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THE APOCRYPHA 
 
mY9r)iYJ 
 
THE 
 
 APOCRYPHA E^'^" 
 
 TRANSLATED OUT OF THE 
 
 GREEK AND LATIN TONGUES 
 
 BEING THE VERSION SET FORTH A. D. 1611 
 COMPARED WITH THE MOST ANCIENT AUTHORITIES AND REVISED 
 
 A. D. 1894 
 
 
 33 EAST 17™ STREET (UNION SQUARE) 
 NEW YORK 
 
 Mit ion 8vo 
 

 Electrotspeti anfi IPrinteb at 
 
THE NAMES AND ORDER 
 
 BOOKS CALLED APOCRYPHA. 
 
 Page 
 
 I. ESDRAS 1 
 
 n. ESDRAS 14 
 
 TOBIT 38 
 
 Judith 46 
 
 The rest of Esther 58 
 
 The Wisdom of Solomon .... 61 
 
 EcCIiBSIASTICUS 78 
 
 Page 
 
 Baruch, with the Epistle of 
 
 Jeremiah 120 
 
 The Song of the Three Holy 
 
 Children 125 
 
 The History of Susanna .... 127 
 
 Bel and the Dragon 129 
 
 The Prayer of Manasses .... 130 
 
 I. Maccabees 131 
 
 II. Maccabees 157 
 
 421894 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The Version of the Apocrypha which is here presented to the Reader forms 
 the last portion of the Revision of the Authorised Version of 1611. 
 
 The present work, owing to various circumstances, has been somewhat long 
 delayed. It will be found, however, to have been executed carefully and faith- 
 fully, though it was of necessity intrusted to small Committees formed out of the 
 two Companies of Revisers. 
 
 The Revision of the Authorised Version of the Apocrypha was included in the 
 arrangement between the Companies and the Representatives of the Presses of 
 Oxford and Cambridge, and was to be proceeded with as soon as the other and 
 greater portions of the work were concluded. No division of labour in regard to 
 the Apocrypha was formally made between the two Companies, but as it 
 appeared clearly desii-able that there shotdd be no unnecessary delay in the 
 revision, there was an understanding between the Companies that the New 
 Testament Company should commence the work as soon as the Revision of the 
 Authorised Version of the New Testament was completed and published. For 
 this, preparation was made by the New Testament Company as their work was 
 drawing to its close, and in the following manner. 
 
 It was resolved (March 21, 1879) that, after the conclusion of the Revision of 
 the Authorised Version of the New Testament, the Company should be divided 
 into three Committees, to be called the London, Westminster, and Cambridge 
 Committees, for the purpose of beginning the Revision of the Apocrypha. 
 
 The London Committee was to consist of the following members: — The 
 Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol (Dr. Ellicott), the Bishop of Salisbury (Dr. 
 Moberly), the Bishop of St. Andrews (Dr. Wordsworth), the Dean of Rochester 
 (Dr. Scott), the Dean of Lichfield (Dr. Bickersteth), the Master of the Temple 
 (Dr. Vaughau), Rev. Principal Angus, and Rev. Prebendary Humphry. This 
 Committee was to take the Book of Ecclesiasticus. 
 
 The Westminster Committee was to consist of the following members: — 
 The Archbishop of Dublin (Dr. Trench), the Dean of Westminster (Dr. Stanley), 
 the Archdeacon of Dublin (Dr. Lee), the Archdeacon of Oxford (Dr. Palmer), 
 Rev. Dr. Scrivener, Rev. Principal Brown, Rev. Principal Newth, and Rev. Dr. 
 Vance Smith. This Committee was to take the First Book of Maccabees. The 
 Books of Tobit and Judith were afterwards, by special arrangement with the 
 Old Testament Company, undertaken by this Committee. 
 
 The Cambridge Committee was to consist of the following members : — The 
 Bishop of Durham (Dr. Lightfoot), the Dean of Lincoln (Mr. Blakesley), Rev. 
 Professor Hort, Rev. Professor Kennedy, Rev. Professor Westcott, Rev. Dr. 
 Milligan, Rev. Dr. Moulton, and Rev. Dr. Roberts. This Committee was to take 
 the Book of Wisdom and the Second Book of Maccabees. 
 
 In connexion with the foregoing resolution it was resolved at the final meeting 
 of the Company, on Thursday, November 11, 1880 : — (1) that the decisions bS 
 arrived at by simple majorities ; (2) that the successive portions of the work 
 when printed be forwarded to the members of the other two Committees. A 
 third resolution was passed constituting the Rev. Dr. Troutbeck the General 
 Secretary of the three Committees, and, as such, responsible for the printing of 
 the portions of the work as they were finished; but the latter part of this 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 resolution was modified, and the whole of the printing was carried on at the 
 University Press, Oxford. 
 
 The London Committee, to which the Revision of the Authorised Version of 
 the Book of Ecclesiasticus was intrusted, commenced their labours on May 11, 
 1881, and completed their first revision of the Version on July 20, 1882, and their 
 second and final revision on May 25, 1883. The breaking up of the text of the 
 Version into parallelisms was undertaken at a later period. Of the members of 
 the Committee, two, the Bishops of Salisbury and St. Andrews, found themselves 
 unable through age and distance from London to attend the meetings. The 
 attendance of the remainder was such that there were rarely less than four 
 present. Whenever the number fell below this, all debateable points were 
 reserved for fuller meetings. Considerable attention was paid to the text ; but 
 the materials available for correcting it were but scanty. In regard to the 
 revision of the Version, especial care was taken to preserve the general tone of 
 the Authorised Version, and to maintain the somewhat greater freedom of ren- 
 dering which characterizes the translation of the Apocrypha when compared with 
 the translation of the Old or of the New Testament. 
 
 The Westminster Committee completed their first revision of the First Book 
 of Maccabees on July 5, their second revision on November 3, 1881. Their first 
 revision of the Books of Judith and Tobit was completed on July 6, their second 
 revision on October 11, 1882. With regard to the Greek text they derived great 
 assistance from Dr. Scrivener, but the number of places in which it was thought 
 right to abandon readings that seemed to be represented in the Authorised Ver- 
 sion was not large. The English Version was found to require much care. In 
 the First Book of Maccabees, for example, a well-known peculiarity of the writer 
 had been obliterated by the repeated introduction, with or without the use of 
 italics, of the words ' God ' and ' the Lord,' which never occur in the best Greek 
 text. Archbishop Trench worked with the Committee until they were close to 
 the end of the First Book of Maccabees. Dean Stanley also attended up to 
 about the same time : Principal Brown did not take any part in the work. 
 
 Of the members of the Cambridge Committee the Bishop of Durham (Dr. 
 Lightfoot), the Dean of Lincoln (Mr. Blakesley), and Professor Kennedy were 
 compelled for various reasons to withdraw from the work of revision. Dr. 
 Roberts supplied notes on various parts of the two books. Dr. Hort, Dr. Moul- 
 ton and Dr. Westcott conducted the revision with this assistance at weekly meet- 
 ings during term time from March 3, 1881 to the spring of 1890, when Dr. 
 Westcott was removed to Durham. In the remainder of the work Dr. Westcott 
 took part by correspondence. The first revision of 2 Maccabees was completed 
 on May 20, 1885, and the final revision December 7, 1889. The first revision of 
 Wisdom was completed between May 20, 1885 and June 20, 1888 ; and the sec- 
 ond revision between November 23, 1889 and November 21, 1891. The singular 
 difficulty and importance of the Book of Wisdom led the revisers to review the 
 version a third time. The whole revision of the two books was substantially 
 completed before the summer of 1892. A few questions were reserved for later 
 decision. These were considered by Dr. Hort in the summer of that year, and, 
 with the help of his notes, finally determined by Dr. Westcott and Dr. Moulton. 
 
 After the revision of the Old Testament had been completed the Old Testa- 
 ment Company (July 9, 1884) passed the following resolution : — 
 
 'That the Dean of Peterborough (Dr. Perowne), Professor Lumby, Professor 
 Robertson Smith, Mr. Bensly, Mr. Cheyne, and the Secretary (Mr. Aldis 
 Wright) be a Committee to translate the remaining books of the Apocrypha, 
 and 
 
 That Dr. Field be invited to assist in the formation of the text.' 
 
 The Dean of Peterborough (Dr. Perowne), now Bishop of Worcester, and 
 Mr. (now Professor) Cheyne, found themselves unable to take part in the work, 
 and the Committee were deprived of the assistance of Dr. Field by his death in 
 April, 1885. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The Books of the Apocrypha which were left for them to revise were 1 and 2 
 Esdras, the additions to Esther, Baruch, the Song of the Three Holy Children, 
 the History of Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, and the Prayer of Manasses. 
 
 For the text of these portions, with the exception of 2 Esdras, they were 
 entirely dependent upon the inadequate materials already existing, and did not 
 therefore attempt any complete revision. But as the late Professor Bensly had 
 reconstructed the text of the Latin version of 2 Esdras from a full collation of 
 all the independent MSB. at present known, the Committee fully availed them- 
 selves of the results which he generously placed at their disposal. They were 
 thus able to incorporate the missing fragment, vii. 36-105, which was edited by 
 Professor Bensly with elaborate care, and published by the Cambridge University 
 Press (1875), and to make use of many improved readings which he proposed to 
 adopt in his critical edition. It is satisfactory to know that this work has been 
 left in a sufficiently forward state to admit of its being easily completed. 
 
 In regard to the language of the Revised Version the Committee followed the 
 general principles which were observed by the Old Testament Revision Company. 
 
 In the case of Proper Names it has not been found possible to secure uni- 
 formity of plan in the work of the four Committees. In some Books these names 
 appear in their familiar Old Testament forms, after the Hebrew ; whilst in others, 
 the forms of the Authorised Version are usually retained, or are but slightly 
 altered, in accordance with the Greek. Lists of the Greek readings — or, in 2 
 Esdras, the Latin readings — adopted by the Committees will shortly be pub- 
 lished. 
 
 Such is a brief account of the circumstances under which the present work 
 was executed. The Revisers conclude with the hope and the belief that it will 
 be found helpful to the student, and acceptable to the general reader of the 
 Apocrypha. 
 
 January, 1895. 
 
• •' • *• • 
 
 I. ESDRAS. 
 
 12 Kings 
 xxiii.21; 
 2Chr. 
 XXXV. 1, 
 &c. 
 
 « That is, 
 
 the Ne- 
 
 thinim. 
 
 See 
 
 Num. 
 
 Ui.9. 
 
 3 Jehiel, 
 2Chr. 
 XXXV. 8. 
 
 1 Akd 1 Josias held the passover in 
 Jerusalem unto his Lord, and offered 
 the passover the fourteenth day of the 
 
 2 first month; having set the priests 
 according to their daily courses, be- 
 ing arrayed in their vestments, in the 
 
 3 temple of the Lord. And he spake 
 unto the Levites, ^ the temple-servants 
 of Israel, that they should hallow 
 themselves unto the Lord, to set the 
 holy ark of the Lord in the house that 
 king Solomon the son of David had 
 
 4 built: and said. Ye shall no more 
 have need to bear it upon your shoul- 
 ders: now therefore serve the Lord 
 your God, and minister unto his peo- 
 ple Israel, and prepare you after your 
 
 5 fathers' houses and kindreds, accord- 
 ing to the writing of David king of 
 Israel, and according to the magnifi- 
 cence of Solomon his son : and stand- 
 ing in the holy place according to the 
 several divisions of the families of 
 you the Levites, who minister in the 
 presence of your brethren the children 
 
 6 of Israel, offer the passover in order, 
 and make ready the sacrifices for 
 your brethren, and keep the passover 
 according to the commandment of 
 the Lord, which was given unto Mo- 
 
 7 ses. And unto the people which were 
 present Josias gave thirty thousand 
 lambs and kids, and three thousand 
 calves: these things were given of 
 the king's substance, according as he 
 promised, to the people, and to the 
 
 8 priests and Levites. And Helkias,and 
 Zacharias, and ^ Esyelus, the rulers of 
 the temple, gave to the priests for the 
 passover two thousand and six hun- 
 dred sheep, and three hundred calves. 
 
 9 And Jeconias, and Samaias, and Na- 
 thanael his brother, and Sabias, and 
 Ochielus, and Joram, captains over 
 thousands, gave to the Levites for the 
 passover five thousand sheep, and 
 
 10 seven hundred calves. And when 
 these things were done, the priests 
 and Levites, having the unleavened 
 bread, stood in comely order accord- 
 
 11 ing to the kindreds, and according 
 to the several divisions by fathers' 
 houses, before the people, to offer to 
 the Lord, as it is written in the book 
 of Moses : and thus did they in the 
 
 12 morning. And they roasted the pass- 
 over with fire, as appertaineth : and 
 the sacrifices they sod in the brasen 
 vessels and caldrons with a good sa- 
 
 13 vour, and set them before all the peo- 
 ple : and afterward they prepared for 
 themselves, and for the priests their 
 
 14 brethren, the sons of Aaron. For the 
 priests offered the fat until night: 
 and the Levites prepared for them- 
 selves, and for the priests their bre- 
 
 15thren, the sons of Aaron. The holy 
 singers also, the sons of Asaph, were 
 in their order, according to the ap- 
 pointment of David, to wit, Asaph, 
 Zacharias, and Eddinus, who *was 
 
 16 of the king's retinue. Moreover the 
 porters were at every gate ; none had 
 need to depart from his daily course : 
 for their brethren the Levites pre- 
 
 1 7 pared for them. Thus were the things 
 that belonged to the sacrifices of the 
 Lord accomplished in that day, in 
 
 18 holding the passover, and offering 
 sacrifices upon the altar of the Lord, 
 according to the commandment of 
 
 19 king Josias. So the children of Is- 
 rael which were present at that time 
 held the passover, and the feast of 
 
 20 unleavened bread seven days. And 
 such a passover was not held in Israel 
 since the time of the prophet Samuel. 
 
 21 Yea, all the kings of Israel held not 
 such a passover as Josias, and the 
 priests, and the Levites, and the Jews, 
 held with all Israel that were present 
 in their dwelling place at Jerusalem. 
 
 22 In the eighteenth year of the reign of 
 
 23 Josias was this passover held. And 
 the works of Josias were upright be- 
 fore his Lord with a heart full of 
 
 24 godliness. Moreover the things that 
 came to pass in his days have been 
 written in times past, concerning those 
 that sinned, and did wickedly against 
 the Lord above every people and king- 
 dom, and how they grieved him ^^ ex- 
 ceedingly, so that the words of the 
 Lord were confirmed against Israel. 
 
 25 6 Now after all these acts of Josias 
 it came to pass, that Pharaoh the king 
 of Egypt came to raise war at Carche- 
 mish upon Euphrates: and Josias 
 
 26 went out against him. But the king 
 of Egypt sent to him, saying, What 
 have I to do with thee, O king of Ju- 
 
 27 daea ? I am not sent out from the 
 Lord God against thee ; for my war 
 is upon Euphrates : and now the Lord 
 is with me, yea, the Lord is with me 
 hasting me forward : depart from me, 
 
 28 and be not against the Lord. How- 
 beit Josias did not turn back " unto 
 his chariot, but undertook to fight 
 with him, not regarding the words of 
 the prophet Jeremy spoken by the 
 
 29 mouth of the Lord : but joined battle 
 with him in the plain of Megiddo, and 
 the princes came down against king 
 
 B 
 
 * An- 
 other 
 reading 
 
 6 Or. 
 sensibly 
 Jud. 
 xvi. 17. 
 6 2 Chr. 
 XXXV. 20, 
 &c. 
 
 reading 
 is, his 
 chariot 
 from 
 him. 
 
1-: 47. 
 
 I. ESDRAS. 
 
 2. 7. 
 
 12 Kings 
 xxiii. 30 ; 
 2Chr. 
 xxxvi. 1. 
 3 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, Jeco- 
 nias. 
 3 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, Israel. 
 
 * 2 Chr. 
 
 xxxvi. 
 
 4,5. 
 
 B An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, eight. 
 
 30 Josias. Xheti s&ld tue kibg uhto liis 
 servants, Carry me away out of the 
 battle ; for I am very weak. And im- 
 mediately his servants carried him 
 
 3 1 away out of the host. Then gat he up 
 upon his second chariot; and being 
 brought back to Jerusalem he died, 
 and was buried in the sepulchre of 
 
 32 his fathers. And in all Jewry they 
 mourned for Josias ; and Jeremy the 
 prophet lamented for Josias, and the 
 chief men with the women made la- 
 mentation for him, unto this day : and 
 this was given out for an ordinance to 
 be done continually in all the nation of 
 
 33 Israel, These things are written in 
 the book of the histories of the kings 
 of Judaea, and every one of the acts 
 that Josias did, and his glory, and his 
 understanding in the law of the Lord, 
 and the things that he had done be- 
 fore, and the things now recited, are 
 reported in the book of the kings of 
 Israel and Judah. 
 
 34 ^ And the people took 2 Joachaz the 
 son of Josias, and made him king in- 
 stead of Josias his father, when he was 
 
 35 twenty and three years old. And he 
 reigned in ^ Judah and in Jerusalem 
 three months : and then the king of 
 Egypt deposed him from reigning in 
 
 36 Jerusalem. And he set a tax upon the 
 people of a hundred talents of silver 
 
 37 and one talent of gold. The king of 
 Egypt also made king Joakim his bro- 
 ther king of Judaea and Jerusalem. 
 
 38 And Joakim bound the nobles: but 
 Zarakes his brother he apprehended, 
 and brought him up out of Egypt. 
 
 39 Five and twenty years old was * Joa- 
 kim when he began to reign in Judaea 
 and Jerusalem ; and he did that which 
 
 40 was evil in the sight of the Lord. And 
 against him Nabuchodonosor the king 
 of Babylon came up, and bound him 
 with a chain of brass, and carried him 
 
 41 unto Babylon. Nabuchodonosor also 
 took of the holy vessels of the Lord, 
 and carried them away, and set them 
 
 42 up in his own temple at Babylon. But 
 those things that are reported of him, 
 and of hisimcleannessand impiety, are 
 written in the chronicles of the kings. 
 
 43 And Joakim his son reigned in his 
 stead: for when he was made king 
 
 44 he was ^ eighteen years old; and he 
 reigned three months and ten days in 
 Jerusalem; and did that which was 
 evil before the Lord, 
 
 45 So after a year Nabuchodonosor sent 
 and caused him to be brought unto 
 Babylon with the holy vessels of the 
 
 46 Lord ; and made Sedekias king of Ju- 
 daea and Jerusalem, when he was one 
 and twenty years old ; and he reigned 
 
 47 eleven years : and he also did that 
 which was evil in the sight of the 
 Lord, and cared not for the words 
 that were spoken by Jeremy the pro- 
 phet from the mouth of the Lord. 
 
 48 And after that king Nabuchodonosor 
 had made him to swear by the name 
 of the Lord, he forswore himself, and 
 rebelled ; and hardening his neck, and 
 his heart, he transgressed the laws of 
 
 49 the Lord, the God of Israel. More- 
 over the governors of the people and 
 of the priests did many things wick- 
 edly, 6 and passed all the pollutions 
 of all nations, and defiled the temple 
 of the Lord, which was sanctified in 
 
 50 Jerusalem. And the God of their fa- 
 thers sent by his messenger to call 
 them back, because he had compas- 
 sion on them and on his dwelling place. 
 
 51 But they mocked his messengers; 
 and in the day when the Lord spake 
 unto them, they scoffed at his pro- 
 
 52phets: so far forth, that he, being 
 wroth with his people for their great 
 ungodliness, commanded to bring up 
 the kings of the Chaldeans against 
 
 53 them ; who slew their young men with 
 the sword, round about their holy 
 temple, and spared neither young 
 man nor maid, old man nor child ; but 
 
 54 he delivered all into their hands. And 
 they took all the holy vessels of the 
 Lord, both great and small, with "' the 
 vessels of the ark of the Lord, and the 
 king's treasures, and carried them 
 
 55 away unto Babylon. And they burnt 
 the house of the Lord, and brake down 
 the walls of Jerusalem, and burnt the 
 
 56 towers thereof with fire: and as for 
 her glorious things, they never ceased 
 till they had brought them all to 
 nought: and the people that were 
 not slain with the sword he carried 
 
 57 unto Babylon: and they were ser- 
 vants unto him and to his children, 
 till the Persians reigned, to fulfil the 
 word of the Lord by the mouth of 
 
 58 Jeremy: Until the land hath enjoyed 
 her sabbaths, the whole time of her 
 desolation shall she keep sabbath, to 
 fulfil threescore and ten years. 
 
 2 111 the 8 first year of Cyrus king of the 
 Persians, that the word of the Lord 
 by the mouth of Jeremy might be ac- 
 
 2complished, the Lord stirred up the 
 spirit of Cyrus king of the Persians, 
 and he made proclamation through 
 all his kingdom, and also by writing, 
 
 3 saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of the 
 Persians; The Lord of Israel, the 
 Most High Lord, hath made me king 
 
 4 of the whole world, and commanded 
 me to build him a house at Jerusalem 
 
 5 that is in Judaea. If therefore there 
 be any of you that are of his people, 
 9 let the Lord, even his Lord, be with 
 him, and let him go up to Jerusalem 
 that is in Judaea, and build the house 
 of the Lord of Israel : he is the Lord 
 
 6 that dwelleth in Jerusalem. Of such 
 therefore as dwell in divers places, 
 let them that are in his own place 
 help each one with gold, and with sil- 
 
 7 ver, with gifts, with horses also and 
 
2. 22. 
 
 I. ESDRAS. 
 
 3. 7. 
 
 1 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, Sama- 
 nassar. 
 
 3 Ezra 
 iv. 7. 
 
 3 Rehum. 
 
 4 Shim- 
 shai. 
 
 s Or, re- 
 corder 
 
 cattle, beside the other things which 
 have been added by vow for the tem- 
 ple of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. 
 
 8 Then the chief of the families of 
 Judah and of the tribe of Benjamin 
 stood up; the priests also, and the 
 Levites, and all they whose spirit the 
 Lord had stirred to go up, to build 
 the house for the Lord which is in 
 
 9 Jerusalem. And they that dwelt round 
 about them helped them in all things 
 with silver and gold, with horses and 
 cattle, and with very many gifts that 
 were vowed of a great number whose 
 
 10 minds were stirred up thereto. King 
 Cyrus also brought forth the holy 
 vessels of the Lord, which Nabucho- 
 donosor had carried away from Jeru- 
 salem, and had set up in his temple of 
 
 11 idols. Now when Cyrus king of the 
 Persians had brought them forth, he 
 delivered them to Mithradates his 
 
 12 treasurer, and by him they were de- 
 hvered to ^ Sanabassar the governor 
 
 13 of Judsea. And this was the number of 
 them : A thousand golden cups, a thou- 
 sand cups of silver, censers of silver 
 twenty nine, vials of gold thirty, and 
 of silver two thousand four hundred 
 and ten, and other vessels a thousand. 
 
 14 So all the vessels of gold and of silver 
 were brought up, even five thousand 
 
 15 four hundred threescore and nine, and 
 were carried back by Sanabassar, to- 
 gether with them of the captivity, 
 from Babylon to Jerusalem. 
 
 16 2 But in the time of Artaxerxes king 
 of the Persians Belemus, and Mitlii-a- 
 dates, and TabelUus, and » Rathumus, 
 and Beeltethmus, and * Samellius the 
 scribe, with the others that were in 
 commission with them, dweUing in 
 Samaria and other places, wrote unto 
 him against them that dwelt in Judaea 
 and Jerusalem the letter following: 
 
 17 To king Artaxerxes our lord, Thy 
 servants, Eathumus the ^ story writer, 
 and Samellius the scribe, and the rest 
 of their council, and the judges that 
 
 18 are in Ccelesyria and Phoenicia. Be 
 it now known to our lord the king, 
 that the Jews that are come up from 
 you to us, being come unto Jerusalem, 
 do build that rebellious and wicked 
 city, and do repair the marketplaces 
 and the walls of it, and do lay the 
 
 19 foundation of a temple. Now if this 
 city be builded and the walls thereof 
 be finished, they will not only refuse 
 to give tribute, but will even stand up 
 
 20 against kings. And forasmuch as the 
 things pertaining to the temple are 
 now in hand, we think it meet not to 
 
 21 neglect such a matter, but to speak 
 unto our lord the king, to the intent 
 that, if it be thy pleasure, search may 
 be made in the books of thy fathers : 
 
 22 and thou shalt find in the chronicles 
 what is written concerning these 
 things, and shalt understand that that 
 
 city was rebellious, troubling both 
 
 23 kings and cities : and that the Jews 
 were rebellious, and raised always 
 wars therein of old time; for the 
 which cause even this city was laid 
 
 24 waste. Wherefore now we do declare 
 unto thee, O lord the king, that if this 
 city be builded again, and the walls 
 thereof set up anew, thou shalt from 
 henceforth have no passage into Ccele- 
 
 25 Syria and Phoenicia. Then the king 
 wrote back again to Kathumus the 
 storywriter, and Beeltethmus, and 
 SamelUus the scribe, and to the rest 
 that were in commission, and dwelt 
 in Samaria and Syria and Phoenicia, 
 
 26 after this manner: I have read the 
 epistle which ye have sent unto me : 
 therefore Icommandedtomake search, 
 and it hath been found that that city 
 of old time hath made insurrection 
 
 27 against kings; and the men were 
 given to rebellion and war therein: 
 and that mighty kings and fierce were 
 in Jerusalem, who reigned and exacted 
 tribute in Coelesyria and Phoenicia. 
 
 28 Now therefore I have commanded 
 to hinder those men from building 
 the city, and heed to be taken that 
 there be nothing done contrary to 
 
 29 this order; and that those wicked 
 doings proceed no further to the an- 
 
 30 noyance of kings. Then king Artax- 
 erxes his letters being read, Ea- 
 thumus, and Samellius the scribe, and 
 the rest that were in commission 
 with them, removing in haste unto 
 Jerusalem with horsemen and a multi- 
 tude of people in battle array, began 
 to hinder the builders ; and the build- 
 ing of the temple in Jerusalem ceased 
 until the second year of the reign of 
 Darius king of the Persians. 
 
 3 Now king Darius made a gi*eat feast 
 unto all his subjects, and unto all that 
 were born in his house, and unto all 
 the princes of INIedia and of Persia, 
 
 2 and to all the satraps and captains and 
 governors that were under him, from 
 India unto Ethiopia, in the hundred 
 
 3 twenty and seven provinces. And 
 when they had eaten and drunken, and 
 being satisfied were gone home, then 
 Darius the king went into his bed- 
 chamber, and slept, and awaked out of 
 his sleep. 
 
 4 Then the three young men of the 
 body-guard, that kept the king's per- 
 
 5 son, spake one to another : Let every 
 one of us say one thing which shall be 
 strongest : and he whose sentence shall 
 seem wiser than the others, unto him 
 shall Darius the king give great gifts, 
 and great honours in token of victory : 
 
 6 as, to be clothed in purple, to drink 
 in gold, and to sleep upon gold, and 
 a chariot with bridles of gold, and a 
 headtire of fine linen, and a chain about 
 
 7 his neck : and he shall sit next to 
 Darius because of his wisdom, and 
 
4. 6. 
 
 I. ESDRAS. 
 
 4. 27. 
 
 8 shall be called Darius his cousin. And 
 then they wrote every one his sen- 
 tence, and set to their seals, and laid 
 the writing under king Darius his pil- 
 
 9 low, and said, When the king is risen, 
 some shall give him the writing ; and 
 of whose side the king and the three 
 princes of Persia shall judge that his 
 sentence is the wisest, to him shall the 
 
 10 victory be given, as it is written. The 
 
 1 1 first wrote. Wine is the strongest. The 
 second wrote. The king is strongest. 
 
 12 The third wrote. Women are strong- 
 est : but above all things Truth bear- 
 eth away the victory. 
 
 13 Now when the king was risen up, 
 they took the writing, and gave it unto 
 
 14 him, and so he read it : and sending 
 forth he called all the princes of Per- 
 sia and of Media, and the satraps, and 
 the captains, and the governors, and 
 
 15 the chief officers ; and sat him down in 
 the royal seat of judgement ; and the 
 
 16 writing was read before them. And 
 he said. Call the young men, and they 
 shall explain their own sentences. So 
 
 17 they were called, and came in. . And 
 they said unto them. Declare unto us 
 your mind concerning the things ye 
 have written. 
 
 Then began the first, who had spoken 
 
 18 of the strength of wine, and said thus, 
 O sirs, how exceeding strong is wine ! 
 it causeth all men to err that drink it : 
 
 19 it maketh the mind of the king and of 
 the fatherless child to be all one ; of 
 the bondman and of the freeman, of 
 
 20 the poor man and of the rich : it turn- 
 eth also every thought into jollity and 
 mirth, so that a man remembereth 
 
 21 neither sorrow nor debt: and it mak- 
 eth every heart rich, so that a man re- 
 membereth neither king nor satrap ; 
 and it maketh to speak all things by 
 
 22 talents : and when they are in their 
 cups, they forget their love both to 
 friends and brethren, and a little after 
 
 23 draw their swords: but when they 
 awake from their wine, they remem- 
 
 24 ber not what they have done. O sirs, 
 is not wine the strongest, seeing that 
 it enf orceth to do thus ? And when he 
 had so spoken, he held his peace. 
 
 4 Then the second, that had spoken of 
 the strength of the king, began to say, 
 
 2 O sirs, do not men excel in strength, 
 that bear rule over the sea and land, 
 
 3 and all things in them ? But yet is the 
 king stronger : and he is their lord, and 
 hath dominion over them ; and in what- 
 soever he commandeth them they 
 
 4 obey him. If he bid them make war 
 the one against the other, they do it : 
 and if he send them out against the 
 enemies, they go, and overcome moun- 
 
 5 tains, walls, and towers. They slay 
 and are slain, and transgress not the 
 king's commandment : if they get the 
 victory, they bring all to the king, as 
 
 6 well the spoil, as all things else. Like- 
 
 wise for those that are no soldiers, and 
 have not to do with wars, but use hus- 
 bandry, when they have reaped again 
 that which they had sown, they bring 
 it to the king, and compel one another 
 
 7 to pay tribute unto the king. And he 
 is 1 but one man : if he command to 
 kill, they kill ; if he command to spare, 
 
 8 they spare ; if he command to smite, 
 they smite; if he command to make 
 desolate, they make desolate; if he 
 
 9 command to build, they build; if he 
 command to cut down, they cut down ; 
 if he command to plant, they plant. 
 
 10 So all his people and his armies obey 
 him : furthermore he lieth down, he 
 eateth and drinketh, and taketh his 
 
 11 rest: and these keep watch round 
 about him, neither may any one de- 
 part, and do his own business, neither 
 
 12 disobey they him in anything. O sirs, 
 how should not the king be strongest, 
 seeing that in such sort he is obeyed? 
 And he held his peace. 
 
 13 Then the third, who had spoken of 
 women, and of truth, (this was Zoro- 
 
 14 babel) began to speak. O sirs, is not 
 the king great, and men are many, and 
 wine is strong? who is it then that 
 ruleth them, or hath the lordship over 
 
 15 them ? are they not women ? Women 
 have borne the king and all the people 
 
 16 that bear rule by sea and land. Even 
 of them came they: and they nour- 
 ished them up that planted the vine- 
 yards, from whence the wine cometh. 
 
 17 These also make garments for men; 
 these bring glory unto men ; and with- 
 
 18 out women cannot men be. Yea, and 
 if men have gathered together gold 
 and silver and every other goodly 
 thing, 2 and see a woman which is 
 
 19 comely in favour and beauty, they let 
 all those things go, and gape after her, 
 and even with open mouth fix their 
 eyes fast on her; and have all more 
 desire unto her than unto gold or sil- 
 ver, or any goodly thing whatsoever. 
 
 20 A man leaveth his own father that 
 brought him up, and his own country, 
 
 2 1 and cleaveth unto his wife. And with 
 his wife he endeth his days, and re- 
 membereth neither father, nor mo- 
 
 22ther, nor country. By this also ye 
 must know that women have domin- 
 ion over you: do ye not labour and 
 toil, and give and bring all to women ? 
 
 23 Yea, a man taketh his sword, and go- 
 eth forth to make outroads, and to rob 
 and to steal, and to sail upon the sea 
 
 24 and upon rivers; and looketh upon 
 a lion, and walketh in the darkness ; 
 and when he hath stolen, spoiled, and 
 robbed, he bringeth it to his love. 
 
 25 Wherefore a man loveth his wife bet- 
 
 26 ter than father or mother. Yea, many 
 there be that have run out of their 
 wits for women, and become bondmen 
 
 27 for their sakes. Many also have per- 
 ished, have stumbled, and sinned, for 
 
4 45. 
 
 I. ESDRAS. 
 
 4. 61. 
 
 » An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, him. 
 
 28 women. And now do ye not believe 
 me? is not the king great in his 
 power? do not all regions fear to 
 
 29 touch him? Yet did I see him and 
 Apame the king's concubine, the 
 daughter of the illustrious Bartacus, 
 sitting at the right hand of the king, 
 
 30 and taking the crown from the king's 
 head, and setting it upon her own 
 head; yea, she struck the king with 
 
 31 her left hand: and therewithal the 
 king gaped and gazed upon her with 
 open mouth : if she laughed upon him, 
 he laughed also : but if she took any 
 displeasure at him, he was fain to flat- 
 ter, that she might be reconciled to 
 
 32 him again. O sirs, how can it be but 
 women should be strong, seeing they 
 do thus ? 
 
 33 Then the king and the nobles looked 
 one upon another : so he began to 
 
 34 speak concerning truth. O sirs, are 
 not women strong ? great is the earth, 
 high is the heaven, swift is the sun 
 in his course, for he compasseth the 
 heavens round about, and fetcheth his 
 course again to his own place in one 
 
 35 day. Is he not great that maketh 
 these things ? therefore great is truth, 
 
 36 and stronger than all things. All the 
 earth calleth upon truth, and the 
 heaven blesseth her : all works shake 
 and tremble, but with ^ her is no un- 
 
 37 righteous thing. Wine is unrighteous, 
 the king is unrighteous, women are 
 unrighteous, all the children of men 
 are unrighteous, and unrighteous are 
 all such their works : and there is no 
 truth in them ; in their unrighteous- 
 
 38 ness also they shall perish. But truth 
 abideth, and is strong for ever; she 
 liveth and conquereth for. evermore. 
 
 39 With her there is no accepting of 
 persons or rewards ; but she doeth the 
 things that are just, and refraineth 
 from all unrighteous and wicked 
 things ; and all men do well like of her 
 
 40 works. Neither in her judgement is 
 any unrighteousness ; and she is the 
 strength, and the kingdom, and the 
 power, and the majesty, of all ages. 
 
 41 Blessed be the God of truth. And with 
 that he held his tongue. And all the 
 people then shouted, and said, Great 
 is truth, and strong above all things. 
 
 42 Then said the king unto him, Ask 
 what thou wilt more than is appointed 
 in writing, and we will give it thee, 
 inasmuch as thou art found wisest ; 
 and thou shalt sit next me, and shalt 
 
 43 be called my cousin. Then said he 
 unto the king, Kemember thy vow, 
 which thou didst vow to build Jerusa- 
 lem, in the day when thou camest to 
 
 44 thy kingdom, and to send away all 
 the vessels that were taken out of 
 Jerusalem, which Cyrus set apart, 
 when he vowed to destroy Babylon, 
 and vowed to send them again thither. 
 
 45 Thou didst also vow to build up the 
 
 temple, which the Edomites burned 
 when Judaea was made desolate by 
 
 46 the Chaldeans. And now, O lord the 
 king, this is that which I require, and 
 which I desire of thee, and this is the 
 princely liberality that shall proceed 
 from thee : I pray therefore that thou 
 make good the vow, the performance 
 whereof thou hast vowed to the King 
 of heaven with thine own mouth. 
 
 47 Then Darius the king stood up, and 
 kissed him, and wrote letters for him 
 unto all the treasurers and governors 
 and captains and satraps, that they 
 should safely bring on their way both 
 him, and all those that should go up 
 
 48 with him to build Jerusalem. He 
 wrote letters also unto all the gover- 
 nors that were in Coelesyria and Phoe- 
 nicia, and unto them in Libanus, that 
 they should bring cedar wood from 
 Libanus unto Jerusalem, and that 
 they should build the city with him. 
 
 49 Moreover he wrote for all the Jews 
 that should go out of his realm up into 
 Jewry, concerning their freedom, that 
 no officer, no governor, no satrap, nor 
 treasurer, should forcibly enter into 
 
 50 their doors ; and that all the country 
 which they occupied should be free to 
 them without tribute ; and that the 
 Edomites should give over the vil- 
 lages of the Jews which then they 
 
 51 held : and that there should be yearly 
 given twenty talents to the building 
 of the temple, until the time that it 
 
 52 were built; and other ten talents 
 yearly, for burnt offerings to be pre- 
 sented upon the altar every day, as 
 they had a commandment to offer 
 
 53 seventeen: and that all they that 
 should come from Babylonia to build 
 the city should have their freedom, as 
 well they as their posterity, and all 
 
 54 the priests that came. He wi'ote also 
 to give them their charges, and the 
 priests' vestments wherein they min- 
 
 55 ister ; and for the Levites he wrote 
 that their charges should be given 
 them until the day that the house 
 were finished, and Jerusalem builded 
 
 56 up. And he commanded to give to 
 all that kept the city lands and wages. 
 
 57 He sent away also all the vessels 
 from Babylon, that Cyrus had set 
 apart ; and all that Cyrus had given 
 in commandment, the same charged 
 he also to be done, and sent unto 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 58 Now when this young man was gone 
 forth, he lifted up his face to heaven 
 toward Jerusalem, and praised the 
 
 59 King of heaven, and said, From thee 
 conieth victory, from thee cometh 
 wisdom, and thine is the glory, and 
 
 60 I am thy servant. Blessed art thou, 
 who hast given me wisdom : and to 
 thee I give thanks, O Lord of our 
 
 61 fathers. And so he took the letters, 
 and went out, and came unto Babylon, 
 
5. 15. 
 
 I. ESDRAS. 
 
 5. 32. 
 
 with 
 peace. 
 
 a Ezra ii. 
 1,&C. 
 
 idh. 
 4 Or, 
 Enenis 
 ^Mispar. 
 Jieela- 
 iah. 
 
 Tarosh. 
 a She- 
 phatiah. 
 » Arah. 
 10 Pa. 
 hath- 
 moab. 
 ^1 Zattu. 
 i»Zac- 
 cai. 
 
 13 Az- 
 gad. 
 
 14 Ac- 
 cording 
 to other 
 read- 
 
 3622,' or 
 3222. 
 16 Big- 
 vai. 
 
 18 Adin. 
 ^7 Ater 
 <ifHe- 
 zekiah. 
 18 An- 
 other 
 read- 
 ing is. 
 
 62 and told it all his brethren. And they 
 praised the God of their fathers, be- 
 cause he had given them freedom and 
 
 63 liberty to go up, and to build Jerusa- 
 lem, and the temple which is called by 
 his name : and they feasted with in- 
 struments of music and gladness 
 seven days. 
 
 5 After this were the chiefs of fathers' 
 houses chosen to go up according .to 
 their tribes, with their wives and sons 
 and daughters, with their menser- 
 vants and maidservants, and their 
 
 2 cattle. And Darius sent with them 
 a thousand horsemen, till they had 
 brought them back to Jerusalem 
 1 safely, and with musical instruments, 
 
 3 tabrets and flutes. And all their bre- 
 thren played, and he made them go 
 up together with them. 
 
 4 And these are the names of the men 
 which went up, according to their fam- 
 ilies amongst their tribes, after their 
 
 5 several divisions. The priests, the 
 sons of Phinees, the sons of Aaron : 
 Jesus the son of Josedek, the son of 
 Saraias, and Joakim the son of' Zoro- 
 babel, the son of Salathiel, of the 
 house of David, of the lineage of 
 
 6 Phares, of the tribe of Judah ; who 
 spake wise sentences before Darius 
 the king of Persia in the second year 
 of his reign, in the month Nisan, which 
 
 7 is the first month. ^And these are 
 they of Jewry that came up from the 
 captivity, \yhere they dwelt as stran- 
 gers, whom Nabuchodonosor the king 
 of Babylon had carried away unto 
 
 8 Babylon. And they returned unto 
 Jerusalem, and to the other parts of 
 Jewry, every man to his own city, 
 who came with Zorobabel, with Jesus, 
 Nehemias, ayid ^Zaraias, Kesaias, 
 * Eneneus, Mardocheus, Beelsarus, 
 ^ Aspharasus, '^ Reelias, Roimus, and 
 
 9 Baana, their leaders. The number of 
 them of the nation, and their leaders : 
 the sons of " Phoros, two thousand a 
 hundred seventy and two : the sons of 
 8 Saphat, four hundred seventy and 
 
 10 two : the sons of ^ Ares, seven hundred 
 
 11 fifty and six: the sons of i" Phaath 
 Moab, of the sons of Jesus and Joab, 
 two thousand eight hundred and 
 
 12 twelve : the sons of Elam, a thousand 
 two hundred fifty and four : the sons 
 of 11 Zathui, nine hundred forty and 
 five : the sons of ^- Chorbe, seven hun- 
 dred and five : the sons of Bani, six 
 
 13 hundred forty and eight : the sons of 
 Bebai, six hundred twenty and three : 
 the sons of ^^Astad, " a thousand three 
 
 14 hundred twenty and two : the sons 
 of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and 
 seven : the sons of ^^ Bagoi, two thou- 
 sand sixty and six : the sons of i" Adinu, 
 
 15 four hundred fifty and f oiu- : the sons 
 of " Ater, of Ezekias, ninety and two : 
 the sons of Kilan and Azetas, three- 
 score and seven : the sons of " Azaru, 
 
 16 four hundred thirty and two : the sons 
 of 13 Annis, a hundred and one : the 
 sons of Arom : the sons of "o Bassai, 
 three hundred twenty and three : the 
 sons of Arsiphurith, a hundred and 
 
 17 twelve: the sons of Baiterus, three 
 thousand and five : the sons of ^i Beth- 
 lomon, a hundred twenty and three : 
 
 18 they of Netophas, fifty and five : they 
 of Anathoth, a hundred fifty and 
 eight : they of ^^ Bethasmoth, forty and 
 
 19 two : they of ^ Kariathiarius, twenty 
 and five : they of Caphira and Beroth, 
 
 20 seven hundred forty and three : the 
 Chadiasai and Ammidioi, four hun- 
 dred twenty and two : they of ^* Kira- 
 ma and ^5 Gabbe, six hundred twenty 
 
 21 and one: they of ^'^ Macalon, a hun- 
 dred twenty and two : they of ^^ Beto- 
 lion, fifty and two : the sons of ^s Ni- 
 
 22 phis, a hundred fifty and six : the sons 
 of 2'J Calamolalus and ^o Onus, seven 
 hundred twenty and five : the sons of 
 31 Jerechu, ^2 three hundred forty and 
 
 23 five : the sons of ^ Sanaas, three 
 thousand three hundred and s* thirty. 
 
 24 The priests : the sons of ^s Jeddu, the 
 son of Jesus, among the sons of Sana- 
 sib, 2" nine hundred seventy and two : 
 the sons of s'' Emmeruth, ^ a thousand 
 
 25 fifty and two : the sons of ^9 Phassurus, 
 a thousand two hundred forty and se- 
 ven : the sons of *« Charme, 3* a thou- 
 
 26 sand and seventeen. The Levites : 
 the sons of Jesus, and Kadmiel, and 
 Bannas, and Sudias, seventy and four. 
 
