cenez commanded them to be burned with fire, and
cast their ashes into the place where they had burned the multitude of the sinners, even
into the brook Phison.

16. And Cenez ruled over his people fifty and seven years, and there was fear upon all his
enemies all his days.

CHAPTER 28

1. And when the days of Cenez drew nigh that he should die, he sent and called all men (or
all the elders), and the two prophets Jabis and Phinees, and Phinees the son of Eleazar
the priest, and said to them: Behold now, the Lord hath showed me all his marvellous works
which he hath prepared to do for his people in the last days. 2. And now will I make my
covenant with you this day, that ye forsake not the Lord your God after my departing. For
ye have seen all the marvels which came upon them that sinned, and all that they declared,
confessing their sins of their own accord, and how the Lord our God made an end of them
for that they transgressed his covenant. Wherefore now spare ye them of your house and
your sons, and abide in the ways of the Lord your God, that the Lord destroy not his
inheritance.

3. And Phinees, the son of Eleazar the priest, said: If Cenez the ruler bid me, and the
prophets and the people and the elders, I will speak a word which I heard of my father
when he was a-dying, and will not keep silence concerning the commandment which he
commanded me when his soul was being received. And Cenez the ruler and the prophets said:
Let Phinees say on. Shall any other speak before the priest which keepeth the commandments
of the Lord our God, and that, seeing that truth proceedeth out of his mouth, and out of
his heart a shining light? 4. Then said Phinees: My father, when he was a-dying, commanded
me saying: Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel when they are gathered together
unto the assembly: The Lord appeared unto me the third day before this in a dream in the
night, and said unto me: Behold, thou hast seen, and thy father before thee, how greatly I
have laboured for my people; and it shall be after thy death that this people shall arise
and corrupt their ways, departing from my commandments, and I shall be exceeding wroth
with them. Yet will I remember the time which was before the ages, even in the time when
there was not a man, and therein was no iniquity, when I said that the world should be,
and they that should come should praise me therein, and I will plant a great vineyard, and
out of it will I choose a plant, and order it and call it by my name, and it shall be mine
for ever. But when I have done all that I have spoken, nevertheless my planting, which is
called after me, will not know me, the planter thereof, but will corrupt his fruit, and
will not yield me his fruit. These are the things which my father commanded me to speak
unto this people.

5. And Cenez lifted up his voice, and the elders, and all the people with one accord, and
wept with a great lamentation until the evening and said: Shall the shepherd destroy his
flock to no purpose, except it continue in sin against him? And shall it not be he that
shall spare according to the abundance of his mercy, seeing he hath spent great labour
upon us? 6. Now while they were set, the holy spirit that dwelt in Cenez leapt upon him
and took away from him his bodily sense, and he began to prophesy, saying: Behold now I
see that which I looked not for, and perceive that I knew not. Hearken now, ye that dwell
on the earth, even as they that sojourned therein prophesied before me, when they saw this
hour, even before the earth was corrupted, that ye may know the prophecies appointed
aforetime, all ye that dwell therein.

7. Behold now I see flames that burn not, and I hear springs of water awaked out of sleep,
and they have no foundation, neither do I behold the tops of the mountains, nor the canopy
of the firmament, but all things unappearing and invisible, which have no place
whatsoever, and although mine eye knoweth not what it seeth, mine heart shall discover
that which it may learn (or say). 8. Now out of the flame which I saw, and it burned not,
I beheld, and lo a spark came up and as it were builded for itself a floor under heaven,
and the likeness of the floor thereof was as a spider spinneth, in the fashion of a
shield. And when the foundation was laid, I beheld, and from that spring there was stirred
up as it were a boiling froth, and behold, it changed itself as it were into another
foundation; and between the two foundations, even the upper and the lower, there drew near
out of the light of the invisible place as it were forms of men, and they walked to and
fro: and behold, a voice saying: These shall be for a foundation unto men and they shall
dwell therein 7000 years.

9. And the lower foundation was a pavement and the upper was of froth, and they that came
forth out of the light of the invisible place, they are those that shall dwell therein,
and the name of that man is <Adam>. And it shall be, when he hath (or they have) sinned
against me and the time is fulfilled, that the spark shall be quenched and the spring
shall cease, and so they shall be changed. 10. And it came to pass after Cenez had spoken
these words that he awaked and his sense returned unto him: but he knew not that which he
had spoken neither that which he had seen, but this only he said to the people: If the
rest of the righteous be such after they are dead, it is better for them to die to the
corruptible world, that they see not sin. And when Cenez had so said, he died and slept
with his fathers, and the people mourned for him 30 days.

CHAPTER 29

1. And after these things the people appointed Zebul ruler over them, and at that time he
gathered the people together and said unto them: Behold now, we know all the labour
wherewith Cenez laboured with us in the days of his life. Now if he had had sons, they
should have been princes over the people, but inasmuch as his daughters are yet alive, let
them receive a greater inheritance among the people, because their father in his life
refused to give it unto them, lest he should be called covetous and greedy of gain. And
the people said: Do all that is right in thine eyes. 2. Now Cenez had three daughters
whose names are these: Ethema the firstborn, the second Pheila, the third Zelpha. And
Zebul gave to the firstborn all that was round about the land of the Phœnicians, and to
the second he gave the olive-yard of Accaron, and to the third all the tilled land that
was about Azotus. And he gave them husbands, namely to the firstborn Elisephan, to the
second Odiel, and to the third Doel.

3. Now in those days Zebul set up a treasury for the Lord and said unto the people:
Behold, if any man will sanctify unto the Lord gold and silver, let him bring it to the
Lord's treasury in Sylo: only let not any that hath stuff belonging to idols think to
sanctify it to the Lord's treasures, for the Lord desireth not the abominations of the
accursed things, lest ye disturb the synagogue of the Lord, for the wrath that is passed
by sufficeth. And all the people brought that which their heart moved them to bring, both
men and women, even gold and silver. And all that was brought was weighed, and it was 20
talents of gold, and 250 talents of silver. 4. And Zebul judged the people twenty and five
years. And when he had accomplished his time, he sent and called all the people and said:
Lo, now I depart to die. Look ye to the testimonies which they that went before us
testified, and let not your heart be like unto the waves of the sea, but like as the wave
of the sea understandeth not save only those things which are in the sea, so let your
heart also think upon nothing save only those things which belong unto the law. And Zebul
slept with his fathers, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

CHAPTER 30

1. Then had the children of Israel no man whom they might appoint as judge over them: and
their heart fell away, and they forgot the promise, and transgressed the ways which Moses
and Jesus the servants of the Lord had commanded them, and were led away after the
daughters of the Amorites, and served their gods. 2. And the Lord was wroth with them, and
sent his angel and said: Behold, I chose me one people out of all the tribes of the earth,
and I said that my glory should abide with them in this world, and I sent unto them Moses
my servant, to declare unto them my great majesty and my judgements, and they have
transgressed my ways. Now therefore behold I will stir up their enemies and they shall
rule over them, and then shall all the people[s] say: Because we have transgressed the
ways of God and of our fathers, therefore are these things come upon us. Yet there shall a
woman rule over them which shall give them light 40 years.

3. And after these things the Lord stirred up against them Jabin king of Asor, and he
began to fight against them, and he had as captain of his might Sisara, who had 8000
chariots of iron. And he came unto the mount Effrem and fought against the people, and
Israel feared him greatly, and the people could not stand all the days of Sisara. 4. And
when Israel was brought very low, all the children of Israel gathered together with one
accord unto the mount of Juda and said: We did call ourselves blessed more than all
people, and now, lo, we are brought so low, more than all nations, that we cannot dwell in
our land, and our enemies bear rule over us. And now who hath done all this unto us? Is it
not our iniquities, because we have forsaken the Lord God of our fathers, and have walked
in those things which could not profit us? Now therefore come let us fast seven days, both
men and women, and from the least (sic) even to the sucking child. Who knoweth whether God
will be reconciled unto his inheritance, that he destroy not the planting of his vineyard?

5. And after the people had fasted 7 days, sitting in sackcloth, the Lord sent unto them
on the 7th day Debbora, who said unto them: Can the sheep that is appointed to the
slaughter answer before him that slayeth it, when both he that slayeth <...> and he that
is slain keepeth silence, when he is sometimes provoked against it? Now ye were born to be
a flock before our Lord. And he led you into the height of the clouds, and subdued angels
beneath your feet, and appointed unto you a law, and gave you commandments by prophets,
and chastised you by rulers, and shewed you wonders not a few, and for your sake commanded
the luminaries and they stood still in the places where they were bidden, and when your
enemies came upon you he rained hailstones upon them and destroyed them, and Moses and
Jesus and Cenez and Zebul gave you commandments. And ye have not obeyed them.

6. For while they lived, ye shewed yourselves as it were obedient unto your God, but when
they died, your heart died also. And ye became like unto iron that is thrust into the
fire, which when it is melted by the flame becometh as water, but when it is come out of
the fire returneth unto its hardness. So ye also, while they that admonish you burn you,
do show the effect, and when they are dead ye forget all things. 7. And now, behold, the
Lord will have compassion upon you this day, not for your sakes, but for his covenant's
sake which he made with your fathers and for his oath's sake which he sware, that he would
not forsake you for ever. But know ye that after my decease ye will begin to sin in your
latter days. Wherefore the Lord will perform marvellous things among you, and will deliver
your enemies into your hands. For your fathers are dead, but God, which made a covenant
with them, is life.

CHAPTER 31

1. And Debbora sent and called Barach and said to him: Arise and gird up thy loins as a
man, and go down and fight against Sisara. For I see the constellations greatly moved in
their ranks and preparing to fight for you. I see also the lightnings unmoveable in their
courses, and setting forth to stay the wheels of the chariots of them that boast in the
might of Sisara, who saith: I will surely go down in the arm of my might to fight against
Israel, and will divide the spoil of them among my servants, and their fair women will I
take unto me for concubines. Therefore hath the Lord spoken concerning him that the arm of
a weak woman shall overcome him, and maidens shall take his spoil, and he also himself
shall fall into the hands of a woman. 2. And when Debbora and the people and Barach went
down to meet their enemies, immediately the Lord disturbed the goings of his stars, and
spake unto them saying: Hasten and go ye, for our (or your) enemies fall upon you:
confound their arms and break the strength of their hearts, for I am come that my people
may prevail. For though it be that my people have sinned, yet will I have mercy on them.
And when this was said, the stars went forth as it was commanded them and burned up their
enemies. And the number of them that were gathered (or burned) and slain in one hour was
90 times 97,000 men. But Sisara they destroyed not, for so it was commanded them.

3. And when Sisara had fled on his horse to deliver his soul, Jahel the wife of Aber the
Cinean decked herself with her ornaments and came out to meet him: now the woman was very
fair: and when she saw him she said: Come in and take food, and sleep: and in the evening
I will send my servants with thee, for I know that thou wilt remember me and recompense
me. And Sisara came in, and when he saw roses scattered upon the bed he said: If I be
delivered, O Jahel, I will go unto my mother and thou shalt (or Jahel shall) be my wife.
4. And thereafter was Sisara athirst and he said to Jahel: Give me a little water, for I
am faint and my soul burneth by reason of the flame which I beheld in the stars. And Jahel
said unto him: Rest a little while and then thou shalt drink.

5. And when Sisara was fallen asleep, Jahel went to the flock and milked milk therefrom.
And as she milked she said: Behold now, remember, O Lord, when thou didst divide every
tribe and nation upon the earth, didst thou not choose out Israel only, and didst not
liken him to any beast save only unto the ram that goeth before the flock and leadeth it?
Behold therefore and see how Sisara hath thought in his heart saying: I will go and punish
the flock of the Most Mighty. And lo, I will take of the milk of the beasts whereunto thou
didst liken thy people, and will go and give him to drink, and when he hath drunk he shall
become weak, and after that I will kill him. And this shall be the sign that thou shalt
give me, O Lord, that, whereas Sisara sleepeth, when I go in, if he wake and ask me
forthwith, saying: Give me water to drink, then I shall know that my prayer hath been
heard.

6. So Jahel returned and entered in, and Sisara awaked and said to her: Give me to drink,
for I burn mightily and my soul is inflamed. And Jahel took wine and mingled it with the
milk and gave him to drink, and he drank and fell asleep. 7. But Jahel took a stake in her
left hand and drew near unto him saying: If the Lord give me this sign I shall know that
Sisara shall fall into my hands. Behold I will cast him upon the ground from off the bed
whereon he sleepeth, and it shall be, if he perceive it not, that I shall know that he is
delivered up. And Jahel took Sisara and pushed him from off the bed upon the earth, but he
perceived it not, for he was exceeding faint. And Jahel said: Strengthen in me, O Lord,
mine arm this day for thy sake and thy people's sake, and for them that put their trust in
thee. And Jahel took the stake and set it upon his temple and smote with the hammer. And
as he died Sisara said to Jahel: Lo, pain hath come upon me, Jahel, and I die like a
woman. And Jahel said unto him: Go boast thyself before thy father in hell, and tell him
that thou hast fallen into (or say, I have been delivered into) the hands of a woman. And
she made an end and slew him and laid his body there until Barach should return.

8. Now the mother of Sisara was called Themech, and she sent unto her friends saying:
Come, let us Judith go forth together to meet my son, and ye shall see the daughters of
the Hebrews whom my son will bring hither to be his concubines. 9. But Barach returned
from following after Sisara and was greatly vexed because he found him not, and Jahel came
forth to meet him, and said: Come, enter in, thou blessed of God, and I will deliver thee
thine enemy whom thou followedst after and hast not found. And Barach went in and found
Sisara dead, and said: Blessed be the Lord which sent his spirit and said: Into the hands
of a woman shall Sisara be delivered. And when he had so said he cut off the head of
Sisara and sent it unto his mother, and gave her a message saying: Receive thy son whom
thou didst look for to come with spoil.

CHAPTER 32

1. Then Debbora and Barach the son of Abino and all the people together sang an hymn unto
the Lord in that day, saying: Behold, from on high hath the Lord shewn unto us his glory,
even as he did aforetime when he sent forth his voice to confound the tongues of men. And
he chose out our nation, and took Abraham our father out of the fire, and chose him before
all his brethren, and kept him from the fire and delivered him from the bricks of the
building of the tower, and gave him a son in the latter days of his old age, and brought
him out of the barren womb, and all the angels were jealous against him, and the orderers
of the hosts envied him. 2. And it came to pass, when they were jealous against him, God
said unto him: Slay for me the fruit of thy belly and offer for my sake that which I gave
thee. And Abraham did not gainsay him and set forth immediately. And as he went forth he
said to his son: Lo, now, my son, I offer thee for a burnt offering and deliver thee into
his hands who gave thee unto me.

3. And the son said to his father: Hear me, father. If a lamb of the flock is accepted for
an offering to the Lord for an odour of sweetness, and if for the iniquities of men sheep
are appointed to the slaughter, but man is set to inherit the world, how then sayest thou
now unto me: Come and inherit a life secure, and a time that cannot be measured? What and
if I had not been born in the world to be offered a sacrifice unto him that made me? And
it shall be my blessedness beyond all men, for there shall be no other such thing; and in
me shall the generations be instructed, and by me the peoples shall understand that the
Lord hath accounted the soul of a man worthy to be a sacrifice unto him. 4. And when his
father had offered him upon the altar and had bound his feet to slay him, the Most Mighty
hasted and sent forth his voice from on high saying: Kill not thy son, neither destroy the
fruit of thy body: for now have I showed forth myself that I might appear to them that
know me not, and have shut the mouths of them that always speak evil against thee. And thy
memorial shall be before me for ever, and thy name and the name of this thy son from one
generation to another.

5. And to Isaac he gave two sons, which also were from a womb shut up, for at that time
their mother was in the third year of her marriage. And it shall not be so with any other
woman, neither shall any wife boast herself so, that cometh near to her husband in the
third year. And there were born to him two sons, even Jacob and Esau. And God loved Jacob,
but Esau he hated because of his deeds. 6. And it came to pass in the old age of their
father, that Isaac blessed Jacob and sent him into Mesopotamia, and there he begat 12
sons, and they went down into Egypt and dwelled there. 7. And when their enemies dealt
evilly with them, the people cried unto the Lord, and their prayer was heard, and he
brought them out thence, and led them unto the mount Sina, and brought forth unto them the
foundation of understanding which he had prepared from the birth of the world; and then
the foundation was moved, the hosts sped forth the lightnings upon their courses, and the
winds sounded out of their storehouses, and the earth was stirred from her foundation, and
the mountains and the rocks trembled in their fastenings, and the clouds lifted up their
waves against the flame of the fire that it should not consume the world.

8. Then did the depth awake from his springs, and all the waves of the sea came together.
Then did Paradise give forth the breath of her fruits, and the cedars of Libanus were
moved from their roots. And the beasts of the field were terrified in the dwellings of the
forests, and all his works gathered together to behold the Lord when he ordained a
covenant with the children of Israel. And all things that the Most Mighty said, these hath
he observed, having for witness Moses his beloved. 9. And when he was dying God appointed
unto him the firmament, and shewed him these witnesses whom now we have, saying: Let the
heaven whereinto thou hast entered and the earth wherein thou hast walked until now be a
witness between me and thee and my people. For the sun and the moon and the stars shall be
ministers unto us (or you).

10. And when Jesus arose to rule over the people, it came to pass in the day wherein he
fought against the enemies, that the evening drew near, while yet the battle was strong,
and Jesus said to the sun and the moon: O ye ministers that were appointed between the
Most Mighty and his sons, lo now, the battle goeth on still, and do ye forsake your
office? Stand still therefore to-day and give light unto his sons, and put darkness upon
our enemies. And they did so. 11. And now in these days Sisara arose to make us his
bondmen, and we cried unto the Lord our God, and he commanded the stars and said: Depart
out of your ranks, and burn mine enemies, that they may know my might. And the stars came
down and overthrew their camp and kept us safe without any labour. 12. Therefore will we
not cease to sing praises, neither shall our mouths keep silence from telling of his
marvellous works: for he hath remembered his promises both new and old, and hath shown us
his deliverance: and therefore doth Jahel boast herself among women, because she alone
hath brought this good way to success, in that with her own hands she slew Sisara.

13. O earth, go thou, go, ye heavens and lightnings, go, ye angels and hosts, [go ye] and
tell the fathers in the treasure-houses of their souls, and say: The Most Mighty hath not
forgotten the least of all the promises which he made with us, saying: Many wonders will I
perform for your sons. And now from this day forth it shall be Judith M known that
whatsoever God hath said unto men that he will perform, he will perform it, even though
man die. 14. Sing praises, sing praises, O Debbora (or, if man delay to sing praises to
God, yet sing thou, O Debbora), and let the grace of an holy spirit awake in thee, and
begin to praise the works of the Lord: for there shall not again arise such a day, wherein
the stars shall bear tidings and overcome the enemies of Israel, as it was commanded them.
From this time forth if Israel fall into a strait, let him call upon these his witnesses
together with their ministers, and they shall go upon an embassy to the most High, and he
will remember this day, and will send a deliverance to his covenant.

15. And thou, Debbora, begin to speak of that thou sawest in the field: how that the
people walked and went forth safely, and the stars fought on their part (or, how that,
like peoples walking, so went forth the stars and fought). Rejoice, O land, over them that
dwell in thee, for in thee is the knowledge of the Lord which buildeth his stronghold in
thee. For it was of right that God took out of thee the rib of him that was first formed,
knowing that out of his rib Israel should be born. And thy forming shall be for a
testimony of what the Lord hath done for his people. 16. Tarry, O ye hours of the day, and
hasten not onward, that we may declare that which our understanding can bring forth, for
night will come upon us. And it shall be like the night when God smote the firstborn of
the Egyptians for the sake of his firstborn.

17. And then shall I cease from my hymn because the time will be hastened (or prepared)
for his righteous ones. For I will sing unto him as in the renewing of the creation, and
the people shall remember this deliverance, and it shall be for a testimony unto them. Let
the sea also bear witness, with the deeps thereof, for not only did God dry it up before
the face of our fathers, but he did also overthrow the camp from its setting and overcame
our enemies. 18. And when Debbora made an end of her words she went up with the people
together unto Silo, and they offered sacrifices and burnt offerings and sounded upon the
broad trumpets. And when they sounded and had offered the sacrifices, Debbora said: This
shall be for a testimony of the trumpets between the stars and the Lord of them.

CHAPTER 33

1. And Debbora went down thence, and judged Israel 40 years. And it came to pass when the
day of her death drew near, that she sent and gathered all the people and said unto them:
Hearken now, my people. Behold, I admonish you as a woman of God, and give you light as
one of the race of women; obey me now as your mother, and give ear to my words, as men
that shall yourselves die. 2. Behold, I depart to die by the way of all flesh, whereby ye
also shall go: only direct your heart unto the Lord your God in the time of your life, for
after your death ye will not be able to repent of those things wherein ye live. 3. For
death is now sealed up, and accomplished, and the measure and the time and the years have
restored that which was committed to them. For even if ye seek to do evil in hell after
your death, ye will not be able, because the desire of sin shall cease, and the evil
creation shall lose its power, and hell, which receiveth that that is committed to it,
will not restore it unless it be demanded by him that committed it. Now, therefore, my
sons, obey ye my voice while ye have the time of life and the light of the law, and direct
your ways.

4. And when Debbora spake these words, all the people lifted up their voice together and
wept, saying: Behold now, mother, thou diest and forsakest thy sons; and to whom dost thou
commit them? Pray thou, therefore, for us, and after thy departure thy soul shall be
mindful of us for ever. 5. And Debbora answered and said to the people: While a man yet
liveth he can pray for himself and for his sons; but after his end he will not be able to
entreat nor to remember any man. Therefore, hope not in your fathers, for they will not
profit you unless ye be found like unto them. But then your likeness shall be as the stars
of the heaven, which have been manifested unto you at this time. 6. And Debbora died and
slept with her fathers and was buried in the city of her fathers, and the people mourned
for her 70 days. And as they bewailed her, thus they spake a lamentation, saying: Behold,
a mother is perished out of Israel, and an holy one that bare rule in the house of Jacob,
which made fast the fence about her generation, and her generation shall seek after her.
And after her death the land had rest seven years.

CHAPTER 34

1. And at that time there came up a certain Aod of the priests of Madian, and he was a
wizard, and he spake unto Israel, saying: Wherefore give ye ear to your law? Come and I
will shew you such a thing as your law is not. And the people said: What canst thou shew
us that our law hath not? And he said to the people: Have ye ever seen the sun by night?
And they said: Nay. And he said: Whensoever ye will, I will shew it unto you, that ye may
know that our gods have power, and will not deceive them that serve them. And they said:
Shew us. 2. And he departed and wrought with his magic, commanding the angels that were
set over sorceries, because for a long time he did sacrifice unto them. 3. (For this was
formerly in the power of the angels and was) performed by the angels before they were
judged, and they would have destroyed the unmeasurable world; and because they
transgressed, it came to pass that the angels had no longer the power. For when they were
judged, then the power was not committed unto the rest: and by these signs (or powers) do
they work who minister unto men in sorceries, until the unmeasurable age shall come.

4. And at that time Aod by art magic shewed unto the people the sun by night. And the
people were astonished and said: Behold, what great things can the gods of the Madianites
do, and we knew it not! 5. And God, willing to try Israel whether they were yet in
iniquity, suffered the angels, and their work had good success, and the people of Israel
were deceived and began to serve the gods of the Madianites. And God said: I will deliver
them into the hands of the Madianites, inasmuch as by them are they deceived. And he
delivered them into their hands, and the Madianites began to bring Israel into bondage.

CHAPTER 35

1. Now Gedeon was the son of Joath, the most mighty man among all his brethren. And when
it was the time of summer, he came to the mountain, having sheaves with him, to thresh
them there, and escape from the Madianites that pressed upon him. And the angel of the
Lord met him, and said unto him: Whence comest thou and where is thine entering in? 2. He
said to him: Why askest thou me whence I come? for straitness encompasseth me, for Israel
is fallen into affliction, and they are verily delivered into the hands of the Madianites.
And where are the wonders which our fathers have told us, saying: The Lord chose Israel
alone before all the peoples of the earth? Lo, now he hath delivered us up, and hath
forgotten the promises which he made to our fathers. For we should have chosen rather to
be delivered unto death once for all, than that his people should be punished thus time
after time.

3. And the angel of the Lord said unto him: It is not for nothing that ye are delivered
up, but your own inventions have brought these things upon you, for like as ye have
forsaken the promises which ye received of the Lord, these evils are come upon you, and ye
have not been mindful of the commandments of God, which they commanded you that were
before you. Therefore are ye come into the displeasure of your God. But he will have mercy
upon you, as no man hath mercy, even upon the race of Israel, and that not for your sakes,
but because of them that are fallen asleep. 4. And now come, I will send thee, and thou
shalt deliver Israel out of the hand of the Madianites. For thus saith the Lord: Though
Israel be not righteous, yet because the Madianites are sinners, therefore, knowing the
iniquity of my people, I will forgive them, and after that I will rebuke them for that
they have done evil, but upon the Madianites I will be avenged presently.

5. And Gedeon said: Who am I and what is my father's house, that I should go against the
Madianites to battle? And the angel said unto him: Peradventure thou thinkest that as is
man's way so is the way of God. For men look upon the glory of the world and upon riches,
but God looketh upon that which is upright and good, and upon meekness. Now therefore go,
gird up thy loins, and the Lord shall be with thee, for thee hath he chosen to take
vengeance of his enemies, like as, behold, he hath bidden thee. 6. And Gedeon said to him:
Let not my Lord be wroth if I speak a word. Behold, Moses, the first of all the prophets,
besought the Lord for a sign, and it was given him. But who am I, except the Lord that
hath chosen me give me a sign that I may know that I go aright. And the angel of the Lord
said unto him: Run and take for me water out of the pit yonder and pour it upon this rock,
and I will give thee a sign. And he went and took it as he commanded him.

7. And the angel said unto him: Before thou pour the water upon the rock, ask what thou
wouldst have it to become, either blood, or fire, or that it appear not at all. And Gedeon
said: Let it become half of it blood and half fire. And Gedeon poured out the water upon
the rock, and it came to pass when he had poured it out, that the half part became flame,
and the half part blood, and they were mingled together, that is, the fire and the blood,
yet the blood did not quench the fire, neither did the fire consume the blood. And when
Gedeon saw that, he asked for yet other signs, and they were given him. Are not these
written in the book of the Judges?

CHAPTER 36

1. And Gedeon took 300 men and departed and came unto the uttermost part of the camp of
Madian, and he heard every man speaking to his neighbour and saying: Ye shall see a
confusion above reckoning, of the sword of Gedeon, coming upon us, for God hath delivered
into his hands the camp of the Madianites, and he will begin to make an end of us, even
the mother with the children, because our sins are filled up, even as also our gods have
shewed us and we believed them not. And now arise, let us succour our souls and fly. 2.
And when Gedeon heard these words, immediately he was clothed with the spirit of the Lord,
and, being endued with power, he said unto the 300 men: Arise and let every one of you
gird on his sword, for the Madianites are delivered into our hands. And the men went down
with him, and he drew near and began to fight. And they blew the trumpet and cried out
together and said: The sword of the Lord is upon us. And they slew of the Madianites about
120,000 men, and the residue of the Madianites fled.

3. And after these things Gedeon came and gathered the people of Israel together and said
unto them: Behold, the Lord sent me to fight your battle, and I went according as he
commanded me. And now I ask one petition of you: turn not away your face; and let every
man of you give me the golden armlets which ye have on your hands. And Gedeon spread out a
coat, and every man cast upon it their armlets, and they were all weighed, and the weight
of them was found to be 12 talents (or 12,000 shekels). And Gedeon took them, and of them
he made idols and worshipped them. 4. And God said: One way is verily appointed, that I
should not rebuke Gedeon in his lifetime, even because when he destroyed the sanctuary of
Baal, then all men said: Let Baal avenge himself. Now, therefore, if I chastise him for
that he hath done evil against me, ye will say: It was not God that chastised him, but
Baal, because he sinned aforetime against him. Therefore now shall Gedeon die in a good
old age, that they may not have whereof to speak. But after that Gedeon is dead I will
punish him once, because he hath transgressed against me. And Gedeon died in a good old
age and was buried in his own city.


THE BIBLICAL ANTIQUITIES OF PHILO (CHAPTERS 37–61)
==================================================

THE BIBLICAL ANTIQUITIES OF PHILO continued

CHAPTER 37

1. And he had a son by a concubine whose name was Abimelech; the same slew all his
brethren, desiring to be ruler over the people. [A leaf gone.] 2. Then all the trees of
the field came together unto the fig-tree and said: Come, reign over us. And the fig-tree
said: Was I indeed born in the kingdom or in the rulership over the trees? or was I
planted to that end that I should reign over you? And therefore even as I cannot reign
over you, neither shall Abimelech obtain continuance in his rulership. After that the
trees came together unto the vine and said: Come, reign over us. And the vine said: I was
planted to give unto men the sweetness of wine, and I am preserved by rendering unto them
my fruit. But like as I cannot reign over you, so shall the blood of Abimelech be required
at your hand. And after that the trees came unto the apple and said: Come, reign over us.
And he said: It was commanded me to yield unto men a fruit of sweet savour. Therefore I
cannot reign over you, and Abimelech shall die by stones.

3. Then came the trees unto the bramble and said: Come, reign over us. And the bramble
said: When the thorn was born, truth did shine forth in the semblance of a thorn. And when
our first father was condemned to death, the earth was condemned to bring forth thorns and
thistles. And when the truth enlightened Moses, it was by a thorn bush that it enlightened
him. Now therefore it shall be that by me the truth shall be heard of you. Now if ye have
spoken in sincerity unto the bramble that it should in truth reign over you, sit ye under
the shadow of it: but if with dissembling, then let fire go forth and devour and consume
the trees of the field. For the apple-tree was made for the chastisers, and the fig-tree
was made for the people, and the vine[yard] was made for them that were before us.

4. And now shall the bramble be unto you even as Abimelech, which slew his brethren with
wrong, and desireth to rule over you. If Abimelech be worthy of them (or Let Abimelech be
a fire unto them) whom he desireth to rule, let him be as the bramble which was made to
rebuke the foolish among the people. And there went forth fire out of the bramble and
devoured the trees that are in the field. 5. After that Abimelech ruled over the people
for one year and six months, and he died hard by a certain tower, whence a woman cast down
upon him the half of a millstone. [A gap of uncertain length in the text.]

CHAPTER 38

1. (Then did Jair judge Israel 22 years.) The same built a sanctuary to Baal, and led the
people astray saying: Every man that sacrificeth not unto Baal shall die. And when all the
people sacrificed, seven men only would not sacrifice whose names are these: Dephal,
Abiesdrel, Getalibal, Selumi, Assur, Jonadali, Memihel. 2. The same answered and said unto
Jair: Behold, we remember the precepts which they that were before us commanded us, and
Debbora our mother, saying: Take heed that ye turn not away your heart to the right hand
or to the left, but attend unto the law of the Lord day and night. Now therefore why dost
thou corrupt the people of the Lord and deceive them, saying: Baal is God, let us worship
him? And now if he be God as thou sayest, let him speak as a God, and then we will
sacrifice unto him.

3. And Jair said: Burn them with fire, for they have blasphemed Baal. And his servants
took them to burn them with fire. And when they cast them upon the fire there went forth
Nathaniel, the angel which is over fire, and quenched the fire and burned up the servants
of Jair: but the seven men he made to escape, so that no man of the people saw them, for
he had smitten the people with blindness. 4. And when Jair came to the place (or it came
to the place of Jair) he also was burned. But before he burned him, the angel of the Lord
said unto him: Hear the word of the Lord before thou diest. Thus saith the Lord: I raised
thee up out of the land of Egypt, and appointed thee ruler over my peoples. But thou hast
risen and corrupted my covenant, and hast led them astray, and hast sought to burn my
servants in the flame, because they reproved thee, which though they be burned with
corruptible fire, yet now are they quickened with living fire and are delivered. But thou
shalt die, saith the Lord, and in the fire wherein thou shalt die, therein shalt thou have
thy dwelling. And thereafter he burned him, and came even unto the pillar of Baal and
overthrew it, and burned up Baal with the people that stood by, even 1000 men.

CHAPTER 39

1. And after these things came the children of Ammon and began to fight against Israel and
took many of their cities. And when the people were greatly straitened, they gathered
together in Masphath, saying every man to his neighbours: Behold now, we see the strait
which encompasseth us, and the Lord is departed from us, and is no more with us, and our
enemies have taken our cities, and there is no leader to go in and out before our face.
Now therefore let us see whom we may set over us to fight our battle. 2. Now Jepthan the
Galaadite was a mighty man of valour, and because he was jealous of his brothers, they had
cast him out of his land, and he went and dwelt in the land of Tobi. And vagrant men
gathered themselves unto him and abode with him. 3. And it came to pass when Israel was
overcome in battle, that they came into the land of Tobi to Jepthan and said unto him:
Come, rule over the people. For who knoweth whether thou wast therefore preserved to this
day or wast therefore delivered out of the hands of thy brethren that thou mightest at
this time bear rule over thy people?

4. And Jepthan said unto them: Doth love so return after hatred, or doth time overcome
Esther all things? For ye did cast me out of my land and out of my father's house; and now
are ye come unto me when ye are in a strait? And they said unto him: If the God of our
fathers remembered not our sins, but delivered us when we had sinned against him and he
had given us over before the face of our enemies, and we were oppressed by them, why wilt
thou that art a mortal man remember the iniquities which happened unto us, in the time of
our affliction? Therefore be it not so before thee, lord. 5. And Jepthan said: God indeed
is able to be unmindful of our sins, seeing he hath time and place to repose himself of
his long-suffering, for he is God; but I am mortal, made of the earth: whereunto I shall
return, and where shall I cast away mine anger, and the wrong wherewith ye have injured
me? And the people said unto him: Let the dove instruct thee, whereunto Israel was
likened, for though her young be taken away from her, yet departeth she not out of her
place, but spurneth away her wrong and forgetteth it as it were in the bottom of the deep.

6. And Jepthan arose and went with them and gathered all the people, and said unto them:
Ye know how that when our princes were alive, they admonished us to follow our law. And
Ammon and his sons turned away the people from their way wherein they walked, to serve
other gods which should destroy them. Now therefore set your hearts in the law of the Lord
your God, and let us entreat him with one accord. And so will we fight against our
adversaries, and trust and hope in the Lord that he will not deliver us up for ever. For
although our sins do overabound, nevertheless his mercy filleth all the earth. 7. And the
whole people prayed with one accord, both men and women, boys and sucklings. And when they
prayed they said: Look, O Lord, upon the people whom thou hast chosen, and spoil not the
vine which thy right hand hath planted; that this people may be before thee for an
inheritance, whom thou hast possessed from the beginning, and whom thou hast preferred
alway, and for whose sake thou hast made the habitable places, and brought them into the
land which thou swarest unto them; deliver us not up before them that hate thee, O Lord.

8. And God repented him of his anger and strengthened the spirit of Jepthan. And he sent a
message unto Getal the king of the children of Ammon and said: Wherefore vexest thou our
land and hast taken my cities, or wherefore afflictest thou us? Thou hast not been
commanded of the God of Israel to destroy them that dwell in the land. Now therefore
restore unto me my cities, and mine anger shall cease from thee. But if not, know that I
will come up unto thee and repay thee for the former things, and recompense thy wickedness
upon thine head: rememberest thou not how thou didst deal deceitfully with the people of
Israel in the wilderness? And the messengers of Jepthan spake these words unto the king of
the children of Ammon. 9. And Getal said: Did Israel take thought when he took the land of
the Amorites? Say therefore: Know ye that now I will take from thee the remnant of thy
cities and will repay thee thy wickedness and will take vengeance for the Amorites whom
thou hast wronged. And Jepthan sent yet again to the king of the children of Ammon saying:
Of a truth I perceive that God hath brought thee hither that I may destroy thee, unless
thou rest from thine iniquity wherewith thou wilt vex Israel. And therefore I will come
unto thee and show myself unto thee. For they are not, as ye say, gods which have given
you the inheritance that ye possess. But because ye have been led astray after stones,
fire shall follow after you unto vengeance.

10. And because the king of the children of Ammon would not hear the voice of Jepthan,
Jepthan arose and armed all the people to go forth and fight in the borders saying: When
the children of Ammon are delivered into my hands and I am returned, any that first
meeteth with me shall be for a burnt offering unto the Lord. 11. And the Lord was very
wroth and said: Behold, Jepthan hath vowed that he will offer unto me that which meeteth
with him first. Now therefore if a dog meet with Jepthan first, shall a dog be offered
unto me? And now let the vow of Jepthan be upon his firstborn, even upon the fruit of his
body, and his prayer upon his only begotten daughter. But I will verily deliver my people
at this time, not for his sake, but for the prayer which Israel hath prayed.

CHAPTER 40

1. And Jepthan came and fought against the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them
into his hand, and he smote threescore of their cities. And Jepthan returned in peace. And
the women came out to meet him with dances. And he had an only begotten daughter; the same
came out first in the dances to meet her father. And when Jepthan saw her he fainted and
said: Rightly is thy name called Seila, that thou shouldest be offered for a sacrifice.
And now who will put my heart in the balance and weigh my soul? and I will stand and see
whether one will outweigh the other, the rejoicing that is come or the affliction which
cometh upon me? for in that I have opened my mouth unto my Lord in the song of my vows, I
cannot call it back again. 2. And Seila his daughter said unto him: And who is it that can
be sorrowful in their death when they see the people delivered? Rememberest thou not that
which was in the days of our fathers, when the father set his son for a burnt offering and
he gain-said him not, but consented unto him rejoicing? And he that was offered was ready,
and he that offered was glad.

3. Now therefore annul not anything of that thou hast vowed, but grant unto me one prayer.
I ask of thee before I die a small request: I beseech thee that before I give up my soul,
I may go into the mountains and wander (or abide) among the hills and walk about among the
rocks, I and the virgins that are my fellows, and pour out my tears there and tell the
affliction of my youth; and the trees of the field shall bewail me and the beasts of the
field shall lament for me; for I am not sorrowful for that I die, neither doth it grieve
me that I give up my soul: but whereas my father was overtaken in his vow, [and] if I
offer not myself willingly for a sacrifice, I fear lest my death be not acceptable, and
that I shall lose my life to no purpose. These things will I tell unto the mountains, and
after that I will return. And her father said: Go.

4. And Seila the daughter of Jepthan went forth, she and the virgins that were her
fellows, and came and told it to the wise men of the people. And no man could answer her
words. And after that she went into the mount Stelac, and by night the Lord thought upon
her, and said: Lo, now have I shut up the tongue of the wise among my people before this
generation, that they could not answer the word of the daughter of Jepthan, that my word
might be fulfilled, and my counsel not destroyed which I had devised: and I have seen that
she is more wise than her father, and a maiden of understanding more than all the wise
which are here. And now let her life be given her at her request, and her death shall be
precious in my sight at all times. 5. And when the daughter of Jepthan came unto the mount
Stelac, she began to lament. And this is her lamentation wherewith she mourned and
bewailed herself before she departed, and she said: Hearken, O mountains, to my
lamentation, and look, O hills, upon the tears of mine eyes, and be witness, O rocks, in
the bewailing of my soul. Behold how I am accused, but my soul shall not be taken away in
vain. Let my words go forth into the heavens, and let my tears be written before the face
of the firmament, that the father overcome not (or fight not against) his daughter whom he
hath vowed to offer up, that her ruler may hear that his only begotten daughter is
promised for a sacrifice.

6. Yet I have not been satisfied with my bed of marriage, neither filled with the garlands
of my wedding. For I have not been arrayed with brightness, sitting in my maidenhood; I
have not used my precious ointment, neither hath my soul enjoyed the oil of anointing
which was prepared for me. O my mother, to no purpose hast thou borne thine only begotten,
and begotten her upon the earth, for hell is become my marriage-chamber. Let ail the
mingling of oil which thou hast prepared for me be poured out, and the white robe which my
mother wove for me, let the moth eat it, and the crown of flowers which my nurse plaited
for me aforetime, let it wither, and the coverlet which she wove of violet and purple for
my virginity, let the worm spoil it; and when the virgins, my fellows, tell of me, let
them bewail me with groaning for many days.

7. Bow down your branches, O ye trees, and lament my youth. Come, ye beasts of the forest,
and trample upon my virginity. For my years are cut off, and the days of my life are waxen
old in darkness. 8. And when she had so said, Seila returned unto her father, and he did
all that he had vowed, and offered burnt offerings. Then all the maidens of Israel
gathered together and buried the daughter of Jepthan and bewailed her. And the children of
Israel made a great lamentation and appointed in that month, on the 14th day of the month,
that they should come together every year and lament for the daughter of Jepthan four
days. And they called the name of her sepulchre according to her own name Seila. 9. And
Jepthan judged the children of Israel ten years, and died, and was buried with his
fathers.

CHAPTER 41

1. And after him there arose a judge in Israel, Addo the son of Elech of Praton, and he
also judged the children of Israel eight years. In his days the king of Moab sent
messengers unto him saying: Behold now, thou knowest that Israel hath taken my cities: now
therefore restore them in recompense. And Addo said: Are ye not yet instructed by that
which hath befallen the children of Ammon, unless peradventure the sins of Moab be filled
up? And Addo sent and took of the people 20,000 men and came against Moab, and fought
against them and slew of them 45,000 men. And the remnant fled before him. And Addo
returned in peace and offered burnt offerings and sacrifices unto his Lord, and died, and
was buried in Ephrata his city. 2. And at that time the people chose Elon and made him
judge over them, and he judged Israel twenty years. In those days they fought against the
Philistines and took of them twelve cities. And Elon died and was buried in his city.

3. But the children of Israel forgot the Lord their God and served the gods of the
dwellers in the land. Therefore were they delivered unto the Philistines and served them
forty years.

CHAPTER 42

1. Now there was a man of the tribe of Dan, whose name was Manue, the son of Edoc, the son
of Odo, the son of Eriden, the son of Phadesur, the son of Dema, the son of Susi, the son
of Dan. And he had a wife whose name was Eluma, the daughter of Remac. And she was barren
and bare him no child. And when Manue her husband said to her day by day: Lo, the Lord
hath shut up thy womb, that thou shouldst not bear; set me free, therefore, that I may
take another wife lest I die without issue. And she said: The Lord hath not shut up me
from bearing, but thee, that I should bear no fruit. And he said to her: Let the law make
plain our trial. 2. And as they contended day by day and both of them were sore grieved
because they lacked fruit, upon a certain night the woman went up into the upper chamber
and prayed saying: Do thou, O Lord God of all flesh, reveal unto me whether unto my
husband or unto me it is not given to beget children, or to whom it is forbidden or to
whom allowed to bear fruit, that to whom it is forbidden, the same may mourn for his sins,
because he continueth without fruit. Or if both of us be deprived, reveal this also unto
us, that we may bear our sin and keep silence before thee.

3. And the Lord hearkened to her voice and sent her his angel in the morning, and said
unto her: Thou art the barren one that bringeth not forth, and thou art the womb which is
forbidden to bear fruit. But now hath the Lord heard thy voice and looked upon thy tears
and opened thy womb. And behold thou shalt conceive and bear a son and shall call his name
Samson, for he shall be holy unto thy Lord. But take heed that he taste not of any fruit
of the vine, neither eat any unclean thing, for as himself hath said, he shall deliver
Israel from the hand of the Philistines. And when the angel of the Lord had spoken these
words he departed from her. 4. And she came unto her husband into the house and said unto
him: Lo, I lay mine hand upon my mouth and will keep silence before thee all my days,
because it was in vain that I boasted myself, and believed not thy words. For the angel of
the Lord came unto me to-day, and showed me, saying: Eluma, thou art barren, but thou
shalt conceive and bear a son.

5. And Manue believed not his wife. And he was ashamed and grieved and went up, he also,
into the upper chamber and prayed saying: Lo, I am not worthy to hear the signs and
wonders which God hath wrought in us, or to see the face of his messenger. 6. And it came
to pass while he thus spake, the angel of the Lord came yet again unto his wife. Now she
was in the field and Manue was in his house. And the angel said unto her: Run and call
unto thine husband, for God hath accounted him worthy to hear my voice. 7. And the woman
ran and called to her husband, and he hasted and came unto the angel in the field in Ammo
(?), which said unto him: Go in unto thy wife and do quickly all these things. But he said
to him: Yet see thou to it, Lord, that thy word be accomplished upon thy servant. And he
said: It shall be so.

8. And Manue said unto him: If I were able, I would persuade thee to enter into mine house
and eat bread with me, and know that when thou goest away I would give thee gifts to take
with thee that thou mightest offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God. And the angel said
unto him: I will not go in with thee into thine house, neither eat thy bread, neither will
I receive thy gifts. For if thou offerest a sacrifice of that which is not thine, I cannot
show favour unto thee. 9. And Manue built an altar upon the rock, and offered sacrifices
and burnt offerings. And it came to pass when he had cut up the flesh and laid it upon the
holy place, the angel put forth his hand and touched it with the end of his sceptre. And
there came forth fire out of the rock and consumed the burnt offerings and sacrifices. And
the angel went up from him with the flame of the fire.

10. But Manue and his wife when they saw that, fell upon their faces and said: We shall
surely die, because we have seen the Lord face to face. And it sufficed me not that I saw
him, but I did also ask his name, knowing not that he was the minister of God. Now the
angel that came was called Phadahel.

CHAPTER 43

1. And it came to pass in the time of those days, that Eluma conceived and bare a son and
called his name Samson. And the Lord was with him. And when he was begun to grow up, and
sought to fight against the Philistines, he took him a wife of the Philistines. And the
Philistines burned her with fire, for they were brought very low by Samson. 2. And after
that Samson entered into (or was enraged against) Azotus. And they shut him in and
compassed the city about and said: Behold, now is our adversary delivered into our hands.
Now therefore let us gather ourselves together and succour the souls one of another. And
when Samson was arisen in the night and saw the city closed in he said: Lo, now, these
fleas have shut me up in their city. And now shall the Lord be with me, and I will go
forth by their gates and fight against them.

3. And he went and set his left hand under the bar of the gate and shook it and threw down
the gate of the wall. One of the gates he held in his right hand for a shield, and the
other he laid upon his shoulders and bare it away, and because he had no sword he pursued
after the Philistines with it, and killed therewith 25,000 men. And he lifted up all the
purtenances of the gate and set them up on a mountain. 4. Now concerning the lion which he
slew, and the jawbone of the ass wherewith he smote the Philistines, and the bands which
he brake off from his arms as it were of themselves, and the foxes which he caught, are
not these things written in the book of the Judges? 5. Then Samson went down unto Gerara,
a city of the Philistines, and saw there an harlot whose name was Dalila, and was led away
after her, and took her to him to wife. And God said: Behold, now Samson is led astray by
his eyes and hath forgotten the mighty works which I have wrought with him, and is mingled
with the daughters of the Philistines, and hath not considered my servant Joseph which was
in a strange land and became a crown unto his brethren because he would not afflict his
seed. Now therefore shall his concupiscence be a stumbling-block unto Samson, and his
mingling shall be his destruction, and I will deliver him to his enemies and they shall
blind him. Yet in the hour of his death will I remember him, and will avenge him yet once
upon the Philistines.

6. And after these things his wife was importunate unto him, saying unto him: Show me thy
strength, and wherein is thy might. So shall I know that thou lovest me. And when Samson
had deceived her three times, and she continued importunate unto him every day, the fourth
time he showed her his heart. But she made him drunk, and when he slumbered she called a
barber, and he shaved the seven locks of his head, and his might departed from him, for so
had himself revealed unto her. And she called the Philistines, and they smote Samson, and
blinded him, and put him in prison. 7. And it came to pass in the day of their banqueting,
that they called for Samson that they might mock him. And he being bound between two
pillars prayed saying: O Lord God of my fathers, hear me yet this once and strengthen me
that I may die with these Philistines: for this sight of the eyes which they have taken
from me was freely given unto me by thee. And Samson added saying: Go forth, O my soul,
and be not grieved. Die, O my body, and weep not for thyself.

8. And he took hold upon the two pillars of the house and shook them. And the house fell
and all that was in it and slew all them that were round about it, and the number of them
was 40,000 men and women. And the brethren of Samson came down and all his father's house,
and took him and buried him in the sepulchre of his father. And he judged Israel twenty
years.