 27 The holy singers : the sons of Asaph, 
 
 28 a hundred *i twenty and eight. The 
 porters : the sons of *2 Salum, the sons 
 of *3Atar, the sons of Tolman, the 
 sons of " Dacubi, the sons of *^ Ateta, 
 the sons of *" Sabi, in all a hundred 
 
 29 thirty and nine. The temple-servants : 
 the sons of " Esau, the sons of *8 Asi- 
 pha, the sons of Tabaoth, the sons of 
 *9 Keras, the sons of ^ Sua, the sons of 
 "Phaleas, the sons of Labana, the 
 
 30 sons of 52 Aggaba, the sons of " Acud, 
 the sons of Uta, the sons of Ketab, the 
 sons of 53 Accaba, the sons of ^ Subai, 
 the sons of ^s Anan, the sons of 5« Ca- 
 
 31thua, the sons of ^7 Geddur, the sons 
 of 58 Jairus, the sons of ^o Daisan, the 
 sons of ^0 Noeba, the sons of Chaseba, 
 the sons of "i Gazera, the sons of 
 •52 Ozias, the sons of ^^ Phinoe, the sons 
 of Asara, the sons of ^ Basthai, the 
 sons of '^^ Asana, the sons of ^e Maani, 
 the sons of ^7 Naphisi, the sons of 
 ^* Acub, the sons of ^^ Achipha, the 
 sons of 70 Asur, the sons of Pharakim, 
 
 32 the sons of ^i Basaloth, the sons of 
 ■^2 Meedda, the sons of Cutha, the sons 
 of ^3 charea, the sons of 7* Barchus, 
 the sons of " Serar, the sons of ^« Tho- 
 
 nari. 
 
 ss Oiddel. 67 Gahar. 6b Reaiah. ^^ Rezin. bo Xekoda. 
 ei Gazzam. «2 Uzza. ea 2'aseafi. «* Besai. es Asnah. 
 OS Meunim. 07 Jf^ephisim. os jjaLbuk. According to other 
 Tesidmgs, Acum, or Aciiph. 09 jfakiipha. 7 Harhur. 7i Baz- 
 luth. 7 a Mekida. 7 3 Harsha. 7* Barkos. 7s Sisera. 7» Te- 
 
 i» An- 
 other 
 read- 
 ing is, 
 Annias. 
 
 20 Bezai. 
 
 2 1 Beth^ 
 lehem. 
 ^^Azrna- 
 veth. 
 
 2 3 Kiri- 
 ath- 
 
 arim, or 
 Kiriath- 
 jearim. 
 24i?a- 
 mah. 
 2 5 Geha. 
 
 26 J/tcA- 
 
 mas. 
 2 7 Beth- 
 el. 
 
 2 8 Mag- 
 bisk. 
 
 29 Lod, 
 Madid. 
 
 3 Ono. 
 
 31 Je- 
 richo. 
 
 32 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, two. 
 
 33 Se- 
 naah. 
 
 34 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, one. 
 
 35 Jeda- 
 iah. 
 
 36 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, eight. 
 
 37 7m- 
 mer. 
 
 3 8 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, two 
 hun- 
 dred. 
 39 Pas]i- 
 hur. 
 4-0 Ha- 
 rim. 
 
 41 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 ia, forti/. 
 
 42 Shal- 
 lu7n. 
 
 43 Ater. 
 
 44 ^)t- 
 
 kub. 
 
 45 Ha- 
 tita. 
 
 *o Sho- 
 bai. 
 
 47 Ziha. 
 
 48 //o- 
 
 supha. 
 *9Keros. 
 sosia/ia. 
 51 Pa- 
 don. 
 
 5 2 Haga- 
 bah. 
 5 3 //a- 
 gab. 
 
 84 Sham- 
 lai. 
 5 6 Ha- 
 
 6 
 
5. 47. 
 
 I. ESDRAS. 
 
 5. 61. 
 
 1 iVe- 
 ziah. 
 Another 
 read- 
 ing is, 
 yastth. 
 a Hasso- 
 phereth. 
 3 Pe- 
 rvda. 
 *Jaalah. 
 s Dar. 
 kon. 
 « Giddd. 
 
 7 She- 
 phnfiah. 
 
 8 Hat- 
 til. 
 
 9 Poche- 
 reth-haz- 
 zebaim, 
 Ezraii. 
 57. 
 
 10 An- 
 other 
 read- 
 
 11 Tel- 
 melah. 
 
 12 Tel- 
 hars/ia. 
 
 13 Che- 
 rub, 
 Addon. 
 
 14 Dela- 
 iah. An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, Asan. 
 
 15 To- 
 biah. An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is. £ae- 
 nan. 
 
 i» Ne- 
 koda. 
 17 Haba- 
 iah. or 
 Hoba- 
 iah. 
 
 la Hak- 
 koz. 
 i» Bar- 
 ziUai. 
 Another 
 reading 
 is, Phae- 
 zeldseiLf. 
 ao Gr. 
 the 
 
 manifes- 
 tation 
 and 
 truth. 
 21 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, hun- 
 dred. 
 
 mei, the sons of ^ Nasi, the sons of 
 
 33 Atipha. The sons of the servants of 
 Solomon : the sons of ^ Assaphioth, 
 the sons of « pharida, the sons of 
 * Jeeli, the sons of ^ Lozon, the sons 
 of « Isdael, the sons of ^ Saphuthi, 
 
 34 the sons of ^ Agia, the sons of » Pha- 
 careth, the sons of Sabie, the sons of 
 Sarothie, the sons of " Masias, the 
 sons of Gas, the sons of Addus, the 
 sons of Subas, the sons of Apherra, 
 the sons of Barodis, the sons of Sa- 
 
 35 phat, the sons of Allon. All the tem- 
 ple-servants, and the sons of the ser- 
 vants of Solomon, were three hundred 
 
 36 seventy and two. These came up 
 from " Thermeleth, and ^^ Thelersas, 
 ^ Charaathalan leading them, and 
 
 37 AUar ; and they could not shew their 
 families, nor their stock, how they 
 were of Israel : the sons of ^* Dalan 
 the son of ^^ Ban, the sons of ^^ Neko- 
 
 38 dan, six hundred fifty and two. And 
 of the priests, they that usurped the 
 office of the priesthood and were not 
 found : the sons of ^' Obdia, the sons 
 of ^* Akkos, the sons of Jaddus. who 
 married Augia one of the daughters 
 of ^3 Zorzelleus, and was called after 
 
 39 his name. And when the description 
 of the kindred of these men was 
 sought in the register, and was not 
 found, they were removed from exe- 
 
 40 cuting the office of the priesthood : for 
 unto them said Nehemias and Attha- 
 rias, that they sliould not be partakers 
 of the holy things, till there arose 
 up a high priest wearing ^o Urim and 
 
 41 Thummim. So all they of Israel, 
 from twelve years old and vpward, 
 beside menservants and womenser- 
 vants, were in number forty and two 
 thousand three hundred and sixty. 
 
 42 Their menservants and handmaids 
 were seven thousand three hundred 
 thirty and seven: the minstrels and 
 singers, two hundred forty and five : 
 
 43 four hundred thirty and five camels, 
 seven ^i thousand thirty and six 
 horses, two hundred forty and five 
 mules, five thousand five hundred 
 twenty and five beasts of burden. 
 
 44 And certain of the chief men of their 
 families, when they came to the tem- 
 ple of God that is in Jerusalem, vow- 
 ed to set up the house again in its 
 own place according to their ability, 
 
 45 and to give into the holy treasury of 
 the works a thousand pounds of gold, 
 five thousand of silver, and a hundred 
 
 46 priestly vestments. And the priests 
 and the Levites and they that were 
 of the people dwelt in Jerusalem and 
 the country ; the holy singers also and 
 the porters and all Israel in their 
 villages. 
 
 47 But when the seventh month was at 
 hand, and when the children of Israel 
 were every man in his own place, they 
 came all together with one consent 
 
 into the broad place before the first 
 
 48 porch which is toward the east. Then 
 stood up Jesus the son of Josedek, 
 and his brethren the priests, and Zoro- 
 babel the son of Salathiel, and his 
 brethren, and made ready the altar of 
 
 49 the God of Israel, to offer burnt sac- 
 rifices upon it, according as it is 
 expressly commanded in the book of 
 
 50 Moses the man of God. And certain 
 were gathered unto them out of the 
 other nations of the land, and they 
 erected the altar upon its own place, 
 because all the nations of the land 
 were at enmity with them, and op- 
 pressed them ; and they offered sacri- 
 fices according to the time, and burnt 
 offerings to the Lord both morning 
 
 5 1 and evening. Also they held the feast 
 of tabernacles, as it is commanded in 
 the law, and offered sacrifices daily, 
 
 52 as was meet : and after that, the con- 
 tinual oblations, and the sacrifices of 
 the sabbaths, and of the new moons, 
 and of all the consecrated feasts. 
 
 53 And all they that had made any vow 
 to God began to offer sacrifices to 
 God from the new moon of the ^^ se- 
 venth month, although the temple of 
 
 54 God was not yet built. And they 
 gave money unto the masons and car- 
 
 55 penters ; and meat and drink, and 
 cars unto them of Sidon and Tyre, 
 that they should bring cedar trees 
 from Libanus, and convey them In 
 floats to the haven of Joppa, accord- 
 ing to the commandment which was 
 written for them by Cyrus king of the 
 
 56 Persians. And in the second year 
 after his coming to the temple of God 
 at Jerusalem, in the second month, 
 began Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, 
 and Jesus the son of Josedek, and 
 their brethren, and the priests the 
 Levites, and all they that were come 
 unto Jerusalem out of the captivity : 
 
 57 and they laid the foundation of the 
 temple of God on the new moon of the 
 second month, in the second year 
 after they were come to Jewry and 
 
 58 Jerusalem, 23 And they appointed the 
 Levites from twenty years old over 
 the works of the Lord. Then stood up 
 Jesus, and his sons and brethren, and 
 Kadmiel his brother, and the sons of 
 Jesus, Emadabun, and the sons of 
 Joda the son of Iliadun, and their 
 sons and brethren, all the Levites, 
 with one accord setters forward of 
 the business, labouring to advance the 
 works in the house of God. So the 
 builders builded the temple of the 
 
 59 Lord. And the priests stood arrayed 
 in their vestments with musical in- 
 struments and trumpets, and the Le- 
 vites the sons of Asaph with their 
 
 60 cymbals, singing songs of thanksgiv- 
 ing, and praising the Lord, after the 
 
 61 order of David king of Israel. And 
 they sang aloud, praising the Lord 
 
 22 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, first. 
 
 23 See 
 EzraiiL 
 8, 9, &c 
 
6. 4. 
 
 I. ESDRAS. 
 
 6. 21. 
 
 » Ezra 
 iii. 12, 13. 
 
 a Ezra 
 iv. 1, &c. 
 
 » An- 
 other 
 read- 
 ing is, 
 AS)ac<i- 
 phath. 
 •* An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, for us 
 and you. 
 
 8 Or, be- 
 sieging 
 them 
 « An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, lead- 
 ing the 
 people 
 astray 
 in coun- 
 sel, and 
 raising 
 commo- 
 tions. 
 TEzra 
 iv. 24, 
 and V. 
 1, &c. 
 8 Iddo. 
 Another 
 read- 
 ing is, 
 Eddin. 
 
 9 Ezra 
 V. 3, 
 
 10 Tat- 
 
 11 She- 
 thar- 
 
 in songs of thanksgiving, because bis 
 goodness and his glory are for ever in 
 
 62 all Israel. And all the people sounded 
 trumpets, and shovited with a loud 
 voice, singing songs of thanksgiving 
 unto the Lord for the rearing up of 
 
 63 the house of the Lord. ^ Also of the 
 priests the Levites, and of the heads 
 of their families, the ancients who 
 had seen the former house came to 
 the building of this with lamentation 
 
 64 and great weeping. But many with 
 trumpets and joy shouted with loud 
 
 65 voice, insomuch that the people heard 
 not the trumpets for the weeping of 
 the people : for the multitude sounded 
 marvellously, so that it was heard 
 afar off. 
 
 66 2 Wherefore when the enemies of the 
 tribe of Judah and Benjamin heard it, 
 they came to know what that noise of 
 
 67 trumpets should mean. And they 
 perceived that they that were of the 
 captivity did build the temple unto 
 
 68 the Lord, the God of Israel. So they 
 went to Zorobabel and Jesus, and to 
 the chief men of the families, and said 
 unto them, We will build together 
 
 69 with you. For we hkewise, as ye, do 
 obey your Lord, and do sacrifice unto 
 him from the days of » Asbasareth the 
 king of the Assyrians, who brought 
 
 70 us hither. Then Zorobabel and Jesus 
 and the chief men of the families of 
 Israel said unto them. It is not *for 
 you to build the house unto the Lord 
 
 71 our God. We ourselves alone will 
 build unto the Lord of Israel, accord- 
 ing as Cyrus the king of the Persians 
 
 72 hath conmianded us. But the heathen 
 of the land lying heavy upon the in- 
 habitants of Judaea, and ^ holding 
 them strait, hindered their building; 
 
 73 and « by their secret plots, and popu- 
 lar persuasions and commotions, they 
 hindered the finishing of the building 
 all the time that king Cyrus lived : so 
 they were hindered from building for 
 the space of two years, until the 
 reign of Darius. 
 
 6 Now T in the second year of the reign 
 of Darius, Agga^us and Zacharias the 
 son of 8 Addo, the prophets, prophe- 
 sied unto the Jews in Jewry and Je- 
 rusalem ; in the name of the Lord, 
 the God of Israel, prophesied they 
 
 2 unto them. Then stood up Zorobabel 
 the son of Salathiel, and Jesus the 
 son of Josedek, and began to build 
 the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, 
 the prophets of the Lord being with 
 
 3 them, and helping them. ''At the 
 same time came unto them i" Sisinnes 
 the governor of Syria and Phoenicia, 
 with " Sathrabuzanes and his com- 
 
 4panions, and said unto them. By 
 whose appointment do ye build this 
 house and this roof, and perform all 
 the other things? and who are the 
 builders that perform these things? 
 
 5 Nevertheless the elders of the Jews 
 obtained favour, because the Lord 
 
 6 had visited the captivity; and they 
 were not hindered from building, un- 
 til such time as communication was 
 made unto Darius concerning them, 
 and his answer signified. 
 
 7 The copy of the letter which Sisinnes, 
 governor of Syria and Phoenicia, and 
 Sathrabuzanes, with their compan- 
 ions, the rulers in Syria and Phoeni- 
 cia, wrote and sent unto Darius ; To 
 
 8 king Darius, greeting : Let all things 
 be known unto our lord the king, that 
 being come into the country of Judgea, 
 and entered into the city of Jerusa- 
 lem, we found in the city of Jerusa- 
 lem the elders of the Jews that were 
 
 9 of the captivity building a house unto 
 the Lord, great and new, of hewn and 
 costly stones, with timber laid in the 
 
 10 walls. And those works are done 
 with great speed, and the work goeth 
 on prosperously in their hands, and 
 with all glory and diligence is it ac- 
 
 11 complished. Then asked we these el- 
 ders, saying, By whose commandment 
 build ye this house, and lay the foun- 
 
 12 dations of these works? Therefore, 
 to the intent that we might give know- 
 ledge unto thee by writing who were 
 the chief doers, we questioned them, 
 and we required of them the names 
 
 13 in writing of their principal men. So 
 they gave us this answer. We are the 
 servants of the Lord which made 
 
 14 heaven and earth. And as for this 
 house, it was builded many yeai's ago 
 by a king of Israel great and strong, 
 
 15 and was finished. But when our fa- 
 thers sinned against the Lord of Isra- 
 el wfiich is in heaven, and provoked 
 him unto wrath, he gave them over 
 into the hands of Nabuchodonosor 
 king of Babylon, king of the Chalde- 
 
 16 ans ; and they pulled down the house, 
 and burned it, and carried away the 
 
 17 people captives unto Babylon. But 
 in the first year that Cyrus reigned 
 over the country of Babylon, king 
 Cyrus wrote to build up this house. 
 
 18 And the holy vessels of gold and of 
 silver, that Nabuchodonosor had car- 
 ried away out of the house at Jerusa- 
 lem, and had set up in his own tem- 
 ple, those Cyrus the king brought 
 forth again out of the temple in Baby- 
 lonia, and they were delivered to Zo- 
 robabel and to 12 sanabassarus the 
 
 19 governor, with commandment that he 
 should carry away ^^ all these vessels, 
 and put them in the temple at Jeru- 
 salem; and that the temple of the 
 Lord should be built in its place. 
 
 20 Then Sanabassarus, being come hi- 
 ther, laid the foundations of the house 
 of the Lord which is in Jerusalem; 
 and from that time to this being still 
 a building, it is not yet fully ended. 
 
 2 1 Now therefore, if it seem good, O king. 
 
 8 
 
6. 34. 
 
 I. ESDRAS. 
 
 8. 3. 
 
 1 Ezra 
 vi. 1, &c. 
 
 a An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, place. 
 
 3 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, afore 
 spoken or 
 
 let search be made among the royal 
 archives of our lord the king that are 
 
 22 in Babylon : and if it be found that the 
 building of the house of the Lord 
 which is in Jerusalem hath been done 
 with the consent of king Cyrus, and it 
 seem good unto our lord the king, let 
 him signify unto us thereof. 
 
 23 ^Then commanded king Darius to 
 seek among the archives that were laid 
 up at Babylon : and so at Ecbatana 
 the palace, which is in the country of 
 Media, there was found a ^ roll wherein 
 
 24 these things were recorded. In the 
 first year of the reign of Cyrus king 
 Cyrus commanded to build up the 
 house of the Lord which is in Jerusa- 
 
 . lem, where they do sacrifice with con- 
 
 25 tinual fire : whose height shall be sixty 
 cubits, and the breadth sixty cubits, 
 with three rows of hewn stones, and 
 one row of new wood of that country ; 
 and the expenses thereof to be given 
 
 26 out of the house of king Cyrus : and 
 that the holy vessels of the house of 
 the Lord, both of gold and silver, that 
 Nabuchodonosor took out of the house 
 at Jerusalem, and carried away to Ba- 
 bylon, should be restored to the house 
 at Jerusalem, and be set in the place 
 
 27 where they were before. And also he 
 commanded that Sisinnes the gover- 
 nor of Syria and Phoenicia, and Sathra- 
 buzanes, and their companions, and 
 those which were appointed rulers in 
 Syria and Phoenicia, should be careful 
 not to meddle with the place, but suf- 
 fer Zorobabel, the servant of the Lord, 
 and governor of Judaea, and the elders 
 of the Jews, to build that house of the 
 
 28 Lord in its place. And I also do com- 
 mand to have it built up whole again ; 
 and that they look diligently to help 
 those that be of the captivity of Judaea, 
 till the house of the Lord be finished : 
 
 29 and that out of the tribute of Coele- 
 syria and Phoenicia a portion be care- 
 fully given these men for the sacrifices 
 of the Lord, that is, to Zorobabel the 
 governor, for bullocks, and rams, and 
 
 30 lambs; and also corn, salt, wine, and 
 oil, and that continually every year 
 without furtlier question, according as 
 the priests that be in Jerusalem shall 
 
 31 signify to be daily spent: that drink 
 oft'erings may be made to the Most 
 High God for the king and for his 
 children, and that they may pray for 
 
 32 their lives. And that commandment 
 be given that whosoever shall trans- 
 gress,yea, or neglect anything » herein 
 written, out of his own house shall a 
 tree be taken, and he thereon be hang- 
 ed, and all his goods seized for the 
 
 33 king. The Lord therefore, whose name 
 is there called upon, utterly destroy 
 every king and nation, that shall 
 stretch out his hand to hinder or en- 
 damage that house of the Lord in 
 
 34 Jerusalem. I Darius the king have 
 
 ordained that according unto these 
 things it be done with diligence. 
 7 Then * Sisinnes the governor of Coele- 
 syria and Phoenicia, and Sathrabu- 
 zanes, with their companions, follow- 
 ing the conunandments of king Darius, 
 
 2 did very carefully oversee the holy 
 works, assisting the elders of the Jews 
 
 3 and rulers of the temple. And so the 
 holy works prospered, while Aggaeus 
 and Zacharias the prophets prophe- 
 
 4 sied. And they finished these things 
 by the commandment of the Lord, the 
 God of Israel, and with the consent of 
 Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings 
 
 5 of the Persians. And thus was ^ the 
 house finished by the three and twen- 
 tieth day of the month Adar, in the 
 
 6 sixth year of king Darius. And the 
 children of Israel, the priests, and the 
 Levites, and the other that were of 
 the captivity, that were added tinto 
 them, did according to the things 
 
 7 written in the book of Moses. And to 
 the dedication of the temple of the Lord 
 they offered a hundred bullocks, two 
 hundred rams, four hundred lambs ; 
 
 8 and twelve he-goats for the sin of all 
 Israel, according to the number of the 
 twelve " princes of the tribes of Israel. 
 
 9 The priests also and the Levites stood 
 arrayed in their vestments, according 
 to their kindreds, for the services of 
 the Lord, the God of Israel, according 
 to the book of Moses : and the porters 
 at every gate. 
 
 10 And the children of Israel that came 
 out of the captivity held the passover 
 the fourteenth day of the first month, 
 when the priests and the Levites were 
 
 11 sanctified together, "^ and all they that 
 were of the captivity ; for they were 
 sanctified. For the Levites were all 
 
 12 sanctified together, and they offered 
 the passover for all them of the cap- 
 tivity, and for their brethren the 
 
 13 priests, and for themselves. And the 
 children of Israel that came out of the 
 captivity did eat, even all they that 
 had separated themselves from the 
 abominations of the heathen of the 
 
 14 land, and sought the Lord. And they 
 kept the feast of unleavened bread 
 seven days, making merry before the 
 
 15 Lord, for that he had turned the 
 counsel of the king of Assyria toward 
 them, to strengthen their hands in the 
 works of the Lord, the God of Israel. 
 
 8 ®And after these things, when Artax- 
 erxes the king of the Persians reigned, 
 came Esdras the son of Azaraias, the 
 son of Zechrias, the son of Helkias, the 
 
 2 son of Salem, the son of Sadduk, the 
 son of Ahitob, the son of Amarias, the 
 son of Ozias, ^ the son of Memeroth, 
 the son of Zaraias, the son of Savias, 
 the son of Boccas, the son of Abisue, 
 the son of Phinees,the son of Eleazar, 
 
 3 the son of Aaron the chief priest. This 
 Esdras went up from Babylon, as be- 
 
 ♦ Ezra 
 vi. 13. 
 
 6 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, the 
 holy 
 house. 
 
 8 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, tribes 
 of IsraeL 
 
 7 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is. And 
 they that 
 Viereof 
 the cap- 
 tivity 
 were not 
 all sanc- 
 tified to- 
 gether : 
 but the 
 Levites 
 were all 
 sanc- 
 tified to- 
 gether. 
 And Stc. 
 
 8 Ezra 
 vii. 1, &C. 
 
 9 The 
 Vatican 
 MS. 
 
 omits the 
 son of 
 Meme- 
 roth, the 
 son of 
 Zaraias, 
 the son 
 of Sa- 
 vias. 
 
8. 19. 
 
 I. ESDRAS. 
 
 8. 38. 
 
 1 Thatis, 
 theNe- 
 
 omit/or 
 his sake. 
 
 3 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, hdng 
 within. 
 
 ing a ready scribe in the law of Moses, 
 that was given by the God of Israel. 
 
 4 And the king did him honour : for he 
 found grace in his sight in all his re- 
 
 5 quests. There went up with him also 
 certain of the children of Israel, and 
 of the priests, and Levites, and holy 
 singers, and porters, and ^ teraple- 
 
 6 servants, unto Jerusalem, in the se- 
 venth year of the reign of Artaxerxes, 
 in the "fifth month, this was the king's 
 seventh year ; for they went from 
 Babylon on the new moon of the first 
 month, and came to Jerusalem, ac- 
 cording to the prosperous journey 
 which the Lord gave them -for his 
 
 7 sake. For Esdras had very great 
 skill, so that he omitted nothing of 
 the law and commandments of the 
 Lord, but taught all Israel the ordi- 
 nances and judgements. 
 
 8 Now the commission, which was 
 written from Artaxerxes the king, 
 came to Esdras the priest and reader 
 of the law of the Lord, whereof this 
 
 9 that foUoweth is a copy ; King Artax- 
 erxes unto Esdras the priest and 
 reader of the law of the Lord, greet- 
 
 10 ing : Having determined to deal gra- 
 ciously, I have given order, that such 
 of the nation of the Jews, and of the 
 priests and Levites, ^and of those 
 within our realm, as are willing and 
 desirous, should go with thee unto 
 
 11 Jerusalem. As many therefore as 
 have a mind thereunto, let them de- 
 part with thee, as it hath seemed good 
 both to me and my seven friends the 
 
 12 counsellors ; that they may look unto 
 the affairs of Judaea and Jerusalem, 
 agreeably to that which is in the law 
 
 13 of the Lord, and carry the gifts unto 
 the Lord of Israel to Jerusalem, which 
 I and. my friends have vowed ; and 
 that all the gold and silver that can 
 be found in the country of Babylonia 
 
 14 for the Lord in Jerusalem, with that 
 also which is given of the people for 
 the temple of the Lord their God that 
 is at Jerusalem, be collected : even 
 the gold and silver for bullocks, rams, 
 and lambs, and things thereunto ap- 
 
 15 pertaining; to the end that they may 
 offer sacrifices unto the Lord upon 
 the altar of the Lord their God, which 
 
 16 is in Jerusalem. And whatsoever 
 thou and thy brethren are minded 
 to do with gold and silver, that per- 
 form, according to the will of thy God. 
 
 17 And the holy vessels of the Lord, 
 which are given thee for the use of 
 the temple of thy God, which is in 
 
 18 Jerusalem : and whatsoever thing else 
 thou Shalt remember for the use of the 
 temple of thy God, thou shalt give it 
 
 19 out of the king's treasury. And I king 
 Artaxerxes have also commanded the 
 keepers of the treasures in Syria and 
 Phoenicia, that whatsoever Esdras the 
 priest and reader of the law of the 
 
 Most High God shall send for, they 
 should give it him with all diligence, 
 
 20 to the sum of a hundred talents of 
 silver, likewise also of wheat even to 
 a hundred * measures, and a hundred 
 firkins of wine, and ^ salt in abun- 
 
 21 dance. Let all things be performed 
 after the law of God diligently unto 
 the Most High God, that wrath come 
 not upon the kingdom of the king and 
 
 22 his sons. I command you also, that 
 no tax, nor any other imposition, be 
 laid on any of the priests, or Levites, 
 or holy singers, or i)orters, or temple- 
 servants, or any that have employ- 
 ment in this temple, and that no man 
 have authority to impose anything 
 
 23 upon them. And thou, Esdras, ac- 
 cording to the wisdom of God ordain 
 judges and justices, that they may 
 judge in all Syria and Phoenicia all 
 those that know the law of thy God ; 
 and those that know it not thou shalt 
 
 24 teach. And whosoever shall trans- 
 gress the law of thy God, and of the 
 king, shall be punished diligently, 
 whether it be by death, or other pun- 
 ishment, by penalty of money, or by 
 " imprisonment. 
 
 25 Then said Esdras the scribe. Blessed 
 be the only Lord, the God of my 
 fathers, who hath put these things 
 into the heart of the king, to glorify 
 
 26 his house that is in Jerusalem : and 
 hath honoured me in the sight of the 
 king, and his counsellors, and all his 
 
 27 friends and nobles. Therefore was I 
 encouraged by the help of the Lord 
 my God, and gathered together out of 
 
 28 Israel men to go up with me. And 
 these are the chief according to their 
 families and the several divisions 
 thereof, that went up with me from 
 Babylon in the reign of king Artax- 
 
 29 erxes : of the sons of Phinees, Gerson ; 
 of the sons of Ithamar, Gamael : of the 
 sons of David, ^ Attus « the son of Se- 
 
 30 chenias : of the sons of Phoros, Zacha- 
 rias; and with him were counted a 
 
 31 hundred and fifty men : of the sons of 
 Phaath Moab, Eliaonias the son of 
 » Zaraias, and with him two hundred 
 
 32 men: ^^of the sons of Zathoes, Se- 
 chenias the son of Jezelus, and with 
 him "three hundred men: of the sons 
 of Adin, Obeth the son of Jonathan, 
 and with him two hundred and fifty 
 
 33 men : of the sons of Elam, Jesias son 
 of 12 Gotholias, and with him seventy 
 
 34 men : of the sons of Saphatias, ^^ Za- 
 raias son of Michael, and with him 
 
 35 threescore and ten men : of the sons 
 of Joab, " Abadias son of " Jezelus, 
 and with him two hundred and twelve 
 
 36 men : ^^ of the sons of Banias, Salimoth 
 son of Josaphias, and with him a 
 
 37 hundred and threescore men: of the 
 sons of Babi, Zacharias son of Bebai, 
 and with him twenty and eight men : 
 
 38 of the sons of " Astath, Joannes son 
 
 10 
 
8. 58. 
 
 I. ESDRAS. 
 
 8. 72. 
 
 1 Hak- 
 kaian. 
 
 * Shema- 
 iah. 
 
 » Bigvai. 
 
 *■ Ariel, 
 sjarib. 
 
 6 Iddo. 
 siphia. 
 
 • An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, a 
 Tfian. 
 » Mahli. 
 
 10 She- 
 rtbwh. 
 
 11 Ha- 
 $habiak. 
 
 IS She- 
 rebiah, 
 Hasha- 
 biah. 
 
 of 1 Akatan, and with him a "hundred 
 39 and ten men: of the sons of Adoni- 
 kam, the last, and these are the names 
 of them, Eliphalat, Jeuel, and - Sama- 59 
 
 40 ias, and with them seventy men : of 
 the sons of ^Bago, Uthi the son of 
 Istalcurus, and with him seventy men. 
 
 41 And I gathered them together to 
 the river called Theras ; and there 60 
 we pitched our tents tliree days, and 
 
 42 I surveyed them. But when I had 
 found there none of the priests and 
 
 43 Levites, then sent I unto Eleazar, and 
 
 44 * Iduel, and 2 Maasmas, and Elnathan, 61 
 and Samaias, and ° Joribus, Nathan, 
 Ennatan, Zacharias, and MosoUa- 
 mus, principal men and men of under- 
 
 45 standing. And I bade them that they 
 should go unto ^ Loddeus the captain, 
 who was in the place of 'the trea- 
 
 46 sury : and commanded them that they 62 
 should speak unto Loddeus, and to 
 his brethren, and to the treasurers in 
 that place, to send us such men as 
 might execute the priests' office in 
 
 47 the house of our Lord. And by the 63 
 mighty hand of our Lord they brought 
 unto us 8 men of understanding of the 
 sons of ^ Mooli the son of Levi, the son 
 of Israel, i^ Asebebias, and his sons, 
 and his brethren, who were eighteen, 64 
 
 48 and " Asebias, and Annuus, and Osa- 
 ias his brother, of the sons of Cha- 65 
 nuneus, and their sons were twenty 
 
 49 men ; and of the temple-servants whom 
 David and the principal men had ap- 
 pointed for the service of the Levites, 
 two hundred and twenty temple-ser- 66 
 vants, the catalogue of all their names 
 
 50 was shewed. And there I vowed a 67 
 fast for the young men before our 
 Lord, to desire of him a prosperous 
 journey both for us and for our chil- 
 dren and cattle that were with us: 
 
 51 for I was ashamed to ask of the king 
 footmen, and horsemen, and conduct 68 
 for safeguard against our adversa- 
 
 52 ries. For we had said unto the king, 69 s 
 that the power of our Lord would be 
 with them that seek him, to support 
 
 53 them in all ways. And again we be- 
 sought our Lord as touching these 
 things, and found him favourable 
 
 54 iinto us. Then I separated twelve 
 men of the chiefs of the priests, 12 Ese- 70 
 rebias. and Assamias, and ten men 
 
 55 of their brethren with them : and I 
 weighed them the silver, and the gold, 
 and the holy vessels of the house of 
 our Lord, which the king, and his 
 counsellors, and the nobles, and all 71 
 
 56 Israel, had given. And when I had 
 weighed it, I delivered unto them six 
 hundred and fifty talents of silver, and 
 silver vessels of a hundred talents, 
 
 57 and a hundred talents of gold, and 
 twenty golden vessels, and twelve 
 vessels of brass, even of fine brass, 
 
 58 glittering like gold. And I said unto 
 them, Both ye are holy unto the Lord, 
 
 11 
 
 " and the vessels are holy, and the 
 gold and the silver are a vow unto 
 the Lord, the Lord of our fathers. 
 Watch ye, and keep them till ye de- 
 liver them to the chiefs of the priests 
 and Levites, and to the principal men 
 of the families of Israel, in Jerusalem, 
 in the chambers of the house of omr 
 Lord. So the priests and the Levites, 
 who received the silver and the gold 
 and the vessels which were in Jerusa- 
 lem, brought them into the temple of 
 the Lord. 
 
 And from the river Theras we de- 
 parted the twelfth day of the first 
 month, until we came to Jerusalem, 
 by the mighty hand of our Lord 
 which was upon us : and the Lord 
 delivered us from assault by the 
 way, from every enemy, and so we 
 came to Jerusalem. And when we 
 had been there three days, the silver 
 and gold was weighed and delivered 
 in the house of our Lord on the fourth 
 day unto " Marmoth the priest the 
 son of ^5 Urias. And with him was 
 Eleazar the son of Phinees, and with 
 them were Josabdus the son of Jesus 
 and 16 Moeth the son of Sabannus, the 
 Levites: all ivas delivered them by 
 number and weight. And all the 
 weight of them was written up the 
 same hour. Moreover they that were 
 come out of the captivity offered sac- 
 rifices unto the Lord, the God of 
 Israel, even twelve bullocks for all 
 Israel, fourscore and sixteen rams, 
 threescore and twelve lambs, goats 
 for a peace offering, twelve; all of 
 them a sacrifice to the Lord. And 
 they delivered the king's command- 
 ments imto the king's stewards, and 
 to the governors of Coelesyria and 
 Phoenicia; and they honoured the 
 people and the temple of the Lord. 
 
 Now when these things were done, 
 the principal men came unto me, and 
 said. The nation of Israel, and the 
 princes, and the priests and the Le- 
 vites, have not put away from them 
 the strange people of the land, " nor 
 the uncleannesses of the Gentiles, to 
 irit, of the Canaanites, Hittites, Phere- 
 zites, Jebusites, and the Moabites, 
 Egyptians, and Edomites, For both 
 they and their sons have married with 
 their daughters, and the holy seed is 
 mixed with the strange people of the 
 land ; and from the beginning of this 
 matter the rulers and the nobles have 
 been partakers of this iniquity. And 
 as soon as I had heard these things, 
 I rent my clothes, and my holy gar- 
 ment, and plucked the hair from off 
 my head and beard, and sat me down 
 sad and full of heaviness. So all they 
 that were moved at the word of the 
 Lord, the God of Israel, assembled 
 unto me, whilst I mourned for the 
 iniquity : but I sat still full of heavi- 
 
 13 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, and 
 the holy 
 vessels 
 and the 
 silver 
 and the 
 gold !fC. 
 
 14 Mere- 
 moth, 
 i^ Uriah. 
 
 i« yoa- 
 diah the 
 son of 
 Binnui. 
 
 IT An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, nar 
 their 
 unclean- 
 nesses, to 
 wit, of 
 the Gen- 
 tiles, !(C. 
 
8. 91. 
 
 I. ESDRAS. 
 
 9. 14. 
 
 lOr, 
 Wast 
 thou not 
 
 tfC. 
 
 2 Ezra 
 x.l. 
 
 73 ness until the evening sacrifice. Then 
 rising up from the fast with my clothes 
 and my holy garment rent, and bowing 
 my knees, and stretching forth my 
 
 74 hands unto the Lord, I said, O Lord, I 
 am ashamed and confounded before 
 
 75 thy face; for our sins are multiphed 
 above our heads, and our errors have 
 
 76 reached up unto heaven, ever since 
 the time of our fathers ; and we are in 
 
 7 7 great sin, even unto this day. And for 
 our sins and our fathers' we with our 
 brethren and our kings and our priests 
 were given up unto the kings of the 
 earth, to the sword, and to captivity, 
 and for a prey with shame, unto this 
 
 78 day. And now in some measure hath 
 mercy been shewed unto us from thee, 
 O Lord, that there should be left us a 
 root and a name in the place of thy 
 
 79 sanctuary ; and to discover unto us a 
 light in the house of the Lord our God, 
 and to give us food in the time of our 
 
 80 servitude. Yea, when we were in 
 bondage, we were not forsaken of our 
 Lord ; but he made us gracious before 
 the kings of Persia, so that they gave 
 
 81 us food, and glorified the temple of our 
 Lord, and raised up the desolate Sion, 
 to give us a sure abiding in Jewry and 
 
 82 Jerusalem. And now, O Lord, what 
 shall we say, having these things ? for 
 we have transgressed thy command- 
 ments, which thou gavest by the hand 
 of thy servants the prophets, saying, 
 
 83 That the land which ye enter into to 
 possess as a heritage, is a land pol- 
 luted with the pollutions of the stran- 
 gers of the land, and they have filled 
 
 84 it with their uncleanness. Therefore 
 now shall ye not join your daughters 
 unto their sons, neither shall ye take 
 
 85 their daughters unto your sons. Nei- 
 ther shall ye seek to have peace with 
 them for ever, that ye may be strong, 
 and eat the good things of the land, 
 and that ye may leave it for an inherit- 
 ance unto your children for evermore. 
 
 86 And all that is befallen is done unto us 
 for our wicked works and great sins : 
 for thou, O Lord, didst make our sins 
 
 87 light, and didst give unto us such a 
 root : but we have turned back again 
 to transgress thy law, in mingling 
 ourselves with the uncleanness of 
 
 88 the heathen of the land. ^ Thou wast 
 not angry with us to destroy us, till 
 thou hadst left us neither root, seed, 
 
 89 nor name. O Lord of Israel, thou art 
 true : for we are left a root this day. 
 
 90 Behold, now are we before thee in our 
 Iniquities, for we cannot stand any 
 longer before thee by reason of these 
 things. 
 
 91 2 And as Esdras in his prayer made 
 his confession, weeping, and lying flat 
 upon the ground before the temple, 
 there gathered unto him from Jerusa- 
 lem a very great throng of men and 
 women and children : for there was 
 
 great weeping among the multitude. 
 
 92 Then Jechonias the son of Jeelus, one 
 of the sons of Israel, called out, and 
 said, O Esdras, we have sinned against 
 the Lord God, we have married 
 strange women of the heathen of the 
 
 93 land, and now is all Israel ^ aloft. Let 
 us make an oath unto the Lord herein, 
 that we will put away all our wives, 
 which we have taken of the strangers, 
 
 94 with their children, like as seemeth 
 good unto thee, and to as many as do 
 
 95 obey the law of the Lord. Arise, and 
 put in execution : for to thee doth this 
 matter appertain, and we will be with 
 
 96 thee to do valiantly. So Esdras arose, 
 and took an oath of the chief of the 
 priests and Levites of all Israel to do 
 after these things ; and so they sware. 
 
 9 * Then Esdras rising from the court 
 of the temple went to the chamber of 
 
 2 Jonas the son of Eliasib, and lodged 
 there, and did eat no bread nor drink 
 water, mourning for the great iniqui- 
 
 3 ties of the multitude. And there was 
 made proclamation in all Jewry and 
 Jerusalem to all them that were of 
 the captivity, that they should be 
 
 4 gathered together at Jerusalem : and 
 that whosoever met not there within 
 two or three days, according as the 
 elders that bare rule appointed, their 
 cattle should be seized to the use of 
 the temple, and himself cast out from 
 the multitude of them that were of the 
 captivity. 
 
 5 And in three days were all they of the 
 tribe of Judah and Benjamin gathered 
 together at Jerusalem: this was the 
 ninth month, on the twentieth day of 
 
 6 the month. And all the multitude sat 
 together trembling in the broad place 
 before the temple because of the pre- 
 
 7 sent foul weather. So Esdras arose 
 up, and said unto them. Ye have trans- 
 gressed the law and married strange 
 wives, thereby to increase the sins of 
 
 8 Israel. And now make confession and 
 give glory unto the Lord, the God of 
 
 9 our fathers, and do his will, and sepa- 
 rate yourselves from the heathen of 
 the land, and from the strange women. 
 
 10 Then cried the whole multitude, and 
 said with a loud voice. Like as thou 
 
 1 1 hast spoken, so will we do. But for- 
 asmuch as the multitude is great, and 
 it is foul weather, so that we cannot 
 stand without, and this is not a work 
 of one day or two, seeing our sin in 
 
 12 these things is spread far: therefore 
 let the rulers of the multitude stay, 
 and let all them of our habitations 
 that have strange wives come at the 
 
 13 time appointed, and with them the 
 rulers and judges of every place, till 
 we turn away the wrath of the Lord 
 
 14 from us for this matter. Then Jona- 
 than the son of Azael and ^ Ezekias 
 the son of Thocanus accordingly took 
 the matter upon them : and Mosolla- 
 
 12 
 
9. 37. 
 
 I. ESDRAS. 
 
 9. 55. 
 
 1 Maase- 
 iah. 
 
 2 Jdri7>. 
 
 3 Geda- 
 liah. 
 
 * Harim. 
 s JehieJ. 
 
 • Uzziah. 
 r Pash- 
 hur. 
 
 8 Joza- 
 
 bad. 
 
 » Ela- 
 
 scUi. 
 
 10 Kela- 
 
 iah. 
 
 la Pe- 
 thahiah. 
 13 £/,a- 
 shO). 
 i*Telem. 
 18 Pa- 
 ros?i. 
 i« J?a- 
 viiak. 
 ir Iz. 
 ziah. 
 Another 
 reading 
 is, lezius. 
 18 Mi- 
 jamin. 
 i» J/ai- 
 chijah. 
 «o ^6r/i. 
 »i Za«u. 
 s« Elio- 
 enai. 
 »a Jfcrt- 
 fonioA. 
 
 «*Z3- 
 
 bad. 
 
 *^Aziza. 
 
 »aZab- 
 
 bai. 
 
 37 Ath- 
 
 lai. 
 
 »9 Jfe- 
 shullam. 
 
 30 J/f,i. 
 
 Inch. 
 
 31 ^da- 
 
 sa 5AeaZ. 
 
 33 MaU 
 tenai. 
 
 34 Jfa^ 
 tattah. 
 
 mus and Levis and Sabbateus were 
 
 15 assessors to them. And they that 
 were of the captivity did according to 
 all these things. 
 
 16 And Esdras the priest chose unto 
 him principal men of their families, 
 all by name : and on the new moon of 
 the tenth month they were shut in 
 
 17 together to examine the matter. So 
 their cause that held strange wives 
 was brought to an end by the new 
 
 18 moon of the first month. And of the 
 priests that were come together, and 
 had strange wives, there were found ; 
 
 19 of the sons of Jesus the son of Jose- 
 dek, and his brethren ; ^ Mathelas, 
 and Eleazar, and ^ Joribus, and ^ jo- 
 
 20adanus. And they gave their hands 
 to put away their wives, and to offer 
 rams to make reconcilement for their 
 
 21 error. And of the sons of Enmier; 
 Ananias, and Zabdeus, and * Manes, 
 and 1 Sameus, and ^ Hiereel, and ^Aza- 
 
 22rias. And of the sons of "Phaisur; 
 Elionas, Massias, Ismael, and Nathan- 
 
 23 ael, and * Ocidelus, and ^ Saloas. And 
 of the Levites ; Jozabdus, and Semeis, 
 and loColiiis, who was called "Cali- 
 tas, and ^ Patheus, and Judas, and 
 
 24 Jonas. Of the holy singers ; ^^ Eliasi- 
 
 25 bus, Bacchurus. Of the porters ; Sal- 
 
 26 lumus, and " Tolbanes. Of Israel, of 
 the sons of ^^ Phoros ; ^^ Hiermas, and 
 1^ leddias, and Melchias, and ^^ Mae- 
 lus, and Eleazar, and ^^Asibias, and 
 
 27 Banneas. Of the sons of Ela; Mat- 
 thanias, Zacharias, and sjezrielus, 
 and Oabdius, and Hieremoth, and 
 
 28 20Aedias. And of the sons of ^iza- 
 moth ; 22 Ehadas, " Eliasimus, =» otho- 
 nias, Jarimoth, and ^^Sabathus, and 
 
 29 25Zardeus. Of the sonsof Bebai; Jo- 
 annes, and Ananias, and -'^ Jozabdus, 
 
 30 and 27 Ematheis. Of the sons of 
 2« Mani ; 29 Olamus, '^ Mamuchus, '^ Je- 
 deus, Jasubus, and 32jasaelus, and 
 
 31 Hieremoth. And of the sons of Addi ; 
 Naathus, and Moossias, Laccunus, 
 and Naidus, and Matthanias, and Ses- 
 
 32 thel, Balnuus, and Manasseas. And 
 of the sons of Annas; Elionas, and 
 Aseas, and Melchias, and Sabbeus, 
 
 33 and Simon Chosameus. And of the 
 sons of Asom; ^Maltanneus, and 
 ^Mattathias, and 24Sabanneus, Eli- 
 phalat, and Manasses, and Semei, 
 
 34 And of the sons of Baani ; Jeremias, 
 Momdis, Ismaerus, Juel, Mamdai, and 
 Pedias, and Anos, Carabasion, and 
 Enasibus, and Mamnitanemus, Elia- 
 sis, Bannus, Eliali, Someis, Selemias, 
 Nathanias : and of the sons of Ezora ; 
 Sesis, Ezril, Azaelus, Samatus, Zam- 
 
 35bri, Josephus. And of the sons of 
 Nooma; Mazitias, Zabadeas, Edos, 
 
 36 Juel, Banaias. All these had taken 
 strange wives, and they put them 
 
 37 away with their children. And the 
 
 priests and Levites, and they that 
 were of Israel, dwelt in Jerusalem, 
 and in the country, on the new moon 
 of the seventh month, and the children 
 of Israel in their habitations. 
 
 38 35 And the whole multitude were ga- 
 thered together with one accord into 
 the broad place before the porch of 
 
 39 the temple toward the east : and they 
 said unto Esdras the priest and read- 
 er, Bring the law of Moses, that was 
 given of the Lord, the God of Israel. 
 
 40 So Esdras the chief priest brought the 
 law unto the whole multitude both of 
 men and women, and to all the priests, 
 to hear the law on the new moon of 
 
 41 the seventh month. And he read in 
 the broad place before the porch of 
 the temple from morning unto mid- 
 day, before both men and women; 
 and 3« all the multitude gave heed unto 
 
 j 42 the law. And Esdras the priest and 
 
 I reader of the law stood up upon the 
 
 pulpit of wood, which was made for 
 
 43 that iniirpose. And there stood up by 
 
 him Mattathias, Sammus, Ananias, 
 
 Azarias, Urias, 3< Ezekias, ^ Baalsa- 
 
 ; 44 mus, upon the right hand : and upon 
 
 i his left hand, ^ Phaldeus, Misael, Mel- 
 
 ' chias, s^Lothasubus, Nabarias, Zacha- 
 
 ^ 45 rias. Then took Esdras the book of 
 
 the law before the multitude, and sat 
 
 honourably in the first place before 
 
 46 all. And when he opened the law, 
 
 j they stood all straight up. So Esdras 
 
 i blessed the Lord God Most High, the 
 
 ; 47 God of hosts, Almighty. And all the 
 
 ! people answered. Amen; and lifting 
 
 i up their hands they fell to the ground, 
 
 48 and worshipped the Lord. Also Je- 
 j sus, Annus, Sarabias, ladinus, Jacu- 
 
 bus, Sabateus, *oAuteas, Maiannas, 
 and Calitas, Azarias, and Jozabdus, 
 ! and Ananias, Phalias, the Levites, 
 i taught the law of the Lord, *^ and read 
 I to the multitude the law of the Lord, 
 I making them withal to understand it. 
 
 49 Then said Attharates unto Esdras 
 the chief priest and reader, and to the 
 Levites that taught the multitude, 
 
 50 even to all. This day is holy unto the 
 Lord ; (now they all wept when they 
 
 5 1 heard the law :) go then, and eat the 
 fat, and drink the sweet, and send 
 portions to them that have nothing; 
 
 52 for the day is holy unto the Lord : and 
 be not sorrowful; for the Lord will 
 
 53 bring you to honour. So the Levites 
 published all things to the people, 
 saying. This day is holy ; be not sor- 
 
 54 rowful. Then went they their way, 
 every one to eat and drink, and make 
 meri-y, and to give portions to them 
 that had nothing, and to make great 
 
 55 cheer ; because they *^ understood the 
 words wherein they were instructed, 
 and for the which they had been as- 
 sembled. 
 
 ssNeh. 
 viiLl. 
 
 36 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, they 
 gave all 
 heed. 
 
 37 Hil- 
 kiah. 
 
 38 Peda- 
 iah. 
 
 39 Ha- 
 shum. 
 
 *o Ho- 
 diah. 
 
 *i Some 
 authori- 
 ties 
 
 omit and 
 read . . . 
 Lord. 
 
 4a Or, 
 
 were 
 inspired 
 
II. ESDRAS. 
 
 1 The second book of the prophet 
 Esdras, the son of Saraias,the son of 
 Azaraias, the son of Helkias, the son 
 of Salemas, the son of Sadoc, the son 
 
 2 of Ahitob, the son of Achias, the son 
 of PhUiees, the son of Heli, the son of 
 Amarias, the son of Aziei, the son of 
 Marimoth, the son of Arna, the son of 
 Ozias, the son of Borith, the son of 
 Abissei, the son of Phinees, the son of 
 
 3 Eleazar, the son of Aaron, of the 
 tribe of Levi ; which was captive in 
 the land of the Medes, in the reign of 
 Artaxerxes king of the Persians. 
 
 4 And the word of the Lord came unto 
 
 5 me, saying, Go thy way, and shew my 
 people their sinful deeds, and their 
 children their wickedness which they 
 have done against me ; that they may 
 
 6 tell their children's children : because 
 the sins of their fathers are increased 
 in them : for they have forgotten me, 
 and have done sacrifice unto strange 
 
 7 gods. Did not I bring them out of 
 the land of Egypt, out of the house of 
 bondage ? but they have provoked me 
 unto wrath, and despised my counsels. 
 
 8 Shake thou then the hair of thy head, 
 and cast all evils upon them, for they 
 have not been obedient unto my law, 
 
 9 but it is a rebellious people. How 
 long shall I forbear them, unto whom 
 
 101 have done so much good? Many 
 kings have I overthrown for their 
 sakes ; Pharaoh with his servants and 
 
 1 1 all his host have I smitten down. All 
 the nations have I destroyed before 
 them, and in the east I have scattered 
 the people of two provinces, even of 
 Tyre and Sidon, and have slain all 
 
 12 their adversaries. Speak thou there- 
 fore unto them, saying, 
 
 13 Thus saith the Lord, Of a truth I 
 brought you through the sea, and 
 where there was no path I made for 
 you highways ; I gave you Moses for a 
 
 14 leader, and Aaron for a priest. I gave 
 you light in a pillar of fire, and great 
 wonders have I done among you ; yet 
 have ye forgotten me, saith the Lord. 
 
 15 Thus saith the Lord Almighty, The 
 quails were for a token to you ; I gave 
 you a camp for your safeguard, never- 
 
 16 theless ye murmured there : and ye 
 triumphed not in my name for the 
 destruction of your enemies, but ever 
 
 1 7 to this day do ye yet murmur. Where 
 are the benefits that I have done for 
 you ? when ye were hungry and thirsty 
 in the wilderness, did ye not cry unto 
 
 18 me, saying, "Why hast thou brought 
 us into this wilderness to kill us ? it 
 
 had been better for us to have served 
 
 the Egyptians, than to die in this 
 
 19 wilderness. I had pity upon your 
 mournings, and gave you manna for 
 
 20 food ; ye did eat angels' bread. When 
 ye were thirsty, did I not cleave the 
 rock, and waters flowed out to your 
 fill ? for the heat I covered you with 
 
 21 the leaves of the trees. I divided 
 among you fruitful lands ; I cast out 
 the Canaanites, the Pherezites, and 
 the Philistines, before you : what shall 
 I yet do more for you ? saith the Lord. 
 
 22 Thus saith the Lord Almighty, When 
 ye were in the wilderness, at the bitter 
 river, being athirst, and blaspheming 
 
 23 my name, I gave you not fire for your 
 blasphemies, but cast a tree in the 
 water, and made the river sweet. 
 
 24 What shall I do unto thee, O Jacob ? 
 thou, Judah, wouldest not obey me.: 
 I will turn me to other nations, and 
 unto them will I give my name, that 
 
 25 they may keep my statutes. Seeing 
 ye have forsaken me, I also will for- 
 sake you ; when ye ask me to be mer- 
 ciful unto you, I will have no mercy 
 
 26 upon you. Whensoever ye shall call 
 upon me, I will not hear you : for ye 
 have defiled your bands with blood, 
 and your feet are swift to commit 
 
 27 manslaughter. Ye have not as it were 
 forsaken me, but your own selves, 
 saith the Lord. 
 
 28 Thus saith the Lord Almighty, Have 
 I not prayed you as a father his sons, 
 as a mother her daughters, and a nurse 
 
 29 her young babes, that ye would be my 
 people, and I should be your God; that 
 ye would be my children, and I should 
 
 30 be your father? I gathered you to- 
 gether, as a hen gathereth her chick- 
 ens under her wings : but now, what 
 shall I do unto you ? I will cast you 
 
 3 1 out from my presence. When ye of- 
 fer oblations unto me, I will turn my 
 face from you : for your solemn feast 
 days, your new moons, and your cir- 
 cumcisions of the flesh, have I reject- 
 
 32 ed. I sent unto you my servants the 
 prophets, whom ye have taken and 
 slain, and torn their bodies in pieces, 
 whose blood I will require of your 
 hands, saith the Lord. 
 
 33 Thus saith the Lord Almighty, Your 
 house is desolate, I will cast you out 
 
 34 as the wind doth stul)ble. And your 
 children shall not be fruitful ; for they 
 have neglected my commandment ^ un- 
 to you, and done that which is evil be- 
 
 35 fore me. Your houses will I give to 
 a people that shall come ; which not 
 
 14 
 
2. 14. 
 
 11. ESDRAS. 
 
 2. 35. 
 
 1 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, aacru- 
 inent, or, 
 oath. 
 
 2 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, Go. 
 
 having heard of me yet believe me ; 
 they to whom I have shewed no signs 
 shall do that which I have command- 
 
 36 ed. They have seen no prophets, yet 
 they shall call their former estate to 
 
 37 remembrance. I take to witness the 
 grace of the people that shall come, 
 whose little ones rejoice with glad- 
 ness: ;and though they see me not 
 with bodily eyes, yet in spirit they 
 shall believe the thing that I say. 
 
 38 And now, O father, behold with 
 glory ; and see the people that come 
 
 39 from the east : unto whom I will give 
 for leaders, Abraham, Isaac, and 
 Jacob, Oseas, Amos, and Midheas, 
 
 40 Joel, Abdias, and Jonas, Nahum, and 
 Abacuc, Sophonias, Aggaeus, Zachary, 
 and Malaehy, which is called also the 
 angel of the Lord. 
 
 2 Thus saith the Lord, I brought this 
 people out of bondage, and I gave 
 them my commandments by my ser- 
 vants the prophets ; whom they would 
 not hear, but set my counsels at 
 
 2 nought. The mother that bare them 
 saith unto them. Go your way, O my 
 children ; for I am a widow and for- 
 
 3 saken. I brought you up with glad- 
 ness, and with sorrow and heaviness 
 have I lost you: for ye have sinned 
 before the Lord God, and done that 
 
 4 which is evil before me. But what 
 shall I now do unto you ? for I am a 
 widow and forsaken : go your way, O 
 my children, and ask mercy of the 
 
 5 Lord. As for me, O father, I call upon 
 thee for a witness over the mother of 
 these children, because they would not 
 
 6 keep my covenant, that thou bring 
 them to confusion, and their mother to 
 a spoil, that there may be no offspring 
 
 7 of them. Let them be scattered 
 abroad among the heathen, let their 
 names be blotted out of the earth: 
 for they have despised my ^ covenant. 
 
 8 Woe unto thee, Assur, thou that hid- 
 est the unrighteous with thee ! O 
 thou wicked nation, remember what 
 I did unto Sodom and Gomorrah; 
 
 9 whose land heth in clods of pitch and 
 heaps of ashes : even so also will I do 
 unto them that have not hearkened 
 unto me, saith the Lord Almighty. 
 
 10 Thus saith the Lord unto Esdras, 
 Tell my people that I will give them 
 the kingdom of Jerusalem, which I 
 
 11 would have given unto Israel. Their 
 glory also will I take unto me, and 
 give these the everlasting tabernacles, 
 
 12 which I had prepared for. them. They 
 shall have the tree of life for an oint- 
 ment of sweet savour ; they shall 
 
 13 neither labour, nor be weary. 2 ^sk, 
 and ye shall receive 
 days unto you, that 
 
 evil, and created the good : for I live, 
 saith the Lord. 
 
 15 Mother, embrace thy children ; I will 
 bring them out with gladness hke a 
 dove ; stablish their feet ; for I have 
 
 16 chosen thee, saith the Lord. And 
 those that be dead will I raise up 
 again from their places, and bring 
 them out of the tombs : for I ^ have 
 
 17 known my name in them. Fear not, 
 thou mother of the children: for I 
 have chosen thee, saith the Lord. 
 
 18 For thy help will I send my servants 
 Esaias and Jeremy, after whose coun- 
 sel I have sanctified and prepared for 
 thee twelve trees laden with divers 
 
 19 fruits, and as many fountains flow- 
 ing with milk and honey, and seven 
 mighty mountains, whereupon there 
 grow roses and Ulies, whereby I will 
 
 20 fill thy children with joy. Do right to 
 the widow, judge the fatherless, give 
 to the poor, defend the orphan, clothe 
 
 21 the naked, heal the broken and the 
 weak, laugh not a lame man to scorn, 
 defend the maimed, and let the bhnd 
 man come unto the sight of my glory. 
 
 22 Keep the old and young within thy 
 
 23 walls. Wheresoever thou findest the 
 dead, set a sign upon them and com- 
 mit them to the grave, and I will 
 give thee the first place in my resur- 
 
 24 rection. Abide still, O my people, and 
 take thy rest, for thy quietness shall 
 
 25 come. Nourish thy children, O thou 
 good nurse, and stablish their feet. 
 
 26 As for the servants whom I have given 
 thee, there shall not one of them per- 
 ish; for I will require them from 
 
 27 among thy niunber. Be not careful 
 overmuch : for when the day of tribu- 
 lation and anguish cometh, others 
 shall weep and be sorrowful, but thou 
 Shalt be merry and have abundance. 
 
 28 The nations shall envy thee, but they 
 shall be able to do nothing against 
 
 29 thee, saith the Lord. My hands shall 
 cover thee, so that thy children see 
 
 30 not * hell. Be joyful, O thou mother, 
 with thy children ; for I will deliver 
 
 3 1 thee, saith the Lord. Remember thy 
 children that sleep, for I shall bring 
 them out of the secret places of the 
 earth, and shew mercy unto them: 
 for I am merciful, saith the Lord Al- 
 
 32 mighty. Embrace thy children until 
 I come, and proclaim mercy unto 
 them : for my wells run over, and my 
 grace shall not fail. 
 
 33 I Esdras received a charge from the 
 Lord upon the mount Horeb, that I 
 should go unto Israel; but when I 
 came unto them, they would none of 
 me, and rejected the commandment 
 
 pray for few I 34 of the Lord. And therefore I say 
 they may be I unto you, O ye nations, that hear and 
 
 shortened : the kingdom is alreadv j understand, look for your shepherd, 
 
 14 prepared for you : watch. Take hea- 1 he shall give you everlasting rest ; for 
 
 ven and earth to witness, take them \ he is nigh at hand, that shall come in 
 
 to witness; for I have given up the I 35 the end of the world. Be ready to 
 
 15 
 
 4Lat. 
 
 GeAetma. 
 
3. 5. 
 
 11. ESDRAS. 
 
 3. 23. 
 
 1 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, Take. 
 
 2 So the 
 Syriac 
 and 
 ^thi- 
 opic. 
 
 3 So the 
 Syriac. 
 
 the rewards of the kingdom, for the 
 everlasting light shall shine upon you 
 
 36 for evermore. Flee the shadow of 
 this world, receive the joyfulness of 
 your glory : I call to witness my 
 
 37 saviour openly. O receive that which 
 is given you of the Lord, and be joy- 
 ful, giving thanks unto him that hath 
 called you to heavenly kingdoms. 
 
 38 Arise up and stand, and behold the 
 number of those that be sealed in the 
 
 39 feast of the Lord ; they that withdrew 
 them from the shadow of the world 
 have received glorious garments of 
 
 40 the Lord. ^ Look upon thy number, 
 O Sion, and make up the reckoning 
 of those of thine that are clothed in 
 white, which have fulfilled the law of 
 
 41 the Lord. The number of thy chil- 
 dren, whom thou longedst for, is ful- 
 filled : beseech the power of the Lord, 
 that thy people, which have been call- 
 ed from the beginning, may be hal- 
 lowed. 
 
 42 I Esdras saw upon the mount Sion a 
 great multitude, whom I could not 
 number, and they all praised the Lord 
 
 43 with songs. And in the midst of them 
 there was a young man of a high 
 stature, taller than all the rest, and 
 upon every one of their heads he set 
 crowns, and was more exalted ; where- 
 
 44 at I marvelled greatly. So I asked 
 the angel, and said, What are these, 
 
 45 my Lord ? He answered and said unto 
 me, These be they that have put off 
 the mortal clothing, and put on the 
 Inunortal, and have confessed the 
 name of God : now are they crowned, 
 
 46 and receive palms. Then said I unto 
 the angel. What young man is he that 
 setteth crowns upon them, and giveth 
 
 47 them palms in their hands? So he 
 answered and said unto me, It is the 
 Son of God, whom they have confess- 
 ed in the world. Then began I great- 
 ly to commend them that stood so 
 
 48 stiffly for the name of the Lord. Then 
 the angel said unto me. Go thy way, 
 and tell my people what manner of 
 things, and how great wonders of the 
 Lord God thou hast seen. 
 
 3 In the thirtieth year after the ruin of 
 the city, I Salathiel (the same is Es- 
 dras) was in Babylon, and lay troubled 
 upon my bed, and my thoughts came 
 
 2 up over my heart : for I saw the deso- 
 lation of Sion, and the wealth of them 
 
 3 that dwelt at Babylon. And my spirit 
 was sore moved, so that I began to 
 speak words full of fear to the Most 
 
 4 High, and said, O Lord that bearest 
 rule, didst thou not speak at the be- 
 ginning, when thou didst fashion the 
 earth, and that thyself alone, and 
 
 5 commandedst the ^ dust, and it ^ gave 
 thee Adam, a body without a soul? 
 yet it was the workmanship of thine 
 hands, and thou didst breathe into him 
 
 the breath of life, and he was made 
 
 6 living before thee. And thou leddest 
 him into paradise, which thy right 
 hand did plant, before ever the earth 
 
 7 came forward. And unto him thou 
 gavest thy one commandment : which 
 he transgressed, and immediately 
 thou appointedst death for him and in 
 his generations ; and there were born 
 of him nations and tribes, peoples and 
 
 8 kindreds, out of number. And every 
 nation walked after their own will, 
 and did ungodly things before thee, 
 and despised thy commandments, and 
 
 9 thou didst not forbid them. Never- 
 theless again in process of time thou 
 broughtest the flood upon those that 
 dwelt in the world, and destroyedst 
 
 10 them. And it came to pass that the 
 same hap befell them ; like as death 
 was to Adam, so was the flood to 
 
 1 1 these. Nevertheless one of them thou 
 lef test, Noah with his household, even 
 all the righteous men that came of 
 
 12 him. And it came to pass, that when 
 they that dwelt upon the earth began 
 to multiply, they multiplied also chil- 
 dren, and peoples, and many nations, 
 and began again to be more ungodly 
 
 13 than the first. And it came to pass, 
 when they did wickedly before thee, 
 thou didst choose thee one from 
 among them, whose name was Abra- 
 
 14 ham ; and him thou lovedst, and unto 
 him only thou shewed st the end of 
 
 15 the times secretly by night : and mad- 
 est an everlasting covenant with him, 
 promising him that thou wouldest 
 
 16 never forsake his seed. And unto 
 him thou gavest Isaac, and unto Isaac 
 thou gavest Jacob and Esau. And 
 thou didst set apart Jacob for thyself, 
 but didst put by Esau : and Jacob be- 
 
 17 came a great multitude. And it came 
 to pass, that when thou leddest his 
 seed out of Egypt, thou broughtest 
 
 18 them up to the mount Sinai. Thou 
 bowedst the heavens also, and didst 
 * shake the earth, and movedst the 
 whole world, and madest the depths 
 to tremble, and troubledst the course 
 
 19o/ that age. And thy glory went 
 through four gates, of fire, and of 
 earthquake, and of wind, and of cold ; 
 that thou mightest give the law unto 
 the seed of Jacob, and the command- 
 ment unto the generation of Israel. 
 
 20 And yet tookest thou not away from 
 them their ^ wicked heart, that thy 
 law might bring forth fruit in them. 
 
 2 1 For the first Adam bearing a ■' wicked 
 heart transgressed, and was over- 
 come ; and not he only, but all they 
 
 22 also that are born of him. Thus dis- 
 ease was made permanent; and the 
 law was in the heart of the people 
 along with the ^ wickedness of the 
 root ; so the good departed away, and 
 that which was ^ wicked abode still. 
 
 23 So the times passed away, and the 
 
 16 
 
4. 6. 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 4. 22. 
 
 corrupt 
 
 a So the 
 Syriac. 
 The 
 Latin 
 has how 
 this way 
 maybe 
 left. 
 
 3 After 
 the 
 
 Oriental 
 versions. 
 
 years were brought to an eml: then 
 didst thou raise thee up a servant, 
 
 24 called David, whom thou command- 
 edst to build a city unto thy name, 
 and to offer oblations unto thee there- 
 
 25 in of thine own. When this was done 
 many years, then they that inhabited 
 
 26 the city did evil, in all things doing 
 even as Adam and all his generations 
 had done : for they also bare a ^ wicked 
 
 27 heart: and so thou gavest thy city 
 over into the hands of thine enemies. 
 
 28 And I said then in mine heart, Are 
 their deeds any better that inhabit 
 Babylon ? and hath she therefore do- 
 
 29 minion over Sion ? For it came to pass 
 when I came hither, that I saw also 
 impieties without number, and my 
 soul saw many evil-doers in this thir- 
 tieth year, so that my heart failed me. 
 
 30 For I have seen how thou sufferest 
 them sinning, and hast spared the un- 
 godly doers, and hast destroyed thy 
 people, and hast preserved thine ene- 
 
 31 mies ; and thou hast not signified unto 
 any ^how thy way may be compre- 
 hended. Are the deeds of Babylon 
 
 32 better than those of Sion ? Or is there 
 any other nation that knoweth thee 
 beside Israel? or what tribes have so 
 believed thy covenants as these tribes 
 
 33 o/ Jacob? And yet their reward 
 appeareth not, and their labour hath 
 no fruit : for I have gone hither and 
 thither through the nations, and I see 
 that they abound in wealth, and think 
 
 34 not upon thy commandments. Weigh 
 thou therefore our iniquities now in 
 the balance, and theirs also that dwell 
 in the world ; and so shall it be found 
 
 35 which way the scale inclineth. Or 
 when was it that they which dwell 
 upon the earth have not sinned in thy 
 sight? or what nation hath so kept 
 
 36 thy commandments ? Thou shalt find 
 that men who may be reckoned by 
 name have kept thy precepts; but 
 nations thou shalt not find. 
 
 4 And the angel that was sent unto 
 me, whose name was Uriel, gave me 
 
 2 an answer, and said to me, Thy heart 
 hath utterly failed thee in regarding 
 this world, and thinkest thou to com- 
 prehend the way of the Most High ? 
 
 3 Then said I, Yea, my Lord. 
 
 And he answered me, and said, I am 
 sent to shew thee three ways, and to 
 set forth three similitudes before 
 
 4 thee : whereof if thou canst declare 
 me one, I also will shew thee the way 
 that thou desirest to see, and I will 
 teach thee wherefore the heart is 
 1 wicked. 
 
 5 And I said. Say on, my Lord. 
 Then said he unto me, Go to, weigh 
 
 me a weight of fire, or measure me a 
 3 measure of wind, or call me again 
 the day that is past. 
 
 6 Then answered I and said, Who of 
 the sons of men is able to do this, 
 
 that thou shouldest ask me of such 
 things ? 
 
 7 And he said unto me. If I had asked 
 thee, saying. How many dwellings are 
 there in the heart of the sea ? or how 
 many springs are there at the foun- 
 tain head of the deep ? or how many 
 2 ways are above the firmament? or 
 which are the outgoings * of hell ? or 
 
 8 which are the paths of paradise ? per- 
 adventure thou wouldest say unto me, 
 I never went down into the deep, nor 
 as yet into hell, neither did I ever 
 
 9 climb up into heaven. Nevertheless 
 now have I asked thee but only of the 
 fire and wind, and of the day, things 
 wherethrough thou hast passed, and 
 5 without which thou canst not be, and 
 yet hast thou given me no answer of 
 them. 
 
 10 He said moreover unto me. Thine 
 own things, that are grown up with 
 
 1 1 thee, canst thou not know ; how then 
 can thy vessel comprehend the way of 
 the Most High? and how can he that 
 is already worn out with the corrupted 
 world understand "incorruption? 
 
 12 "And when I heard these things I 
 fell upon my face, and said unto him, 
 It were better that we were not here at 
 all, than that we should come hither 
 and live in the midst of ungodliness, 
 and suffer, and not know wherefore. 
 
 13 He answered me, and said, ^The 
 woods of the trees of the field went 
 
 14 forth, and took counsel together, and 
 said. Come, let us go and make war 
 against the sea, that it may depart 
 away before us, and that we may 
 
 15 make us more woods. The waves of 
 the sea also in like manner took coun- 
 sel together, and said. Come, let us 
 go up and subdue the wood of the 
 plain, that there also we may make us 
 
 16 another country. The counsel of the 
 wood was in vain, for the fire came 
 
 17 and consumed it: likewise also the 
 counsel of the waves of the sea, for 
 the sand stood up and stopped them. 
 
 18 If thou wert judge now betwixt these 
 two, whom wouldest thou justify, or 
 whom condemn ? 
 
 19 I answered and said. It is a foolish 
 counsel that they both have taken, for 
 the ground is given unto the wood, 
 and the place of the sea is given to 
 bear his waves. 
 
 20 Then answered he me, and said. Thou 
 hast given a right judgement, and 
 why judgest thou not in thine own 
 
 21 case? For like as the ground is given 
 unto the wood, and the sea to his 
 waves, even so they that dwell upon 
 the earth may understand nothing 
 but that which is upon the earth : and 
 he only that dwelleth above the hea- 
 vens may understand the things that 
 are above the height of the heavens. 
 
 22 Then answered I and said, I beseech 
 thee, Lord, ^ wherefore is the power 
 
 * So the 
 Syriac. 
 The 
 Latin 
 omits o/" 
 hellf or 
 wtdch 
 are the 
 paths. 
 
 6 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, from 
 which 
 thou 
 
 canst not 
 be sepa- 
 rated. 
 
 8 hynac 
 and 
 ^thi- 
 opic, 
 the way 
 of the 
 incor- 
 ruptible. 
 1 So the 
 Syriac 
 and 
 ^thi- 
 opic. 
 The 
 Latin is 
 corrupt. 
 8 So the 
 Oriental 
 versions. 
 The 
 Latin is 
 corrupt. 
 See 
 
 17 
 
4. 39. 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 5. 4. 
 
 1 So the 
 
 chief 
 
 Oriental 
 
 versions. 
 
 The 
 
 Latin is 
 
 corrupt. 
 
 2 So the 
 Syriac. 
 
 3 So the 
 
 Syriac 
 
 and 
 
 ^thi- 
 
 opic. 
 
 4 Or, 
 
 thresh- 
 ing-floo)- 
 
 6 So the 
 chief 
 Oriental 
 versions. 
 
 8 So the 
 Syriac. 
 •nie 
 Latin is 
 corrupt. 
 
 T So the 
 Svriac. 
 'I^e 
 Latin 
 has shall 
 I hope 
 on this 
 fashion f 
 
 8 Syr. 
 rest. 
 
 23 Of understanding given unto me ? For 
 it was not my mind to be curious of 
 the ways above, but of sucli things as 
 pass by us daily; because Israel is 
 given up as a reproach to the heathen, 
 and the people whom thou hast loved 
 is given over unto ungodly nations, 
 and the law of our forefathers is made 
 of none effect, and the written cove- 
 
 24 nants are nowhere regarded, and we 
 pass away out of the world as grass- 
 hoppers, and our life is as a ^ vapour, 
 neither are we worthy to obtain mer- 
 
 25 cy. What will he then do for his 
 name whereby we are called? Of 
 these things have I asked. 
 
 26 Then answered he me, and said, If 
 thou be alive, thou shalt see, and if 
 thou livest 2 long, thou shalt marvel ; 
 for the world hasteth fast to pass 
 
 27 away. For it is not able to bear the 
 things that are promised to the right- 
 eous in the times to come : for this 
 world is full of sadness and inflrmi- 
 
 28 ties. For the evil ^ whereof thou 
 askest me is sown, but the gathering 
 
 29 thereof is not yet come. If therefore 
 that which is sown be not reaped, and 
 if the place where the evil is sown 
 pass not away, there cannot come the 
 
 30 field where the good is sown. For a 
 grain of evil seed was sown in the 
 heart of Adam from the beginning, 
 and how much wickedness hath it 
 brought forth unto this time! and 
 how much shall it yet bring forth 
 until the * time of threshing come ! 
 
 31 Ponder now by thyself, how great 
 fruit of wickedness a grain of evil 
 
 32 seed hath brought forth. When the 
 ears which are without number shall 
 be sown, how great a floor shall they 
 fill! 
 
 33 Then I answered and said, ^How 
 long? and when shall these things 
 come to pass? wherefore are our 
 years few and evil ? 
 
 34 And he answered me, and said. Thou 
 dost not hasten more than the Most 
 High : for thy haste is ^ for thine own 
 self, but he that is above hasteneth 
 
 35 on behalf of many. Did not the souls 
 of the righteous ask question of these 
 things in their chambers, saying, How 
 long ^ are we here ? when cometh the 
 fruit of the * threshing time of our re- 
 
 36 ward? And unto them Jeremiel the 
 archangel gave answer, and said. Even 
 when the number is fulfilled of them 
 that are like unto you. For he hath 
 weighed the world in the balance; 
 
 37 and by measure hath he measm-ed 
 the times, and by number hath he 
 numbered the seasons ; and he shall 
 not 8 move nor stir them, until the 
 said measure be fulfilled. 
 
 38 Then answered I and said, O Lord 
 that bearest rule, yet even we all are 
 
 39 full of impiety: and for our sakes 
 peradventure it is that the * threshing 
 
 time of the righteous is kept back, 
 because of the sins of them that dwell 
 upon the earth. 
 
 40 So he answered me, and said, Go thy 
 way to a woman with child, and ask 
 of her when she hath fulfilled her nine 
 months, if her womb may keep the 
 birth any longer within her. 
 
 41 Then said I, No, Lord, that can it 
 not. 
 
 And he said unto me. In the grave 
 the chambers of souls are like the 
 
 42 womb : for like as a woman that tra- 
 vaileth maketh haste to escape the 
 anguish of the travail: even so do 
 these places haste to deliver those 
 things that are committed unto them 
 
 43 from the beginning. Then shall it be 
 shewed thee concerning those things 
 which thou desirest to see. 
 
 44 Then answered I and said. If I have 
 found favour in thy sight, and if it be 
 possible, and if I be meet therefore, 
 
 45 shew me this also, whether there be 
 more to come than is past, or whether 
 
 46 the more part is gone over us. For 
 what is gone I know, but what is for 
 to come I know not. 
 
 47 And he said unto me. Stand up upon 
 the right side, and I shall expound 
 the similitude unto thee. 
 
 48 So I stood, and saw, and, behold, a 
 hot burning oven passed by before 
 me : and it happened, that when the 
 flame was gone by I looked, and, be- 
 
 49 hold, the smoke remained still. After 
 this there passed by before me a 
 watery cloud, and sent down much 
 rain with a storm ; and when the 
 stormy rain was past, the drops re- 
 mained therein still. 
 
 50 Then said he unto me, Consider with 
 thyself ; as the rain is more than the 
 drops, and as the fire is greater than 
 the smoke, so the quantity which is 
 past did more exceed ; but the drops 
 and the smoke remained still. 
 
 51 Then I prayed, and said. May I live, 
 thinkest thou, until that time ? or who 
 shall be in those days ? 
 
 52 He answered me, and said, As for the 
 tokens whereof thou askest me, I may 
 tell thee of them in part : but as touch- 
 ing thy life, I am not sent to shew thee ; 
 
 5 for I do not know it Nevertheless 
 as concerning the tokens, behold, tlie 
 days shall come, that they which dwell 
 upon earth shall be taken 2 with great 
 amazement, and the way of truth shall 
 be hidden, and the land shall be bar- 
 
 2 ren" of faith. But iniquity shall be 
 increased above that which now thou 
 seest, or that thou hast heard long ago. 
 
 3 And the land, that thou seest now to 
 have rule, shall be waste and - untrod- 
 
 4 den, and men shall see it desolate. But 
 if the Most High grant thee to live, thou 
 shalt see that which is after the third 
 kingdom, to be troubled ; and the sun 
 shall suddenly shine forth in the night, 
 
 18 
 
5. 24. 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 5. 41. 
 
 1 Ac- 
 cording 
 to some 
 Oriental 
 versions, 
 tlie air. 
 
 a The 
 Syriac 
 has 
 Psaltiel. 
 
 5 aud the moon in the day : and blood 
 shall drop out of wood, and the stone 
 shall give his voice, aud the peoples 
 shall be troubled ; and ^ their goings 
 
 6 shall be changed : aud he shall rule, 
 whom they that dwell upon the earth 
 look not for, aud the fowls shall take 
 
 7 their flight away together : and the 
 Sodomitish sea shall cast out fish, and 
 make a noise in the night, which many 
 have not known : but all shall hear 
 
 8 the voice thereof. There shall be 
 chaos also in many places, and the 
 fire shall be oft sent out, and the wild 
 beasts shall change their places, and 
 women shall bring forth monsters : 
 
 9 and salt waters shall be found in the 
 sweet, and all friends shall destroy 
 one another .- then shall wit hide itself, 
 and uuderstanding withdraw itself 
 
 10 into its chamber; and it shall be 
 sought of many, and shall not be 
 found: and unrighteousness and in- 
 continency shall be multiplied upon 
 
 Hearth. One land also shall ask an- 
 other, and say, Is righteousness, is 
 a man that doeth righteousness, gone 
 through thee ? And it shall say, No. 
 
 12 And it shall come to pass at that time 
 that men shall hope, but shall not 
 obtain: they shall labour, but their 
 
 13 ways shall not prosper. To shew thee 
 such tokens I have leave ; aud if thou 
 wilt pray again, aud weep as now, 
 and fast seven days, thou shalt hear 
 yet greater things than these. 
 
 14: Then I awaked, aud an extreme 
 trembling went through my body, and 
 my miud was troubled, so that it 
 
 15 fainted. So the augel that was come 
 to talk with me held me, comforted 
 
 16 me, and set me up upon my feet. Aud 
 in the second night it came to pass, 
 that • Phaltiel the captain of the peo- 
 ple came unto me, saying, Where hast 
 thou been? and why is thy couute- 
 
 17 nance sad ? or kuowest thou not that 
 Israel is committed unto thee in the 
 
 18 laud of their captivity? Up then, and 
 eat some bread, and forsake us not, 
 as the shepherd that leaveth his flock 
 
 19 in the hands of cruel wolves. Then 
 said I unto him. Go thy ways from 
 me, and come not nigh me for seven 
 days, aud then shalt thou come unto 
 me. Aud he heard what I said, and 
 went from me. 
 
 20 And so I fasted seven days, mourn- 
 ing aud weeping, like as Uriel the au- 
 
 2 1 gel commanded me. And after seven 
 days so it was, that the thoughts of 
 my heart were very grievous unto me 
 
 22 again, and my soul recovered the 
 spirit of understanding, and I began 
 to speak words before the Most High 
 
 23 again, aud said, O Lord that bearest 
 rule, of all the woods of the earth, 
 aud of all the trees thereof, thou hast 
 
 24 chosen thee one vine : aud of all the 
 lands of the world thou hast chosen 
 
 thee one ^ country: and of all the 
 flowers of the world thou hast chosen 
 
 25 thee one lily : aud of all the depths of 
 the sea thou hast filled thee one river : 
 and of all builded cities thou hast hal- 
 
 26 lowed Siou unto thyself : aud of all the 
 fowls that are created thou hast named 
 thee one dove : and of all the cattle that 
 are made thou hast provided thee one 
 
 27 sheep: and among all the multitudes 
 of peoples thou hast gotten thee one 
 people : and unto this people, whom 
 thou lovedst, thou gavest a law that 
 
 28 is approved of all. And now, O Lord, 
 why hast thou given this one people 
 over unto many, and *hast dishon- 
 oured the one root above others, and 
 hast scattered thine only one among 
 
 29 many? Aud they which did gainsay 
 thy promises have trodden them down 
 
 30 that believed thy covenants. If thou 
 dost so much hate thy people, they 
 should be punished Avith thine own 
 hands. 
 
 3 1 Now when I had spoken these words, 
 the angel that came to me the night 
 
 32 afore was sent unto me, and said unto 
 me, Hear me, and I will instruct thee ; 
 hearken unto me, and I shall tell thee 
 more. 
 
 33 And I said. Speak on, my Lord. Then 
 said he unto me. Thou art sore trou- 
 bled in mind for Israel's sake : lovest 
 thou that people better than he that 
 made them ? 
 
 34 And I said. No, Lord : but of very 
 grief have I spoken : for my reins tor- 
 ment me every hour, while I labour to 
 comprehend the way of the Most High, 
 aud to seek out part of his judgement. 
 
 35 Aud he said unto me. Thou canst 
 not. And I said. Wherefore, Lord, or 
 whereunto was I born ? or why was 
 not my mother's womb then my grave, 
 that I might not have seen the tra- 
 vail of Jacob, and the wearisome toil 
 of the stock of Israel ? 
 
 36 And he said unto me. Number me 
 them that are not yet come, gather me 
 together the drops that are scattered 
 abroad, make me the flowers green 
 
 37 again that are withered, open me the 
 chambers that are closed, aud bring 
 me forth the winds that in them are 
 shut up, or shew me the image of a 
 voice : and then I will declare to thee 
 the travail that thou askest to see. 
 
 38 Aud I said, O Lord that bearest rule, 
 who may know these things, but he 
 that hath not his dwelling with men ? 
 
 39 As for me, I am unwise : how may I 
 then speak of these things whereof 
 thou askest me ? 
 
 40 Then said he unto me, Like as thou 
 canst do none of these things that 
 I have spoken of, even so canst thou 
 not find out my judgement, or the end 
 of the love that I have promised unto 
 my people. 
 
 4 1 Aud I said, But, lo, O Lord, thou hast 
 
 3 After 
 
 the 
 
 Oriental 
 
 versions. 
 
 The 
 
 Latin 
 
 hsapit. 
 
 4 After 
 the 
 
 Oriental 
 versions. 
 The 
 Latin 
 reads 
 hast pre- 
 pared. 
 
 19 
 
5. 56. 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 6. 10. 
 
 1 So the 
 Syriac. 
 a The 
 Latin 
 omits Jf 
 . . . alive 
 at once. 
 
 made the promise unto them that be 
 in the end : and what shall they do 
 that have been before us, or we that 
 be noiv, or they that shall come after 
 us? 
 
 42 And he said unto me, I will liken my 
 judgement unto a ring : like as there 
 is no slackness of them that be last, 
 even so there is no swiftness of them 
 that be first. 
 
 43 So I answered and said, Couldest 
 thou not make them to be at once that 
 have been made, and that be now, and 
 that are for to come ; that thou mightr 
 est shew thy judgement the sooner ? 
 
 44 Then answered he me, and said, The 
 creature may not haste above the 
 creator ; neither may the world hold 
 them at once that shall be created 
 therein. 
 
 45 And I said. How hast thou said unto 
 thy servant, that Hhou wilt surely 
 make alive at once the creature that 
 thou hast created ? ^ if therefore they 
 shall be alive at once, and the crea- 
 ture shall sustain them: even so it 
 might now also support them to be 
 present at once. 
 
 46 And he said unto me. Ask the womb 
 of a woman, and say unto her. If thou 
 bringest forth ten children, why doest 
 thou it at several times? pray her 
 therefore to bring forth ten children 
 at once. 
 
 47 And I said, She cannot: but must do 
 it by distance of time. 
 
 48 Then said he unto me. Even so have 
 I given the womb of the earth to those 
 that be sown therein in their several 
 
 49 times. For like as a young child may 
 not bring forth, neither she that is 
 grown old bring forth any more, even 
 so have I disposed the world which I 
 created. 
 
 50 And I asked, and said. Seeing thou 
 hast now shewed me the way, I will 
 speak before thee : Is our mother, of 
 whom thou hast told me, still young ? 
 or doth she now draw nigh unto age ? 
 
 51 He answered me, and said. Ask a 
 woman that beareth children, and she 
 
 52 shall tell thee. Say unto her. Where- 
 fore are not they whom thou hast now 
 brought forth like those that were be- 
 
 53 fore, but less of stature ? And she also 
 shall answer thee. They that be born 
 in the strength of youth are of one 
 fashion, and they that are born in the 
 time of age, when the womb faileth, 
 
 54 are otherwise. Consider therefore 
 thou also, how that ye are less of stat- 
 ure than those that were before you. 
 
 55 And so are they that come after you 
 less than ye, as born of the creature 
 which now beginneth to be old, and 
 is past the strength of youth. 
 
 56 Then said I, Lord, I beseech thee, if 
 I have found favour in thy sight, shew 
 thy servant by whom thou visitest 
 thy creature. 
 
 Q And he said unto me, In the begin- 
 ning, when the earth was made, before 
 the outgoings of the world were fixed, 
 or ever the gatherings of the winds 
 
 2 blew, before the voices of the thunder 
 sounded and before the flashes of the 
 lightning shone, or ever the founda- 
 
 3 tions of paradise were laid, before the 
 fair flowers were seen, or ever the 
 powers of the earthquake were estab- 
 lished, before the innumerable hosts 
 
 4 of angels were gathered together, or 
 ever the heights of the air were lifted 
 up, before the measures of the firma- 
 ment were named, or ever the foot- 
 
 5 stool of Sion ^ was established, and 
 ere the present years were sought out, 
 and or ever the imaginations of them 
 that now sin were estranged, before 
 they were sealed that have gathered 
 
 6 faith for a treasure : then did I con- 
 sider these things, and they all were 
 made through me alone, and through 
 none other : as by me also they shall 
 be ended, and by none other. 
 
 7 Then answered I and said, What 
 shall be the parting asunder of the 
 times? or when shall be the end of 
 the first, and the beginning of it that 
 followeth? 
 
 8 And he said unto me. From » Abra- 
 ham unto ^ Abraham, inasmuch as Ja- 
 cob and Esau were born of him, for 
 Jacob's hand held the heel of Esau 
 
 9 from the beginning. For Esau is the 
 end of this world, and Jacob is the 
 
 10 beginning of it that followeth. ^ The 
 beginning of a man is his hand, and 
 the end of a man is his heel ; between 
 the heel and the hand seek thou 
 nought else, Esdras. 
 
 11 I answered then and said, O Lord 
 that bearest rule, if I have found 
 
 12 favour in thy sight, I beseech thee, 
 shew thy servant the end of thy to- 
 kens, whereof thou shewedst me part 
 the last night. 
 
 13 So he answered and said unto me, 
 Stand up upon thy feet, and thou shalt 
 
 14 hear a mighty sounding voice; and 
 if the place whereon thou standest be 
 
 15 greatly moved, when it speaketh be 
 not thou afraid : for the word is of the 
 end, and the foundations of the earth 
 
 16 shall understand, that the speech is 
 of them: they shall tremble and be 
 moved : for they know that their end 
 must be changed. 
 
 17 And it happened, that when I had 
 heard it I stood up upon my feet, and 
 hearkened, and, behold, there was a 
 voice that spake, and the sound of it 
 was like the sound of many waters. 
 
 18 And it said. Behold, the days come, 
 and it shall be that when I draw nigh 
 to visit them that dwell upon the 
 
 19 earth, and when I shall make inquisi- 
 tion of them that have done hurt un- 
 justly with their unrighteousness, and 
 when the affliction of Sion shall be 
 
6. 39. 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 6. 56. 
 
 1 After 
 
 the 
 
 Oriental 
 
 versions. 
 