CHAPTER 44

1. And in those days there was no prince in Israel: but every man did that which was
pleasing in his sight. 2. At that time Michas arose, the son of Dedila the mother of
Heliu, and he had 1000 drachms of gold and four wedges of molten gold, and 40 didrachms of
silver. And his mother Dedila said unto him: My son, hear my voice and thou shalt make
thee a name before thy death: take thou that gold and melt it, and thou shalt make thee
idols, and they shall be to thee gods, and thou shalt become a priest to them. 3. And it
shall be that whoso will inquire by them, they shall come to thee and thou shalt answer
them. And there shall be in thine house an altar and a pillar built, and of that gold thou
hast, thou shalt buy thee incense for burning and sheep for sacrifices. And it shall be
that whoso will offer sacrifice, he shall give for sheep 7 didrachms, and for incense, if
he will burn it, he shall give one didrachm of silver of full weight. And thy name shall
be Priest, and thou shalt be called a worshipper of the gods.

4. And Michas said unto her: Thou hast well counselled me, my mother, how I may live: and
now shall thy name be greater than my name, and in the last days these things shall be
required of thee. 5. And Michas went and did all that his mother had commanded him. And he
carved out and made for himself three images of boys, and of calves, and a lion and an
eagle and a dragon and a dove. And it was so that all that were led astray came to him,
and if any would ask for wives, they inquired of him by the dove; and if for sons, by the
image of the boys: but he that would ask for riches took counsel by the likeness of the
eagle, and he that asked for strength by the image of the lion: again, if they asked for
men and maidens they inquired by the images of calves, but if for length of days, they
inquired by the image of the dragon. And his iniquity was of many shapes, and his impiety
was full of guile.

6. Therefore then, when the children of Israel departed from the Lord, the Lord said:
Behold I will root out the earth and destroy all the race of men, because when I appointed
great things upon mount Sina, I showed myself unto the children of Israel in the tempest
and I said that they should not make idols, and they consented that they should not carve
the likeness of gods. And I appointed to them they should not take my name in vain, and
they chose this, even not to take my name in vain. And I commanded them to keep the
sabbath day, and they consented unto me to sanctify themselves. And I said to them that
they should honour their father and mother: and they promised that they would so do. And I
appointed unto them not to steal, and they consented. And I bade them do no murder, and
they received it, that they should not. And I commanded them not to commit adultery, and
they refused not. And I appointed unto them to bear no false witness, and not to covet
every man his neighbour's wife or his house or anything that is his: and they accepted it.

7. And now, whereas I spake unto them that they should not make idols, they have made the
works of all those gods that are born of corruption by the name of a graven image. And
also of them through whom all things have been corrupted. For mortal men made them, and
the fire served in the melting of them: the act of men brought them forth, and hands have
wrought them, and understanding contrived them. And whereas they have received them, they
have taken my name in vain, and have given my name to graven images, and upon the sabbath
day which they accepted, to keep it, they have wrought abominations therefrom. Because I
said unto them that they should love their father and mother, they have dishonoured me
their maker. And for that I said to them they should not steal, they have dealt thievishly
in their understanding with graven images. And whereas I said they should not kill, they
do kill them when they deceive. And when I had commanded them not to commit adultery, they
have played the adulterer with their jealousy. And where they did choose not to bear false
witness, they have received false witness from them whom they cast out, and have lusted
after strange women.

8. Therefore, behold, I abhor the race of men, and to the end I may root out my creation,
they that die shall be multiplied above the number of them that are born. For the house of
Jacob is defiled with iniquities and the impieties of Israel are multiplied and I cannot
[some words lost] wholly destroy the tribe of Benjamin, because that they first were led
away after Michas. And the people of Israel also shall not be unpunished, but it shall be
to them an offence for ever to the memory of all generations. 9. But Michas will I deliver
unto the fire. And his mother shall pine away in his sight, living upon the earth, and
worms shall issue forth out of her body. And when they shall speak one to the other, she
shall say as it were a mother rebuking her son: Behold what a sin hast thou committed. And
he shall answer as it were a son obedient to his mother and dealing craftily: And thou
hast wrought yet greater iniquity. And the likeness of the dove which he made shall be to
put out his eyes, and the likeness of the eagle shall be to shed fire from the wings of
it, and the images of the boys he made shall be to scrape his sides, and for the image of
the lion which he made, it shall be unto him as mighty ones tormenting him.

10. And thus will I do not only unto Michas but to all them also that sin against me. And
now let the race of men know that they shall not provoke me by their own inventions.
Neither unto them only that make idols shall this chastisement come, but it shall be to
every man, that with what sin he hath sinned therewith shall he be judged. Therefore if
they shall speak lies before me, I will command the heaven and it shall defraud them of
rain. And if any will covet the goods of his neighbour, I will command death and it shall
deny them the fruit of their body. And if they swear by my name falsely I will not hear
their prayer. And when the soul parteth from the body, then they shall say: Let us not
mourn for the things which we have suffered, but because whatsoever we have devised, that
shall we also receive.

CHAPTER 45

1. And it came to pass at that time that a certain man of the tribe of Levi came to
Gabaon, and when he desired to abide there, the sun set. And when he would enter in there,
they that dwelt there suffered him not. And he said to his lad: Go on, lead the mule, and
we will go to the city of Noba, peradventure they will suffer us to enter in there. And he
came thither and sat in the street of the city. And no man said unto him: Come into my
house. 2. But there was there a certain Levite whose name was Bethac. The same saw him and
said unto him: Art thou Beel of my tribe? And he said: I am. And he said to him: Knowest
thou not the wickedness of them that dwell in this city? Who counselled thee to enter in
hither? Haste and go out hence, and come into my house wherein I dwell, and abide there
to-day, and the Lord shall shut up their heart before us, as he shut up the men of Sodom
before the face of Lot. And he entered into the city and abode there that night.

3. And all the dwellers in the city came together and said unto Bethac: Bring forth them
that came unto thee this day, and if not we will burn them and thee with fire. And he went
out unto them and said to them: Are not they our brethren? Let us not deal evilly with
them, lest our sins be multiplied against us. And they answered: It was never so, that
strangers should give commands to the indwellers. And they entered in with violence and
took out him and his concubine and cast them forth, and they let the man go, but they
abused his concubine until she died; for she had transgressed against her husband at one
time by sinning with the Amalekites, and therefore did the Lord God deliver her into the
hands of sinners. 4. And when it was day Beel went out and found his concubine dead. And
he laid her upon the mule and hasted and went out and came to Gades. And he took her body
and divided it and sent it into all parts (or by portions) throughout the twelve tribes,
saying: These things were done unto me in the city of Noba, for the dwellers therein rose
up against me to slay me and took my concubine and shut me up and slew her. And if this is
pleasing before your face, keep ye silence, and let the Lord be judge: but if ye will
avenge it, the Lord shall help you.

5. And all the men, even the twelve tribes, were confounded. And they gathered together
unto Silo and said every man to his neighbour: Hath such iniquity been done in Israel? 6.
And the Lord said unto the Adversary: Seest thou how this foolish people is disturbed? In
the hour when they should have died, even when Michas dealt craftily to deceive the people
with these, that is, with the dove and the eagle and with the image of men and calves and
of a lion and of a dragon, then were they not moved. And therefore because they were not
provoked to anger, let their counsel now be vain and their heart moved, that they who
allow evil may be consumed as well as the sinners.

CHAPTER 46

1. And when it was day the people of Israel were greatly moved and said: Let us go up and
search out the sin that is done, that the iniquity may be taken away from us. And they
spake thus, and said: Let us inquire first of the Lord and learn whether he will deliver
our brethren into our hands. And if not, let us forbear. And Phinees said unto them: Let
us offer the Demonstration and the Truth. And the Lord answered them and said: Go up, for
I will deliver them into your hands. But he deceived them, that he might accomplish his
word. 2. And they went up to battle and came to the city of Benjamin and sent messengers
saying: Send us the men that have done this wickedness and we will spare you, but requite
to every man his evil doing. And the people of Benjamin hardened their heart and said unto
the people of Israel: Wherefore should we deliver our brethren unto you? If ye spare them
not, we will even fight against you. And the people of Benjamin came out against the
children of Israel and pursued after them, and the children of Israel fell before them and
they smote of them 45,000 men.

3. And the heart of the people was very sore vexed, and they came weeping and mourning
unto Silo and said: Behold, the Lord hath delivered us up before the dwellers in Noba. Now
let us inquire of the Lord which among us hath sinned. And they inquired of the Lord and
he said unto them: If ye will, go up and fight, and they shall be delivered into your
hands; and then it shall be told you wherefore ye fell before them. And they went up the
second day to fight against them. And the children of Benjamin came out and pursued after
Israel and smote of them 46,000 men. 4. And the heart of the people was altogether melted
and they said: Hath God willed to deceive his people? or hath he so ordained because of
the evil that is done that as well the innocent should fall as they that do evil? And when
they spake thus they fell down before the ark of the covenant of the Lord and rent their
clothes and put ashes upon their heads, both they and Phinees the son of Eleazar the
priest, which prayed and said: What is this deceit wherewith thou hast deceived us, O
Lord? If it be righteous before thy face which the children of Benjamin have done,
wherefore didst thou not tell us, that we might consider it? But if it was not pleasing in
thy sight, wherefore didst thou suffer us to fall before them?

CHAPTER 47

1. And Phinees added and said: O God of our fathers, hear my voice, and tell thy servant
this day if it is well done in thy sight, or if peradventure the people have sinned and
thou wouldest destroy their evil, that thou mightest correct among us also them that have
sinned against thee. For I remember in my youth when Jambri sinned in the days of Moses
thy servant, and I verily entered in, and was zealous in my soul and lifted up both of
them upon my sword, and the remnant would have risen against me to put me to death, and
thou sentest thine angel and didst smite of them 24,000 men and deliver me out of their
hands. 2. And now thou hast sent the eleven tribes and brought them hither saying: Go and
smite them. And when they went they were delivered up. And now they say that the
declarations of thy truth are lying before thee. And now, O Lord God of our fathers, hide
it not from thy servant, but tell us wherefore thou hast done this iniquity against us.

3. And when the Lord saw that Phinees prayed earnestly before him, he said to him: By
myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, that had I not sworn, I would not have remembered
thee in that thou hast spoken, neither would I have answered you this day. And now say
unto the people: Stand up and hear the word of the Lord. 4. Thus saith the Lord: There was
a certain mighty lion in the midst of the forest, and unto him all the beasts committed
the forest that he should guard it by his power, lest perchance other beasts should come
and lay it waste. And while the lion guarded it there came beasts of the field from
another forest and devoured all the young of the beasts and laid waste the fruit of their
body, and the lion saw it and held his peace. Now the beasts were at peace, because they
had entrusted the forest unto the lion, and perceived not that their young were destroyed.

5. And after a time there arose a very small beast of those that had committed the forest
unto the lion, and devoured the least of the whelps of another very evil beast. And lo the
lion cried out and stirred up all the beasts of the forest, and they fought among
themselves, and every one fought against his neighbour. 6. And when many beasts were
destroyed, another whelp out of another forest like unto it, saw it, and said: Hast thou
not destroyed as many beasts? What iniquity is this, that in the beginning when many
beasts and their young were destroyed unjustly by other evil beasts, and when all the
beasts should have been moved to avenge themselves, seeing the fruit of their body was
despoiled to no purpose, then thou didst keep silence and spakest not, but now one whelp
of an evil beast hath perished, and thou hast stirred up the whole forest that all the
beasts should devour one another without cause, and the forest be diminished. Now
therefore thou oughtest first to be destroyed, and so the remnant be established. And when
the young of the beasts heard that, they slew the lion first, and put over them the whelp
in his stead, and so the rest of the beasts were subject together.

7. Michas arose and made you rich by that which he committed, both he and his mother. And
there were evil things and wicked, which none devised before them, but in his subtlety he
made graven images, which had not been made unto that day, and no man was provoked, but ye
were all led astray, and did see the fruit of your body spoiled, and held your peace even
as that evil lion. 8. And now when ye saw how that this man's concubine which suffered
evil, died, ye were moved all of you and came unto me saying: Wilt thou deliver the
children of Benjamin into our hands? Therefore did I deceive you and said: I will deliver
them unto you. And now I have destroyed them which then held their peace, and so will I
take vengeance on all that have done wickedly against me. But you, go ye up now, for I
will deliver them unto you.

9. And all the people arose with one accord and went. And the children of Benjamin came
out against them and thought that they would overcome them as heretofore. And they knew
not that their wickedness was fulfilled upon them. And when they had come on as at first,
and were pursuing after them, the people fled from the face of them to give them place,
and then they arose out of their ambushes, and the children of Benjamin were in the midst
of them. 10. Then they which were fleeing turned back, and the men of the city of Noba
were slain, both men and women, even 85,000 men, and the children of Israel burned the
city and took the spoils and destroyed all things with the edge of the sword. And no man
was left of the children of Benjamin save only 600 men which fled and were not found in
the battle. And all the people returned unto Silo and Phinees the son of Eleazar the
priest with them.

11. Now these are they that were left of the race of Benjamin, the princes of the tribe,
of ten families whose names are these: of the 1st family: Ezbaile, Zieb, Balac, Reindebac,
Belloch; and of the 2nd family: Nethac, Zenip, Phenoch, Demech, Geresaraz; and of the 3rd
family: Jerimuth, Veloth, Amibel, Genuth, Nephuth, Phienna; and of the 4th city: Gemuph,
Eliel, Gemoth, Soleph, Raphaph, and Doffo; and of the 5th family: Anuel, Code, Fretan,
Remmon, Peccan, Nabath; and of the 6th family: Rephaz, Sephet, Araphaz, Metach, Adhoc,
Balinoc; and of the 7th family: Benin, Mephiz, Araph, Ruimel, Belon, Iaal, Abac; and (of)
the (8th, 9th and) 10th family: Enophlasa, Melec, Meturia, Meac; and the rest of the
princes of the tribe which were left, in number threescore. 12. And at that time did the
Lord requite unto Michas and unto his mother all the things that he had spoken. And Michas
was melted with fire and his mother was pining away, even as the Lord had spoken
concerning them.

CHAPTER 48

1. At that time also Phinees laid himself down to die, and the Lord said unto him: Behold
thou hast overpassed the 120 years that were ordained unto all men. And now arise and go
hence and dwell in the mount Danaben and abide there many years, and I will command mine
eagle and he shall feed thee there, and thou shalt not come down any more unto men until
the time come and thou be proved in the time. And then shalt thou shut the heaven, and at
thy word it shall be opened. And after that thou shalt be lifted up into the place whither
they that were before thee were lifted up, and shalt be there until I remember the world.
And then will I bring you and ye shall taste what is death. 2. And Phinees went up and did
all that the Lord commanded him. Now in the days when he appointed him to be priest, he
anointed him in Silo.

3. And at that time, when he went up, then it came to pass that the children of Israel
when they kept the passover commanded the children of Benjamin saying: Go up and take
wives for yourselves by force, because we cannot give you our daughters, for we sware in
the time of our anger: and it cannot be that a tribe perish out of Israel. And the
children of Benjamin went up and seized for themselves wives and built Gabaon for
themselves and began to dwell there. 4. And whereas in the meanwhile the children of
Israel were at rest, they had no prince in those days, and every man did that which was
right in his own eyes. 5. These are the commandments and the judgments and the testimonies
and the manifestations that were in the days of the judges of Israel, before a king
reigned over them.

CHAPTER 49

1. And at that time the children of Israel began to inquire of the Lord, and said: Let us
all cast lots, that we may see who there is that can rule over us like Cenez, for
peradventure we shall find a man that can deliver us from our afflictions, for it is not
expedient that the people should be without a prince. 2. And they cast the lot and found
no man; and the people were greatly grieved and said: The people is not worthy to be heard
by the Lord, for he hath not answered us. Now therefore let us cast lots even by tribes,
if perchance God will be appeased by a multitude, for we know that he will be reconciled
unto them that are worthy of him. And they cast lots by tribes, and upon no tribe did the
lot come forth. And Israel said: Let us choose one of ourselves, for we are in a strait,
for we perceive that God abhorreth his people, and that his soul is displeased at us.

3. And one answered and said unto the people, whose name was Nethez: It is not he that
hateth us, but we ourselves have made ourselves to be hated, that God should forsake us.
And therefore, even though we die, let us not forsake him, but let us flee unto him for
refuge; for we have walked in our evil ways and have not known him that made us, and
therefore will our device be vain. For I know that God will not cast us off for ever,
neither will he hate his people unto all generations: therefore now be ye strong and let
us pray yet again and cast lots by cities, for although our sins be enlarged, yet will his
long-suffering not fail. 4. And they cast lots by cities, and the lot came upon Armathem.
And the people said: Is Armathem accounted righteous beyond all the cities of Israel, that
he hath chosen her thus before all the cities? And every man said to his neighbour: In
that same city which hath come forth by lot let us cast the lot by men, and let us see
whom the Lord hath chosen out of her.

5. And they cast the lot by men, and it took no man save Elchana, for upon him the lot
leapt out, and the people took him and said: Come and be ruler over us. And Elchana said
unto the people: I cannot be a prince over this people, neither can I judge who can be a
prince over you. But if my sins have found me out, that the lot should leap upon me, I
will slay myself, that ye defile me not; for it is just that I should die for my own sins
only and not have to bear the weight of the people. 6. And when the people saw that it was
not the will of Elchana to take the leadership over them, they prayed again unto the Lord
saying: O Lord God of Israel, wherefore hast thou forsaken thy people in the victory of
the enemy and neglected thine heritage in the time of trouble? Behold even he that was
taken by the lot hath not accomplished thy commandment; but only this hath come about,
that the lot leapt out upon him, and we believed that we had a prince. And lo, he also
contendeth against the lot. Whom shall we yet require, or unto whom shall we flee, and
where is the place of our rest? For if the ordinances are true which thou madest with our
fathers, saying: I will enlarge your seed, and they shall know of this, then it were
better that thou saidst to us, I will cut off your seed, than that thou shouldest have no
regard to our root.

7. And God said unto them: If indeed I recompensed you according to your evil deeds, I
ought not to give ear unto your people; but what shall I do, because my name cometh to be
called upon you? And now know ye that Elchana upon whom the lot hath fallen cannot rule
over you, but it is rather his son that shall be born of him; he shall be prince over you
and shall prophesy; and from henceforth there shall not be wanting unto you a prince for
many years. 8. And the people said: Behold, Lord, Elchana hath ten sons, and which of them
shall be a prince or shall prophesy? And God said: Not any of the sons of Phenenna can be
a prince over the people, but he that is born of the barren woman whom I have given him to
wife, he shall be a prophet before me, and I will love him even as I loved Isaac, and his
name shall be before me for ever. And the people said: Behold now, it may be that God hath
remembered us, to deliver us from the hand of them that hate us. And in that day they
offered peace offerings and feasted in their orders.

CHAPTER 50

1. Now [whereas] Elchana had two wives, the name of the one was Anna and the name of the
other Phenenna. And because Phenenna had sons, and Anna had none, Phenenna reproached her,
saying: What profiteth it thee that Elchana thine husband loveth thee? but thou art a dry
tree. I know moreover that he will love me, because he delighteth to see my sons standing
about him like the planting of an oliveyard. 2. And so it was, when she reproached her
every day, and Anna was very sore at heart, and she feared God from her youth, it came to
pass when the good day of the passover drew on, and her husband went up to do sacrifice,
that Phenenna reviled Anna saying: A woman is not indeed beloved even if her husband love
her or her beauty. Let not Anna therefore boast herself of her beauty, but he that
boasteth let him boast when he seeth his seed before his face; and when it is not so among
women, even the fruit of their womb, then shall love become of no account. For what profit
was it unto Rachel that Jacob loved her? except there had been given her the fruit of her
womb, surely his love would have been to no purpose? And when Anna heard that, her soul
was melted within her and her eyes ran down with tears.

3. And her husband saw her and said: Wherefore art thou sad, and eatest not, and why is
thy heart within thee cast down? Is not thy behaviour better than the ten sons of
Phenenna? And Anna hearkened to him and arose after she had eaten, and came unto Silo to
the house of the Lord where Heli the priest abode, whom Phinees the son of Eleazar the
priest had presented as it was commanded him. 4. And Anna prayed and said: Hast not thou,
O Lord, examined the heart of all generations before thou formedst the world? But what is
the womb that is born open, or what one that is shut up dieth, except thou will it? And
now let my prayer go up before thee this day, lest I go down hence empty, for thou knowest
my heart, how I have walked before thee from the days of my youth.

5. And Anna would not pray aloud as do all men, for she took thought at that time saying:
Lest perchance I be not worthy to be heard, and it shall be that Phenenna will envy me yet
more and reproach me as she daily saith: Where is thy God in whom thou trustest? And I
know that it is not she that hath many sons that is enriched, neither she that lacketh
them is poor, but whoso aboundeth in the will of God, she is enriched. For they that know
for what I have prayed, if they perceive that I am not heard in my prayer, will blaspheme.
And I shall not only have a witness in mine own soul, for my tears also are handmaidens of
my prayers. 6. And as she prayed, Heli the priest, seeing that she was afflicted in her
mind and carried herself like one drunken, said unto her: Go, put away thy wine from thee.
And she said: Is my prayer so heard that I am called drunken? Verily I am drunken with
sorrow and have drunk the cup of my weeping.

7. And Heli the priest said unto her: Tell me thy reproach. And she said unto him: I am
the wife of Elchana, and because God hath surely shut up my womb, therefore I prayed
before him that I might not depart out of this world unto him without fruit, neither die
without leaving mine own image. And Heli the priest said unto her: Go, for I know
wherefore thou hast prayed, and thy prayer is heard. 8. But Heli the priest would not tell
her that a prophet was foreordained to be born of her: for he had heard when the Lord
spake concerning him. And Anna came unto her house, and was consoled of her sorrow, yet
she told no man of that for which she had prayed.

CHAPTER 51

1. And in the time of those days she conceived and bare a son and called his name Samuel,
which is interpreted Mighty, according as God called his name when he prophesied of him.
And Anna sat and gave suck to the child until he was two years old, and when she had
weaned him, she went up with him bearing gifts in her hands, and the child was very fair
and the Lord was with him. 2. And Anna set the child before the face of Heli and said unto
him: This is the desire which I desired, and this is the request which I sought. And Heli
said unto her: Not thou only didst seek it, but the people also prayed for this. It is not
thy request alone, but it was promised aforetime unto the tribes; and by this child is thy
womb justified, that thou shouldest set up prophecy before the people, and appoint the
milk of thy breasts for a fountain unto the twelve tribes.

3. And when Anna heard that, she prayed and said: Come ye at my voice, all ye peoples, and
give ear unto my speech, all ye kingdoms, for my mouth is opened that I may speak, and my
lips are commanded that I may sing praises unto the Lord. Drop, O my breasts, and give
forth your testimonies, for it is appointed to you to give suck. For he shall be set up
that is suckled by you, and by his words shall the people be enlightened, and he shall
shew unto the nations their boundaries, and his horn shall be greatly exalted. 4. And
therefore will I utter my words openly, for out of me shall arise the ordinance of the
Lord, and all men shall find the truth. Haste ye not to talk proudly, neither to utter
high words out of your mouth, but delight yourselves in boasting when the light shall come
forth out of which wisdom shall be born, that they be not called rich which have most
possessions, neither they that have borne abundantly be termed mothers: for the barren
hath been satisfied, and she that was multiplied in sons is become empty;

5. For the Lord killeth with judgement, and quickeneth in mercy: for the ungodly are in
this world: therefore quickeneth he the righteous when he will, but the ungodly he will
shut up in darkness. But unto the righteous he preserveth their light, and when the
ungodly are dead, then shall they perish, and when the righteous are fallen asleep, then
shall they be delivered. And so shall all judgement endure until he be revealed which
holdeth it. 6. Speak thou, speak thou, O Anna, and keep not silence: sing praises, O
daughter of Bathuel, because of thy wonders which God hath wrought with thee. Who is Anna,
that a prophet should come out of her? or who is the daughter of Bathuel, that she should
bring forth a light for the peoples? Arise thou also, Elchana, and gird up thy loins. Sing
praises for the signs of the Lord: For of thy son did Asaph prophesy in the wilderness
saying: Moses and Aaron among his priests and Samuel among them. Behold the word is
accomplished and the prophecy come to pass. And these things endure thus, until they give
an horn unto his anointed, and power cleaveth unto the throne of his king. Yet let my son
stand here and minister, until there arise a light unto this people.

7. And they departed thence and set forth with mirth, rejoicing and exulting in heart for
all the glory that God had wrought with them. But the people went down with one accord
unto Silo with timbrels and dances, with lutes and harps, and came unto Heli the priest
and offered Samuel unto him, whom they set before the face of the Lord and anointed him
and said: Let the prophet live among the people, and let him be long a light unto this
nation.

CHAPTER 52

1. But Samuel was a very young child and knew nothing of all these things. And whilst he
served before the Lord, the two sons of Heli, which walked not in the ways of their
fathers, began to do wickedly unto the people and multiplied their iniquities. And they
dwelt hard by the house of Bethac, and when the people came together to sacrifice, Ophni
and Phinees came and provoked the people to anger, seizing the oblations before the holy
things were offered unto the Lord. 2. And this thing pleased not the Lord, neither the
people, nor their father. And their father spake thus unto them: What is this report that
I hear of you? Know ye not that I have received the place that Phinees committed unto me?
And if we waste that we have received, what shall we say if he that committed it require
it again, and vex us for that which he committed unto us? Now therefore make straight your
ways, and walk in good paths, and your deeds shall endure. But if ye gainsay me and
refrain not from your evil devices, ye will destroy yourselves, and the priesthood will be
in vain, and that which was sanctified will come to nought. And then will they say: To no
purpose did the rod of Aaron spring up, and the flower that was born of it is come to
nothing.

3. Therefore while ye are yet able, my sons, correct that ye have done ill, and the men
against whom ye have sinned will pray for you. But if ye will not, but persist in your
iniquities, I shall be guiltless, and I shall not only sorrow lest (or and now I shall not
blot out these great evils in you, lest) I hear of the day of your death before I die, but
also if this befall (or but even if this befall not) I shall be clear of blame: and though
I be afflicted, ye shall nevertheless perish. 4. And his sons obeyed him not, for the Lord
had given sentence concerning them that they should die, because they had sinned: for when
their father said to them: Repent you of your evil way, they said: When we grow old, then
will we repent. And for this cause it was not given unto them that they should repent when
they were rebuked of their father, because they had always been rebellious, and had
wrought very unjustly in despoiling Israel. But the Lord was angry with Heli.

CHAPTER 53

1. But Samuel was ministering before the Lord and knew not as yet what were the oracles of
the Lord: for he had not yet heard the oracles of the Lord, for he was 8 years old. 2. But
when God remembered Israel, he would reveal his words unto Samuel, and Samuel did sleep in
the temple of the Lord. And it came to pass when God called unto him, that he considered
first, and said: Behold now, Samuel is young that he should be (or though he be) beloved
in my sight; nevertheless because he hath not yet heard the voice of the Lord, neither is
he confirmed unto the voice of the Most Highest, yet is he like unto Moses my servant: but
unto Moses I spake when he was 80 years old, but Samuel is 8 years old. And Moses saw the
fire first and his heart was afraid. And if Samuel shall see the fire now, how shall he
abide it? Therefore now shall there come unto him a voice as of a man, and not as of God.
And when he understandeth, then I will speak unto him as God. 3.

3. And at midnight a voice out of heaven called him: and Samuel awoke and perceived as it
were the voice of Heli, and ran unto him and spake saying: Wherefore hast thou awaked me,
father? For I was afraid, because thou didst never call me in the night. And Heli said:
Woe is me, can it be that an unclean spirit hath deceived my son Samuel? And he said to
him: Go and sleep, for I called thee not. Nevertheless, tell me if thou remember, how
often he that called thee cried. And he said: Twice. And Heli said unto him: Say now, of
whose voice wast thou aware, my son? And he said: Of thine, therefore ran I unto thee. 4.
And Heli said: In thee do I behold the sign that men shall have from this day forward for
ever, that if one call unto another twice in the night or at noonday, they shall know that
it is an evil spirit. But if he call a third time, they shall know that it is an angel.
And Samuel went away and slept.

5. And he heard the second time a voice from heaven, and he arose and ran unto Heli and
said unto him: Wherefore called he me, for I heard the voice of Elchana my father? Then
did Heli understand that God did begin to call him. And Heli said: In those two voices
wherewith God hath called unto thee, he likened himself to thy father and to thy master,
but now the third time he will speak as God. 6. And he said unto him: With thy right ear
attend and with thy left refrain. For Phinees the priest commanded us, saying: The right
ear heareth the Lord by night, and the left ear an angel. Therefore, if thou hear with thy
right ear, say thus: Speak what thou wilt, for I hear thee, for thou hast formed me; but
if thou hear with the left ear, come and tell me. And Samuel went away and slept as Heli
had commanded him.

7. And the Lord added and spake yet a third time, and the right ear of Samuel was filled
with the voice. And when he perceived that the speech of his father had come down unto
him, Samuel turned upon his other side, and said: If I be able, speak, for thou hast
formed me (or knowest well concerning me). 8. And God said unto him: Verily I enlightened
the house of Israel in Egypt and chose unto me at that time Moses my servant for a
prophet, and by him I wrought wonders for my people, and avenged them of mine enemies as I
would, and I took my people into the wilderness, and enlightened them as they beheld. 9.
And when one tribe rose up against another tribe, saying: Wherefore are the priests alone
holy? I would not destroy them, but I said unto them: Give ye every one his rod, and it
shall be that he whose rod flourisheth I have chosen him for the priesthood. And when they
had all given their rods as I commanded, then did I command the earth of the tabernacle
that the rod of Aaron should flourish, that his line might be manifested for many days.
And now they which did flourish have abhorred my holy things.

10. Therefore, lo, the days shall come that I will cut off (lit. stop) the flower that
came forth at that time, and I will go forth against them because they do transgress the
word which I spake unto my servant Moses, saying: If thou meet with a nest, thou shalt not
take the mother with the young, therefore it shall befall them that the mothers shall die
with the children, and the fathers perish with the sons. 11. And when Samuel heard these
words his heart was melted, and he said: Hath it thus come against me in my youth that I
should prophesy unto the destruction of him that fostered me? and how then was I granted
at the request of my mother? and who is he that brought me up? how hath he charged me to
bear evil tidings? 12. And Samuel arose in the morning and would not tell it unto Heli.
And Heli said unto him: Hear now, my son. Behold, before thou wast born God promised
Israel that he would send thee unto them to prophesy. And now, when thy mother came hither
and prayed, for she knew not that which had been done, I said unto her: Go forth, for that
which shall be born of thee shall be a son unto me. Thus spake I unto thy mother, and thus
hath the Lord directed thy way. And even if thou chasten thy nursing-father, as the Lord
liveth, hide thou not from me the things that thou hast heard.

13. Then Samuel was afraid, and told him all the words that he had heard. And he said: Can
the thing formed answer him that formed it? So also can I not answer when he will take
away that which he hath given, even the faithful giver, the holy one which hath
prophesied, for I am subject unto his power.

CHAPTER 54

1. And in those days the Philistines assembled their camp to fight against Israel, and the
children of Israel went out to fight with them. And when the people of Israel had been put
to flight in the first battle, they said: Let us bring up the ark of the covenant of the
Lord, peradventure it will fight with us, because in it are the testimonies of the Lord
which he ordained unto our fathers in Oreb. 2. And as the ark went up with them, when it
was come into the camp, the Lord thundered and said: This time shall be likened unto that
which was in the wilderness, when they took the ark without my commandment, and
destruction befel them. So also, at this time, shall the people fall, and the ark shall be
taken, that I may punish the adversaries of my people because of the ark, and rebuke my
people because they have sinned.

3. And when the ark was come into the battle, the Philistines went forth to meet the
children of Israel, and smote them. And there was there a certain Golia, a Philistine,
which came even unto the ark, and Ophni and Phinees the sons of Heli and Saul the son of
Cis held the ark. And Golia took it with his left hand and slew Ophni and Phinees. 4. But
Saul, because he was light on his feet, fled from before him; and he rent his clothes, and
put ashes on his head, and came unto Heli the priest. And Heli said unto him: Tell me what
hath befallen in the camp? And Saul said unto him: Why askest thou me these things? for
the people is overcome, and God hath forsaken Israel. Yea, and the priests also are slain
with the sword, and the ark is delivered unto the Philistines.

5. And when Heli heard of the taking of the ark, he said: Behold, Samuel prophesied of me
and my sons that we should die together, but the ark he named not unto me. And now the
testimonies are delivered up unto the enemy, and what can I more say? Behold, Israel is
perished from the truth, for the judgements are taken away from him. And because Heli
despaired wholly, he fell off from his seat. And they died in one day, even Heli and Ophni
and Phinees his sons. 6. And Heli's son's wife sat and travailed; and when she heard these
things, all her bowels were melted. And the midwife said unto her: Be of good cheer,
neither let thy soul faint, for a son is born to thee. And she said to her: Lo now is one
soul born and we four die, that is, my father and his two sons and his daughter-in-law.
And she called his name, Where is the glory? saying: The glory of God is perished in
Israel because the ark of the Lord is taken captive. And when she had thus said she gave
up the ghost.

CHAPTER 55

1. But Samuel knew nothing of all these things, because three days before the battle God
sent him away, saying unto him: Go and look upon the place of Arimatha, there shall be thy
dwelling. And when Samuel heard what had befallen Israel, he came and prayed unto the
Lord, saying: Behold, now, in vain is understanding denied unto me that I might see the
destruction of my people. And now I fear lest my days grow old in evil and my years be
ended in sorrow, for whereas the ark of the Lord is not with me, why should I yet live? 2.
And the Lord said unto him: Be not grieved, Samuel, that the ark is taken away. I will
bring it again, and them that have taken it will I overthrow, and will avenge my people of
their enemies. And Samuel said: Lo, even if thou avenge them in time, according to thy
longsuffering, yet what shall we do which die now? And God said to him: Before thou diest
thou shalt see the end which I will bring upon mine enemies, whereby the Philistines shall
perish and shall be slain by scorpions and by all manner of noisome creeping things.

3. And when the Philistines had set the ark of the Lord that was taken in the temple of
Dagon their god, and were come to enquire of Dagon concerning their going forth, they
found him fallen on his face and his hands and feet laid before the ark. And they went
forth on the first morning, having crucified his priests. And on the second day they came
and found as on the day before, and the destruction was greatly multiplied among them. 4.
Therefore the Philistines gathered together in Accaron, and said every man to his
neighbour: Behold now, we see that the destruction is enlarged among us, and the fruit of
our body perisheth, for the creeping things that are sent upon us destroy them that are
with child and the sucklings and them also that give suck. And they said: Let us see
wherefore the hand of the Lord is strong against us. Is it for the ark's sake? for every
day is our god found fallen upon his face before the ark, and we have slain our priests to
no purpose once and again.

5. And the wise men of the Philistines said: Lo, now by this may we know if the Lord have
sent destruction upon us for his ark's sake or if a chance affliction is come upon us for
a season? 6. And now, whereas all that are with child and give suck die, and they that
give suck are made childless, and they that are suckled perish, we also will take kine
that give suck and yoke them to a new cart, and set the ark upon it, and shut up the young
of the kine. And it shall be, if the kine indeed go forth, and turn not back to their
young, we shall know that we have suffered these things for the ark's sake; but if they
refuse to go, yearning after their young, we shall know that the time of our fall is come
upon us. 7. And certain of the wise men and diviners answered: Assay ye not only this, but
let us set the kine at the head of the three ways that are about Accaron. For the middle
way leadeth to Accaron, and the way on the right hand to Judæa, and the way on the left
hand to Samaria. And direct ye the kine that bear the ark in the middle way. And if they
set forth by the right-hand way straight unto Judæa, we shall know that of a truth the God
of the Jews hath laid us waste; but if they go by those other ways, we shall know that an
evil (lit. mighty) time hath befallen us, for now have we denied our gods.

8. And the Philistines took milch kine and yoked them to a new cart and set the ark
thereon, and set them at the head of the three ways, and their young they shut up at home.
And the kine, albeit they lowed and yearned for their young, went forward nevertheless by
the right-hand way that leadeth to Judæa. And then they knew that for the ark's sake they
were laid waste. 9. And all the Philistines assembled and brought the ark again unto Silo
with timbrels and pipes and dances. And because of the noisome creeping things that laid
them waste, they made seats of gold and sanctified the ark. 10. And in that plaguing of
the Philistines, the number was of them that died being with child 75,000, and of the
sucking children 65,000, and of them that gave suck 55,000, and of men 25,000. And the
land had rest seven years.

CHAPTER 56

1. And at that time the children of Israel required a king in their lust. And they
gathered together unto Samuel, and said: Behold, now, thou art grown old, and thy sons
walk not in the ways of the Lord; now, therefore, appoint a king over us to judge betwixt
us, for the word is fulfilled which Moses spake unto our fathers in the wilderness,
saying: Thou shalt surely appoint over thee a prince of your brethren. 2. And when Samuel
heard mention of the kingdom, he was sore grieved in his heart, and said: Behold now I see
that there is no more (or not yet) for us a time of a perpetual kingdom, neither of
building the house of the Lord our God, inasmuch as these desire a king before the time.
And now, if the Lord refuse it altogether (or But even if the Lord so will), it seemeth
unto me that a king cannot be established.

3. And the Lord said unto him in the night: Be not grieved, for I will send them a king
which shall lay them waste, and he himself shall be laid waste thereafter. Now he that
shall come unto thee to-morrow at the sixth hour, he it is that shall reign over them. 4.
And on the next day, Saul, the son of Cis, was coming from Mount Effrem, seeking the asses
of his father; and when he was come to Armathem, he entered in to inquire of Samuel for
the asses. Now he was walking hard by Baam, and Saul said unto him: Where is he that
seeth? For at that time a prophet was called Seer. And Samuel said unto him: I am he that
seeth. And he said: Canst thou tell me of the asses of my father? for they are lost. 5.
And Samuel said unto him: Refresh thyself with me this day, and in the morning I will tell
thee that whereof thou camest to inquire. And Samuel said unto the Lord: Direct, O Lord,
thy people, and reveal unto me what thou hast determined concerning them. And Saul
refreshed himself with Samuel that day and rose in the morning. And Samuel said unto him:
Behold, know thou that the Lord hath chosen thee to be prince over his people at this
time, and hath raised up thy ways, and thy time shall be directed.

6. And Saul said to Samuel: Who am I, and what is my father's house, that my lord should
speak thus unto me? For I understand not what thou sayest, because I am a youth. And
Samuel said to Saul: Who will grant that thy word should come even unto accomplishment of
itself, that thou mayest live many days? but consider this, that thy words shall be
likened unto the words of a prophet, whose name shall be Hieremias. 7. And as Saul went
away that day, the people came unto Samuel, saying: Give us a king as thou didst promise
us. And he said to them: Behold, the king shall come unto you after three days. And lo,
Saul came. And there befell him all the signs which Samuel had told him. Are not these
things written in the book of the Kings?

CHAPTER 57

1. And Samuel sent and gathered all the people, and said unto them: Lo, ye and your king
are here, and I am betwixt you, as the Lord commanded me. 2. And therefore I say unto you,
before the face of your king, even as my lord Moses, the servant of God, said unto your
fathers in the wilderness, when the synagogue of Core arose against him: Ye know that I
have not taken aught of you, neither have I wronged any of you; and because certain lied
at that time and said, Thou didst take, the earth swallowed them up. 3. Now, therefore, do
ye whom the Lord hath not punished answer before the Lord and before his anointed, if it
be for this cause that ye have required a king, because I have evil entreated you, and the
Lord shall be your witness. But if now the word of the Lord is fulfilled, I am free, and
my father's house.

4. And the people answered: We are thy servants and our king with us; because we are
unworthy to be judged by a prophet, therefore said we: Appoint a king over us to judge us.
And all the people and the king wept with a great lamentation, and said: Let Samuel the
prophet live. And when the king was appointed they offered sacrifices unto the Lord. 5.
And after that Saul fought with the Philistines one year, and the battle prospered
greatly.

CHAPTER 58

1. And at that time the Lord said unto Samuel: Go and say unto Saul: Thou art sent to
destroy Amalech, that the words may be fulfilled which Moses my servant spake saying: I
will destroy the name of Amalech out of the land whereof I spake in mine anger. And forget
not to destroy every soul of them as it is commanded thee. 2. And Saul departed and fought
against Amalech, and saved alive Agag the king of Amalech because he said to him: I will
shew thee hidden treasures. Therefore he spared him and saved him alive and brought him
unto Armathem. 3. And God said unto Samuel: Hast thou seen how the king is corrupted with
money even in a moment, and hath saved alive Agag king of Amalech and his wife? Now
therefore suffer Agag and his wife to come together this night, and to-morrow thou shalt
slay him; but his wife they shall preserve till she bring forth a male child, and then she
also shall die, and he that is born of her shall be an offence unto Saul. But thou, arise
on the morrow and slay Agag: for the sin of Saul is written before my face alway.

4. And when Samuel was risen on the morrow, Saul came forth to meet him and said unto him:
The Lord hath delivered our enemies into our hands as he said. And Samuel said to Saul:
Whom hath Israel wronged? for before the time was come that a king should rule over him,
he demanded thee for his king, and thou, when thou wast sent to do the will of the Lord,
hast transgressed it. Therefore he that was saved alive by thee shall die now, and those
hidden treasures whereof he spake he shall not show thee, and he that is born of him shall
be an offence unto thee. And Samuel came unto Agag with a sword and slew him, and returned
unto his house.

CHAPTER 59

1. And the Lord said unto him: Go, anoint him whom I shall tell thee, for the time is
fulfilled wherein his kingdom shall come. And Samuel said: Lo, wilt thou now blot out the
kingdom of Saul? And he said: I will blot it out. 2. And Samuel went forth unto Bethel,
and sanctified the elders, and Jesse, and his sons. And Eliab the firstborn of Jesse came.
And Samuel said: Behold now the holy one, the anointed of the Lord. And the Lord said unto
him: Where is thy vision which thine heart hath seen? Art not thou he that saidst unto
Saul: I am he that seeth? And how knowest thou not whom thou must anoint? And now let this
rebuke suffice thee, and seek out the shepherd, the least of them all, and anoint him. 3.
And Samuel said unto Jesse: Hearken, Jesse, send and bring hither thy son from the flock,
for him hath God chosen. And Jesse sent and brought David, and Samuel anointed him in the
midst of his brethren. And the Lord was with him from that day forward.

4. Then David began to sing this psalm, and said: In the ends of the earth will I begin to
glorify him, and unto everlasting days will I sing praises. Abel at the first when he fed
the sheep, his sacrifice was acceptable rather than his brother's. And his brother envied
him and slew him. But it is not so with me, for God hath kept me, and hath delivered me
unto his angels and his watchers to keep me, for my brethren envied me, and my father and
my mother made me of no account, and when the prophet came they called not for me, and
when the Lord's anointed was proclaimed they forgat me. But God came near unto me with his
right hand, and with his mercy: therefore will I not cease to sing praises all the days of
my life. 5. And as David yet spake, behold a fierce lion out of the wood and a she-bear
out of the mountain took the bulls of David. And David said: Lo, this shall be a sign unto
me for a mighty beginning of my victory in the battle. I will go out after them and
deliver that which is carried off and will slay them. And David went out after them and
took stones out of the wood and slew them. And God said unto him: Lo, by stones have I
delivered thee these beasts in thy sight. And this shall be a sign unto thee that
hereafter thou shalt slay with stones the adversary of my people.

CHAPTER 60

1. And at that time the spirit of the Lord was taken away from Saul, and an evil spirit
oppressed (lit. choked) him. And Saul sent and fetched David, and he played a psalm upon
his harp in the night. And this is the psalm which he sang unto Saul that the evil spirit
might depart from him. 2. There were darkness and silence before the world was, and the
silence spake, and the darkness became visible. And then was thy name created, even at the
drawing together of that which was stretched out, whereof the upper was called heaven and
the lower was called earth. And it was commanded to the upper that it should rain
according to its season, and to the lower that it should bring forth food for man that
should be made. And after that was the tribe of your spirits made. 3. Now therefore, be
not injurious, whereas thou art a second creation, but if not, then remember Hell (lit. be
mindful of Tartarus) wherein thou walkedst. Or is it not enough for thee to hear that by
that which resoundeth before thee I sing unto many? Or forgettest thou that out of a
rebounding echo in the abyss (or chaos) thy creation was born? But that new womb shall
rebuke thee, whereof I am born, of whom shall be born after a time of my loins he that
shall subdue you.

And when David sung praises, the spirit spared Saul.

CHAPTER 61

1. And after these things the Philistines came to fight against Israel. And David was
returned to the wilderness to feed his sheep, and the Madianites came and would have taken
his sheep, and he came down unto them and fought against them and slew of them 15,000 men.
This is the first battle that David fought, being in the wilderness. 2. And there came a
man out of the camp of the Philistines by name Golia, and he looked upon Saul and upon
Israel and said: Art not thou Saul which fleddest before me when I took the ark from you
and slew your priests? And now that thou reignest, wilt thou come down unto me like a man
and a king and fight against us? If not, I will come unto thee, and will cause thee to be
taken captive, and thy people to serve our gods. And when Saul and Israel heard that, they
feared greatly. And the Philistine said: According to the number of the days wherein
Israel feasted when they received the law in the wilderness, even 40 days, I will reproach
them, and after that I will fight with them.

3. And it came to pass when the 40 days were fulfilled, and David was come to see the
battle of his brethren, that he heard the words which the Philistine spake, and said: Is
this peradventure the time whereof God said unto me: I will deliver the adversary of my
people into thy hand by stones? 4. And Saul heard these words and sent and took him and
said: What was the speech which thou spakest unto the people? And David said: Fear not, O
king, for I will go and fight against the Philistine, and God will take away the hatred
and reproach from Israel. 5. And David went forth and took 7 stones and wrote upon them
the names of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Moses and Aaron, and his own name,
and the name of the Most Mighty. And God sent Cervihel, the angel that is over strength.

6. And David went forth unto Golia and said unto him: Hear a word before thou diest. Were
not the two women of whom thou and I were born sisters? and thy mother was Orpha and my
mother was Ruth. And Orpha chose for herself the gods of the Philistines and went after
them, but Ruth chose for herself the ways of the Most Mighty and walked in them. And now
thou and thy brethren are born of Orpha, and as thou art arisen this day and come to lay
Israel waste, behold, I also that am born of thy kindred am come to avenge my people. For
thy three brethren also shall fall into my hands after thy death. And then shall ye say
unto your mother: He that was born of thy sister hath not spared us. 7. And David put a
stone in his sling and smote the Philistine in his forehead, and ran upon him and drew his
sword out of the sheath and took his head from him. And Golia said unto him while his life
was yet in him: Hasten and slay me and rejoice.

8. And David said unto him: Before thou diest, open thine eyes and behold thy slayer which
hath killed thee. And the Philistine looked and saw the angel and said: Thou hast not
killed me by thyself, but he that was with thee, whose form is not as the form of a man.
And then David took his head from him. 9. And the angel of the Lord lifted up the face of
David and no man knew him. And when Saul saw David he asked him who he was, and there was
no man that knew him who he was.


THE BIBLICAL ANTIQUITIES OF PHILO (CHAPTERS 62–65)
==================================================

THE BIBLICAL ANTIQUITIES OF PHILO continued

CHAPTER 62

1. And after these things Saul envied David and sought to kill him. But David and
Jonathan, Saul's son, made a covenant together. And when David saw that Saul sought to
kill him, he fled unto Armathem; and Saul went out after him. 2. And the spirit abode in
Saul, and he prophesied, saying: Why art thou deceived, O Saul, or whom dost thou
persecute in vain? The time of thy kingdom is fulfilled. Go unto thy place, for thou shalt
die and David shall reign. Shalt not thou and thy son die together? And then shall the
kingdom of David appear. And the spirit departed from Saul, and he knew not what he had
prophesied. 3. But David came unto Jonathan and said unto him: Come and let us make a
covenant before we be parted one from the other. For Saul, thy father, seeketh to slay me
without cause. And since he hath perceived that thou lovest me he telleth thee not what he
deviseth concerning me.