 The 
 
 Latin is 
 
 corrupt. 
 
 3 So the 
 
 Syriac 
 
 The 
 
 Latin is 
 
 corrupt. 
 
 3 The 
 
 Latin 
 
 has 
 
 tettthee 
 
 by day. 
 
 20 fulfilled, and when the seal-shall be 
 set upon the world that is to pass 
 away, then will I shew these tokens : 
 the books shall be opened before the 
 firmament, and all shall see together : 
 
 21 and the children of a year old shall 
 speak with their voices, the women 
 with child shall bring forth untimely 
 children at three or four months, and 
 
 22 they shall live, and dance. And sud- 
 denly shall the sown places appear 
 unsown, the full storehouses shall 
 
 23 suddenly be found empty: and the 
 trumpet shall give a sound, which 
 when every man heareth, they shall 
 
 24 be suddenly afraid. At that time shall 
 friends make war one against another 
 like enemies, and the earth shall stand 
 in fear with those that dwell therein, 
 the springs of the fountains shall stand 
 still, so that for three hours they shall 
 
 25 not run. And it shall be that whoso- 
 ever remaineth after all these things 
 that I have told thee of, he shall be 
 saved, and shall see my salvation, and 
 
 26 the end of my world. And they shall 
 see the men that have been taken up, 
 who have not tasted death from their 
 birth : and the heart of the inhabitants 
 shall be changed, and turned into an- 
 
 27 other meaning. For evil shall be blot- 
 ted out, and deceit shall be quenched ; 
 
 28 and faith shall flourish, and corruption 
 shall be overcome, and the truth, 
 which hath been so long without 
 fruit, shall be declared. 
 
 29 And when he talked with me, behold, 
 by httle and little the place whereon I 
 
 30 stood 1 rocked to and fro. And he said 
 unto me. These things came I to 
 
 31 shew thee ^this night. If therefore 
 thou wilt pray yet again, and fast seven 
 days more, I shall yet ^ tell thee great- 
 
 32 er things than these. For thy voice 
 hath surely been heard before the Most 
 High : for the Mighty hath seen thy 
 righteous dealing, he hath seen afore- 
 time also thy chastity, which thou 
 
 33 hast had ever since thy youth. And 
 therefore hath he sent me to shew 
 thee all these things, and to say unto 
 thee. Be of good comfort, and fear not. 
 
 34 And be not hasty in rerjard o/the for- 
 mer times, to think vain things, that 
 thou mayest not hasten in the latter 
 times. 
 
 35 And it came to pass after this, that 
 I wept again, and fasted seven days 
 in like manner, that I might fulfil 
 the three weeks which he told me. 
 
 36 And in the eighth night was my heart 
 vexed within me again, and I began 
 
 37 to speak before the Most High. For 
 my spirit was greatly set on fire, and 
 
 38 my soul was in distress. And I said, 
 O Lord, of a truth thou spakest at 
 the beginning of the creation, upon 
 the first day, and saidst thus; Let 
 heaven and earth be made ; and thy 
 
 39 word perfected the work. And then 
 
 was the spirit hovering, and darkness 
 and silence were on every side ; the 
 sound of man's voice was not yet*. 
 
 40 Then commandedst thou a ray of light 
 to be brought forth of thy treasures, 
 that then thy works might appear. 
 
 41 Upon the second day again thou 
 madest the spirit of the firmament 
 and commandedst it to part asunder, 
 and to make a division betwixt the 
 waters, that the one part might go up, 
 
 42 and the other remain beneath. Upon 
 the third day thou didst command that 
 the waters should be gathered together 
 in the seventh part of the earth : six 
 parts didst thou dry up, and keep 
 them, to the intent that of these some 
 being both planted and tilled might 
 
 43 serve before thee. For as soon as 
 thy word went forth the work was 
 
 44 done. For inunediately there came 
 forth great and innumerable fruit, and 
 manifold pleasures for the taste, and 
 flo wers of inimitable colour, and odours 
 of most exquisite smell: and this was 
 
 45 done the third day. Upon the fourth 
 day thou commandedst that the sun 
 should shine, and the moon give her 
 light, and the stars should be in their 
 
 46 order : and gavest them a charge to 
 do service imto man, that was to 
 
 47 be made. Upon the fifth day thou 
 saidst unto the seventh part, where 
 the water was gathered together, that 
 it should bring forth hving creatures, 
 fowls and fishes : and so it came to 
 
 48 pass, that the dumb wat«r and with- 
 out life brought forth living things as 
 it was bidden, that the peoples might 
 therefore praise thy wondrous works. 
 
 49 Then didst thou preserve two living 
 creatures, the one thou calledst ^ Be- 
 hemoth, and the other thou calledst 
 
 50 ^ Leviathan : and thou didst separate 
 the one from the other: for the seventh 
 part, namely, where the water was ga- 
 thered together, might not hold them 
 
 51 both. Unto ^ Behemoth thou gavest 
 one part, which was dried up on the 
 third day, that he should dwell in the 
 same, ^ wherein are a thousand hills : 
 
 52 but unto ^ Leviathan thou gavest the 
 seventh part, namely, the moist; and 
 thou hast kept them to be devoured 
 
 53 of whom thou wilt, and when. But 
 upon the sixth day thou gavest com- 
 mandment unto the earth, that it 
 should bring forth before thee cattle, 
 
 54 beasts, and creeping things : and over 
 these Adam, whom thou ordainedst 
 lord over all the works that thou hast 
 made : of him come we all, the people 
 
 55 whom thou hast chosen. All this have 
 I spoken before thee, O Lord, because 
 thou hast said that for our sakes thou 
 
 56 madest " this world. As for the other 
 nations, which also come of Adam, 
 thou hast said that they are nothing, 
 and are like unto spittle : and thou 
 hast likened the abundance of them 
 
 *The 
 
 Latin 
 
 adds 
 
 from 
 
 thee. 
 
 6PS.L 
 
 10. 
 
 6 Ps. 
 
 Ixxiv. 14. 
 
 1 So the 
 Syriac. 
 
 Latin 
 has the 
 firstborn 
 ■world. 
 
7. 18. 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 7. [38.] 
 
 1 So the 
 
 chief 
 
 Oriental 
 
 versions. 
 
 The 
 
 Latin 
 
 MSS. 
 
 have 
 
 unto a drop that falleth from a vessel. 
 
 57 And now, O Lord, behold, these na- 
 tions, which are reputed as nothing, 
 
 58 be lords over us, and devour us. But 
 we thy people, whom thou hast called 
 thy firstborn, thy only begotten, and 
 thy fervent lover, are given into their 
 
 59 hands. If the world now be made for 
 our sakes, why do we not possess for 
 an inheritance our world? how long 
 shall this endure ? 
 
 7 And when I had made an end of 
 speaking these words, there was sent 
 unto me the angel which had been 
 
 2 sent unto me the nights afore : and he 
 said unto me, Up, Esdras, and hear 
 the words that I am come to tell thee. 
 
 3 And I said. Speak on, ray Lord. Then 
 said he unto me. There is a sea set in 
 a wide place, that it might be ^ broad 
 
 4 and vast But the entrance thereof 
 shall be set in a narrow place so as to 
 
 5 be like a river ; whoso then should 
 desire to go into the sea to look upon 
 it, or to rule it, if he went not through 
 the narrow, how could he come into 
 
 6 the broad ? Another thing also : There 
 is a city builded and set in a plain 
 country, and full of all good things ; 
 
 7 but the entrance thereof is narrow, 
 and is set in a dangerous place to fall, 
 having a fire on the right hand, and on 
 
 8 the left a deep water : and there is one 
 only path between them both, even be- 
 tween the fire and the water, so small 
 that there could but one man go there 
 
 9 at once. If this city now be given unto 
 a man for an inheritance, if the heir 
 pass not the danger set before him, 
 how shall he receive his inheritance ? 
 
 10 And I said. It is so, Lord. Then said 
 he unto me. Even so also is Israel's 
 
 11 portion. Because for their sakes I 
 made the world: and when Adam 
 transgressed my statutes, then was 
 
 12 decreed that now is done. Then 
 were the entrances of this world made 
 narrow, and sorrowful and toilsome : 
 they are but few and evil, full of per- 
 
 13 lis, and charged with great toils. For 
 the entrances of the greater world 
 are wide and sure, and bring forth 
 
 14 fruit of immortality. If then they 
 that live enter not these strait and 
 vain things, they can never receive 
 
 15 those that are laid up for them. Now 
 therefore why disquietest thou thy- 
 self, seeing thou art but a corruptible 
 man? and why art thou moved, where- 
 
 16 as thou art but mortal? and why 
 hast thou not considered in thy mind 
 that which is to come, rather than 
 
 17 that which is present ? Then answer- 
 ed I and said, O Lord that bearest 
 rule, lo, thou hast ordained in thy law, 
 that the righteous should inherit 
 these things, but that the ungodly 
 
 18 should perish. The righteous there- 
 fore shall suffer strait things, and hope 
 for wide : but they that have done 
 
 wickedly ^ have suffered the strait 
 things, and yet shall not see the wide. 
 
 19 And he said unto me, ^ Thou art not 
 a judge above God, neither hast thou 
 understanding above the Most High. 
 
 20 Yea, rather let many that now be 
 perish, than that the law of God which 
 
 21 is set before them be despised. For 
 God straitly commanded such as 
 came, even as they came, what they 
 should do to live, and what they 
 should observe to avoid punishment, 
 
 22 Nevertheless they were not obedient 
 unto him ; but spake against him, and 
 imagined for themselves vain things ; 
 
 23 and framed cunning devices of wick- 
 edness ; and said moreover of the Most 
 High, that he is not ; and knew not 
 
 24 his ways : but they despised his law, 
 and denied his covenants ; they have 
 not been faithful to his statutes, and 
 
 25 have not performed his works. There- 
 fore, Esdras, for the empty are empty 
 things, and for the full are the full 
 
 26 things. For behold, the time shall 
 come, and it shall be, when these 
 tokens, of which I told thee before, 
 shall come to pass, that the bride 
 shall appear, even the city coming 
 forth, and she shall be seen,that now is 
 
 27 withdrawn from the earth. And who- 
 soever is delivered from the foresaid 
 evils, the same shall see my wonders. 
 
 28 For my son Jesus shall be revealed 
 with those that be with him, and shall 
 rejoice them that remain four hundred 
 
 29 years. After these years shall my son 
 Christ die, and all that have the breath 
 
 30 of * life. And the world shall be turned 
 into the old silence seven days, like as 
 in the first beginning : so that no man 
 
 31 shall remain. And after seven days 
 the world, that yet awaketh not, shall 
 be raised up, and that shall die that 
 
 32 is corruptible. And the earth shall 
 restore those that are asleep in her, 
 and so shall the dust those that dwell 
 therein in silence, and the ^ secret 
 places shall deliver those souls that 
 
 33 were committed unto them. And the 
 Most High shall be revealed upon the 
 seat of judgements and compassion 
 shall pass away, and longsufferiug 
 
 34 shall be withdrawn: but judgement 
 only shall remain, truth shall stand, 
 
 35 and faith shall wax strong : and the 
 work shall follow, and the reward 
 shall be shewed, and good deeds shall 
 awake, and wicked deeds shall not 
 
 [36] sleep." And the » pit of torment 
 shall appear, and over against it shall 
 be the place of rest : and the furnace 
 of » hell shall be shewed, and over 
 against it the paradise of delight. 
 
 [37] And then shall the Most High say 
 to the nations that are raised from 
 the dead, See ye and understand 
 whom ye have denied, or whom ye 
 have not served, or whose command- 
 
 [38] ments ye have despised. Look on 
 
 2 Ac- 
 cording 
 to some 
 authori- 
 ties, have 
 
 22 
 
7. [58.] 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 7. [75.] 
 
 1 So the 
 
 chief 
 
 Oriental 
 
 versions. 
 
 The 
 
 Latin 
 
 has 
 
 Shalt 
 
 thou 
 
 speak. 
 
 a Or, 
 storm 
 
 3 The 
 Latin 
 is here 
 corrupt. 
 
 this side and ou that : here is delight 
 and rest, and there fire and torments. 
 Thus 1 shall he speak unto them in 
 
 [39] the day of judgement: This is a 
 
 [40] day that hath neither sun, nor 
 moon, nor stars, neither cloud, nor 
 thunder, nor lightning, neither wind, 
 nor water, nor air, neither darkness, 
 
 [41] nor evening, nor morning, neither 
 summer, nor spring, nor heat, nor 
 'winter, neither frost, nor cold, nor 
 
 [42] hail, nor rain, nor dew, neither 
 noon, nor night, nor dawn, neither 
 shining, nor brightness, nor light, save 
 only the splendour of the glory of the 
 Most High, whereby all shall see the 
 
 [43] things that are set before them : for 
 it shall endure as it were a week of 
 
 [44] years. This is my judgement and 
 the ordinance thereof; but to thee 
 only have I shewed these things. 
 
 [45] And I answered, I said even then, 
 O Lord, and I say now : Blessed are 
 they that be now alive and keep the 
 
 [46] statutes ordained of thee. But as 
 touching them for whom my prayer 
 was made, ivhat shall I say ? for who 
 is there of them that be alive that 
 hath not sinned, and who of the sons 
 of men that hath not transgressed 
 
 [47 J thy covenant ? And now I see, that 
 the world to come shall bring delight 
 to few, but torments unto many. 
 
 [48] For an evil heart hath grown up in 
 us, which hath led us astray from 
 these statutes, and hath brought us 
 into corruption and into the ways of 
 death, hath sliewed us the paths of 
 perdition and removed us far from 
 life; and that, not a few only, but 
 well nigh all that have been created. 
 
 [49] And he answered me, and said, 
 Hearken unto me, and I will instruct 
 thee; and I will admonish thee yet 
 
 [50] again : for this cause the Most High 
 hath not made one world, but two. 
 
 [51] For whereas thou hast said that the 
 just are not many, but few, and the 
 ungodly abound, hear the answer 
 
 [52] thereunto. If thou have choice 
 stones exceeding few, ^ wilt thou set 
 
 rule, that which is plentiful is of less 
 worth, for that which is more rare is 
 more precious. 
 
 [59] And he answered me, and said, 
 3 Weigh within thyself the things that 
 thou hast thought, for he that hath 
 what is hard to get rejoiceth over 
 
 [60] him that hath what is plentiful. So 
 also is the 'judgement which I have 
 promised : for I will rejoice over the 
 few that shall be saved, inasmuch as 
 these are they that have made ray 
 glory now to prevail, and of whom 
 
 [61] my name is now named. And I 
 will not grieve over the multitude of 
 them that perish ; for these are they 
 that are now like unto vapour, and 
 are become as flame and smoke ; they 
 are set on Are and burn hotly, and 
 are quenched. 
 
 [62] And I answered and said, O thou 
 earth, wherefore hast thou brought 
 forth, if the mind is made out of dust, 
 
 [63] Uke as all other created things ? For 
 it were better that the dust itself had 
 been unborn, so that the mind might 
 
 [64] not have been made therefrom. But 
 now the mind groweth with us, and 
 by reason of this we are tormented, 
 
 [65] because we perish and know it. Let 
 the race of men lament and the beasts 
 of the field be glad ; let all that are 
 born lament, but let the fourfooted 
 
 [66] beasts and the cattle rejoice. For 
 it is far better with them than with 
 us ; for they look not for judgement, 
 neither do they know of torments or 
 of salvation promised unto them after 
 
 [67] death. For what doth it profit us, 
 that we shall be preserved alive, but 
 
 [68] yet be afflicted with torment? Forall 
 that are born are ^ defiled with iniqui- 
 ties, and are full of sins and laden with 
 
 [69] offences .- and if after death we were 
 not to come into judgement, peradven- 
 ture it had been better for us. 
 
 [70] And he answered me, and said, 
 When the Most High made the world, 
 and Adam and all them that came of 
 him, he first prepared the judgement 
 and the things that pertain unto the 
 
 for thee over against them according I [71] judgement. And now understand 
 
 to their number things of lead and 
 clay? 
 
 [53] And I said, Lord, how shall this 
 be? 
 
 [54] And he said unto me, Not only 
 this, but ask the earth, and she shall 
 tell thee ; intreat her, and she shall 
 
 [55] declare unto thee. For thou shalt 
 say unto her. Thou bringest forth 
 gold and silver and brass, and iron 
 
 [56] also and lead and clay : but silver 
 is more abundant than gold, and brass 
 than silver, and iron than brass, lead 
 
 [57] than iron, and clay than lead. Judge 
 thou therefore which things are pre- 
 cious and to be desired, whatso is 
 abundant or what is rare. 
 
 [58] And I 
 
 from thine own words, for thou hast 
 said that the mind groweth with us. 
 
 [72] They therefore that dwell upon the 
 earth shall be tormented for this rea- 
 son, that having understanding they 
 have wrought iniquity, and receiving 
 commandments have not kept them, 
 and having obtained a law they dealt 
 unfaithfully with that which they re- 
 
 [73] ceived. What then will they have 
 to say in the judgement, or how will 
 
 [74] they answer in the last times ? For 
 how great a time hath the IVIost High 
 been longsuffering with them that 
 inhabit the world, and not for their 
 sakes, but because of the times which 
 
 he hath foreordained ! 
 said, O Lord that bearest i [75] And I answered and said. If I have 
 23 
 
7. [92.] 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 7. [104.] 
 
 1 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, him. 
 
 8 The 
 
 18 cor- 
 rupt. 
 3Lat. 
 greater. 
 
 4 The 
 Latin 
 is here 
 corrupt. 
 
 found grace in thy sight, O Lord, shew 
 this also unto thy servant, whether 
 after death, even now when every one 
 of us giveth up his soul, we shall be 
 kept in rest until those times come, in 
 which thou shalt renew the creation, 
 or whether we shall be tormented 
 forthwith. 
 
 [76] And he answered me, and said, I 
 will shew thee this also ; but join not 
 thyself with them that are scorn- 
 ers, nor nmnber thyself with them 
 
 [77] that are tormented. For thou hast 
 a treasure of good works laid up with 
 the Most High, but it shall not be 
 shewed thee until the last times. 
 
 [78] For concerning death the teaching 
 is : When the determinate sentence 
 hath gone forth from the Most High 
 that a man should die, as the spirit 
 leaveth the body to return again to 
 him who gave it, it adoreth the glory 
 
 [79] of the Most High first of all. And 
 if it be one of those that have been 
 scorners and have not kept the way 
 of the Most High, and that have de- 
 spised his law, and that hate them that 
 
 [80] fear ^God, these spirits shall not 
 enter into habitations, but shall wan- 
 der and be in torments forthwith, ever 
 grieving and sad, in seven ways. 
 
 [81] The first way, because they have 
 despised the law of the Most High. 
 
 [82] The second way, because they can- 
 not now make a good returning that 
 
 [83] they may live. The third way, they 
 shall see the reward laid up for them 
 that have believed the covenants of 
 
 [84] the Most High. The fourth way, 
 they shall consider the torment laid 
 up for themselves in the last days. 
 
 [85] The fifth way, they shall see the 
 dwelling places of the others guarded 
 
 [86] by angels, with great quietness. The 
 sixth way, they shall see ^ how forth- 
 with some of them shall pass into 
 
 [87] torment. The seventh way, which 
 is " more grievous than all the afore- 
 said ways, because they shall pine 
 away in confusion and be consumed 
 with * shame, and shall be withered 
 up by fears, seeing the glory of the 
 Most High before whom they have 
 sinned whilst living, and before whom 
 they shall be judged in the last times. 
 
 [88] Now this is the order of those who 
 have kept the ways of the Most High, 
 when they shall be separated from the 
 
 [89] corruptible vessel. In the time * that 
 they dwelt therein they painfully 
 served the Most High, and were in 
 jeopardy every hour, that they might 
 keep the law of the lawgiver perfectly. 
 
 [90] Wherefore this is the teaching con- 
 
 [91] cerning them : First of all they shall 
 see with great joy the glory of him 
 who taketh them up, for they shall 
 
 [92] have rest in seven orders. The first 
 order, because they have striven with 
 great labour to overcome the evil 
 
 thought which was fashioned together 
 with them, that it might not lead 
 them astray from life into death. 
 
 [93] The second order, because they see 
 the perplexity in which the souls of 
 the ungodly wander, and the punish- 
 
 [94] ment that awaiteth them. The third 
 order, they see the witness which he 
 that fashioned them beareth con- 
 cerning them, that while they lived 
 they kept the law which was given 
 
 [95] them in trust. The fourth order, 
 they understand the rest which, being 
 gathered in their chambers, they now 
 enjoy with great quietness, guarded 
 by angels, and the glory that awaiteth 
 
 [96] them in the last days. The fifth or- 
 der, they rejoice, seeing how they have 
 now escaped from that which is cor- 
 ruptible, and how they shall inherit 
 that which is to come, while they see 
 moreover the straitness and the * pain- 
 fulness from which they have been de- 
 livered, and the large room which they 
 shall receive with joy and immor- 
 
 [97] tality. The sixth order, when it is 
 shewed unto them how their face shall 
 shine as the sun, and how they shall 
 be made like unto the light of the 
 stars, being henceforth incorruptible. 
 
 [98] The seventh order, which is greater 
 than all the aforesaid orders, because 
 they shall rejoice with confidence, and 
 because they shall be bold without 
 confusion, and shall be glad without 
 fear, for they hasten to behold the 
 face of him whom in their lifetime 
 they served, and from whom they 
 shall receive tlieir reward in glory. 
 
 [99] This is the order of the souls of the 
 just, as from henceforth ^ is announ- 
 ced unto them, and aforesaid are the 
 ways of torture which they that would 
 not give heed shall suffer from hence- 
 
 [100] forth. And I answered and said. 
 Shall time therefore be given unto the 
 souls after they are separated from 
 the bodies, that they may see that 
 whereof thou hast spoken unto me? 
 
 [101] And he said. Their freedom shall 
 be for seven days, that for seven days 
 they may see the things whereof thou 
 hast been told, and afterwards they 
 shall be gathered together in their 
 
 [102] habitations. And I answered and 
 said, If I have found favour in tliy 
 sight, shew further unto me thy ser- 
 vant whether in the day of judgement 
 the just will be able to intercede for 
 the ungodly or to intreat the Most 
 
 [103] High for them, whether fathers for 
 children, or children for parents, or 
 brethren for brethren, or kinsfolk for 
 their next of kin, or ^ friends for them 
 
 [104] that are most dear. And he an- 
 swered me, and said. Since thou hast 
 found favour in my sight, I will shew 
 thee this also : The day of judgement 
 is « a day of decision, and displayeth 
 unto all the seal of truth ; even as now 
 
 24 
 
7. 53. 
 
 ir. ESDRAS. 
 
 8. 4. 
 
 1 So the 
 Oriental 
 versions, 
 a The 
 Latin 
 has 
 under- 
 stand. 
 s So the 
 Svriac. 
 The 
 Latin 
 omits 
 in that 
 day . . . 
 another. 
 
 [1061 
 [107] 
 
 * That is, 
 Achan. 
 See Josh, 
 vu. 1. 
 
 [109] 
 
 [110] 
 
 [111] 
 B So the 
 Syriac 
 and 
 other 
 versions. 
 The 
 Latin 
 
 [112] 
 omits 
 m the 
 days of 
 Saul. 
 
 [113] 
 • Omit- 
 ted in the 
 Latin. 
 
 [114] 
 
 [115] 
 
 [116] 
 
 7 See ch, 
 ill. 5. 
 
 [117] 
 [118] 
 
 [119] 
 [120] 
 [121] 
 [122] 
 
 [123] 
 
 a father sendeth not his son, or a son 
 his father, or a master his slave, or a 
 1 friend liim that is most dear, that in 
 his stead he may ^ be sick, or sleep, or 
 
 [105] eat, or be healed: so never shall 
 any one pray for another » in that day, 
 neither shall one lay a burden on an- 
 other, for then shall all bear every 
 one his own righteousness or unright- 
 eousness. 
 
 36 And I answered and said. How do 
 we now find that first Abraham pray- 
 ed for the people of Sodom, and Moses 
 for the fathers that sinned in the wil- 
 
 37derness: and Joshua after him for 
 
 38 Israel in the days of *AcIiar: and 
 Samuel ^in the days of Saul; and 
 
 eth without decay, wherein is abun- 
 dance and healing, but we shall not 
 
 54 enter into it, for we have walked in 
 
 55 unpleasant places ? And that the 
 faces of them which have used absti- 
 nence shall shine above the stars, 
 whereas our faces shall be blacker 
 
 56 than darkness? For while we hved 
 and committed iniquity, we considered 
 not what we should have to suffer 
 after death. 
 
 57 Then he answered and said. This is 
 the 8 condition of the battle, which 
 man that is born upon the earth shall 
 
 58 fight ; that, if he be overcome, he shall 
 suffer as thou hast said : but if he get 
 the victory, he shall receive the thing 
 
 David for the plague: and Solomon j 59 that I say. For this is the way where- 
 of INIoses spake unto the people while 
 he lived, saying, » Choose thee life, 
 
 60 that thou mayest live. Nevertheless 
 they believed not him, nor yet the 
 prophets after him, no, nor me which 
 
 61 have spoken unto them ; so that there 
 shall not be such heaviness in their 
 destruction, as there shall be joy over 
 them that are persuaded to salva- 
 tion. 
 
 62 I answered then and said, I know. 
 Lord, that the Most High is now 
 called merciful, in that he hath mercy 
 tipon them which are not yet come 
 
 63 into the world; and compassionate, 
 in that he hath compassion upon 
 
 64 those that turn to his law ; and long- 
 suffering, for that he long suffereth 
 those that have sinned, as his crea- 
 
 65 tures ; and bountiful, for that he is 
 ready to give rather than to exact ; 
 
 66 and of great mercy, for that he mul- 
 tiplieth more and more mercies to 
 them that are present, and that are 
 past, and also to them which are to 
 
 67 come; (for if he multiplied not his 
 mercies, the world would not continue 
 
 68 with them that dwell therein;) and 
 one that forgiveth, for if he did not 
 forgive of his goodness, that they 
 which have committed iniquities 
 might be eased of them, the ten thou- 
 sandth part of men would not remain 
 
 69 living; and a judge, foi- if he did not 
 pardon them that were created by 
 his word, and blot out the multitude 
 
 70 of 1" offences, there would peradven- 
 ture be very few left in an innumer- 
 able multitude. 
 
 8 And he answered me, and said. The 
 Most High hath made this world for 
 many, but the world to come for few. 
 
 2 I will tell thee now a similitude, Es- 
 dras; As when thou askest the earth, 
 it shall say unto thee, that it giveth 
 very much mould whereof earthen 
 vessels are made, and little dust that 
 gold Cometh of : even so is the course 
 
 3 of the present world. There be many 
 created, but few shall be saved. 
 
 4 And I answered and said. Swallow 
 down understanding then, O my soul, 
 
 25 C* 
 
 I for them that should worship in the 
 
 I 39 sanctuary : and Elijah for those that 
 
 , received rain; and for the dead, that 
 
 40 he might live : and Hezekiah for the 
 
 i people in the days of Sennacherib : 
 
 141 and many for many? If therefore 
 
 now, when corruption is grown up, 
 
 and unrighteousness increased, the 
 
 righteous have prayed for the ungodly, 
 
 wherefore shall it not be so then also? 
 
 42 He answered me, and said. This pre- 
 sent world is not the end; the full 
 glory abideth " not therein : therefore 
 have they who were able prayed for 
 
 43 the weak. But the day of judgement 
 shall be the end of this time, "and the 
 beginning of the immortality for to 
 come, wherein corruption is passed 
 
 44 away, intemperance is at an end, in- 
 fidelity is cut off. but righteousness 
 is grown, and truth is sprung up. 
 
 45 Then shall no man be able to have 
 mercy on him that is cast in judge- 
 ment, nor to thrust down him that 
 hath gotten the victory. 
 
 46 I answered then and said. This is my 
 first and last saying, that it had been 
 better that the earth had not ^ given 
 thee Adam : or else, when it had given 
 him, to have restrained him from sin- 
 
 47ning. For what profit is it for all 
 that are in this present time to live in 
 heaviness, and after death to look for 
 
 48 punishment? O thou Adam, what 
 hast thou done? for though it was 
 thou that sinned, the evil is not fallen 
 on thee alone, but upon all of us that 
 
 49 come of thee. For what profit is it 
 unto us, if there be promised us an 
 inunortal time, whereas we have done 
 
 50 the works that bring death? And 
 that there is promised us an everlast- 
 ing hope, whereas ourselves most 
 
 51 miserably are become vain? And 
 that there are reserved habitations of 
 health and safety, whereas we have 
 
 52 lived wickedly? And that the glory 
 of the Most High shall defend them 
 which have led a pure life, whereas 
 we have walked in the most wicked 
 
 53 ways of all ? And that there shall be 
 shewed a paradise, whose fruit endur- 
 
 [124] 
 [125] 
 
 [126] 
 
 [127] 
 
 8 Or, 
 intent 
 
 [128] 
 
 [129] 
 
 9 Deut. 
 XXX. 19. 
 
 [130] 
 
 [131] 
 [132] 
 
 [133] 
 [134] 
 
 [135] 
 [136] 
 
 [137] 
 [138] 
 
 [139] 
 
 [140] 
 lOLat. 
 
 con- 
 tempts. 
 
8. 22. 
 
 11. ESDRAS. 
 
 8. 43. 
 
 1 So the 
 Syriac. 
 
 Syr: 
 
 Latin 
 is in- 
 correct. 
 
 3 So the 
 mac. 
 
 Syri 
 
 The 
 
 Latin 
 
 has 
 
 place. 
 
 3 So the 
 Syriac. 
 The 
 Latin 
 is im- 
 perfect. 
 
 * Or, in- 
 habitest 
 eternity 
 8 Ac- 
 cording 
 to the 
 chief 
 Oriental 
 versions. 
 The La- 
 tin has, 
 even 
 they 
 whose 
 service 
 taketh 
 the form 
 of wind 
 Sfc. 
 
 5 and let viy heart devour wisdom. For 
 thou ^art come hither without thy 
 will, and departest when thou would- 
 est not: for there is given thee no 
 longer space than only to live a short 
 
 6 time. O Lord, that art over us, suffer 
 thy servant, that we may pray before 
 thee, and give us seed unto our heart, 
 and culture to our understanding, that 
 there may come fruit of it, whereby 
 every one shall live that is corrupt, 
 who beareth the ^ likeness of a man. 
 
 7 For thou art alone, and we all one 
 workmanship of thine hands, like as 
 
 8 thou hast said. Forasmuch as thou 
 quickenest the body that is fashioned 
 now in the womb, and givest it mem- 
 bers, thy creature is preserved in fire 
 and water, and nine months doth 
 thy workmanship endure thy creature 
 
 9 which is created in her. But that 
 which keepeth and that which is kept 
 shall both be kept ^ by thy keeping : 
 and when the womb giveth up again 
 
 10 that which hath grown in it, thou 
 hast commanded that out of the parts 
 of the body, that is to say, out of the 
 breasts, be given milk, which is the 
 
 11 fruit of the breasts, that the thing 
 which is fashioned may be nourished 
 for a time, and afterwards thou shalt 
 
 12 order it in thy mercy. Yea, thou 
 hast brought it up in thy righteous- 
 ness, and nurtured it in thy law, and 
 
 13 corrected it with thy judgement. And 
 thou Shalt mortify it as thy creature, 
 
 14 and quicken it as thy work. If there- 
 fore thou Shalt 1 lightly and suddenly 
 destroy him which with so great la- 
 bour was fashioned by thy command- 
 ment, to what purpose was he made ? 
 
 15 Now therefore I will speak; touching 
 man in general, thou knowest best; 
 but touching thy people will I speak, 
 
 16 for whose sake I am sorry; and for 
 thine inheritance, for whose cause I 
 mourn; and for Israel, for whom I 
 am heavy ; and for the seed of Jacob, 
 
 17 for whose sake I am troubled ; there- 
 fore will I begin to pray before thee 
 for myself and for them: for I see 
 the falls of us that dwell in the land ; 
 
 18 but I have heard the swiftness of the 
 19.iudgement which is to come. There- 
 fore hear my voice, and undei^tand 
 my saying, and I will speak before 
 thee. 
 
 The beginning of the words of Es- 
 dras, before he was taken up. And 
 he said, 
 
 20 O Lord, thou that * abidest for ever, 
 whose eyes are exalted, and whose 
 
 21 chambers are in the air ; whose throne 
 is inestimable ; whose glory may not 
 be comprehended ; before whom the 
 hosts of angels stand with trembling, 
 
 22sat whose bidding they are changed 
 to wind and fire ; whose word is sure, 
 and sayings constant; whose ordi- 
 nance is strong, and commandment 
 
 23 fearful ; whose look drieth up the 
 depths, and whose indignation mak- 
 eth the mountains to melt away, and 
 
 24 whose truth beareth witness : hear, 
 Lord, the prayer of thy servant, and 
 give ear to the petition of thy handy- 
 
 25 work ; attend unto my words, for so 
 long as I live I will speak, and so long 
 as I have understanding I will answer. 
 
 26 O look not upon the sins of thy people ; 
 but on them that have served thee in 
 
 27 truth. Regard not the doings of them 
 that deal wickedly, but of them that 
 have kept thy covenants in affliction. 
 
 28 Think not upon those that have walk- 
 ed feignedly before thee ; but remem- 
 ber them which have willingly known 
 
 29 thy fear. Let it not be thy will to 
 destroy them which have lived like 
 cattle ; but look upon them that have 
 
 30 6 clearly taught thy law. Take thou 
 no indignation at them which are 
 deemed worse than beasts ; but love 
 them that have alway put their trust 
 
 31 in thy glory. For we and our fathers 
 have ^ passed our lives in « ways that 
 bring death: but thou because of us 
 
 32 sinners ^art called merciful. For if 
 thou hast a desire to have mercy upon 
 us, then shalt thou be called merciful, 
 to us, namely, that have no works of 
 
 33 righteousness. For the just, which 
 have many good works laid up with 
 thee, shall for their own deeds receive 
 
 34 reward. For what is man, that thou 
 shouldest take displeasure at him ? or 
 what is a corruptible race, that thou 
 
 35 shouldest be so bitter toward it ? For 
 in truth there is no man among them 
 that be born, but he hath dealt wick- 
 edly ; and among them ^^ that have 
 lived there is none which hath not 
 
 36 done amiss. For in this, O Lord, thy 
 righteousness and thy goodness shall 
 be declared, if thou be merciful vuito 
 them which have no store of good 
 works. 
 
 37 Then answered he me, and said, 
 Some things hast thou spoken aright, 
 and according unto thy words so shall 
 
 38 it come to pass. For indeed I will 
 not think on the fashioning of them 
 which have sinned, or their death, 
 their jiidgement, or their destruction: 
 
 39 but I will rejoice over the framing of 
 the righteous, their pilgrimage also, 
 and the salvation, and the reward, that 
 
 40 they shall have. Like therefore as I 
 
 41 have spoken, so shall it be. For as 
 the husbandman soweth much seed 
 upon the ground, and planteth many 
 trees, and yet not all that is sown 
 shall " come up in due season, neither 
 shall all that is planted take root: 
 even so they that are sown in the 
 world shall not all be saved. 
 
 42 I answered then and said, If I have 
 found favour, let me speak before 
 
 43 thee. Forasmuch as the husband- 
 man's seed, if it come not up, seeing 
 
8. 63. 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 9. 19. 
 
 1 So the 
 
 printed 
 
 Latin 
 
 text. The 
 
 earlier 
 
 MSS. are 
 
 corrupt. 
 
 a The 
 Syriac 
 has 
 estab- 
 lished. 
 
 3 After 
 the chief 
 Oriental 
 versions. 
 
 that it hath not received thy rain in 
 due season, or if it be corrupted 
 through too much rain, ^so perish- 
 44eth; likewise man, which is formed 
 with thy hands, and is called thine 
 own image, because he is made like 
 unto thee, for whose sake thou hast 
 formed all things, even him hast thou 
 made like unto the husbandman's 
 
 45 seed. Be not wTOth with us, but spare 
 thy people, and have mercy upon thine 
 inheritance ; for thou hast mercy upon 
 thine own creation. 
 
 46 Then answered he me, and said. 
 Things present are for them that now 
 be, and things to come for such as 
 
 47 shall be hereafter. For thou comest 
 far short that thou shouldest be able 
 to love my creature more than I. But 
 thou hast brought thyself full nigh 
 unto the unrighteous. Let this never 
 
 48 be. Yet in this shalt thou be admi- 
 49rable before the Most High; in that 
 
 thou hast humbled thyself, as it be- 
 cometh thee, and hast not judged thy- 
 self worthy to be among the righteous, 
 
 50 so as to be much glorified. For many 
 grievous miseries shall befall them 
 that in the last times dwell in the 
 vvorld, because they have walked in 
 
 51 great pride. But understand thou for 
 thyself, and of such as be like thee 
 
 52 seek out the glory. For unto you is 
 paradise opened, the tree of life is 
 planted, the time to come is prepared, 
 plenteousness is made ready, a city is 
 builded, and rest is - allowed, goodness 
 is perfected, wisdom being perfect j 
 
 53 aforehand. The root of evil is sealed i 
 up from you, weakness is done away I 
 from you, and ^ [death] is hidden ; heil , 
 and corruption are fled into forgetful- | 
 
 54 ness : sorrows are passed away, and 
 in the end is shewed the treasure of 
 
 55 immortality.* Therefore ask thou no 
 more questions concerning the multi- 
 
 56 tude of them that perish. For when 
 they had received liberty, they de- 
 spised the Most High, thought scorn 
 of his law, and forsook his ways. 
 
 57 Moreover they have trodden down his 
 
 58 righteous, and said in their heart, that 
 there is no God ; yea, and that know- 1 
 
 59 ing they must die. For as the things 
 aforesaid shall receive you, so thirst 
 and pain which are prepared shall re- 
 ceive them : for the Most High -willed 
 not that men should come to nought : 
 
 60 but they which be created have them- 
 selves defiled the name of him that 
 made them, and were unthankful unto 
 
 6 1 him which prepared hf e for them. And 
 therefore is my judgement now at 
 
 62 hand, which I have not shewed unto 
 all men, but unto thee, and a few like 
 thee. 
 
 63 Then answered I and said, Behold, 
 O Lord, now hast thou shewed me 
 the multitude of the wonders, which 
 thou wilt do in the last times : but 
 
 at what time, thou hast not shewed 
 me. 
 
 9 And he answered me, and said, Mea- 
 sure thou dihgently within thyself: 
 and when thou seest that a certain 
 part of the signs are past, which have 
 
 2 been told thee beforehand, then shalt 
 thou understand, that it is the very 
 time, wherein the Most High will visit 
 the world which was made by him. 
 
 3 And when there shall be seen in the 
 world earthquakes, disquietude of 
 peoples, devices of nations, wavering 
 
 4 of leaders, disquietude of princes, then 
 Shalt thou understand, that the Most 
 High spake of these things from the 
 days that were aforetime from the 
 
 5 beginning. For like as of all that is 
 made in the world, the beginning * is i 
 
 6 evident, and the end manifest ; so also ! 
 are the times of the Most High : the 
 beginnings are manifest in wonders 
 and mighty works, and the end In 
 
 7 effects and signs. And every one that 
 shall be saved, and shall be able to 
 escape by his works, or by faith, 
 
 8 whereby he hath believed, shall be 
 preserved from the said perils, and 
 shall see my salvation in my land, and 
 within my borders, which I have sanc- 
 
 9 tified for me from the beginning. Then 
 shall they be amazed, which now have 
 abused my ways : and they that have 
 cast them away despitefully shall 
 
 10 dwell in torments. For as many as iir 
 their life have received benefits, and 
 
 1 1 yet have not kno\N'n me ; and as many 
 as have scorned my law, while they 
 had yet liberty, and, when as yet place 
 of repentance was open unto them, 
 
 12 understood not, but despised ^it\ the 
 same must know ^ it after death by 
 
 13 torment And therefore be thou no 
 longer curious how the ungodly shall 
 be punished ; but inquire how the 
 righteous shall be saved, « they whose 
 the world is, and for whom the world 
 
 ^ , was created. 
 
 j^t And I answered and said, I have 
 said before, and now do speak, and 
 will speak it also hereafter, that there 
 be more of them which perish, than 
 
 16 of them which shall be saved : hke as 
 a wave is greater than a drop. 
 
 17 And he answered me, saying. Like as 
 the field is, so is also the seed ; and as 
 the flowers be, such are the colours 
 also; and such as the work is, such 
 also is the ' judgement thereon ; and as 
 is the husbandman, so is his threshing- 1 
 floor also. For there was a time in 
 
 18 the world, even then when I was pre- 
 paring for them that now live, before 
 the world was made for them to dwell 
 in; and then no man spake against 
 
 19 me, for « there was not any : but now 
 they which are created in this world 
 that is prepared, both » with a table 
 that faileth not, and a law which is 
 unsearchable, are corrupted in their 
 
 4 So the 
 Svriac. 
 The 
 Latin is 
 corrupt. 
 
 6 So the 
 
 Syriac 
 
 and 
 
 other 
 
 versions. 
 
 The 
 
 Latin 
 
 has and 
 
 whose . . . 
 
 created, 
 
 and 
 
 when. 
 
 •> So the 
 
 ^thio- 
 
 pic and 
 
 Arabic. 
 
 The 
 
 Latin 
 
 has 
 
 creation. 
 
 8 So the 
 Syriac 
 
9. 38. 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 10. 13. 
 
 1 So the 
 
 Syriac 
 
 and 
 
 other 
 
 versions. 
 
 The 
 
 great 
 
 a The 
 
 Syriac 
 
 and 
 
 ^thi- 
 
 opic 
 
 have 
 
 Arphad. 
 
 20 manners. So I considered my world, 
 and, lo, it was destroyed, and my earth, 
 and, lo, it was in peril, because of the 
 
 21 devices that were come into it. And I 
 saw, and spared them, but not greatly, 
 and saved me a grape out of a cluster, 
 and a plant out of ^a great forest. 
 
 22 Let the multitude perish then, which 
 was born in vain; and let my grape 
 be saved, and my plant; for with 
 great labour have I made them per- 
 
 23 feet. Nevertheless if thou wilt cease 
 yet seven days more, (howbeit thou 
 
 24 Shalt not fast in them, but shalt go 
 into a field of flowers, where no house 
 is builded, and eat only of the flowers 
 of the field ; and thou shalt taste no 
 flesh, and shalt drink no wine, but 
 
 2^ shalt eat flowers only;) and pray 
 unto the Most High continually, then 
 will I come and talk with thee. 
 
 26 So I went my way, like as he com- 
 manded me, into the field which is 
 called 2 Ardat ; and there I sat among 
 the flowers, and did eat of the herbs 
 of the field, and the meat of the same 
 
 27 satisfied me. And it came to pass 
 after seven days that I lay upon the 
 grass, and my heart was vexed again, 
 
 28 like as before: and my mouth was 
 opened, and I began to speak before 
 
 29 the Most High, and said, O Lord, thou 
 didst shew thyself among us, unto 
 our fathers in the wilderness, when 
 they went forth out of Egypt, and 
 when they came into the wilderness, 
 where no man treadeth and that bear- 
 
 30 eth no fruit ; and thou didst say, Hear 
 me, thou Israel ; and mark my words, 
 
 310 seed of Jacob. For, behold, I sow 
 my law in you, and it shall bring forth 
 fruit in you, and ye shall be glorified 
 
 32 in it for ever. But our fathers, which 
 received the law, kept it not, and ob- 
 served not the statutes : and the fruit 
 of the law did not perish, neither could 
 
 33 it, for it was thine ; yet they that re- 
 ceived it perished, because they kept 
 not the thing that was sown In them. 
 
 34 And, lo, it is a custom, that when the 
 ground hath received seed, or the sea 
 a ship, or any vessel meat or drink, 
 and when it cometh to pass that that 
 
 35 which is sown, or that which is launch- 
 ed, or the things which have been 
 received, should come to an end, these 
 come to an end, but the receptacles 
 remain : yet with us it hath not hap- 
 
 36 pened so. For we that have received 
 the law shall perish by sin, and our 
 
 37 heart also which received it. Not- 
 withstanding the law perisheth not, 
 but remaineth in its honour. 
 
 38 And when I spake these things in 
 my heart, I looked about me with 
 mine eyes, and upon the right side I 
 saw a woman, and, behold, she mourn- 
 ed and wept with a loud voice, and 
 was much grieved in mind, and her 
 clothes were rent, and she had ashes 
 
 39 upon her head. Then let I my 
 thoughts go wherein I was occupied, 
 
 40 and turned me unto her, and said 
 unto her. Wherefore weepest thou? 
 and why art thou grieved in thy mind ? 
 
 41 And she said unto me, Let me alone, 
 my lord, that I may bewail myself, 
 and add unto my sorrow, for I am 
 sore vexed in my mind, and brought 
 very low. 
 
 42 And I said unto her, What aileth 
 
 43 thee ? tell me. She said unto me, I thy 
 servant was barren, and had no child, 
 though I had a husband thirty years. 
 
 44 And every hour and every day these 
 thirty years did I make my prayer to 
 
 45 the Most High day and night. And 
 it came to pass after thirty years that 
 God heard me thine handmaid, and 
 looked upon my low estate, and con- 
 sidered my trouble, and gave me a 
 son : and I rejoiced in him greatly, I 
 and my husband, and all my ^ neigh- 
 bours: and we gave great honour 
 
 46 unto the Mighty. And I nourished 
 
 47 him with great travail. So when he 
 grew up, and I came to take him a 
 
 10 wife, I made a feast day. And it so 
 came to pass, that when my son was 
 entered into his wedding chamber, he 
 
 2 fell down, and died. Then we all 
 overthrew the lights, and all my 
 3 neighbours rose up to comfort me : 
 and I remained quiet unto the second 
 
 3 day at night. And it came to pass, 
 when they had all left off to comfort 
 me, to the end I might be quiet, then 
 rose I up by night, and fled, and came 
 hither into this field, as thou seest. 
 
 4 And I do now purpose not to return 
 into the city, but here to stay, and 
 neither to eat nor drink, but continu- 
 ally to mourn and to fast until I die. 
 
 5 Then left I the meditations wherein 
 I was, and answere'd her in anger, 
 
 6 and said. Thou foolish "woman above 
 all other, seest thou not our mourning, 
 and what hath happened unto us? 
 
 7 how that Sion the mother of us all is 
 full of sorrow, and much humbled. 
 
 8 * It is right now to mourn very sore, 
 seeing we all mourn, and to be sorrow- 
 ful, seeing we are all in sorrow, but 
 
 9 thou sorrowest for one son. For ask 
 the earth, and she shall tell thee, that 
 it is she which ought to mourn for so 
 
 10 many that grow upon her. For out 
 of her all had their beginnings, and 
 others shall come ; and, behold, they 
 walk almost all into destruction, and 
 the multitude of them is utterly rooted 
 
 11 out. Who then should make more 
 mourning, ^she, that hath lost so 
 great a multitude, or thou, which art 
 
 1 2 grieved but for one ? But if thou say- 
 est unto me. My lamentation is not 
 like the earth's, for I have lost the 
 fruit of my womb, which I brought 
 forth with pains, and bare with sor- 
 
 13 rows : but it is with the earth after 
 
 28 
 
10. 29. 
 
 11. ESDRAS. 
 
 10. 50. 
 
 1 The 
 
 Svriac 
 
 has to 
 
 draw 
 
 near 
 
 unto 
 
 her, and 
 
 my heart 
 
 teas 
 
 greatly 
 
 asto- 
 
 nied, and 
 
 when I 
 
 mused 
 
 the manner of the earth ; the multi- 
 tude present in it is gone, as It came : 
 
 14 then say I unto thee, Like as thou hast 
 brought forth with sorrow; even so 
 the earth also hath given her fruit, 
 namely, man, ever since the beginning 
 
 15 unto him that made her. Now there- 
 fore keep thy sorrow to thyself, and 
 bear with a good courage the adversi- 
 
 16 ties which have befallen thee. For if 
 thou Shalt acknowledge the decree of 
 God to be just, thou shalt both re- 
 ceive thy son in time, and shalt be 
 
 Upraised among women. Go thy way 
 then into the city to thine husband. 
 
 18 And she said unto me. That will I 
 not do : I will not go into the city, but 
 here will I die. 
 
 19 So I proceeded to speak fm-ther un- 
 
 20 to her, and said. Do not so, but suffer 
 thyself to be prevailed on by reason 
 of the adversities of Sion ; and be com- 
 forted by reason of the sorrow of 
 
 21 Jerusalem. For thou seest that our 
 sanctuary is laid waste, our altar 
 broken down, our temple destroyed ; 
 
 22 our psaltery is brought low, our song 
 is put to silence, our rejoicing is at 
 an end ; the light of our candlestick 
 is put out, the ark of our covenant is 
 spoiled, our holy things are defiled, 
 and the name that is called upon us 
 is profaned ; our freemen are despite- 
 fuUy treated, our priests are burnt, 
 our Levites are gone into captivity, 
 our virgins are defiled, and our wives 
 ravished ; our righteous men carried 
 away, our little ones betrayed, our 
 young men are brought into bondage, 
 and our strong men are become weak ; 
 
 23 and, what is more than aH, the seal of 
 Sion — for she hath now lost the seal 
 of her honour, and is delivered into 
 
 24; the hands of them that hate us. Thou 
 therefore shake off thy great heavi- 
 ness, and put away from thee the 
 multitude of sorrows, that the Mighty 
 may be merciful unto thee again, and 
 the Most High may give thee rest, 
 even ease from thy travails. 
 
 25 And it came to pass, while I was 
 talking with her, behold, her face 
 upon a sudden shined exceedingly, 
 and her countenance glistered like 
 lightning, so that I was sore afraid 
 1 of her, and mused what this might 
 
 26 be ; and, behold, suddenly she made 
 a great cry very fearful ; so that the 
 
 27 earth shook at the noise. And I 
 looked, and, behold, the woman ap- 
 peared unto me no more, but there 
 was a city builded, and a place shewed 
 itself from large foundations: then 
 was I afraid, and cried with a loud 
 
 28 voice, and said. Where is Uriel the 
 angel, who came unto me at the first ? 
 for he hath caused me to fall into this 
 great trance, and mine end is turned 
 into corruption, and my prayer to re- 
 
 29buke. And as I was speaking these 
 
 words, behold, the angel who had 
 come unto me at the first came unto 
 
 30 me, and he looked upon me : and, lo, 
 I lay as one that had been dead, and 
 mine understanding was taken from 
 me; and he took me by the right 
 hand, and comforted me,'and set me 
 
 31 upon my feet, and said unto me. What 
 aileth thee ? and why art thou so dis- 
 quieted? and why is thine under- 
 standing troubled, and the thoughts 
 
 32 of thine heart? And I said. Because 
 thou hast forsaken me : yet I did ac- 
 cording to thy words, and went into 
 the field, and, lo, I have seen, and yet 
 see, that which I am not able to ex- 
 
 33 press. And he said unto me, Stand 
 up like a man, and I will advise thee. 
 
 34 Then said I, Speak on, my Lord ; only 
 forsake me not, lest I die frustrate 
 
 35 of my hope. For I have seen that I 
 knew not, and hear that I do not 
 
 36 know. Or is my sense deceived, or 
 
 37 my soul in a dream? Now therefore 
 I beseech thee to shew thy servant 
 concerning this trance. 
 
 38 And he answered me, and said, Hear 
 me, and I shall inform thee, and tell 
 thee concerning the things whereof 
 thou art afraid: for the Most High 
 hath revealed many secret things un- 
 
 39 to thee. He hath seen that thy way 
 is right : for that thou sorrowest con- 
 tinually for thy people, and makest 
 
 40 great lamentation for Sion. This 
 therefore is the meaning of the vision. 
 
 41 The woman which appeared unto 
 thee a little while ago, whom thou 
 sawest mourning, and begannest to 
 
 42 comfort her : but now seest thou the 
 likeness of the woman no more, but 
 there appeared unto thee a city in 
 
 43 building : and whereas she told thee 
 of the death of her son, this is the so- 
 
 44 lution : This woman, whom thou saw- 
 est, is 2 Sion, 2 whom thou now seest 
 
 45 as a city builded ; and whereas she 
 said unto thee, that she hath been 
 thirty years barren, it is, because 
 there were three ^ thousand years in 
 the world wherein there was no offer- 
 
 46 ing as yet offered in her. And it came 
 to pass after three ^ thousand years 
 that Solomon builded the city, and 
 offered offerings : then it was that the 
 
 47 barren bare a son. And whereas she 
 told thee that she nourished him 
 with travail : that was the dwelling 
 
 48 in Jerusalem. And whereas she said 
 unto thee, My son coming into his 
 marriage chamber died, and that mis- 
 fortune befell her: this was the de- 
 struction that came to Jerusalem. 
 
 49 And, behold, thou sawest her like- 
 ness, how she mourned for her son, 
 and thou begannest to comfort her 
 for what hath befallen her; » these 
 were the things to be opened unto 
 
 50 thee. For now the :Most High, seeing 
 that thou art grieved unfeignedly, 
 
 2 So the 
 
 Syriac 
 
 and 
 
 other 
 
 versions. 
 
 The 
 
 Latin 
 
 3 Omit- 
 ted in the 
 Oriental 
 versions. 
 
11. 14. 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 11. 37. 
 
 1 So the 
 
 chief 
 
 Oriental' 
 
 versions. 
 
 The 
 
 Latin 
 
 has only 
 
 and 
 
 were 
 
 gathered 
 
 together. 
 
 «The 
 
 Syriac 
 
 hasher 
 
 Kttle 
 
 wings, 
 
 and, ifc. 
 
 and suflerest from thy whole heart 
 for her, hath shewed thee the bright- 
 ness of her glory, and the comeliness 
 
 51 of her beauty: and therefore I bade 
 thee remain in the field where no 
 
 52 house was builded : for I knew that 
 the Most High would shew this unto 
 
 53 thee. Therefore I commanded thee 
 to come into the field, where no foun- 
 
 54 dation of any building was. For in the 
 place wherein the city of the Most 
 High was to be shewed, the work of 
 
 55 no man's building could stand. There- 
 fore fear thou not, nor let thine heart 
 be affrighted, but go thy way in, and 
 see the beauty and greatness of the 
 building, as much as thine eyes be 
 
 56 able to see : and then shalt thou hear 
 as much as thine ears may compre- 
 
 57hend. For thou art blessed above 
 many, and with the Most High art 
 
 58 called by name, like as but few. But 
 to-morrow at night thou shalt remain 
 
 59 here; and so shall the Most High 
 shew thee those visions in dreams, of 
 what the Most High will do unto them 
 that dwell upon earth in the last days. 
 So I slept that night and another, like 
 as he commanded me. 
 
 11 And it came to pass the second night 
 that I saw a dream, and, behold, there 
 came up from the sea an eagle, which 
 had twelve feathered wings, and three 
 
 2 heads. And I saw, and, behold, she 
 spread her wings over all the earth, 
 and all the winds of heaven blew on 
 her, land the clouds were gathered 
 
 3 together against her. And I beheld, 
 and out of her wings there grew other 
 wings over against them; and they 
 
 4 became little wings and small. But 
 her heads were at rest : the head in 
 the midst was greater than the other 
 
 5 heads, yet rested it with them. More- 
 over I beheld, and, lo, the eagle flew 
 with her wings, to reign over the earth, 
 and over them that dwell therein. 
 
 6 And I beheld how that all things 
 under heaven were subject unto her, 
 and no man spake against her, no, not 
 
 7 one creature upon earth. And I be- 
 held, and, lo, the eagle rose upon her 
 talons, and uttered her voice to her 
 
 8 wings, saying, Watch not all at once : 
 sleep every one in his own place, and 
 
 9 watch by course : but let the heads be 
 
 10 preserved for the last. And I beheld, 
 and, lo, the voice went not out of her 
 heads, but from the midst of her body. 
 
 1 1 And I numbered ^ her wings that were 
 over against the other, and, behold, 
 
 12 there were eight of them. And I be- 
 held, and, lo, on the right side there 
 arose one wing, and reigned over all 
 
 13 the earth ; and so it was, that when it 
 reigned, the end of it came, and it 
 appeared not, so that the place there- 
 of appeared no more : and the next 
 following rose up, and reigned, and it 
 
 14 bare rule a great time; and it hap- 
 
 pened, that when it reigned, the end 
 of it came also, so that it appeared no 
 
 15 more, like as the first. And, lo, there 
 
 16 came a voice unto it, and said. Hear 
 thou that hast borne rule over the 
 earth all this time : this I proclaim 
 unto thee, before thou shalt appear 
 
 17 no more, There shall none after thee 
 attain unto thy time, neither unto the 
 
 18 half thereof. Then arose the third, 
 and had the rule as the others before, 
 
 19 and it also appeared no more. So 
 went it with all the wings one after 
 another, as that every one bare rule, 
 
 20 and then appeared no more. And I 
 beheld, and, lo, in process of time the 
 " wings that followed were set up upon 
 the * right side, that they might rule 
 also; and some of them ruled, but 
 within a while they appeared no more : 
 
 21 some also of them were set up, but 
 
 22 ruled not. After this I beheld, and, lo, 
 the twelve wings appeared no more, 
 
 23 nor two of the little wings : and there 
 was no more left upon the eagle's 
 body, but the three heads that rested, 
 
 24 and six httle wings. And I beheld, 
 and, lo, two little wings divided them- 
 selves from the six, and remained un- 
 der the head that was upon the right 
 side : but four remained in their place. 
 
 25 And I beheld, and, lo, these ^ under 
 wings thought to set up themselves, 
 
 26 and to have the rule. And I beheld, 
 and, lo, there was one set up, but 
 within a while it appeared no more. 
 
 27 A second also, and it was sooner away 
 
 28 than the first. And I beheld, and, lo, 
 the two that remained thought also in 
 
 29 themselves to reign: and while they 
 so thought, behold, there awaked one 
 of the heads that were at rest, namely, 
 it that was in the midst; for that was 
 greater than the two other heads. 
 
 30 And I beheld how that it joined the 
 
 3 1 two other heads with it. And, behold, 
 the head was turned with them that 
 were with it, and did eat up the two 
 3 under wings that thought to have 
 
 32 reigned. But this head held the whole 
 earth in possession, and bare rule 
 over those that dwell therein with 
 much oppression ; and it had the gov- 
 ernance of the world more than all 
 
 33 the wings that had been. And after 
 this I beheld, and, lo, the head also 
 that was In the midst suddenly ap- 
 peared no more, like as the wings. 
 
 34 But there remained the two heads, 
 which also in like sort reigned over 
 the earth, and over those that dwell 
 
 35 therein. And I beheld, and, lo, the 
 head upon the right side devoured it 
 that was upon the left side. 
 
 36 Then I heard a voice, which said 
 unto me. Look before thee, and con- 
 
 37 sider the thing that thou seest And 
 I beheld, and, lo, as it were a lion 
 roused out of the wood roaring : and I 
 heard how that he sent out a man's 
 
 30 
 
12. 9. 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 12. 31. 
 
 1 So the 
 chief 
 Oriental 
 versions. 
 
 voice uiito the eagle, ami spake, say- 10 
 
 38 lag, Hear thou, I will talk with thee, 
 and the Most High shall say unto 11 
 
 39 thee. Art not thou it that remainest 
 of the four beasts, whom I made to 
 reigu ill my world, that the end of 12 
 my times might come through them? 
 
 40 And the fourth came, and overcame 
 all the beasts that were past, and held 13 
 the world in governance with great 
 trembling, and the whole compass of 
 the earth with grievous oppression ; 14 
 and so long time dwelt he upon the 
 
 41 earth with deceit And thou hast 15 
 judged the earth, but not with truth. 
 
 42 For thou hast afflicted the meek, thou 16 
 hast hurt the peaceable, thou hast 
 hated them that speak truth, thou 17 
 hast loved liars, and destroyed the 
 dweUings of them that brought forth 
 fruit, and hast cast down the walls of 
 
 43 such as did thee no harm. Therefore 18 
 is thy insolent dealing come up unto 
 the Most High, and thy pride unto the 
 
 44 Mighty. The Most High also hath 
 looked upon his times, and, behold, 
 they are ended, and his ages are ful- 19 
 
 45 filled. And therefore appear no more, 
 thou eagle, nor thy horrible wings, 
 nor thy evil little wings, nor thy cruel 20 
 heads, nor thy hurtful talons, nor all 
 
 46 thy vain body : that all the earth may 
 be refreshed, and be eased, being de- 21 
 livered from thy \iolence, and that 
 she may hope for the judgement and 
 mercy of him that made her. 
 
 12 And it came to pass, whiles the lion 
 spake these words unto the eagle, I 22 
 
 2 beheld, and, lo, the head that remain- 
 ed appeared no more, and ^ the two 23 
 wings which went over unto it arose 
 and set themselves up to reign, and 
 their kingdom was small, and full of 
 
 3 uproar. And I beheld, and, lo, they 24 
 appeared no more, and the whole body 
 of the eagle was burnt, so that the 
 earth was in great fear : then awaked 
 I by reason of great ecstasy of mind, 
 and from great fear, and said unto 
 
 4 my spirit, Lo, this hast thou done unto 
 me, in that thou searchest out the 26 
 
 5 ways of the Most High. Lo, I am 
 yet weary in my mind, and very weak 
 in my spirit; nor is there the least 
 strength in me, for the great fear 27 
 wherewith I was affrighted this night. 28 
 
 6 Therefore will I now beseech the 
 Most High, that he will strengthen 
 
 7 me unto the end. And I said, O Lord 29 
 that bearest rule, if I have found fa- 
 vour in thy sight, and if I am justified 
 with thee above many others, and if 
 my prayer indeed be come up before 30 
 
 8 thy face ; strengthen me then, and 
 shew me thy servant the interpreta- 
 tion and plain meaning of this fearful | 31 
 vision, that thou mayest perfectly 
 
 9 comfort my soul. For thou hast 
 judged me worthy to shew me the end 
 of time and the last times. 
 
 And he said unto me. This is the in- 
 terpretation of this vision which thou 
 sawest : The eagle, whom thou sawest 
 come up from the sea, is the fourth 
 kingdom which appeared in vision to 
 thy brother Daniel. But it was not ex- 
 pounded unto him, as I now expound 
 it unto thee or have expounded it 
 Behold, the days come, that there shall 
 rise up a kingdom upon earth, and it 
 shall be feared above all the kingdoms 
 that were before it In the same shall 
 twelve kings reign, one after another : 
 whereof the second shall begin to 
 reign, and shall have a longer time 
 than any of the twelve. This is the 
 interpretation of the twelve wings, 
 which thou sawest. And whereas 
 thou heardest a voice which spake, 
 not going out from the heads, but 
 from the midst of the body thereof, 
 this is the interpretation : That - after 
 the time of that kingdom there shall 
 arise no small contentions, and it shall 
 stand in peril of falling : nevertheless 
 it shall not then fall, but shall be re- 
 stored again to its first estate. And 
 whereas thou sawest the eight under 
 wings sticking to her wings, this is 
 the interpretation: That in it there 
 shall arise eight kings, whose times 
 shall be but small, and their years 
 swift. And two of them shall perish, 
 when the middle time approacheth : 
 torn shall be kept for a while until 
 the time of the ending thereof shall 
 approach : but two shall be kept unto 
 the end. And whereas thou sawest 
 three heads resting, this is the inter- 
 pretation : In the last days thereof 
 shall the Most High raise up three 
 2 kingdoms, and renew many things 
 therein, and they shall bear rule over 
 the earth, and over those that dwell 
 therein, with much oppression, above 
 all those that were before them: 
 therefore are they called the heads 
 of the eagle. For these are they 
 that shall accomplish her wickedness, 
 and that shall finish her last end. 
 And whereas thou sawest that the 
 great head appeared no more, it sig- 
 nifieth that one of them shall die 
 upon his bed, and yet with pain. 
 But for the tw^o that remained, the 
 sword shall devour them. For the 
 sword of the one shall devour him that 
 was with him: but he also shall fall 
 by the sword in the last days. And 
 whereas thou sawest two under wings 
 passing * over unto the head that is 
 on the right side, this is the interpre- 
 tation: These are they, whom the 
 Most High hath kept unto his end: 
 this is the small kingdom and full of 
 trouble, as thou sawest And the lion, 
 whom thou sawest rising up out of 
 the wood, and roaring, and speaking 
 to the eagle, and rebuking her for her 
 imrighteousuess, and all her words 
 
 2 The 
 Oriental 
 versions 
 have 
 in the 
 midst of. 
 
 3 The 
 
 Oriental 
 
 versions 
 
 have 
 
 kings. 
 
 * So the 
 Syriac. 
 The 
 Latin 
 has over 
 the head. 
 
12. 50. 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 13. 16. 
 
 iThe 
 words in 
 brackets 
 are 
 added 
 from the 
 Syriac. 
 a The 
 Syriac 
 has set 
 in order. 
 SeePe.!. 
 21. 
 
 3 So the 
 Syriac. 
 "rtie La- 
 tin has 
 heard. 
 
 4 So the 
 Syriac. 
 
 32 which thou hast heard ; this is the 
 anointed one, whom the Most High 
 hath kept unto the end i [of days, 
 who shall spring up out of the seed 
 of David, and he shall come and 
 speak] unto them and reprove them 
 for their wickedness and their un- 
 righteousness, and shall ^ heap up 
 before them their contemptuous deal- 
 
 33 ings. For at the first he shall set 
 them alive in his judgement, and when 
 he hath reproved them, he shall de- 
 
 34 stroy them. For the rest of my people 
 shall he deliver with mercy, those that 
 have been preserved throughout my 
 borders, and he shall make them joyful 
 until the coming of the end, even the 
 day of judgement, whereof I have 
 spoken unto thee from the beginning. 
 
 35 This is the dream that thou sawest, 
 and this is the interpretation thereof : 
 
 36 and thou only hast been meet to know 
 
 37 this secret of the Most High. There- 
 fore write all these things that thou 
 hast seen in a book, and put them in 
 
 38a secret place: and thou shalt teach 
 them to the wise of thy people, whose 
 hearts thou knowest are able to com- 
 
 39 prebend and keep these secrets. But 
 wait thou here thyself yet seven days 
 more, that there may be shewed unto 
 thee whatsoever it pleaseth the Most 
 High to shew thee. And he departed 
 from me. 
 
 40 And it came to pass, when all the 
 people 3 saw that the seven days were 
 past, and I not come again into the 
 city, they gathered them all together, 
 from the least unto the greatest, and 
 came unto me, and spake to me, say- 
 
 41 Ing, What have we offended thee ? and 
 what evil have we done against thee, 
 that thou hast utterly forsaken us, 
 
 42 and sittest in this place ? For of all the 
 prophets thou only art left us, as a 
 cluster of the vintage, and as a lamp 
 in a dark place, and as a haven for a 
 
 43 ship saved from the tempest. Are not 
 the evils which are come to us suffl- 
 
 44cient? If thou shalt forsake us, how 
 much better had it been for us, if we 
 also had been consumed in the burn- 
 
 45 ing of Sion ! For we are not better 
 than they that died there. And they 
 wept with a loud voice. And I an- 
 
 46 swered them, and said, Be of good 
 comfort, O Israel ; and be not sorrow- 
 
 47 ful, thou house of Jacob : for the Most 
 High hath you in remembrance, and 
 the Mighty hath not forgotten you 
 
 48* for ever. As for me, I have not for- 
 saken you, neither am I departed 
 from you : but am come into this 
 place, to pray for the desolation of 
 Sion, and that I might seek mercy for 
 the low estate of your sanctuary. 
 
 49 And now go your way every man to 
 his own house, and after these days 
 
 50 will I come unto you. So the people 
 went their way into the city, like as I 
 
 51 said unto them : but I sat in the field 
 seven days, as the angel commanded 
 me ; and in those days I did eat only 
 of the flowers of the field, and had my 
 meat of the herbs. 
 
 13 And it came to pass after seven days, 
 
 2 I dreamed a dream by night : and, lo, 
 there arose a wind from the sea, that 
 
 3 it moved all the waves thereof. And 
 I beheld, and, lo,i[this wind caused 
 to come up from the midst of the sea 
 as it were the likeness of a man, and 
 I beheld, and, lo,] that man ^ flew with 
 the clouds of heaven: and when he 
 turned his countenance to look, all 
 things trembled that were seen under 
 
 4 him. And whensoever the voice went 
 out of his mouth, all they bm-ned that 
 heard his voice, like as the ^ wax melt- 
 
 5 eth when it feeleth the fire. And 
 after this I beheld, and, lo, there was 
 gathered together a multitude of men, 
 out of number, from the four winds of 
 heaven, to make war against the man 
 
 6 that came out of the sea. And I 
 beheld, and, lo, he graved himself a 
 great mountain, and flew up upon it. 
 
 7 But I sought to see the region or place 
 whereout the mountain was graven, 
 
 8 and I could not. And after this I 
 beheld, and, lo, all they which were 
 gathered together to fight against him 
 were sore afraid, and yet durst fight. 
 
 9 And, lo, as he saw the assault of the 
 multitude that came, he neither lifted 
 up his hand, nor held spear, nor any 
 
 10 instrument of war : but only I saw 
 how that he sent out of his mouth as 
 it had been a flood of fire, and out of 
 his hps a flaming breath, and out of 
 his tongue he cast forth sparks ^ of 
 
 11 the storm. And these were all min- 
 gled together; the flood of fire, the 
 flaming breath, and the great storm ; 
 and fell upon the assault of the multi- 
 tude which was prepared to fight, and 
 burned them up every one, so that 
 upon a sudden of an innumerable 
 multitude nothing was to be per- 
 ceived, but only dust of ashes and 
 smell of smoke : when I saw this I 
 
 12 was amazed. Afterward I beheld the 
 same man come down from the moun- 
 tain, and call unto him another multi- 
 
 13 tude which was peaceable. And there 
 came ® much people unto him, whereof 
 some were glad, some were sorry, 
 some of them were bound, and other 
 some brought of them that were of- 
 fered: then through great fear I 
 awaked, and prayed unto the Most 
 
 14 High, and said. Thou hast shewed 
 thy servant these wonders from the 
 beginning, and hast counted me 
 worthy that thou shouldest receive 
 
 15 my prayer : and now shew me more- 
 over the interpretation of this dream. 
 
 16 For as I conceive in mine under- 
 standing, woe unto them that shall 
 be left in those days ! and much more 
 
 32 
 
13. 37. 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 13. 57. 
 
 iLat. 
 easier. 
 2 So the 
 Syriac. 
 
 17 woe unto them that are not Jeft ! for 
 they that were not left shall be in 
 
 18 heaviness, understanding the things 
 that are laid up in the latter days, but 
 
 19 not attaining unto them. But woe unto 
 them also that are left, for this cause ; 
 for they shall see great perils and 
 many necessities, like as these dreams 
 
 20 declare. Yet is it ^ better for one to 
 be in peril and to come into - these 
 things, than to pass away as a cloud 
 out of the world, and not to see the 
 things that - shall happen in the last 
 days. 
 
 And he answered unto me, and said, 
 
 21 The interpretation of the vision shall 
 I tell thee, and I will also open unto 
 thee the things whereof thou hast 
 
 22 made mention. Whereas thou hast 
 spoken of them that are left behind, 
 
 23 this is the interpretation: He that 
 shall 2 endure the peril in that time 
 shall keep them that be fallen into 
 danger, even such as have works, and 
 
 24 faith toward the Ahnightj'. Know 
 therefore, that they which be left be- 
 hind are more blessed than they that 
 
 25 be dead. These are the interpreta- 
 tions of the vision : Whereas thou saw- 
 est a man coming up from the midst 
 
 26 of the sea, the same is he whom the 
 Most High hath kept a great season, 
 which by his own self shall deliver his 
 creature : and he shall order them 
 
 27 that are left behind. And whereas 
 thou sawest, that out of his mouth 
 there came wind, and fire, and storm ; 
 
 28 and whereas he held neither spear, 
 nor any instrument of war, but de- 
 stroyed the assault of that multitude 
 which came to fight against him ; this 
 
 29 is the interpretation : Behold, the days 
 come, when the Most High will begin 
 to deUver them that are upon the 
 
 30 earth. And there shall come astonish- 
 ment of mind upon them that dwell on 
 
 31 the earth. And one shall think to war 
 against another, city against city, 
 place against place, people against 
 people, and kingdom against kingdom. 
 
 32 And it shall be, when these things 
 shall come to pass, and the signs shall 
 happen which I shewed thee before, 
 then shall my Son be revealed, whom 
 
 33 thou sawest as a man ascending. And 
 it shall be, when all the nations hear 
 his voice, every man shall leave his 
 own land and the battle they have one 
 
 34 against another. And an innumerable 
 multitude shall be gathered together, 
 as thou sawest, desiring to come, and 
 
 35 to fight against him. But he shall 
 stand upon the top of the mount Sion. 
 
 36 And Sion shall come, and shall be 
 shewed to all men, being prepared 
 and builded, like as thou sawest the 
 
 37 mountain graven without hands. And 
 this my Son shall rebuke the nations 
 which are come for their wickedness, 
 with plagues that are like unto a tem- 
 
 38 pest ; and shall taunt them to their 
 face with their evil thoughts, and the 
 torments wherewith they shall be tor- 
 mented, which are likened unto a 
 flame : and he shall destroy them with- 
 out labour by the law, which is liken- 
 
 39 ed unto fire. And whereas thou saw- 
 est that he gathered unto him another 
 
 40 multitude that was peaceable ; these 
 are the ten tribes, which were led 
 away out of their own land in the time 
 of Osea the king, whom Salmanasar 
 the king of the Assyrians led away 
 captive, and he carried them beyond 
 the Eiver, and they were carried into 
 
 41 another land. But they took this 
 counsel among themselves, that they 
 would leave the multitude of the hea- 
 then, and go forth into a fm"ther 
 country, where never mankind dwelt, 
 
 42 that they might there keep their stat- 
 utes, which they had not kept in 
 
 43 their own land. And they entered 
 by the narrow passages of the river 
 
 44 Euphrates. For the Most High then 
 wrought signs for them, and stayed 
 the springs of the Kiver, till they were 
 
 45 passed over. For through that coun- 
 try there was a great way to go, name- 
 ly, of a year and a half : and the same 
 
 46 region is called ^ Arzareth. Then 
 dwelt they there until the latter time ; 
 and now when they begin to come 
 
 47 again, the Most High stayeth the 
 springs of the Kiver again, that they 
 may go through : therefore sawest 
 thou the multitude gathered together 
 
 48 with peace. But those that be left 
 behind of thy people are they that are 
 
 4 9 found within my holy border. It shall 
 be therefore when he shall destroy the 
 multitude of the nations that are 
 gathered together, he shall defend the 
 
 50 people that remain. And then shall 
 he shew them very many wonders. 
 
 5 1 Then said I, O Lord that bearest rule, 
 shew me this : wherefore I have seen 
 the man coming up from the midst of 
 
 52 the sea. And he said unto me. Like 
 as one can neither seek out nor know 
 what is in the deep of the sea, even so 
 can no man upon earth see my Son, 
 or those that be with him, but in the 
 
 53 time of * his day. This is the inter- 
 pretation of the dream which thou 
 sawest, and for this thou only art en- 
 
 54 lightened herein. For thou hast for- 
 saken thine own xvays, and applied thy 
 diligence unto mine, and hast sought 
 
 55 out my law. Thy life hast thou or- 
 dered in wisdom, and hast called un- 
 
 56 derstanding thy mother. And there- 
 fore have I shewed thee this ; for there 
 is a reward laid up with the Most 
 High: and it shall be, after other 
 three days I will speak other things 
 unto thee, and declare unto thee 
 
 57 mighty and wondrous things. Then 
 went I forth and passed into the field, 
 giving praise and thanks greatly unto 
 
 sThatis, 
 
 another 
 
 land. 
 
 See 
 
 Deut. 
 
 * So the 
 
 Oriental 
 
 versions. 
 
 The 
 
 Latin 
 
 omits 
 
 hit. 
 
 33 
 
14. 21. 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 14. 42. 
 
 1 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, 7. 
 
 a Verses 
 11, 12 are 
 omitted 
 in the 
 Syriac. 
 
 1116 
 
 ^thi- 
 qpic has 
 For the 
 world is 
 divided 
 into ten 
 
 come 
 unto the 
 tenth : 
 and half 
 of the 
 tenth re- 
 maineth. 
 Now {fc. 
 sLat. 
 and. 
 4 The 
 Latin 
 alone 
 omits 
 and . . , 
 wise. 
 
 s So the 
 
 Oriental 
 
 versions. 
 
 6 The 
 
 Latin 
 
 omits 
 
 Iwill 
 
 speak. 
 
 the Most High because of his wonders, 
 58 which he did from time to time ; and 
 because he governeth the time, and 
 such things as fall in their seasons. 
 And there I sat three days. 
 14 And it came to pass upon the third 
 day, I sat under an oak, and, behold, 
 there came a voice out of a bush over 
 against me, and said, Esdras, Esdras. 
 
 2 And I said, Here am I, Lord. And I 
 
 3 stood up upon my feet. Then said he 
 unto me, In the bush I did manifestly 
 reveal myself, and talked with Moses, 
 when my people were in bondage in 
 
 4 Egypt : and I sent him, and ^ he led 
 my people out of Egypt ; and I brought 
 him up to the mount of Sinai, where 
 
 5 I held him by me for many days ; and 
 told him many wondrous things, and 
 shewed him the secrets of the times, 
 and the end of the seasons ; and com- 
 
 6manded him, saying. These words 
 Shalt thou publish openly, and these 
 
 7 Shalt thou hide. And now I say unto 
 
 8 thee. Lay up in thy heart the signs 
 that I have shewed, and the dreams 
 that thou hast seen, and the interpre- 
 
 9tations which thou hast heard: for 
 thou Shalt be taken away from men, 
 and from henceforth thou shalt re- 
 main with my Son, and with such as 
 be like thee, until the times be ended. 
 
 10 For the world hath lost its youth, and 
 
 1 1 the times begin to wax old. 2 yox the 
 world is divided into twelve parts, and 
 ten parts of it are gone already, ^ even 
 
 12 the half of the tenth part : and there 
 remain of it two parts after the middle 
 
 13 of the tenth part. Now therefore set 
 thine house in order, and reprove thy 
 people, comfort the lowly among 
 them, * and instruct such of them as 
 be wise, and now renounce the life 
 
 14 that is corruptible, and let go from 
 thee mortal thoughts, cast away from 
 thee the burdens of man, put off now 
 
 15 thy weak nature, and lay aside the 
 thoughts that are most grievous unto 
 thee, and haste thee to remove from 
 
 16 these times. For yet worse evils than 
 those which thou hast seen happen 
 
 17 shall be done hereafter. For look, 
 how much the world shall be weaker 
 through age, so much the more shall 
 evils increase upon them that dwell 
 
 18 therein. For the truth shall withdraw 
 itself further off, and leasing be hard 
 at hand: for now hasteth '^the eagle 
 to come, which thou sawest in vision. 
 
 19 Then answered I and said,"! will 
 
 20 speak before thee, O Lord. Behold, I 
 will go, as thou hast commanded me, 
 and reprove the people that now be : 
 but they that shall be born afterward, 
 who shall admonish them? for the 
 world is set in darkness, and they that 
 
 21 dwell therein are without light. For 
 thy law is burnt, therefore no man 
 knoweth the things that are done of 
 thee, or the works that shall be done. 
 
 22 But if I have found favour before thee, 
 send the Holy Spirit into me, and I 
 shall write all that hath been done in 
 the world since the beginning, even 
 the things that were written in thy 
 law, that men may be able to find the 
 path, and that they which would live 
 
 23 in the latter days may live. And he 
 answered me and said, Go thy way, 
 gather the people together, and say 
 unto them, that they seek thee not 
 
 24 for forty days. But look thou prepare 
 thee many tablets, and take witli thee 
 Sarea, Dabria, Selemia, Ethanus, and 
 Asiel, these five, which are ready to 
 
 25 write swiftly ; and come hither, and I 
 shall light a lamp of understanding in 
 thine heart, which shall not be put out, 
 till the things be ended which thou 
 
 26 shalt write. And when thou hast 
 done, some things shalt thou publish 
 openly, and some things shalt thou 
 deliver in secret to the wise : to-mor- 
 row this hour shalt thou begin to write. 
 
 27 Then went I forth, as he commanded 
 me, and gathered all the people to- 
 
 28gether, and said, Hear these words, 
 
 29 O Israel. Our fathers at the begin- 
 ning were strangers in Egypt, and 
 
 30 they were delivered from thence, and 
 received the law of life, whioh they 
 kept not, which ye also have trans- 
 
 31gressed after them. Then was ''the 
 land, even the land of Sion, given you 
 for a possession: but ye yourselves, 
 and your fathers, have done unright- 
 eousness, and have not kept the ways 
 which the Most High commanded 
 
 32 you. And forasmuch as he is a right- 
 eous judge, he took from you for a 
 while the thing that he had given you. 
 
 33 And now ye are here, and your bre- 
 
 34 thren are among you. Therefore if so 
 be that ye will rule over your own un- 
 derstanding, and instruct your hearts, 
 ye shall be kept alive, and after death 
 
 35 ye shall obtain mercy. For after death 
 shall the judgement come, when we 
 shall live again: and then shall the 
 names of the righteous be manifest, 
 and the works of the ungodly shall be 
 
 36 declared. Let no man therefore come 
 unto me now, nor seek after me these 
 
 37 forty days. So I took the five men, as 
 he commanded me, and we went forth 
 into the field, and remained there. 
 
 38 And it came to pass on the morrow 
 that, lo, a voice called me, saying, Es- 
 dras, open thy mouth, and drink that I 
 
 39 give thee to drink. Then opened I my 
 mouth, and, behold, there was reached 
 unto me a full cup, which was full 
 as it were with water, but the colour 
 
 40 of it was like fire. And I took it, 
 and drank : and when I had drunk of 
 it, my heart uttered understanding, 
 and wisdom grew in my breast, for 
 
 41 my spirit retained its memory: and 
 my mouth was opened, and shut no 
 
 42 more. The Most High gave under- 
 
 34 
 
15. 16. 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 15. 34. 
 
 1 So the 
 Oriental 
 Tersions 
 
 a So the 
 Oriental 
 
 are cor- 
 rupt. 
 
 Standing unto the five men, and they 
 wrote by course the things that were 
 told them, in ^ characters which they 
 knew not, and they sat forty days: 
 now they wrote in the day-time, and 
 
 43 at night they ate bread. As for me, 
 I spalce in the day, and by night I 
 
 44 held not my tongue. So in forty days 
 were written ^ fourscore and fourteen 
 
 45 books. And it came to pass, when 
 Thr"" i the forty days were fulfilled, that the 
 copies of I Most High spake unto me, saying, The 
 vary and i fifst that thou hast written publish 
 
 openly, and let the worthy and un- 
 
 46 worthy read it : but keep the seventy 
 last, that thou mayest deliver them 
 to such as be wise among thy people : 
 
 47 for in them is the spring of under- 
 standing, the fountain of wisdom, and 
 
 48 the stream of knowledge. And I did so. 
 
 15 Behold, speak thou in the ears of my 
 
 people the words of prophecy, which 
 
 I will put in thy mouth, saith the 
 
 2 Lord: and cause thou them to be 
 
 written in paper : for they are faithful 
 
 3 and true. Fear not their imaginations 
 against thee, let not the unbelief of 
 them that speak against thee trouble 
 
 4 thee. For all the unbelievers shall 
 die in their unbelief. 
 
 5 Behold, saith the Lord, I bring evils 
 upon the whole earth; sword and 
 famine, and death and destruction. 
 
 6 For wickedness hath prevailed over 
 every land, and their hurtful works 
 
 7 are come to the full. Therefore saith 
 
 8 the Lord, I will hold my peace no 
 more as touching their wickedness, 
 which they profanely commit, neither 
 will I suffer them in these things, 
 which they wickedly practise : behold, 
 the innocent and righteous blood cri- 
 eth unto me, and the souls of the right- 
 
 9 eous cry out continually. I will surely 
 avenge them, saith the Lord, and will 
 receive unto me all the innocent blood 
 
 10 from among them. Behold, my people 
 is led as a flock to the slaughter: I 
 will not suffer them now to dwell in 
 
 lithe land of Egypt: but I will bring 
 them out with a mighty hand and 
 with a high arm, and will smite Egypt 
 with plagues, as aforetime, and will 
 
 12 destroy all the land thereof. Let 
 Egypt mourn, and the foundations 
 thereof, for the plague of the chastise- 
 ment and the punishment that God 
 
 13 shall bring upon it. Let the husband- 
 men that till the ground mourn: for 
 their seeds shall fail and their trees 
 shall be laid waste through the blast- 
 
 14 ing and hail, and a terrible star. Woe 
 to the world and them that dwell 
 
 15 therein ! for the sword and their de- 
 struction draweth nigh, and nation 
 shall rise up against nation to battle 
 
 16 with weapons in their hands. For 
 there shall be sedition among men; 
 and waxing strong one against an- 
 
 other, they shall not regard their king 
 nor the chief of their great ones, in 
 
 17 their might For a man shall desire 
 to go into a city, and shall not be able. 
 
 18 For because of their pride the cities 
 shall be troubled, the houses shall be 
 destroyed, and men shall be afraid. 
 
 19 A man shall have no pity upon his 
 neighbour, but shall make an assault 
 on their houses with the sword, and 
 spoil their goods, because of the lack 
 of bread, and for great tribulation. 
 
 20 Behold, saith God, I call together all 
 the kings of the earth, to stir up them 
 that are from the rising of the sun, 
 from the south, from the east, and 
 Libanus; to turn themselves one 
 against another, and repay the things 
 
 21 that they have done to them. Like 
 as they do yet this day unto my cho- 
 sen, so will I do also, and recompense 
 in their bosom. Thus saith the Lord 
 
 22 God: My right hand shall not spare 
 the sinners, and my sword shall not 
 cease over them that shed innocent 
 
 23 blood upon the earth. And a fire is 
 gone forth from his wrath, and hath 
 consumed the foundations of the 
 earth, and the sinners, like the straw 
 
 24 that is kindled. Woe to them that 
 sin, and keep not my commandments ! 
 
 25 saith the Lord. I will not spare them : 
 go your way, ye rebellious children, 
 
 26 defile not my sanctuary. For the 
 Lord knoweth all them that trespass 
 against him, therefore hath he deliv- 
 ered them unto death and destruction. 
 
 27 For now are the evils come upon 
 the whole earth, and ye shall remain 
 in them: for God shall not deliver 
 you, because ye have sinned against 
 him. 
 
 28 Behold, a vision horrible, and the 
 appearance thereof from the east! 
 
 29 And the nations of the dragons of 
 Arabia shall come out with many cha- 
 riots, and from the day that they set 
 forth the hissing of them is carried 
 over the earth, so that all they which 
 shall hear them may fear also and 
 
 30 tremble. Also the Carmonians raging 
 in wrath shall go forth as the wild 
 boars of the wood, and with great 
 power shall they come, and join battle 
 with them, and shall waste a portion 
 of the land of the Assyrians with their 
 
 31 teeth. And then shall the dragons 
 have the upper hand, remembering 
 their ^ nature ; and if they shall turn 
 themselves, conspiring together in 
 
 32 great power to persecute them, then 
 these shall be troubled, and keep si- 
 lence through their power, and shall 
 
 33 turn and flee. And from the land of 
 the Assyrians shall the lier in wait be- 
 siege them, and consume one of them, 
 and upon their host shall be fear and 
 trembling, and sedition against their 
 
 34 kings. Behold, clouds from the east 
 and from the north unto the south, 
 
 3 Or, 
 
 birth 
 
15. 53. 
 
 11. ESDRAS. 
 
 16. 13. 
 
 iLat. 
 star. 
 
 and they are very horrible to look 
 
 35 upon, full of wrath and storm. They 
 shall dash one against another, and 
 they shall pour out a plentiful ^ storm 
 upon the earth, even their own star ; 
 and there shall be blood from the 
 
 36 sword unto the horse's belly, and to 
 the thigh of man, and to the camel's 
 
 37 hough. And there shall be tearful- 
 ness and great trembling upon earth : 
 and they that see that wrath shall be 
 afraid, and trembling shall take hold 
 
 3 8 upon them. And after this shall there 
 be stirred up great storms from the 
 south, and from the north, and an- 
 
 39 other part from the west. And strong 
 winds shall arise from the east, and 
 shall shut it up, even the cloud which 
 he raised in wrath ; and the star that 
 was to cause destruction by the east 
 wind shall be violently driven toward 
 
 40 the south and west. And great clouds 
 and mighty and full of wrath shall be 
 lifted up, and the star, that they may 
 destroy all the earth, and them that 
 dwell therein; and they shall pour 
 out over every high and eminent one 
 
 41a terrible star, fire, and hail, and 
 flying swords, and many waters, that 
 all plains may be full, and all rivers, 
 with the abundance of those waters. 
 