4. But for this cause he hateth me, because thou lovest me, and lest I should reign in his
stead. And whereas I have done him good he requiteth me with evil. And whereas I slew
Golia by the word of the Most Mighty, see thou what an end he purposeth for me. For he
hath determined concerning my father's house, to destroy it. And would that the judgement
of truth might be put in the balance, that the multitude of the prudent might hear the
sentence. 5. And now I fear lest he kill me and lose his own life for my sake. For he
shall never shed innocent blood without punishment. Wherefore should my soul suffer
persecution? For I was the least among my brethren, feeding the sheep, and wherefore am I
in peril of death? For I am righteous and have none iniquity. And wherefore doth thy
father hate me? Yet the righteousness of my father shall help me that I fall not into thy
father's hands. And seeing I am young and tender of age, it is to no purpose that Saul
envieth me.

6. If I had wronged him, I would pray him to forgive me the sin. For if God forgiveth
iniquity, how much more thy father who is flesh and blood? I have walked in his house with
a perfect heart, yea, I grew up before his face like a swift eagle. I put mine hands unto
the harp and blessed him in songs, and he hath devised to slay me, and like a sparrow that
fleeth before the face of the hawk, so have I fled before his face. 7. Unto whom have I
spoken this, or unto whom have I told the things that I have suffered save unto thee and
Melchol thy sister? For as for both of us, let us go together in truth. 8. And it were
better, my brother, that I should be slain in battle than that I should fall into the
hands of thy father: for in the battle mine eyes were looking on every side that I might
defend him from his enemies. O my brother Jonathan, hear my words, and if there be
iniquity in me, reprove me.

9. And Jonathan answered and said: Come unto me, my brother David, and I will tell thee
thy righteousness. My soul pineth away sore at thy sadness because now we are parted one
from another. And this have our sins compelled, that we should be parted from one another.
But let us remember one another day and night while we live. And even if death part us,
yet I know that our souls will know one another. For thine is the kingdom in this world,
and of thee shall be the beginning of the kingdom, and it cometh in its time. 10. And now,
like a child that is weaned from its mother, even so shall be our separation. Let the
heaven be witness and let the earth be witness of those things which we have spoken
together. And let us weep each with the other and lay up our tears in one vessel and
commit the vessel to the earth, and it shall be a testimony unto us.

11. And they bewailed each one the other sore, and kissed one another. But Jonathan feared
and said unto David: Let us remember, O my brother, the covenant that is made betwixt us,
and the oath which is set in our heart. And if I die before thee and thou indeed reign, as
the Lord hath spoken, be not mindful of the anger of my father, but of the covenant which
is made betwixt me and thee. Neither think upon the hatred wherewith my father hateth thee
in vain but upon my love wherewith I have loved thee. Neither think upon that wherein my
father was unthankful unto thee, but remember the table whereat we have eaten together.
Neither keep in mind the envy wherewith my father envied thee evilly, but the faith which
I and thou keep. Neither care thou for the lie wherewith Saul hath lied, but for the oaths
that we have sworn one to another. And they kissed one another. And after that David
departed into the wilderness, and Jonathan went into the city.

CHAPTER 63

1. At that time the priests that dwelt in Noba were polluting the holy things of the Lord
and making the firstfruits a reproach unto the people. And God was wroth and said: Behold,
I will wipe out the priests that dwell in Noba, because they walk in the ways of the sons
of Heli. 2. And at that time came Doech the Syrian, which was over Saul's mules, unto Saul
and said unto him: Knowest thou not that Abimelec the priest taketh counsel with David and
hath given him a sword and sent him away in peace? And Saul sent and called Abimelec and
said unto him: Thou shalt surely die, because thou hast taken counsel with mine enemy. And
Saul slew Abimelec and all his father's house, and there was not so much as one of his
tribe delivered save only Abiathar his son. The same came to David and told him all that
had befallen him.

3. And God said: Behold, in the year when Saul began to reign, when Jonathan had sinned
and he would have put him to death, this people rose up and suffered him not, and now when
the priests were slain, even 385 men, they kept silence and said nothing. Therefore, lo,
the days shall come quickly that I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies and
they shall fall down wounded, they and their king. 4. And unto Doech the Syrian thus said
the Lord: Behold, the days shall come quickly that the worm shall come up upon his tongue
and shall cause him to pine away, and his dwelling shall be with Jair for ever in the fire
that is not quenched. 5. Now all that Saul did, and the rest of his words, and how he
pursued after David, are they not written in the book of the kings of Israel?

6. And after these things Samuel died, and all Israel gathered together and mourned him,
and buried him.

CHAPTER 64

1. Then Saul took thought, saying: I will surely take away the sorcerers out of the land
of Israel. So shall men remember me after my departure. And Saul scattered all the
sorcerers out of the land. And God said: Behold, Saul hath taken away the sorcerers out of
the land, not because of the fear of me, but that he might make himself a name. Behold,
whom he hath scattered, unto them let him resort, and get divination from them, because he
hath no prophets. 2. At that time the Philistines said every man to his neighbour: Behold,
Samuel the prophet is dead and there is none that prayeth for Israel. David, also, which
fought for them, is become Saul's adversary and is not with them. Now, therefore, let us
arise and fight mightily against them, and avenge the blood of our fathers. And the
Philistines assembled themselves and came up to battle.

3. And when Saul saw that Samuel was dead and David was not with him, his hands were
loosened. And he inquired of the Lord, and he hearkened not unto him. And he sought
prophets, and none appeared unto him. And Saul said unto the people: Let us seek out a
diviner and inquire of him that which I have in mind. And the people answered him: Behold,
now there is a woman named Sedecla, the daughter of Debin (or Adod) the Madianite, which
deceived the people of Israel with sorceries: and lo she dwelleth in Endor. 4. And Saul
put on vile raiment and went unto her, he and two men with him, by night and said unto
her: Raise up unto me Samuel. And she said: I am afraid of the king Saul. And Saul said
unto her: Thou shalt not be harmed of Saul in this matter. And Saul said within himself:
When I was king in Israel, even though the Gentiles saw me not, yet knew they that I was
Saul. And Saul asked the woman, saying: Hast thou seen Saul at any time? And she said:
Oftentimes. And Saul went out and wept and said: Lo, now I know that my beauty is changed,
and that the glory of my kingdom is passed from me.

5. And it came to pass, when the woman saw Samuel coming up, and beheld Saul with him,
that she cried out and said: Behold, thou art Saul, wherefore hast thou deceived me? And
he said unto her: Fear not, but tell me what thou sawest. And she said: Lo, these 40 years
have I raised up the dead for the Philistines, but this appearance hath not been seen,
neither shall it be seen hereafter. 6. And Saul said unto her: What is his form? And she
said: Thou inquirest of me concerning the gods. For, behold, his form is not the form of a
man. For he is arrayed in a white robe and hath a mantle upon it, and two angels leading
him. And Saul remembered the mantle which Samuel had rent while he lived, and he smote his
hands together and cast himself upon the earth. 7. And Samuel said unto him: Why hast thou
disquieted me to bring me up? I thought that the time was come for me to receive the
reward of my deeds. Therefore boast not thyself, O king, neither thou, O woman. For it is
not ye that have brought me up, but the precept which God spake unto me while I yet lived,
that I should come and tell thee that thou hadst sinned yet the second time in neglecting
God. For this cause are my bones disturbed after that I had rendered up my soul, that I
should speak unto thee, and that being dead I should be heard as one living.

8. Now therefore to-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me, when the people are
delivered into the hands of the Philistines. And because thy bowels have been moved with
jealousy, therefore that that is thine shall be taken from thee. And Saul heard the words
of Samuel, and his soul melted and he said: Behold, I depart to die with my sons, if
perchance my destruction may be an atonement for mine iniquities. And Saul arose and
departed thence.

CHAPTER 65

1. And the Philistines fought against Israel. And Saul went out to battle. And Israel fled
before the Philistines: and when Saul saw that the battle waxed hard exceedingly, he said
in his heart: Wherefore strengthenest thou thyself to live, seeing Samuel hath proclaimed
death unto thee and to thy sons? 2. And Saul said to him that bare his armour: Take thy
sword and slay me before the Philistines come and abuse me. And he that bare his armour
would not lay hands upon him. 3. And he himself bowed upon his sword, and he could not
die. And he looked behind him and saw a man running and called unto him and said: Take my
sword and slay me. For my life is yet in me. 4. And he came to slay him. And Saul said
unto him: Before thou kill me, tell me, who art thou? And he said unto him: I am Edab, the
son of Agag king of the Amalechites. And Saul said: Behold, now the words of Samuel are
come upon me even as he said: He that shall be born of Agag shall be an offence unto thee.

5. But go thou and say unto David: I have slain thine enemy. And thou shalt say unto him:
Thus saith Saul: Be not mindful of my hatred, neither of mine unrighteousness....


THE SIBYLLINE ORACLES
=====================

THE SIBYLLINE ORACLES Translated by Milton S. Terry

2nd century BC to 5th century AD

Twelve books of Greek hexameter oracles in the name of the Sibyl, in Terry’s English blank
verse, together with the two fragments of a lost proem that Theophilus of Antioch quotes.
The books are Jewish and Christian writings of the second century BC to the fifth century
AD that foretell judgement on the nations, praise the one God and mock idols. Terry’s
edition has twelve books because the Greek books numbered IX and X in other editions are
not found in the manuscripts he used, so his last four books are numbered IX to XII, with
the manuscript numbers XI to XIV in brackets.

PROEM: FIRST FRAGMENT

1 Ye mortal men and fleshly, who are nought, / How soon are ye puffed up, nor see life's
end! / Ye tremble not, and have no fear of God, / Your Overseer, the Most High One, who
knows, The All-Observer, witness of all things, / All-nourishing Creator, who in all /
Implanted his sweet Spirit, and made him / The guide of mortal men. One God there is / Who
reigns alone, supremely great, unborn, Almighty and invisible, himself / Alone beholding
all things, but unseen / Is he himself by any mortal flesh. / For who is able with the
eyes of flesh / To see the heavenly, true, immortal God, Whose dwelling is the sky? Not in
the beams / Of the bright sun can men endure to stand, / Mortal-born men, mere veins and
flesh in bones. / Honor him, then, sole ruler of the world, / Who only through eternal
ages bides,

2 The self-existent, unbegotten One, / Ruling all things through all, and to all men /
Imparting judgment in a common light. / Of evil counsels ye shall surely have / The
merited reward, because ye failed To glorify the true, eternal God, / And offer him the
holy hecatombs, / But unto demons made your sacrifice— / Even those in Hades. And ye walk
about / In pride and madness, leave the path of right, And go away among the thorns and
briers. / Why do ye wander? Pause, O foolish ones, / Who rove in darkness, and black night
obscure, / And leave night's darkness, and receive the light. / Lo, he is clear to all, he
cannot err. Come, chase not gloom and darkness evermore. / Behold, the sun's sweet light
shines wondrous fair. / Know how to treasure wisdom in your hearts. / There is one God who
sends rain, earthquakes, winds, / Lightnings and famines, plagues and mournful cares,

3 And snows and ice. But why should I speak all? / He governs heaven, rules earth, and
self-exists.

PROEM: SECOND FRAGMENT

1 But if all that is born must also perish, / It cannot be from thighs of man and wife /
God has been formed. But God is one alone, / Highest of all. He has made heaven, and sun,
And stars, and moon, and the fruit-bearing earth, / And ocean's swelling streams, and
lofty hills, / And the perennial fountains. And he brought / The countless millions of the
waters forth; / And nourished life in all the creeping things That move on earth, and
clear-toned twittering birds / Of various colors, and of whizzing wings, / That cleave the
air. And in the mountain glades / Disposed he the wild races of the beasts, / And to us
mortals made subordinate All cattle; the God-formed one made chief / Of all things; and
subordinate to man / He put all variegated forms of life, / And things that are
incomprehensible. / For all these things what mortal flesh can know?

2 He only knows who himself made these things / From the beginning, incorruptible /
Creator, everlasting One, who dwells / In the pure ether. He rewards the good / With an
abundant bounty, but fierce wrath He rouses for the wicked and unjust, / And war, and
pestilence, and tearful woes. / O men, why vainly puffed up do ye bring / Yourselves to
ruin? Blush to deify / Polecats and monstrous beasts. And is it not A madness and a frenzy
of the mind / If gods steal plates, and plunder earthen pots? / And when they might
inhabit in their power / The golden heaven, see them moth-eaten there, / And thickly woven
under spiders' webs! Ye worship serpents, dogs, cats—O ye fools, / And reverence birds,
and creeping things of earth, / Stone images and statues made with hands, / And stone
heaps by the roads. These ye revere, / And also many foolish things besides,

3 Which it would even be a shame to tell. / These are the baneful gods of thoughtless men,
/ And from their mouth pours deadly poison down. / But of him is life and perennial light
/ Imperishable, and he sheds a joy Sweeter than honey on the sons of men. / For him alone
should any bend the neck / And tread the eternal paths of piety. / Leaving all those, the
full cup of revenge, / Pure, strong, pressed down and unadulterated, Drain off with madly
eager soul, all ye. / But ye will not arouse you from your sleep / And come to sober
reason, and know God, / The mighty King, who oversees all things. / Therefore on you the
flame of burning fire Is coming; ye through ages every day / Shall be by gleaming torches
set on fire, / For false and worthless idols put to shame. / But they who fear God and
eternal truth, / Life shall inherit, and forever dwell

4 Amid the verdant fields of Paradise, / Feasting on sweet bread from the starry heaven.

BOOK I

1 Beginning with the earliest race of men, / Even to the latest, I will prophesy / Of all
things past, and present, and to come / In the world through the wickedness of men. And
first, God bids me utter how the world / Came into being. And do thou declare, / O crafty
mortal—prudently declare, / Lest ever thou disparage my commands— / How the celestial
King, who made the world And all things, said: Let it be, and it was. / For he the earth
established, casting it / Round about Tartarus; and he gave forth / The soft sweet light,
and raised the heaven on high, / And spread abroad the ocean's blue expanse, And crowned
the pole with hosts of brilliant stars, / And decked the earth with plants, and mixed the
sea / With rivers, and the air with vapors fused, / And watery clouds. And then another
race / He put forth, fishes in the seas, and gave

2 Birds to the blowing winds, and to the woods / The shaggy beasts, and crawling dragons
vile, / And all things whatsoever now are seen. / These made he by his word, and all was
done / Quickly and well. For he as self-produced Existed sole, and looked from heaven
down; / And the world was complete. And then again, / He fashioned afterward a living
work, / Man, after his own image, newly formed, / Beautiful, godlike, whom in Paradise
Ambrosial he assigned a dwelling-place, / Where elegant labors might become his care. /
But in that verdant field of Paradise / He was alone; discourse he longed to hold, / And
much desired another form to see Like to himself. Then opened God his side / And from it
took a bone, and made fair Eve, / His wedded spouse, and in that Paradise / Brought her to
dwell with him. On her he gazed, / And a great admiration held his soul,

3 Being suddenly rejoiced to look upon / A pattern so exact. And with wise words / He
answered, words that flowed spontaneously; / For God cares for all things. And neither
lust / Obscured their minds, nor from a sense of shame Were they clothed, but remote from
evil hearts, Even like beasts they walked with limbs exposed. Then to them also God
commandments gave, And showed them that they must not touch the tree. But the vile serpent
led them off by guile To meet the doom of death, and to receive Knowledge of good and
evil. But the wife First became traitress to him; she gave him, And foolishly persuaded
him to sin; And he, persuaded by the woman's words, Forgetful of the immortal Maker grew,
And treated plain commandments with despite. Therefore instead of good received he evil,
According to his deed. And then, the leaves Of the sweet fig-tree sewing, they prepared

4 Garments for one another, and concealed The sexual parts, because they were ashamed. But
on them the Immortal set his wrath, And forth he cast them from the immortal field. For it
was now appointed unto men To dwell upon the soil, since he kept not The word of God, the
Immortal, Mighty, High. Then went they forth upon the fertile globe, Moistened with tears
and sobs, and God himself, The Immortal, spoke these memorable words: "Increase and
multiply, and work on earth With skillful hand, that by your toilsome sweat Ye may receive
sufficiency of food." Thus spoke he; but the author of deceit Prone on the dusty earth he
made to crawl, And harshly banished; and dire enmity He sent between them; this to save
his head / Is watchful; man his heel; for death is near, / Neighbor of men and poisonous
vipers sly. / And then the race was multiplied, as bade

5 Himself the almighty Ruler, and increased / One nation with another far and wide. /
Houses of various sorts they reared aloft, / And cities and their walls they builded well
/ And wisely. And a long-continuing day Was given them for the life they loved so much. /
For they died not by grievous ills consumed, / But as o'ercome by sleep. Happy the men /
Of great soul whom the immortal Saviour loved, / The King most high. But also they
transgressed, And gave themselves to folly; for bold-faced / They mocked their fathers,
and their mothers shamed; / Acquaintances they knew not, and they met / Brothers with
treason. Then became they vile, / And armed with helmets red with human gore They also
made wars; and upon them fell / The last calamity from heaven sent forth, / And took
life's fears away, and Hades then / Received them. Hades it was called where first / Adam
arrived when he had tasted death

6 And earth had covered him on all sides round. / Therefore all earthborn men are said to
go / Into the halls of Hades. But all these / Having arrived in Hades have received /
Honor, for they to the first race belonged. But when these he had taken, then again / Of
the surviving and most righteous men / Another race he formed, much varied, which
displayed / Works pleasing, good, and fair, and high respect, / And thorough wisdom. They
brought forward arts Of all kinds, meeting difficulties with skill. / And one devised to
till the land with plows, / Another worked in wood; one sailed the deep, / Another made a
study of the stars; / Another practiced augury with birds; Sorcery and magic arts were
others' care; / Others intently practiced other arts, / Watchful inventors, worthy of the
name / Because within they held a sleepless mind. / Immense in body, and to look upon

7 Compact and huge were they, but they went down / Under Tartarean chambers terrible, /
Held in strong chains to expiate their crimes / In the Gehenna of burning, quenchless
fire. / And after these again appeared a race, Mighty-souled, third race of perfidious
men. / Fearful and many were the evil deeds / They wrought among themselves. And these by
war / And carnage and calamity were slain / Continually, having a haughty heart. And from
these afterward another race / Proceeded, late completed, fit for war, / Murderous and
rash; of the fourth race were they. / Much blood they shed, nor feared they God or man, /
For fierce, excessive passion urged them on, And impious wickedness. And they by wars, /
Carnage, and strife were hurled to Erebus, / Wretched and impious men. Them that survived
/ The heavenly God himself in wrath removed / Out of his world, and in vast Tartarus

8 Cast down, beneath the bottom of the earth. / Again thereafter yet another race / Much
worse than men he made, for whom no good / Will ever the immortal God prepare, / Since
they wrought many evils. For they were Wanton and violent beyond compare, / Giants
perverse, uttering foul blasphemies. / Single among all men, most just and true, / Was
Noah, faithful, and to all good works / Attentive. And to him the Lord himself From heaven
spoke these things: "Noah, be thou bold, / And preach repentance to the people all, / That
they may all be saved. But they will not / Regard it, having souls devoid of shame, / And
all the impious race will I destroy With mighty floods of waters. But straightway / I bid
thee from the non-imbibing root / An indestructible house of wood to build. / I will put
understanding in thy heart, / And skill in art, and measurement, and space, And in all
things will I have anxious care / That thou be saved and all that with thee dwell. / Now I
am he who is (and in thy heart / Meditate it); I clothe me with the sky / And cast the sea
around me; and to me

9 Earth is a footstool. Round my form I pour / The air, and all around me dance the stars.
/ Nine letters have I, and four syllables. / Mark me: The first three have two letters
each, / The other has the rest, and five are mutes. Of the whole sum the hundreds are
twice eight, / And thrice three tens, with seven. Know who I am / And be not unacquainted
with my love." / Thus he spoke, and a mighty trembling seized / Him who heard such things,
and then in his mind, Having prepared each matter, he implored / The people and began with
words like these: / "O men, filled with all unbelief and fallen / In madness great, ye
will not hide from God / Whate'er ye do, for all things he beholds, Immortal Saviour, all-
surveying. He / Bade me exhort you that ye perish not. / Be sober, cease ye from your
wicked deeds, / Nor fiercely fight, nor hold a murderous heart, / Nor moisten many a land
with human gore.

10 Adore, O mortals, the supremely great / And fearless heavenly Maker, the great God, /
Imperishable, whose dwelling is the sky; / And him let all entreat, for he is good; /
Entreat him for the life of all the world, Of cities and four-footed beasts and birds, /
That unto all he may be merciful. / For when the whole vast world of men shall be / By
waters ruined, ye'll wail a dreadful song. / And suddenly to you the ambient air Will be
unsettled, and the wrath of God / Will come from heaven upon you; and be sure / On men the
immortal Saviour it will send, / Unless God ye appease, and now repent, / And unto one
another be no more So petulant and wicked and unjust, / But with a holy life be
fortified." / But when they heard him each turned up his nose;

11 / They called him mad, a man with frenzy fired. / And then again did Noah sound this
strain: "O cowardly, vile-hearted, wavering men, / Forsaking reverence and loving shame, /
Rapacious tyrants, violent transgressors, / Liars, filled with all unbelief, untrue, /
Workers of evil, sly adulterers, Flippant, and pouring slanders forth, the wrath / Of God
ye do not fear, and ye are kept / To the fifth generation to atone. / Ye nowise weep, ye
monsters, but ye laugh. / Sardonic smiles will ye laugh, let me say, When God's
approaching fearful flood shall come; / When a pure race on earth the wave renews, /
Springing perennial from the dry, dead roots; / In one night root and branch becomes
unknown, / And cities with their people from the deep The Earth-shaker scatters and their
walls destroys. / And then the whole world of unnumbered men / Shall die. But how will I
weep, how lament / In wooden house! How mingle tears with waves! / For if the waters at
God's word shall come,

12 Earth shall swim, hills swim, even air shall swim; / Water shall be all over, and all
things / Shall be destroyed by waters. And the winds / Shall stand still, and a second age
shall dawn. / O Phrygian, from the lofty water first To go forth, thou another race of men
/ Shalt nourish up, as from another new / Beginning, and shalt be a nurse for all." / But
when he to that lawless generation / Had vainly spoken thus, then the Most High Revealed
himself, and called again, and said: / "The time has come, O Noah, to make known / Each
thing, whatever daily I to thee / Have promised and decreed; to execute / In all the
world, because of human guilt, All things, whatever myriad wrongs were done / By former
generations. But do thou / Make haste and enter with thy sons, and wife, / And their
wives. Call as many as I bid, / The tribes of beasts and creeping things and birds,

13 And in the breasts of such as I ordain / To keep alive will I then straight impart /
The prompt and willing mind to enter in." / Thus he spoke; and he went and cried aloud. /
And then his spouse and sons and their young wives Entered the house of wood. And then
straightway / Went every other thing, even as God willed. / But when the key was fitted to
the lid, / Adjusted crosswise in its polished place, / Then was the will of the celestial
God Accomplished. Then he drove the gloomy clouds / Together, and concealed the sun's
bright disk, / And moon and stars and circle of the heavens, / Obscuring all things; and
loud thunders rolled, / Terror of mortals, and the lightnings flashed; And all the winds
together were aroused, / And all the streams of waters were unloosed, / And from heaven
opened mighty cataracts, / And earth's recesses and the tireless deep / Disclosed their
myriad waters, and the wide

14 Illimitable earth was covered o'er. / But that divine house floated with the storm, /
And, tossed by many a furious wave and swept / By blast of winds along, rose fearfully. /
But still the keel cut through the mass of foam, While the loud-murmuring waters dashed
around. / But when the whole world God had drowned with rains, / In Noah's mind 'twas
given to understand / The purpose of the Immortal; and he went / Sufficiently in Nereus.
But straightway The lid he lifted from the polished wall, / Where crosswise it was joined
with skillful stays, / And, looking out upon the mighty mass / Of boundless waters, Noah's
eyes surveyed / Death all around. Fear seized him, and his heart Quaked mightily. And then
the wind was stayed / A little, for it had toiled many days / To wet the whole world; then
it broke apart, / Disclosing, as if pale and stained with blood, / The great and fiery
surface of the sky

15 Hard toil-worn. Noah difficulty held / His courage. And procuring then a dove, / He
sent her forth alone to learn if the earth / Appeared yet solid; but with wearied wing /
She flew around all things and returned again, For the great water was not yet assuaged, /
For greatly was it filling every place. / But having rested other days, he sent / The dove
again, to learn if yet had ceased / The many waters; and she flew afar And went upon the
earth, and having paused / To rest a little on the humid ground, / Again to Noah back she
came, and bore / An olive-branch, the sign of tidings great. / Then was he full of
boldness and great joy, For earth he hoped to look upon again. / And thereupon another
bird, black-winged, / He straight sent forth; and, trusting in his wings, / He promptly
flew, and coming to the earth, / Remained there. Then knew Noah that the land

16 Was very near. But when the ark had tossed / Here and there on the furious waves,
controlled / By skill divine, it swam o'er the sea's surge, / And was made fast upon the
narrow shore. / There is upon the Phrygian main-land dark A steep, tall mountain, Ararat
by name, / Because thereon all were to be restored; / And in it there is great and strong
desire. / There the great river Marsyas draws his streams. / There the ark rested on the
lofty height, The waters ceasing. Then again from heaven / Uttered the holy voice of the
great God / This word: "O rescued Noah, faithful, just, / Come boldly forth with thy sons
and thy wife / And their three young wives, and fill all the earth, Increasing,
multiplying, rendering justice / One to another, on from age to age, / Until to judgment
all the race of men / Comes, for a judgment shall be unto all." / Thus spoke the heavenly
voice, and Noah rushed

17 As from his couch forth boldly on the earth, / And his sons with him, his wife, and
their wives, / And creeping things, and birds, and quadrupeds; / And all else from the
wooden house went forth / Into one place. And then, most just of men, Went Noah forth, the
eighth, having fulfilled / Upon the waters twice one hundred days / And one; such was the
will of the great God. / Then a new age of life again appeared, / First golden, which was
now the sixth and best Since man was first formed; heavenly it was called, / Because in
all things it had care toward God. / O prime race of the generation sixth! / O mighty joy
which I shall then obtain / When I escape dire ruin, having been Much tossed with mine
espoused, and brothers-in-law, / And husband's father and with husband's mother, / And
having suffered with the wives like me. / Now I will sing: a many-colored flower / Shall
on the fig-tree bloom, and in mid-time

18 The royal power and scepter it shall show. / For three kings, great-souled and most
just of men, / Shall show the lots and reign full many a year, / Awarding justice unto
men, to whom / Labor and amiable deeds are dear. And earth productive shall show many
fruits / Spontaneous, and yield much corn for the race. / And then the nursing fathers,
far apart / From cold dire plagues, shall not be growing old / All their days; they will
die as cast in sleep, And pass down to the Acheronian shores, / In Hades' habitations, and
down there / Shall they have honor. For they were a race / Of blessed ones, fortunate
heroes, whom / The God of Sabaoth gave a noble mind; And they shall ever in his counsels
share. / And blessed shall they be, even though they come / To Hades. Then again rose
fierce and strong / Another second race of earthborn men, / The Titans. Like in form were
each and all,

19 In aspect, size, and nature; and their speech / Was one, like that which from the
earliest race / God formerly implanted in their minds. / But these with haughty heart
against the Highest / Took counsel, hastening to destruction on, And waging war against
the starry heaven. / And then would the great ocean's flood have poured / Its maddened
waters on them, but the great / Sabaoth checked and held it, though incensed, / For he had
promised not to bring again A deluge on malevolent mankind. / But when the many waters'
boundless flood, / Wave rolling here and there on wave, he made / From wrath to cease, the
great high-thundering God / In other depths of ocean, less profound, Marked off the land
by harbors and rough shores. / And then the Child of the great God to men / Shall come
incarnate, being fashioned like / To mortals on the earth. And he shall bear / Four
vowels, and the consonants in him

20 Two times are told; and the whole sum I name: / For eight ones, and as many tens to
these, / And yet eight hundred will the name reveal / To men who are given up to unbelief.
/ Now do thou in thy heart consider Christ, The Child of the immortal God most high; / He
shall fulfill God's law, and not destroy; / His image he shall bear, and teach all things.
/ To him shall priests come bearing gold and myrrh / And frankincense; for all things will
he do. But when a voice shall come through desert land / Preaching to men, and all, with a
loud cry, / Make straight the ways, and cast forth wickedness / Out of the heart, and let
men's bodies all / By water be illumined, that, being born From above, they may never more
at all / Turn from the righteous (now, won by the dance, / His head will one of barbarous
mind cut off, / And give for a reward), then shall a sign / Suddenly be to men, when,
guarded well,

21 From Egypt's land shall come a beautiful stone, / At which the Hebrews shall be
scandalized, / But nations shall be gathered, led by him, / For God who rules on high
shall be made known / Through him, and a way in a common light. For life eternal he'll
show men elect, / But for the lawless lasting fire prepare. / And then the sick will he
heal, and all men / Worthy of blame, who will show faith in him. / Then shall the blind
see, and the lame shall walk, The deaf shall hearken, and the dumb shall speak, / Demons
be cast out, and the dead be raised, / Billows he'll walk, and in the desert place, / From
five loaves and a fish of the deep sea, / Will sate five thousand, and what then remains
Will fill twelve baskets for the virgin pure. / And then will Israel, drunken, not
perceive, / Nor shall they hear, weighed down by sickly ears. / But when the burning wrath
of the Most High / Upon the Hebrews comes, and from them faith

22 Be taken away, because the heavenly Child / Of God they injured, then will Israel give
/ With foul lips buffetings and scorn to him. / For food gall, and for drink strong
vinegar / Impiously they give, with evil madness stricken In breast and heart; not seeing
with their eyes, / More blind than moles, more terrible than beasts / That crawl
envenomed, fettered by deep sleep. / But when he stretches out his blameless hands / And
metes out all things, and a crown of thorns Bears, and they pierce his side with spears— /
For which dark night prodigious in midday / Three hours shall come—then shall the temple /
Of Solomon disclose great signs to men, / And then shall he in Hades' mansion walk, And
resurrection to the dead proclaim. / But in three days he'll come to light again / And
show his form to men, and teach all things, / And in the clouds ascending will depart /
Into a heavenly mansion, having left

23 Unto the world the gospel covenant. / And in his name shall a new sprout bloom forth /
Among the nations, guided by great law. / But also after these things have transpired, /
Apostles shall be guides; and afterward Of prophets a cessation there shall be. / But when
the Hebrews their ill harvest reap, / Much gold and silver will the Roman king / Plunder
from them. And other princes then / Continually will be, as kings expire, And they will
oppress mortals. Great will be / The fall of those men when they shall commence /
Unrighteous insolence. But when the temple / Of Solomon on ground divine shall fall, /
Hurled down by barbarous men, in brazen mail, The Hebrews shall be driven from the land, /
Wandering afar, and plundered, and much tares / In the wheat will they mingle, and will
stand / An evil faction among all mankind. / And all their cities, outraged, will lament

24 Each other, since an evil work they wrought, / Receiving the great God's wrath in their
hearts.

BOOK II

1 Now when my song of wisdom God restrained, / Much I implored, and in my breast again /
He put the charming voice of words divine. / Trembling at every form I follow these, For
what I speak I do not comprehend, / But God commands each thing to be declared. / But when
on earth shocks, and strong thunderbolts, / Thunder and lightning, and mildew of earth, /
Madness of wolves, and slaughter of mankind, And ruin both of men and bellowing bulls, /
Four-footed cattle, and laborious mules, / And goats and sheep, even then the barren field
/ Shall become much abandoned from neglect, / And fruits shall fail, and license shall
abound Among most men, and temple robbery. / And then of men the tenth race will appear, /
When the earth-shaking Thunderer will break / The zeal of idols, and will shake the people
/ Of seven-hilled Rome, and all their treasured wealth

2 Will perish, burned by Vulcan's fiery flame. / And then shall bloody signs from heaven
descend.— / But the whole world of men, enraged, will kill / Each other, and in tumult God
will send / Famines and plagues and thunderbolts on men Who without righteousness condemn
the just. / And of men will the whole world be deserted, / So that, if any one beholds a
trace / Of man on earth, he will be wonderstruck. / But then will the great God who dwells
in heaven Devout men's Saviour in all things become / And then shall peace profound and
union be, / And the fruit-bearing earth shall yield again / Abundant fruits, nor shall it
longer be / Divided, nor with toilsome service tilled. But every port and harbor shall be
free / To all men, even as they were before. / And brazen impudence shall be destroyed. /
Then a great sign will God thereafter show. / A star will shine forth like a lustrous
crown,

3 Bright, all-resplendent, from the radiant sky, / Days not a few; for then will he from
heaven / Display the victor's garland unto men / Who struggle for the prize; and then will
be / That mighty contest of triumphal march Into the heavenly city, and all earth / Having
the fame of immortality / Shall be all men's possession, and all people / In the immortal
contests will contend / For glorious victory. Nor shamefully Can any then with silver buy
a crown, / For to them will the holy Christ assign / The righteous things, and crown the
ones approved, / And give his martyrs the immortal pledge, / And such as waged the contest
unto death. And he will give the incorruptible prize / Of contests unto virgins who strove
well; / And to all men the right things will he grant, / And to strange nations that live
righteously, / And know one God. And such as love the bonds

4 Of marriage, and adulterous acts despise, / Will he give rich gifts and eternal hope. /
For every soul of man is God's own gift, / And men should not stain it with any woes. /
[Become not rich unjustly, but be pure In all thy life. Assist those near to thee, / And
stand aloof from strangers. Speak no lies, / But guard all true things. Reverence not thou
/ Vain idols, but the everlasting God / Hold first in honor, and thy parents next.
Dispense all righteous things, but do not come / Into unrighteous judgment. Cast not off /
The poor unjustly, nor judge outwardly. / If thou judge wickedly, God will judge thee. /
False witness fly, and righteous things make known. Keep thy virginity, and in all things
/ Guard love. Unrighteous measure do not give; / But beautiful is measure full to all. /
Strike not the scales outside, but draw them equal. / Swear not in ignorance, nor
willingly;

5 God hates false oaths, whatever one may swear. / Never receive in hand a gift that came
/ From unjust works. Seeds steal thou not; accursed / Through countless generations will
he be, / Whoever takes it, for he scatters life. Yield not to vile lusts, slander not, nor
kill, / Give to the toilworn laborer reward; / The poor afflict not. Hold thy tongue with
care, / And secret things fast in thy heart restrain. / To orphans, widows, and the needy
give. Will not to act unjustly, nor allow / Unrighteous things. Give to the poor at once,
/ And say not, Come to-morrow. Of thy grain / Give to the toilsome with a ready hand. /
Know, he that gives alms lendeth unto God. Mercy from death frees when the judgment comes;
/ Not sacrifice, but mercy God desires / Rather than sacrifice. Clothe therefore thou /
The naked; with the hungry share thy bread. / Him without shelter in thy house receive,

6 And lead the blind. On shipwrecked mariners / Have thou compassion, for the sailor's art
/ Is perilous. To the fallen give a hand. / And save the man that stands all unassisted. /
Suffering is common; life is as a wheel; Riches uncertain. If thou hast wealth, reach /
Thy hand unto the poor, and of the things / Which God gave thee bestow thou on the needy.
/ Common is all the life of mortal men, / But it comes out unequal. When thou seest A poor
man, never banter him with words, / Nor rudely accost a man that should be blamed. / The
life in death is tested; if one did / The unlawful or just, it shall be discerned / When
he comes into judgment. Injure not The mind with wine, nor drink excessively. / Eat not
blood, and from idol offerings keep. / Gird not the sword around thee 'gainst a friend, /
But for defense; would that thou use it not / Unjustly or justly; for if thou put to death

7 An enemy thou hast defiled thy hand. / Keep from thy neighbor's field, and cross it not.
/ Each boundary is just, and troubles come / By trespass. Wealth is profitable / Unto the
upright, but to the unjust an evil. Harm not the growing produce of the field. / Let
foreigners be equally esteemed / Among the citizens; for all should break / A painful
hospitality, as guests / Of one another; but let no one be A stranger with you, since of
one blood all / Ye mortals are, and for mankind no realm / Affords a permanent abiding
place. / Wish not nor pray to be rich, but pray this: / To live of few things, and possess
no thing Unjustly. Mother of all wickedness / Is love of gain. Yearn not for gold or
silver, / But be assured that in them there will be / A deadly two-edged instrument of
iron. / Gold and silver are ever a snare to men.

8 O gold! source of all evils, bane of life, / Full of vexation, would that thou wert not
/ To mortals such a longed-for misery. / For through thee come wars, plunders, homicides,
/ Children with parents in a bitter strife, And brethren hating those of their own blood.
/ Plot no deceits, and do not arm thy soul / Against a friend. Conceal not in thy heart /
Another thing from what thou speakest forth, / Nor change with place even as a polypus
Grown to a rock. But be thou frank with all, / And those things which are of the heart
declare. / Whoever willfully commits a wrong, / An evil man is he; but he that sins /
Under constraint, his end I do not tell; But let the will of every man be right. / Boast
not of wisdom, nor of power, nor wealth; / God only is wise and mighty, and abounds / In
riches. Do not wear thy heart away / With evils that are past, for what is done

9 Can never be undone. Send not thy hand / Forth in a hasty deed, but curb wild wrath. /
For often as one strikes he may commit / Unwittingly a murder. Let there be / A common
suffering, neither great nor strong. Excess of good has not been wont to yield / Profit to
mortals, but much luxury / Brings on excessive lusts. Great wealth puffs up, / And waxes
into wanton insolence. / Desire, obtaining mastery, effects Destructive madness. Anger is
a lust, / And when it passes further, it is wrath. / The zeal of good men is a noble
thing, / But of the vile is vile. Destructive is / The boldness of the wicked; glory
crowns That of the good. The love of virtue holds / Deserved esteem, but Cyprian loves add
shame. / Agreeable is the amiable man / Among his fellows. Moderately he eats, / Drinks,
and discourses; moderation is

10 Of all things best; excess brings many a pain. / Nor envious nor distrustful be, nor be
/ A railer, nor a man of evil thoughts, / Nor yet a false deceiver. Exercise / Prudence,
and keep thyself from shameful works. Follow not malice, but by righteousness / Blot out
revenge; for useful is persuasion, / But strife engenders strife. Do not believe / Too
quickly, ere thou truly see the end.] / This is the contest, this is the reward, This is
the prize, this is the gate of life, / And entrance into immortality, / Which God in
heaven to righteous men appointed / As victory's reward. They that obtain / The crown
shall enter gloriously by this. But when this sign appears through all the world, /
Children are born gray-haired, then human woes, / Famines and plagues and wars, and change
of seasons / And many tearful sorrows will abound. / Alas! How many children in the lands

11 Will mourn, and sadly for their parents weep, / And, wrapped in shrouds, bury the flesh
in earth, / The mother of the peoples, mingling them / With blood and dust. O miserable
men / Of the last generation, evil-doers, Cruel and foolish; nor perceiving this, / That
when the tribes of women cease to bear, / The harvest-time of mortal men is come. / And
ruin threatens when impostors come / Instead of prophets speaking on the earth. And Beliar
will come, and many signs / Will work for men. And then of holy men / Elect and faithful
there will be confusion, / And a plundering of them and of the Hebrews. / And there will
come fierce wrath, when from the East Shall come a people of twelve tribes, and seek / A
people, whom the Assyrian branch destroyed, / Tribe-kinsmen of the Hebrews; and with them
/ Shall nations perish. Afterward again / Will they rule over the surviving men,

12 Elect and faithful Hebrews, and subject / Them as before, since their power will not
fail. / The Most High, all-surveying, who abides / In the pure heaven, will scatter sleep
on men, / Covering their eyelids round. O blessed servants, Whom when the Master comes he
finds awake. / Awaken all, and watch with sleepless eyes; / For he will come at morning,
or at eve, / Or in midday; but he will surely come, / And it will be as I say; it will be
To those at ease, that from the radiant heaven / The stars to all at midday will appear, /
With the two luminaries; and the time / Is pressing on. And then will light on earth / The
Tishbite, drawing from the heaven above His heavenly chariot, and three signs will show /
To all the world, of life to be destroyed. / Alas! How many women in that day / Will be
found with a burden in the womb; / How many infant children at the breast;

13 How many will be dwelling on the waves. / Alas! How many that day will behold. / For a
dark mist will wrap the boundless world, / East, west, and south, and north; and from the
heavens / Will flow a mighty stream of burning fire, And every place consume—earth, ocean,
sky, / And sea, and pools, and rivers, and harsh Hades, / And heaven's axis. And the
lights of heaven / Will rush together, and take on a form / All-desolate. For all the
stars will fall Into the sea, and all the souls of men / Gnash their teeth, burning in the
stream below, / That burns with brimstone and the force of fire. / And then the elements
of all the world / Shall be forsaken—air, earth, sea, light, heaven, And days and nights.
No longer through the air / Will fly the insatiate birds, nor swimming beasts / Pass
through the sea, nor vessels sail the waves, / Nor cattle plow the field, nor sound of
trees / Under the winds; but all things then will melt

14 Together, and will come out purified. / Then will the angels of the immortal God /
Come, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, / Who know whatever evil things men do, / And from
the dark and murky gloom below Up to the judgment will lead forth all souls, / To the
tribunal of the immortal God. / For One alone imperishable is, / Himself the Almighty; he
shall judge mankind, / And then to nether realms, souls, spirit, and voice, The heavenly
God will give, and also bones / Fitted to joints, and made divinely fair. / And flesh and
sinews in all parts will join, / And veins and skin; and afterward the hair / Will spring
forth as aforetime. So one day Shall earthly bodies moved with breath be raised. / And
then will Uriel, mighty angel, break / The bolts of harsh and lasting adamant, / Which,
monstrous, hold the awful gates of hell, / And hurling them aside, to judgment bring

15 All the sad forms exceeding sorrowful, / Chiefly the phantom forms of Titans old, / And
giants, whom the deluge swept away; / And such as perished in the billowy seas, / And all
that furnished banquet for the beasts, And creeping things, and winged fowls—all these /
Uriel will summon to the judgment-seat; / And also those whom flesh-devouring fire /
Destroyed in flame, even these shall rise and stand / Assembled at the judgment-seat of
God. And when the dead are raised, and fates resolved, / And the high fulminating Lord of
hosts / Is seated on his heavenly throne, and sets / The mighty pillar, then amid the
clouds / In the glory of Christ, with blameless angels thronged, The Incorruptible himself
will come / Unto him who is incorruptible, / And on the right hand of the great tribunal /
Sit, judging lives of just and unjust men. / Moses will come, great friend of the Most
High,

16 And Abraham, himself also great, will come, / Isaac and Jacob, Joseph, Daniel, /
Elijah, Habakkuk, and Jonah, all, / And those whom persecuting Hebrews slew. / But all
those Hebrews after Jeremiah, At the tribunal judged, he will destroy; / That they may
worthy recompense receive, / And pay for what in mortal life they did. / And then all
through the burning stream shall pass / Of fire unquenchable; but all the righteous Shall
be saved. But the ungodly to all ages / Shall be undone, who erst wrought wickedness, /
And knowingly committed murders vile; / Liars and thieves and ruiners of home, / Crafty
and terrible; and parasites, And marriage-breakers, pouring slanders forth; / The fearful,
insolent idolators; / Those who, forsaking the immortal God, / Become blasphemers; robbers
of the just, / Destroyers both of faith and holy men; Presbyters, priests, and ministers
revered, / Who practiced with a double face their guile, / And shamelessly perverted
others' rights; / Impostors, credulous, but more destructive / Than wolves and leopards,
vilest of the vile;

17 Also the arrogant, and usurers, / Who pile up compound interest at home, / And wrong
the widow and the fatherless; / And such as give to widows and to orphans / The product of
unrighteous deeds, and such As, giving out of hardships, cause reproach; / All who forsake
their parents in old age, / Not reverencing or requiting them, / But disobedient,
contradicting sires / With harsh words; those who take assurances And then deny; and
servants who have turned / Against their masters; also the impure, / Who by lasciviousness
defile the flesh / And loose the maiden's girdle secretly; / And such as having burdens in
the womb Produce abortion, and their offspring cast / Unlawfully away; and sorcerers / And
sorceresses—all these will the wrath / Of the immortal God cause to approach / The pillar,
where around a circle flows 18 The river inexhaustible of fire. / Then will the angels of
the immortal God, / Who ever liveth, direly punish them / With flaming scourges and with
fiery flames, / Bound from above with ever-during bonds. Then in Gehenna, in the midnight
gloom, / Will they be to Tartarean monsters cast, / Many and fierce, where darkness is
supreme. / But when all punishments have been entailed / On all whose hearts were evil,
then straightway From the great river will a fiery wheel / Circle them round, pressed down
with wicked works; / And then in many a way most piteously / Will fathers, mothers,
nursing children wail; / Nor will there be satiety of tears, Nor will the piteous cry of
those who mourn / Be heard elsewhere, but worn down afar / Amid the darkening shades of
Tartarus / They cry aloud, and pay the penalty / Threefold for all the wicked works they
did,

19 Burning in fire; and they shall gnash their teeth, / All consumed by devouring thirst
and force, / And wish to die, but death shall flee from them, / For nevermore will death
nor night give rest. / Much will they vainly pray to God most high, But he will turn his
face away from them. / [For seven ages a day of penitence / Gave he to men by a pure
virgin's hand.] / But others, with whom right and good works weighed, / Most upright in
their piety and thoughts, The angels, bearing through the burning stream, / Shall lead to
light and life exempt from care. / There is the immortal way of the great God, / And
fountains three, of honey, wine, and milk. / The land, alike for all, divided not By wall
or fence, shall bear abundant fruit / Indigenous; the means and modes of life / Common
will be, and riches without lot. / For there no longer will be poor nor rich, / Tyrant nor
slave, nor great, nor small, nor kings,

20 Nor chieftains, but all share a common life. / No more will any say the night has come,
/ Or morrow comes, or yesterday has been. / They have no trouble about many days. /
Spring, summer, autumn, winter will not be [Marriage nor death, nor will they buy and
sell, / Nor will there be sunset or sunrise more], / For he will make it one long, lasting
day. / Then to the pious will the almighty God / Grant yet another thing, when they shall
pray For men to be saved from devouring fire / And lasting torments; and this he will do.
/ For having plucked the steadfast from the flame / That rests not, and removing them
elsewhere, / He for his people's sake will send them on Unto another and eternal life, /
In fields Elysian, where are the great waves / Of the deep-bosomed Acheronian lake. / Ah,
wretched I! what shall I in that day? / For, ill-disposed and anxious for all things,

21 I sinned and had no care for marriage-bonds, / Nor reason. But within my sumptuous
halls / I shut the needy out, and knowingly / Aforetime did unlawful things perform. /
Thou, Saviour, rescue me, the shameless one, From my tormenters, me who did the shame. / I
pray thee, let me rest a while from song, / Holy Giver of manna, King of the great realm.


THE SIBYLLINE ORACLES
=====================

THE SIBYLLINE ORACLES continued

BOOK III

1 Thou blessed One, loud Thunderer of the heavens, / Who holdest in their place the
cherubim, / I pray thee give me now a little rest, / Since I have uttered what is all so
true. For weary has my heart within me grown. / Why should my heart be quivering now
again, / And my soul, lashed as with a whip, be forced / To utter forth its oracle to all?
/ Yet once more I will speak aloud all things Which God impels me to proclaim to men. / O
men, in godlike form and image made, / Why do ye vainly wander, and not walk / The
straight path, keeping ever in your mind / The immortal Maker? One God rules alone,
Unutterable, dwelling in the sky, / Self-constituted, and invisible, / Though he himself
alone beholds all things. / No sculptor's hand formed him, nor by man's art / Appears his
image in gold or ivory;

2 But he proclaims his own eternity / As one who is, and was, and yet shall be. / For who
is he, frail mortal, that with eyes / Can look on God? Or who could bear to hear / The
name alone of the great God of heaven Who rules the world? He by a word all things /
Created, heaven, and sea, and tireless sun, / And the full moon, and stars that shed forth
light, / The mighty mother Tethys, fountains, streams, / Imperishable fire, and days and
nights. This is the God who made four-lettered Adam, / The first one formed, whose name
fills east and west / And south and north. The same is he who fixed / The type and form of
man, and made the beasts, / And creeping things, and such as spread the wing. Ye do not
reverence or worship God, / But vainly go astray and bow the knee / To serpents, and to
cats make sacrifice, / And other idols, statues made of stone, / And sit before the doors
of godless shrines.

3 Ye guard against the God who keeps all things, / And in the wickedness of stones
delight, / Forgetful of the immortal Saviour's judgment, / Who made the heaven and earth.
Woe to a race / That has delight in blood, deceitful, vile, Ungodly, double-tongued,
malicious men, / Unchaste, idolatrous, designing fraud, / An evil madness raving in their
breasts. / They plunder, and maintain a shameless soul; / For no rich man will with
another share. But a dire evil shall to all men come, / Faith they will nowhere hold, and
many wives / And widows will in secret others love / Because of gain, and they will not
observe / Life's sacred bond if only they get men. But when Rome also over Egypt rules, /
Having one end in view, then shall appear / The mighty kingdom of the immortal king / Set
over men. A holy king shall come / Wielding the scepter over every land

4 Unto all ages of advancing time. / And then will the stern wrath of Latian men / Rome
thrice expose to pitiable fate. / And all mankind shall perish in their homes, / When from
the heavens a fiery cataract flows. Ah me, unhappy! When shall that day come, / And
judgment of the immortal God's great king? / Now surely, O ye cities, ye are built / And
all adorned with temples and race-grounds, / Markets, and images of precious stone, All
that ye may come to a bitter day. / For it will come whenever there shall pass / The smell
of sulphur among all mankind. / But these things severally I will tell / In as many cities
as men carry vice. From the great Cæsars Beliar shall come / Hereafter, and shall stand on
mountain height, / And stay the sea, and the great fiery sun, / And shining moon, and make
the dead stand up, / And perform many miracles with men.

5 But nothing to perfection will he bring, / But many mortals he will lead astray, / Elect
and faithful Hebrews; also men / Without law, such as never heard God's word. / But when
the threatenings of the mighty God Shall draw near, and upon the earth shall come / The
flaming power as in a billowy wave, / It shall burn Beliar too, and faithless men, / All,
even as many as put their trust in him. / And then the world shall by a woman's hands Be
governed and persuaded in all things. / And when o'er all the world a widow reigns, / And
flings the gold and silver in the sea, / And brass and iron of perishable man / Flings in
the flood, then all earth's elements Shall widow-like be waste and desolate. / And God who
dwells on high will roll the heaven / Together, even as a scroll is rolled. / And on the
noble land and on the sea / The entire multiform arch of heaven shall fall.

6 A cataract of glowing fire shall flow / Unceasing, and burn land and sea and sky; /
Creation itself will he melt into one, / And take out that which tends to purity. / The
luminous laughing spheres shall be no more, Nor night, nor dawn, nor many days of care, /
Nor spring-time, summer, winter, autumn more. / And then shall come God's judgment, in the
midst / Of a great age when all these things shall be. / O navigable waters, and all lands
Wherever the sun rises and goes down, / All things shall be subjected unto him / Who comes
a second time into the world; / For from the first he recognized his power. / But when the
threatenings of the mighty God Had been fulfilled, which once he threatened those / Who
made a tower in the Assyrian land / (And they were all one language, and resolved / To
mount aloft into the starry heaven), / Straightway the Immortal added to the winds

7 A mighty force, and tempests from above / Hurled down the huge tower, and among mankind
/ Raised up confusion, wherefore mortals gave / Unto that city the name of Babylon. / But
when the tower fell, and the tongues of men Became discordant, all the earth was filled
With mortals, and divided among kings. And then appeared the generation tenth Of mortal
men, from the time when the flood Came on the earlier race. And Kronos reigned, And Titan
and Japetus, whom men esteemed / Fairest of Gaia and Uranus born, / And gave them also
names of earth and heaven, / Because they were most excellent of men. / Into three parts
divided they the earth, According to the inheritance of each, And each ruled his own
portion, without strife; For they were bound by the paternal oath, And equal were their
portions. But old age Came on the father, and his time was full,

8 And he died; but the sons, infringing oaths, / Contended with each other in fierce
strife, / Who should hold regal honor, and bear rule / Over all mortals. Then did Kronos
fight / And Titan with the rest. But Rhea, and Gaia, And garland-loving Venus, Demeter, /
And Vesta, and Dione golden-haired / Brought them to friendship, and a council called / Of
all the kings and brothers, and near kin, / And also others of ancestral blood, And they
decided Kronos should be king, / For he was oldest and of noblest form. / But Titan placed
on Kronos mighty oaths / To rear no male posterity, that he / Himself might reign when age
and fate should fall On Kronos. So whenever Rhea bore, / Beside her sat the Titans, and
destroyed / All the male issue; but the female lived, / And were left to the mother's
nursing care. / But when at the third birth the honored Rhea

9 Brought forth illustrious Juno, and they saw / With wondering eyes a race of females
born, / The savage Titans took themselves away. / Then when a male child Rhea brought to
birth / She sent him quickly into Phrygia, There to be reared in secret, having bound /
Three Cretans by an oath to do her will. / They called him Dia, for he was sent away. /
Poseidon also secretly she sent; / And Pluto, third, by women's helping hand Did Rhea,
coming to Dodona, bear, / Whence flows Eurotas' moistened path away, / And, with Peneius
mixed, pours in the sea / Its water, and men call it Stygian. / But when the Titans heard
of hidden sons Begotten by King Kronos and his wife, / Straightway assembled Titan sixty
youths, / Bound Kronos and his wife Rhea in chains, / Hid them in earth, and kept them
under guard. / And then the sons of mighty Kronos heard,

10 And they stirred up a great tumultuous war. / And this was the beginning of dire war /
Among all mortals, for it was indeed / With men the primal origin of war. / Then God sent
evil on the Titan race, And all from Titan and from Kronos sprung / Died. But as time
rolled on these kingdoms rose; / Egyptian, Persian, Median, Ethiopian, / Assyrian-Babylon,
and Macedon, / Egyptian yet again, then that of Rome. And then a message of the mighty God
/ Pressed on my heart, and bade me prophecy / On all the earth, and in the minds of kings
/ Those things deposit which are yet to be. / And first the only God delivered me What
kingdoms of mankind shall be raised up. / And first the house of Solomon shall rule / The
horsemen of Phenicia and of Asia, / And those of other islands, and the race / Of the
Pamphylians, Persians, Phrygians,

11 Carians, Mysians, and Lydians famed for gold. / And then the overweening Hellenes, /
Impure, another Macedonian race, / Much mixed, shall rule, and they shall bring on men / A
fearful cloud of war, but the God of heaven Will utterly destroy them from below. / And
then another kingdom will arise, / White, many-headed from the western sea, / Which will
rule many a land, and many shake, / And afterward bring terror to all kings. Much gold and
silver will she take by force / From many cities, yet in the vast earth / There will be
gold and silver and elegance. / And they will sore afflict mankind, and then / To those
same men will come a ruinous fall, When they attempt unrighteous insolence. / On them will
be the bond of wickedness, / Male will consort with male, and they will set / Children in
dens of shame. And in those days / A great affliction among men will come,

12 And vex and wound and fill all things with evil / Through shameful covetousness, and
gain ill-gotten / In many lands, but most in Macedon. / And hatred shall spring up, and
all deceit, / Until the seventh kingdom, which a king Of Egypt, but of Grecian birth,
shall rule. / And then the nation of the mighty God / Shall be again strong, and be guides
of life / To all mankind. But wherefore now should God / Lay it upon my spirit to declare
What evil first, what next, what last shall be / Upon all men, and how they shall begin? /
First on the Titans God will evil send, / For mighty Kronos's sons will vengeance take, /
Because they bound the king and mother dear. Again will tyrants rule the Hellenes, / And
they will be proud, haughty, vicious kings, / Adulterous, and altogether bad; / And no
more will there be a rest from war. / The dreadful Phrygians shall perish all,

13 And Troy will meet misfortune in that day. / Evil will also to the Persians come, / And
to the Assyrians, and all Egypt too, / And Libya and the Ethiopians, / Carians,
Pamphylians, and on mortals all Shall evil be imposed. Why then of each / Do I speak? When
the first comes to an end / Straightway the second falls upon mankind; / And yet I will
the very first sound forth. / There will an evil come to pious men Who dwell by the great
temple of Solomon, / And are the progeny of righteous men. / Of these I also will declare
the tribe / And line of fathers, and the home of all— / Do all with skill, O mortal full
of guile. There is a city on the [Asian] soil, / Ur of the Chaldees, whence has come a
race / Most upright, ever of good counsel fond / And noble deeds. For they seek not with
care / The circling pathway of the sun and moon,

14 Nor monstrous deeds on earth, nor the blue depth / Of sea or ocean, nor the signs of
sneezing, / Nor birds of augurers, nor soothsayers, / Nor wizards, nor enchanters, nor the
frauds / And silly speeches of ventriloquists, Nor studies of Chaldean astrologers, / Nor
oracles they gather from the stars. / For all these things are errors, which vain men /
Search day by day, and exercise their souls / In labors void of profit, and then teach
Their error unto other thoughtless men. / Hence many evils have befallen men, / And turned
them from good ways and righteous deeds. / But they do seek with care for righteousness /
And virtue, and have not the avarice Which breeds unnumbered ills to mortal men, /
Continuous war, and famine without end. / Just measure they observe in field and town; /
They steal not from each other in the night, / Nor drive off herds of oxen, sheep, and
goats;

15 Nor do they neighbors' landmarks take away; / Nor does the man of great wealth grieve
the poor, / Nor oppress widows, but he rather aids, / Ever imparting wheat and wine and
oil, / And always happy with those that have nought; And to the destitute at harvest-time
/ He sends a share. Thus they fulfill the word / Of the great God—a hymn enshrined in law.
/ For he who dwells in heaven completed earth / To be a common property for all. But when
the people of twelve tribes depart / From Egypt and with joy pursue their way, / With
leaders sent of God, they will proceed / In a pillar of fire by night, and one of cloud /
At morning of each day as they go on; And for them God a leader will appoint, / A great
man, Moses, whom a princess found / Beside a marsh, and carried off and reared / And
called her son. But when anon he came / As leader of the people whom God brought Away from
Egypt to the Sinai mount, / Then God delivered them the law from heaven, / And wrote upon
two tables all things just, / Which he enjoined to do; and if, perchance, / One give no
heed, he must unto the law

16 Make satisfaction, either at men's hands, / Or, if man's notice he escape, he shall /
By ample satisfaction be destroyed. / For he who rules in heaven completed earth / To be a
common property for all, And in all bosoms placed he noblest thought. / To them alone the
bounteous field yields fruit, / A hundred-fold from one, and thus completes / God's
measure. But to them shall also come / Misfortune, nor will they escape all plague. And
even thou, forsaking thy fair shrine, / Shalt flee away when it becomes thy lot / To leave
the holy ground, and thou shalt be / Carried to the Assyrians, and shalt see / Wives and
young children serving hostile men. All means of life and wealth shall be destroyed, / And
every land and sea be filled with thee, / And at thy customs all will take offense. / Thy
land shall be all waste, and the fenced altar / And sacred temple and extended walls,

17 All to the ground shall fall, because in heart / Thou hast not kept the holy law of
God; / But thou hast erred and served vain images, / And hast not feared the immortal Sire
of gods / And of all men, nor willed to honor him, But thou hast honored images of men. /
Therefore seven decades shall thy fruitful land / And the wonders of the temple be a
waste. / And yet for thee a goodly end remains, / And highest glory from the immortal God.
But wait thou, and confide in God's pure laws, / When to the light he lifts thy wearied
knee. / And then will God send out of heaven a king / To judge each man in blood and light
of fire. / There is a royal tribe, whose progeny Shall be unfailing, and in course of time
/ Will it rule, and God's temple build anew. / And all the kings of Persia will assist /
With gold and brass and well-wrought iron, and God / Himself will give by night the holy
dream,

18 And then the temple shall be as of old, / Now when my soul had ceased from hallowed
song, / And I prayed the great Sire to be released, / Again a message of Almighty God /
Rose in my heart, and he commanded me To prophesy o'er all the earth, and place / In royal
minds the things which are to be. / And to my mind God gave me first to tell / What bitter
woes for Babylon he planned, / Because they God's great temple had destroyed. Alas! alas!
for thee, O Babylon, / And also for the Assyrians, when the clash / Of arms shall pass
through all the sinful earth, / And shout of war shall ruin every land, / Even as the
stroke of God, leader of hymns. For it will come as from the air above, / O Babylon, and
from the holy ones / Of the high heaven it will descend on thee, / And wrath eternal shall
destroy thy children. / And then wilt thou be as thou wast at first,

19 Even as things which are not, and with blood / Shalt thou be filled, as thou before
didst shed / The blood of many good and righteous men, / Whose blood yet cries out to the
lofty heaven. / To thee, O Egypt, a great plague shall come, Dreadful to homes, and such
as thou didst hope / Might never fall on thee; for through thy midst / A sword shall pass,
and separation, death, / And famine shall prevail until of kings / The seventh generation,
and then cease. Woe, woe to thee, O land of Gog and Magog, / In the midst of the rivers of
Ethiopia! / What pouring out of blood shalt thou receive, / And be called house of
judgment among men! / And thy land of much dew shall drink black blood. Woe, woe, to thee,
O Libya, and woe, woe, / O sea and land! Ye daughters of the West / How shall ye come upon
a bitter day! / And ye shall come pursued by cruel strife / Dreadful and harsh; dire
judgment will set in,

20 And by force ye will all to ruin come, / Because ye marred the Immortal's mighty house,
/ And with iron teeth ye chewed it terribly. / So shalt thou see thy land full of the
dead, / By war, and every spirit of violence, Famine, and pestilence, and barbarous foes,
/ Thy land all desert and the city waste. / And there shall shine at evening-time a star /
Which they will call a comet, baleful sign / To mortals of dire famine, sword, and death,
And ruin of great leaders and chief men. / And among men great signs again shall be, / For
the deep-flowing Tanais will forsake / Mæotis' marshy lake, and the deep stream / Shall
flow along a fruitful furrow's mark, And the vast flood a neck of land shall check. / And
there will be wide chasms and yawning pits, / And many cities with their men shall fall. /
In Asia—Iassus, Cebren, Pandonia, / Colophon, Ephesus, Nice, Antioch,

21 Tanagra, Sinope, Smyrna, Myrina. / In Europe—Cyagra, Clitos, Basilis, / Meropeia,
Antigone, Magnesia, / Mykene, Pantheia, and most happy Gaza, / Hierapolis and Astypalia.
Know, then, Egypt's dread race is near its end, / And then unto the Alexandrians / Better
the year gone by. Though Rome received / Tribute of Asia, thrice as many goods / Shall
Asia back again receive from Rome, And savage insolence return to her. / Many from Asia
served Italian homes, / But the Italians, twenty times as many, / Shall serve in Asia in
great poverty. / O virgin, soft, rich child of Latin Rome, How oft at thy much-courted
wedding-feasts, / Drunken with wine, a servant, in the world / Thou shalt not become
wedded, but how oft / Will haughty mistress cut thy pretty hair, / And taking vengeance
cast upon the earth The things of heaven, and from the earth again / Raise heavenward, for
mortals are held fast / In miserable and unrighteous life. / And Samos shall be sand, and
Delos dull, / And Rome a room, but all decrees fulfilled;

22 And Smyrna falls by no avenging word, / But by base plots and cowardice of leaders. /
But calm peace into Asia's land shall go, / And Europe shall be happy—healthful air, /
Full of years, strong, no winter and no hail; Bearing all things, and birds and beasts of
earth. / O happiest man who at that time shall be! / Or woman, free from care, in rural
bliss! / For all good order from the starry heaven / Shall come on men, and justice, and
with her The sober concord which with mortal men / Surpasses all things, and affection,
faith, / And friendship for the stranger. Far from them / Are lawlessness, blame, envy,
folly, wrath. / And want shall flee from men, and violence, And murder, baneful strifes
and bitter feuds, / And theft, and every evil, in those days. / But Macedonia shall to
Asia bear / A heavy woe, and greatest suffering / Shall spring up over Europe from a birth

23 Of spurious Kronids and a race of slaves; / And she shall subjugate fenced Babylon, /
And in all lands the sun looks down upon / Call herself mistress, and then come to nought
/ In bitter ruin, having not a law For those late born, and wandering far away. / And then
shall come to Asia's happy land, / Unknown, a man with purple garment clad, / Ferocious,
strange, unrighteous, fiery; / For him a thunderbolt raised into light. And Asia all shall
bear an evil yoke, / And many a murder will the damp soil drink. / And he will court all
the invisibles / Of Hades, whose race he wills to destroy, / And from whom his own race
shall be destroyed. But there will be one root, perversely cut / From ten horns, and set
by another plant; / The warlike father of the purple race / He will cut off, and be
himself then taken / By sons of like mind in the chance of war;

24 And then the horn grown by his side shall rule. / And straightway unto fruitful Phrygia
/ Shall be a sign, when Rhea's blood-stained race, / Growing and blooming in the god-like
earth / Continually from roots that know no thirst, Shall in one night be root and branch
destroyed, / In a city of Neptune, shaker of the earth, / Antandrus, which thenceforward
bears the name / Dorylæum, old Phrygia's much-wept town, / And therefore at that time
Earth-shaker called. It will scatter the secret places of the earth / And loosen walls.
And then no signs of good / But a beginning of evil will appear. / There will come on the
well-known woes of war, / Among all tribes, and furnish Æneads Sprung from the native soil
and kindred blood; / But he again is prey to men beloved. / O Ilion, I pity thee! For
Erinnys / In Sparta shall spring forth most beautiful; / A noble shoot and famous, she
bequeaths

25 Asia and Europe a far-spreading wave. / But to thee chiefly wailings, toils, and groans
/ She will bear and award; but thou shalt have / Undying fame among those yet to be. / And
then a certain old man will appear, False writer and of doubtful native land, / And in his
eyes the light will sink away. / But he will have large mind, and song immense / Of
understanding, blended with two names. / Chios he will be called, and he will write Of
Ilion, not truthfully indeed, / But plainly, for my verses he will seize; / For he will be
first to unfold my books. / And he war's helmed heroes will adorn, / Hector of Priam, and
Achilles, son Of Peleus, and the rest of warlike fame. / And with them he will make the
gods to stand, / And by all arts deceive defenseless men. / And to those dying about Ilion
/ Shall be a glory widely spread abroad;

26 And he will celebrate their vengeful deeds. / Also to Lycia will a Locrian race / Bring
many evils. And thee, Chalcedon, / When thou the passage of the narrow sea / Hast taken,
an Ætolian youth will slay. And, Cyzicus, from thee the sea shall tear / Vast wealth away.
And thou, Byzantium, / Shalt be in love with Asia, and receive / Sad wailings and
immeasurable blood. / And Lycia's lofty mountain, riven at top With rocky chasms, shall
pour a murmuring stream, / Till Patara's prophetic signs shall cease. / O Cyzicus, that
dwellest by Propontis, / City of wine, around thee Rhyndacus / Shall crash his crested
wave. And thou, O Rhodes, Daughter of day, shalt long be unenslaved, / And much prosperity
shall yet be thine, / And on the sea thy power shall be supreme. / But later thou shalt be
to greedy men / A spoil, because of beauty and of wealth,

27 And on thy neck a dreadful yoke shall come. / A Lydian earthquake shall again destroy /
The things of Persia, and most horribly / Shall Europe's tribes and Asia's suffer woes. /
And Sidon's cruel king and shout of war From others will show forth destruction dire /
Beyond the sea to Samos. With the blood / Of fallen lights earth murmurs to the sea, / And
wives together with the stately maids / Their ignominious insults will bewail, Some for
the dead, some for the fallen sons. / O sign of Cyprus, phalanxes shalt thou / By
earthquake overthrow, and many souls / Shall gloomy Hades all at once receive. / And
Trallis, hard by Ephesus, shall fall By earthquake, and walls built by cruel men; /
Boiling hot water shall rain on the earth, / Which earth weighed down shall drink—a
sulphurous smell. / And Samos, in time, will royal houses build.

28 / O Italy, to thee no foreign war Shall come, but lamentable tribal blood, / Not easily
subdued, and much renowned, / Wilt thou in reckless insolence destroy. / But thou thyself,
beside hot ashes stretched, / As thou in thine own spirit didst foresee, Shall slay
thyself. Not of the good shalt thou / The mother be, but of wild beasts the nurse. /
Another man shall come from Italy, / A spoiler; then, Laodicea, thou, / Beautiful city of
the Carians, By Lycus' wondrous water, creeping prone, / Shalt weep in silence for thy
boastful sire. / Byzantine Thracians shall rise up on Hæmus. / To the Campanians quaking
fear shall come / Because of wasting famine; Corsica Weeps her old father, and Sardinia /
Shall by great storms of winter, and the strokes / Of a holy God, sink in the ocean
depths— / Down in the waves with children of the sea. / Alas! alas! how many virgin maids

29 Will Hades marry, and the deep take charge / Of the unburied youths! Alas! alas! /
Infants and vast wealth floating on the sea! / O happy land of Mysians, suddenly / Shall
cease thy royal race. Not long, indeed, Will Carthage stand. But bitter grief shall be /
To the Galatians. And to Tenedos / The last but greatest misery shall come. / And Sicyon
with strong yells, and Corinth, thee / Boasting o'er all, an equal flute shall sound. Now
when my soul had ceased from hallowed song, / Again a message of Almighty God / Rose in my
heart, and he commanded me / To utter prophecies upon the earth. / Woe, woe, Phenician
race of men and women, Also to all the cities by the sea; / No one of you shall come to
the sun's light / In common light, no longer shall there be / Number and tribe, because of
unjust speech / And lawless life and base which all indulged,

30 Opening a foul mouth, uttering fearful words, / False and unrighteous; and they set
themselves / In opposition to the mighty God, / And opened falsely a polluted mouth. /
Therefore shall they by dreadful strokes be slain In all the earth, and bitter destiny /
Will God send on them, burning from the ground / Their cities and foundations manifold. /
Woe, woe to thee, O Crete, burdened with pain, / On thee shall come a stroke, and terribly
Shalt thou be made a ruin evermore. / And every land shall see thee black with smoke, /
And fire shall never leave thee, but shall burn. / Woe, woe to thee, O Thrace, for thou
shalt bend / Beneath a servile yoke; when the Galatians, Mixed with the Dardans, hurriedly
destroy / Hellas, then will sore evil come on thee; / In a strange land thou'lt give and
yet receive. / Woe, woe to thee, O Gog, and so with all, / One by one, Magog, Marson, and
Aggon;

31 How many an evil lot shall fall to thee! / Many shall also fall on Lycia's sons, / And
those of Mysia and Phrygia. / And many nations of Pamphylia / And Lydia shall fall, and
Maurians, And Ethiopians and barbarous tribes, / And Cappadocians and Arabians. / How now
may I, according to his lot, / Speak of each one? For unto all the nations, / As many as
are dwelling on the earth, Will the Most High send forth an evil plague. / When now a very
barbarous nation comes / Against the Greeks, it will slay many chiefs / Of chosen men; and
many fatted sheep / And horses shall be torn, and mules and herds Of bellowing oxen, and
in lawlessness / Shall they with fire the well-made houses burn. / And many shall as
slaves be led by force / Into a foreign land, and children too, / And women from bed-
chambers, girdled low,

32 Delicate, falling down with tender feet, / Will be seen chained and suffering all abuse
/ By hostile, barbarous men; nor shall they have / Helper in life, nor any help in war. /
But they shall see their goods and all their wealth Enriching foes; and trembling takes
their knees. / A hundred fly, but one shall slay them all, / And five shall rouse an
ambush heavy-armed. / But they among themselves mixed shamefully / In fearful war and
tumult will bring joy Unto the foes, but sorrow to the Greeks. / Then shall a servile yoke
be on all Greece, / And all at once shall war and pestilence / With mortals yet remain.
And God will make / The mighty heaven on high like brass, and drought On all the earth,
which itself will be iron. / And then will men all bitterly lament / The land uncultivated
and unplowed. / And he who made the heaven and earth will place / High heaped on earth a
fire, and of all men

33 The third part only shall remain alive. / O Greece, why hast thou trusted mortal men /
As leaders, who cannot escape from death? / And wherefore bringest thou thy foolish gifts
/ Unto the dead, and sacrifice to idols? Who put the wretched error in thy heart / To do
these things and leave the mighty God? / Honor the All-Father's name and let it not /
Escape thee. There have been a thousand years, / Yea, and five hundred more, since haughty
kings Ruled o'er the Greeks, who first to mortal men / Brought evils, making many images /
Of gods that perish for such as are dead, / Whence ye were taught to think on vanities. /
But when the anger of the mighty God Shall come upon you, then will ye find out / The face
of God the mighty; and all souls / Of men, in great distress, will lift their hands / Up
to the broad heaven and begin to call / On the great King, the Helper, and to seek

34 A rescuer from the mighty wrath to come. / But come, learn this and lodge it in your
hearts, / What troubles in the rolling years shall come. / When Hellas brings her
sacrifice of oxen / And bellowing bulls, a whole burnt-offering Unto the temple of the
mighty God, / She shall escape the hateful sound of war, / And fear and famine, and go
forth again / Away from underneath a slavish yoke. / But such a race of godless men shall
be Until that fatal day receives its end. / For ye shall not bring sacrifice to God / Till
all things come to pass, whatever things / The one God wills to be not without end— / All
shall be brought to pass; strong fate impels. Of godly men there yet shall be again / A
holy race, devoted to the mind / And counsels of the Highest; they shall honor / The great
God's temple with drink-offerings, / Burnt-offerings, and holy hecatombs,

35 With sacrifice of well-fed bulls, choice rams, / Firstlings of sheep, and the fat parts
of lambs, / Sacredly offering whole burnt sacrifice / On the great altar. But in
righteousness, / Having obtained the law of the Most High, Blest shall they dwell in
cities and rich fields. / And prophets shall by the immortal One / Exalted be, and bring
great joy to men. / For to them only has the great God given / His kindly counsel, and put
in their hearts Faith and most noble thought. Through vain deceit / They do not hold in
awe the works of men, / Of gold, and brass, and silver, and ivory, / And wood, and stone,
clay forms of feeble gods, / Besmeared with chalk, with figures painted o'er— Whatever
mortals with vain mind desire. / But they lift up their holy arms to heaven; / At daybreak
from the couch they always cleanse / Their hands with water, and pay honors due / To God
the immortal, who is ever great,

36 And then to parents. But above all men / They keep the bed of marriage undefiled, / And
mix not boys with males in acts impure, / Like the Phenicians, Latins, and Egyptians, /
And spacious Greece, and nations many more, Persians, Galatians, and of Asia all, /
Transgressing the immortal God's pure law. / Wherefore the Immortal will inflict on men /
Delusion, famine, sufferings and groans, / And war, and pestilence, and mournful woes;
Because the immortal Father of all men / They did not wish to honor righteously, / But
honored idols made with human hands, / Which things even men themselves will cast away /
In clefts of rocks, concealing them from shame, When a young king of Egypt seventh shall
rule / His own land, reckoned from the Grecian power / Which Macedonia's mighty men shall
rule, / Then shall there come from Asia a great king / With eagle's fire, who with his
foot and horse

37 Shall cover all the land, break down all things, / And fill all things with evil; he
will cast / The Egyptian kingdom down, seize on all goods, / And ride upon the broad back
of the sea. / And then before the mighty God, the King Immortal, they will bend the fair
white knee / On the all-fostering earth, and all the works / Made with hands in a flame of
fire shall fall; / And then great joy will God bestow on men. / For land, and trees, and
countless flocks of sheep Will yield mankind the genuine fruit of wine, / And of sweet
honey, and white milk, and wheat, / Which is for men the very best of all. / But thou, O
mortal versed in various arts / And evil-minded, shalt not be like this; But turn back,
and be reconciled to God. / Offer to God whole hecatombs of bulls / And lambs and goats,
amid the circling hours. / Propitiate him, the immortal God; / Perchance he will show
mercy. For himself

38 Alone is God, and other there is none. / Hold righteousness in honor, wrong no man / As
by oppression, for the immortal One / Enjoins these things on miserable men. / But thou,
be on thy guard against the wrath Of the great God, when to all men shall come / The
height of famine, and, being overpowered, / They meet dire judgment. King shall seize on
king / And wrest his land away, and nations waste / And plunder nations, and lords plunder
tribes, And leaders all flee to another land, / And earth itself be changed, and barbarous
rule / Ravage all Greece, and the rich land of wealth / Become exhausted, and straight
into strife / Shall they because of gold and silver come In a strange land. (The love of
gain will be / An evil guide for cities.) And they all / Shall be unburied, and their
flesh shall be / By vultures and wild beasts of earth destroyed. / And when these things
are finished, the huge earth

39 Shall all the remnants of the dead consume; / And all unsown shall it be, and unplowed,
/ Proclaiming woefully the abomination / Of countless men through many circling years, /
And shields and javelins and all sorts of arms; Nor will the forest wood be cut for fire.
/ Then from the sunrise God will send a king, / Who will make all earth cease from evil
war, / Killing some, others binding with strong oaths. / Nor yet will he by his own
counsels do All these things, but by excellent decrees / Of God persuaded. But again the
people / Of the great God with wealth will be weighed down, / With gold and silver and
purple ornament, / And of good things will earth and sea be full. And then will kings
begin again / To envy one another, and in heart / To cherish wicked projects. Envy brings
/ No good to wretched mortals. But again / Shall kings of nations rush upon the land

40 In masses, bringing doom upon themselves, / For they will purpose to destroy the shrine
/ Of the great God, and men most excellent. / What time they reach the land, polluted
kings / Will sacrifice within the city's walls, Each having his own throne and subject
tribe. / And then will God speak with a mighty voice / To all rude people of an empty
mind; / And judgments from the mighty God shall come / Upon them, and they all shall be
destroyed By an immortal hand. And fiery swords / Shall fall from heaven on earth, and
mighty lights / Shall come down flaming in the midst of men. / And mother earth shall be
tossed in those days / By an immortal hand, and fish of the sea, And all earth's beasts,
and countless flocks of birds, / And all the souls of men, and all the sea / Shall shudder
at the face of the Immortal, / And there shall be dismay. High mountain peaks / And huge
hills he will rend, and Erebus

41 The dark and dismal will appear to all; / And misty gorges in the lofty hill / Shall be
full of the dead; the rocks shall stream / With blood, and every torrent fill the plain. /
And well-built walls shall all fall to the earth By hostile men, for they knew not the
law, / Neither God's judgment, but with senseless soul, / All rushing to the temple,
lifted spears. / God judges all by war, and sword, and fire, / And overwhelming flood; and
there shall be Brimstone from heaven, and stones and grievous hail; / And death shall come
upon the quadrupeds. / Then shall men come to know the immortal God / Who judges these
things. Lamentation too, / And uproar shall come on the boundless earth, Because men
perish, and in speechless woe / Shall all be bathed in blood, and earth herself / Shall
drink the blood of them that are destroyed, / And the wild beasts will glut themselves
with flesh. / All these things the eternal God himself

42 Gave me to prophesy; nor shall they be / Without complete fulfillment, for he put /
Them only in the heart; for without guile / The Spirit of God continues in the world. /
Again the children of the mighty God Shall all about the temple live in peace, /
Delighting in those things which he shall give / Who is Creator, righteous Judge, and
King. / For he alone, and standing wondrous near, / Can shelter as a wall of flaming fire
From all around. And there shall be no wars / In cities or in country; not the hand / Of
cruel war, but rather there shall be / With them the immortal Champion himself, / And the
hand of the Holy One. And then the isles And cities all shall speak, and tell how much /
The Immortal loves those men, for he with them / Shares in all conflict and delivers them.
/ And heaven, and sun divinely formed, and moon, / And mother earth shall tremble in those
days.

43 And a sweet word shall they lead forth in hymns: / "Come, falling on the earth let us
all pray / To the immortal King, great God, most high. / Let us send to the temple, since
sole Lord / He is, and let us all observe the law Of God most high, who above all on earth
/ Is the most righteous One. For we have strayed / Far from the path of the immortal One,
/ And have done reverence with a senseless soul / To works of human hands, to images
Carved out of wood, and of departed men." / These things souls of the faithful cry aloud:
/ "Come, let us with God's people, falling down / Upon our faces, gladden in our homes /
With hymns God the Creator, and procure The weapons of our foes in every land / For seven
lengths of the revolving years— / Even shields and helmets and all sorts of arms, / And a
great store of bows and harmful arrows, / For forest wood shall not be cut for fire."

44 But, wretched Hellas, cease thy arrogance, / So willful, and entreat the immortal One,
/ Magnanimous, and be upon thy watch. / Send to this city the people ill-advised / Who
from the Mighty's holy land have come. Do not move Camarina, for 'tis best / She be
unmoved—a leopard from the lair, / An evil which thou shouldst by no means meet. / But
keep away, and do not in thy heart / Hold arrogance, an overbearing soul, Ready for mighty
contest. And serve God, / The mighty One, that thou mayst share with them, / Whenever this
indeed shall have an end, / And on good men shall come the fatal day, / According as the
mighty One ordains. For earth, all-mother, shall to mortals yield / The best fruit,
boundless store of wheat, / And wine and oil. And from the heaven a drink, / Delightful of
sweet honey there shall be, / And trees, and fruits of trees, and fatted sheep,

45 And oxen, and young lambs, and kids of goats. / And forth shall burst sweet fountains
of white milk, / And of good things the cities shall be full, / And fat the fields, and
there shall not be sword / Nor uproar on the earth, nor shall the earth Groan heavily and
tremble any more. / Nor war nor drought shall longer be on earth, / Nor famine, nor the
fruit-destroying hail, / But great peace shall be upon all the earth. / King will be
friend to king until the end Of time, and a new law on all the earth / Will the Immortal
in the starry heaven / Perfect for men, touching whatever things / Have been by miserable
mortals done. / For he alone is God, no other is, And he will burn with fire man's
grievous power. / But now being quick to keep my thoughts in heart, / Shun godless
worship, serve the living God, / Against adultery be on thy guard, / And all uncleanness;
thine own children rear,

46 And do no murder; for the immortal One / Is angry with such as commit these sins. / And
then will he a kingdom for all time / Raise up for all men, and a holy law / Give to the
pious to whom he has pledged To open up the land, and the wide world, / And portals of the
blessed, and all joys, / And mind immortal, and eternal bliss. / And out of every land
unto the house / Of the great God will they bring frankincense, And gifts, and there shall
be no other house / To be inquired of by men yet to be; / But whom God gave to honor
faithful men, / Him mortals shall call Son of the great God. / And all paths of the field
and the rough hills, And lofty mountains, and the sea's wild waves, / Shall in those days
be easy to pass over, / For all peace of the good shall come on earth. / And the sword
shall God's prophets take away, / For they shall be the judges of mankind,

47 And righteous kings; for of the mighty God / This is the judgment and the sovereignty.
/ Be of good cheer, O maiden, and exult; / For the Eternal, who made heaven and earth, /
Has given thee joy, and he will dwell in thee, And for thee shall be an immortal light. /
And wolves and lambs promiscuously shall eat / Grass in the mountains, and among the kids
/ Shall leopards graze, and wandering bears shall lodge / Among the calves, and the
carnivorous lion Shall eat straw in the manger like the ox, / And little children lead
them with a band. / For tame will be on earth the beasts he made, / And with young babes
will dragons fall asleep, / And no harm, for God's hand will be on them. Now tell I thee a
sign exceeding clear, / That thou mayst know when of all things on earth / The end shall
be. When in the starry heaven / Swords shall be seen by night toward west or east, /
Straightway shall there be a dark cloud of dust,

48 Borne downward from the heaven o'er all the earth, / And the sun's brightness in the
midst of heaven / Shall be eclipsed, and the moon's beams appear / And come again on
earth, and there shall be / The sign of blood-drops issuing from the stones, And ye shall
see a war of foot and horse / In a cloud, like a hunting of wild beasts, / Like a dark
mist. This is the end of war / Which God who dwells in heaven shall bring to pass. / But
all must sacrifice to the great King. These things to thee say I, who madly left /
Assyria's long Babylonian walls, / And prophesied to all men of the fire, / God's fury
which on Hellas should be sent, / That I might unto mortals prophesy Of mysteries divine.
They say in Greece / That I am of a foreign fatherland, / Born of Erythres, shameless.
Others say / I am a Sibyl and of Circe born / And father Gnostos, raving mad, and false.

49 But at the time when all things come to pass / Ye will make mention of me; no one more
/ Will call me mad, but God's great prophetess. / For God will show me whatsoever things /
Belonged at first to my progenitors, Those things God laid down in his plans for me. / All
future things God stored up in my mind, / That I might prophesy of things to come, / And
things that were, and tell them unto men. / For when the world was deluged with a flood Of
waters, and one man alone was left, / A man of honor, sailing on the waves / In wooden
house, along with beasts and birds, / His bride was I, and from his blood I came. / To him
the first things were, and the last things Were all made known; and so from mine own mouth
/ All these things have I truthfully declared.

BOOK IV

1 Hear, people of proud Asia, Europe too, / How many things by great loud-sounding mouth,
/ All true and of my own, I prophesy. / No oracle of false Apollo this, Whom vain men
called a god, though he deceived; / But of the mighty God, whom human hands / Shaped not,
like speechless idols cut in stone. / For his house is no dedicated stone / Set for a
temple, wholly deaf and dumb, A great and sore dishonor to mankind; / For he, not formed
by mortal hands, from earth / May not be seen, nor measured by men's eyes. / He looks on
all, himself by no one seen. / His are the murky night, and day, and sun, And stars, and
moon, and seas that swarm with fish, / And land, and rivers, and perennial fountains, /
Creatures designed for life, and rains that serve / To bring forth fruit, and tree, and
wine, and oil. / The same has moved me in my inmost soul

2 As with a whip, how many and great things / Now and hereafter shall befall mankind, /
From the first generation to the eleventh, / Truly to tell. For all things he hath spoken
/ Who himself bringeth all things to an end. But thou, O people, hear the Sibyl's words, /
Who pours from hallowed mouth a truthful strain. / Blessed of men shall they be on the
earth / As many as shall love the mighty God, / Giving him praise before they eat and
drink, Trusting in piety. Such, when they see / Temples and altars, copies of dumb stones
/ Without worth, and polluted with the blood / Of living things and sacrifice of beasts, /
Reject them all; but they shall look upon One God's great glory, having not committed /
Atrocious murder, nor acquired vast gain / By stealing, which things are most horrible; /
Nor shameful longing for another's bed / Had they, nor vile and hateful lust of males.

3 Such mode of life and customs other men / Shall never imitate, as if they longed / For
shamelessness; but children without sense / With jest and laughter ridiculing them— /
Presumptuous deeds and vile—shall lie to them In as many things as they themselves shall
do; / For hard to trust is the whole race of men. / But when the final judgment of the
world / And mortals comes, which God himself shall bring, / Judging at once the impious
and the just, The ungodly under darkness he will send, / And they shall know what
wickedness they wrought; / But in a fruitful land the just shall dwell, / God giving them
breath, life, and sustenance. / But all these things shall surely come to pass In the
tenth generation; and what things / From the first generation shall occur / I now declare.
First shall the Assyrians rule / Over all men, and wield authority / During six
generations of the world,

4 From the time when, the God of heaven being wroth, / Sea covered earth and cities and
all men, / A whelming flood of waters breaking in. / The Medes shall overcome them, and
exult / Two generations only on the throne, At which time these events shall come to pass:
/ Dark night shall be at the mid-hour of day, / And from the heaven the stars and circling
moon / Shall disappear, and earthquakes shake the land, / And many cities and the works of
men Hurl to the dust; and then out of the deep / The islands of the sea shall peer aloft.
/ But when the great Euphrates overflows / With blood, then also both among the Medes /
And Persians shall arise the direful noise Of battle, and the Medes, discomfited / And
falling underneath the Persian spears, / Shall flee beyond the mighty Tigris' waves. / The
Persian power shall be of all the world / The mightiest, and unto them shall be

5 One generation of most prosperous rule. / But such foul deeds as men seek to avert— /
Battle-cries, murders, quarrels, banishments, / Ruin of towers, and rising up of cities— /
Shall take place when proud, boasting Hellas sails O'er the broad Hellespont, and carries
doom / To Phrygia and to Asia. But to Egypt, / The land of many furrows and much wheat, /
Shall come a blasting famine twenty years, / What time the Nile, corn-nourisher, shall
hide Somewhere beneath the earth his sable wave. / To Hellas there shall come a mighty
king / From Asia, with innumerable ships, / Lifting his spear on high, and he shall walk /
The wet paths of the deep, and sail alone Where others tread on foot; him, fugitive / From
battle, fearful Asia shall receive. / And Sicily the wretched shall a stream / Of powerful
fire destroy, while Etna's flame / Breaks forth, and down into the molten stream

6 Shall Croton, great and powerful city, fall. / And strife shall be in Hellas; they shall
rage / Against each other, and hurl to the dust / Numerous cities, and kill many men /
Wrangling; but equal is the strife for both. But when at length the course of time shall
come / To the tenth generation of mankind, / Then shall there be a slavish yoke and fear /
Upon the Persians. And when Macedon / Shall boast the scepter, there shall come to Thebes
A terrible destruction; and the Carians / Shall dwell in Tyre, and Tyrians be destroyed. /
And sand shall hide all Samos under shore; / Delos shall be no longer visible; / And
Babylon, magnificent to see, But small to fight, shall stand with vain hopes walled. /
Macedonians shall dwell in Bactria, / And those of Bactria and Susa all / Shall flee away
into the land of Greece. / These things shall come to pass when Pyramus,

7 Pouring his silvery eddies on the shore, / Shall reach afar unto a sacred isle. / And
Sybaris shall fall, and Cyzicus, / When earthquakes shake the land, and cities perish. /
To Rhodes shall come the last but greatest woe. Nor shall the Macedonians always rule; /
But from the West a great Italian war / Shall blossom out, and under it the world, /
Bearing a slavish yoke, shall subject be / To the Italians. Thou, O Carchedon, Thy tower
shall also to the ground be hurled. / Wretched Laodicea, thee some day / Shall earthquakes
damage, leveling to the dust; / But a city of broad streets shall rise again. / And also
thou, O wretched Corinth, shalt Some day behold thy utter overthrow. / O Lycian Myra, who
art beautiful, / Thee also some time shall the heaving land / Hurl to the dust, and
falling prone to earth, / Amid the din of battle thou shalt pray

8 To flee, an alien, to another land. / Then on the godless ones of Patara, / Along with
thunders and with earthquake shocks / Another shall pour out a dark sea flood. / Also for
thee, Armenia, there remains A slavish fate, and then shall also come / To Solyma an evil
blast of war, / From Italy, and God's great temple spoil. / But when they, trusting folly,
shall forget / Piety, and foul murder consummate Around the temple, then from Italy / A
mighty king, even like a star, shall flee / Unseen, unknown, beyond Euphrates' ford. /
Then shall he expiate the bloody crime / Of matricide, and many other deeds Which he with
wicked hands will have performed. / And many about Rome's sacred plain shall bleed, /
While he escapes beyond the fatherland. / But into Syria Rome's great chief shall come /
And burn with fire the temple, and with spear

9 Shall slaughter many men of Solyma, / And spoil the great broad country of the Jews. /
And then, too, shall an earthquake overthrow / Both Salamis and Paphos, and dark floods /
Shall wildly dash on wave-washed Cyprus' shore. But when from deep clefts of the Italian
land / Fire shall come whirling into the broad heaven / And many cities burn and men
destroy, / And a vast mass of heated ashes shall fill / The expanse of air, and the small
drops of rain Shall fall like a red mildew out of heaven, / Then know the anger of the
heavenly God, / Because they slew the blameless godly race. / And thereupon into the West
shall come / The wrangle of a newly wakened war, And bearing a huge spear, Rome's fugitive
/ Shall cross Euphrates with many myriads. / O hapless Antioch, thee they shall call / No
more a city, when thou fallest down / Through want of understanding round thy spears.

10 Then also famine and war's horrid din / Shall ruin Cyprus. Woe, wretched Cyprus, woe! /
Thou shalt be hidden by the sea's broad wave, / Which by the wintry blasts is tossed on
high. / But into Asia there shall come great wealth, Which Rome herself, once plundering,
put away / In her luxurious homes; and twice as much / Of other things shall she to Asia
give; / And then there shall be an excess of war. / And Carian cities by Mæander's wave,
Which have been beautifully fenced with towers, / Shall by a bitter famine be destroyed, /
When the Mæander his dark water hides. / But when from men shall perish piety, / And faith
and righteousness, and they shall live In recklessness profane, and insolence /
Presumptuous, and full many other sins, / And of the pious no one makes account, / But
from a want of understanding all / Like children utterly destroy themselves,

11 In violence exulting, and in blood / Holding their hands, then will it be discerned /
That God is mild no longer, but surcharged / With fury, and by a great conflagration /
Will utterly destroy the race of men. Ah, miserable mortals, change these things, / Nor
tempt the mighty God to wrath extreme; / But letting go swords, wailings, homicides, / And
insolence, wash in the flowing stream / The whole body, and with hands stretched out to
heaven, Seek pardon for the former deeds, and heal / Bitter impiety with piety, / And God
will give repentance, not destroy. / And he will stay his wrath, if ye will all / Observe
in your hearts precious piety. But if, ill-minded, ye obey me not, / But loving
wickedness, receive these things / With a base hearing, over all the world / Fire shall
be, and the greatest omens, swords, / And trumpets, at the rising of the sun;

12 All earth the mighty roaring sound shall hear. / The whole land he will burn, and the
whole race / Of men shall perish, and he will consume / All cities, with the rivers and
the seas; / These all shall be reduced to smoky dust. But when all things become an ashy
pile, / God will put out the fire unspeakable / Which he once kindled, and the bones and
ashes / Of men will God himself again transform, / And raise up mortals as they were
before. And then will be the judgment; God himself / Will sit as judge, and judge the
world again. / As many as committed impious sins / Shall Stygian Gehenna's depths conceal
/ 'Neath molten earth and dismal Tartarus. But the pious shall again live on the earth, /
And God will give them spirit, life, and means / Of nourishment, and all shall see
themselves, / Beholding the sun's sweet and cheerful light. / O happiest man, who at that
time shall live!


THE SIBYLLINE ORACLES
=====================

THE SIBYLLINE ORACLES continued

BOOK V

1 But bring to me the lamentable time / Of the illustrious Latins, who were first, / After
the kings of Egypt were cut off, / And had all been borne down into the earth; And also
after Pella's citizen, / Under whom all the Orient was subdued, / And the rich West, whom
Babylon disgraced / And gave a corpse to Philip; not of Jove / Nor Ammon truly boasted to
have sprung. And they shall issue of the race and blood / Of great Assaracus, those born
at Troy, / Even him who cleft the violence of fire. / But after many kings and warlike
men, / And after the twin children of the beast That feeds on sheep, shall there come
forth a king / Pre-eminent, who will sum up twice ten / With his initial letter. He shall
be / In war exceeding powerful; and of ten / Shall also his first letter be the sign.

2 After him rules who of the alphabet / Has the first letter. Thrace and Sicily / And
Memphis crouch and quail in dread of him— / Memphis, cast to the ground by wickedness / Of
leaders, and a woman unsubdued, Fallen on the wave. And he will institute / Laws for the
peoples, and subdue all things. / But after a long time will he transmit / The kingdom to
another, who will have / The number of three hundred his first sign, And of a river the
beloved name. / The Persians he will rule and Babylon, / And then will smite the Medians
with his spear. / Then one will rule who takes the number three. / Then shall one whose
first letter marks twice ten Become king, and to the remotest bounds / Of ocean shall he
go, and sweep along / The refluent tide by the Ausonian shores.

3 / And one whose mark is fifty shall be lord, / A dreadful serpent, breathing grievous
war; He will stretch out his hands against his kin, / And cut them off, and spread
confusion wide, / Fight, kill the people, and dare countless things. / And he will cleave
the isthmus, and with gore / Besprinkle it. But this destructive one Shall pass from sight
and then return again, / Presuming to be equal unto God; / But he will sift him as if he
were naught. / And after him will three kings be destroyed / By one another. Then a great
destroyer Of pious men shall come, and he shall show / Conspicuously the letter seven
times ten. / His son, however, whose initial sign / Denotes three hundred, shall usurp the
power. / And after him shall be a destined one, A soul destroyer, of the number four. /
And then an old man numbering fifty comes, / And next to him, whose first initial marks /
Three hundred, is a Celtic mountaineer; / Hastening away to battle in the East

4 He shall not miserable fate escape, / But sink in painful toils. Him foreign dust /
Shall cover a dead corpse, having the name / Of Nemea's flower. And after him shall reign
/ Another man, with silver helmet decked, And to him shall be given the name of a sea; /
And he shall be a man of excellence, / And turn his mind to all things. And on thee / Thou
excellent, most noble, dark-haired one, / And on thy branches all these days shall come.
Three shall reign, but the third one late shall rule. / Thrice wretched I, sister of Isis,
grieve / To place in heart an evil prophecy. / Even a sacred song of oracles. / First
Menades shall rush around the base Of thy sad temple, and in evil hands / Shall it be in
that day when the Nile whelms / All Egypt's land to sixteen cubits deep; / It shall flood
all the land, and cover men / With water, and the beauty of the earth

5 And glory of her face shall disappear. / Memphis, thou shalt for Egypt greatly mourn; /
For though thou once didst rule the land in power, / Thou shalt become sad, and the
Thunderer / Shall call from heaven with a mighty voice: O mighty Memphis, who of old didst
boast / So greatly o'er weak mortals, thou shalt wail / In sore distress, and wretchedness
extreme, / So that thou truly shalt thyself discern / The eternal God, immortal in the
clouds. Where is thy gain in having among men / Prepared great power? Because thou hast
against / My God-anointed children been enraged, / And hast stirred evil up among good
men, / Thou shalt for such things have for penalty This foster child. No longer openly /
Shall there be right for thee among the blessed; / Fallen from the stars, thou shalt not
mount to heaven.