 42 And they shall break down the cities 
 and walls, mountains and hills, trees 
 of the wood, and grass of the mea- 
 
 43 dows, and their corn. And they shall 
 go on stedfastly unto Babylon, and 
 
 44 destroy her. They shall come unto 
 her, and compass her about ; the star 
 and all wrath shall they pour out 
 upon her : then shall the dust and 
 smoke go up unto the heaven, and all 
 they that be about her shall bewail 
 
 45 her. And they that remain shall do 
 service unto them that have put her 
 in fear. 
 
 46 And thou, Asia, that art partaker in 
 the beauty of Babylon, and in the 
 
 47 glory of her person : woe unto thee, 
 thou wretch, because thou hast made 
 thyself like unto her ; thou hast 
 decked thy daughters in whoredom, 
 that they might please and glory in 
 thy lovers, which have alway desired 
 thee to commit whoredom withal ! 
 
 48 Thou hast followed her that is hate- 
 ful in all her works and inventions : 
 
 49 therefore saith God, I will send evils 
 upon thee ; widowhood, poverty, fa- 
 mine, sword, and pestilence, to waste 
 thy houses unto destruction and 
 
 50 death. And the glory of thy power 
 shall be dried up as a flower, when 
 the heat shall arise that is sent over 
 
 51 thee. Thou shalt be weakened as a 
 poor woman with stripes, and as one 
 chastised with wounds, so that thy 
 mighty ones and thy lovers thou shalt 
 
 52 not be able to receive. Would I with 
 jealousy have so proceeded against 
 
 53 thee, saith the Lord, if thou hadst not 
 
 always slain my chosen, exalting the 
 stroke of thine hands, and saying 
 over their ^dead, when thou wast 
 
 54 drunken. Set forth the beauty of thy 
 
 55 countenance ? The reward of a har- 
 lot shall be in thy bosom, therefore 
 
 56 Shalt thou receive recompense. Like 
 as thou shalt do unto my chosen, 
 saith the Lord, even so shall God do 
 unto thee, and shall deliver thee into 
 
 57 mischief. And thy children shall die 
 of hunger, and thou shalt fall by the 
 sword : and thy cities shall be broken 
 down, and all thine shall perish by 
 
 58 the sword in the field. And they that 
 be in the mountains shall die of hun- 
 ger, and eat their own flesh, and 
 drink their own blood, for very hun- 
 ger of bread, and thirst of water. 
 
 59 Thou unhappy above all shalt come 
 GO and shalt again receive evils. And in 
 
 the passage they shall rush on the 
 8 idle city, and shall destroy some por- 
 tion of thy land, and mar part of thy 
 glory, and shall return again to Baby- 
 
 61 Ion that was destroyed. And thou 
 shalt be cast down by them as stubble, 
 and they shall be unto thee as fire ; 
 
 62 and shall devour thee, and thy cities, 
 thy land, and thy mountains ; all thy 
 woods and thy fruitful trees shall 
 
 63 they burn up with fire. They shall 
 carry thy childi-en away captive, and 
 shall spoil thy wealth, and mar the 
 glory of thy face. 
 
 16 Woe unto thee, Babylon, and Asia ! 
 woe unto thee, Egypt, and Syria ! 
 
 2 Gird up yourselves with sackcloth and 
 garments of hair, and bewail your 
 children, and lament; for your de- 
 
 3 struction is at hand. A sword is sent 
 upon you, and who is he that may turn 
 
 4 it back ? A fire is sent upon you, and 
 
 5 who is he that may quench it? Evils 
 are sent upon you, and who is he that 
 
 6 may drive them away ? May one drive 
 away a hungry lion in the wood ? or 
 may one quench the fire in stubble, 
 when it hath once begun to burn? 
 
 7 May one turn again the arrow that is 
 
 8 shot of a strong archer ? The Lord 
 God sendeth the evils, and who shall 
 
 9 drive them away ? A fire shall go forth 
 from his wrath, and who is he that 
 
 10 may quench it? He shall cast hght- 
 ning, and who shall not fear ? he shall 
 thunder, and who shall not tremble ? 
 
 11 The Lord shall threaten, and who 
 shall not be utterly broken in pieces 
 
 12 at his presence ? The earth quaketh, 
 and the foundations thereof ; the sea 
 ariseth up with waves from the deep, 
 and the waves of it shall be troubled, 
 and the fishes thereof also, at the 
 presence of the Lord, and before the 
 
 13 glory of his power : for strong is his 
 right hand that bendeth the bow, his 
 arrows that he shooteth are sharp, 
 and shall not miss, when they begin 
 
 I to be shot into the ends of the world. 
 
16. 35. 
 
 II. ESDRAS. 
 
 16. 59. 
 
 1 See Is. 
 Tii.23. 
 
 14 Behold, the evils are sent forth, and 
 shall not return again, until they come 
 
 15 upon the earth. The fire is kindled, 
 and shall not be put out, till it con- 
 sume the foundations of the earth. 
 
 16 Like as an arrow which is shot of a 
 mighty archer returneth not back- 
 ward, even so the evils that are sent 
 forth upon earth shall not return 
 
 17 again. Woe is me : woe is me ! who 
 will deliver me in those days ? | 
 
 18 The beginning of sorrows, and there \ 
 shall be great mournings ; the begin- ! 
 ning of famine, and many shall perish ; 
 the beginning of wars, and the powers [ 
 shall stand in fear ; the beginning of 
 evils, and all shall tremble ! what shall 
 they do in all this when the evils shall 
 
 19 come? Behold, famine and plague, ! 
 tribulation and anguish ! they are sent 
 
 20 as scourges for amendment. But for 
 all these things they shall not turn 
 them from their wickedness, nor be 
 
 21 alway mindful of the scourges. Be- 
 hold, victuals shall be so good cheap 
 upon earth, that they shall think them- 
 selves to be in good case, and even 
 then shall evils grow upon earth, 
 sword, famine, and great confusion. 
 
 22 For many of them that dwell upon 
 earth shall perish of famine ; and the 
 other, that escape the famine, shall 
 
 23 the sword destroy. And the dead 
 shall be cast out as dung, and there 
 shall be no man to comfort them : for 
 the earth shall be left desolate, and 
 the cities thereof shall be cast down. 
 
 24 There shall be no husbandman left to 
 
 25 till the earth, and to sow it. The trees 
 shall give fruit, and who shall gather 
 
 26 them? The grapes shall ripen, and 
 who shall tread them? for in all 
 places there shall be a great forsak- 
 
 27 ing : for one man shall desire to see 
 
 28 another, or to hear his voice. For of 
 a city there shall be ten left, and two 
 of the field, which have hidden them- 
 selves in the thick groves, and in the 
 
 29 clefts of the rocks. As in an orchard 
 of olives upon every tree there be 
 
 30 left three or four olives, or as when a 
 vineyard is gathered there be some 
 clusters left by them that diligently 
 
 31 seek through the vineyard; even so 
 in those days there shall be three or 
 four left by them that search their 
 
 32 houses with the sword. And the 
 earth shall be left desolate, and the 
 fields thereof shall be for ^ briers, and 
 her ways and all her paths shall bring 
 forth thorns, because no sheep shall 
 
 33 pass therethrough. The virgins shall 
 mourn, having no bridegrooms ; the 
 women [shall mourn, having no hus- 
 bands ; their daughters shall moiu"n, 
 
 34 having no helpers. In the wars shall 
 their bridegrooms be destroyed, and 
 their husbands shall perish of famine. 
 
 35 Hear now these things, and under- 
 stand them, ye servants of the Lord. 
 
 36 Behold, the word of the Lord, receive 
 it : disbelieve not the things whereof 
 
 37 the Lord speaketh. Behold, the evils 
 
 38 draw nigh, and are not slack. Like as 
 a woman with child in the ninth month, 
 when the hour of her delivery draweth 
 near, within two or three hours dole- 
 ful pains compass her womb, and 
 when the child cometh forth from the 
 womb, there shall be no tarrying for 
 
 39 a moment : even so shall not the evils 
 be slack to come upon the earth, and 
 the world shall groan, and sorrows 
 
 40 shall take hold of it on every side. O 
 my people, hear my word : make you 
 ready to the battle, and in those evils 
 be even as pilgrims upon the earth. 
 
 41 He that selleth, let him be as he that 
 fleeth away: and he that buyeth, as 
 
 42 one that will lose: he that occupieth 
 merchandise, as he that hath no pro- 
 fit by it : and he that buildeth, as he 
 
 43 that shall not dwell therein : he that 
 soweth, as if he should not reap : so 
 also he that prune th the vines, as he 
 
 44 that sliall not gather the grapes : they 
 that marry, as they that shall get no 
 childi-en ; and they that marry not, as 
 
 45 the widowed. Inasmuch as they that 
 
 46 labour labour in vain ; for strangers 
 shall reap their fruits, and spoil their 
 goods, overthrow their houses, and 
 take their children captive, for in 
 captivity and famine shall they beget 
 
 47 their children: and they that trafflck 
 traflflck to become a spoil : the more 
 they deck their cities, their houses, 
 their possessions, and their own per- 
 
 48 sons, the more will I hate them for 
 
 49 their sins, saith the Lord. Like as 
 a right honest and virtuous woman 
 
 50hateth a harlot, so shall righteous- 
 ness hate iniquity, when she decketh 
 herself, and shall accuse her to her 
 face, when he cometh that shall de- 
 fend him that diligently searcheth 
 out eveiT sin upon earth. 
 
 51 Therefore be ye not like thereunto, 
 
 52 nor to the works thereof. For yet a 
 little while, and iniquity shall be taken 
 away out of the earth, and righteous- 
 
 53 ness shall reign over us. Let not the 
 sinner say that he hath not sinned : 
 for he shall burn coals of fire upon his 
 head, which saith, I have not sfnned 
 
 54 before God and his glory. Behold, the 
 Lord knoweth all the works of men, 
 their imaginations, their thoughts, 
 
 55 and their hearts. Who said, Let the 
 earth be made ; and it was made : Let 
 the heaven be made ; and it was made. 
 
 56 And at his word were the stars estab- 
 lished, and he knoweth the number of 
 
 57 the stars. Who searcheth the deep, 
 and the treasures thereof; he hath 
 measured the sea, and what it con- 
 
 58taineth. Wlio hath shut the sea in 
 the midst of the waters, and with his 
 word hath he hanged the earth upon 
 
 59 the waters. Who spreadeth out the 
 
1. 6. 
 
 TOBIT. 
 
 1. 14. 
 
 1 That is, 
 Shal. 
 ma- 
 iieser. 
 Compare 
 
 2 Kings 
 xvii. 3, 
 
 heaven like a vault ; upon the waters 
 
 60 hath he founded it. Who hath made 
 In the desert springs of water, and 
 pools upon the tops of the mountains, 
 to send forth rivers from the height to 
 
 61 water the earth. Who framed man, 
 and put a heart in the midst of the 
 body, and gave him breath, life, and 
 
 62 understanding, yea, the spirit of God 
 Almighty. He who made all things, 
 and searcheth out hidden things in 
 
 63 hidden places, surely he knoweth 
 your imagination, and what ye think 
 in your hearts. Woe to them that 
 sin, and would fain hide their sin ! 
 
 64 Forasmuch as the Lord will exactly 
 search out all your works, and he will 
 
 65 put you all to shame. And when 
 your sins are brought forth before 
 men, ye shall be ashamed, and your 
 own iniquities shall stand as your 
 
 66 accusers in that day. What will ye 
 do ? or how will ye hide your sins be- 
 
 67 fore God and his angels? Behold, 
 God is the judge, fear him : leave off 
 from your sins, and forget your ini- 
 quities, to meddle no more with them 
 for ever : so shall God lead you forth, 
 and deliver you from all tribulation. 
 
 68 For, behold, the burning wrath of a 
 great multitude is kindled over you, 
 and they shall take away certain of 
 
 you, and feed you with that which is 
 
 69 slain unto idols. And they that con- 
 sent unto them shall be had in deri- 
 sion and in reproach, and be trodden 
 
 70 under foot of them. For there shall 
 be 1 in divers places, and in the next 
 cities, a great insurrection upon those 
 
 7 1 that fear the Lord. They shall be like 
 mad men, sparing none, but spoiling 
 and destroying them that still fear the 
 
 72 Lord. For they shall waste and take 
 away their goods, and cast them out 
 
 73 of their houses. Then shall be mani- 
 fest the trial of mine elect; even as 
 the gold that is tried in the Are. 
 
 74 Hear,0 ye mine elect, saith the Lord: 
 behold, the days of tribulation are at 
 hand, and I will deliver you from 
 
 75 them. Be ye not afraid, neither doubt ; 
 
 76 for God is your guide : and ye who 
 keep my commandments and pre- 
 cepts, saith the Lord God, let not your 
 sins weigh you down, and let not your 
 
 77 iniquities lift up themselves. Woe 
 unto them that are fast bound with 
 their sins, and covered with their ini- 
 quities, like as a field is fast bound 
 with bushes, and the path thereof 
 covered with thorns, that no man 
 
 78 may travel through! ^ H jg even 
 shut off, and given up to be consumed 
 of flre. 
 
 TOBIT. 
 
 iThe 
 Latin 
 is un- 
 certain. 
 
 2 Or, 
 7'hey are 
 every 
 one s?Mt 
 out, SfC. 
 
 1 The book of the words of Tobit, the 
 son of Tobiel, the son of Ananiel, the 
 son of Aduel, the son of Gabael, of the 
 seed of Asiel, of the tribe of Naphtali ; 
 
 2 who in the days of ^ Enemessar king 
 of the Assyrians was carried away 
 captive out of Thisbe, which is on the 
 right hand of Kedesh NaphtaU in 
 Galilee above Asher. 
 
 3 I Tobit walked in the ways of truth 
 and righteousness all the days of my 
 life, and I did many almsdeeds to my 
 brethren and my nation, who went 
 with me into the land of the Assyri- 
 
 4 ans, to Nineveh. And when I was in 
 mine own country, in the land of Is- 
 rael, while I was yet young, all the 
 tribe of Naphtali my father fell away 
 from the house of Jerusalem, which 
 was chosen out of all the tribes of 
 Israel, that all the tribes should sac- 
 rifice there, and the temple of the 
 habitation of the Most High was hal- 
 lowed and built therein for all ages. 
 
 5 And all the tribes which fell away 
 together sacrificed to the heifer Baal, 
 and so did the house of Naphtali my 
 
 6 father. And I alone went often to 
 
 Jerusalem at the feasts, as it hath 
 been ordained unto all Israel by an 
 everlasting decree, having the first- 
 fruits and the tenths of mine increase, 
 and that which was first shorn ; and 
 I gave them at the altar to the priests 
 
 7 the sons of Aaron. The tenth part 
 of all mine increase I gave to the sons 
 of Levi, who ministered at Jerusalem : 
 and the second tenth part I sold away, 
 and went, and spent it each year at 
 
 8 Jerusalem : and the third I gave unto 
 them to whom it was meet, as Deborah 
 my father's mother had commanded 
 me, because I was left an orphan by 
 
 9 my father. And when I became a 
 man, I took to wife Anna of the 
 seed of our own family, and of her I 
 
 10 begat Tobias. And when I was car- 
 ried aAvay captive to Nineveh, all my 
 brethren and those that were of my 
 kindred did eat of the bread of the 
 
 11 Gentiles : but I kept myself from eat 
 
 1 2 ing, because I remembered God with 
 
 13 all my soul. And the Most High gave 
 me grace and ^ favour in the sight of 
 Enemessar, and I was his purveyor. 
 
 14 And I went into Media, and left in 
 
 2 Gr. 
 beauty. 
 
2. 8. 
 
 TOBIT. 
 
 3. 7. 
 
 X Gr. his 
 high- 
 way* 
 were 
 troubled. 
 
 a Some 
 aacient 
 authori* 
 ties read 
 behind. 
 
 3 That is, 
 Esar- 
 haddon, 
 and BO in 
 ▼er. 22. , 
 
 * Amos 
 viii.10. 
 
 trust with Gabael, the brother of Ga- 
 brias, at Rages of Media, ten talents 
 of silver. 
 
 15 And when En^messar was dead, 
 Sennacherib his sou reigned in his 
 steadl^nd ^ in his time the highways 
 were troubled, and I could no more 1 
 
 16 go into jNIedia. And in the days of 
 Enemessar I did many ahnsdeeds to 
 
 17 my brethren: I gave my bread to 
 the hungry, and my garments to the 
 naked : and if I saw any of my race 
 dead, and cast forth ^ on the wall of 
 
 18 Nineveh, I buried him. And if Sen- 
 nacherib the king slew any, when he 
 came fleeing from Judaea, I buried 
 them privily ; for in his wrath he slew 
 many; and the bodies were sought 
 for by the king, and were not found. 
 
 19 But one of the Ninevites went and 
 shewed to the king concerning me, 
 how that I buried them, and hid my- 
 self; and when I knew that I was 
 sought for to be put to death, I with- 
 
 20 drew myself for fear. And all my 
 goods were forcibly taken away, and 
 there was nothing left unto me, save 
 my wife Anna and my son Tobias. 
 
 21 And there passed not five and fifty 
 days, before two of his sons slew him, 
 and they fled into the mountains of 
 Ararat. And ^ Sajrchedonus his son 
 reigned in his stead ; and he appointed 
 over all the accounts of his kingdom, 
 and over all his affairs, Ar,hj n.nh{^.nis 
 
 22 my brother Anael's son. And Achia- 
 charus made request for me, and I 
 came to Nineveh. Now Achiacharus 
 was cupbearer, and keeper of the sig- 
 net, and steward, and overseer of the 
 accounts : and Sarchedonus appoint- 
 ed him next unto himself : but he was 
 my brother's son. 
 
 2 Now when I was come home again, 
 and my wife Anna was restored unto 
 me, and my son Tobias, in the feast 
 of Pentecost, which is the holy feast 
 of the seven weeks, there was a good 
 dinner prepared me, and I sat down 
 
 2 to eat. And I saw abundance of 
 meat, and I said to my son. Go and 
 bring what poor man soever thou shalt 
 find of our brethren, who is mindful 
 of the Lord ; and, lo, I tarry for thee. 
 
 3 And he came, and said, Father, one of 
 our race is strangled, and is cast out 
 
 4 in the marketplace. And before I had 
 tasted aught, I sprang up, and took 
 him up into a chamber until the sun 
 
 5 was set. And I returned, and washed 
 myself, and ate my bread in heavi- 
 
 6 ness, and remembered the prophecy 
 of Amos, as he said, 
 
 *Your feasts shall be turned into 
 mourning, 
 
 And all your mirth into lamenta- 
 tion. 
 
 7 And I wept : and when the sun was 
 set, I went and made a grave, and bu 
 
 8 ried him. 
 
 And my neighbours mock- 1 
 39 
 
 ed me, and said. He is no longer afraid 
 to be put to death for this matter : 
 and yet he fled away : and, lo, he bm-i- 
 9eth the dead again. And the same 
 night I returned from burying him, 
 and slept by the wall of my courtyard, 
 being polluted ; and my face was un- 
 
 10 covered: and I knew not that there 
 were sparrows in the wall ; and, mine 
 eyes being open, the sparrows muted 
 warm dung into mine eyes, and white 
 films came in mine eyes ; and I went 
 to the physicians, and they helped 
 me not: but Achiacharus did nourish 
 me, s until I went into Elymais. 
 
 1 1 And my wife Anna did spin in the 
 
 12 women's chambers, and did send the 
 work back to the owners. And they 
 on their part paid her wages, and gave 
 
 13 her also besides a kid. But when it 
 came to my house, it began to cry, 
 and I said unto her, From whence is 
 this kid ? is it stolen ? render it to the 
 owners; for it is not lawful to eat 
 
 14 anything that is stolen. But she said. 
 It hath been given me for a gift more 
 than the wages. And I did not be- 
 lieve her, and I bade her render it to 
 the owners; and I was abashed at 
 her. But she answered and said unto 
 me. Where are thine alms and thy 
 righteous deeds ? behold, « thou and 
 all thy works are known. 
 
 3 And I was grieved and wept, and 
 prayed in sorrow, saying, 
 
 2 O Lord, thou art righteous, and all 
 thy works and all thy ways are mercy 
 and truth, and thou judgest true and 
 
 3 righteous judgement for ever. Re- 
 member me, and look on me; take 
 not vengeance on me for my sins and 
 mine ignorances, and the »i7is of my 
 fathers, which sinned before thee : 
 
 4 for they disobeyed thy command- 
 ments ; and thou gavest us for a spoil, 
 and for captivity, and for death, and 
 for a proverb of reproach to all the 
 nations among whom we are dispers- 
 
 5 ed. And now many are thy judge- 
 ments, true are they ; that thou should- 
 est deal with me according to my sins 
 and the sins of my fathers : because 
 we did not keep thy commandments, 
 for we walked not in truth before 
 
 6 thee. And now deal with me accord- 
 ing to that which is pleasing in thy 
 sight, command my spirit to be taken 
 from me, that I may be released, and 
 become earth : for it is profitable for 
 me to die rather than to live, because 
 I have heard false reproaches, and 
 there is much sorrow in me: com- 
 mand that I be now released from 
 my distress, and go to the everlasting 
 place : turn not thy face away from 
 me. 
 
 7 The same day it happened unto Sa- 
 rah the daughter of Raguel in Ecba- 
 tana of Media, that she also was 
 reproached by her father's maidser- 
 
 s Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 until he 
 went. 
 
 • Gr.oS 
 
 things 
 are 
 
 known 
 
 with 
 
 thee. 
 
 t.. 
 
 ^A 
 
4. 4. 
 
 TOBIT. 
 
 4. 19. 
 
 iGr. 
 demon. 
 
 sGr. 
 Uadet. 
 
 3 Or. if. 
 
 8vants; because that sbe had been 
 given to seven husbands, and Asmo- 
 daeus the evil ^ spirit slew them, be- 
 fore they had lain with her. And they 
 said unto her. Dost thou not know 
 that thou stranglest thy husbands ? 
 thou hast had already seven husbands, 
 and thou hast had no profit of any one 
 
 9 of them. Wherefore dost thou scourge 
 us? if they be dead, go thy ways with 
 them ; let us never see of thee either 
 
 10 son or daughter. When she heard 
 these things, she was grieved exceed- 
 ingly, so that she thought to have 
 hanged herself: and she said, I am the 
 only daughter of my father; if I do 
 this, it shall be a reproach unto him, 
 and I shall bring down his old age 
 
 11 with sorrow to ^ the grave. And she 
 prayed by the window, and said. 
 Blessed art thou, O Lord my God, and 
 blessed is thy holy and honourable 
 name for ever : let all thy works praise 
 
 12 thee for ever. And now. Lord, I have 
 set mine eyes and my face toward 
 
 13 thee: command that I be released 
 from the earth, and that I no more 
 
 14 hear reproach. Thou knowest, Lord, 
 that I am pure from all sin with man, 
 
 15 and that I never polluted my name, 
 nor the name of my father, in the land 
 of my captivity : I am the only daugh- 
 ter of my father, and he hath no child 
 that shall be his heir, nor brother near 
 him, nor son belonging to him, that I 
 should keep myself for a wife unto 
 him : seven husbands of mine are dead 
 already ; why should I live ? And if 
 it pleaseth thee not to slay me, com- 
 mand some regard to be had of me, 
 and pity taken of me, and that I hear 
 no more reproach. 
 
 16 And the prayer of both was heard 
 before the glory of the great God. 
 
 17 Raphael also was sent to heal them 
 both, to scale away the white films 
 from Tobit's eyes, and to give Sarah 
 the daughter of Raguel for a wife to 
 Tobia s. the son of Tobit ; and to bind 
 
 "XsMocTaeus the evil ^ spirit ; because it 
 belonged to Tobias that he should in- 
 herit her. The selfsame time did Tobit 
 return and enter into his house, and 
 Sarah the daughter of Raguel came 
 down from her upper chamber. 
 
 4 In that day Tobit remembered con- 
 cerning the money which he had left 
 in trust with Gabael in Rages of Me- 
 
 2dia, and he said in himself, I have 
 asked for death ; why do I not call my 
 son Tobias, that I may shew to him 
 
 3 of the money before I die ? And he 
 called him, and said. 
 
 My child, ^ when I die, bury me : and 
 despise not thy mother ; honour her all 
 the days of thy life, and do that which 
 is pleasing unto her, and grieve her 
 
 4 not. Remember, my child, that she 
 hath seen many dangers for thee, vjhen 
 thou wast in her womb. When she is 
 
 dead, bury her by me in one grave. 
 
 5 My child, be mindful of the Lord our 
 God all thy days, and let not thy will 
 be set to sin and to transgress his 
 commandments : do righteousness all 
 the days of thy life, and follow not the 
 
 6 ways of unrighteousness. For if thou 
 doest the truth, thy doings shall pro- 
 sperously succeed to thee, and to all 
 
 7 them that do righteousness. Give 
 alms of thy substance ; and when thou 
 givest alms, let not thine eye be envi- 
 ous : turn not away thy face from any 
 poor man, and the face of God shall 
 
 8 not be turned away from thee. As thy 
 substance is, give alms of it according 
 to thine abundance : if thou have little, 
 be not afraid to give alms according to 
 
 9 that little : for thou layest up a good 
 treasure for thyself against the day 
 
 10 of necessity: because alms delivereth 
 from death, and suffereth not to come 
 
 11 into darkness. Alms is a good gift in 
 the sight of the Most High for all that 
 
 12 give it. Beware, my child, of all whore- 
 dom, and take first a wife of the seed 
 of thy fathers, and take not a strange 
 wife, which is not of thy father's tribe : 
 for we are the sons of the prophets. 
 Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, our fa- 
 thers of old time, remember, my child, 
 that they all took wives of their bre- 
 thren, and were blessed in their chil- 
 dren, and their seed shall inherit the 
 
 13 land. And now, my child, love thy 
 brethren, and scorn not in thy heart 
 thy brethren, and the sons and the 
 daughters of thy people, to take a wife 
 of them : for in scornf ulness is destruc- 
 tion and much trouble, and in naughti- 
 ness is decay and great want: for 
 naughtiness is the mother of famine. 
 
 14 Let not the wages of any man, which 
 shall work for thee, tarry with thee, 
 but render it unto him out of hand: 
 and if thou serve God, recompense 
 shall be made unto thee. Take heed 
 to thyself, my child, in all thy works, 
 and be discreet in all thy behaviour. 
 
 15 And what thou thyself hatest, do to 
 no man. Drink not wine unto drunk- 
 enness, and let not drunkenness go 
 
 16 with thee on thy way. Give of thy 
 bread to the hungry, and of thy gar- 
 ments to them that are naked : of all 
 thine abundance give alms ; and let 
 not thine eye be envious when thou 
 
 17 givest alms. Pour out thy bread on 
 the * burial of the just, and give no- 
 
 18 thing to sinners. Ask counsel of every 
 man that is wise, and despise not any 
 
 19 counsel that is profitable. And bless 
 the Lord thy God at all times, and ask 
 of him that thy ways may be made 
 straight, and that all thy paths and 
 counsels may prosper : for every na- 
 tion hath not counsel; but the Lord 
 himself giveth all good things, and he 
 humbleth whom he will, as he will. 
 And now, my child, remember my 
 
 40 
 
5. 16. 
 
 TOBIT. 
 
 8. 12. 
 
 commandments, and let them not be 
 
 20 blotted out of tby mind. And now I 
 shew tliee of the ten talents of silver, 
 which I left in trust with Gabael the 
 son of Gabrias at Kages of Media. 
 
 21 And fear not, my child, because we 
 are made poor: thou hast much 
 wealth, if thou fear God, and depart 
 from all sin, and do that which is 
 pleasing in his sight. 
 
 5 And Tobias answered and said unto 
 him, Father, I will do all things, what- 
 
 2 soever thou hast commanded me : but 
 how shall I be able to receive the 
 
 3 money, seeing I know him not ? And 
 he gave him the handwriting, and 
 said unto him. Seek thee a man which 
 shall go with thee, and I will give 
 him wages, whiles I yet live : and go 
 
 4 and receive the money. And he went 
 to seek a man, and found Raphael 
 
 5 which was an angel ; and he knew it 
 not ; and he said unto him, Can I go 
 with thee to Kages of Media? and 
 
 6 knowest thou the places well ? And 
 the angel said unto him, I will go with 
 thee, and I know the way well : and I 
 have lodged with our brother Gabael. 
 
 7 And Tobias said unto him. Wait for 
 
 8 me, and I will tell my father. And 
 he said unto him, Go, and tarry not. 
 And he went in and said to his father. 
 Behold, I have found one which will 
 go with me. But he said. Call him 
 unto me, that I may know of what 
 tribe he is, and whether he be a trusty 
 man to go with thee. 
 
 9 And he called him, and he came in, 
 
 10 and they saluted one another. And 
 Tobit said unto him. Brother, of what 
 tribe and of what family art thou? 
 
 11 Shew me. And he said unto him, 
 Seekest thou a tribe and a family, or 
 a hired man which shall go with thy 
 son? And Tobit said unto him, I 
 would know, brother, thy kindred and 
 
 12 thy name. And he said, I am Aaafias, 
 the son of Ananias the great, of tT5y 
 
 13 brethren. And he said unto him. Wel- 
 come, brother ; and be not angry with 
 me, because I sought to know thy 
 tribe and family: and thou art my 
 brother, of an honest and good line- 
 age : for I knew Ananias and Jathan, 
 the sons of Shemaiah the great, when 
 we went together to Jerusalem to 
 worship, and offered the firstborn, 
 and the tenths of our increase; and 
 they went not astray in the error of 
 our brethren: my brother, thou art 
 
 14 of a great stock. But tell me, what 
 wages shall I give thee ? a drachma 
 a day, and those things that be neces- 
 
 15 sary for thee, as unto my son? And 
 moreover, if ye return safe and sound, 
 I will add something to thy wages. 
 
 16 And so they consented. And he said 
 to Tobias, Prepare thyself for the jour- 
 ney, and God prosper you. And his 
 son prepared what was needful for 
 
 the journey, and his father said unto 
 him. Go thou with this man ; but God, 
 which dwelleth in heaven, shall pro- 
 sper your journey ; and may his angel 
 go with you. And they both went 
 forth to depart, and the young man's 
 dog with them. 
 
 17 But Anna his mother wept, and said 
 to Tobit, Why hast thou sent away 
 our child ? is he not the staff of our 
 hand, in going in and out before us ? 
 
 1 8 Be not greedy to add money to money : 
 but let it be as refuse in respect of 
 
 19 our child. For as the Lord hath given 
 
 20 us to live, so doth it suffice us. And 
 Tobit said to her. Take no care, my 
 sister ; he shall return safe and sound, 
 
 21 and thine eyes shall see him. For a 
 good angel shall go with him, and his 
 journey shall be prospered, and he 
 
 22 shall return safe and sound. And she 
 made an end of weeping. 
 
 6 Now as they went on then: journey, 
 they came at eventide to the river 
 
 2 Tigris, and they lodged there. But 
 the yoimg man went down to wash 
 himself, and a fish leaped out of the 
 river, and would have swallowed up 
 
 3 the young man. But the angel said 
 unto him, Take hold on the fish. And 
 the young man caught hold of the fish, 
 
 4 and cast it up on the land. And the 
 angel said unto him, Cut the fish open, 
 and take the heart and the liver and 
 
 5 the gall, and put them up safely. And 
 the young man did as the angel com- 
 manded him; but they roasted the 
 fish, and ate it. And they both went 
 on their way, till they drew near to 
 
 6 Ecbatana. And the young man said 
 to the angel. Brother Azarias, to what 
 use is the heart and the liver and the 
 
 7 gall of the fish ? And he said unto him, 
 Touching the heart and the liver, if a | 
 1 devil or an evil spirit trouble any, ■ 
 we must make a smoke thereof before 
 the man or the woman, and the party 
 
 8 shall be no more vexed. But as for 
 the gall, it is good to anoint a man 
 that hath white fihns in his eyes, and 
 he shall be healed. 
 
 9 But when they drew nigh unto Rages, 
 
 10 the angel said to the young man. 
 Brother, to-day we shall lodge with 
 Raguel, and he is thy kinsman ; and 
 he hath an only daughter, named Sa- 
 rah. I will speak for her, that she 
 
 11 should be given thee for a wife. For 
 to thee doth the inheritance of her 
 appertain, and thou only art of her 
 
 12 kindred : and the maid is fair and 
 wise. And now hear me, and I will 
 speak to her father; and when we 
 return from Rages we will celebrate 
 the marriage : for I know that Raguel 
 may in no wise marry her to another 
 according to the law of Moses, or else 
 he shall be liable to death, because it 
 appertaineth unto thee to take the 
 inheritance, rather than any other. 
 
 tGr. 
 denum. 
 
7. 8. 
 
 TOBIT. 
 
 8. 11. 
 
 iGr. 
 
 demon, 
 and so in 
 ver. 15, 
 17. 
 
 a Gr. if. 
 
 I'd Then the young man said unto the 
 angel, Brother Azarias, I have heard 
 that this maid hath been given to 
 seven men, and that they all perished 
 
 14 in the bride-chamber. And now I am 
 the only son of my father, and I am 
 afraid, lest I go in and die, even as 
 those before me : f or a ^ devil loveth 
 her, which hurteth no man, but those 
 which come unto her : and now I fear 
 lest I die, and bring my father's and 
 my mother's life to the grave with 
 sorrow because of me : and they have 
 
 15 no other son to bury them. But the 
 angel said unto him. Dost thou not 
 remember the words which thy father 
 commanded thee, that thou shouldest 
 take a wife of thine own kindred ? and 
 now hear me, brother ; for she shall 
 be thy wife ; and make thou no reck- 
 oning of the devil ; for this night shall 
 
 16 she be given thee to wife. And ^ when 
 thou Shalt come into the bride-cham- 
 ber, thou Shalt take the ashes of in- 
 cense, and Shalt lay upon them some 
 of the heart and liver of the fish, and 
 
 17 Shalt make a smoke therewith -. and 
 the devil shall smell it, and flee away, 
 and never come again any more. But 
 when thou goest nigh unto her, rise 
 up both of you, and cry to God which 
 Is merciful, and he shall save you, and 
 have mercy on you. Fear not, for she 
 was prepared for thee from the begin- 
 ning; and thou shalt save her, and 
 she shall go with thee. And I sup- 
 pose that thou Shalt have children of 
 her. And when Tobias heard these 
 things, he loved her, and his soul clave 
 to her exceedingly. 
 
 7 And they came to Ecbatana, and 
 arrived at the house of Raguel. But 
 Sarah met them; and she saluted 
 them, and they her ; and she brought 
 
 2 them into the house. And he said to 
 Edna his wife. How like is the young 
 
 3 man to Tobit my cousin. And Raguel 
 asked them, From whence are ye, 
 brethren? And they said unto him, 
 "We are of the sons of Naphtali, which 
 
 4 are captives in Nineveh. And he said 
 unto them. Know ye Tojij-t our bro- 
 ther ? But they said, We know him. 
 And he said imto them. Is he in good 
 
 5 health? But they said. He is both 
 alive, and in good health : and Tobias 
 
 6 said, He is my father. And Raguel 
 sprang up, and kissed him, andwSpt, 
 
 7 and blessed him, and said unto him. 
 Thou art the son of an honest and 
 good man. And when he had heard 
 that Tobit had lost his sight, he was 
 
 8 grieved, and wept ; and Edna his wife 
 and Sarah his daughter wept. And 
 they received them gladly ; and they 
 killed a ram of the flock, and set store 
 of meat before them. 
 
 But Tobias said to Raphael, Brother 
 Azarias, speak of those things of which 
 thou didst talk in the way, and let the 
 
 9 matter be finished. And he commu- 
 nicated the thing to Raguel : and Ra- 
 guel said to Tobias, Eat and drink, 
 
 10 and make merry : for it appertaineth 
 unto thee to take my child. Howbeit 
 
 111 will shew thee the truth. I have 
 given my child to seven men, and 
 whensoever they came in unto her, 
 they died in the night. But for the 
 present be merry. And Tobias said, 
 I will taste nothing here, until ye 
 make covenant and enter into cove- 
 
 12 nant with me. And Raguel said, 
 Take her to thyself from henceforth 
 according to the manner: thou art 
 her brother, and she is thine : but the 
 merciful God shall give all good suc- 
 
 13 cess to you. And he called his daugh- 
 ter Sarah, and took her by the hand, 
 and gave her to be wife to Tobias, 
 and said. Behold, take her to thyself 
 after the law of Moses, and lead her 
 away to thy father. And he blessed 
 
 14 them; and he called Edna his wife, 
 and took a book, and wrote an instru- 
 
 15 ment, and sealed it. And they began 
 to eat. 
 
 16 And Raguel called his wife Edna, 
 and said unto her. Sister, prepare the 
 other chamber, and bring her in 
 
 17 thither. And she did as he bade her, 
 and brought her in thither : and she 
 wept, and she received the tears of 
 
 18 her daughter, and said unto her, Be 
 of good comfort, my child ; the Lord 
 of heaven and earth give thee ^ favour 
 for this thy sorrow : be of good com- 
 fort, my daughter. 
 
 8 And when they had finished their 
 supper, they brought Tobias in unto 
 
 2 her. But as he went, he remembered 
 the words of Raphael, and took the 
 ashes of the incense, and put the heart 
 and the liver of the fish thereupon, 
 
 3 and made a smoke therewith. But 
 when the * devil smelled the smell, he 
 fled into the uppermost parts of Egypt, 
 
 4 and the angel bound him. But after 
 they were both shut in together, To- 
 bias rose up from the bed, and said, 
 Sister, arise, and let us pray that the 
 
 6 Lord may have mercy on us. And 
 Tobias began to say, Blessed art thou, 
 O God of our fathers, and blessed is 
 thy holy and glorious name for ever ; 
 let the heavens bless thee, and all thy 
 
 6 creatures. Thou madest Adam, and 
 gavest him Eve his wife for a helper 
 and a stay : of them came the seed of 
 men: thou didst say, It is not good 
 that the man should be alone ; let us 
 make him a helper like unto him. 
 
 7 And now, O Lord, I take not this my 
 sister for lust, but in truth : command 
 that I may find mercy and grow old 
 
 8 with her. And she said with him, 
 
 9 Amen. And they slept both that night. 
 
 And Raguel arose, and went and 
 
 10 digged a grave, saying, Lest he also 
 
 11 should die. And Raguel came into 
 
 42 
 
10. 
 
 TOBIT. 
 
 11. 14. 
 
 1 Many 
 ancient 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 Are they 
 per. 
 chance 
 put to 
 shame f 
 
 2 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 Woe if 
 
 12 Ills house, and said to Edna his wife, 
 Send one of the maidservants, and let 
 them see whether he be alive : but if 
 not, that we may bury him, and no 
 
 13 man know it. So the maidservant 
 opened the door, and went in, and 
 
 14 found them both sleeping, and came 
 forth, and told them that he was alive. 
 
 15 And Kaguel blessed God, saying. 
 
 Blessed art thou, O God, with all 
 pure and holy blessing; and let thy 
 saints bless thee, and all thy creatures; 
 and let all thine angels and thine elect 
 
 16 bless thee for ever. Blessed art thou, 
 because thou hast made me glad; and 
 it hath not befallen me as I suspected ; 
 but thou hast dealt with us according 
 
 1 7 to thy great mercy. Blessed art thou, 
 because thou hast had mercy on two 
 that were the only begotten children 
 of their parents : shew them mercy, O 
 Lord ; accomplish their life in health 
 with gladness and mercy. 
 
 18 But he commanded his servants to 
 
 19 fill the grave. And he kept the wed- 
 ding feast for them fourteen days. 
 
 20 And before the days of the wedding 
 feast were finished, Raguel sware unto 
 him, that he should not depart till 
 the fourteen days of the wedding feast 
 
 21 were fulfilled; and that then he should 
 take the half of his goods, and go in 
 safety to his father ; and the rest, said 
 he, when I and my wife shall die. 
 
 9 And Tobias called Eaphael, and said 
 
 2 unto him. Brother Azarias, take with 
 thee a servant, and two camels, and 
 go to Eages of :Media to Gabael, and 
 receive the money for me, and bring 
 
 3 him to the wedding feast : because 
 Raguel hath sworn that I shall not 
 
 4 depart ; and my father counteth the 
 days ; and if I tarry long, he will be 
 
 5 sorely grieved. And Eaphael went on 
 his way, and lodged with Gabael, and 
 gave him the handwriting: but he 
 brought forth the bags with then- seals, 
 
 6 and gave them to him. And they rose 
 up early in the morning together, and 
 came to the wedding feast: and Tobias 
 blessed his wife. 
 
 10 And Tobit his father made his count 
 every day : and when the days of the 
 journey were expired, and they came 
 
 2 not, he said, ^ Is he perchance de- 
 tained ? or is Gabael perchance dead, 
 and there is no man to give him the 
 
 3 money ? And he was sorely grieved. 
 
 4 But his wif0 said unto him, The child 
 hath perished, seeing he tarrieth long; 
 and she began to bewail him, and said, 
 
 5^1 care for nothing, my child, since I 
 have let thee go, the light of mine eyes. 
 
 6 And Tobit saith unto her. Hold thy 
 peace, take no care ; he is in good 
 
 7 health. And she said unto him. Hold 
 thy peace, deceive me not ; my child 
 hath perished. And she went out 
 every day into the way by which they 
 went, and did eat no bread in the day- 
 
 time, and ceased not whole nights to 
 bewail her son Tobias, until the four- 
 teen days of the wedding feast were 
 expired, which Eaguel had sworn that 
 he should spend there. 
 But Tobias said unto Eaguel, Send 
 me away, for my father and my mother 
 
 8 look no more to see me. But his fa- 
 ther in law said unto him, Abide with 
 me, and I will send to thy father, and 
 they shall declare unto him how things 
 
 9 go with thee. And Tobias saith. No ; 
 
 10 but send me away to my father. But 
 Raguel arose, and gave him Sarah his 
 wife, and half his goods, servants and 
 
 11 cattle and money; and he blessed them, 
 and sent them away, saying. The God 
 of heaven shall prosper you, my chil- 
 
 12 dren, before I die. And he said to his 
 daughter, Honoiu- thy father and thy 
 mother in law ; they are now thy par- 
 ents; let me hear a good report of 
 thee. And he kissed her. And Edna 
 said to Tobias, The Lord of heaven 
 restore thee, dear brother, and grant 
 to me that I may see thy children of 
 my daughter Sarah, that I may rejoice 
 before the Lord : and, behold, I commit 
 my daughter unto thee in special 
 trust : vex her not. 
 
 11 After these things Tobias also went 
 his way, blessing God because he had 
 prospered his journey ; and he blessed 
 Eaguel and Edna his wife. And he 
 went on his way till they drew near 
 
 2 unto Nineveh. And Eaphael said to 
 Tobias, Knowest thou not, brother, 
 
 3 how thou didst leave thy father ? Let 
 us run forward before thy wife, and 
 
 4 prepare the house. But take in thy 
 hand the gall of the fish. And they 
 wenttheirway, and the dog went after 
 
 5 them. And Anna sat looking about 
 
 6 toward the way for her son. And she 
 espied him coming, and said to his 
 father. Behold, thy son cometh, and 
 
 7 the 'man that went with him. And 
 Eaphael said, I know, Tobias, that 
 
 8 thy father will open his eyes. Do 
 thou therefore anoint his eyes with the 
 gall, and being pricked therewith, he 
 shall rub, and shall make the white 
 films to fall away, and he shall see 
 thee. 
 
 9 And Anna ran imto him, and fell upon 
 the neck of her son, and said unto him, 
 I have seen thee, my child; from hence- 
 forth I will die. And they wept both. 
 
 10 And Tobit went forth toward the door, 
 and stumbled : but his son ran unto 
 
 11 him, and took hold of his father : and 
 he strake the gall on his father's eyes, 
 saying. Be of good cheer, my father. 
 