6 / These things to Egypt God commissioned me / To utter touching the last time when men
Shall be all evil. But the wicked toil / In sorrow, looking for calamity, / Wrath of the
Immortal, Thunderer of heaven, / But worshiping false gods, and stones, and beasts, / And
fearing many other things besides, Which have no speech, nor mind, nor power to hear, /
Which things for me to mention is not right, / Dumb idols all, the work of mortal hands. /
Of their own labors and their impious thoughts / Have men received gods made of wood, and
stone, And brass, and gold, and silver, soulless, vain, / Deaf, and they made them molten
in the fire, / In such things having vainly put their trust. / Thmois and Xois are in sore
distress; / Destroyed the counsel is of Hercules, And Jupiter, and Hermes, and for thee, /
O Alexandria, famed nourisher / Of cities, war shall never leave thee more. / For thy
pride thou shalt give as many things / As thou hast done before. Long time shalt thou

7 Be silent, even on the joyful day. / No more for thee shall flow the luxurious cup. /
And all thy land an artful man shall ruin / With blood, and corpses by the horrid altars;
/ Of barbarous mind, strong, very terrible, Senselessly raging, hurrying on thy doom /
With force innumerable as the sand. / Then wilt thou, happy city, suffer much. / All Asia
falling on the earth shall wail / Because of gifts which she received from thee, And with
which, head encircled, she rejoiced. / But he who had the Persians for his lot / Shall war
on Egypt, and slay every man, / And plunder and destroy all means of life, / So that a
third remains for wretched man. But he from the West shall speed with nimble leap, /
Invading all the land and wasting all. / But when he has obtained the height of power, /
And odious dread, he will return, resolved / The city of the blessed to destroy.

8 And then a powerful king, sent forth from God, / Shall slay all mighty kings and noble
men. / Then thus shall be a lasting end to men. / Alas! alas for thee, unhappy heart! /
Why dost thou move me Egypt's troubled state, Beset by many rulers, to rehearse? / Go to
the East, to Persia's thoughtless race, / And show them what is and what is to be. /
Euphrates' river shall a deluge form, / And Persians and Iberians destroy, And
Babylonians, and Massagetæ / That take delight in war, all armed with bows. / All Asia
fire-consumed unto the isles / Shall drip. And Pergamos, of old revered, / Shall wholly
perish, and an utter waste Shall Pitane appear to human eyes. / All Lesbos shall sink deep
into the deep, / So as to perish; Smyrna down the steep / Being rolled shall wail, she who
was once revered / And famous shall be utterly destroyed.

9 And the Bithynians shall lament their land / Reduced to ashes, also Syria / The mighty,
and Phenicia rich in plants. / Woe, woe to thee, O Lycia, for thee / What evils are
devised! Of its own will The sea has mounted on the troubled land, / So that the soil of
Lycia, once replete / With fragrance sweet, shall wail for earthquake dire, / And bitter
floods. Fierce wrath shall also come / On Phrygia, on account of grief for which Rhea,
Jove's mother, came and tarried there. / The sea shall overthrow the Taurian race, / A
barbarous nation, and the Lapithæ / Shall to the earth be cast down and despoiled. / The
land of Thessaly shall be destroyed By the deep eddying river Peneus, / Deep-flowing,
sweeping mortals from the earth. / Eridanus [the river that professed / To have begotten
once the forms of beasts]. / Greece the thrice wretched shall the poets weep,

10 When out of Italy a mighty king / Of mighty Rome shall smite the isthmus' neck, / A
godlike man, whom they say Jove himself / And honored Juno bore, who, courting praise /
For his sweet songs with a melodious voice, Will with the wretched mother many slay. /
From Babylon shall flee the fearful king / And shameless, whom all mortals justly hate; /
For he slew many, and laid violent hands / Upon the womb; against his wife he sinned, And
of flagitious parents was he born. / But he will come unto the Medes and kings / Of Persia
whom he first sought, and for whom / He wrought renown, and, with these wicked ones, /
Will lurk against a nation not beloved. He seized the God-made temple, and he burned / The
citizens and people going in, / Who have been justly eulogized in song.

11 / On his appearing the creation shook, / Kings perished, but among them yet remained
Authority, until they had destroyed / The mighty city and the righteous people. / But when
in the fourth year a star shall shine, / Which alone shall destroy the entire land, /
Because of honor first to Neptune paid, Then there shall come from heaven a mighty star /
Into the dreadful sea, and burn the deep, / And Babylon itself, and Italy, / For which
full many faithful Hebrew saints / And also the true temple were destroyed. Thou shalt
among base mortals suffer wrongs, / But shalt remain whole ages all a waste, / Hating thy
soil, for thou didst long for drugs, / Adulteries were with thee, and with boys / Thou
didst indulge in lawless acts of shame, Effeminate, unjust, and wicked city, / Ill-fated
above all. Woe, woe to thee, / Thou unclean city of the Latin land! / Mad woman, fond of
serpents, by thy banks / A widow thou shalt sit, and over thee

12 The river Tiber shall weep as for a spouse. / O thou of murderous heart and impious
soul, / Dost thou not know what God has power to do, / And what his purpose is? But thou
didst say, / "I am alone, and none shall plunder me." But now thee and all thine shall God
destroy, / The ever-living One, and in that land / No longer shall a trace of thee remain,
/ As when of old thy honors God procured. / Remain thou then alone, O lawless one, And,
mixed with burning fire, dwell in the realm / Of Hades, the Tartarean lawless land. / And
now again, O Egypt! I lament / Thy sorrow. Memphis, leader thou of toils, / Filled with
the dead, in thee the pyramids Shall utter forth a shameful sound of woe. / Python of old,
twin city rightly called, / Be still forever, that thou mayest cease / From wickedness.
Thou basely insolent, / Store-house of sorrows, Manad, full of woe,

13 Terrible sufferer, and full of tears, / Thou shalt remain a widow through all time. /
Thou didst become old ruling the world alone. / But when a white dress Barca round herself
/ Shall put on over that which is defiled, O may I not be, might I not have been! / O
Thebes, where is thy great power? A rude man / Shall slay the people; but thou, throwing
on / Gray garments, wretched one, shalt weep alone. / And thou shalt make atonement for
all things Which thou hast done, because of lawless deeds, / And they shall look upon thee
in distress / As one that did possess a shameful soul. / Syene a great man shall
overthrow, / And Tentyris of the Ethiopians Shall swarthy Indians occupy by force. /
Pentapolis, a man of mighty power / Shall make thee weep. O Libya, much bewildered, / Who
shall explain thy woes? And who of men / Cyrene, shall bewail thy miseries?

14 Thou shalt not from thy hateful weeping cease / Until the time of thy destruction
comes. / Among the Britons and the wealthy Gauls / Shall ocean, filled with much blood,
loudly roar, / For they did evil to the sons of God, When a Phenician king from Syria led
/ With the Sidonians a vast Gallic force; / And thee thyself, Ravenna, he will slay, / And
in the work of murder be a guide. / O Indians and great Ethiopians, Be not presumptuous,
for when Capricorn / Around the pole, and Taurns in mid heaven / Among the Twins shall
have encircled these, / And Virgo rises, and about his front / The sun a girdle fastening
leads all heaven— A great ethereal fire shall be on earth, / And in the conflicts of the
warring stars / Shall nature become new, and all the land / Of the Indians and the
Ethiopians / Shall perish in the midst of fire and groans.

15 Weep also thou, O Corinth, the sad doom / Of thy destruction, when with twisted threads
/ The Fates, three sisters, spinning, lead on high / The one who fled by guile beside the
voice / Of the isthmus, until all shall gaze on him Who once cut off the rock with beaten
brass; / And he thy land will ruin, and will smite / As it has been appointed; for to him
/ Has the only God given to accomplish what / Not one of all the former kings could do.
For standing there in power he will give others / To pluck off with a sickle from the root
/ Three heads, so that unholy kings shall eat / Their parents' flesh. For unto all mankind
/ Murder and terrors are laid up in store Because of the great city and just people /
Saved through all time by special providence. / O thou unstable one, and ill-advised, / By
evil fates surrounded, unto men / Both a beginning and great end of woe,

16 A creature harmed and saved again by fate, / Excess of evils, woe, and man's great end,
/ Who among mortals ever longed for thee? / Who is not angry with thee in his heart? / In
thee cast forth, what king his honored life Lost? All things evilly hast thou disposed, /
And deluged all with evil, and by thee / Have beautiful portions of the world been
changed. / Into our strife these last, perchance put forth: / And how dost thou say, "I
will thee persuade, And if in any thing I blame thee, speak!" / There once was among men
the sun's bright light, / And prophets' common rays were wide diffused, / And language,
dripping fair drink for all men, / Appeared, developed, and day dawned on all. Because of
this, O thou of narrow mind, / Author of greatest evils, both a sword / And sorrow will be
coming in that day. / Beginning and great end of woe to men, / A creature harmed and saved
again by fate,

17 Hear the harsh sound of sharp words, bane of men. / But when the Persian land is free
from war / And pestilence and woe, then in that day / There shall be of the blessed
heavenly Jews / A race divine, who in the midst of the land Shall round God's city dwell;
and with great walls / Even as far as Joppa circled round, / They lift themselves up to
the dusky clouds. / No longer will the trumpet sound abroad / War's murderous tones, nor
shall men be destroyed By the mad hands of foes; but there shall stand / Forever monuments
of wicked men. / But there shall come from heaven a wondrous man, / Whose hands were
stretched out on the fruitful wood, / The noblest of the Hebrews, who once caused The sun
to stand still, when he gave command / With admirable speech and hallowed lips.

18 / No longer vex thy soul, nor put a sword / Unto thy bosom, O thou child of God, /
Rich, only longed-for flower, thou goodly light, Thou consummation noble, longed-for,
pure, / Lovely Judea, city beautiful, / Inspired by hymns. No longer on thy soil / Will
the Greeks revel with unhallowed foot, / But have within their hearts a similar law. But
thee shall noble children reverence, / And at the table stand with holy songs, / With
offerings of all sorts and worthy prayers. / As many as endure the weariness / Of light
affliction, and are just, shall come To greater good and excellent delights; / But those
who sent to heaven foul, lawless speech / Shall against one another cease to speak, / And
hide themselves until the world shall change. / But from the clouds a rain of gloomy fire
Shall come, and mortals shall no longer reap / From earth the splendid corn; wild and
untilled / Shall all things be, till mortal men shall know / The God who rules all, the
immortal One, / Existing ever; mortal things no more

19 Shall grow old, neither dogs nor carrion birds, / Such as the Egyptians taught should
be revered / By tender youthful mouths, and foolish lips. / But all these things the
Hebrews' holy land / Alone shall bear; from honey-dripping rock And from a spring there
shall a rivulet And milk ambrosial flow to all the just; For in our glorious Maker, God
alone, Having great faith and piety, they hoped. But why does the wise mind grant me these
things? Yet thee, O wretched Asia, I deplore In pitying sorrow, and the Ionian race And
Carians, and the Lydians rich in gold. Woe, Sardis; woe, woe, Trallis, greatly loved; Woe,
woe, Laodicea, city fair, How shalt thou perish by the earthquake shock, Fall into ruin,
and to dust be changed! In gloomy Asia of the rich Lydians Shall Dian's temple, fixed at
Ephesus, Some day by yawning chasms and earthquake shocks

20 Come headlong down into the dreadful sea, Even as ships are overwhelmed by storms. And
Ephesus, quite overthrown, shall wail, Lamenting by her banks, and searching out Her
temple, no more to be occupied. And then, incensed, shall God, the imperishable, Who
dwells on high, send lightning from the heaven Down on the power of him that is impure.
And in that day, instead of winter's storms There shall be summer; and to mortal men This
shall then be, for the great Thunderer Will utterly destroy all shameless ones With
thunders, lightnings, and terrific flames Against malicious men, and ruin them / As
godless, so that bodies of the dead Shall lie on earth more numerous than the sand. / And
Smyrna also, weeping for Lycurgus, / Unto the gates of Ephesus shall come, / And yet
herself the rather come to naught. / And foolish Cumæ, with her inspired streams,

21 By hands of gods and lawless men hurled down, / Shall offer up her joy into the air /
No more, but lie a corpse by Cumæ's streams. / And then those left shall suffer ills
together. / Cumæ's rude populace, a hateful tribe, Having a sign, shall know for what they
suffered. / And then when they shall have their wicked land / Reduced to ashes, Lesbos,
situate / By Eridanus, shall perish evermore. / Woe, woe to thee, Corcyra, city fair,
Cease from thy revel. Hierapolis, / Thou also, only soil with riches mixed, / Shalt have
what thou hast longed to have, a land / Of many tears, having been enraged against / A
country by the streams of Thermodon. And rocky Tripolis, beside the waves / Of the
Mæander, filled up by the shore / With mighty waters, thou shalt be destroyed / Utterly,
by God's will and providence. / I do not wish to take the neighboring land

22 Of Phœbus, yet a thunderbolt from heaven / Wanton Miletus some day shall destroy, /
Because she took up Phœbus' crafty song / And the wise care and prudent plans of men. / Be
merciful, All-Father, to the land Of Judah, wanton, fruit-abounding, great, / That we may
live to see thy purposes. / For this thou knewest at first, O God, in love, / That to all
men it might appear thy gift, / And that they might see what God will bestow. I long
thrice wretched Thracia's works to see, / And the wall trailed in dust between two seas, /
Even like a river for the swimming fish. / O wretched Hellespont, some day a child / Of
the Assyrians shall throw a bridge Across thee. Against thee will Thracians fight / And of
thy power exhaust thee utterly; / And on the Macedonian land shall seize / A king of
Egypt, and a barbarous clime / Will cast the prowess of the leaders down.

23 Lydians, Galatians, and Pamphylians, / With the Pisidians, being armed for war, / With
all the people conquer in fell strife. / Thrice wretched Italy, thou shalt remain /
Unwept, deserted, in a blooming land, The deadly serpent fully to destroy. / But far above
along the ethereal sky / God's voice like rolling thunder shall be heard, / And the sun's
own imperishable flames / Be no more, and the moon's brilliant light Shall not again be in
that latest time, / When God shall rule. All things shall be in gloom, / Darkness shall be
on earth, and blinded men, / And evil beasts, and a long time of woe; / So that it will be
seen that God is king, And looks down from the heavens on all below. / Himself will not
then pity hostile men, / Who sacrifice the herds of lambs and sheep, / And bellowing
calves, great calves with gilded horns, / To lifeless Hermes and to gods of stone.

24 But let the law of wisdom take the lead, / The glory of the righteous, lest, anon, /
The imperishable God be filled with wrath, / And every race and tribe of men destroy; /
For it is binding on us to love God, The wise Creator, who forever lives. / There shall be
at the last time, when the moon / Comes near its end, a world-disputing war, / And it will
be in cunning and in guile; / And from the earth's extremity shall come A matricidal man,
a fugitive, / Revolving sharp devices in his mind; / He every land will seize, and conquer
all; / Wiser than all men, he will know all things. / That on account of which he himself
perished Forthwith he will seize. And he will destroy / Many men and great tyrants, and
consume / All of them as none other ever did. / And such as fell he will restore through
zeal. / But from the West shall come much war to men,

25 And hills of blood shall to the rivers flow. / But in the plains of Macedonia / The
rage drops, and alliance from the West / Is offered, but destruction for the king. / And
then a wintry blast shall blow on earth, And evil war shall fill the land again. / For
fire on mortals from the heavenly plains / Shall be rained down in showers, fire, and
blood, / Water and lightning, darkness, awful night, / Wasting in war, and on the
slaughter gloom; And it will bring destruction to all kings, / Even those then best; and
thus shall terminate / The lamentable ruin of dire war. / No longer will one fight with
swords, or iron, / Or darts, which things shall not again be right. And prudent people,
such as have survived, / Will have peace, having tested wickedness / In order that at last
they might have joy. / Ye matricides, leave off the impudence / Of bold effrontery and
wicked works,

26 Ye who have basely furnished couch for boys, / And in the brothel harlots made of those
/ Who once were pure, by means of insolence, / And punishment, and forced indecency. / For
in thee lawless mother with her child Held carnal intercourse, and with her sire / The
daughter was united as a bride. / Also in thee have kings their ill-starred mouth /
Polluted, and in thee have wicked men / Found couch with beasts. O city full of grief And
evil, given to reveling, be still. / For virgins will no longer find with thee / The
sacred fire of the love-kindling grove. / By thee the loved house was of old put out, /
When I saw it a second time laid waste, And wrapped in fire by an unholy hand, / House
always blooming, temple watched of God, / Brought forth by saints, imperishable ever, / A
ground of hope for soul and body too. / For without burial rites none will praise God

27 Out of the hidden earth, nor will the wise / Artificer prepare a stone for such, / Nor
did he reverence gold, the cheat of souls / And of the world; but they with sacrifice /
And holy hecatombs adored the God And mighty Maker of all breathing things. / But now an
unseen and unholy king / Rose, cast this down, and let it go unbuilt, / With a great
multitude and famous men. / But having gone up to the immortal land He himself perished.
Such a sign no more / Was ever wrought on men; so it seemed good / That others the great
city should destroy. / For from the heavenly plains there came a man, / A blessed one, who
held within his hand A scepter with which God intrusted him, / And all things he ruled
nobly, and restored / To all the good the wealth which former men / Had taken; and all
cities with vast fire / From the foundations he destroyed and burned,

28 The towns of men who had wrought wicked deeds. / And that same city which God loved he
made / More radiant than the stars, and sun and moon, / And put on ornament, and made in
flesh / A sanctuary very beautiful, And formed for miles a great and boundless tower /
Touching the very clouds, and seen by all, / So that the faithful and the just might all /
Behold the glory of the eternal God, / A longed-for sight. Morning and evening hymned The
praise of God. For there shall no more come / Dire evils upon miserable men, / Adulteries
and lawless lust of boys, / Nor murder, nor confusion, but with all / A righteous rivalry.
Last is the time Of the saints, when the lofty Thunderer, / God, who is founder of the
mighty temple, / Brings to their consummation all these things. / Alas! alas for thee, O
Babylon, / For golden throne and golden sandal famed,

29 Thou ancient kingdom, sole lord of the world; / Once mighty and all-potent, thou shalt
lie / No more in golden mountains, and the streams / Of the Euphrates; thou shalt be laid
low / In time of earthquake. But the dreadful Parthians Made thee rule all things. Hold
thy insolent mouth, / O vile race of Chaldeans! Do not speak / Nor be concerned how thou
shalt rule the Persians, / Or how thou shalt be conqueror of the Medes. / For on account
of thy power which thou hadst, Having sent hostages to Rome, and served / In Asia, thou
shalt as a prudent queen / Into the judgment of the unrighteous come, / For whom thou hast
sent ransoms. Thou shalt give / Instead of puzzling words keen wrath to foes. And in the
last time shall the sea be dry, / And ships no longer sail to Italy; / But great and
fruitful Asia and the plain / Of Crete shall be all water. And great woe / Shall Cyprus
have, and on a dreadful fate

30 Shall Paphos rush, so that one shall behold / Salamis, great city, suffering mighty
woe. / Now waste and fruitless shall she be again / Upon the coast; and locusts not a few
/ The Cyprian land shall ruin. Look at Tyre And weep, O hapless mortals! Fearful wrath /
Waits thee, Phenicia, until thou fall / A vile corpse, so that sirens truly weep. / In the
fifth generation, when the ruin / Of Egypt shall have ceased, and shameless kings Mingle
together, nations of all tribes / Shall camp in Egypt, and in Macedonia, / And Asia, and
among the Lydians / Shall rage a cruel world-oppressing war / Of much blood and dust,
which the king of Rome And rulers of the West shall cause to cease. / When wintry storm
comes dropping like the snow, / And the great river and vast lakes are frozen, /
Straightway into the Asian land shall go / A barbarous multitude, and the dire race

31 Of Thracians like a feeble thing destroy. / And then will wretched mortals, hunger-
worn, / Devour their parents, and gulp down all food, / And wild beasts in all dwellings
eat their food, / They and the birds devour all mortal men. And with the wicked ocean
shall be filled, / Being blood-red from the river—flesh and blood / Of foolish men. Then
thus a littleness / Shall be upon the earth, that of mankind / And womankind the number
one may see. But myriad things shall a dire race bewail / At the end, when the sun sets
not to rise, / But to remain submerged in ocean's wave, / Because it saw the baneful
wickedness / Of many mortals. And a moonless night Shall gather round the mighty heaven
itself, / And no small mist shall hide the world's ravines. / But then a second time shall
God's light rule / The good men, even as many as praise God. / Isis, thrice wretched
goddess, thou alone

32 Shalt by the waters of the Nile remain, / A lawless Bacchanal upon the sands / Of
Acheron, and over all the earth / No more shall memory of thee remain. / And thou,
Serapis, sitting on the stones, Shalt be in trouble about many things. / Thou shalt in
thrice unhappy Egypt lie / An immense corpse; all that in Egypt bore / A love toward thee
shall wail thee bitterly. / But such as praise God, having in their minds Unimpaired
reason, know that thou art naught. / And then a linen-vested priest shall say: / "Come,
let us raise a beautiful temple of God / In truth; come, let us change the fearful laws /
Of our forefathers, by which they required Processions, and performed their mystic rites /
To gods of stone and clay that had no sense. / Let us our souls turn and give praise to
God / The imperishable, who himself is sire,

33 Who always has been, who is Lord of all / The true one, king, and soul-sustaining sire,
/ The mighty God, existing evermore. / And then in Egypt there shall be a great / And holy
temple, and their sacrifices Into it shall the God-made people bring, / And God shall give
to them eternal life. / But when the Ethiopians forsake / The shameless tribes of the
Triballians, / And cultivate their Egypt, wickedness They will begin, that afterward all
things / May come to pass. For they shall overthrow / The mighty temple of the Egyptian
land, / And on earth will God rain a fearful wrath / Upon them, and all base and lawless
men Shall be destroyed. And in that land no more / Will any one receive forbearing grace,
/ Because they did not guard what God had given. / The threatening of the shining sun I
saw / Among the stars, and in the lightning flash

34 The dire wrath of the moon. The stars travailed / With battle; God permitted them to
fight. / For in the sun's stead long fire-flames arose; / The morning star made fight and
trod upon / The Lion's back, and the moon's double horn Changed its face; Capricorn smote
Taurus' neck, / But Taurus took away from Capricorn / Returning day; Orion would no more /
Abide the yoke, and the lot of the Twins / Did Virgo change to Aries; no more shone The
Pleiads, and the Dragon left his zone. / Pisces went down into the Lion's belt; / The Crab
remained not, for he feared Orion; / Scorpio approached the dreadful Lion's tail, / And
from the sun's flame slipped the Dog away; Aquarius kindled to a flame the might / Of the
strong shining one. The flame itself / Was roused up till it shook the warring ones, / And
in a rage hurled them headlong to earth. / Then quickly smitten down upon the waves

35 Of ocean, it set all the earth on fire, / And the high heaven remained without a star.

BOOK VI

1 The Immortal's mighty Son, renowned in song, / Proclaim I from the heart, to whom a
throne / The most high Father gave for a possession / Ere he was born; and then he was
raised up, In flesh given him, and washed in Jordan's stream, / Which bears with gleaming
foot the waves away. / He having fled from fire first shall behold / The blessed Spirit of
God descending down / With white wings of a dove. And he shall bloom A blossom pure, and
all things shall burst forth. / And he will show to men the ways, will show / The heavenly
paths, and with wise words teach all. / And he will lead to righteousness, and win / The
hostile people, boasting a descent From a celestial Father. He will tread / The billows,
and men's maladies destroy. / He will raise up the dead, and many woes / Drive far away;
and from one root shall come / Enough of bread for men, when David's house

2 A scion shall bring forth, and in his hands / Shall be the whole world—land and heaven
and sea. / He will flash lightning on the earth, as once / The two born from each other's
sides beheld / The light appear. And this shall come to pass When earth rejoices in hope
of a son. / But for thee only, Sodomitic land, / Are miseries in store, for with fell mind
/ Thou didst not give attention to thy God, / Who laughs at mortal schemes, but out of
thorns Didst plait for him a crown, and fearful gall / In wanton insolence of spirit didst
mix. / This shall bring on thee bitter miseries. / O wood most blessed, on which God was
stretched, / Earth shall not hold thee, but a heavenly house Shalt thou behold, when the
new form of God / Shall flash forth as the lightning into view.

BOOK VII

1 O Rhodes, thou wretched one, thee first I mourn. / Of cities first, first shalt thou be
destroyed, / Bereft of men and of all means of life. / And Delos, thou shalt sail upon the
sea, And be unstable on the watery way. / Cyprus, a billow of thy bridal sea / Shall some
time ruin thee. Thee, Sicily, / The burning fire within thee shall consume. / Nor heed
God's terrible and pleasant water. Noah, sole fugitive of all men came. / The land shall
swim, the mountains and the air / Shall also swim, all things shall water be, / And all
things shall by water be destroyed. / The wind shall cease, and a second age begin. O
Phrygia, from the upper water first / To break forth, thou thyself shalt be the first / To
deny God, being pleased with other gods, / Who shall destroy thee, miserable one, / When
many rolling years shall be complete.

2 The wretched Ethiopians, suffering / By pitiable woes, and crouching down / In terror,
shall be smitten by the sword. / Rich Egypt, ever caring for the corn / Which the Nile
underneath his floating waves Makes seven times drunk, shall perish by the strife / Of
tribes with one another. Quickly then / Will men drive Apis out, no god for men. / Woe,
woe, Laodicea, daring one, / Thou shalt be false, God having never seen; And Lycus' surges
shall wash thee away. / He himself, who is born the mighty God, / Shall work great signs,
and in the midst of heaven / Shall hang an axle, and shall place on high / A mighty terror
to be seen by men, Measuring a column with an immense fire, / Whose drops shall slay the
races of mankind / That have done evil. For a time will come / When men may God appease,
but put no end / To bitter sorrows; but through David's house

3 Shall all things be fulfilled. For unto him / Has God himself given and confirmed a
throne; / And messengers beneath his feet repose, / Some in the fire, some in the streams
appear, / Others save cities, and some send forth winds. And unto many men shall life be
hard, / Entering in souls, and changing minds of men. / But when a new shoot from the root
shall spring, / The vast creation which he once to all / Spread forth abundantly for
nourishment, And all things with the times shall be complete. / But when strange Persians,
warlike tribe, shall rule, / The bridal chambers shall be full of fear / Because of
lawless tribes. For her own son / Will mother have as husband, son will harm His mother,
daughter couching by her sire / Shall sleep according to barbarian law. / But afterward to
them the Roman Mars / Shall shine forth from a multitude of spears, / And they shall mix
much land with human blood.

4 But then the chief of Italy shall flee / From the power of the spear, and they shall
leave / Upon the land a shaft engraved in gold, / Among the foremost fighters, evermore /
Bearing a symbol of necessity. But then shall Ilias sink into the tomb, / Wicked and
piteously starred by fate, / No wedding there, and brides shall deeply grieve, / Because
they knew not God, but ever gave / The echo to the cymbal and the drum. Consult the
oracle, O Colophon; / For over thee is hanging fearful fire. / Ill-wedded Thessaly, the
earth no more / Shall see thee, nor thy ashes, and alone / Escaping from the main-land
thou shalt sail; So, hapless one, thou shalt be war's vile filth, / Falling by means of
rivers and sharp swords. / And thou, O hapless Corinth, shalt receive / Around thee heavy
war, thou timid one, / And by each other ye shall be destroyed.

5 O Tyre, how much shalt thou alone receive? / For the small number of the pious men /
Within thy land will scatter thee afar. / O Cœle-Syria, thou towerest high / Above
Phenician men, for whom the sea Of Berytas lies pouring forth abroad; / O wretched one,
thou hast not known thy God, / Who once in Jordan's waters bathed himself, / And over whom
the Spirit spread his wing; / Who, ere the earth and starry heaven were formed, Was made a
ruler of his Father's word, / And by the Holy Spirit put on flesh, / And quickly flew unto
his Father's house. / Three towers for him the mighty heaven has fixed, / In which God's
noble stewards shall abide, Hope, piety, and longed-for reverence, / In gold and silver
having no delight, / But in the holy reverence of men, / And sacrifices, and most
righteous thoughts. / But thou to the immortal, mighty God,

6 The lofty One, shalt offer sacrifice, / Not melting grains of frankincense in fire, /
Nor smiting with the sword the shaggy lamb. / But with all such as bear thy blood, take
thou / Wild fowls, and, having prayed, send them away And turn thy eyes to heaven; and
thou shalt pour / On the pure fire the water, and thus cry: / "O Father, thou who didst
beget the Word, / A bird have I sent thee, swift messenger / Of words, O thou Word,
sprinkling thy baptism With holy waters, through which from the fire / Thou didst make
thyself manifest to light." / Thou shalt not shut the door when unto thee / A stranger
comes in need to keep away / Hunger of poverty, but taking hold Of that man's head, and
sprinkling it with water, / Pray thrice, and cry unto thy God such things: / "I ask not
riches. Suppliant I received / Once openly a suppliant. Father, thou / Provider, hear;
thou wilt give him that prays."

7 Then, when the man has gone, say: "Press me not, / God's sacred service, righteous,
holy, free, / By which Gehenna was reproved... / O Father, strengthen thou my wretched
heart. / To thee I look, to thee, the Undefiled, Who wast not fashioned by the hands of
men." / Sardinia, weighty now, thou shalt be changed / To ashes. Thou shalt be no more an
isle, / When comes a decade round. Amid the waves / Shall sailors seek thee when thou art
no more, And the king-fishers for thee shall lament. / Mygdonia, rugged, inaccessible, / A
watch-fire o'er the sea, thou boastest age, / And of age thou shalt perish altogether /
With the hot wind, and rave with many woes. O Celtic land, on thine own mountain heights,
/ Along the Alps so inaccessible, / Deep sand shall altogether cover thee. / Tribute shalt
thou no longer give, nor corn, / Nor pasture; but thou shalt forever be

8 Deserted by the nations, frozen thick / With chilling ice, and shalt atone the wrongs /
Which thou, unholy one, didst not discern. / Great-hearted Rome, thou to Olympus shalt /
Flash lightning after Macedonian spears; But God shall make thee utterly unknown, / When
yet thou seemst more firmly to remain. / Then to thee such things I will cry aloud. /
Being ruined thou wilt speak aloud, once bright / And clear. A second time to thee, O
Rome, Again a second time I'll speak to thee. / And now thee, wretched Syria, piteously /
Do I bewail. O Thebans ill-advised, / In you there is an evil noise, flutes play, / The
trumpet sounds for you an evil note, And ye shall see the entire land destroyed. / Woe,
woe to thee, thou wretched, ugly sea! / Thou shalt be utterly consumed by fire, / And thou
wilt ruin people with thy brine. / For there shall be such raging fire on earth

9 As flows like water, and it shall destroy / The whole land; mountains it will set on
fire, / Burn up the rivers, empty out the springs. / The world shall be disordered, men
destroyed. / Then sorely burned, the wretched ones will look Toward heaven, not with
stars, but fire inwrought. / Not quickly do they perish, but destroyed / Under the flesh
and burning in the spirit / For endless years, they will know that God's law / Is hard to
prove, and cannot be deceived. And then earth shall be taken by violence, / Whatever god
she daringly set forth / Upon the altars, and shall be deceived / By the smoke through the
air, producing woes. / But they shall bear much longing, who for gain Prophesy shameless
things and lengthen out / The evil time; who, clothed in shaggy skins / Of sheep,
themselves as Hebrews falsely pass, / Which race they have no part in, but with words /
Constantly talking, misers in their woes,

10 They will change customs, and will not persuade / The just, who through the heart
propitiate God. / But in the third lot of revolving years, / The eighth, first shall
another world appear. / And there shall be a long unyielding night. And then shall pass
around a dreadful stench / Of brimstone, messenger of homicides, / When men by night and
hunger shall be killed. / Then a pure mind will he beget in men, / And will establish thy
race as it was To thee aforetime. No more shall one cut / Deep furrows with the plow, nor
oxen sink / The guiding iron downward; nor shall vines / Nor ears of corn be seen, but all
shall eat / The dewy manna with their fair white teeth. With them then also God himself
shall be, / And teach them, as he taught me, doleful one. / For O, how many evils once I
did / Knowingly! Also many other things / I wickedly and carelessly performed.

11 Countless my couches, but no marriage bond / Concerned me, and to all a savage oath / I
rashly brought. The needy I shut out, / And among those who went to the like glen / I
went, and did not heed the voice of God. Therefore did fire devour me, and shall gnaw, /
For I myself shall not live, but a time / Of evil shall destroy me. Then will men / Make
me a grave, passing me by the sea / And killing me with stones. For with my sire A dear
son share I. Stone me, stone me, all; / For thus shall I live, and fix eyes on heaven.

BOOK VIII

1 God's revelations of great wrath to come / In the last time upon the faithless world, /
I make known, prophesying to all men / According to their cities, from that time When the
great tower fell, and the tongues of men / Were parted into many dialects. / First of the
Egyptian kingdom did I speak, / Then that of Persians, Ethiopians, Medes, / And also of
Assyrian Babylon, Then the great pride of Macedonia; / Now am I into the dominion sent /
Of celebrated lawless Italy. / At last unto all mortals will it show / Manifold evils, and
exhaust the toils Of men of every land. And to the West / Will it the warrior king of
nations lead, / Give laws to peoples, and subdue all things. / Late will the mills of God
grind the fine flour. / Fire then will ruin all things, and to dust

2 Reduce the summits of the leafy hills, / And all flesh. Love of gain and want of mind /
Of evils a beginning are to all; / For of deceitful gold and silver springs / Longing
desire, for nothing mortals deem Better than these, not the sun's light, nor heaven, / Nor
sea, nor the broad earth whence all things grow, / Nor God who gives all things, Maker of
all; / Nor faith, nor piety do they prefer. / Source of impiety, confusion's guide, A
means of wars, an enemy of peace, / Is want of understanding, setting fathers / At enmity
with sons, and sons with fathers. / And marriage in comparison with gold / Will have no
honor. Borders land will have, And guards each sea, divided craftily / For all that have
gold, so that evermore / Those wishing it possess the nursing earth. / They waste the
poor, that they themselves more land / Procuring may enslave them by deceit.

3 And if the huge earth from the starry heaven / Held not her throne afar, even light to
men / Had not been equal, but, being bought with gold, / Had by the rich been owned, and
for the poor / God must have then prepared another world. On thee some day shall come, O
haughty Rome, / A fitting stroke from heaven, and thou the first / Shalt bend the neck, be
leveled to the earth, / And fire shall utterly consume thee, beat / Upon thy pavements,
and thy wealth shall perish, And on thy site shall wolves and foxes dwell. / And then
shalt thou become all desolate / As though thou hadst not been. Where then will be /
Palladium? What God will keep thee safe, / Whether of gold or stone or brass? Or then
Where the decrees of thy assembly? Where / Rhea, or Kronos, or the race of Jove, / And all
those whom thou didst once hold in awe, / Demons without life, phantoms of the dead, / The
boast of whose tomb ill-starred Crete shall have,

4 Worshiping thrones of the unconscious dead? / When thou hast had thrice five voluptuous
kings, / And hast enslaved the world from east to west, / A gray-haired prince shall rise,
bearing the name / Of the near sea, and with polluted foot Will he survey the world, and
gifts obtain, / And have vast sums of gold, and gather up / Of hateful silver more, and
having stripped / [The peoples], he will then again return. / And in all mysteries will he
partake Of Magian shrines, show forth a child as god, / Abolish all things sacred, and
disclose / To all from the first the mysteries of deceit. / Sad then will be the time when
he himself, / Sad one, shall perish. And the populace Some time will say: "O city, thy
great power / Has fallen, knowing that an evil day / Staightway is coming." Then shall
weep together / Fathers and infant children, when they see / Before them thy most
lamentable fate.

5 Woe, woe, they wail by Tiber's mournful banks. / After him at the last shall three bear
rule / And fill the name out of the God of heaven, / Whose power now is and shall be
evermore. / And one, an old man, very long will wield The scepter, a most pitiable king, /
Who all the treasures of the world shall guard, / And shut up in his houses, that when
comes / The matricidal fugitive again / From the earth's ends, having given these things
to all, Vast wealth on Asia he will then bestow. / And then shalt thou weep, having put
aside / The glory of the ruler's purple robe, / And put on mourning garments, O proud
realm, / Offspring of Latin Rome. No more to thee Shall be the glory of thy lofty mien, /
Nor shalt thou, hapless, ever be raised up, / But prostrate shalt thou lie; for even the
glory / Of eagle-bearing legions shall fall down. / Where then thy power? What land will
be ally,

6 O thou who hast been lawlessly enslaved / By thine own follies? For through all the
earth / There will be then confusion of mankind, / When the Almighty, coming to the
throne, / Shall judge the souls of living and of dead, And all the world. And parents will
not be / Dear to their children, nor will children be / To parents, on account of
wickedness / And unexpected trouble. Then to thee / Shall gnashing, capture, and
dispersion come, Cities shall fall and earth be rent in chasms. / When thus upon the
billows there shall come / A dragon bearing fire, and full within, / And shall afflict thy
children, there shall be / Famine and tribal war, and near at hand Is the end of the
world, and the last day / And judgment of the immortal God for such / As are both called
and chosen. First of all / Inexorable wrath shall fall on Rome; / A time of blood and
wretched life shall come.

7 Woe, woe to thee, O land of Italy, / Great, barbarous nation; thou didst not perceive /
Whence naked and unworthy thou didst come / To the sun's light, that to that place again /
Naked thou shouldst return, and then come forth To judgment, as one who unjustly judged. /
With hands gigantic coming from on high / Alone through all the world, thou shalt abide /
Under the earth. By naphtha and asphalt / And sulphur and much fire thou utterly Shalt
disappear, and be as burning dust / Forever, and all who behold shall hear / From Hades an
exceeding mournful wail, / And gnashing of teeth, and with thine own hands / Thou wilt
forever beat thy godless breast. To all alike there shall be equal night, / To rich and
poor; naked they came from earth / And naked into earth again they go. / They grow,
complete their time, and cease from life. / No slave, nor lord, nor tyrant will be there,

8 Nor king, nor leader, filled with vain conceit. / No legal advocate, nor magistrate /
Judging for money; nor do they pour out / The blood of sacrifices in libations / Upon the
altars. Not a drum will sound, Nor cymbal, nor the perforated flute / Of frenzied tone,
nor sound of pipe like that / Of crooked dragon; nor the barbarous trumpet / The harbinger
of wars, nor drunken men / In lawless revels, nor in choral dances, Nor sound of lyre; no
instrument of evil, / Nor strife, nor wrath of various kind, nor sword / Is with the dead,
but unto all alike / Eternity is keeper of the key / Of the great prison for God's
judgment-seat. With images of gold and silver and stone / Be ready, that unto the bitter
day / Ye may come, thy first punishment, O Rome, / Even a gnashing anguish to behold. /
And no more under slavish yoke to thee

9 Will either Greek or Syrian put his neck, / Barbarian or any other nation. / Thou shalt
be plundered and shalt be destroyed / For what thou didst, and wailing loud in fear / Thou
shalt give until thou shalt all repay. And thou shalt be a triumph for the world, / Also a
matter of reproach for all. / And then the sixth race of the Latin kings / At last end
life, and lay the scepter down. / From the same race another king shall reign, Rule the
whole earth and hold the scepter firm; / And he shall govern with untrammeled power / And
by the counsels of the mighty God. / Sons and a race of stable sons are his, / For thus it
is decreed, as time rolls on, When there shall be of Egypt thrice five kings. / Thence
when the phenix the fifth time appears, / He will come pillaging a race of people, / A
countless tribe, the nation of the Hebrews. / Then Mars will plunder Mars, and he himself

10 Shall the presumptuous threats of Rome destroy. / Perished the power of Rome, once
flourishing, / Along with ancient kings of neighboring cities. / No longer will the plain
of fertile Rome / Prevail, when out of Asia comes with Mars One bearing rule; and having
wrought all this / He afterwards will in the city come. / And thrice three hundred eight
and forty years / Shalt thou in full complete, when ill-starred fate / Shall seize upon
thee, finishing thy name. Alas for me, me, the thrice wretched one! / When shall I see
that day of thine, O Rome— / Thine, but most for all Latins? Honor him / If thou wilt, who
ascends the Trojan car, / As by a secret birth from Asia's land, Having a soul of fire.
But when he smites / The isthmus, peering eagerly around, / Going to all and passing
through the sea, / Then will black blood go after the great beast, / And a dog chase the
lion which destroys

11 The shepherds. But his scepter they will take, / And into Hades he will pass away. /
The last but greatest ill shall come to Rhodes. / And base captivity yet waits for Thebes.
/ Egypt shall perish by her ruler's baseness. But those men who escaped the utter ruin— /
Thrice blessed, four times blessed, was each man! / And Rome shall be a room, and Delos
dull, / And Samos sand.... / Later shall evil on the Persians come For their pride, and
all insolence shall perish. / And then a holy king o'er all the earth / And to all ages
shall the scepter wield, / Having risen from the dead. A piteous fate / Will then the Most
High bring on those at Rome, And on all men, and all within these bounds / Shall perish.
But they will not be persuaded / Of what much better is. But when for all / The evil day
of famine and of plague / Shall come on, and of uproar hard to bear, Even then again that
former daring prince, Having convened the council, shall forthwith Take counsel with them
how he may destroy. * Blight shall appear along with flowers and leaves, And heaven's base
shall display on the firm rock

12 Rain-storm and fire, and much wind on the land, And over all the earth a multitude Of
poisonous sowings. Yet again they'll work With shameless soul, nor fear the wrath of God,
Nor that of man. Forsaking modesty They will choose shame, become tyrannical And violent
transgressors, liars too, Lovers of unbelief, evil-doers, Untrue, faith-killers, pouring
out foul speech In false words; no sufficiency of wealth Will they have, but will basely
gather more. Subject to tyrants, they will be destroyed. The stars shall all fall down
into the sea, Many stars one by one, and the bright star Men call a comet is a sign of
evil, Of much war and calamity to come. Let me not live when the gay one shall reign, But
then, when heavenly grace shall rule within, And when a holy child the murderous guile Of
all shall utterly destroy with chains, Opening the baleful deep and suddenly / The house
of wood shall cover mortals round. / But when the tenth generation shall go down / To
Hades, then shall come the mighty power / Of one of female sex; and God himself

13 Will permit many evils to increase, / When she with royal honor crowns herself; / And
all the year will be how like an age! / The parched sun running onward nightly shines, /
The stars will leave the heaven; and rushing on With a strong tempest, he will waste the
earth. / And there shall be a rising of the dead; / The lame shall swiftly run, the deaf
shall hear, / The blind shall see, those who spoke not shall speak, / And life and wealth
shall be alike to all. The land the same for all, divided not / By walls or fences, shall
more fruits produce, / And fountains of sweet wine, and of white milk, / And honey he will
give... / And judgment of the immortal God.... But when the seasons God shall change,... /
Winter producing summer, then oracles [will all be fulfilled]. / But when the world has
perished....

Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour, Cross.

14 Earth will sweat when the judgment sign appears, / And the eternal King will come from
heaven In person to judge all flesh and all the world. / The faithful and the faithless
shall see God / Exalted with the saints at the end of time. / The souls of fleshly men
upon his throne / He will judge, when the whole world is laid waste, And thorns spring up.
And men will cast away / Their idols and all wealth. And searching fire / Will burn the
land, the heaven and the sea; / And burn the gates of Hades' prison-house. / Then to the
free light of the saints shall come All the flesh of the dead, but lawless ones / The fire
will try forever. Every thing / One did in secret will he then declare, / For dark breasts
God will open to the light. / Wailing will come from all, and gnashing of teeth;

15 The brightness of the sun will be eclipsed, / And the dances of the stars; the heaven
shall whirl. / And the moon's beaming luster be destroyed. / He will exalt the valleys and
destroy / The heights of hills, and no more shall appear A gloomy height among men. With
the plains / The mountains will be level, and no more / Will there be any sailing on the
sea. / For earth with springs shall be by thunder parched, / And dashing streams shall
fail. The trump from heaven Shall send a woful sound, and bellow forth / Y Utterly gone
among men are distinctions of lofty and lowly. / O O, what an end of all things! earth
broken in pieces shall perish; / Approaching pest and sorrows of the world. / And then the
widely-yawning earth will show / Tartarean chaos, and all kings shall come / Unto God's
judgment-seat. From heaven shall flow

16 A stream of fire and brimstone. But the Wood / Shall then be to all mortals for a sign,
/ Among the faithful a distinguished seal, / The longed-for horn, the life of pious men, /
But the world's stumbling-block, bestowing light On the elect by water in twelve streams.
/ And then the shepherd-rod of iron shall rule. / This one now in acrostics written down /
Is our God, Saviour, and immortal King, / Even the one who suffered for our sake. Whom
Moses typified, when he stretched out / Holy arms, conquering Amalek by faith, / In order
that the people may know him / To be elect and honored before God, / The rod of David, and
the very stone Which he indeed once promised, and in whom / He who believes shall have
eternal life. / For not in glory, but as mortal man / Shall he come unto judgment,
pitiable, / Dishonored, without beauty, that he might

17 Give hope to them that mourn; and he will give / Form to corruptible flesh, and
heavenly faith / To those without faith, and entirely change / Man who was fashioned by
the hand of God, / And whom the serpent craftily deceived To go away unto the fate of
death, / And gain a knowledge of the good and bad, / And so, forsaking God, serve mortal
ways. / For taking him at first as counselor, / From the beginning, the Almighty said: "O
child, forthwith let us make, both of us, / Forming from our own image, mortal tribes; / I
with my hands and thou then with the Word / Shalt serve our form, that we may give to it /
A common origin. Keeping in mind This purpose, into judgment he will come: / And to a holy
virgin he will bear / An antitypal copy, giving light / By water through the elder's
hands, by word / Doing all things, and healing all disease.

18 His word shall stay the winds, and with his feet / He'll calm the raging sea, and walk
thereon / In peace and faith. And with five loaves of bread / And one fish of the sea, in
a desert place / Will he of men four thousand satisfy; And taking all the fragments which
remain, / Twelve baskets he will fill for the people's hope. / And he will call the souls
of blessed ones, / And love the sorrowful, who being mocked / Will render good for evil,
beaten, scourged, Yet ever longing after poverty. / Knowing, beholding, hearing every
thing, / The heart he will discern, and lay it bare / Unto conviction. For of all things
he / Is hearing, mind, and vision, and the Word, Who made all forms, to whom all things
give ear; / The dead he saves, and healeth all disease. / At last into the hands of
lawless men / And faithless he will come, and they will give / With hands unholy blows as
against God,

19 And poisonous spittle from polluted mouths. / And he will give his holy back to
scourges / [For he himself shall give unto the world / A holy virgin], and silent he
remains / Under the scourge, lest any one should know Who or of whom he is, or whence he
came, / In order that he may speak to the dead. / And he will also wear a crown of thorns,
/ For out of thorns shall ever come the crown / Of holy ones elect. And with a reed
According to their laws they'll pierce his side, / For from reeds by another spirit moved
/ Was he brought up for judgments of the soul, / And wrath and recompense. But when these
things / Which I have spoken shall all be fulfilled, Unto him then shall every law be
loosed, / Which from the first by the decrees of men / Was given because of disobedient
people. / He will spread out his hands and all the world / Will measure. Gall for food,
and vinegar

20 For drink, they gave him; they shall dearly pay / The price of this inhospitable board.
/ The temple's veil is rent, and in midday / For three hours shall a monstrous night
prevail. / For when the eternal Ruler came on earth, It was again shown, what had been
concealed / From the thought of the world, that men no more / Should serve the secret
temple and the law. / And he shall come to Hades, and announce / To all the saints hope,
the end of the ages, And the last day; and death's lot he will end, / The third day
sleeping, and then from the dead / Freeing himself he will come into light, / First having
shown the power of the resurrection / To the elect, washed from their former sin By means
of water from the immortal spring, / That, being born again, they might no more / Serve
the unlawful customs of the world. / First to his own will then the Lord appear / In the
flesh as he was before, and show

21 In hands and feet four marks fixed in his limbs, / As if for east and west, and north
and south; / For even so many kingdoms of the world / Shall consummate this lawless,
blameful deed. / Daughter of Zion, holy one, rejoice. Thou who hast suffered many things,
thy King, / Mounted upon a foal is entering in, / Appearing meek to all, that he may wrest
/ The slavish yoke so heavy, under which / We are enthralled, and which lies on our neck,
And loose the godless laws and powerful bonds. / Know thou thy God, him who is Son of God,
/ Giving him glory, and within thy breast / Holding him cherished; love him from the soul
/ And bear his name. The former deeds put off, And loose them by his blood, for by thy
songs / And by thy prayers he will not be appeased. / Nor unto perishable sacrifices /
Will he give heed, being imperishable, / But rather he delights in sacred song

22 Of holy mouth, proceeding from the soul. / Know who he is, and thou shalt see thy
Maker. / Then shall the elements of all the world / Be desolate, air, earth, sea, flaming
fire, / And sky and night, and all days to one fire And to one barren, shapeless mass
shall come. / For all the luminous stars shall fall from heaven; / No more will winged
birds fly through the air, / Nor footstep be on earth; for all wild beasts / Shall perish,
voices of men, beasts, and birds Shall be no more. The world, being disarranged, / Shall
hear no useful sound, but the deep sea / Shall echo back a mighty threatening noise, / And
swimming, trembling creatures of the sea / Shall all die; and no longer on the waves Will
sail a freighted ship. The earth shall groan / Blood-stained by wars; and all the souls of
men / Shall gnash their teeth—the souls of lawless men, / Wasted by lamentations and by
fear, / By hunger, thirst, and pestilence and murders—

23 And they shall call it beautiful to die, / And death will flee from them, for death no
more / Nor night shall give them rest. And many things / Will they in vain ask God who
rules on high. / And then he will turn openly his face Away from them. [For he gave seven
ages, / Days of repentance unto mortal men, / Fashioned by means of a holy virgin's hand.]
/ All these things to my mind did God reveal, / And all that has been spoken by my mouth
Will he fulfill. The number of the sands, / And measured spaces of the sea I know. / I
know the secret places of the earth, / And gloomy Tartarus, and men who are, / And who
shall be hereafter, and the dead. I know the numbers of the stars and trees, / And all the
species of the quadrupeds, / And swimming things, and birds that fly aloft. / For I myself
the forms and mind of men / Have fashioned, and right reason have bestowed,

24 And taught them knowledge. I who see and hear / Formed eyes and ears; and I observe
each thought, / And have myself a knowledge of all things, / Silent a while, and afterward
reproving, / And punishing whatever any man Has done in secret. On God's judgment-seat / I
also come to speak with mortal men. / Also the dumb I understand, and hear / The one who
speaks not, and I know how great / The entire height from earth to heaven is. And the
beginning and the end I know, / Who am Creator of the heaven and earth. / [For all is from
him, first and last he knows.] / For I alone am God, and other God / There is not. They my
image deify, Obtained from wood and fashioned by the hand / Into dumb idols, which they
glorify / With supplications and unholy rites. / Forsaking the Creator, they become /
Servants of insolence. But holding still

25 To him, they sacrifice their useless gifts, / And as if honoring him, they deem these
things / All useful, filling feasts with smell of flesh, / As if to their own dead. For
they burn flesh / And marrow bones, on altars sacrifice, To demons pour out blood, and
kindle lights / For me who give light; and men pour out wine, / As to a thirsty god! Unto
no purpose / They become drunken over useless gods. / I have no need of your burnt
offerings, Nor your libations, nor polluted smoke, / Nor odious blood. For these things
will men do / In memory of tyrants and of kings / Unto dead demons as though they were
heavenly, / Performing godless and destructive rites. And, godless, they their images call
gods, / Forsaking the Creator, and from them / Imagine they derive all hope and life, /
Though they are deaf and without power to speak, / Faithful for evil, ignorant all of
good.

26 Two ways have I myself before them placed, / Of life and death, and counsel I have
given / A good life to prefer; but they themselves / Laid hold on death and on eternal
fire. / Man, having upright reason, is my image. For him a table pure and without blood /
Make ready and with good things fill it up. / Give to the hungry bread, to the thirsty
drink, / And to the body that is naked clothes, / From thine own labors and with holy
hands Providing. Raise up the afflicted, stand / Beside the weary, for the living One /
Provide and bring this living sacrifice. / Sow thou in piety that I may give / These
things to thee; immortal fruits and light Eternal thou shalt have, and fadeless life, /
When I put all things to the proof with fire. / For I will melt down all things and select
/ For purity. I will roll up the heaven, / And open wide the caverns of the earth.

27 And then will I raise up the dead, and loose / The lot and sting of death; and
afterward / For judgment I will come and judge the life / Of pious and of impious men, and
place / Goat opposite to goat, and shepherd to shepherd, And calf to calf, convicting one
another. / Whoever will exalt themselves shall be / By proofs condemned, and those who
stopped each mouth, / That they themselves, being full of jealousy, / Might thus enslave
such as were doing right, Commanding silence, urged by love of gain. / And then the
approved shall all have place by me. / No longer in affliction wilt thou say, / "To-morrow
shall be, and yet it is not; / Yesterday has been." No long days of care, Nor spring, nor
summer, nor the winter cold, / Nor autumn, nor the sunset and sunrise. / For I will make a
long day, and the light, / The great and longed-for light of Jesus Christ, / Shall be
forever and for evermore....

28 The Self-begotten, Undefiled, Eternal, / Dwelling in heaven and measuring with his
power / The fiery blast, who also holdeth fast / The clashing scepter with ferocious fire,
/ And calms the rolling thunder's crashing noise, He shakes the earth and holds the
rushing [winds], / And blunts the lightning's whip of fiery flame, / The vast outpour of
storms, and vernal hail, / And chilling stroke of clouds, and winter's shock. / For these
were every one marked out in thought, As many as seemed good to thee thyself, / And to
whose movements thou didst nod assent; / Who, ere yet any creature had been formed / Wast
with thy Son as bosom counselor, / Former of mortal men, and judge of life. Him with the
first sweet utterance of mouth / Thou didst address and say: "Let us make man / According
to our likeness and our form, / And give him vital breath, to whom though mortal / All
worldly things shall be subordinate,

29 And to whom, dust-formed, we subject all things." / Thus spakest thou to the Word, and
by thy mind / All things occurred, and all the elements / At once obeyed thy order, and a
creature / Eternal was in mortal image formed; Heaven also, air, fire, earth, and the
sea's wave, / Sun, moon, chorus of stars, mountains and day, / Night, sleep, awaking,
spirit and emotion, / Soul and intelligence, art, voice and strength, / And the wild
tribes of living things, of fish, And birds, land animals, amphibia, / And also creeping
things, and double natures; / For he himself arranged all things for thee, / Under thy
rule. But in the latest times / The earth has changed itself, and there has come A humble
one, from the Virgin Mary's womb; / A new light rose, and coming from the heavens / He
entered mortal form. And therefore first / Did Gabriel show his strong and holy frame, /
And second to the virgin he by voice

30 Spoke, being himself a messenger, and said: / "Virgin, receive God in thy holy breast."
/ So speaking God breathed grace. But as for her, / Always a virgin, terror and surprise /
Seized her at once as she heard, and she stood In trembling, and her mind was filled with
fear, / Her heart leaped at the messages unknown. / But she again was gladdened, and her
heart / Was by the voice cheered, and the maiden laughed, / And her young cheek blushed,
merry with the joy; And she was spell-bound in her heart by awe. / But confidence came to
her, and the Word / Flew in her womb, and became flesh in time, / Was gendered and was
made a human form, / And came to be a youth, of virgin born, This was a mighty wonder to
mankind, / But it was nothing greatly wonderful / To God the Father, and to God the Son. /
And the glad earth received the new-born babe, / The heavenly throne laughed, and the
world exulted.

31 The new appearing and prophetic star / Was honored by the wise men, and the babe / In
the manger and wrapped in his swaddling-clothes / Was shown to those obedient unto God. /
And of the Word was Bethlehem fatherland Called by the keepers of herds, goats and sheep.
/ To be of lowly mind, to hate base plans, / Wholly to love one's neighbor as himself, /
And from the soul to love God and to serve him. / Therefore we, from the holy heavenly
race Of Christ sprung, shall be called of common blood, / And in our service have a sense
of joy, / Following the paths of piety and truth. / Let us not venture in the inmost
shrine / Of temples, nor to graven images Pour out libations, nor revere with prayers, /
Nor with the pleasant perfume of the flowers / Nor light of lamps, nor yet with votive
gifts / Adore them, nor with smoke of frankincense / Upon the altar sending forth its
flame,

32 Nor with the sacrifice of bulls to send / The cruel gory slaughtering of sheep,— /
Those mysteries of recompense on earth,— / Nor with the smoke of flesh-consuming fire /
And odors foul pollute the light of heaven; But, joyful with pure minds and cheerful soul,
/ With love abounding, and with generous hands, / With soothing psalms, and songs that
honor God, / We are commanded to sing praise to thee, / Imperishable and without deceit,
All-Father God, of understanding mind…


THE SIBYLLINE ORACLES
=====================

THE SIBYLLINE ORACLES continued

BOOK IX (BOOK XI IN THE MANUSCRIPTS)

1 O World of widely scattered men, long walls, / Insatiate cities, and unnumbered nations,
/ Of the east, and west, and south, and also north, / Divided into various languages And
kingdoms, of you what is worst I speak. / For from the time when on the earlier men / The
flood came, and a miserable race / Destroyed by many waters, he who rules / Over all
things produced another race Of tireless men, who stood up against heaven / And built a
tower of height unspeakable. / From others then came tongues, and upon them / Came hurled
along the wrath of God most high, / And the huge tower fell. But against each other They
stirred up bitter strife. Then the tenth race / Of mortal men lived when these things
occurred, / And then the whole earth was distributed / Among strange men and various
dialects, / Whose numbers I will mention and by name Celebrate in acrostics, and by means
/ Of the initial letter make them known. / First Egypt shall receive a royal power / And
eminently just; but then in her / Shall many counsel-bearing men arise

2 And there shall reign a formidable man, / A very powerful warrior; he shall have / The
letter of the acrostic for his name, / And against pious men will draw the sword. / And a
great sign shall he have while he rules In the Egyptian land, which, famed afar / For
great things, shall with plenteous corn provide / Souls perishing with hunger, and the
judge, / Himself in bonds, child of Assyrian men, / The eastern land shall nourish, and
his name Know as the measure of the number ten. / But when the ten plagues from bright
heaven shall come / On Egypt, then again to thee I'll cry. / Woe, woe, thou Memphis, woe,
thou mighty kingdom! / The Red Sea shall much people of thine slay. But when the twelve-
tribe people, by command / Of the Immortal, leave the fertile plain / A wasted ruin, then
unto mankind / Will God himself, sole ruler, give a law. / Then for the Hebrews shall a
mighty king

3 Of lofty spirit over Egypt reign, / Whose name resembles sand, but falsely called / As
to his fatherland a Theban man. / But Memphis he, dread serpent, will admire, / And many
things will he protect in wars. And when twelve rolling decades of the kingdom / Shall
have passed round, and in addition seven, / And also the tenth hundred in the East, / Of
others all things being left behind, / Then shall the Persian domination come. And then
shall darkness be upon the Jews, / Nor shall they famine in that day escape, / Nor
pestilence most unendurable. / But when the Persian shall rule, and the son / Of his son's
son shall lay the scepter by, And years roll round until they reach five fours, / A
hundred add to these, and so complete / Nine hundred, and all things thou shalt repay. 4 /
Then thou shalt to the Persians be a slave, / Given over to the Medes, by plagues
destroyed And also by the impetuous battle-fray. / Then to the Persians and the Assyrians
/ Shall evil come, and to the whole of Egypt, / And unto Libya and the Ethiopians, / And
the Pamphylians and all other men. And unto the Ionians shall be given / The royal power,
and they again shall waste / The nations, plundering all the earth for spoil. / Sad dirges
will the doleful Persians sing / Beside the Tigris; Egypt will shed tears Sufficient many
a land to irrigate. / And then to thee, O Media, many evils / Will one in India born, a
rich man, do, / Until thou hast made recompense for all / Which thou hast done before with
shameful soul. Woe, woe to thee, O nation of the Medes, / Hereafter thou to Ethiopian men
/ Shalt be enslaved; beyond the meridian land / Shalt thou seven and a hundred years
complete, / Wretched, and place thy neck beneath the yoke.

5 And then an Indian prince of sable skin, / Gray hair, and mighty soul, shall come to
power, / Who shall lay many evils on the East / By reason of impetuous battle-frays. / And
he shall injure thee and lay thee waste Much more than all. But when he shall have reigned
/ Twenty and ten years, yet seven more and ten, / Then shall each nation be in furious
rage / Against the king's dominion, and make known / Their freedom, leaving for three
single years Their slavish blood. But he will come again / And put their necks beneath the
servile yoke, / Each nation of strong men, even as before / Serving the king, and
willingly they'll yield. / And there shall be great peace through all the world. And then
to the Assyrians there shall be / A mighty man for king, and he shall rule / And persuade
all to speak what he desires, / Whatever things God in the law enjoined. / And then will
all the long-haired kings fear him,

6 Timid, and mute, and strong, of lovely mien. / Him by the counsel of the mighty God /
Will they serve, for he will persuade all things / By reason, and all things will he
subdue. / And he a temple of the mighty God And lovely altar will himself erect / In his
might, but will hurl the idols down. / But having gathered into one the tribes / And race
of fathers, and the infant children, / He will include them as inhabitants. His name shall
have two hundred for its number, / And of the eighteenth letter show the sign. / But when
at the tenth revolving period / He shall wield power, and at an end of time / Come to the
two and five, then shall the kings Be numerous as the plants of mortal men, / Even
numerous as the tribes, cities, and isles, / Lands of the blessed, and the fruitful
fields. / But one of these shall be a mighty king, / Leader of men, and many great-souled
kings

7 Shall under him have rule, and unto him / And to his sons and grandsons opulent / Will
parts be given because of royal power. / Decades of decades, eight ones add to these, / Of
years of rule, and to the last they come. But when the strong beast with fierce war shall
come, / Then, O ye noble kings, shall wrath spring forth. / Woe to thee, Persian land! How
many streams / Outpoured of human blood shalt thou receive, / When that strong-minded man
shall come to thee! Then to thee I again will cry these things. / But when the Italian
land puts forth its growth, / Great wonder to men, shall a child-like moan / Be heard with
unmixed stroke, in shadowy cave, / Offspring of the wild beast that feeds on sheep, Who,
grown to manhood, on seven mighty hills, / Shall hurl down many with a shameless soul; /
Both of them have the number of one hundred, / And their names will of things which are to
come / Show forth a great sign. On the seven hills Will they build mighty walls, and
around them / Will men wage heavy wars. And then again / Around thee will be rising up of
men, / O thou great land that hast the beautiful corn, / Bold Egypt—but again I'll cry
these things.

8 Against thee in thy house a mighty stroke / Shalt thou receive, and yet again to thee /
Shall be a rising up of thine own men. / Now over thee, O wretched Phrygia, / I weep in
pity, for to thee shall come Capture from Hellas, tamer of fleet steeds, / And fearful war
through mighty battle fray. / Ilion, I pity thee, for on thy roofs / From Sparta shall the
avenging Furies come, / Conjoined with evil star, and bring thee toils, Distresses, groans
and sobs, when well-trained men, / By far the noblest heroes of the Greeks, / And dear to
Ares, shall begin the fight. / Of these one shall be king, a spearman famed, / And with
his brother plan the basest deeds. And they shall overthrow the famous walls / Of Phrygian
Troy, and in ten rolling years / Complete the bloody work of the time of war. / But
suddenly a wooden artifice / Shall cover men, and this upon thy knees

9 Thou wilt receive, not knowing it replete / With Grecian treachery and heavy woe. /
Alas, alas, how many in one night / Will Hades gather in, and how much spoil / Of tearful
old men will be led away! But in the generations that shall come / Fresh and undying shall
the glory be. / And the great king, a hero sprung from Jove, / Of the first letter of the
alphabet / Shall have a name; and homeward he will march, And then fall by a treacherous
woman's hand. / But of Assaracus's race and blood / A child will reign, a hero of renown,
/ A strong and valiant man; and from this [race] / Made desolate by mighty fire, shall
come A fugitive, by the dread toil of war / Without a fatherland; upon his shoulders /
Bearing his aged sire, and in his hand / Holding his only son, a pious deed / Will he
accomplish. Looking all around,

10 He put aside the onset of the fire / Of burning Troy, and hastening through the crowd.
/ In terror, crosses fearful land and sea. / And he shall have a trisyllabic name; / And
the first letter of the alphabet Will not obscurely show this highest man. / Then the
strong Latin city he will build, / And in the fifteenth year, by waters slain, / Come to
his end in the depths of the sea. / But him, though dead, the nations of mankind Shall not
forget, for his race over all / Hereafter shall rule, far as the Euphrates, / And to the
middle of the Tigris stream, / The Assyrian land, and where the Parthian dwells. / This in
the generations yet to come Shall be, when all these things shall come to pass. / But
there shall be a certain wise old man, / A minstrel, whom all mortals call most wise, / By
whose great understanding all the world / Shall be instructed; for with power and thought

11 Will he his chapters write, and clearly write / At times with beauty inexpressible, /
Seizing my words, my measures, and my verse, / For he himself will first my books unfold,
/ And after these things hide them, and to men Show them no more till life and death shall
end. / But when these things which I spoke are fulfilled, / The Greeks again will fight
with one another; / Assyrians, Arabs, quiver-bearing Medes, / Persians, Sicilians, and the
Lydians Will then revolt; Thrace and Bithynia, / And those that dwell along the streams of
Nile, / Land of the beautiful corn—at once on all / Will God, the Eternal, set the din of
war. / But terribly will an Assyrian man, A base-born Ethiopian, quickly come, / Having a
wild beast's soul, and every isthmus / Will he cleave, prying timidly around, / Going to
all and sailing through the sea. / And then, O faithless Greece, shall many things

12 Befall thee. Woe, woe to thee, wretched Greece; / How many things must thou aloud
bewail! / For during seven and eighty rolling years / Thou shalt the miserable refuse be /
Of fearful battle among all the tribes. And then again a Macedonian woe / Shall come on
Greece and lay all Thracia waste, / And bring the toil of war upon the isles / And
mainlands; with war-loving champions / Will he be foremost, and the name he bears Is by
the sign of ten times fifty shown. / He shall be short-lived in his government, / But
leave a mighty monarchy behind, / And a boundless land. But he himself shall fall / By an
ill-minded spearman, while he lives In plenty as no other leader lived. / But after him a
great-souled son of his / Shall reign, whose name begins the alphabet; / But he shall be
the outgo of his race. / Not truly shall all call him son of Jove,

13 Or Ammon, nor yet Kronos' bastard son, / As they would feign. And he will plunder
cities / Of many mortal men, and there will rise / In Europe sore distress; and he himself
/ With pestilence will ravage Babylon, And every land the sun looks down upon; / And he
alone will sail the eastern world. / Alas, alas, for thee, O Babylon, / Being captive led
in triumph, thou shalt serve— / Thou who of Asia wast the mistress called. And Mars shall
come, shall surely come and slay / Thy many children. Then shalt thou send forth / Thy
royal man, with name of the number four, / Wielding the spear and fearful with the bow; /
Along with powerful warriors he will go. And then Cilicia's and Assyria's midst / Famine
and war shall hold. But great-souled kings / Will arm for bitter strife a dreadful band. /
But do thou flee and leave the former king; / Desire not thou to stay nor be a slave.

14 For a dread lion shall upon thee come, / Flesh-eating beast, ferocious, strange to law,
/ With mantle cast upon his shoulders round. / Flee thou that man of thunder; there shall
come / On Asia a base yoke, and all the land Shall drink a shower of murder. But when Mars
/ Of Pella shall a great, rich city found / In Egypt, bearing his name, he shall meet, /
Betrayed by treacherous comrades, fate and death. / For, leaving India, and to Babylon
Returning, there around the festal board / Shall barbarous murder bring him to his fall. /
Thereafter a few years shall other kings, / Cruel and insolent and faithless, rule /
According to each tribe. And then shall rise A great souled, valiant hero, who shall glean
/ All Europe naked, and each land shall drink / The blood of every tribe. But having
filled / Of life his portion, he shall disappear. / And other kings, twice four men, there
shall be

15 Of this race, and the same name to them all. / And Egypt then shall be a regal bride, /
And the great city of the Macedonian king, / Rare Alexandria, famous nourisher / Of
cities, and in beauty radiant, Shall be the sole metropolis. / And then let Memphis blame
those in command. / And peace profound shall be through all the world, / And more fruit
will the black-soil land then have. / And then shall be disaster to the Jews, Nor shall
they famine in that day escape, / Nor grievous pestilence; but wandering men / And many
will the black-soil land receive, / Ambrosial land, of fine corn, the new world. / But
eight kings of the Egyptian marshy soil Shall fill two hundred three and thirty years. /
Yet of them all, the race shall perish not, / But there shall issue forth a female root, /
A bane of men, betrayer of her kingdom. / But then they wickedness and evil deeds

16 Shall perpetrate, and one destroy another. / The son that wears the purple robe will
smite / His warlike sire, and he by his son falls, / And ere he shall beget another child
/ He shall cease. But again the root shall sprout Spontaneous; of it is a neighboring
race. / For of the land beside the streams of Nile / Which travel on by seven mouths to
the sea / She shall be queen, and her beloved name / The number twenty tells. And she
shall ask Ten thousand things, and gather up all goods / Of gold and silver; but from her
own men / Shall treachery befall her. Then on thee, / O fair and happy land, again shall
come / Battles and fights and slaughter of mankind. But after many shall o'er fertile Rome
/ Have borne rule, not indeed of happiness / Precursors, but despotic lords and chiefs /
Of thousands and of countless myriads, / Then, overseers of the lawful assemblies,

17 Shall the most mighty Cæsars bear the rule, / And every day keep making their demands.
/ The last of these shall rule the number ten, / The highest Cæsar, who upon the earth /
Shall stretch his limbs, cast down through fearful Mars By a hostile man; whom, bearing in
their hands, / The sons of Rome shall bury piously, / And round about him heap a monument
/ For love of him, in memory of his grace. / But when there comes an end of passing time,
And thou hast filled out twice two hundred years. / And also twice ten, from the time when
ruled / Thy founder, child of the wild beast, no more / Shall there be a dictator of short
rule, / But there shall be a king, a godlike man. And when the king is going into Egypt, /
Against him horrid Mars shall surely come / With glittering helm, and then shall conquest
dire / Come to thee; for around the walls of the land / Shall be foul works of dire and
violent wars.

18 But suffering pitiable things in war / Over the freshly wounded she will flee / In
wretched plight; and then unto the couch / Of that dread man will she come; and the end /
Is but the nuptials and the marriage-bed. Woe, woe to thee, ill-wedded woman, thou / Shalt
give the Roman king thy royal power; / And thou shalt make atonement for all things /
Whatever thou hast done to men in wars. /... For all the land... unto a mighty man, As far
as Libya and the dark-skinned men. / And thou no longer shalt a widow be, / But with a
lion shalt thou live as wife, / A terrible devourer of mankind, / A furious warrior. Then
shalt thou become, O hapless one, among all men at once / Invisible, for thou shalt
disappear, / Having a shameless soul; and in its house / Shall the encircling tomb receive
thy form / So stately, having once had life within,

19 Cunningly wrought and fit for many chiefs. / And many people will lament for thee / And
over thee the king will sorely grieve. / And then shall an Egyptian servant toil, / Who
many years against the Indians bore Her trophies; she shall serve disgracefully, / And
mingle with the river Nile her tears, / For she acquired wealth, and of all good things /
A great store. Nourisher of cities, she / Shall feed a race of sheep-devouring men. Alas,
unto how many beasts shalt thou, / O happy Egypt, be a slave and prey! / But having given
to the peoples laws, / Thou, who didst once exult o'er mighty kings, / Shalt to the
peoples be a wretched slave, On account of that people, whom of old, / A pious race, thou
didst lead to much woe / Of toils and sorrows, and upon their neck / Didst place a plow,
and irrigate the fields / With human tears. Therefore shall God himself,

20 The king imperishable in the heaven, / Destroy thee utterly, and hurl thee down / Into
deep grief; and thou shalt pay the price / Of what thou didst of old unjustly do, / And
know at last that God's wrath came to thee. But I to Python and to Panopeus / Of goodly
towers will go; and then will all / Declare that I am a true prophetess, / And a diviner,
but insane in soul. / A messenger.... When to the books thou comest Be not afraid, and all
things yet to be / And things that were ye shall know from my words. / Then will none
longer call a prophetess / Inspired of God an augurer of woe. / But thou, O King, now end
my much-loved strain, Driving off frenzy, and the voice divine, / And passion fierce, and
give a charming song.

BOOK X (BOOK XII IN THE MANUSCRIPTS)

1 But bring to me the lamentable time / Of the illustrious Latins, who were first / After
the kings of Egypt were cut off, / And had all been borne down into the earth; And also
after Pella's citizen, / Under whom all the East had been cast down, / And the rich West;
whom Babylon disgraced / And gave a corpse to Philip; not of Jove / Nor Ammon truly
boasted to have sprung; And after him, who, from the race and blood / Of great Assaracus,
went forth from Troy, / Even he who cleft the violence of fire; / And after many kings,
and warlike men, / And after the young children of the beast That feeds on sheep, and
centuries six have passed, / And Rome two decades has dictator been, / Then shall arise a
king pre-eminent / As from the western sea, and govern Rome, / Exceeding brave and
warlike; and his name

2 Begins the letters of the alphabet; / And having bound thee he will hold thee fast / By
man-destroying war, thou rich in fruit. / And thou shalt expiate the shameful deeds / To
which thou once didst freely give thyself. For this great-souled one will excel in wars. /
Him Thrace and Sicily and Memphis fear,— / Memphis, cast to the ground by wickedness / Of
leaders, and a woman unsubdued, / Fallen by the spear; and he will institute Laws for the
peoples, and subdue all things; / With mighty glory he will long hold sway. / For not a
little time will he bear rule, / When yet another scepter-bearing king / Not one hour
longer than this one shall rule The Romans, for to him God gave all things, / And showed
forth seasons in the divine earth, / Great wonders unto them as signs he showed. / But
when a lustrous star, all like the sun, / Appears from heaven in the midst of day,

3 Then shall the hidden Word of the Most High / Come bearing flesh like mortals. But with
him / The might of Rome and of the famous Latins / Shall increase. But the mighty king
himself / By his own predetermined fate shall die, And to another give the royal power. /
But after this one will a certain man / Famed as a powerful warrior take the lead, /
Bearing the purple mantle on his shoulders; / Three hundred numbers he with his first
sign. The Medes and arrow-hurling Parthians / He will destroy, and by his mighty strength
/ Subvert the city of the lofty gates. / And upon Egypt will much evil come, / And on the
Assyrians, and the Colchians, And the Heniochi, and Germans dwelling / By the Rhine's
waves beyond the sandy shores. / And he himself will afterwards destroy / The city of the
lofty gates beside / Eridanus, that evil things devised;

4 And then will he fall, struck by burning iron. / And after him another man will rule, /
Deep versed in guile, and he will number three / And show it by the initial of his name. /
And much gold he will gather, and of wealth There will not be a large sufficiency; / But
without sense of shame, collecting more, / Under the earth he will deposit all. / And
peace shall come, and Mars shall cease from war. / But he by divination many things Will
make known, seeking things of greatest good / For life's support. Yet on him there shall
be / A great sign: out of heaven small drops of blood / Shall issue, and the king shall be
destroyed. / He will do many lawless things, and place Woes on the necks of Romans,
putting trust / In divination. He will also slay / The heads of the assembly. And a plague
/ Shall seize Campanians, Thrace, and Macedon, / And the Italians; Egypt will alone

5 Feed numerous races. But the king himself / Will craftily destroy the virgin maid, /
Deceiving her by means of mysteries. / But her the citizens in tearful grief / Will bury,
but against the king they all Will cherish anger. Ruin then will come / By a strong hand
to blooming powerful Rome. / Again another of wide sway shall reign, / Whose name the
number twenty will denote. / And then shall wars and bitter sorrows come Upon the
Sauromatians, and on Thrace, / And the Triballians that hurl the spear, / And all the
Romans Mars will fiercely rend. / But while this one rules the Italian land / And the
Pannonians, a dread sign shall be: Dark night will come at the mid hour of day / Around
them, and a shower of stones from heaven. / Then shall the Italians' mighty prince and
judge / By fate divine go into Hades' halls. / Again another dire and dreadful man

6 Whose name the number fifty shows, shall come. / And many of those in wealth noblest
born / Out of all cities he will put to death, / By nature a dire serpent; few his words /
Whenever he extends his guiding hands, Works ruin, and brings many things to pass. /
Wrestling in contests, driving in the race, / Destroying many lives, and daring still /
Ten thousand things. And he will cleave the mount / Of the two waters and with gore
pollute. But also to the Italians he will be / Doubly destructive; making himself God / He
will reproach the willing populace. / But while he rules there shall be peace profound /
And fears among men. By the Ausonian shores The water, rushing from the ocean streams, /
Shall come all out of place. Casting about / He will establish contests for the people /
Many in number, and, himself presiding, / He will contend with voice and cithara,

7 Along with harp-string uttering a song. / But later, having left the royal power, / He
will flee and be miserably destroyed, / Thus making expiation for his deeds. / And after
him shall three reign, two of them Obtaining by their names the number seventy, / And
after them one, of the letter three. / And one by one shall they all perish, slain / Under
the army's hands by mighty Mars. / Thereafter shall a great destroyer come Of pious men, a
ruler of strong heart, / A warlike Mars, and seven times ten will show / His number
clearly. He will overthrow / Phenicia, and will ruin Lydia. / Also a sword will come upon
the land Of Jerusalem, even to the utmost curve / Of the Tiberian sea. Woe, woe to thee, /
Phenicia! O how many things will suffer / That sorrow-laden one, with trophies bound! /
And every nation shall upon thee tread.

8 Woe on the Assyrians shall come, and babes / Shalt thou see serving among hostile men /
Along with wives, and all their sustenance / And all their wealth shall perish. For the
wrath, / The wrath of God that causes bitter woe, Shall come, because they did not keep
his law, / But served all idols with unseemly arts. / And many wars and fights again shall
be, / Slaughter of men, famines and pestilence, / And uproar in the cities. But the king
Old and of great soul, and excelling all, / Shall at life's end fall by the army's need. /
Then shall two other princes rule, and love / The memory of their father, the great king,
/ Glorying in warriors fighting hand to hand. And of these there shall be a noble man, / A
ruler, whose name will three hundred show; / Yet he shall also fall by treachery / Even in
the army, stretched upon the ground, / Struck in the plain of Rome by two-edged brass.

9 And after him a powerful warlike man, / Of the letter four, shall rule the mighty realm,
/ Whom all upon the boundless earth shall love, / And then shall war cease over all the
world. / But him even from the West unto the East Will all serve willingly, not of
constraint, / And cities of themselves will subject be. / For to him will the heavenly
Sabaoth, / God the imperishable, who abides / Above the sky, abundant glory bring. And
then will wasting famine much impair / Pannonia, and all the Celtic land, / And they will
perish one upon another. / And it shall be with the Assyrians / As though Orontes with
creations flowed, And splendor, and whatever better seems. / And these the great king will
admire, and love / Some other things far more. But he'll receive / A great wound in the
middle of his breast, / Being taken at the end of life in guile

10 By a friend in the sacred royal house, / And he shall fall pierced. After him shall be
/ A ruler and a venerable man, / Fifty his number, who withal shall slay / Great numbers
of the citizens of Rome; But he shall briefly rule; for afterwards, / On account of the
king that went before, / Shall he go wounded into Hades' halls. / Forthwith then shall
another king arise, / A warrior, whose rule has the signal mark Three hundred. He shall
reign and desolate / The Thracians' varied land, and those that dwell / On the far
barbarous borders of the Rhine, / The Germans, and Iberians that hurl / The arrow. To the
Jews shall also come Another great disaster, and with them / Phenicia shall a shower of
murder drink. / And the walls of the Assyrians shall fall / By many warriors, and again
shall these / Be by a life-destroying man cut off.

11 And then shall there be threatenings of God's rule, / Earthquakes and pestilence in
every land, / And snow-storms out of season, and fierce lightnings. / And then a king,
great in the toil of war, / A Celtic warrior, hastening to the strife Of battle, shameful
fate shall not escape, / But he shall die, and foreign dust shall hide / His carcass,
having for his name a flower. / And after him another man shall lead, / Of silver helmet;
of the sea his name, And the beginning of the alphabet, / And of four syllables, a very
Mars. / And priests and temples he will dedicate / In all the cities; traversing the world
/ With his own foot, and bringing gifts, he will Furnish gold and much amber unto many. /
He also will withhold all mysteries / Of the magicians from the sacred temples, / And what
is much more excellent for men / Will place... [ruling] [thunderbolt]...

12 And blessed peace shall be when this king comes, / And he shall also be a rich-voiced
bard, / A law observer, and a righteous judge; / But he shall fall destroyed by fate
divine. / After him three shall rule, but the third long Shall be in power, three decades
holding on. / But known from the first unit yet again / Another king shall rule; and after
him / Another ruler, numbering seven times ten; / Honored shall be their names. They shall
destroy Men marked by many a brand, the mighty Moors, / The Britains, Dacians, and
Arabians. / But when of these the youngest is destroyed, / Then shall dire war to Parthia
come again; / And he who wounded them before at last Shall also plunder. Then the king
himself / Shall fall, even by the treachery of a beast, / Baring his hands—a cause itself
of death. / And after him another man shall rule / Famed for much wisdom, having for his
name

13 The initial number of the first great king / Of the first unit; good and great is he. /
And for the houses of the Latin people / Will this strong one accomplish many things / In
memory of his father; and the walls Of Rome will he adorn with gold, and silver, / And
ivory; and with a mighty man / Visit the market-places and the temples. / And then by
Roman wars will he bring on / Most fearful wounds, and plunder all the land Of the
Germans, when there shall appear from heaven / A mighty sign of God; and he will save /
For the king's sake and for his piety / The brass-armed, wearied men; for in all things /
The God of heaven will hear him when he prays, And out of season send the rain of heaven.
/ But when these things are finished which I said, / Then also with the rolling years
shall cease / The kingdom of this great and pious king. / And at the end of life will he
exhibit

14 Coming into the palace his young child, / And to that ruler with the golden hair /
Leaving the royal power, he will expire / By his own fate. Twice ten shall note his name,
/ Who, having been born king from the royal race Of his own father, shall receive the
power. / This man will with superior judgment hold / All things, and the great-hearted
Hercules / Will emulate, and be the best in arms / Among the mighty, and have highest fame
Both among huntsmen and in horsemanship. / But he will live in peril all alone. / But
while he rules there shall appear to him / A fearful sign; within the plain of Rome /
There shall be a great mist, so that a man Will not discern his neighbor. Then shall wars
/ And dismal sorrows be when the king himself, / Maddened by love and furious, shall come
/ Shaming the young race in the nuptial couch, / Shameful with hymeneal songs impure.

15 Then in desertion hidden shall the great man / Destructive, giving himself up to wrath,
/ Rage in a bath-room, bound by treacherous fate. / Know, then, that Rome's destructive
time is near / Because of zeal for power, and by Mars' hands Shall many perish in
Palladian homes. / And then shall Rome be desolate and make / Atonement for all things
which she has done. / My heart laments, my heart within me mourns, / For from the time of
thy first king, proud Rome, Who gave good law to men upon the earth, / And the Word of the
great, immortal God / Came to the earth, until the ending up / Of the nineteenth kingdom,
there shall be complete / Two hundred and twice twenty and four years. To these add six
months more of other time. / Then to the widowed race comes the twentieth king, / When in
thy houses, smitten by sharp brass / With sword he pours out blood. His name reveals / The
number eighty, and he has old age.

16 And he will shortly make thee desolate / With many warriors, many overthrows, / And
murders, homicides, and deadly feuds, / And sufferings for victorious leadership. / And in
confusion many a horse and man, Pierced through, shall fall in battles on the plain. / And
then another, with the number ten / As the sign of his name, will come and work / Much woe
and grief, and plunder many men, / But short-lived he himself shall be, and fall By mighty
Mars, struck by the burning iron. / Another, of the number fifty, comes, / A warrior,
raised up in the East for rule. / As far as Thrace shall come the warlike Mars; / Then
will he flee and come unto the land Of the Bithynians, and the Cicilian plain; / But him
shall brazen, soul-destroying Mars / Quickly in the Assyrian plains destroy. / Then shall
one become ruler by deceit, / A man of wiles and knowing what is fit,

17 Being raised up from the West, and he shall have / Two hundred as the number of his
name, / A sign far above that of royal power. / He will begin war on Assyrian men, /
Assemble all the army, and all things Put under him. The Romans he will rule / With mighty
energy; but in his heart / Is much craft and the baleful wrath of Mars. / A dreadful
serpent, terrible in war, / Who will destroy all lofty men on earth, Slaughtering the
noble to obtain their wealth, / Despoiling all the land of ruined men, / He will betake
him to the Orient. / And with them shall be every artifice. / Then shall a youthful Cæsar
with him rule, Having the name of a puissant king / Of Macedon, by the first letter known.
/ Diverting broils about him, he will fly / The arduous cunning of the coming king / In
the bosom of the army, and the one,

18 Who in barbarian usage rules the temple, / Shall suddenly by mighty Mars be slain, /
Cut down by burning iron; and even when dead / The people will abuse his lifeless form. /
And then the kings of Persia shall arise And Roman Mars [will smite] the Roman king. / And
pastoral Phrygia shall with earthquakes groan. / Woe, woe, Laodicea; woe to thee, / Sad
Hierapolis; for you the first / The yawning earth received... Of Rome, vast Aus[onia?] /
All things as many... / Shall wail... men destroyed / By the hand of Mars; but when by
eastern roads / He hastens forth to look on Italy, Smitten by burning iron, and all
exposed / He will fall, hated for his mother's sake. / For horns... all things...
restrains another,... / Burning... that all together do not know. / But not for all are
all things; only those

19 Shall unto real felicity attain / Who honor God and shun idolatry. / And now, King of
the world, of every realm / The monarch, pure, immortal, for thou hast / Into my heart set
the ambrosial strain, Cease thou the word, for I am not aware / Of what I say; for all
things thou to me / Dost ever speak. But give me a brief rest, / And place thou in my
heart a charming song. / For weary has my heart within me grown Of words divine,
foretelling royal power.

BOOK XI (BOOK XIII IN THE MANUSCRIPTS)

1 He bids me sing again the mighty word, / Even the holy and immortal God / Imperishable,
who gives kings their power / And then removes it, and ordains for them The tone of life
and of destroying death; / Even things the heavenly God enjoins on me / Unwillingly to
make known unto kings / Concerning royal power... / And Mars of the leaping spear; by him
all perish, Youth and age, judging to the market-place. / For many wars, and fights, and
homicides, / Families and pestilences, earthquake-shocks / And mighty thunder-bolts; and
many paths / Of the Assyrians through the entire world, And gathering spoil and plundering
of temples. / Then of the inventive Persians there shall be / An insurrection, and along
with them / Indians, Armenians, and Arabians. / And for these to the Romans there will
come 2 A soldier-king, insatiable in war. / Marching against the Assyrians, a new Mars, /
Who will stretch out to the deep silver stream / Of the Euphrates, having thither sent / A
little warlike force... [through ignorance] For, by his friend abandoned, he shall fall /
Amid the ranks, struck by the burning iron. / Then will a purple-loving warrior rule, /
Appearing out of Syria, fear of Mars, / And by his son, a Cæsar, will persuade The whole
world. Both their names will be obtained / If upon one and twenty there are placed / Five
hundred. But when these shall rule in war, / And enact laws, there shall be, but not long,
/ Respite from war. But when unto a flock A wolf makes oath against the white-toothed
dogs, / Then will he spoil and hurt the woolly sheep, / And cast them down, in spite of
all his oaths. / And then of lawless and perfidious kings / There shall be strife in wars,
and terribly

3 Shall the Syrians be destroyed, and Indians, / Armenians, Arabs, Persians, Babylonians,
/ Through mighty conflict shall destroy each other. / But when a Roman Mars shall
overthrow / The Germans, having in a dreadful war Triumphed upon the ocean, then will be /
Among the Persian men of insolence / A war of many years; but victory / Shall not be
theirs. For as a fish swims not / Upon the summit of a lofty rock Many ridged, windy,
inaccessible, / Nor does a tortoise fly, nor eagle swim / In water, so the Persians in
that day / From victory shall be far, while the fond nurse / Of the Italians in the plain
of Nile Reposing, and beside the sacred wave, / Shall send the appointed lot to seven-
hilled Rome. / These things shall pass, but while the name of Rome / Shall numbers hold of
calculable time, / So many years by voluntary act

4 Will the great noble city of the king / Of Macedonia measure out the grain. / Another
toilsome song will I now sing / Unto the Alexandrians, by the strife / Of shameful men
destroyed. Those who were strong Aforetime, being then weak, will wish / For peace,
because of leaders' wickedness. / And the wrath of the mighty God shall come / On the
Assyrians, and a mountain stream / Shall utterly destroy them, as it comes And injures
Cæsar's city of the moon. / The Pyramus will irrigate the city / Of Mopsus; then shall the
Ægæans fall / Because of battle among mighty men. / O wretched Antioch, thee heavy war
Will not leave; an Assyrian war shall press / Around thee, for within thy palaces / Shall
dwell a chief of men, who will fight all / The arrow-hurling Persians, having been /
Himself born of the Romans' royal power.

5 Now, cities of Arabia, deck yourselves / With temples and with stadia for the race, /
And with broad markets, and with splendid wealth, / With images, gold, silver, ivory; /
And of all thou, especially, O Bostra, City of Philip, that thou mayest come / Into great
sorrow; for the laughing forms / Of the zodiacal circle, Ram, and Bull, / And Twins, will
not assist thee; nor with these / Whatever stars are visible in heaven Determining the
hours. O wretched one, / That, having trusted many, afterward / That very man should what
is thine pollute! / Now to war-loving Alexandrians / Will I proceed to sing most dreadful
wars. And surely many people will be slain / When cities perish, and opposing states /
Wrangle and fight about an odious feud. / And around these will horrid Mars rush on / And
stir up war. And then one of great soul Along with his own mighty son shall fall / By
means of the treachery of the older king. / And after him another great-souled man / And
skilled in war, shall rule strong verdant Rome, / Proceeding from the Dacians, of the
number

6 Three hundred, also of the letter four. / Many will he destroy; and then all brothers /
And friends will the king slay, even kings being killed. / Then also on the former king's
account / Will thefts and murders suddenly occur. Then when a very crafty man shall come,
/ A robber, out of Syria appearing, / Ignoble Roman, also craftily / A race of
Cappadocians will approach, / And fall in siege, insatiable of war. Then, Tyana and
Mazaca, shall be / Thy conquest; thou shalt be in servitude / And bear a heavy yoke upon
thy neck. / And Syria shall mourn for men destroyed; / Nor will the moon her holy city
save, When he first out of Syria, sore beset, / Shall flee the Romans through Euphrates'
streams, / No longer like the Romans, but the fierce / Dart-hurling Persians, then the
Italian lord / Broken will fall, struck by the burning iron,

7 Having left his world; his children perish too. / But when a Gallic king shall govern
Rome, / Then also to the Romans there shall come / Unstable nations,—to the walls of Rome
/ Mars the destroyer with his bastard son. Then also shall come famines, pestilence, / And
wasting thunder-bolts, and dreadful wars, / And tumults of the cities suddenly, / And the
Syrians shall be terribly destroyed, / For on them shall come wrath of the Most High. And
straightway there shall be a rising up / Of the inventive Persians, and conjoined / With
Persians shall the Syrians overthrow / The Romans; but, controlled by the decree / Of
power divine, they shall not conquer laws. Alas! how many will flee from the East / With
their goods unto men of other tongues! / Alas! the dark blood of how many men / The land
shall drink! For this shall be the time / In which the living will with their own mouths

8 Call the dead happy. Beautiful to die, / They will exclaim, and it will flee from them.
/ Now over thee, O wretched Syria, / I weep in sorrow, for to thee shall come / A dreadful
blow from arrow-hurling men, Which thou didst hope would never come to thee. / Also the
fugitive of Rome shall come, / Lifting on high his spear, and, passing through / Euphrates
with his many myriads, / He will burn thee, and all things ill-dispose. O wretched
Antioch, thee they no more / Will call a city, when beneath the spears / Thou shalt fall
down by thine own lack of sense; / And having spoiled and stripped thee of all things, /
They leave thee coverless, without a house, And whoso sees thee will at once lament. / And
thou, O Hierapolis, shalt be / A triumph; thou, Berœa, too; weep ye / At Chalcis for the
children newly slain. / Alas, alas, how many shall abide

9 By high Mount Cassius, by Amanus, too; / As many also as the Lycus laves, / And Marsuas
and silvery Pyramus. / For even to Asia's borders they will take / The spoil, strip
cities, and all idols take away, And cast down temples to the nursing earth. / And then to
Gallia and Pannonia, / To Mysians and Bithynians there shall be / A mighty sorrow, when
the soldier comes. / O Lycians, Lycians, there will come a wolf To lick thy blood,
whenever Sannians come / With city-wasting Mars, and Carpians / Draw near to fight with
the Ausonians. / And then by his own shameless recklessness / A bastard son will put the
king to death, And he himself for his impiety / Will straightway perish. After him again /
Will yet another rule, whose name presents / The first of letters; quickly shall he fall /
By mighty Mars, struck by the burning iron.

10 And yet again the world shall be confused, / Men perishing by pestilence and war. / And
the Persians shall again force on the toil / Of warfare, maddened by the Ausonians. / And
then there shall a flight of Romans be. But then shall come a priest, the last of all /
Sent by the sun, from Syria appearing, / And he will all things by deceit effect. / And
then shall be a city of the sun, / And around it [the Persians] will endure The fearful
menaces of the Phenicians. / But when two leaders, warlike men, shall rule / The mighty
Romans, one of whom shall have / The number seventy, one the number three, / Then the
proud bull that digs the earth with hoofs, And raises up the dust with double horns, /
Shall do the dark-skinned reptile many ills, / Which draws a trailing furrow with his
scales, / And he himself shall perish. After him / Shall come another, beautiful-horned
stag,

11 Hungry upon the mountains, craving strong / To feed upon the venom-shedding beasts. /
Then shall a fierce and dreadful lion come, / Sent from the sun, and breathing plenteous
flame. / And then with much and shameless recklessness Will he destroy the rapid, well-
horned stag, / And the huge beast so venomous and dread / That sends forth many a cry, and
the he-goat, / Bow-legged, and renown will follow him. / And he himself, obtaining all by
lot, Uninjured and insatiable, shall rule / The Romans, and the Persians shall be weak. /
But thou, O Prince, King of the world, God, end / The song of my words, and give charming
song.