 12 But when his eyes began to smart, 
 
 13 he rubbed them ; and the white films 
 scaled away from the corners of his 
 eyes ; and he saw his son, and fell up- 
 
 14 on his neck. And he wept, and said. 
 Blessed art thou, O God, and blessed 
 is thy name for ever, and blessed are 
 
12. 13. 
 
 TOBIT. 
 
 13. 6. 
 
 15 all thy holy angels; for thou didst 
 scourge, and didst have mercy on me : 
 behold, I see my son Tobias. And his 
 son went in rejoicing, and told his 
 father the great things that had hap- 
 pened to him in Media. 
 
 16 And Tobit went out to meet his 
 daughter in law at the gate of Nine- 
 veh, rejoicing, and blessing God : and 
 they which saw him go marvelled, be- 
 
 17 cause he had received his sight. And 
 Tobit gave thanks before them, be- 
 cause God had shewed mercy on him. 
 And when Tobit came near to Sarah 
 his daughter in law, he blessed her, 
 saying, Welcome, daughter : blessed 
 is God which hath brought thee unto 
 us, and blessed are thy father and thy 
 mother. And there was joy to all 
 his brethren which were at Nineveh. 
 
 18 And Achiacharus, and Nasbas his 
 19 brother's son, came: and Tobias' 
 
 wedding feast was kept seven days 
 with great gladness. 
 12 And Tobit called his son Tobias, and 
 said unto him. See, my child, that the 
 man which went with thee have his 
 wages, and thou must give him more. 
 
 2 And he said unto him. Father, it is no 
 harm to me to give him the half of 
 those things which I have brought : 
 
 3 for he hath led me for thee in safety, 
 and he cured my wife, and brought 
 my money, and likewise cured thee. 
 
 4 And the old man said. It is due unto 
 
 5 him. And he called the angel, and 
 said unto him. Take the half of all 
 
 6 that ye have brought. Then he 
 called them both privily, and said 
 unto them, 
 
 Bless God, and give him thanks, and 
 magnify him, and give him thanks in 
 the sight of all that live, for the things 
 which he hath done with you. It is 
 good to bless God and exalt his name, 
 shewing forth with honour the works 
 of God ; and be not slack to give him 
 
 7 thanks. It is good to keep close the 
 secret of a king, but to reveal glori- 
 ously the works of God. Do good, 
 
 8 and evil shall not find you. Good is 
 prayer with fasting and alms and 
 righteousness. A little with right- 
 eousness is better than much with un- 
 righteousness. It is better to give 
 
 9 alms than to lay up gold : alms doth 
 deliver from death, and it shall purge 
 away all. sin. They that do alms and 
 righteousness shall be filled with life ; 
 
 10 but they that sin are enemies to their 
 
 11 own life. Surely I will keep close no- 
 thing from you. I have said. It is 
 good to keep close the secret of a 
 king, but to reveal gloriously the 
 
 12 works of God. And now, when thou 
 didst pray, and Sarah thy daughter 
 in law, I did bring the memorial of 
 your prayer before the Holy One: 
 and when thou didst bury the dead, 
 
 13 1 was with thee likewise. And when 
 
 thou didst not delay to rise up, and 
 leave thy dinner, that thou mightest 
 go and cover the dead, thy good deed 
 was not hid from me : but I was with 
 
 14 thee. And now God did send me to 
 heal thee and Sarah thy daughter in 
 
 15 law. I am Eaphael, one of the seven 
 holy angels, which present the prayers 
 of the saints, and go in before the 
 glory of the Holy One. 
 
 16 And they were both troubled, and fell 
 upon their faces ; for they were afraid. 
 
 17 And he said unto them. Be not afraid, 
 ye shall have peace ; but bless God 
 
 18 for ever. For not of any favour of 
 mine, but by the will of your God I 
 came ; wherefore bless him for ever. 
 
 19 All these days did I appear unto you ; 
 and I did neither eat nor drink, but 
 
 20 ye saw a vision. And now give God 
 thanks : because I ascend to him that 
 sent me : and write in a book all the 
 
 21 things which have been done. And 
 they rose up, and saw him no more. 
 
 22 And they confessed the great and 
 wonderful works of God, and how 
 the angel of the Lord had appeared 
 unto them. 
 
 13 And Tobit wrote a prayer for re- 
 joicing, and said. 
 Blessed is God that liveth for ever, 
 And blessed is his kingdom. 
 
 2 For he scomgeth, and sheweth 
 
 mercy : 
 He leadeth down to i the grave, and 
 
 bringeth up again : 
 And there is none that shall escape 
 
 his hand. 
 
 3 Give thanks unto him before the 
 
 Gentiles, ye children of Israel : 
 For he hath scattered us among 
 them. 
 
 4 There declare his greatness, 
 
 And extol him before all the living : 
 
 Because he is our Lord, 
 
 And God is our Father for ever. 
 
 5 And he will scourge us for our ini- 
 
 quities, and will again shew 
 mercy, 
 And will gather us out of all the 
 nations among whom ye are scat- 
 tered. 
 
 6 If ye turn to him with your whole 
 
 heart and with your whole soul. 
 
 To do truth before him. 
 
 Then will he turn unto you. 
 
 And will not hide his face from 
 you. 
 
 And see what he will do with you, 
 
 And give him thanks with your 
 whole mouth, 
 
 And bless the Lord of righteous- 
 ness. 
 
 And exalt the everlasting King. 
 
 I in the land of my captivity give 
 him thanks. 
 
 And shew his strength and majesty 
 to a nation of sinners. 
 
 Turn, ye sinners, and do righteous- 
 ness before him : 
 
 44 
 
14. 4. 
 
 TOBIT. 
 
 14. 15. 
 
 Who can tell if he will accept you 
 and have mercy on you ? 
 
 7 I exalt my God, 
 
 And my soul doth exalt the King of 
 
 heaven, 
 And it shall rejoice in his greatness. 
 
 8 Let all men speak, and let them 
 
 give him thanks in Jerusalem. 
 
 9 O Jerusalem, the holy city, 
 
 He will scourge thee for the works 
 
 of thy sons. 
 And will again have mercy on the 
 
 sons of the righteous. 
 
 10 Give thanks to the Lord with good- 
 
 ness, 
 And bless the everlasting King, 
 That his tabernacle may be builded 
 
 in thee again with joy, 
 And that he may make glad in thee 
 
 those that are captives. 
 And love in thee for ever those that 
 
 are miserable. 
 
 1 1 Many nations shall come from far to 
 
 the name of the Lord God 
 "With gifts in their hands, even gifts 
 
 to the King of heaven ; 
 Generations of generations shall 
 
 praise thee, 
 And sing songs of rejoicing. 
 
 12 Ciirsed are all they that hate thee ; 
 Blessed shall be all they that love 
 
 thee for ever. 
 
 13 Rejoice and be exceeding glad for 
 
 the sons of the righteous : 
 For they shall be gathered together 
 and shall bless the Lord of the 
 righteous. 
 
 14 O blessed are they that love thee ; 
 They shall rejoice for thy peace : 
 Blessed are all they that sorrowed 
 
 for all thy scourges : 
 Because they shall rejoice for thee, 
 "When they have seen all thy glory ; 
 And they shall be made glad for ever. 
 
 15 Letmysoul bless Godthe great King. 
 
 16 For Jerusalem shall be builded 
 
 with sapphires and emeralds and 
 precious stones ; 
 Thy walls and towers and battle- 
 ments v/ith pure gold. 
 
 17 And the streets of Jerusalem shall 
 
 be paved with beryl and car- 
 buncle and stones of Ophir. 
 
 18 And all her streets shall say. Hal- 
 
 lelujah, and give praise, 
 Sajing, Blessed is God, which hath 
 exalted thee for ever. 
 14 And Tobit made an end of giving 
 
 2 thanks. And he was eight and fifty 
 years old when he lost his sight ; and 
 after eight years he received it again : 
 and he gave alms, and he feared the 
 Lord God more and more, and gave 
 thanks unto him. 
 
 3 Now he grew very old ; and he called 
 his son, and the six sons of his son, 
 and said unto him. 
 
 My child, take thy sons : behold, I am 
 grown old, and am ready to depart 
 
 4 out of this life. Go into Media, my 
 
 child, for I surely beUeve all the things 
 which Jonah the prophet spake of 
 Nineveh, that it shall be overthrown, 
 but in Media there shall rather be 
 peace for a season ; and that our bre- 
 thren shall be scattered in the earth 
 from the good land; and Jerusalem 
 shall be desolate, and the house of 
 God in it shall be burned up, and shall 
 
 5 be desolate for a time ; and God shall 
 again have mercy on them, and bring 
 them back into the land, and they shall 
 build the house, but not like to the 
 former hmtse, until the times of that 
 age be fulfilled; and afterward they 
 shall return from the places of their 
 captivity, and build up Jerusalem 
 with honour, and the house of God 
 shall be built in it for ever with a glo- 
 rious building, even as the prophets 
 
 6 spake concerning it. And all the na- 
 tions shall turn to fear the Lord God 
 
 7 truly, and shall bury their idols. And 
 all the nations shall bless the Lord, 
 and his people shall give thanks unto 
 God, and the Lord shall exalt his 
 people ; and all they that love the 
 Lord God in truth and righteousness 
 shall rejoice, shewing mercy to our 
 
 8 brethren. And now, my child, depart 
 from Nineveh, because those things 
 which the prophet Jonah spake shall 
 
 9 surely come to pass. But keep thou 
 the law and the ordinances, and shew 
 thyself merciful and righteous, that 
 
 10 it may be well with thee. And bmy 
 me decently, and thy mother with me ; 
 and dwell ye no longer at Nineveh. 
 See, my child, what Aman did to Achi- 
 acharus that nourished him, how out 
 of light he brought him into dark- 
 ness, and all the recompense that 
 he made him : and Achiacharus was 
 saved, but the other had his recom- 
 pense, and he went down into dark- 
 ness. Manasses gave alms, and es- 
 caped the snare of death which he 
 set for him: but Aman fell into the 
 
 11 snare, and perished. And now, my 
 children, consider what alms doeth, 
 and how righteousness doth deliver. 
 
 And while he was saying these 
 things, he gave up the ghost in the 
 bed ; but he was a hundred and eight 
 and Mty years old ; and he buried him 
 
 12 magnificently. And when Anna died, 
 he buried her with his father. But To- 
 bias departed with his wife and his 
 sons to Ecbatana unto Raguel his fa- 
 
 13 ther in law, and he gi-ew old in honour, 
 and he buried his father and mother 
 in law magnificently, and he inherited 
 their substance, and his father Tobit's. 
 
 14 And he died at Ecbatana of Media, 
 being a hundred and seven and twenty 
 
 15 years old. And before he died he 
 heard of the destruction of Nineveh, 
 which Nebuchadnezzar and Ahasu- 
 erus took captive ; and before his 
 death he rejoiced over Nineveh. 
 
JUDITH 
 
 1 In the twelfth year of the reign of 
 Nebuchadnezzar, who reigned over 
 the Assyrians in Nineveh, the great 
 city; hi the days of Arphaxad, who 
 reigned over the Medes in Ecbatana, 
 
 2 and built at Ecbatana and round about 
 it walls of hewn stones three cubits 
 broad and six cubits long, and made 
 the height of the wall seventy cubits, 
 and the breadth thereof fifty cubits ; 
 
 3 and set the towers thereof at the gates 
 thereof, a hundred cubits high, and 
 the breadth thereof in the foundation 
 
 4 threescore cubits ; and made the gates 
 thereof, even gates that were raised to 
 the height of seventy cubits, and the 
 breadth of them forty cubits, for the 
 going forth of his mighty hosts, and 
 the setting in array of his footmen : 
 
 5 even in those days king Nebuchadnez- 
 zar made war with king Arphaxad in 
 the great plain : this plain is in the 
 
 6 borders of Kagau. And there came to 
 meet him all that dwelt in the hill 
 country, and all that dwelt by Euphra- 
 tes, and Tigris, and Hydaspes, and in 
 the plain of Arioch the king of the 
 Elymaeans ; and many nations of the 
 sons of Chelod assembled themselves 
 to the battle. 
 
 7 And Nebuchadnezzar king of the As- 
 syrians sent unto all that dwelt in 
 Persia, and to all that dwelt westward, 
 to those that dwelt in Cilicia and Da- 
 mascus and Libanus and Antilibanus, 
 and to all that dwelt over against the 
 
 8 sea coast, and to those among the na- 
 tions that were of Carmel and Gilead, 
 and to the higher Galilee and the great 
 
 9 plain of Esdraelon, and to all that 
 were in Samaria and the cities thereof, 
 and beyond Jordan unto Jerusalem, 
 and Betane, and Chellus, and Kadesh, 
 and the river of Egypt, and Tahpan- 
 hes, and Eameses, and all the land of 
 
 1 Goshen, until thou comest above Tanis 
 and Memphis, and to all that dwelt in 
 Egypt, until thou comest to the bor- 
 
 llders of Ethiopia. And all they that 
 dwelt in all the land made light of the 
 commandment of Nebuchadnezzar 
 king of the Assyrians, and went not 
 with him to the war ; for they were 
 not afraid of him, but he was before 
 them as one man; and they turned 
 away his messengers from their pre- 
 sence without, effect, and with dis- 
 grace. 
 
 12 And Nebuchadnezzar was exceeding 
 wroth with all this land, and he sware 
 by his throne and kingdom, that he 
 would surely be avenged upon all the 
 
 coasts of Cilicia and Damascus and 
 Syria, that he would slay with his 
 sword all the inhabitants of the land 
 of Moab, and the children of Amnion, 
 and all Judaea, and all that were in 
 Egypt, until thou comest to the bor- 
 
 13 ders of the two seas. And he set the 
 battle in array with his host against 
 king Arphaxad in the seventeenth 
 year ; and he prevailed in his battle, 
 and turned to flight all the host of 
 Arphaxad, and all his horse, and all 
 
 14 his chariots ; and he became master 
 of his cities, and he came even unto 
 Ecbatana, and took the towers, and 
 spoiled the streets thereof, and turned 
 
 15 the beauty thereof into shame. And 
 he took Arphaxad in tlie mountains 
 of Ragau, and smote him through with 
 his darts, and destroyed him utterly, 
 
 IG unto this day. And he returned with 
 them to Nineveh, he and all his com- 
 pany of sundry nations, an exceeding 
 great multitude of men of war, and 
 there he took his ease and banqueted, 
 he and his host, a hundred and twenty 
 days. 
 
 2 And in the eighteenth year, the two 
 and twentieth day of the first month, 
 there was talk in the house of Nebu- 
 chadnezzar king of the Assyrians, 
 that he should be avenged on all the 
 
 2 land, even as he spake. And he called 
 together all his servants, and all his 
 great men, and communicated with 
 them his secret counsel, and concluded 
 the afflicting of all the land out of his 
 
 3 own mouth. And they decreed to de- 
 stroy all flesh which followed not the 
 
 4 word of his mouth. And it came to 
 pass, when he had ended his counsel, 
 Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyri- 
 ans called Holofernes the chief cap- 
 tain of his host, which was next after 
 himself, and said unto him, 
 
 5 Thus saith the great king, the lord of 
 all the earth, Behold, thou shalt go 
 forth from my presence, and take with 
 thee men that trust in their strength, 
 unto a hundred and twenty thousand 
 footmen; and the number of horses 
 with their riders twelve thousand: 
 
 6 and thou shalt go forth against all the 
 west country, because they disobeyed 
 
 7 the commandment of my mouth. And 
 thou Shalt declare unto them, that 
 they prepare earth and water ; because 
 I will go forth in my wrath against 
 them, and will cover the whole face of 
 the earth with the feet of my host, and 
 I will give them for a spoil unto them : 
 
 8 and their slain shall fill their valleys 
 
2. 26. 
 
 JUDITH. 
 
 4. 3. 
 
 iGr. 
 they 
 shall 
 yield 
 
 . . . and 
 thou 
 shah re- 
 serve. 
 
 and brooks, and the river shall be filled 
 
 9 with their dead, till it overflow : and 
 
 I will lead them captives to the ut- 
 
 10 most parts of all the earth. But thou 
 Shalt go forth, and take beforehand 
 for me all their coasts ; and ^ if they 
 shall yield themselves unto thee, then 
 Shalt thou reserve them for me till the 
 
 1 1 day of their reproof, feut as for them 
 that are disobedient, thine eye shall 
 not spare ; but thou shalt give them up 
 to be slain and to be spoiled in all thy 
 
 12 land. For as I live, and by the power 
 of my kingdom, I have spoken, and I 
 
 13 will do this with my hand. And thou, 
 moreover, shalt not transgress aught 
 of the commandments of thy lord, but 
 thou Shalt surely accomplish them, as 
 I have commanded thee, and thou 
 shalt not defer to do them. 
 
 14 And Holof ernes went forth from the 
 presence of his lord, and called all the 
 governors and the captains and offl- 
 
 IScers of the host of Asshur; and he 
 numbered chosen men for the battle, 
 as his lord had commanded him, unto 
 a hundred and twenty thousand, and 
 twelve thousand archers on horse- 
 
 16 back; and he ranged them, as a great 
 
 17 multitude is ordered for the war. And 
 he took camels and asses and mules 
 for their baggage, an exceeding great 
 multitude; and sheep and oxen and 
 goats without number for their pro- 
 
 18 vision; and great store of victual for 
 every man, and exceeding much gold 
 and silver out of the king's house. 
 
 19 And he went forth, he and all his host, 
 on their journey, to go before king 
 Nebuchadnezzar, and to cover all the 
 face of the earth westward with their 
 chariots and horsemen and chosen 
 
 20 footmen. And a great company of 
 sundry nations went forth with them 
 like locusts, and like the sand of the 
 earth : for they could not be numbered 
 by reason of their multitude. 
 
 21 And they departed out of Nineveh 
 three days' journey toward the plain 
 of Bectileth, and encamped from Bec- 
 tileth near the mountain which is at 
 the left hand of the upper Cilicia. 
 
 22 And he took all his host, his footmen 
 and horsemen and chariots, and went 
 away from thence into the hill coun- 
 
 23 try, and destroyed Put and Lud, and 
 spoiled all the children of Kasses, and 
 the children of Ishmael, which were 
 over against the wilderness to the 
 south of the land of the Chellians. 
 
 24 And he went over Euphrates, and 
 went through Mesopotamia, and 
 brake down all the high cities that 
 were upon the river Arbonai, until 
 
 25 thou comest to the sea. And he 
 took possession of the borders of 
 Cilicia, and slew all that resisted him, 
 and came unto the boj-ders of Japheth, 
 which were toward the south, over 
 
 26 against Arabia. And he compassed 
 
 47 
 
 about all the children of Midian, and 
 set on fire their tents, and spoiled 
 
 27 their sheepcotes. And he went down 
 into the plain of Damascus in the 
 days of wheat harvest, and set on fire 
 all their fields, and utterly destroyed 
 their flocks and herds, and spoiled 
 their cities, and laid their plains 
 waste, and smote all their young men 
 with the edge of the sword. 
 
 28 And the fear and the dread of him 
 fell upon them that dwelt on the sea 
 coast, upon them that were in Sidon 
 and Tyre, and them that dwelt in Siu- 
 and Ocina, and all that dwelt in Jem- 
 naan ; and they that dwelt in Azotus 
 and Ascalon feared him exceedingly. 
 
 3 And they sent unto him messengers 
 
 2 with words of peace, saying. Behold, 
 we the servants of Nebuchadnezzar 
 the great king lie before thee : use us 
 
 3 as it is pleasing in thy sight Behold, 
 our dwellings, and all our country, 
 and all our fields of wheat, and our 
 flocks and herds, and all the sheep- 
 cotes of our tents, lie before thy face : 
 
 4 use them as it may please thee. Be- 
 hold, even our cities and they that 
 dwell in them are thy servants : come 
 and deal with them as it is good in 
 
 5 thine eyes. And the men came to 
 Holofernes, and declared unto him 
 according to these words. 
 
 6 And he came down toward the sea 
 coast, he and his host, and set gar- 
 risons in the high cities, and took out 
 
 7 of them chosen men for allies. And 
 they received him, they and all the 
 country round about them, with gar- 
 
 8 lands and dances and timbrels. And 
 he cast down all their borders, and cut 
 down their groves: and it had been 
 given unto him to destroy all the gods 
 of the land, that all the nations should 
 worship Nebuchadnezzar only, and 
 that all their tongues and their tribes 
 
 9 should call upon him as god. And he 
 came towards Esdraelon nigh unto 
 Dotaea, which is over against the 
 
 10 great ridge of Judaea. And he en- 
 camped between Geba and Scythopo- 
 lis, and he was there a whole month, 
 that he might gather together all the 
 baggage of his host. 
 
 4 And the children of Israel that dwelt 
 in Judaea heard all that Holofernes 
 the chfef captain of Nebuchadnezzar 
 king of the Assyrians had done to the 
 nations, and after what manner he 
 had spoiled all their temples, and 
 
 2 destroyed them utterly. And they 
 were exceedingly afraid before him, 
 and were troubled for Jerusalem, and 
 for the temple of the Lord their God : 
 
 3 because they were newly come up 
 from the captivitj', and all the people 
 of Judaea were lately gathered to- 
 gether ; and the vessels, and the altar, 
 and the house, were sanctified after 
 the profanation. 
 
5. 1. 
 
 JUDITH. 
 
 5. 16. 
 
 / 
 
 4 And they sent into every coast of 
 Samaria, and to Konae, and to Beth- 
 horon, and Belmaim, and Jericho, and 
 to Choba, and -^sora, and to the 
 
 5 valley of Salem ; and they possessed 
 themselves beforehand of all the tops 
 of the high mountains, and fortified 
 the villages that were in them, and 
 laid up victual for the provision of 
 war : for their fields were newly reap- 
 
 6ed. And JoakjBi the high priest, 
 which wasurtlTose days at Jerusalem, 
 wrote to them that dwelt in Bethulia, 
 and Betomesthaim, which is over 
 against Esdraelon toward the plain 
 
 7 that is nigh unto Dothaim, charging 
 them to seize upon the ascents of the 
 hill country; because by them was 
 the entrance into Judaea, and it was 
 easy to stop them from approaching, 
 inasmuch as the approach was nar- 
 row, with space for two men at the 
 
 8 most. And the children of Israel did 
 as Joakim the high priest had com- 
 manded them, and the senate of all 
 the people of Israel, which dwelt at 
 Jerusalem, 
 
 9 And every man of Israel cried to God 
 with great earnestness, and with great 
 earnestness did they humble their 
 
 10 souls. They, and their wives, and 
 their babes, and their cattle, and 
 every sojourner and hireling and ser- 
 vant bought with their money, put 
 
 11 sackcloth upon their loins. And 
 every man and woman of Israel, and 
 the little children, and the inhabitants 
 of Jerusalem, fell before the temple, 
 and cast ashes upon their heads, and 
 spread out their sackcloth before the 
 Lord; and they put sackcloth about 
 
 12 the altar : and they cried to the God 
 of Israel earnestly with one consent, 
 that he would not give their babes 
 for a prey, and their wives for a spoil, 
 and the cities of their inheritance to 
 destruction, and the sanctuary to pro- 
 fanation and reproach, for the nations 
 
 13 to rejoice at. And the Lord heard 
 their voice, and looked upon their 
 affliction: and the people continued 
 fasting many days in all Judaea and 
 Jerusalem before the sanctuary of 
 
 14 the Lord Almighty. And Joakim the 
 high priest, and all the priests that 
 stood before the Lord, and they that 
 ministered unto the Lord, had their 
 loins girt about with sackcloth, and 
 offered the continual burnt offering, 
 and the vows and the free gifts of the 
 
 15 people ; and they had ashes on their 
 mitres : and they cried unto the Lord 
 
 ' with all their power, that he would 
 look upon all the house of Israel for 
 good. 
 
 5 And it was told Holofernes, the chief 
 captain of the host of Asshur, that the 
 children of Israel had prepared for 
 war, and had shut up the passages of 
 
 — the hill country, and had fortified all 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 the tops of the high hills, and had laid 
 impediments in the plains : and he 
 was exceeding wroth, and he called 
 all the princes of Moab, and the cap- 
 tains of Ammon, and all the governors 
 of the sea coast, and he said unto 
 them, Tell me now, ye sons of Canaan, 
 who is this people, that dwelleth in 
 the hill country, and what are the cit- 
 ies that they inhabit, and what is the 
 multitude of their host, and wherein 
 is their power and their strength, and 
 what king is set over them, to be the 
 leader of their army ; and why have 
 they turned their backs, that they 
 should not come and meet me, more 
 than all that dwell in the west. 
 
 And Achipr, the leader of all the 
 children of Ammon, said unto him, 
 
 Let my lord now hear a word from 
 the mouth of thy servant, and I will 
 tell thee the truth concerning this 
 people, which dwelleth in this hill 
 country, nigh unto the place where 
 thou dwellest: and there shall no lie 
 come out of the mouth of thy servant. 
 This people are descended of the Chal- 
 deans : and they sojourned heretofore 
 in Mesopotamia, because they were 
 not minded to follow the gods of their 
 fathers, which were in the land of the 
 Chaldeans. And they departed from 
 the way of their parents, and wor- 
 shipped the God of heaven, the God 
 whom they knew : and they cast them 
 out from the face of their gods, and 
 they fled into Mesopotamia, and so- 
 journed there many days. And their 
 God commanded them to depart from 
 the place where they sojourned, and 
 to go into the land of Canaan : and 
 they dwelt there, and were increased 
 with gold and silver, and with exceed- 
 ing much cattle. And they went down 
 into Egypt, for a famine covered all 
 the land of Canaan; and there they 
 sojourned, until they were grown up ; 
 and they became there a great multi- 
 tude, so that one could not number 
 their nation. And the king of Egypt 
 rose up against them, and dealt sub- 
 tilly with them, ^and brought them 
 low, making them to labour in brick, 
 and made them slaves. And they 
 cried unto their God, and he smote 
 all the land of Egypt with incurable 
 plagues : and the Egyptians cast them 
 out of their sight. And God dried up 
 the Red sea before them, and brought 
 them into the way of Sinai, and Ka- 
 desh-Barnea, and they cast out all 
 that dwelt in the wilderness And 
 they dwelt in the land of the Amor.tcs, 
 and they destroyed by their strength 
 all them of Heshbon, and passing 
 over Jordan they possessed all the 
 hill country. And they cast out be- 
 fore them the Canaanite, the Periz- 
 zite, the Jebusite, and the Shechemite, 
 and all the Girgashites, and they 
 
 48 
 
6. 4. 
 
 JUDITH. 
 
 6. 21. 
 
 1 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 Amnion. 
 Compare 
 ver. 5. 
 
 2Gr. 
 
 he hath 
 
 dwelt in that country many days. 
 
 17 And whilst they sinned not before 
 their God, they prospered, because 
 God that hateth iniquity was with 
 
 18 them. But when they departed from 
 the way which he appointed them, 
 they were destroyed in many battles 
 very sore, and were led captives into 
 a land that was not theirs, and the 
 temple of their God was cast to the 
 ground, and their cities were talcen 
 
 19 by their adversaries. And now they 
 are returned to their God, and are 
 come up from the dispersion where 
 they were dispersed, and have pos- 
 sessed Jerusalem, where their sanc- 
 tuary is, and are seated in the hill 
 
 20 country: for it was desolate. And 
 now, my lord and master, if there is 
 any error in this people, and they sin 
 against their God, we will consider 
 what this thing is wherein they stum- 
 ble, and we will go up and overcome 
 
 21 them. But if there is no lawlessness 
 in their nation, let my lord now pass 
 by, lest their Lord defend them, and 
 their God be for them, and we shall 
 
 O^e a reproach before all the earth. 
 
 22" And it came to pass, when Achior 
 had finished speaking these words, all 
 the people that compassed the tent 
 and stood round about it murmured ; 
 and the great men of Holof ernes, and 
 all that dwelt by the sea side, and in 
 Moab, spake that he should kill him. 
 
 23 For, said they, we will not be afraid 
 of the children of Israel : for, lo, it is a 
 people that hath no power nor might 
 
 24 to make the battle strong. Where- 
 fore now we will go up, and they shall 
 be a prey to be devoured of all thine 
 aimy, lord Holofernes. 
 
 6 And when the tumult of the men that 
 were about the council was ceased, 
 Holofernes the chief captain of the 
 host of Asshur said unto Achior and 
 to all the children of ^ Moab before all 
 the people of the aliens, 
 
 2 And who art thou, Achior, and the 
 hirelings of ^ Eplu-aim, that thou hast 
 prophesied among us as to-day, and 
 hast said, that we should not make 
 war with the race of Israel, because 
 their God will defend them? And 
 
 3 who is God but Nebuchadnezzar? He 
 shall send forth his might, and shall 
 destroy them from the face of the 
 earth, and their God shall not deliver 
 them : but we his servants shall smite 
 them as one man ; and they shall not 
 
 4 sustain the might of our horses. For 
 wit^.them we shall burn them up, and 
 ttieir mountains shall be drunken with 
 their blood, and their plains shall be 
 filled \\ith their dead bodies, and their 
 footsteps shall not stand before us, 
 but they shall sm-ely perish, saith 
 king Nebuchadnezzar, lord of all the 
 earth: for he said. The words that 
 - 1 have spoken shall not be in vain. 
 
 5 But thou, Achior, hireling-^ Ammon, 
 which hast spoken fSese words in the 
 day of thine iniquity, shalt see my 
 face no more from this day, until I 
 shall be avenged of the race of those 
 
 6 that came out of Egjpt. And then 
 shall the sword of mine army, and the 
 multitude of them that serve me, pass 
 through thy sides, and thou shalt fall 
 among their slain, when I shall return. 
 
 7 And my servants shall bring thee back 
 into the hill country, and shall set thee 
 in one of the cities of the ascents: 
 
 8 and thou shalt not perish, till thou 
 
 9 be destroyed with them. And if thou 
 hopest in thy heart that they shall 
 not be taken, let not thy countenance 
 fall. I have spoken it, and none of 
 my words shall fall to the ground. 
 
 10 And Holofernes commanded his ser- 
 vants, that waited in his tent, to take 
 Achior, and bring him back to Bethu- 
 lia, and deliver him into the hands 
 
 11 of the children of Israel. And his 
 servants took him, and brought him 
 out of the camp into the plain, and 
 they removed from the midst of the 
 plain country into the hill country, 
 and came unto the fountains that 
 
 12 were under Bethulia. And when the 
 men of the city saw them on the top 
 of the hill, they took up their weapons, 
 and went out of the city against them 
 to the top of the hill : and every man 
 that used a shng kept them from 
 coming up, and cast stones against 
 
 13 them. And they gat them privily 
 under the hill, and bound Achior, and 
 cast him down, and left him at the 
 foot of the hill, and went away unto 
 
 I 14 their lord. But the children of Israel 
 descended from their city, and came 
 upon him, and loosed him, and led 
 him away into Bethulia, and presents 
 ed him to the rulers of their city; 
 
 15 which were in those da ys Oz ias the 
 son of Micah, of the tribe-ofSimeon, 
 and Chabris the son of Gothoniel, and 
 
 IQCharmis the son of Melchiel. And 
 they called together all the elders of 
 the city ; and all their young men ran 
 together, and their women, to the 
 assembly ; and they set Achior in the 
 midst of all their people. And O^ias 
 asked him of that which had hap^ 
 
 17 pened : and he answered and declared 
 unto them the words of the council of 
 Holofernes, and all the words that he 
 had spoken in the midst of the princes 
 of the children of Asshur, and all the 
 gi-eat words that Holofernes had 
 spoken against the house of Israel. 
 
 18 And the people fell down and wor- 
 
 19 shipped God, and cried, saying, O Lord 
 God of heaven, behold their arro- 
 gance, and pity the low estate of our 
 race, and look upon the face of those 
 that are sanctified imto thee this 
 
 20 day. And they comforted Achior, and 
 
 21 praised him exceedingly. And Ozias 
 
7. 13. 
 
 JUDITH. 
 
 7. 26. 
 
 took him out of the assembly into his 
 house, and made a feast to the elders ; 
 and they called on the God of Israel 
 for help all that night. 
 7 But the next day Holofernes gave 
 command to all his army, and to all 
 his people which were come to be his 
 allies, that they should remove their 
 camp toward Bethulia, and take afore- 
 hand the ascents of the hill country, 
 and make war against the children 
 
 2 of Israel. And every mighty man of 
 them removed that day, and the host 
 of their men of war was a hundred 
 and seventy thousand footmen, and 
 twelve thousand horsemen, beside the 
 baggage, and the men that were afoot 
 among them, an exceeding great mul- 
 
 Stitude. And they encamped in the 
 valley near unto Bethulia, by the 
 fountain, and they spread themselves 
 in breadth over Dothaim even to Bel- 
 maim, and in length from Bethulia 
 unto Cyamon, which is over against 
 Esdraelon. 
 
 4 But the children of Israel, when they 
 saw the multitude of them, were 
 troubled exceedingly, and said every 
 one to his neighbour. Now shall these 
 men lick up the face of all the earth ; 
 and neither the high mountains, nor 
 the valleys, nor the hills, shall be able 
 
 5 to bear their weight. And every man 
 took up his weapons of war, and when 
 they had kindled fires upon their 
 towers, they remained and watched 
 all that night. 
 
 6 But on the second day Holofernes 
 led out all his horse in the sight of the 
 children of Israel which were in Beth- 
 
 7 ulia, and viewed the ascents to their 
 city, and searched out the fountains of 
 the waters, and seized upon them, and 
 set garrisons of men of war over them, 
 and himself departed to his people. 
 
 8 And there came unto him all the 
 rulers of the children of Esau, and all 
 the leaders of the people of Moab, and 
 the captains of the sea coast, and said, 
 
 9 Let our lord now hear a word, that 
 there be not an overthrow in thy host. 
 
 10 For this people of the children of 
 Israel do not trust in their spears, but 
 in the height of the mountains wherein 
 they dwell, for it is not easy to come 
 up to the tops of their mountains. 
 
 11 And now, my lord, fight not against 
 them as men fight who join battle, and 
 there shall not so much as one man 
 
 12 of thy people perish. Eemain in thy 
 camp, and keep safe every man of thy 
 host, and let thy servants get posses- 
 sion of the fountain of water, which 
 issueth forth of the foot of the moun- 
 
 13 tain : because all the inhabitants of 
 Bethulia have their water thence ; and 
 thirst shall kill them, and they shall 
 give up their city: and we and our 
 people will go up to the tops of the 
 mountains that are near, and will 
 
 encamp upon them, to watch that not 
 
 14 one man go out of the city. And they 
 shall be consumed with famine, they 
 and their wives and their children, 
 and before the sword come against 
 them they shall be laid low in the 
 
 15 streets where they dwell. And thou 
 shalt render them an evil reward; 
 because they rebelled, and met not 
 thy face in peace. 
 
 1 6 And their words were pleasing in the 
 sight of Holofernes and in the sight of 
 all his servants ; and he appointed to 
 
 1 7 do as they had spoken. And the army 
 of the children of Ammon removed, 
 and with them five thousand of the 
 children of Asshur, and they encami)- 
 ed in the valley, and seized upon the 
 waters and the fountains of the waters 
 
 18 of the children of Israel. And the 
 children of Esau went up with the 
 children of Ammon, and encamped in 
 the hill country over against Dothaim : 
 and they sent some of them toward 
 the south, and toward the east, over 
 against Ekrebel, which is near unto 
 Chusi, that is upon the brook Moch- 
 mur ; and the rest of the army of the 
 Assyrians encamped in the plain, and 
 covered all the face of the land ; and 
 their tents and baggage were pitched 
 upon it in a great crowd, and they 
 were an exceeding great multitude. 
 
 19 And the children of Israel cried unto 
 the Lord their God, for their spirit 
 fainted ; for all their enemies had com- 
 passed them round about, and there 
 was no way to escape out from among 
 
 20 them. And all the army of Asshur re- 
 mained about them, their footmen and 
 their chariots and their horsemen, 
 four and thirty days ; and all their 
 vessels of water failed all the inhabi- 
 
 21tantsof Bethulia. And the cisterns 
 were emptied, and they had not water 
 to drink their fill for one day : for they 
 
 22 gave them drink by measure. And 
 their young children were out of heart, 
 and the women and the young men 
 fainted for thirst, and they fell down 
 in the streets of the city, and in the 
 passages of the gates, and there was 
 
 23 no longer any strength in them. And 
 all the people were gathered together 
 against Ozias, and against the rulers 
 of the city, the young men and the 
 women and the children, and they 
 cried with a loud voice, and said be- 
 fore all the elders, 
 
 24 God be judge between you and us : 
 because ye have done us great wrong, 
 in that ye have not spoken words of 
 peace with the children of Asshur. 
 
 25 And now we have no helper : but God 
 hath sold us into their hands, that we 
 should be laid low before them with 
 
 26 thirst and great destruction. And 
 now call them unto you, and deliver 
 up the whole city for a prey to the 
 people of Holofernes, and to all his 
 
 50 
 
8. 8. 
 
 JUDITH. 
 
 8. 23. 
 
 27 host. For it is better for us to be 
 made a spoil unto them : for vre shall 
 be servants, and our souls shall live, 
 and we shall not see the death of our 
 babes before our eyes, and our wives 
 and our children fainting in death. 
 
 28 We take to witness against you the 
 heaven and the earth, and our God 
 and the Lord of our fathers, which 
 punisheth us according to our sins 
 and the sins of our fathers, that he do 
 not according as we have said this 
 day. 
 
 29 And there was great weeping of all 
 with one consent in the midst of the 
 assembly; and they cried unto the 
 
 30 Lord God with a loud voice. And 
 Ozias said to them, Brethren, be of 
 good courage, let us yet endure five 
 days, in the which space the Lord our 
 God shall turn his mercy toward us ; 
 
 3 1 for he will not forsake us utterly. But 
 if these days pass, and there come no 
 help unto us, I will do according to 
 
 32 your words. And he dispersed the 
 people, every man to his own camp ; 
 and they went away unto the walls 
 and towers of their city ; and he sent 
 the women and children into their 
 houses : and they were brought very 
 low in the city. 
 
 8 And in those days JucUth heard 
 thereof, the daughter of Merari, the 
 son of Ox, the son of Joseph, the son 
 of Oziel, the son of Elkiah, the son of 
 Ananias, the son of Gideon, the son 
 of Kaphaim, the son of Ahitub, the 
 son of Elihu, the son of Eliab, the son 
 of Nathanael, the son of Salamiel, the 
 son of Salasadai, the son of Israel 
 
 2 And her husband was Manasses, of 
 her tribe and of her fanfflyrand he 
 died in the days of barley harvest. 
 
 3 For he stood over them that bound 
 sheaves in the field, and the heat came 
 upon his head, and he fell on his bed, 
 and died in his city Bethulia: and 
 they buried him with his fathers in the 
 field which is between Dothaim and 
 
 4 Balamon. And Judith was a widow 
 in her house three years and four 
 
 5 months. And she made her a tent 
 upon the roof of her house, and put on 
 sackcloth upon her loins; and the 
 garments of her widowhood were 
 
 6 upon her. And she fasted all the 
 days of her widowhood, save the eves 
 of the sabbaths, and the sabbaths, 
 and the eves of the new moons, and 
 the new moons, and the feasts and 
 joyful days of the house of Israel. 
 
 7 And she was of a goodly coimtenance, 
 and exceeding beautiful to behold: 
 and her husband :Mauasses had left 
 her gold, and silver, and raenservants, 
 and maidservants, and cattle, and 
 lands ; and she remained upon them. 
 
 8 And there was none that gave her an 
 evil word ; for she feared God exceed- 
 ingly. 
 
 9 And she heard the evil words of the 
 people against the governor, because 
 they fainted for lack of water ; and 
 Judith heard all the words that Ozias 
 spake unto them, how he sware to 
 them that he would deliver the city 
 unto the Assyrians after five days. 
 
 10 And she sent her maid, that was over 
 all things that she had, to call Ozias_ 
 and Chabris and .Ch«w4»i8r tire" iSTders^ 
 
 11 of her city. And they came unto her, 
 and she said unto them, 
 
 Hear me now, O j'e rulers of the in- 
 habitants of Bethulia : for your word 
 that ye have spoken before the people 
 this day is not right, and ye have set 
 the oath which ye have pronounced 
 between God and you, and have pro- 
 mised to deUver the city to our ene- 
 mies, unless within these days the 
 
 12 Lord turn to help you. And now who 
 are ye that have tempted God this 
 day, and stand instead of God among 
 
 13 the children of men? And now try 
 the Lord Almighty, and ye shall never 
 
 14 know anything. For ye shall not find 
 the depth of the heart of man, and ye 
 shall not perceive the things that he 
 thinketh: and how shall ye search 
 out God, which hath made all these 
 things, and know his mind, and com- 
 prehend his purpose ? Nay, my bre- 
 thren, provoke not the Lord our God 
 
 15 to anger. For if he be not minded to 
 help us within these five days, he hath 
 power to defend us in such time as he 
 will, or to destroy us before the face 
 
 16 of our enemies. But do not ye pledge 
 the counsels of the Lord our God : for 
 God is not as man, that he should be 
 threatened ; neither as the son of 
 man, that he should be turned by in- 
 
 17 treaty. Wherefore let us wait for the 
 salvation that cometh from him, and 
 call upon him to help us, and he will 
 
 18 hear our voice, if it please him. For 
 there arose none in our age, neither 
 is there any of us to-day, tribe, or kin- 
 dred, or family, or city, which wor- 
 ship gods made with hands, as it was 
 
 19 in the former days; for the which 
 cause our fathers were given to the 
 sword, and for a spoil, and fell with 
 
 20 a great fall before our enemies. But 
 we know none other god beside him, 
 wherefore we hope that he will not 
 
 21 despise us, nor any of our race. For 
 if we be taken so, all Judaea shall sit 
 upon the ground, and our sanctuary 
 shall be spoiled; and of our blood 
 shall he require the profanation there- 
 
 2 2 of . And the slaugh ter of our brethren, 
 and the captivity of the land, and the 
 desolation of our inheritance, shall he 
 tiu-n upon our heads among the Gen- 
 tiles, wheresoever we shall be in bond- 
 age ; and we shall be an offence and 
 a reproach before them that take us 
 
 23 for a possession. For our bondage 
 shall not be ordered to favour: but 
 
 51 
 
9. 3. 
 
 JUDITH. 
 
 9. 14. 
 
 tbe Lord our God shall turn it to dis- 
 
 24 honour. And now, brethren, let us 
 shew an example to our brethren, be- 
 cause their soul hangeth upon us, and 
 the sanctuary and the house and the 
 
 25 altar rest upon us. Besides all this 
 let us give thanks to the Lord our 
 God, which trieth us, even as he did 
 
 26 our fathers also. Remember all the 
 things which he did to Abraham, and 
 all the things in which he tried Isaac, 
 and all the things which happened to 
 Jacob in Mesopotamia of Syria, when 
 he kept the sheep of Laban his mo- 
 
 27 ther's brother. For he hath not tried 
 us in the Are, as he did them, to search 
 out their hearts, neither hath he taken 
 vengeance on us; but the Lord doth 
 scourge them that come near unto 
 him, to admonish them. 
 
 28 And Ozias said to her, All that thou 
 hast spoken hast thou spoken with a 
 good heart, and there is none that 
 
 29 shall gainsay thy words. For this is 
 not the first day wherein thy wisdom 
 is manifested ; but from the beginning 
 of thy days all the people have known 
 thine understanding, because the dis- 
 
 30 position of thy heart is good. But 
 the people were exceeding thirsty, 
 and compelled us to do as we spake 
 to them, and to bring an oath upon 
 ourselves, which we will not break. 
 
 31 And now pray thou for us, because 
 thou art a godly woman, and the Lord 
 shall send us rain to fill our cisterns, 
 
 32 and we shall faint no more. And 
 Judith said unto them. Hear me, and 
 I will do a thing, which shall go down 
 to all generations among the children 
 
 33 of our race. Ye shall stand at the 
 gate this night, and I will go forth 
 with my maid : and, within the days 
 after which ye said that ye would de- 
 liver the city to our enemies, the Lord 
 
 34 shall visit Israel by my hand. But ye 
 shall not inquire of mine act: for I 
 will not declare it unto you, till the 
 
 35 things be finished that I do. And 
 Ozias and the rulers said unto her, 
 Go in peace, and the Lord God be be- 
 fore thee, to take vengeance on our 
 
 36 enemies. And they returned from the 
 tent, and went to their stations. 
 