BOOK XII (BOOK XIV IN THE MANUSCRIPTS)

1 Men, why in vain, as though ye were immortals, / And being in power but for a little
time, / Do ye imagine such exalted things, / All of you wishing over men to reign? Not
understanding that the lust of power / God himself hates, and most the insatiate kings, /
Malevolent, ungodly, and on such / Brings darkness; for instead of noble deeds / And
righteous thoughts, ye all choose purple robes. These, loving wars and miseries and
murders, / Short-lived will be made by the immortal God, / Who dwells in heaven, and will
exterminate, / And upon one another ruin them. / But when, fair-haired and terrible, shall
come The bull-destroyer, trusting in his might, / He also will slay all, and tear the
shepherds, / And they will have no strength, except the dogs, / With swift foot eagerly
pursuing on, / Encounter in the strife, and then the dog

2 Will chase the lion that destroyed the shepherds. / Then shall there be a man, four-
syllabled, / Trusting in might, made clearly known by one; / But quickly him will brazen
Mars destroy / By battles of insatiable men. Then shall two other princely men bear rule,
/ Both of the number forty; and with these / Great peace shall be throughout the world,
and right / And justice to all people; but even these / Will men with gleaming helmet,
wanting gold, And for the sake of silver, basely slay, / Having taken them in their hands.
And then shall reign / A terrible young warrior, ruler known / By the number seventy, hot
with deadly wrath, / Who basely to the army shall betray The Roman people, slain by
wickedness / Through wrath of kings, and shall hurl to the earth / Even every city of the
illustrious Latins. / Rome is no longer to be seen or heard, / Such as of late the
traveler's eye beheld,

3 For all those things shall in the ashes lie, / And of her works not any shall be spared.
/ For wrathful he will come, and out of heaven / Send lightnings from the sky, and
thunderbolts, / Upon mankind—even God, the immortal One; And some he will destroy by
burning blasts, / And others with his chilling thunder-bolts. / And then shall children of
Rome, mighty Rome, / And the Latins slay the shameless ruler dire; / Nor on him, dead,
shall the dust lightly lie, For he shall be a sport for dogs, and birds, / And wolves, for
he destroyed a warlike tribe. / After him, numbering forty, there shall rule / Another,
famous Parthian-destroyer, / German-destroyer, slayer of fierce beasts That kill men, who
upon the ocean's streams / And the Euphrates press unceasing on. / And then again shall
Rome be as before. / But when there comes a great wolf in thy plains, / A ruler from the
West, then he shall die

4 By mighty Mars, pierced through with the sharp brass. / Then o'er the valiant Romans
there shall rule / Another great-souled warrior, brought to light / Out of Assyria, and
his name begins / The letters; in subjection he himself Will bring all things by wars, and
he at once / Over the armies will exhibit power / And laws establish. But him brazen Mars
/ Will soon destroy, in treacherous armies fallen. / After him three of haughty soul shall
reign, One having the first number, one three tens, / And the other king three hundred
will partake. / Cruel, they gold and silver in much fire / Will melt, statues for temples
made with hands, / And to the armies they, being armed, will give Money for victory, and
costly things / Will they distribute, numerous and good, / Devising shameful things, so
they shall harm / The arrow-hurling Parthians of the deep / And swift Euphrates, and the
hostile Medes,

5 And fair-haired warriors the Massagetæ, / And the strong Persians, quiver-bearing men. /
But when the king by his own fate shall fail, / Leaving the royal scepter to his sons /
More valiant, urging them to what is right, Then they, unmindful of their father's
prayers, / And girding on the implements of war, / Will rush in conflict for the royal
power. / And then a king, known from [the number] three, / Shall rule alone, and, smitten
by the spear, Shall quickly see his fate. And after him / Shall many perish at each
other's hands, / Strong mortals, wrestling for the royal power. / And one of mighty soul
shall then bear rule / Over the mighty Romans, an old king, Of the number four, and all
things well dispose. / And then shall war unto Phenicia come / And conflict, when the
nation shall approach / Of arrow-shooting Persians; and how many / Shall fall down under
men of barbarous speech!

6 Sidon, and Tripolis, and Berytus / The loudly boasting, shall each other see / Covered
with blood and bodies of the dead. / Wretched Laodicea, round thyself / Thou shalt a great
and unsuccessful war Stir up through the impiety of men. / O hapless Tyrians, ye shall
gather in / An evil harvest, when in the day-time / The sun that lighteth mortals shall
retire, / And his disk not appear, and drops of blood, Thick and abundant, shall come down
from heaven / Upon the earth. And then the king shall die, / Betrayed by his companions.
After him / Shall many shameless leaders still promote / The wicked strife, and one
another kill. And then shall be a venerable king / Sagacious, with a name that numbers
five, / Confiding in great armies; him will men / Love for his royal power, and of a name
/ Illustrious, he shall do illustrious deeds.

7 While this king reigns there shall be a great sign: / 'Twixt Taurus and Amanus, clad
with snow, / From the Cilician land shall be destroyed / A certain city, new and beautiful
/ And mighty, by a powerful-flowing stream. And in Propontis and in Phrygia / There shall
be many earthquakes; and the king / Of great renown shall under his own fate / By wasting,
deadly sickness end his life. / And after him shall rule two princely kings, One's name
three hundred, and the other three. / So also he will utterly destroy / Many upon the
seven-hilled city Rome, / That he the mighty kingdom may obtain. / And then unto the
Senate there shall be A deep misfortune; it shall not escape / The angry king, against it
holding wrath. / And furious rains and snow-storms shall there be, / And hail shall ruin
fruits upon the earth, / And men shall fall in battles, overcome

8 By mighty Mars in the Italian wars. / And then another king, of many schemes, / Shall
bear rule, all the army summoning, / And for the sake of war distributing / Treasures to
those with brazen breastplate clad. The corn-abounding Nile beyond the shores / Of Libya
shall for two years irrigate / The plain of Egypt and the fertile land. / But famine will
on all things seize, and war, / Robberies, murders, slaughter of mankind. And many cities
shall by warlike men / Be overthrown; and at the army's hands / Himself, betrayed, shall
fall by burning iron. / After him one whose number is three hundred / Shall rule the
Romans and the mighty men, And he will stretch a deadly javelin forth / Against the
Armenians, and the Parthians, / The Assyrians, and the Persians, bold in fight. / And then
a structure there shall be at Rome, / Magnificently built of gold and amber,

9 Silver and ivory and beauty rare. / And in it many people shall abide / From all the
East, and from the prosperous West; / And for it other laws the king will make. / Him
afterward upon a boundless isle Shall wasting death and mighty fate receive. / Another
man, of ten times three, shall reign, / Like a wild beast, with mane, and terrible, / And
from the Greeks shall he his lineage trace. / And then in fertile Phthia shall the city Of
the Molossi fall, and also famed / Larissa, situate on Peneus' banks. / And then in horse-
abounding Scythia / Shall there be insurrection, and dire war / Beside the waters of
Mæotis' lake, At the outpourings of the utmost draught / Of Phasis' watery fountain on the
meads / Of asphodel. And many then will fall / By powerful warriors. Ah, by fiery brass /
How many Mars will seize! And then the king

10 Will utterly destroy the Scythian race, / And die in his own lot, releasing life. /
Then shall another rule, made evident / By the number four, a fearful man, whom all / The
Armenians, even as many as shall drink The thick ice of Araxes' flowing stream, / And the
brave Persians shall much fear in war. / Between the Colchians and Pelasgi strong / Shall
there be fearful wars and homicides, / And Phrygia's land and cities of the land
Propontis, making bare their two-edged swords, / Shall smite each other in base
wickedness. / Then a great sign with the revolving years / Will God from heaven display to
mortal men, / A falcon, omen of pernicious war. The king will not escape the army's hands,
/ But die at their hands, cut by burning iron. / After him, numbering fifty, there shall
reign / Another, out of Asia, terrible, / A fierce antagonist, and he will place

11 War even on the famous walls of Rome, / And on the Colchians, and the Henochians, / And
the milk-drinking Agathyrsians, / The Euxine Sea and Thracia's sandy bay. / The king will
not escape the army's hands, Whom, even dead, they will abuse his corpse. / And then, the
king destroyed, illustrious Rome / Shall be a desert, and much people perish. / And then
again one terrible and dread / From mighty Egypt will bear rule, and slay The great-souled
Parthians, and the Medes, and Germans, / And Agathyrsians of the Bosporus, / Britons,
Hibernians, and Iberians / That bear the quiver, crooked Massagetæ, / And Persians
thinking themselves more than men. And then a famous man upon all Greece / Will turn his
eye, and act the enemy / To Scythia and windy Caucasus. / And while he rules a potent sign
shall be: / Crowns altogether like the beaming stars

12 From heaven will shine forth in the south and north. / Then he will leave unto his son,
whose name / Begins the alphabet, the royal power, / And forthwith by his fate into the
house / Of Hades will the noble king depart. And when his son rules in the land of Rome, /
Known from one, there shall be on all the earth / Great peace much longed for, and the
Latin people / Will love the king even for his father's worth. / Him, urgent to go to the
East and West, The Romans will hold firmly fast at home / Against his will, and in command
of Rome, / Because among all there is friendly soul / Felt for the royal and illustrious
prince. / But ruinous death will snatch him out of life, Short-lived, given over to his
destiny. / Other strong warriors afterward again / Shall smite each other, forwarding base
strife, / Not exercising royal power of kings, / But that of tyrants. And in all the world

13 Will they accomplish many evil things, / But chiefly to the Romans, till the time / Of
the third Dionysus, until Mars / With gleaming helmet shall from Egypt come, / Whom they
Prince Dionysus then will call. But when a murderous lion and lioness / The famous purple
royal robe shall rend, / They will upon the inmost vitals seize, / The kingdom being hard
pressed; and then a holy king, / Whose name has the first letter, will exchange Hostile
chiefs for the sake of victory, / And leave them as a prey for dogs and birds. / Woe, woe
to thee, thou city burned with fire, / O powerful Rome! How many things for thee / To
suffer when all these things come to pass! But afterward the great and famous king / With
gold and amber, silver and ivory, / Will altogether raise thee up again, / And in the
world thou shalt be first in goods, / And temples, markets, riches, stadia;

14 And thou again shalt be a light for all, / Even as thou hast been in the former time. /
Woe, wretched Cecrops, and ye Argive Greeks, / Laconians, too, and those around Peneus, /
And by Molossos' stream thick grown with reeds, Tricca, Dodona, Ithome cut on high, /
Pierus' neck, and great Olympus' peak, / Ossa, Larissa, and high-gate Calydon. / But when
for mortals God works a great sign / And day becomes dark twilight round the world, Even
then to thee, O king, the end shall come, / Nor wilt thou find it possible to flee / A
brother's piercing bow against thee thrown. / And then a life-destroying one shall reign,
/ Unspeakable, fierce, of the royal line. Who shall have Egypt's race, much heavier armed
/ And stronger than his brother; he obtains / The number eighty as initial mark. / Then
all the world will in its bosom feel / The grievous wrath of the immortal God

15 For penalty. And there shall come on men / Famines, and plagues, and wars, and
homicides, / And ceaseless darkness also on the earth, / Mother of peoples, and disordered
times, / And wrath severe from heaven, and earthquake shocks, And flaming thunder-bolts,
and stones, and storms, / And squalid drops. A quaking also moves / The lofty summits of
the Phrygian land, / The bases of the Scythian mountains shake; / The city trembled,
trembled all the earth, Along with those of the Hellenic land. / And many cities, God
being very wroth, / Shall fall prone under flaming thunder-bolts / And lamentations; and
to flee the wrath / And make escape is not even possible. Then at the army's hand the king
shall fall, / Struck down, as no one, under his own men. / After him of the Latins many
men / Will be raised up, and on their shoulders place / The purple mantle, longing to
obtain

16 By lot the royal power. And then three kings / Shall be upon the famous walls of Rome,
/ Two having the first number, but the one / The name of victory as no other bears. /
Concerned for men, they will have love for Rome And all the world, and there shall be for
them / No relaxation. For not to the world / Has God been gracious, nor will he to men /
Be kind, since they have many evils done. / Therefore made he for kings a shameful soul,
Much worse than that of panthers and of wolves. / For them will men, in brazen helmets
clad, / Seizing unsparingly with their own hands, / And for their seepters utterly
destroy, / Even kings, like helpless women cleft for naught. Woe, wretched lofty men of
glorious Rome, / Trusting in false oaths, ye shall be destroyed. / And many spearmen then
upon the world, / Men rushing forward, will the offspring seize / From blood of first-born
men....

17 Twice may not demon such a lot first lead; / And all men he will with their works
destroy. / But God again those having shameless soul / Will bring into the judgment yet to
come, / As many as are marked; these, sent away Into that condemnation of wickedness, /
Are fenced in, striking one upon another. / And many stars, and brilliant comet, [sign] /
Of much war and of battle-strife to come. / But when one gathers many oracles Concerning
islands, planning with strange guests / War and fierce strife and harm to sacred things, /
And in the Roman houses gathers wheat / And barley, pressing for abundance on, / For
twelve months long, the city in those days Shall suffer hardship. But straightway again /
It shall be prosperous not a little while; / And rest will come when ruling is destroyed.
/ And then the last race of the Latin kings / Shall come, the kingdom will again grow up,

18 And children and the children's race shall be / Unshaken, for it shall be known to them
/ When God himself shall be the ruling king. / There is a land, fond nourisher of men, /
Situate in an open plain; the Nile Around it borders, wafting blessings on / All Libya and
Ethiopia. / And short-lived Syrians, some here and some there, / Shall plunder all the
substance of that land. / And it shall have a great and prudent king; Sending one of the
children as a light, / And meditating dreadful things for such / As are exceeding dreadful
unto all, / He will of all high-minded Italy / A mighty helper bring. And when he comes
Unto Assyria's dark-colored sea, / He will spoil the Phenicians in their homes, /
Unloosing foul war and dire battle-din. / Of the two rulers one shall rule the earth. /
Now will I of the Alexandrians sing

19 The painful end. Barbarians shall dwell / In sacred Egypt, unharmed, quiet land, /
Whenever envy shall from some place come. / Winter will become summer; then will all / The
oracles to their fulfillment come. But when three youths in the Olympia / Shall conquer,
and to them, while they take heed, / Thou speak the oracle invoked of God / To cleanse
them first by blood of tender beasts, / Thrice then may the Highest move his awful neck.
Whenever he the long and mournful spear / Shall stretch out upon all, much barbarous blood
/ Will flow amid the dust, when by strange guests / The city has been plundered utterly. /
Happy is he who died, and happy he Who has no child. For under slavish yoke / Shall he be
placed that formerly was free, / And famous once for plans himself revolved. / Such is the
various slavery of kings. / And then of the Sicilians there shall come

20 A host ill-fated, carrying dire alarm, / When a barbarian nation shall approach. / When
they grow fruit they will divide the land. / To them will God, the lofty thunderer, / Evil
for evil give; continually Guest plundering guest of gold will go away. / But when all see
the fearful lion's blood, / And when unto the body there shall come / The murderous
lioness, then he will rend / Away from him the scepter from his head. As when in Egypt at
the friendly feast / The people all eat, and complete great works, / One finds another,
and there is among them / Much shouting, also thus alarm shall be / Among men, while the
conflict rages round, And many perish, and they massacre / Each other in impetuous battle
fray. / And then one covered with dark scales shall come. / Two others shall come hostile
to each other; / With them a third, a great ram from Cyrene

21 Of whom I spoke before, who flees in battle / Along the streams of Nile. But yet not
thus / Do all complete the unsuccessful way. / And then the lengths of the great rolling
years / Shall be all tranquil. Yet a second war Shall then again on Egypt be imposed; /
And they shall boast, but have no victory. / O wretched craftsmen of a noble city! / And
in wars there shall not be booty long. / And then the neighboring men of a large land
Shall flee in fear, and lead their fearful sires. / And then, obtaining a great victory, /
Shall they upon the city light again; / They will destroy courageous Jewish men, /
Slaughtering by war far as the hoary sea, Both shepherds for their fatherland and sires. /
But to the dead there shall succeed a race / Of trophy-bearing men. Alas! how many men /
Around the waves shall swim! For multitudes / Will lie exposed upon the sandy shores;

22 Heads covered with the golden hair shall fall / Under the swift Egyptians; then indeed
/ Shall follow the Arabians' mortal blood. / But when wolves pledge themselves by oaths to
dogs / Upon a sea-girt isle, then shall there be A rising up of towers, and men will dwell
/ In the city that has suffered many things. / No more will treacherous gold and silver
be, / Nor earthly wealth, nor toilsome servitude, / But one fast friendship and one mode
of life Will be with the glad people, and all things / Will common be, and equal light of
life. / And wickedness from earth in the vast sea / Shall sink away. And then the harvest-
time / Of mortals is near. Strong necessity Is laid upon these things to be fulfilled. /
Nor then will any other traveler say, / Recalling, that men's perishable race / Shall ever
cease. And then o'er all the earth / A holy nation will the scepter hold

23 Unto all ages with their mighty sires.


A JEREMIAH APOCRYPHON
=====================

A JEREMIAH APOCRYPHON Translated by Alphonse Mingana

medieval, from Syriac and Garshuni manuscripts

A Syriac writing in the name of the prophet Jeremiah, about his warnings to Zedekiah and
the fall of Jerusalem, given in two recensions with the editor’s notes. It is not
scripture.

1 (i) A Jeremiah Apocryphon.

Prefatory Note.

2 IN the following pages I give the translation (accompanied by a critical apparatus) of a
rather strange work purporting to contain the history of the events that preceded and
followed the deportation of the Jews to Babylon. I have followed in my edition two
manuscripts: Paris 65 and Mingana Syr. 240, in the custody of the Rendel Harris Library,
Birmingham, designated hereafter by the letters P. and M. respectively. P. is dated 1905
of the Greeks (A.D. 1594), and M. has lost its colophon, but on palæographical grounds may
be ascribed to about A.D. 1650. The former was written at Ḥamāt, and the latter was
recently acquired by me in Kurdistan. No attention has been paid to Paris 238, 273, and
276, because all the above MSS. seem to contain only two different recensions of the
story, and Paris 65 and Mingana Syr. 240 offer the best specimen of each recension.

3 From footnotes that I have added to the following pages the reader will conclude that I
believe that P. which is now in Garshūni was transcribed from a MS. written in Arabic
characters and executed in Egypt. The same, however, could not be said of M. This fact
induces us to suppose that the two recensions of the story referred to above may
provisionally be divided into an Egyptian recension and a Syrian, Palestinian, or
Mesopotamian recension. The discrepancies and verbal differences which characterise the
two recensions are profound and unmistakable. I first tried to establish from all the
above MSS. a good text for the body of the story and relegate the numerous variants to the
footnotes, but in the course of my transcription I discovered that the plan was
impracticable, and I was driven to the conclusion that the best method to give an adequate
idea of each recension would be to edit separately all the text of its best specimen, and
this is the reason why the reader finds for his guidance in the present work a complete
set of facsimiles of all P. and of all M. The same difficulty presented itself to me in
the translation. To note all the variants of each recension seemed to me to be cumbersome
and useless, so I confined myself to refer in short notes only to the most important
variants exhibited by the two MSS. In a few cases the translation represents a combination
of both P. and M. and the purely verbal discrepancies and still more the orthographical
variants have been completely ignored.

4 The Arabic used in the story is grammatically and lexicographically more correct than
that used in the "Exhortation to Priesthood" which I edited and translated on pp. 97-120,
but it is still much below the standard of what a good piece of classic Arabic should be.
If it comes to be established that the Arabic text is a translation from a foreign
language—an opinion to which I cannot subscribe—I might be tempted to assert that the
story was originally written in Greek, from which it was translated into Syriac, and that
the Syriac gave rise to the recension represented by M. As to the recension represented by
P. it was possibly translated either direct from Greek or more probably from a Coptic
intermediary, before it came under the influence of the Syrian copyists. I was not aware
till very late that P. had been transcribed in Arabic characters and translated in R.O.C.
1910, pp. 255-266, 398-404, and 1911, pp. 128-143. The MS. has lost nothing, however, by a
more critical edition.

5 The story itself appears to me to emanate from a man who lived either in Egypt or in
Western (not Eastern) Palestine.

Translation.

6 We will write concerning the deportation of the Children of Israel to Babylon at the
hand of the King Nebuchadnezzar in the days of the prophet Jeremiah. And the word of God
came to the prophet Jeremiah saying: "Say to the King Zedekiah and to the people of the
Children of Israel, 'Why do you add sins to your sins, and iniquity to your iniquity? My
eye has seen your deeds, and my ear has heard your sayings. If you had fasted, I would
have been merciful to you; and if you had prayed, I would have listened to you, says the
Lord Omnipotent. You have not fasted to me, nor have you stretched your hands towards me,
but you have fasted to Baal and prayed to Zeus, and you have forgotten the Lord God of
Abraham and said, Who is the God of Israel?' You have been unmindful of all my goodness to
you when I took you out of the land of Egypt, delivered you from the servitude of Pharaoh,
and smote the inhabitants of Egypt with plagues. I cared for you like a tender mother
cares for her virgin daughters until she delivers them up to the bridegroom, in order that
no harm may befall you in all your ways.

7 "I have glorified you above all nations, and have called you my people, O Children of
Israel. I have brought you out of a wilderness full of scorpions and vipers, and made you
dwell in the desert forty years while your dresses did not wear out, your shoes were not
torn up, and the hair of your heads did not grow up, and in all that length of time your
clothing did not show any dirt on it. I gave you the bread of angels from heaven, while a
column of light shone upon you by night, and a cloud protected you by day. I guarded you
with my right hand and my holy arm, and delivered you from the hands of your enemies and
made you possess that for which you had not toiled. I took you out of the depth of the
sea, and you beheld your enemies behind you standing by the sea like statues. I sent down
angels from heaven to assist you in crossing the middle of the sea, and drowned the
chariots of Pharaoh in its depth with promptitude. I ordered the abysses to cover them,
and made you enter a land for which you had not toiled, a land that flows with milk and
honey, and put your fear in the hearts (of your enemies).

8 "After all these things which I did for you, you have forgotten my name and said, 'There
is no God but Baal and Zeus.' You have returned to me evil for good, forsaken me, offered
sacrifices to Baal, and immolated your sons and daughters to Zeus. You have turned away
from me, all of you, old and young, and have committed injustices against one another. The
seed of adultery has appeared in your midst, and there is no just judge among you. If you
persist in these deeds, says the Lord, I will inflict calamities on you and cause my wrath
to flow like a flowing river which does not turn back. Your young men will die smitten
with the sword, and your old men of hunger and thirst; your children will be deported
while you look at them, and your great city will be destroyed. Your land shall become a
deserted waste, because I lost patience with you, says the Lord Omnipotent. I bore with
you so that perchance you may repent and return to me, and I return to you. But now I have
turned my face away from you.

9 "While you were doing my will and were calling me, 'O Lord, O Lord,' I was listening to
you with promptitude; but now were you to cry to me I would not answer you and say, 'Here
I am,' nor would I send down to you dew in time and rain in season. In the days when you
were obedient to me, all the nations were trembling before you. Each one of you used to
chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, and my angels preceded you anywhere
you halted. But when you offended me, all the earth turned against you; and the sun and
the moon mourned over you because they beheld your prevarication, your worship of idols,
and all the iniquity which is within you, and which you perpetrated before the idol of
Zeus. You kindled my wrath and did not return to me, says the Lord Omnipotent, God of
Israel.'"

10 The prophet Jeremiah rose up then and went to King Zedekiah. He saw him sitting in the
Sun-Gate, and with him was a company of false prophets, who were prophesying falsely to
him. When King Zedekiah saw the prophet Jeremiah, he stood up before him and received him
and said to him: "O seer, hast thou the word of God in thy mouth in these days?" And
Jeremiah the prophet said to him: "Here is the word;" and he narrated to him the word of
God before all the people. When the king heard the words of the prophet Jeremiah he waxed
very angry, and asked the people and the false prophets who were round him whether that
young man was mad. And Hananiah, the liar, rose up, put on his head horns of iron, and
began to speak and say, 'This is what the Lord God says: "Thou, O king, shalt triumph over
thy enemies and over these'—and he made a sign to north, south, east, and west—and
proceeded thus: No one will be able to contradict thee, O king, nor dwell in the land."
And there was then no word of God in the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah.

11 When the king heard these words from Hananiah, the liar and the deceiver, in the
presence of all the false prophets his companions, he said to those of his servants that
were present: "Take this Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon, in the lowest pit, which
is full of mire, in order that he may die; no other food should be given to him apart from
a little bread and water in order that we may know whether the word of God is with him or
not." Then they threw forthwith Jeremiah in the place which the king had designated. When
Abimelech, a servant in constant attendance on the king, heard that King Zedekiah had
thrown Jeremiah into prison, he rose up and inquired after the place where King Zedekiah
was staying, and went to him. When the king saw the servant approaching him, he said to
him: "Be welcome, O faithful servant; thou hast come to-day to us; what is thy request?"
And the servant said to him: "O king what has the prophet Jeremiah done, that you should
have acted with him in this way? Do you not fear God, O king, in casting the prophet of
the Lord into prison and in extinguishing the lamp of Israel which shone on the people of
God?" Then King Zedekiah said to him: "Thou hast done well in reminding me to-day of him,
O Ephti, take some men with thee, and go and take him out of prison."

12 Then Abimelech took with him men, old rags, and strong ropes, and repaired to the
prison in which Jeremiah was lying; he threw to him the old rags, and let down to him the
strong ropes and said: "Attach these to your armholes so that we may draw you up." He did
as he was told, and they drew him out of prison and gave him his freedom. 13 Then the Lord
said to the prophet Jeremiah: "O you whom I have elected and honoured, arise and go for
the second time to Zedekiah and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord God of Israel, How long
will you irritate my spirit, shed innocent blood, cause pregnant women to miscarry, and
take the fruit of their wombs and burn it with fire before the statue of Baal. The blood
of those whom you have unjustly killed cried towards the throne of my glory, and the cry
of the unjustly treated went up to the gates of heaven. Why have you trodden in the path
of Manasseh and forsaken the ways of David, your father? If you persist before me in these
deeds, I will bring down my wrath and anger on you, and strip you of your glory; I will
overthrow your throne and give your kingdom to your enemy who will put out your eyes and
place them in your hands, and slay your two children and place one at your right hand and
the other at your left; and put a chain round your neck like a dog. In this way you will
be deported into Babylon, tied to the chariot of the king Nebuchadnezzar, and you will die
there while driving the mule that pulls the stone of the flour-mill. This great people
will also be led into captivity with you, and Jerusalem will be destroyed to its
foundations, because you have dishonoured my name by your worship of foreign gods and have
broken my covenant which I made with your fathers."' All these words utter you before the
elders of the children of Israel."

14 The prophet Jeremiah then said: "No, my Lord and my God, Lord of mercy and creator of
the universe; no, O Lord, do not send me to King Zedekiah, because he is a man who hates
Thy pious ones, and he will wax angry if I mention Thy name before him, and his anger will
be brought to the highest pitch if I mention the name of Thy saints who have been slain
and of Thy holy ones who have been stoned. He has further sought my destruction, and if I
go back to him he will throw me in the pool of mire, in the lowest dungeon, and I shall
die there." The Lord said then to the prophet Jeremiah: "Rise up and go to him. It is I
who send you in my name, and be not afraid." Then the prophet Jeremiah rose up and went to
King Zedekiah and to the people of the children of Israel. He had an audience with the
king, and he related to him all the words of God. King Zedekiah became exceedingly angry,
and ordered the prophet Jeremiah to be thrown for the second time in the lowest cistern,
the cistern of mire. When Abimelech heard of the imprisonment of the prophet Jeremiah, he
went to King Zedekiah and saved him like the first time and set him free.

15 Then the word of God came for the third time to the prophet Jeremiah saying: "O
Jeremiah whom I have elected, arise and go to King Zedekiah and utter to him the words of
the Lord, God of Israel." Then the prophet Jeremiah fell down before the Lord, lifted his
hands to Him, worshipped before Him and said to Him: "No, my Lord, do not send me to King
Zedekiah, because if I mention to him Thy holy name he will wax angry and kill me." Then
the Lord ordered the prophet Jeremiah to write down in a book all that was revealed to him
and deliver it to his disciple Baruch, to bring to King Zedekiah. The prophet Jeremiah did
what God ordered him to do, and he wrote a letter and sent it to King Zedekiah with his
disciple Baruch and ordered him to read it before him and before the company of the
children of Israel. And Baruch went to the palace of the king whom he saw sitting with his
boon-companions. He stood before him with the letter in his hand, and uttered the words of
God. When the king heard the speech of the disciple Baruch he became exceedingly angry,
took the letter from him, and burned it with fire that he made there before all the
children of Israel. He also ordered at once Baruch, the disciple of the prophet Jeremiah,
to be flogged—and he was cruelly lashed—and asked him where (his master) lived. The
disciple told the king his master's whereabouts, and the king ordered that he should be
brought before him bound with chains and fetters.

16 The servants went out to look for him and they found him in a sepulchral crypt braiding
fresh twigs and leaves. They seized him forthwith and did with him what the king had
ordered them to do, and they presented him to King Zedekiah. When he stood before the
king, Satan filled the latter's heart and he began to gnash his teeth at him and said to
him: "I will shed your blood and pour it in the plate from which I eat, I will deliver
your flesh to the birds of heaven and your bones to the carnivores of the earth, for the
written words that your disciple uttered before me. What is between me and you, O
Jeremiah, that you should prophesy falsely against me and against my kingdom and say,
'Your kingdom shall be taken from you and your throne shall be overthrown, and the people
shall be deported and Jerusalem shall be destroyed to its foundations?' I swear to you by
the great gods Baal and Zeus that I shall torment you with a grievous torment, and not
finish you off quickly, but shall cast you into the lowest pit of the prison, and see
whether your words will apply to me truly or not."

17 The king ordered him to be tied hands and feet with iron and thrown into the pit which
he had named; he further ordered that no bread and water should be given to him, in order
that he may die of hunger and thirst. The prophet Jeremiah turned then towards the king
and said to him before the people of the children of Israel: "May God judge between thee
and me, O King Zedekiah; I have prophesied for many years on behalf of the Lord, and no
lie has ever come out of my mouth, and thou art throwing me for the third time in prison,
in the lowest pit, wishing me to die there. Thou hast confidence in the false prophets who
prophesy to thee falsely. This being the case listen to the words of God which are in my
mouth: 18 "Thou hast angered me with thy iniquitous deeds, and I shall turn my face away
from thee and from the people of the children of Israel. I shall kindle my wrath and anger
against this land, and the king of the Chaldeans shall come with men as numerous as
locusts, and shall dismantle to its foundations the rampart of the city of Jerusalem and
fix his throne in its midst. And thou, O King Zedekiah, when thou seest these things with
thy eyes, pangs of travail will take possession of thee like a woman who gives birth to a
child. Thou shalt extend on thy bed and cover thy face with thy mantle as with a shroud,
and thy servants will carry thee on their necks like a corpse and run with thee towards
the Jordan in order that they may cross it and save thee. God then will move the hearts of
the servants of Nebuchadnezzar, who will seek thee in thy bed-chamber and not find thee,
and they will follow thee and overtake thee on the river Karmlis; they will throw thee on
the ground, uncover thy face, and strip thee of thy mantle, and present thee to
Nebuchadnezzar, the king of the Chaldeans, and thou shalt see his eyes with thy eyes, and
thy mouth shall speak with his mouth. He will put a chain round thy neck like a dog, bring
thy two sons to thy presence, and slay one at thy right hand and the other at thy left. He
will put out thy eyes and place them in thy hands, and carry thee with him to the
countries of Babylon, tied to his chariot, with mud, mire and ashes on thy head. Thou
shalt eat bread, weeping and sighing, and shalt drink water with grief and hardship, and
shalt die there while driving the mule that pulls the stone of the flour-mill."

19 When Jeremiah finished these words he was seized by the servants to do with him what
King Zedekiah had ordered. And the prophet Jeremiah said to the servants of Zedekiah:
"Have a little patience with me until I finish the words of God which are in my mouth. And
King Zedekiah said: "Leave him until he utters all that he has to say. While the prophet
Jeremiah was left alone he turned to all the people standing before the king and said:
"Listen to what the Lord Omnipotent says: 'I protected your fathers when I took them out
of the land of Egypt, but because you have forgotten the great goodness I did to your
fathers in the desert, you shall be requited with a much greater evil. When I took your
fathers out of the land of Egypt, and they dwelt forty years in the desert, their dresses
did not wear out, their shoes were not torn up, and the hair of their heads did not grow.
You, however, shall be deported and shall be in the way to your destination only a month
and your dresses shall wear out and become like old skins; they shall tear up, and you
shall sew them with cords made of palm-tree fibres, of alfa, and palm-tree leaves.

20 The hair of your heads shall come down to your shoulders like the hair of women, and
instead of the column of light which shone upon your fathers day and night and went before
them in their way, you shall be deported and walk in the heat of the sun and the cold of
the night, and you shall experience the most intense heat of the summer and severe cold of
the winter. I shall order the moon and the stars which shine at night not to shed their
light on you, in order that you may be in darkness. You shall crawl on your hands in
groping your way, and shall stumble on one another with vehemence, intense pains, and
bitter weeping. 21 "You shall hunger after bread, and thirst after water, and you shall
sigh and say, 'Thou art just, O Lord, and Thou hast done everything with wisdom; Thou hast
acted towards us according to our merits.' Instead of the manna and the quails which God
sent to your fathers, and the sweet water which He caused to jet forth for them from the
rock, there shall descend on you from heaven, earth, dust, and a fiery wind that will
cling to your bodies and inflict on them sores, wounds, and blisters that do not heal. I
shall render your drinking water brackish and bitter in your mouths, in order to desiccate
your bodies and dry up your bones. Instead of the light of the sun that (God) caused to
shine on your fathers, you shall have lice and vermin to consume your bodies. You shall
remain seventy years in the captivity and servitude of the Chaldeans until the Lord turns
His wrath away from you."

22 When the prophet Jeremiah finished all these words to King Zedekiah and to the elders
and princes of the people who were surrounding him, they cried one and all, saying, 'Long
live thou King Zedekiah.' The king then ordered the prophet to be cast into the dungeon,
in the place where the cistern of mire was found. The description of this dungeon is that
people walked three hours underground in the dark until they reached it; its sides were as
thin as a glass bowl; no one was able to stand in that place, except on the joint of his
knees; it was full of mire and pitch which reached the armpits of a man. And the prophet
Jeremiah remained in that place for several days in great pains. 23 When Abimelech, the
servant of the king heard the story of the prophet Jeremiah, he visited him every day, by
giving a denarius to the gaoler in order to let him enter, and gave the prophet Jeremiah
bread and water, and then returned to his master. He did this for twenty-one days, after
which he went to King Zedekiah and said to him: "I felt the necessity of presenting myself
before you for the sake of the prophet Jeremiah. Was it not sufficient for you, O king, to
imprison the prophet of God a first time and a second time, that you should have thrown
him a third time into prison? You have extinguished the lamp of the children of Israel,
which was shedding light on the people of God; and he did not speak before thee except
what God had revealed to him." Then the king said to him, "O Abimelech, you have done well
in reminding me of him to-day; rise up, go and take men with thee and draw him out of the
dungeon, and place him in a house until we ascertain if his words are true or not, and
test the truth of his sayings."

24 Abimelech went then immediately and took with him two servants from the palace of the
king, and drew up the prophet Jeremiah from the dungeon, after he had spent there twenty-
one days, and placed him in a house of peace and rest. Then the prophet Jeremiah said to
Abimelech: "Blessed be thou, O my child Abimelech, because thou hadst pity on me in the
time of my trials. Thus says the Lord Omnipotent, 'He who does good to those in trouble,
or in prison, and to the poor, God will remember him with His grace, and with His help and
assistance.' Thou shalt not see the destruction of Jerusalem, O my child, and thou shalt
not go to the hardship of the captivity; thou shalt not die, but shalt live until the Lord
turns away His wrath. The sun shall nurture thee and the firmament shall rear thee, and
the earth on which thou shalt sleep shall give thee rest, and the stone shall protect thee
from the cold of the winter and the heat of the summer, and thy soul shall be in joy and
pleasure for seventy years until thou seest Jerusalem in its glory and rebuilt as it was
before."

25 After this King Zedekiah returned to sin before the Lord, and he entered the house of
the Lord and took out the two columns of marble which gave light in it without a lamp and
placed them in the temple before the statues of Baal and Zeus, and he carried the precious
and holy plates to the place where he used to sit and drink with his concubines. He pulled
down the altar on which sacrifices were offered, and he made it a table to himself in the
temple which belongs to Baal and Zeus. He brought out also the ark of the covenant, and
out of the gold of the candle-stick he made a crown which he placed on the head of the
idol. He ordered that oxen should be offered to Baal the idol, and summoned the pregnant
women in travail and commanded that their offspring should be taken out of their wombs and
sacrificed on the fire to Baal and Zeus. He also ordered that all children from two years
old and under should likewise be sacrificed and their blood taken and offered to Baal and
Zeus.

26 In that very day the earth shook and its (four) points quaked, and the Lord thundered
from heaven and his wrath spread over all the earth, and He ordered the angel of anger to
come down to it with fury, and had it not been for the intervention of the angels and the
holy ones who knelt down before the Lord and besought Him to turn away His wrath from His
people, all would have perished. The Lord perceived the odour of their sighing and their
holy lamentations, had mercy upon the people of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and removed His
wrath and did not destroy them. 27 And the word of God came to the prophet Jeremiah,
saying, 'Jeremiah, Jeremiah,' and he answered, 'Here I am, O Lord.' And the Lord said to
him: "I have sworn that I shall not remove my wrath, and I say to you that I shall not do
anything before I have told it to you. Were it not for your prayers that have surrounded
Jerusalem none of its inhabitants would have been alive, and I would have destroyed it to
its foundations, because my eyes are covered with tears over the innocent blood of the
children that has been shed; they cry and say, 'Avenge our blood.' Lo, concerning this
people among whom you live examine the three following punishments: do you wish me to
order Satanael, the angel of wrath, to destroy them and exterminate them from their young
ones to their adults, with their old men and young men? Or do you wish me to inflict
famine on them and to command heaven which is above them to become brass and the earth
which is below them to become iron, so that no dew may fall from heaven and no fruits
should come from the earth; and I shall destroy all the trees and annihilate their
storehouses that are full so that they may eat one another and fall in the streets of the
city from hunger and thirst? Or do you wish me to allow Nebuchadnezzar who is King of
Babylon to subdue them and lord it over them for seventy years, and they be slaves of the
Chaldeans to the point of destruction, in order that they may know that I am the God who
hold their spirits in my hands?"

28 When the prophet Jeremiah heard these words from the Lord, he fell down in worship on
his face before Him and wept and said: "O God of all mercy; Thou art the God of gods and
Creator of the universe. Look, O Lord, upon the children of Thy servants Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob to whom Thou sworest that their seed shall be like the stars of heaven; no, O
Lord, do not destroy them one and all, and let not the angel Satanael come down on them
because he will not leave a single one of them. Where is the oath that Thou sworest to our
father Abraham, Thy beloved, in saying to Him, 'Thy seed shall not cease under heaven,'
and if Thou sendest against them famine and dearth, and Thou restrainest heaven from
sending down its dew, and the earth from yielding its fruit, the children of Thy servants
will perish from the surface of the earth, and where shall be the covenant that Thou
gavest to Thy servant Israel in saying to him, 'Thy children shall remain for ever and
ever.' And do not be angry, O Lord, because of the ill-treatment that I receive at the
hands of Thy servants: Thy people who sinned against Thee. If Thou orderest for them, O
Lord, a deportation by Nebuchadnezzar and a captivity to Babylon, verily a father
chastises his sons and a master his servants."

29 Then the Lord summoned forthwith the angel Michael, the head of the angels, and said to
him: "Arise and go to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon and say to him: 'Go to Judea, to the
city of Jerusalem, and spread thy hand and the hand of the Chaldeans who are with thee
over its land, and bring into captivity all the inhabitants of the land of Israel, lord it
over them, and take them to the land of the Chaldeans, and enslave them there for seventy
years. Their adults shall do brickwork and clay work, and their old men shall hew wood and
draw water, and their women shall spin and weave wool, and they shall show thee their work
every day, and thou shalt make accounts with them as if they were slaves. Act, however,
with mercy and justice towards them, because (in the end) I shall have pity upon them.'"

30 Michael worshipped then the Lord immediately and went in haste to Babylon, which he
reached in that very night. He nudged Nebuchadnezzar the king in the right side and said
to him: "O Nebuchadnezzar, arise quickly so that I may speak with you." When
Nebuchadnezzar awoke from his sleep and saw the angel of God with shining eyes like the
star of the morning, with a spear in his hand, with loins girded with a sword, with feet
covered with hot polished brass, and with a terrifying speech, he said to him: "Woe is me,
O my master, because in no time have I seen the like of you. Are you not one of the gods
of Babylon? Or perchance are you the God who spread heaven and established the earth, and
fashioned every thing?" And the angel answered him saying: "I am not God, but His servant.
I am one of the seven angels who stand before the throne of the Lord God, and here is what
the Lord God says, 'Arise with all your might and with the Chaldeans, and spread your hand
over all the land of Judea and deport its inhabitants and bring them to the land of
Babylon. And they shall be slaves to you: their adults shall work at clay and bricks, and
their old men shall hew wood and draw water, and their women shall spin and weave wool,
and they shall bring in their work every day like slaves, and you shall settle their
accounts, but show mercy towards them. I have delivered them to you for punishment, and
after that I shall have pity on them for ever and ever.'"

31 And Nebuchadnezzar said to the angel Michael: "Woe is me, O my master, the Lord has
perchance waxed angry with me because of the great number of my sins, and He wishes me to
go to foreign lands in order to destroy my life in them; do destroy me with your hand;
this would be more advantageous for me than that I and all who are with me should die in a
foreign land. Who is the king of Babylon, and who is Nebuchadnezzar before the people of
God the Most High? And who am I that I should go to Jerusalem and fight the people of God?
Is it not the people whom Pharaoh fought, and God drowned him in the abysses, and water
covered him? Is it not the people whom the Amorites fought, and they all perished? In this
way five nations were destroyed before them. Who am I then, O Lord, that I should fight a
just people and conquer it, a people who when they go to war do not take with them any
material of war, but, if they stretch out their hands, angels help them from heaven and
fight on their behalf?

32 And the angel Michael said to Nebuchadnezzar: "Every thing you said is true. Every
people who keep the commandments of God, no one is able to overcome them; but if they
forsake His commandments and His law, He delivers them into the hands of their enemies,
and they perish at their hands. Now, this people have sinned, prevaricated, and increased
their iniquity; arise thou, then, and destroy them that they may know that God is the only
one that lasts for ever and ever." When the angel Michael finished his words to
Nebuchadnezzar, he stretched his hand, anointed him, and fortified him against the
(Jewish) people, and went up to heaven. 33 After the angel Michael had gone,
Nebuchadnezzar arose and went to his wife Hilkiah whom he awakened from her sleep. He
narrated to her all that the angel had told him. When she heard those words from him she
was greatly perplexed and fell down weeping, and said to Nebuchadnezzar: "Woe is me, my
lord, and my brother; take me with thee wherever thou goest, because I shall not see thee
another time. Who is the king who fought this people and was saved? Dost thou not know
that this is the people of God, and that everything that they ask from God they obtain it
forthwith?" And Nebuchadnezzar said to her: "It is their God that has delivered them up to
me." And she said to him: "O my lord, listen attentively to what I am going to say to
thee: if thou goest to fight them, take with thee a ram, and when thou art near the city
of Judea alight from thy chariot, lay the sceptre of gold that is in thy hand on the head
of the ram and let it go; if it take the direction of Judea, follow it, and know that the
Lord has delivered them up to thee; but if the ram does not proceed forward to Judea but
turns its face towards Babylon, return thou with it and fight not the people of God; if
you are like the number of the sand of the sea not a single soul will return alive with
thee."

34 When the wife said these words to the king, he accepted them from her, and he rose
forthwith and summoned his generals Cyrus and Isarus, and narrated to them all that God
had promised him through His angel. And they said to the king: "May you live for ever! It
is their God that is angry with them. This people has sinned; send therefore at once a
messenger to Zedekiah, king of Jerusalem, to convey to him words of conciliation, and
despatch gifts with him, and make inquiries whether his people have worshipped foreign
gods and forsaken the words of the Lord, and whether they have refused (to listen to) the
prophets who were with them and who interceded with the Lord on their behalf. If not, do
not proceed to their land, as He has destroyed others who fought them, and fire will come
down on us from heaven and consume us along with our land."

35 These words pleased King Nebuchadnezzar, who sent forthwith a messenger from his
generals, accompanied by a thousand horsemen, and he wrote with him a letter to King
Zedekiah, and despatched gifts to him: a great quantity of carmine, gold, and
frankincense. The general departed then for Jerusalem with his party. When he reached it,
King Zedekiah was informed that the messenger of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had
arrived. He at once went out to meet him, surrounded by the women of the children of
Israel dancing before their king. Then King Zedekiah dismounted and received the general
of the king (of Babylon) and accepted the gifts from him. He took the gold and of it he
made a crown which he placed on the head of the idol; as to the frankincense he burnt it
before Baal and Zeus. He was also pleased with the letter of the King Nebuchadnezzar, and
he wrote to him to Babylon an answer to his letter in the following terms:

36 "Zedekiah, King of Judea, writes to Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, thus: 'Peace be
with you. This peace exists between you and me. My gods are your gods, and your gods are
my gods.'" He sealed the letter, handed it to the general, and despatched with him gems
and precious stones. When the priests of Baal, the idol, heard (this) they said to the
king: "Where is Jeremiah who said, 'The king of Babylon shall come and take possession of
this land?'" A few days later the general reached Babylon with the thousand horsemen who
were with him, and handed to Nebuchadnezzar the answer to his letter. When the king
understood its meaning perfectly he roared like a lion and neighed like the horse which
pulls the wheel, and said to Cyrus and his retinue: "Prepare at once your horses, the
troops and the soldiers." 37 And Nebuchadnezzar went forth in those days and with him were
all the Chaldeans to the number of six hundred thousand horsemen and six hundred thousand
chariots, and on each chariot were sixteen horsemen, in all six thousand thousand
thousand, and six hundred thousand, with spears, weapons, and leather shields, and they
marched on the right hand of the king and on his left, until they reached the partition of
the roads between Babylon and Jerusalem. There Nebuchadnezzar alighted from his chariot,
stripped himself of the royal robe, removed the crown from his head, brought the sceptre
of his kingdom, and put it on the head of the ram. The ram took immediately the road of
Judea, and the direction of Jerusalem. The king then said to all who were with him: "I am
very much surprised, but the Lord God has delivered the (Jewish) people to me. Then the
king ordered that his ram should be brought to him and placed on the sceptre of his
kingdom pitched in the ground; and then he placed his robe at his right hand, and removed
his crown and laid it under his feet, and he turned his face towards the direction of the
east, and said: "O God whom I do not know, God of the pious Hebrews, and of Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob, O God whose name I am not worthy to pronounce with my mouth that has sinned and
my lips that have deceived.

38 I am afraid that thou shouldest not deliver the (Jewish) people to me because I am a
sinner. My sins and those of my people have perchance increased before Thee. Then he
proceeded: "O God of Israel and God of heavens and earth, whose name has reached me, the
unworthy servant, God who has power over heavens and earth, I beseech thee, O Lord, to
tell me whether that man who came to my house and nudged me is Thy angel, and whether it
is Thy will that I should fight this people. I implore Thee to give a sign to this effect
to me and to these men who are standing before Thee, because I am Thy servant,
Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. Thou hast, O Lord, hardened in the times of yore the
heart of Pharaoh, until the sea submerged him and those who were with him. If I have
sinned before Thee, and Thou wishest my destruction, destroy me while I am still in the
borders of my own land with all those who are with me; but, O Lord, if Thou truly
deliverest (the Jewish people) to me, let the shade of my sceptre return towards me."

39 And at that instant the sun moved and the shade of the sceptre of Nebuchadnezzar turned
towards his head. (The king) then left the sceptre at his left side and the liver of the
goat at his right side and said: "O Lord fortify my heart." And the Lord gave him courage
and bravery, and he ascertained that it was the God of the Jewish people who had delivered
them to him. 40 And God who is God of mercy remembered Abimelech and his kindness towards
the prophet Jeremiah in the days in which King Zedekiah had imprisoned him in the dungeon.
And the Lord did not wish him to be in the captivity of Babylon and in the servitude of
Nebuchadnezzar. And the servant Abimelech according to his daily habit went to the garden
of his master, who was the boon-companion of Zedekiah, in order to bring him fruits. He
took a basket which he filled with grapes, figs, and other fruits from the garden of his
master, and covered them with green foliage, and carried them in order to bring them to
the house of his master. While he was still on the way God remembered the words which He
spoke to the prophet Jeremiah, that he "shall not see the destruction of Jerusalem, nor be
under the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. While he was walking and looking
towards heaven, and while the distance (to his destination) was about an hour's (walk), he
saw a cave in which there was shade and much refreshing humidity, and he said to himself:
"I have gone out before my time, and have not taken to-day bread to the prophet, the man
of God, my father Jeremiah; so I shall sit here awhile and sleep for an hour in this
refreshing shade. He therefore repaired towards the shade and slept; and he placed the
basket near his head, and it was full of grapes, figs, peaches, and pears, covered with
foliage.

41 The earth gave him rest, and the rock of the cave expanded over him and covered him
like the roof of a house; the dew fortified him and the sun nurtured him, and he did not
hunger nor thirst, and he was not affected by the cold of the winter nor the heat of the
summer till the time when Jerusalem was destroyed and then rebuilt afresh; (all this
happened to him) by the great power of God, which protected him. 42 After this King
Nebuchadnezzar reached Judea, with all his Chaldean generals, and he subjugated all Judea
and all the towns round Jerusalem. His troops spread over the land of Israel like locusts,
and they clapped with their hands and danced with their feet and said: "Let us go and
fight the Hebrews, plunder their possessions and destroy them, because all other people
are now in arms against the people of Israel whom nobody has dared approach and subdue
down to this day. Their rod was over all the nations by the power of God, their God who
fights for them." All the young men of the children of Israel fell before Nebuchadnezzar,
and all their power was weakened, and the people of Israel became before him like pregnant
women at the time of their travail. He ordered them to gather together before him bound in
fetters of iron. He who was on the roof did not come down except with bonds, and he who
was in the sown field did not enter the city except with fetters, and each one of them was
seized in the spot where he was, and none was left who did not come to King Nebuchadnezzar
who had fixed his throne at the gate of Jerusalem, the ramparts of which he had ordered to
be demolished instantly.

43 When King Zedekiah heard this he was greatly agitated and the pangs of travail overtook
him like a woman in labour. He stretched on his bed and spread his mantle over him and
covered his face with a kerchief, like a shrouded dead man. His servants took him with the
intention of crossing the Jordan with him and fleeing to save him. And King Nebuchadnezzar
gave orders that King Zedekiah be brought before him, and Cyrus, his general, went to the
residence of Zedekiah, and saw it ornamented with silk, gold, and silver, and his sleeping
chamber perfumed with incense and fine aloes-wood, and in it was the idol which he used to
worship. And God put in the hearts of the servants of King Nebuchadnezzar to pursue the
servants of King Zedekiah, and they overtook them with the bed-litter on their shoulders
in the valley of the sea of Karmlis. They threw him from their shoulders, and took the
mantle that was over him, and presented him to Cyrus the first general of the King
Nebuchadnezzar. The latter summoned the Chaldeans and ordered that Zedekiah's eyes be put
out and placed in his hands, and that his two children be killed and placed one at his
right side and the other at his left, and that a collar be tied round his neck in order
that he may be led like a dog.

44 They presented him in this state to King Nebuchadnezzar, who commanded that he should
be attached to the tail of his horse as far as Babylon, and that there he should drive the
mule that pulls the stone of the flour-mill, and be given for food a small quantity only
of bread and water. The King Nebuchadnezzar ordered also that all the elders of the
children of Israel should be bound and that their necks should be tied to their feet until
the bones of their necks were broken, and that the pregnant women should have stones
placed on their wombs until they aborted. 45 The heart of Nebuchadnezzar was hardened
against them like the horses which neigh under the wheels, and he said to the Hebrews:
"Where is Jeremiah, the prophet of God, that I may ask him whether I should return to my
country and to my land, and inquire of him concerning the ark of the Lord, in which are
the tables written with the finger of the Lord, and which, I have been told, proceeds
before you." And the congregation of the children of Israel cried with weeping and said:
"Where can we find the blessed prophet? The prophet Jeremiah has been imprisoned by King
Zedekiah, who ordered that no bread and no water should be given to him until he dies."
While the Hebrews were saying this, lo! a spirit carried Jeremiah and placed him before
King Nebuchadnezzar, and he informed him that the ark was no more because it was on the
mountains of Jericho and had disappeared owing to the great quantity of dust that was
heaped on it through the effect of the winds. As to the tabernacle of the ark Zedekiah
placed it under the idol of Baal. Then the elders of the children of Israel cried and
said: "Live, O king, for ever and ever, and allow us to speak before you." And
Nebuchadnezzar said to them: "Speak; it is your God who has humbled and dejected you; who
is there to save you?" And they said to him: "This prophet whom you have summoned is
young, do not listen, therefore, to his words, and be not deceived by his personality, as
there is nothing to distinguish him from the other men of his own age; here there is a
congregation of the children of Israel standing before you: hand to them staves of olive-
trees; he whose staff comes into leaf in his hand is the true prophet."

46 The king agreed, and summoned before him all the young men of the children of Israel,
and their number was two hundred and twenty thousand, and he handed to them staves of
olive-trees. In that very moment the angel carried Jeremiah and presented him to King
Nebuchadnezzar, while the staff which was in his hand had come into leaf. When the king
saw this, he was greatly astonished and rose from his throne and bowed down to the ground
before the prophet Jeremiah and said to him: "Thou art the true prophet of God; go,
therefore, and ask God, if it is He who has sent me to this land; if not, I shall decamp
away from you. And the prophet Jeremiah said to him: "Loosen the fetters of these bound
men and give them a little rest from their pain until I go and ask the Lord. And King
Nebuchadnezzar loosened their bonds, and the prophet Jeremiah went to the temple of the
Lord, and saw it sprinkled with the blood of the young children, and he wept bitterly and
said: O God, King of all kings, and Lord of all lords, I beseech Thee and implore Thee to-
day to look from the height of heavens and show mercy towards Thy people who are under the
yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, and deliver them from the hands of their enemies and their haters.
O God of mercy and compassion have pity. And he bowed down on his face to the ground in
adoration, interceding in favour of the people.

47 And a voice came to him from the Lord, saying: "O Jeremiah whom I have elected, thou
hast interceded sufficiently for this iniquitous nation and this harsh and insensible
people. Dost thou not know that I am a compassionate and merciful God? This people numbers
more than eight hundred thousand thousand souls, and in this sixth hour of the day take a
lamp in thy hand and walk in all Jerusalem and see if thou canst find a single man among
them in whom there is justice; if thou findest such a one, I shall cancel the deportation
order for all the people, and shall not let them go with Nebuchadnezzar; if thou findest
one whose mouth is unpolluted by sacrifices to idols, I shall deliver the people from
servitude and shall not allow them to go into captivity; if thou findest a single man who
loves his brother or his friend, I shall save them all; but if thou findest no one, enter
the temple and place the burning lamp on the candlestick, and it will not burn out until
seventy years have elapsed, when the people shall have returned, walking in my ways,
following my law and not forsaking what is due to me. When thou hast placed the burning
lamp in its place, remove the garment of light from thee, and accompany the people into
captivity where they shall be under the power of Nebuchadnezzar for seventy years."

48 When the prophet Jeremiah heard this from the Lord he went out with a burning lamp in
his hand. Some men from the people said to him: "O father Jeremiah, why dost thou walk
with a burning lamp in daylight?" And he answered: "I am in search of a man in whom there
is justice and I am not able to find any." Some others said to him: "O father Jeremiah why
dost thou walk with a lamp in daylight?" And he answered: "I am in search of a man whose
mouth is unpolluted by sacrifices to idols, and I am not able to find any." Yet some
others said to him: "O Father Jeremiah why dost thou walk with a lamp in daylight?" And he
answered: "I am in search of a man in whom there is love for his friend or his neighbour,
and I am not able to find any."

49 And Jeremiah searched among all the people, but he was unable to find any man (with the
above qualifications). Then he wept bitterly, and went into the temple of God and placed
the lamp burning to itself on the candlestick; and he entered the place in which the holy
vestments are kept, and brought out the garment of the High Priest, and he mounted the
terrace of the temple and addressed the stone which was the head of the corner; "To thee I
say that thou hast been a great honour to all those that surround thee and thou hast
consolidated them, and thou art like the eternal Son of God who shall come into the world:
the faithful King, and the Lord of the two testaments, the old and the new; for this
reason I shall say to thee that this temple shall only be demolished up to the place of
the corner-stone; this is the reason why thou hast received this honour. Open now thy
mouth and receive the garment of the High Priest and keep it with thee until the time God
wishes and brings back Israel, his people."

50 The stone immediately opened its mouth and received the broidered coat of priesthood
from the hand of the prophet Jeremiah. Then he took the mitre on which was written the
name of the Lord Sabaoth, the Omnipotent, which Aaron and his sons used to place on their
heads at the divine service, and lifted it to heaven and said to the sun: "To thee, I say,
O owner of the great light, and O hidden chief, I cannot see the like of thee in all the
creatures of God, be therefore the keeper of this head covering on the sides of which is
written the name of God the Omnipotent, keep it till the day in which God brings back from
captivity the children of Israel to this place." And he threw the mitre towards it, and a
ray of the sun took it up. And Jeremiah hid the rest of the belongings of the house of the
Lord.

51 When Jeremiah finished all this he removed from himself the garment of light in the
middle of the temple, and put on sackcloth and girded himself with a linen girdle on his
loins, and worshipped the Lord before the sanctuary, and bowed down his head to the
ground; then he took the keys of the temple of the Lord and threw them upon the door-post
and said: "O threshold of the temple of the Lord, receive these keys until the Lord brings
back the people from captivity." And immediately the high door-post received them from the
hand of the prophet Jeremiah. After this Jeremiah presented himself to the king of the
Chaldeans. When the people noticed that Jeremiah was wearing sackcloth, and that his head
was full of earth, they all cried with wailing and weeping, and threw earth on their
heads, because they had ascertained that the Lord had not forgiven them. They were aware
of the fact that when Jeremiah entered the temple and interceded in favour of the people,
if the Lord had pity on them and had accepted his prayer and his intervention on their
behalf, he came out to them wearing a white garment and his head perfumed with scent down
to his beard and the opening of his robe.

52 When Jeremiah finished these things, he said to Nebuchadnezzar: "Ride on thy chariot
and proceed to Babylon, because the Lord has delivered this people to thee for punishment;
and no harm shall befall thee." And Nebuchadnezzar arose like a lion and went to Babylon,
his country. He ordered his generals and the head of his army to gather together all the
Jews and march them in front of them. And the prophet Jeremiah walked in front of them
weeping, with bare feet and a bare head. When the king noticed him he said to him: "What
fault hast thou, O prophet of God? Come and ride with me; but it is not fitting to ride
with the king while thou art wearing sackcloth." And the prophet Jeremiah answered him and
said: "I have sinned before the Lord more than all the people; by the living Lord, my God,
I shall not remove this garment from me until the Lord turns away His wrath and puts an
end to the captivity of His people." Then King Nebuchadnezzar ordered his generals to make
the prophet Jeremiah ride with them by force.

53 The Hebrew people walked to Babylon in great hardship and pain, and in less than a
month their dresses were spoiled, and became like old and worn out skins, and their shoes
were torn from their feet, and the hair of their heads grew up and came down to their
shoulders like that of women, and the sun scorched their bodies to the point of
destruction, and mud and muck mounted their bodies and stuck to them, and gave rise to
blisters, wounds, and sores in their flesh; and the cold of the moon and of the stars
affected them by night until they fell down on their faces, and they lost their way in the
intensity of darkness that overtook them. They wept and fell upon one another, and were on
the point of dying from hunger and thirst; they cried with a sigh and lifted their eyes
towards heaven and said: "What a difference between this and the manna and the quails
which God gave to Moses, and the spring of sweet water that jetted forth from a rock in
the desert." Instead of this God caused dust to come on them from heaven, and changed the
sweet water into a brackish and bitter water, until they were affected with a mange and
scab for which there was no remedy.

54 The pregnant women aborted from the fatigue of the journey, and those who suckled threw
their young ones from their shoulders because their breasts dried up from the hunger and
thirst that overtook them, and could not give suck to their infants, and they cried with
bitter weeping and great grief and said: "O Lord, Thy judgments are just, and everything
Thou hast done to us is done with wisdom, because Thou hast requited us according to our
deeds; we have sacrificed our children to the idols, and Thou art punishing us according
to our works. Because we have revolted against Thee and sinned before Thee, all this
calamity has befallen us, and we deserve a punishment more severe than this." And
Nebuchadnezzar brought them to Babylon, and he entered his palace and kissed the faces of
his children and his wife. He was filled with joy in seeing them, and he narrated to them
all that happened to them from the day he left them and went out of the country of the
Chaldeans to the day he came back to them. Then he put on royal garments and sat for the
trial of the Hebrews, and the arrangement of the business of their work and hire. He
counted them and discovered that they had diminished by two hundred and twenty thousand
and fifty souls; these had perished in the way from fatigue, hunger, and thirst, not
counting the infants who had died on the arms of their mothers.

55 King Nebuchadnezzar ordered that the adults should do clay-work and brickwork, that the
old men should hew wood and draw water, and that the women should spin and weave wool; he
further ordered that they should all show their work every day like slaves, and that every
day they should be given a little food consisting of bread and water. And the Hebrews
served in Babylon under the yoke of slavery, and King Nebuchadnezzar built through them
many villages, towers, houses, granaries, and forts on the shores of the sea which
surrounds Babylon. The Chaldeans used to go every day to the river with their harps, and
guitars, and used to ask the Hebrews, saying: "Show us how you sing to your Lord and your
God." And the Hebrews used to answer with weeping and sighing: "How can we sing the praise
of the Lord in a strange land?" The people of the Lord were greatly subdued and they cried
while weeping and sobbing, and said: "The Lord has justly inflicted upon us this calamity,
according to our deeds. Now, O Lord, look upon us, with mercy, because our faces have been
put to shame before us; Thou our Lord and our God, do not requite us according to the
iniquity of our deeds, because it is we who have kindled Thy wrath, and not listened to
Thy prophets in Jerusalem."

56 The Hebrews toiled for the king in Babylon, and his servants drove them about, and
greatly tormented them. And Jeremiah the prophet prayed night and day in Babylon, and
interceded with God in favour of the people, when he saw their tribulations and their
pains. As to Zedekiah he was tied to the chariot of Nebuchadnezzar until he reached
Babylon, and there he was appointed to drive the horse of the flour-mill for forty years
in captivity. He was in great tribulation all this time; then he died in wretchedness and
bodily exhaustion that he felt more than other people. And Nebuchadnezzar showed mercy
towards the Hebrews all the time of his life. When Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon died,
he was succeeded by Cyrus the Persian, who greatly tormented the Hebrews with hunger and
thirst, and reduced the rations of the food which they were given in the time of
Nebuchadnezzar. He gave to each one of them one loaf of bread once in two days, and
diminished the quantity of water to be given to them. He also increased their labours, and
inflicted upon them grievous harm, and their number began to dwindle. After they had
numbered one hundred thousand thousand and eighty thousand thousand, nothing remained of
them but eighty thousand thousand.

57 Some Hebrew children, seventy in number, used to learn with Chaldean children. Among
them was a young boy called Ezra. His mother took him to the scribes while he was still
very young, not distinguishing good from evil. And the spirit of God was upon him. And the
children of the Hebrews and the children of the Chaldeans used to go every day and carry
water on their shoulders for their teachers. When they went one day to carry water, the
jar of Ezra fell down and broke. Then the children of the Chaldeans turned to the children
of the Hebrews and said to them: "Fie! O miserable, weak, and despicable ones!" And they
clapped their hands and said: "O Hebrews, you are weak people in whom there is no energy."
And they laughed at Ezra, who lifted his eyes towards heaven, sobbed, wept bitterly, and
said: "O my Lord, and God Omnipotent, turn towards us and have mercy upon us for the sake
of Abraham Thy beloved, and Isaac Thy servant, and Israel Thy holy one. Do not forget the
covenant that Thou hast established with Thy servants our fathers, and do not remove from
us Thy face and Thy mercy. We are hated by all nations, and despised and rejected in this
nation. Now, O Lord, look upon us, and show us mercy from Thyself. We have sinned before
Thee, but Thou art forgiving and merciful, O Lord. Thou forgivest sins and Thou desirest
not the death of sinners."

58 When Ezra finished his prayer, he took off his mantle and went into the sea, and filled
it with water as if it were a jar; then he placed it on his shoulder and walked with his
fellow-students, and not a single drop fell from it. When he reached the scribes, he began
to sprinkle the place with water from his mantle; then he put it on immediately, and it
was as dry as before. When the teacher saw him, he rose up and bowed down to the ground
before him and said: "Verily I say unto thee, O Ezra, my child, it is thou who shalt
deliver thy people from captivity." And Ezra was growing every day in grace before God,
and men, he and the other children of the Hebrews. A few days later the children wished to
go out to draw water as was their wont. The children of the Chaldeans went out and said to
one another: "Let us separate ourselves from the children of the Hebrews, and not have any
intercourse with them, and not eat and drink with them, because they do not worship our
gods." And they seceded from them, beat them, sneered at them and insulted their God. When
Ezra saw what had happened, he wept over his companions and implored God to help them.
Then he struck a rock with his feet, and water sprang from it like a sea, and it increased
in volume until it reached the feet of the Chaldeans as if to drown them. The teacher rose
up instantly and knelt down before Ezra and kissed his hands and his feet and said to him:
"What is there between thee and these dogs? Dost thou wish to destroy all the town because
of them?

59 Then Ezra had pity on his teacher, when he noticed his weeping, and he repaired to the
spot where the rock was found and laid his foot on it and said: "O earth, open thy mouth
and swallow this water, because the Lord has said, 'No second flood of water shall come
unto the earth, but that fire shall come which will consume the earth to its foundations
and purify it, in the last day." The earth opened then its mouth at once and swallowed all
the water. And Ezra rose up and took all the children of the Hebrews, and removed them
from the school of the Chaldeans. After all this King Cyrus summoned the people of the
Hebrews before him, and said to them: "Bring me all your harps through which you praise
your God, and play them before me." And they said to King Cyrus: "We fear to play them in
a strange land, because our God does not wish it." And Cyrus said to them: "As you praised
your God in Jerusalem so do here." And they answered him saying: "The sons of Levi whom
God has chosen take precedence of us and play the harps." And King Cyrus summoned the
tribe of Levi before all the Hebrews and ordered that they should begin and sing to the
accompaniment of the harps. They came before them and played the harp, and while shouting
in unison they clapped their hands and beat the earth with their feet. Then the ground
lifted immediately those who were standing on it, and mounted upwards, as if to cause the
children of Israel to descend upon their own land, and their voices were heard that day in
Jerusalem.

60 The Chaldeans feared then and became disturbed, and a cloud came down from heaven, and
overshadowed the temple in Jerusalem. All those who were in Jerusalem ascertained in that
day that the Lord had mercy upon the people of Israel, and that He was willing to deliver
them from captivity. When Cyrus, king of the Chaldeans, noticed what had happened through
the play on the harps, he feared greatly and said to the Hebrews: "Do not move the strings
of your harps with your hands as long as you are in these countries, until you go to your
own countries and praise your God in the town of Jerusalem." When the seventy years of the
captivity had elapsed, there were three young men: Ezra son of Yaratha, and Daniel son of
Betariah, and Ezekiel son of Buzi, to whom God spoke, and who prophesied in Babylon. They
said to one another: " Let us take a lamb and go out to the desert and there offer a
sacrifice to the God of Israel, as our fathers were wont to do, for the remission of their
sins, and God used to send down to them from heaven a rod of fire and receive their
sacrifices after they had offered them. Let us go and do the same because the grace of God
and His mercy have perhaps come near us, and the Lord will send His angel to receive our
sacrifice from us." And they did this.

61 Then Ezra took wood of nard, wood of styrax, and wood of ebony, in all three varieties
of wood, placed a ram on the wood, turned his face towards the sunrise, and looked towards
Jerusalem, and prayed to God of Israel, saying: " O Lord God of our pious fathers, the One
and Eternal God, who heard Abel, the first murdered man, and took his revenge from his
brother Cain; who created the image of Seth beforehand according to His own image, and
removed from him the power of darkness; who caused Enoch to ascend to heaven with his body
on account of the purity of his heart, and taught him the secrets of heaven and what is to
take place at the end of the world; who delivered Noah because of his justice, and granted
to him the power of Adam before his fall and made him the lord of everything which is
under heaven: I pray Thee and beseech Thee, O Lord, O Omnipotent God, to hear my
supplication and listen to my prayer, and to my tears. Remember the covenant which Thou
hast made with our father Abraham when Thou saidst to him, 'If thy sons keep My covenant,
I will destroy their enemies.' Now, O Lord, I implore Thee to visit Thy servants, who are
ready to die for Thy holy name. Listen to us to-day from the height of Thy heaven, and
receive our sacrifice, smell its odour, and show pity and forgiveness to Thy people."

62 When Ezra finished his prayer with his brethren who were with him, their supplication
reached the throne of the Lord, and their words penetrated the hearing of the Lord
Sabaoth, who sent His angel, in the figure of a man, to take up their offerings to the
Lord. Michael, the head of the angels, came down from heaven, and stood on their altar,
and burned the wood and the lamb with a rod of fire that he held in his hand, and after
the fire had consumed everything that was there, he ascended to heaven. He stood up in the
air, looked at the three young men, and blessed them with the heavenly blessing, and then
heaven opened and received him. 63 As to the prophet Jeremiah he went while wearing
sackcloth to King Cyrus. He further interceded with the Lord in favour of the people, and
while standing in prayer before the Lord, he said: "O Lord, O Lord, O God of my spirit and
of my body, listen now to the supplication of Thy servant on behalf of the tribulations of
this people against whom the days of Thy wrath have ended. Fulfil (Thy promise about) the
appointed time that Thou hast decreed for the deliverance of Thy people." And the Lord
summoned the angel Michael saying: "Make haste and go down to the land of the Chaldeans,
and save the people and take them out of their captivity. If the inhabitants of Babylon
impede them, I shall make heaven stick to the earth and I shall cause My wrath to dwell in
them until they allow them to go from under their hands. Go also to the prophet Jeremiah,
My elected one, and impart this news to him; take him to the king of Babylon, and deliver
the people from him. If the king of the Chaldeans impedes them I shall destroy him with
his people as I destroyed Pharaoh in the times of yore with the Egyptians who were with
him, and all his chariots."

64 While the prophet Jeremiah was in the sepulchral vault weeping over the sins of the
people, lo! the angel Michael came to him and said to him: "Peace be with you, O elected
prophet of God. Grow cheerful because it is time for cheerfulness." And the prophet
Jeremiah looked at Michael, the angel of God, and said to him: "Here I am, O angel of the
Lord. I recognised thy greeting, and thy words have strengthened my bones. Where wast thou
that thou didst not appear to me till this day in which I am in great trouble with this
people, like a father with his children?" And the angel said to the prophet Jeremiah:
"Here I am to-day before you in order to deliver your people, because I have been sent by
God for this purpose, on account of your prayer which has been accepted. Thus says the
Lord whom I serve, 'I have mercy on this people and I wish to send them back to their land
and their country in order that they may serve Me there. If the kings of Babylon do not
allow them to go, I shall wax angry with them and destroy their land, in order to force
them to send them back, and if in spite of this they refuse I shall do with them what I
did with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.'"

65 After the angel Michael had said this to the prophet Jeremiah, he addressed him thus:
"You remain here until I go and summon all the people to you." And the angel Michael went
out and took the form of a Hebrew man, and assembled all the people of Israel in one place
as if they were one man, and he repaired to those who were making bricks and clay and said
to them: "You have worked sufficiently; go now to your father Jeremiah, because the Lord
has saved you from this toil." And he went to those who were hewing wood and drawing
water, and said the same thing to them. And he went to town to those women who were
weaving wool, and he said to them: "You have had enough work and toil; the Lord has saved
you from your work, and given you deliverance. Come on and go to your father Jeremiah."
And none was left, but all gathered together. The angel Michael gathered them all together
with the prophet Jeremiah, and all went to King Cyrus and to the first general of the
Chaldeans. And Jeremiah said to Cyrus and to Emesis his first general. "Listen to the
words of the Lord, God of Israel." And he began to repeat to them the words uttered to him
by the angel Michael. And Cyrus and Emesis said to the prophet Jeremiah: "And who is the
God of Israel? You, O Hebrews, return to your work, and throw such words away from you."
And the king ordered the prophet Jeremiah to be flogged before them; and this was done in
a cruel way. And King Cyrus and Emesis went then out of the palace, and ordered the
superintendents of the work of the Hebrews to strike the latter and torment them until
they did their duty. And Cyrus and Emesis rode and went out themselves in order to torment
the Hebrews.

66 In that very hour a cloud and mist appeared, the earth shook, a big earthquake
occurred, wind became fierce, the sun suffered eclipse in the middle of the day, and
darkness covered the earth. The inhabitants of the earth mixed pell-mell, horsemen with
the crowds, and the feet of the horses that were ridden sunk deep into the earth like
pegs; until all the Chaldeans cried to King Cyrus and to Emesis and said to them: "Is not
this sufficient for you? Do you wish the Lord to do with us as He did with the Amorites?"
As to King Cyrus he fell from his horse and his backbone broke; likewise the first general
Emesis fell and his right arm broke to the elbow-joint. Then the two cried: "O God of
Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Israel, God of the Hebrews, have pity on us; we have
sinned against Thee, because we have not allowed Thy people to get out of our land. We
pray Thee and beseech Thee, O Lord, to have mercy upon us and not to punish us for our
sins. Pity us and heal us, and we shall let them go to their land in joy and peace." And
the prophet Jeremiah had pity on them when he heard their words and their sobs, and he
approached King Cyrus and raised him up from the ground and healed his bone which was
broken; he did likewise heal the arm of the first general of the Chaldeans.

67 When the Lord noticed that their hearts had turned away from that on which they were
bent, He gave orders and the earth and all the inhabited globe became quiet, and the sun
shone on the surface of the earth. Then King Cyrus and Emesis summoned the Hebrews,
reckoned their working days, and paid them their wages in full, and gave them much gold
and silver. The king helped then the prophet Jeremiah to mount his own steed, and clothed
him in royal garments, and placed his crown upon his head, and delivered to him many
horses, mules, and camels, laden with provisions for the journey. He further wrote letters
to all the land of the Chaldeans ordering (its inhabitants) to welcome the prophet
Jeremiah and his people (when they passed by them), and wish them Godspeed in joy and
merriment, and to honour them and render service to them until they left them. And the
king presented also the prophet Jeremiah with twelve slaves.

68 And the prophet Jeremiah left the towns of the Chaldeans with all the people of the
Hebrews. The number of the Hebrews who went out of Babylon was eighty thousand thousand;
they had thus diminished by a hundred thousand thousand during their stay in captivity.
When they left Babylon they began with prayers and supplications, saying: "Rise, rise, O
Jerusalem, and rejoice, and wear thy diadem in joy and gladness, because thy children who
had left thee with tears, fear, and sadness, have come to thee with joy, and jubilation."
And the prophet Jeremiah went out to his land in joy and gladness, and all the towns of
the Chaldeans honoured him, and horsemen were riding before him up to Jerusalem in order
to praise it and to honour it with the people; and in this state they reached Jerusalem.
As to the servant Abimelech, he awoke from his sleep and went out of the place in which he
was sleeping, and the stone that was over him moved away. He looked at the basket of
grapes, figs, and other fruits and saw that their dust was still on them, and noticed that
the green foliage with which they were covered had become longer and broader. And
Abimelech said to himself: "I have not overslept and my head is still heavy with sleep; I
shall get some more rest and rise up and go to town, because it is time for me to take
some food to the prophet Jeremiah, my blessed father, who is in prison."

69 When Abimelech awoke from his sleep, exactly seventy years had elapsed. He carried the
basket of grapes, figs, and other fruits, which were as fresh as when they were picked,
and entered Jerusalem. When he saw that its rampart was demolished and the town itself
destroyed, and when he noticed that vines and fig-trees were just showing their buds, the
palm-trees their spadices, and the sycamore trees their sprouts, he was amazed and
bewildered. When he went inside the town and noticed that its streets had changed and its
walls had either altered or were demolished, and that the destroyed buildings in it were
reconstructed, and the reconstructed buildings in it destroyed, and when he did not find
in it anyone whom he could recognise, his mind became confused, and he stood and said: "O
my Lord and my God, what is this delusion that has overtaken me?" 70 Then he saw an old
man collecting firewood, and he went to him, and the old man said to him: "What can I do
for my son?" And he said to him: "What did King Zedekiah do to-day with my father, the
prophet Jeremiah? Did he free him from the dungeon?" And the old man said to him: "What
are these words you are uttering, my son? Who is Zedekiah, and who is Jeremiah? Seventy
years have elapsed this day from the day in which Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem, and
carried the people into captivity to Babylon, and the prophet Jeremiah was among them."
And Abimelech said to him: "Had you not been an old man I would have said to you that you
were mad. I went a little while ago to the garden of my master and brought him fruits, but
my eyes being somewhat heavy, I slept for a short time. Is it in this short time that the
people were carried into captivity? Is it possible that darkness has overtaken them and
covered them? Or that the moon has swallowed them that I am unable to see any of them?"

71 The old man answered then and said: "You are truly a holy man, and God spared you the
sight of the destruction of Jerusalem, the great tribulations of the road and the
subjection to Nebuchadnezzar. He has brought down sleep upon you in order that you may see
Jerusalem reconstructed as in the days of her glory. If you wish to ascertain the truth of
my words: this is the first day in which the prophet Jeremiah arrived accompanied by all
the people; this should be a proof for you that Jerusalem has returned to its former
state. You are truly a holy man of the Lord, who had pity on you and granted you rest for
seventy years, until the people came back to their place. O my son, these grapes and figs
which are with you, the present time is not their season. Look, my son—and you are a holy
man of God—look at the trees, how they are at this time of year, and know that this is not
the time for grapes and other fruits.

72 This month is the month of April, and this day is the first day in which the prophet
Jeremiah reached Jerusalem, after a stay of seventy years in captivity. The words that you
have uttered square with one another. Lo, the people are coming now and with them branches
of palm-trees, and holding in their hands twigs of aromatic bushes and olive-trees." Then
Abimelech saw the prophet Jeremiah riding the horse of the king and shining like the sun,
and he hastened to him and bowed down before him. When Jeremiah saw him he dismounted from
his horse, embraced him, cried aloud to him and said: "Be welcome, be welcome, O my
beloved Abimelech! Look at the honour that God bestowed on you. He does this to anyone who
is merciful and charitable to his fellow-creatures. You had pity on me in the day of my
tribulations, and the Lord has overshadowed you with His holy arm and placed you in a
refreshing sleep till you saw Jerusalem reconstructed and glorified for the second time.
You have not tasted of the food of subjection, nor have you borne the yoke of King
Nebuchadnezzar during the last seventy years which we spent in captivity and persecution.
God spared you this great hardship because of your charitable deeds. Let all those who
hear your story do acts of charity and mercy with everybody, and God will spare them all
trouble."

73 When Jeremiah finished his address to him, they all entered the town together. And
Abimelech did not cease to be held in honour by the prophet Jeremiah and by the rest of
the people all the time of his life. When the prophet Jeremiah entered the town he
glorified God with this canticle: "Rejoice, O Jerusalem! Arise and wear thy diadem. Thy
sons had gone out of thee with tears and sadness, and have now come to thee in joy and
jubilation. Let heaven rejoice and earth jubilate over the children of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, who have returned to their land. Let our fathers take their harps in their hands,
and sing before the Lord, because God has brought back again their children who had been
carried into captivity in which they had almost perished; Let Cherubim and Seraphim sing
and praise with us over the sons of Abraham, and let them rejoice over the children of
Israel who have returned again to their land and their country."

74 When Jeremiah entered the door of the Temple, he said to the door-post: "To thee I say,
O threshold of the house of God, bring out the keys which I had confided to thee." And it
immediately brought out the keys and delivered them to the prophet Jeremiah. And he opened
the door of the Temple and he went into it with all the people, and they worshipped before
the Lord. And he entered the Holy of Holies where he saw the lamp burning as if it was
fresh, and its light was shining, in the way in which he had left it, without diminution.
It was with it that he had searched Jerusalem to discover if there was in it a man in whom
there was mercy, and he did not find any. All of them worshipped God saying: "Holy, holy,
holy! Thou art, O Lord, a just Lord, in all Thy actions, and Thou hast done everything
with wisdom. Thou didst with us all this in order to punish us in the measure of our sins,
and Thou hast requited us in proportion with our iniquities."

75 The prophet Jeremiah called the sons of Aaron and said to them: "Arise now and offer
sacrifices to the Lord, and be pure according to the prescriptions of your priesthood."
And he also went up to the terrace of the house of the Lord, and he stood on the corner-
stone, and said: "To thee I say, O stone, Open thy mouth and bring out thy trust: the
garment of the High Priest, because we are in need of it." And it brought out the garment,
and Jeremiah handed it to the High Priest. And after that he went out before the sun, and
said to it: "To thee, I say, O sun, the great luminary of heaven, bring out the mitre
which I confided to thee and on which is the name of the Lord, the Holy One, because the
Lord had mercy on His people, and we are in need of it for the service of the altar." Then
the prophet Jeremiah stretched his hand towards the rays of the sun and the mitre came
down from it, and he handed it to the High Priest. And he handed also to the High Priest
the rest of the vestments of the house of the Lord which he had taken with him to Babylon.

76 [And the head of the priests who came with them from captivity wore the priestly robe,
the garment and the mitre on which was written the name of the Lord, and the prophet
Jeremiah put on the garment of the prophetic office—which God had ordered him to remove
from him when he went into captivity and place in the Temple until his return from the
deportation to Babylon—and approached the sanctuary of the Lord. The latter was filled
with the glory of God, which spread over all the Temple and the people, and the glory of
the Lord increased upon them with His mercy. And the God of Israel dwelt among them with
the Cherubim and Seraphim]. As to the sons of Aaron they performed their duty, each one
according to his own rank and order, and shouted with their horns, and offered sacrifices,
and the glory of the Lord descended and filled all the house. And the fire came down from
heaven and consumed the holocaust. All the people observed as a feast the twenty-fifth day
of April and glorified the Lord with great joy."

77 Here as above (p. 173) it is very difficult to ascertain what was in the author's mind
in using such terms as tailasan, kalansuah, izar, mandil, and rida. 2 M. "And Jeremiah
spread his mantle and the mitre fell in it." 3 Read al-lati. Here again P. writes
"Cherubim" with an initial shin, which denotes an Egyptian origin. All this paragraph
between brackets is missing in M. P. adds "and harps. In Arabic hamalū "they lifted" which
denotes the Syriac assek meaning "to lift" and "to offer sacrifice. (See above p. 180.
Here again M. has the Hebrew-Syriac Nisān and P. the Coptic Barmudah which indicates its
Egyptian origin. 9 Mingana 240 ends here with the following colophon: "Glory, praise,
honour, and worship be to the Lord of hosts for ever and ever, Amen! Here [And the prophet
Jeremiah worshipped before the Lord and said: " Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel, and
blessed be His name for ever and ever. He remembered His holy covenant and His oath to our
father Abraham that his seed will last for ever. He looked from the heights of heaven upon
His people and the heirs of His inheritance, He saw their grief and the sobbing of their
hearts, delivered them with His mighty arm and powerful hand, and brought them back to His
holy Temple.

78 To Him be glory, honour, majesty, and power, because He is the God of Israel, who
destroyed His enemies who turned their hearts away from His service, and sacrificed to the
idol of Baal, and worshipped it instead of God, their Lord, and offered incense to gods
made with hands, and offered the blood of infants to the stars of heaven and to demons,
and impeded them from walking in the way of God, their Lord. For this reason God delivered
them to their enemies in order that they may wreak vengeance upon them. They uprooted
their memory from the earth, and destroyed their seed from among the children of Israel,
His people." 79 [Then the prophet Jeremiah arose and turned his face towards the people,
and congratulated them on their safety and beautiful deliverance. He blessed them and made
a covenant with them that they shall not relinquish the service of God, their Lord, and
worship the idol of Baal for a second time. And they offered in that day numerous
sacrifices, burnt-offerings, holocausts, and they rejoiced greatly in the house of the
Lord, and thanked God immensely, and glorified His name, saying: " Blessed be the name of
the Lord, God of Israel, who visited and delivered His people, and saved them from the
hardships of the Chaldeans; who took them out of Babylon and ends the story of the
children of Israel and glory be to the Lord of lords, and King of kings, for evermore,
Amen! And praise be to the Lord of the worlds, Amen! Here ends the story of the
deportation of the children of Israel from Jerusalem into Babylon. May God have pity on
the weak scribe, on the reader and the pious hearers. Amen! Amen! Amen!"

80 I give in the lines above between brackets the translation of the end of the story in
the Paris MS. This end seems to be a later addition and is much under the influence of the
Gospel of St. Luke i. 67-73. brought them to His land and His inheritance, which He
granted to them; who returned to them their kingdom, prophecy, and priesthood; who did not
allow His wrath to dwell with them for ever, but had pity on them and delivered them."
[And the people did not cease to serve God with a good and perfect service, and with
offerings and sacrifices, in all the lifetime of the prophet Jeremiah. And glory, praise,
and thanks be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, now and for evermore, Amen!
[Here ends, by the assistance of the Holy Trinity, this great story of the deportation of
the children of Israel into Babylon. Remember, O Lord, Thy sinning servant, Cyriacus, who
is unworthy of the name of man, because of the great number of his sins. He copied this
from a bad MS., and he who finds in it a mistake and corrects it, God will forgive him his
sins, because its scribe is the weakest, the most imperfect, and the lowliest of all the
(men) of the world.]


SOURCES AND CREDITS
===================

Where each text comes from, and the licence under which it may be reused.

THE PSALMS OF SOLOMON (GREEK VERSION) English translation by G. B. Gray, from The
Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English , edited by R. H. Charles,
volume 2 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913); public domain. The text was read by machine
(Mistral OCR) from a scan of the 1913 edition at the Internet Archive and has not been
proofread against the printed book. SermonIndex has removed running heads and page
numbers, joined words split across lines, and divided the text into chapters and short
sections; the wording is the translator’s own. Footnotes and the editor’s introduction are
left out. Charles’s introduction to the book, the headings and summaries he added, his
notes and the record of the manuscript readings at the foot of the page, and the Greek,
Hebrew and Latin words quoted in them are also left out, and so are the Greek
superscriptions and the musical terms in the margin. Where the OCR lost the number of a
verse in the middle of a line, the verse is left joined to the one before. No modern
English version has been made. Licence. The translation was published in 1913 and is in
the public domain. Licence: Public domain.

THE PSALMS OF SOLOMON (SYRIAC VERSION) English translation by J. Rendel Harris and
Alphonse Mingana, from The Odes and Psalms of Solomon , volume 2: the translation, with
introduction and notes, by J. Rendel Harris and Alphonse Mingana (Manchester: The
University Press, 1920); public domain. The text was read by machine (Mistral OCR) from a
scan of the 1920 edition at the Internet Archive and has not been proofread against the
printed book. SermonIndex has removed running heads and page numbers, joined words split
across lines, and divided the text into chapters and short sections; the wording is the
translator’s own. Footnotes and the editor’s introduction are left out. The editors’
introduction and the indexes are also left out. The psalms are numbered as in the Syriac
manuscript, which continues the numbering of the Odes of Solomon (43 to 60). No modern
English version has been made. Licence. The translation was published in 1920 and is in
the public domain. Licence: Public domain.

THE ODES OF SOLOMON English translation by J. Rendel Harris and Alphonse Mingana, from The
Odes and Psalms of Solomon, volume 2: the translation, with introduction and notes
(Manchester: The University Press, 1920); public domain. The text was read by machine
(OCR) from a scan of the book and has not been proofread against the printed pages.
SermonIndex has removed page numbers and divided the text into sections; the wording is
the translators’ own. The editors’ long notes and the Syriac text are left out, so that
only the Odes themselves are printed, and a few brief editorial brackets remain. Licence:
Public domain.

SOME APOCRYPHAL PSALMS IN SYRIAC English translation by William Wright, in the Proceedings
of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, vol. 9 (1886–7); public domain. The text was
transcribed for Roger Pearse’s collection Early Church Fathers – Additional Texts
(tertullian.org/fathers). SermonIndex has removed the page numbers and the footnotes and
divided the text into sections; the wording is the translator’s own. Licence: Public
domain.

SOME UNCANONICAL PSALMS English translation by Alphonse Mingana, from Woodbrooke Studies:
Christian documents in Syriac, Arabic and Garshūni , edited and translated by A. Mingana,
with introductions by Rendel Harris, volume 1 (Cambridge: W. Heffer & Sons, 1927); public
domain. The text was read by machine (Mistral OCR) from a scan of the 1927 volume at the
Internet Archive and has not been proofread against the printed book. SermonIndex has
removed running heads and page numbers, joined words split across lines, and divided the
text into chapters and short sections; the wording is the translator’s own. Footnotes and
the editor’s introduction are left out. Rendel Harris’s introduction and the Syriac text
in facsimile are also left out. No modern English version has been made. Licence. The
translation was published in 1927 and is in the public domain. Licence: Public domain.

THE STORY OF AHIKAR (SYRIAC VERSION) English translation by J. Rendel Harris, A. S. Lewis
and F. C. Conybeare, from The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English
, edited by R. H. Charles, volume 2 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913); public domain. The
text was read by machine (Mistral OCR) from a scan of the 1913 edition at the Internet
Archive and has not been proofread against the printed book. SermonIndex has removed
running heads and page numbers, joined words split across lines, and divided the text into
chapters and short sections; the wording is the translator’s own. Footnotes and the
editor’s introduction are left out. Charles’s introduction to the book, the headings and
summaries he added, his notes and the record of the manuscript readings at the foot of the
page, and the Greek, Hebrew and Latin words quoted in them are also left out. The second
Syriac text (version B), which is fragmentary and is printed under the first, the Armenian
version, which is printed in a third column and has no numbering of its own, and the
Ethiopic, Greek and Slavonic pieces that follow are also left out; the Arabic version is
given separately. The passage that begins chapter 8 is missing from the scan, and verse 1
of that chapter is therefore lacking. No modern English version has been made. Licence.
The translation was published in 1913 and is in the public domain. Licence: Public domain.

THE STORY OF AHIKAR (ARABIC VERSION) English translation by J. Rendel Harris, A. S. Lewis
and F. C. Conybeare, from The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English
, edited by R. H. Charles, volume 2 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913); public domain. The
text was read by machine (Mistral OCR) from a scan of the 1913 edition at the Internet
Archive and has not been proofread against the printed book. SermonIndex has removed
running heads and page numbers, joined words split across lines, and divided the text into
chapters and short sections; the wording is the translator’s own. Footnotes and the
editor’s introduction are left out. Charles’s introduction to the book, the headings and
summaries he added, his notes and the record of the manuscript readings at the foot of the
page, and the Greek, Hebrew and Latin words quoted in them are also left out. The Syriac
versions, the Armenian version, which is printed in a third column and has no numbering of
its own, and the Ethiopic, Greek and Slavonic pieces that follow are also left out; the
Syriac version A is given separately. The beginning of chapter 8 is missing from the scan,
and verse 1 of that chapter is therefore lacking. No modern English version has been made.
Licence. The translation was published in 1913 and is in the public domain. Licence:
Public domain.

THE LETTER OF ARISTEAS English translation by H. T. Andrews, from The Apocrypha and
Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English , edited by R. H. Charles, volume 2
(Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913); public domain. The text was read by machine (Mistral OCR)
from a scan of the 1913 edition at the Internet Archive and has not been proofread against
the printed book. SermonIndex has removed running heads and page numbers, joined words
split across lines, and divided the text into chapters and short sections; the wording is
the translator’s own. Footnotes and the editor’s introduction are left out. The editor’s
long introduction, his notes at the foot of the page, the Greek words and the record of
the manuscript readings are also left out, and so are the daggers that mark passages he
thought corrupt. The section numbers are those printed in the margin; where the OCR lost
one, the section is left unnumbered. The text is divided into seven parts for reading
only; the letter itself has no such divisions. No modern English version has been made.
Licence. The translation was published in 1913 and is in the public domain. Licence:
Public domain.

THE FOURTH BOOK OF MACCABEES English translation by R. B. Townshend, from The Apocrypha
and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English , edited by R. H. Charles, volume 2
(Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913); public domain. The text was read by machine (Mistral OCR)
from a scan of the 1913 edition at the Internet Archive and has not been proofread against
the printed book. SermonIndex has removed running heads and page numbers, joined words
split across lines, and divided the text into chapters and short sections; the wording is
the translator’s own. Footnotes and the editor’s introduction are left out. Charles’s
introduction to the book, the headings and summaries he added, his notes and the record of
the manuscript readings at the foot of the page, and the Greek, Hebrew and Latin words
quoted in them are also left out. The verse numbers are also left out, because in this
scan most of them are missing or are run into the text, so that the chapter and verse
could not be told apart; only the chapter divisions are kept. No modern English version
has been made. Licence. The translation was published in 1913 and is in the public domain.
Licence: Public domain.

PIRKE ABOTH, THE SAYINGS OF THE FATHERS English translation by R. T. Herford, from The
Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English , edited by R. H. Charles,
volume 2 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913); public domain. The text was read by machine
(Mistral OCR) from a scan of the 1913 edition at the Internet Archive and has not been
proofread against the printed book. SermonIndex has removed running heads and page
numbers, joined words split across lines, and divided the text into chapters and short
sections; the wording is the translator’s own. Footnotes and the editor’s introduction are
left out. Charles’s introduction to the book, the headings and summaries he added, his
notes and the record of the manuscript readings at the foot of the page, and the Greek,
Hebrew and Latin words quoted in them are also left out, and so are the later comment
printed with it in the notes and the margin references to the Bible, which the OCR had run
into the text. The later insertions that Herford put in square brackets are kept. No
modern English version has been made. Licence. The translation was published in 1913 and
is in the public domain. Licence: Public domain.

THE BIBLICAL ANTIQUITIES OF PHILO English translation by M. R. James, from The Biblical
Antiquities of Philo , now first translated from the Old Latin version by M. R. James
(London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge; New York: The Macmillan Company, 1917;
Translations of Early Documents , Series I: Palestinian-Jewish Texts, Pre-Rabbinic);
public domain. The text was read by machine (Mistral OCR) from a scan of the 1917 edition
from the University of California library at the Internet Archive and has not been
proofread against the printed book. SermonIndex has removed running heads and page
numbers, joined words split across lines, and divided the text into chapters and short
sections; the wording is the translator’s own. Footnotes and the editor’s introduction are
left out. James’s long introduction, his notes at the foot of the page, the margin
references to the Bible, the two appendices on the Latin readings and vocabulary, and the
index are also left out. No modern English version has been made. Licence. The translation
was published in 1917 and is in the public domain. Licence: Public domain.

THE SIBYLLINE ORACLES English translation by Milton S. Terry, from The Sibylline Oracles,
translated from the Greek into English blank verse , by Milton S. Terry (New York: Hunt &
Eaton, 1890); public domain. The text was read by machine (Mistral OCR) from a scan of the
1890 edition from the University of Toronto library at the Internet Archive and has not
been proofread against the printed book. SermonIndex has removed running heads and page
numbers, joined words split across lines, and divided the text into chapters and short
sections; the wording is the translator’s own. Footnotes and the editor’s introduction are
left out. Terry’s preface and introduction, the anonymous preface of the manuscripts, the
summaries of the books, his notes at the foot of the pages, the references to the Greek
lines and the index are also left out. The line numbers are Terry’s, shown in square
brackets before every fifth line (and before the first line of each book), and a slash
marks the end of a line of verse. No modern English version has been made. Licence. The
translation was published in 1890 and is in the public domain. Licence: Public domain.

A JEREMIAH APOCRYPHON English translation by Alphonse Mingana, from Woodbrooke Studies:
Christian documents in Syriac, Arabic and Garshūni , edited and translated by A. Mingana,
with introductions by Rendel Harris, volume 1 (Cambridge: W. Heffer & Sons, 1927); public
domain. The text was read by machine (Mistral OCR) from a scan of the 1927 volume at the
Internet Archive and has not been proofread against the printed book. SermonIndex has
removed running heads and page numbers, joined words split across lines, and divided the
text into chapters and short sections; the wording is the translator’s own. Footnotes and
the editor’s introduction are left out. Rendel Harris’s introduction and the Syriac text
in facsimile are also left out. No modern English version has been made. Licence. The
translation was published in 1927 and is in the public domain. Licence: Public domain.