 9 But Judith fell upon her face, and 
 put ashes upon her head, and uncov- 
 ered the sackcloth wherewith she was 
 clothed ; and the incense of that even- 
 ing was now being offered at Jerusa- 
 lem in the house of God, and Judith 
 cried unto the Lord with a loud voice, 
 and said, 
 
 2 O Lord God of my father Simeon, in- 
 to whose hand thou gavest a sword 
 to take vengeance of the strangers, 
 who loosened the girdle of a virgin to 
 defile her, and uncovered the thigh to 
 her shame, and profaned the womb to 
 her reproach ; for thou saidst, It shall 
 
 3 not be so ; and they did so : wherefore 
 
 thou gavest their rulers to be slain, 
 and their bed, ^ which was ashamed 
 for her that was deceived, to be dyed 
 in blood, and smotest the servants 
 with their lords, and the lords upon 
 
 4 their thrones ; and gavest their wives 
 for a prey, and their daughters to be 
 captives, and all their spoils to be 
 divided among thy dear children; 
 which were moved with zeal for thee, 
 and abhorred the pollution of their 
 blood, and called upon thee for aid : 
 O God, O my God, hear me also that 
 
 Sam a widow. For thou wroughtest 
 the things that were before those 
 things, and those things, and such as 
 ensued after ; and thou didst devise 
 the things which are now, and the 
 things which are to come: and the 
 things which thou didst devise came 
 
 6 to pass; yea, the things which thou 
 didst determine stood before thee, 
 and said, Lo, we are here : for all thy 
 ways are prepared, and thy judgement 
 
 7 is with foreknowledge. For, behold, 
 the Assyrians are multiplied in their 
 power; they are exalted with horse 
 and rider; they have gloried in the 
 2 strength of their footmen ; they have 
 trusted in shield and spear and bow 
 and sling; and they know not that 
 thou art the Lord that breaketh the 
 
 8 battles : the Lord is thy name. Dash 
 thou down their strength in thy power, 
 and bring down their force in thy 
 wrath: for they have purposed to 
 profane thy sanctuary, and to defile 
 the tabernacle where thy glorious 
 name resteth, and to cast down with 
 the sword the horn of thine altar. 
 
 9 Look upon their pride, and send thy 
 wrath upon their heads : give into my 
 hand, which am a widow, the might 
 
 10 that I have conceived. Smite by the 
 deceit of my lips the servant with the 
 prince, and the prince with his ser- 
 vant: break down their stateliness 
 
 11 by the hand of a woman. For thy 
 power standeth not in multitude, nor 
 thy might in strong men : but thou 
 art a God of the afflicted, thou art a 
 helper of the ^ oppressed, an upholder 
 of the weak, a protector of the forlorn, 
 a saviour of them that are without 
 
 12 hope. Yea, yea, God of my father, 
 and God of the inheritance of Israel, 
 Lord of the heavens and of the earth. 
 Creator of the waters. King * of every 
 
 13 creature, hear thou my prayer : and 
 make my speech and deceit to be 
 their wound and stripe, who have 
 purposed hard things against thy 
 covenant, and thy hallowed house, 
 and the top of Sion, and the house of 
 
 14 the possession of thy children. And 
 make every nation and tribe of thine 
 to know that thou art God, the God 
 of all power and might, and that there 
 is none other that protecteth the race 
 of Israel but thou. 
 
 52 
 
10. 13. 
 
 JUDITH. 
 
 11. 5. 
 
 1 Gr. 
 
 pure. 
 
 V| 
 
 10 And it came to pass, when she had 
 ceased to cry unto the God of Israel, 
 and had made an end of all these 
 
 2 words, that she rose up where she 
 had fallen down, and called her maid, 
 and went down into the house, in the 
 which she was wont to abide on the 
 sabbath days and on her feast days, 
 
 3 and pulled off the sackcloth which she 
 had put on, and put off the garments 
 of her widowhood, and washed her 
 body all over with water, and anointed 
 herself with rich ointment, and braid- 
 ed the hair of her head, and put a tire 
 upon it, and put on her garments of 
 gladness, wherewith she was wont to 
 be clad in the days of the life of Ma- 
 
 4 nasses her husband. And she took 
 sandals for her feet, and put her chains 
 about her, and her bracelets, and her 
 rings, and her earrings, and all her 
 ornaments, and decked herself brave- 
 ly, to beguile the eyes of all men that 
 
 5 should see her. And she gave her 
 maid a leathern bottle of wine, and 
 a cruse of oil, and filled a bag with 
 parched corn and lumps of figs and 
 1 fine bread ; and she packed all her 
 vessels together, and laid them upon 
 her. 
 
 6 And they went forth to the gate of 
 the city of Bethulia, and found stand- 
 ing thereby Ozias, and the elders of 
 
 7 the city, Chabris and Charmis. But 
 when they saw her, that her counte- 
 nance was altered, and her apparel 
 was changed, they wondered at her 
 beauty very exceedingly, and said unto 
 
 8 her, The God of our fathers give thee 
 favour, and accomplish thy purposes 
 to the glory of the children of Israel, 
 and to the exaltation of Jerusalem. 
 
 9 And she worshipped God, and said 
 unto them. Command that they open 
 unto me the gate of the city, and I will 
 go forth to accomplish the things 
 whereof ye spake with me. And they 
 commanded the young men to open 
 
 10 unto her, as she had spoken: and 
 they did so. 
 
 And Judith went out, she, and her 
 handmaid with her ; and the men of 
 the city looked after her, until she was 
 gone down the mountain, until she 
 had passed the valley, and they could 
 
 Usee her no more. And they went 
 straight onward in the valley : and the 
 
 12 watch of the Assyrians met her ; and 
 they took her, and asked her, Of what 
 people art thou ? and whence comest 
 thou? and whither goest thou? And 
 she said, I am a daughter of the He- 
 brews, and I flee away from their 
 presence ; because they are about to 
 
 13 be given you to be consumed : and I 
 am coming into the presence of Holo- 
 fernes the chief captain of your host, 
 
 - to declare words of truth ; and I will 
 shew before him a way, whereby he 
 shall go, and win all tthe hill country. 
 
 and there shall not be lacking of his 
 
 14 men one person, nor one life. Now 
 when the men heard her words, and 
 considered her countenance, the beau- 
 ty thereof was exceeding marvellous 
 in their eyes, and they said unto her, 
 
 15 Thou hast saved thy hfe, in that thou 
 hast hasted to come down to the pre- 
 sence of our lord : and now come to 
 his tent, and some of us shall conduct 
 thee, until they shall deliver thee into 
 
 16 his hands. But ^ when thou standest 
 before him, be not afraid in thine 
 heart, but declare unto him according 
 to thy words ; and he shall entreat 
 
 17 thee well. And they chose out of 
 them a hundred men, and appointed 
 them to accompany her and her maid ; 
 and they brought them to the tent of 
 Holofernes. 
 
 18 And there was a concourse through- 
 out all the camp, for her coming was 
 nois^ among the tents; and they 
 caffle and compassed her about, as she 
 stood without the tent of Holofernes, 
 
 19 until they told him of her. And they 
 marvelled at her beauty, and mar- 
 velled at the children of Israel be- 
 cause of her, and each one said to his 
 neighbour. Who shall despise this 
 people, that have among them such 
 women ? for it is not good that one 
 man of them be left, seeing that, if 
 they are let go, they shall be able to 
 
 20 deceive the whole earth. And they 
 that lay near Holofernes, and all his 
 servants, went forth and brought her 
 
 21 into the tent. And Holofernes was 
 resting upon his bed under the cano- 
 py, which was woven with purple 
 and gold and emeralds and precious 
 
 22 stones. And they told him of her ; 
 and he came forth into the space be- 
 fore his tent, with silver lamps going 
 
 23 before him. But when Judith was 
 come before him and his servants, 
 they all marvelled at the beauty of 
 her countenance; and she fell down 
 upon her face, and did reverence unto 
 him: and his servants raised her up. 
 
 11 And Holofernes said unto her, "Wo- 
 man, be of good comfort, fear not in 
 thy heart : for I never hurt any that 
 hath chosen to serve Nebuchadnezzar, 
 
 2 the king of all the earth. And now, 
 if thy people that dwelleth in the hill 
 country had not set light by me, I 
 would not have lifted up my spear 
 against them : but they have done 
 
 3 these things to themselves. And now 
 tell me wherefore thou didst flee from 
 them, and camest unto us: for thou 
 art come to save thyself ; be of good 
 comfort, thou shalt live this night, and 
 
 4 hereafter : for there is none that shall 
 wrong thee, but all shall entreat thee 
 well, as is done unto the servants of 
 
 5 king Nebuchadnezzar my lord. And 
 Judith said unto him, 
 
 Receive the words of thy servant, and 
 
 2 Gr. if. 
 
 53 
 
11. 17. 
 
 JUDITH. 
 
 12. 8. 
 
 let thy handmaid speak in thy pre- 
 sence, and I will declare no lie unto 
 
 6 my lord this night. And if thou shalt 
 follow the words of thy handmaid, 
 God shall bring the thing to pass per- 
 fectly with thee; and my lord shall 
 
 7 not fail of his purposes. As Nebu- 
 chadnezzar king of all the earth 
 liveth, and as his power liveth, who 
 hath sent thee for the preservation of 
 every living thing, not only do men 
 serve him by thee, but also the beasts 
 of the field and the cattle and the 
 birds of the heaven shall live through 
 thy strength, in the time of Nebuchad- 
 
 8 nezzar and of all his house. For we 
 have heard of thy wisdom and the 
 subtil devices of thy soul, and it hath 
 been reported in all the earth, that 
 thou only art brave in all the kingdom, 
 and mighty in knowledge, and won- 
 
 9 derful in feats of war. And now as 
 concerning the matter, which Achior 
 did speak in thy coimcil, we have 
 heard his words : for the men of Beth- 
 ulia saved him, and he declared un- 
 to them all that he had spoken before 
 
 10 thee. Wherefore, O lord and master, 
 neglect not his word ; but lay it up in 
 thy heart, for it is true : for our race 
 shall not be punished, neither shall 
 the sword prevail against them, ex- 
 
 11 cept they sin against their God. And 
 now, tnatTny-Iofd-^be not defeated and 
 frustrate of his purpose, and that 
 death may fall upon them, their sin 
 hath overtaken them, wherewith they 
 shall provoke their God to anger, 
 whensoever they shall do wickedness. 
 
 12 Since their victuals failed them, and 
 all their water was scant, they took 
 counsel to lay hands upon their cattle, 
 and determined to consume all those 
 things, which God charged them by 
 his laws that they should not eat: 
 
 13 and they are resolved to spend the 
 firstfruits of the corn, and the tenths of 
 the wine and the oil, which they had 
 sanctified, and reserved for the priests 
 that stand before the face of our God 
 in Jerusalem ; the which things it is 
 not fitting for any of the people so 
 much as to touch with their hands. 
 
 14 And they have sent some to Jerusa- 
 lem, because they also that dwell 
 there have done this thing, to bring 
 
 15 them a licence from the senate. And 
 it shall be, when one shall bring them 
 word, and they shall do it, they shall 
 be given thee to be destroyed the 
 
 16 same day. Wherefore I thy servant, 
 knowing all this, fled away from their 
 presence ; and God sent me to work 
 things with thee, whereat all the earth 
 shall be astonished, even as many as 
 
 17 shall hear it. For thy servant is re- 
 ligious, and serveth the God of heaven 
 day and night: and now, my lord, I 
 will abide with thee, and thy servant 
 will go forth by night into the valley, 
 
 and I will pray unto JjtJoAr-aMd he 
 shall tell me when *fEey have coni- 
 ISmitted their sins: and I will come 
 and shew it also unto thee ; and thou 
 Shalt go forth with all thy host, and 
 there shall be none of them that shall 
 
 19 resist thee. And I will lead thee 
 through the midst of Judaea, until 
 thou comest over against Jerusalem; 
 and I will set thy seat in the midst 
 thereof ; and thou shalt drive them as 
 sheep that have no shepherd, and a 
 dog shall not so much as open his 
 mouth before thee : for these things 
 were told me according to my fore- 
 knowledge, and were declared unto 
 me, and I was sent to tell thee. 
 
 20 And her words were pleasing in the 
 sight of Holofernes and of all his ser- 
 vants; and they marvelled at her wis- 
 
 2 1 dom, and said. There is not such a 
 woman from one end of the earth to 
 the other, for beauty of face, and wis- 
 
 22 dom of words. And Holofernes said 
 unto her, God did well to send thee 
 before the people, that might should 
 be in our hands, and destruction 
 among them that lightly regarded my 
 
 23 lord. And now thou art beautiful in 
 thy countenance, and witty in thy 
 words: for if thou shalt do as thou 
 hast spoken, thy God shall be my 
 God, and thou shalt dwell in the 
 house of king Nebuchadnezzar, and 
 shalt be renowned through the whole 
 earth. 
 
 12 And he commanded to bring her in 
 where his silver vessels were set, and 
 bade that they should prepare for her 
 of his own meats, and that she should 
 
 2 drink of his own wine. And Judith 
 said, I will not eat thereof, lest there 
 be an occasion of stumbling : but pro- 
 vision shall be made for me of the 
 
 3 things that are come with me. And 
 Holofernes said unto her. But if the 
 things that be with thee should fail, 
 whence shall we be able to give thee 
 the like ? for there is none of thy race 
 
 4 with us. And Judith said unto him, 
 As thy soul liveth, my lord, thy ser- 
 vant shall not spend those things that 
 be with me, until the Lord work by 
 my hand the things that he hath de- 
 
 5 termined. And the servants of Holo- 
 fernes brought her into the tent, and 
 she slept till midnight, and she rose 
 
 6 up toward the morning watch, and 
 sent to Holofernes, saying. Let my 
 lord now command that they suffer 
 thy servant to go forth unto prayer. 
 
 7 And Holofernes commanded his 
 guards that they should not stay her : 
 and she abode in the camp three days, 
 and went out every night into the val- 
 ley of Bethulia, and washed herself 
 at the fountain of water in the camp. 
 
 8 And when she came up, she besought 
 the Lord God of Israel to direct her 
 way to the raising up of the children 
 
 54 
 
13. 3. 
 
 JUDITH. 
 
 13. 17. 
 
 9 of his people. And she came in clean, 
 and remained in the tent, until she 
 took her meat toward evening. 
 
 10 And it came to pass on the fourth 
 day, Holofernes made a feast to his 
 own servants only, and called none of 
 
 lithe officers to the banquet. And he 
 said to Bagoas the eunuch, who had 
 charge o^Sfatl that he had. Go now, 
 and persuade this Hebrew woman 
 which is with thee, that she come 
 unto us, and eat and drink with us. 
 
 12 For, lo, it is a shame for our person, if 
 we shall let such a woman go, not hav- 
 ing had her company ; for if we diaw 
 her not unto us, she shall laugh us to 
 
 13 scorn. And Bagoas went from the 
 presence of Holofernes, and came in 
 to her, and said. Let not this fair dam- 
 sel fear to come to my lord, and to be 
 honoured in his presence, and to drink 
 wine and be merry with us, and to be 
 made this day as one of the daughters 
 of the children of Asshur, which wait 
 
 14 in the house of Nebuchadnezzar. And 
 Judith said unto him. And who am I, 
 that I should gainsay my lord? for 
 whatsoever shall be pleasing in his 
 eyes I will do speedily, and this shall 
 be my joy unto the day of my death. 
 
 15 And she arose, and decked herself 
 with her apparel and all her woman's 
 attire ; and her servant went and laid 
 fleeces on the ground for her over 
 against Holofernes, which she had 
 received of Bagoas for her daily use, 
 that she might sit and eat upon them. 
 
 16 And Judith came in and sat down, and 
 Holofernes' heart was ravished with 
 her, and his soul was moved, and he 
 desired exceedingly her company : and 
 he was watching for a time to deceive 
 her, from the day that he had seen her. 
 
 17 And Holofernes said unto her. Drink 
 
 18 now, and be merry with us. And Ju- 
 dith said, I will drink now, my lord, 
 because my life is magnified in me this 
 day more than all the days since I was 
 
 1 9 born. And she took and ate and drank 
 before him what her servant had pre- 
 
 20 pared. And Holofernes took great 
 delight in her, and drank exceeding 
 much wine, more than he had drunk 
 at any time in one day since he was 
 born. 
 
 13 But when the evening was come, his 
 servants made haste to depart, and 
 Bagoas shut the tent without, and dis- 
 missed them that waited from the pre- 
 sence of his lord ; and they went away 
 to their beds : for they were all weary, 
 
 2 because the feast had been long. But 
 Judith was left alone in the tent, and 
 Holofernes lying along upon his bed : 
 
 3 for he was overflowai with wine. And 
 Judith had said to her servant that she 
 should stand without her bedchamber, 
 and wait for her coming forth, as she 
 did daily : for she said she would go 
 forth to her prayer ; and she spake to 
 
 Bagoas according to the same words. 
 
 4 And all went away from her presence, 
 and none was left in the bedchamber, 
 neither small nor great. And Judith, 
 standing by his bed, said in her heart, 
 O Lord God of all power, look in this 
 hour upon the works of my hands for 
 
 5 the exaltation of Jerusalem. For now 
 is the time to help thine inheritance, 
 and to do the thing that I have pur- 
 posed to the destruction of the ene- 
 mies which are risen up against us. 
 
 6 And she came to the rail of the bed, 
 which was at Holofernes' head, and 
 took down his scimitar from thence ; 
 
 7 and she drew near unto the bed, and 
 took hold of the hair of his head, and 
 said, Strengthen me, O Lord God of 
 
 8 Israel, this day. And she smote twice 
 upon his neck with all her might, and 
 
 9 took away his head from him, and 
 tumbled his body down from the bed, 
 and took down the canopy from the 
 pillars; and after a little while she 
 went forth, and gave Holofernes' head 
 
 10 to her maid ; and she put it in her bag 
 of victuals : and they twain went forth 
 together unto prayer, according to 
 their custom : and they passed through 
 the camp, and compassed that valley, 
 and went up to the mountain of Beth- 
 ulia, and came to the gates thereof. 
 
 1 1 And Judith said afar off to the watch- 
 men at the gates, Open, open now the 
 gate : God is with us, even our God, to 
 shew his power yet in Israel, and his 
 might against the enemy, as he hath 
 
 12 done even this day. And it came to 
 pass, when the men of her city heard 
 her voice, they made haste to go down 
 to the gate of their city, and they 
 called together the elders of the city. 
 
 13 And they ran all together, both small 
 and great, for it was strange unto 
 them that she was come: and they 
 opened the gate, and received them, 
 making a fire to give light, and com- 
 
 14 passed them round about. And she 
 said to them with a loud voice. Praise 
 God, praise him : praise God, who hath 
 not taken away his mercy from the 
 house of Israel, but hath destroyed our 
 
 15 enemies by my hand this night. And 
 she took forth the head out of the bag, 
 and shewed it, and said unto them. 
 Behold, the head of Holofernes, the 
 chief captain of the host of Asshur, 
 and behold, the canopy, wherein he did 
 lie in his drunkenness ; and the Lord 
 smote him by the hand of a woman. 
 
 16 And as the Lord liveth, who preserved 
 me in my way that I went, my counte- 
 nance deceived him to his destruction, 
 and he did not commit sin with me, 
 
 17 to defile and shame me. And all the 
 people were exceedingly amazed, and 
 bowed themselves, and worshipped 
 God, and said with one accord. Blessed 
 art thou, O our God, which hast this 
 day brought to nought the enemies of 
 
 55 
 
14. 10. 
 
 JUDITH. 
 
 15. 5. 
 
 1 Many 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 he had 
 recov- 
 ered 
 himself. 
 
 18 thy people. And Ozias>aid unto her, 
 Blessed art thorCTlSughter, in the 
 sight of the Most High God, above all 
 the women upon the earth ; and bless- 
 ed is the Lord God, who created the 
 heavens and the earth, who directed 
 thee to the smiting of the head of the 
 
 19 prince of our enemies. For thy hope 
 shall not depart from the heart of 
 men that remember the strength of 
 
 20 God for ever. And God turn these 
 things to thee for a perpetual praise, 
 to visit thee with good things, because 
 thou didst not spare thy life by reason 
 of the affliction of our race, but didst 
 avenge our fall, walking a straight 
 way before our God. And all the 
 people said. So be it, so be it. 
 
 14 And Judith said unto them, Hear 
 me now, my brethren, and take this 
 head, and hang it upon the battlement 
 
 2 of yoiu- wall. And it shall be, so soon 
 as the morning shall appear, and the 
 sun shall come forth upon the earth, 
 ye shall take up every one his weapons 
 of war, and go forth every valiant man 
 of you out of the city, and ye shall 
 set a captain over them, as though ye 
 would go down to the plain toward the 
 watch of the children of Asshur ; and 
 
 3 ye shall not go down. And these shall 
 take up their panoplies, and shall go 
 Into their camp, and rouse up the 
 captains of the host of Asshur, and 
 they shall run together to the tent of 
 Holofernes, and they shall not find 
 him : and fear shall fall upon them, and 
 
 4 they shall flee before your face. And 
 ye, and all that inhabit every coast 
 of Israel, shall pursue them, and over- 
 
 5 throw them as they go. But before ye 
 do these things, call me Achior the 
 Ammonite, that he may see and know 
 him that despised the house of Israel, 
 and that sent him to us, as it were to 
 death. 
 
 6 And they called AQhior out of the 
 house of Ozias ; but when he came, and 
 saw the head of Holofernes in a man's 
 hand in the assembly of the people, 
 he fell upon his face, and his spirit 
 
 7 failed. But when ^ they had recovered 
 him, he fell at Judith's feet, and did 
 reverence unto her, and said, Blessed 
 art thou in every tent of Judah, and in 
 every nation, which hearing thy name 
 
 8 shall be troubled. And now tell me 
 all the things that thou hast done in 
 these days. And Judith declared unto 
 him in the midst of the people all the 
 things that she had done, from the 
 day that she went forth until the time 
 
 9 that she spake unto them. But when 
 she left off speaking, the people shout- 
 ed with a loud voice, and made a joy- 
 
 lOful noise in their city. But when 
 Achior saw all the things that the 
 God of Israel had done, he believed in 
 God exceedingly, and circumcised the 
 flesh of his foreskin, and was joined 
 
 unto the house of Israel, unto this 
 day. 
 
 11 But as soon as the morning arose, 
 they hanged the head of Holofernes 
 upon the wall, and every man took up 
 his weapons, and they went forth by 
 bands unto the ascents of the moun- 
 
 12 tain. But when the children of As- 
 shur saw them, they sent hither and 
 thither to their leaders ; but they 
 went to their captains and tribunes, 
 
 13 and to every one of their rulers. And 
 they came to Holofernes' tent, and 
 said to him that was over all that he 
 had. Waken now our lord : for the 
 slaves have been bold to come down 
 against us to battle, that they may 
 
 14 be utterly destroyed. And Bagaas 
 went in, and knocked at the' outer 
 door of the tent; for he supposed 
 that he was sleeping with Judith. 
 
 15 But when none hearkened to him, he 
 opened it, and went into the bed- 
 chamber, and found him cast upon the 
 threshold dead, and his head had been 
 
 1 6 taken from him. And he cried with a 
 loud voice, with weeping and groaning 
 and a mighty cry, and rent his gar- 
 
 17 ments. And he entered into the tent 
 where Judith lodged: and he found 
 her not, and he leaped out to the peo- 
 
 18 pie, and cried aloud. The slaves have 
 dealt treacherously : one woman of 
 the Hebrews hath brought shame 
 upon the house of king Nebuchad- 
 nezzar ; for, behold, Holofernes lieth 
 upon the ground, and jiisJieaii_ia_uot 
 
 19 QU-him. But when the rulers of the 
 host of Asshur heard the words, they 
 rent their coats, and their soul was 
 troubled exceedingly, and there was 
 a cry and an exceeding great noise in 
 the midst of the camp. 
 
 15 And when they that were in the 
 tents heard, they were amazed at the 
 
 2 thing that was come to pass. And 
 trembling and fear fell upon them, and 
 no man durst abide any more in the 
 sight of his neighbour, but rushing out 
 with one accord, they fled into every 
 way of the plain and of the hill country. 
 
 3 And they that had encamped in the 
 hill country round about Bethulia fled 
 away. And then the children of Israel, 
 every one that was a warrior among 
 
 4 them, rushed out upon them. And Ozi- 
 as sent to Betomasthaim, and Bebai, 
 and Chobai, and Chola, and to every 
 coast of Israel, such as should tell 
 concerning the things that had been 
 accomplished, and that all should rush 
 forth upon their enemies to destroy 
 
 5 them. But when the children of Israel 
 heard, they all fell upon them with 
 one accord, and smote them unto Cho- 
 bai : yea, and in like manner also they 
 of Jerusalem and of all the hill coun- 
 try came (for men had told them what 
 things were come to pass in the camp 
 of their enemies), and they that were 
 
 56 
 
16. 4. 
 
 JUDITH. 
 
 16. 16. 
 
 1 Com- 
 pare 
 
 2 Mace. 
 X. 7. 
 
 in Gilead and in Galilee fell upon their 
 flank with a great slaughter, until 
 they were past Damascus and the 
 
 6 borders thereof. But the residue, 
 that dwelt at Bethulia, fell upon the 
 camp of Asshur, and spoiled them, 
 
 7 and were enriched exceedingly. But 
 the children of Israel returned from 
 the slaughter, and gat possession of 
 that which remained; and the vil- 
 lages and the cities, that were in the 
 hill country and in the plain country, 
 took many spoils : for there was an 
 exceeding great store. 
 
 8 And Joakim the high priest, and the 
 senate oFnTe children of Israel that 
 dwelt in Jerusalem, came to behold 
 the good things which the Lord had 
 shewed to Israel, and to see Judith, 
 
 9 and to salute her. But when they 
 came unto her, they all blessed her 
 with one accord, and said unto her. 
 Thou art the exaltation of Jerusalem, 
 thou art the great glory of Israel, 
 thou art the great rejoicing of our 
 
 10 race: thou hast done all these things 
 by thy hand : thou hast done with 
 Israel the things that are good, and 
 God is pleased therewith : blessed be 
 thou with the Almighty Lord for 
 evermore. And all the people said, 
 
 11 So be it. And the people spoiled the 
 camp for the space of thirty days : and 
 they gave unto Judith Holofernes' 
 tent, and all his silver cups, and his 
 beds, and his vessels, and all his furni- 
 ture : and she took them, and placed 
 them on her mule, and made ready 
 
 I a^'r wagons, and heaped them thereon. 
 
 1.S And all the women of Israel ran to- 
 gether to see her ; and they blessed 
 her, and made a dance among them 
 for her ; and she took ^ branches in 
 her hand, and gave to the women 
 
 13 that were with her. And they made 
 themselves garlands of olive, she and 
 they that were with her, and she went 
 before all the people in the dance, 
 leading all the women: and all the 
 men of Israel followed in their ar- 
 mour with garlands, and with songs 
 
 16 in their mouths. And Judith began 
 to sing this thanksgiving in all Israel, 
 and all the people sang with loud 
 
 2 voices this song of praise. And Ju- 
 dith said, 
 
 Begin unto my God with timbrels. 
 Sing unto my Lord with cymbals : 
 Tune unto him psalm and praise : 
 Exalt him, and call upon his name. 
 
 3 For the Lord is the God that break- 
 
 eth the battles : 
 For in his armies in the midst of 
 
 the people 
 He delivered me out of the hand of 
 
 them that persecuted me. 
 
 4 Asshur came out of the mountains 
 
 from the north. 
 He came with ten thousands of his 
 host, 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 57 
 
 The multitude whereof stopped the 
 
 torrents, 
 And their horsemen covered the 
 
 hills. 
 He said that he would burn up my 
 
 borders, 
 And kill my young men with the 
 
 sword, 
 And throw my sucking children to 
 
 the ground. 
 And give mine infants for a prey, 
 And make my virgins a spoil. 
 The Almighty Lord brought them 
 
 to nought by the hand of a woman. 
 For their mighty one did not fall 
 
 by young men, 
 Neither did sons of the Titans smite 
 
 him. 
 Nor did high giants set upon him : 
 But Judith the daughter of Merari 
 
 made him weak with the beauty 
 
 of her countenance. 
 For she put off the apparel of her 
 
 widowhood 
 For the exaltation of those that 
 
 were distressed in Israel, 
 She anointed her face with oint- 
 ment, 
 And bound her hair in a tire, *• 
 And took a linen garment to deceive 
 
 him. 
 Her sandal ravished his eye, 
 And her beauty took his soul pri- 
 soner : 
 The scunitar passed through his 
 
 neck. 
 The Persians quaked at her daring, 
 And the Medes were daunted at 
 
 her boldness. 
 Then my lowly ones shouted aloud. 
 And my weak ones were terrified 
 
 and crouched for fear : 
 They lifted up their voice, and they 
 
 were turned to flight. 
 The sons of damsels pierced them 
 
 through, 
 And wounded them as runagates' 
 
 children ; 
 They perished by the battle of my 
 
 Lord. 
 I will sing unto my God a new song : 
 O Lord, thou art great and glori- 
 ous. 
 Marvellous in strength, invincible. 
 Let all thy creation serve thee : 
 For thou spakest, and they were 
 
 made. 
 Thou didst send forth thy spirit, and 
 
 it builded them. 
 And there is none that shall resist 
 
 thy voice. 
 For the mountains shall be moved 
 
 from their foundations with the 
 
 waters. 
 And the rocks shall melt as wax at 
 
 thy presence : 
 But thou art yet merciful to them 
 
 that fear thee. 
 For all sacrifice is little for a sweet 
 
 savour, 
 
10. 13. 
 
 ESTHER. 
 
 11. 7. 
 
 1 See ch. 
 xi. 5-11. 
 
 And all the fat is very little for a 
 whole burnt offering to thee : 
 
 But he that feareth the Lord is 
 great continually. 
 
 17 Woe to the nations that rise up 
 
 against my race : 
 
 The Lord Almighty will take venge- 
 ance of them in the day of judge- 
 ment, 
 
 To put fire and worms in their flesh ; 
 
 And they shall weep and feel their 
 pain for ever. 
 
 18 Now when they came to Jerusalem, 
 they worshipped God ; and when the 
 people were purified, they offered 
 their whole burnt offerings, and their 
 freewill offerings, and their gifts. 
 
 19 And Judith dedicated all the stuff 
 of Holofernes, which the people had 
 
 ^„.given her, and gave the canopy, which 
 she had taken for herself out of his 
 bedchamber, for a gift unto the Lord. 
 
 20 And the people continued feasting in 
 Jerusalem before the sanctuary for 
 the space of three months, and Judith 
 
 2 1 remained with them. But after these 
 days every one departed to his own 
 inheritance, and Judith went away to 
 Bethulia, and remained in her own 
 possession, and was honourable in 
 
 22 her time in all the land. And many 
 desired her, and no man knew her all 
 the days of her life, from the day that 
 Manasses her husband died and was 
 
 23 gathered to his people. And she in- 
 creased in greatness exceedingly ; and 
 she waxed old in her husband's house, 
 unto a hundred and five years, and let 
 her maid go free : and she died in Beth- 
 ulia ; and they buried her in the cave 
 
 24 of her husband Manasses. And the 
 house of Israel mourned for her seven 
 days: and she distributed her goods 
 before she died to all them that were 
 nearest of kin to Manasses her hus- 
 band, and to them that were nearest 
 
 25 of her own kindred. And there was 
 none that made the children of Israel 
 any more afraid in the days of Ju- 
 dith, nor a long time after her death. 
 
 THE REST OF THE CHAPTERS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 BOOK OF ESTHER, 
 
 WHICH ARE FOUND NEITHER IN THE HEBREW, NOR IN THE CHALDEE. 
 
 PART OF THE TENTH CHAPTER 
 AFTER THE GREEK. 
 
 10 Then Mardocheus said. These things 
 
 5 are of God. For I remember the 
 dream ^ which I saw concerning these 
 matters, and nothing thereof hath 
 
 6 failed. As for the little fountain that 
 became a river, and there was light, 
 and the sun, and much water, the 
 river is Esther, whom the king mar- 
 
 Tried, and made queen: and the two 
 
 8 dragons are I and Aman: and the 
 nations are those that were assembled 
 
 9 to destroy the name of the Jews : and 
 my nation, this is Israel, which cried 
 to God, and were saved : for the Lord 
 hath saved his people, and the Lord 
 hath delivered us from all these evils, 
 and God hath wrought signs and great 
 wonders, which have not been done 
 
 10 among the nations. Therefore hath 
 he made two lots, one for the people 
 of God, and another for all the nations. 
 
 11 And these two lots came at the hour, 
 and time, and day of judgement, be- 
 
 12 fore God among all the nations. So 
 God remembered his people, and jus- 
 
 13 tified his inheritance. Therefore tliese 
 days shall be unto them in the month 
 Adar, the fourteenth and fifteenth day 
 
 of the month, with an assembly, and 
 joy, and with gladness before God, 
 throughout the generations for ever 
 among his people Israel. 
 11 In the fourth year of the reign of 
 Ptolemy and Cleopatra, Dositheus, 
 who said he was a priest and Levite, 
 and Ptolemy his son, brought the epis- 
 tle of Phrurai here set forth, which 
 they said was the same, and that 
 Lysimachus the son of Ptolemy, that 
 was in Jerusalem, had interpreted it. 
 
 2 2 In the second year of the reign of 
 Artaxerxes the great, in the first day 
 of the month Nisan, Mardocheus the 
 son of Jairus, the son of Semeias, 
 the son of Kiseus, of the tribe of 
 
 3 Benjamin, had a dream ; who was a 
 Jew, and dwelt in the city of Susa, 
 a great man, being a servitor in the 
 
 4 king's court ; and he was of the cap- 
 tivity, which Nabuchodonosor the 
 king of Babylon carried from Jerusa- 
 lem with Jechonias king of Judaea ; and 
 
 5 this was his dream : Behold, ^ noise 
 and tumult, thunderings and earth- 
 quake, and uproar upon the earth: 
 
 6 and, behold, two great dragons came 
 forth, both of them ready to fight, 
 
 7 and their cry was great. And at their 
 
13. 4. 
 
 ESTHER. 
 
 14. 2. 
 
 1 Gr. 
 
 th>ir 
 
 2 Part of 
 
 the third 
 chapter 
 after the 
 Greek, 
 follow- 
 ing Esth. 
 iiLlS. 
 
 I cry all nations were ready to battle, 
 
 : that they might fight against the 
 
 I 8 righteous nation. And, lo, a day of 
 
 I darkness and gloominess, tribulation 
 
 ' and anguish, affliction and great up- 
 
 , 9 roar upon the earth. And the whole 
 
 righteous nation was troubled, fearing 
 
 ithe evils that should befall them, 
 
 J and were' ready to perish. Then they 
 
 cried unto God, and upon their cry, 
 
 I as it were frpm a little fountain, there 
 
 i came a grea* river, even much water. 
 
 i 1 1 The light and the sun rose up, and 
 
 j the lowly were exalted, and devoured 
 
 12 the glorious. Now when Mardocheus, 
 
 who had seen this dream, and what 
 
 God had determined to do, was awake, 
 
 he bare it in mind, and until night by 
 
 all means was desirous to know it. 
 
 12 And Mardocheus took his rest in the 
 court with Gabatha and Tharra, the 
 two eunuchs of the king, that were 
 
 2 keepers of the court. And he heard 
 their communings, and searched out 
 their purposes, and learned that they 
 were about to lay hands upon Artax- 
 erxes .the king ; and he certified tlie 
 
 3 king of them. Then the king exam- 
 ined the two eunuchs, and after that 
 they had confessed it, they were led 
 
 4 to execution. And the king wrote 
 these things for a memorial ; Mardo- 
 cheus also wrote concerning these 
 
 5 things. So the king commanded Mar- 
 docheus to serve in the court, and 
 
 6 for this he gave him gifts. Howbeit 
 Amau the son of Amadathus, a Bu- 
 gean, who was in great honour with 
 the king, sought to molest Mardo- 
 cheus and his people because of the 
 two eunuchs of the king. 
 
 13 ^ Now this is the copy of the letter : 
 The great king Artaxerxes writeth 
 these things to the princes of a hun- 
 dred and seven and twenty'provlnces 
 from India unto Ethiopia, and to the 
 governors that are set under them. 
 
 2 After that I became lord over many 
 nations, and had dominion over the 
 whole world, not lifted up with pre- 
 sumption of my authority, but carry- 
 ing myself alway with equity and 
 mildness, I purposed to settle my sub- 
 jects continually in a quiet life, and 
 making my kingdom peaceable, and 
 open for passage to the utmost coasts, 
 to renew peace, which is desired of 
 
 3 all men. Xow when I asked my coun- 
 sellors how this might be brought to 
 pass, Aman, that excelled in wisdom 
 among us, and was approved for his 
 constant good will and stedfast fidel- 
 ity, and had the honour of the second 
 
 4 place in the kingdom, declared unto 
 us, that in all nations throughout the 
 world there was scattered a certain 
 maUgnant people, that had laws con- 
 trary to all nations, and continually 
 set aside the commandments of kings, 
 so as the uniting of our kingdoms, 
 
 honourably intended by us, cannot 
 
 5 go forward. Seeing then we under- 
 stand that this nation is alone con- 
 tinually in opposition unto all men, 
 following perversely a life which is 
 strange to oxtr laws, and evil affected 
 to our state, working all the mischief 
 they can, that our kingdom may not 
 
 6 be firmly stablished: therefore have 
 we commanded, that they that are 
 signified in writing unto you by Aman, 
 who is ordained over the afltairs, and 
 is a second father unto us, shall all, 
 with their wives and children, be ut- 
 terly destroyed by the sword of their 
 enemies, without all mercy and pity, 
 the fourteenth day of the twelfth 
 month Adar of this present year: 
 
 7 that they, who of old and now also 
 are malicious, may in one day with 
 violence go down to ^ the grave, and 
 so ever hereafter cause our affairs to 
 be well settled, and without trouble. 
 
 8 * Then Mardocheus made his prayer 
 unto the Lord, calling to remembrance 
 
 9 all the works of the Lord, and said, 
 O Lord, Lord, thou King Almighty: 
 for the whole world is in thy power, 
 and if it be thy will to save Israel, 
 there is no man that can gainsay thee : 
 
 10 for thou hast made heaven and earth, 
 and all the wondrous things that are 
 
 11 beneath the heaven; and thou art 
 Lord of all, and there is no man that 
 can resist thee, which art the Lord. 
 
 12 Thou knowest all things, and thou 
 knowest, Lord, that it was neither in 
 contempt nor pride, nor for any desire 
 of glory, that I did not bow down to 
 
 13 proud Aman. For I could have been 
 content with good will for the salva- 
 tion of Israel to kiss the soles of his 
 
 14 feet. But I did this, that I might not 
 prefer the glory of man above the 
 glory of God : neither \n\\ I bow down 
 unto any but to thee, which art my 
 Lord, neither will I do it in pride. 
 
 15 And now, O Lord, thou God and King, 
 the God of Abraham, spare thy peo- 
 ple: for their eyes are upon us to 
 bring us* to nought, and they desire 
 to destroy the heritage, that hath 
 
 16 been thine from the beginning. Dei- 
 spise not thy portion, which thou didst 
 redeem out of the land of Egypt for 
 
 17 thine own self. Hear my prayer, and 
 be merciful unto thine inheritance : 
 and turn oiu" mourning into feasting, 
 that we may live, O Lord, and sing 
 praises to thy name : and destroy not 
 the mouth of them that praise thee, 
 O Lord. 
 
 18 And all Israel cried out mightily, 
 because their death was before their 
 
 14 eyes. Queen Esther also, being seiz- 
 ed as it were with the agony of death, 
 2 resorted unto the Lord : and laid 
 away her glorious apparel, and put on 
 the garments of anguish and mourn- 
 ing : and instead of the most excellent 
 
 3Gr. 
 Hades. 
 
 ♦ Part 
 of the 
 fourth 
 and fifth 
 chapters 
 after the 
 Greek, 
 follow- 
 ing Esth. 
 iv. 17. 
 
 59 
 
14. 19. 
 
 ESTHER. 
 
 16. 5. 
 
 iGr. 
 ram 
 things. 
 
 ointments, she covered her head with 
 ashes and dung, and she humbled her 
 body greatly, and all the places of the 
 ornaments of her joy she covered with 
 
 3 her tangled hair. And she prayed unto 
 the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, O 
 my Lord, thou only art our King : help 
 me that am desolate and have no other 
 
 4 helper but thee : for my danger is in 
 
 5 mine hand. From my youth up I have 
 heard in the tribe of my family, that 
 thou, O Lord, tookest Israel from 
 among all the nations, and our fathers 
 from all their progenitors, for a per- 
 petual inheritance, and didst perform 
 for them whatsoever thou didst pro- 
 
 6 mise. And now we have sinned before 
 thee, and thou hast given us into the 
 
 7 hands of our enemies, because we 
 glorified their gods : O Lord, thou art 
 
 8 righteous. Nevertheless it satisfieth 
 them not, that we are in bitter captivi- 
 ty : but they have stricken hands with 
 
 9 their idols, that they will abolish the 
 thing that thou with thy mouth hast 
 ordained, and destroy thine inherit- 
 ance, and stop the mouth of them that 
 praise thee, and quench the glory of 
 
 10 thy house, and thine altar, and open 
 the mouths of the heathen to set forth 
 the virtues of ^ idols, and that a fleshly 
 
 liking shall be magnified for ever. O 
 Lord, give not thy sceptre unto them 
 that be nothing, and let them not laugh 
 at our fall ; but turn their device upon 
 themselves, and make him an exam- 
 ple, that hath begun this against us. 
 
 12 Remember, O Lord, make thyself 
 known in the time of our aflQiction, and 
 give me boldness, O King of the gods, 
 
 13 and holder of all dominion. Give me 
 eloquent speech in my mouth before 
 the lion : and turn his heart to hate him 
 that fighteth against us, that there 
 may be an end of him, and of them that 
 
 14 are likeminded with him : but deliver 
 us with thine hand, and help me that 
 am desolate and have no other helx)er 
 
 15 but thee, O Lord. Thou hast know- 
 ledge of all things ; and thou knowest 
 that I hate the glory of iihe wicked, 
 and abhor the bed of the uncircum- 
 
 16 cised, and of every alien. Thou know- 
 est my necessity: that I abhor the 
 sign of my high estate, which is upon 
 mine head in the days wherein I shew 
 myself. I abhor it as a menstruous 
 rag, and I wear it not when I am pri- 
 
 17 vate by myself. And thine handmaid 
 hath not eaten at Aman's table, nei- 
 ther have I honoured the king's feast, 
 nor drunk the wine of the drink ofEer- 
 
 1 8 ings. Neither had thine handmaid any 
 joy since the day that I was brought 
 hither to this present, but in thee, O 
 
 19 Lord, thou God of Abraham. O God, 
 that art mighty above all, hear the 
 voice of the forlorn, and deliver us out 
 of the hands of the mischievous, and 
 deliver me out of my fear. 
 
 15 And upon the third day, when she 
 had ended her prayer, she laid away 
 her garments of service, and put on 
 
 2 her glorious apparel. And being ma- 
 jestically adorned, after she had called 
 upon the all-seeing God and saviour, 
 
 3 she took her two maids with her : and 
 upon the one she leaned, as carrying 
 
 4 herself delicately ; and the other fol- 
 
 5 lowed, bearing up her train. And she 
 was ruddy through the perfection of 
 her beauty, and her countenance was 
 cheerful and right amiable: but her 
 
 6 heart was in anguish for fear. Then 
 having passed through all the doors, 
 she stQod before the king, who sat up- 
 on his royal throne, and was clothed 
 with all his robes of majesty, all glit- 
 tering with gold and precious stones ; 
 
 7 and he was very dreadful. Then lifting 
 up his countenance that was flushed 
 with glory, he looked upoyi her in 
 fierce anger : and the queen fell down, 
 and turned pale, and fainted, and she 
 bowed herself upon the head of the 
 
 8 maid that went before. Then God 
 changed the spirit of the king into 
 mildness, who in an agony leaped from 
 his throne, and took her in his arms, 
 till she came to herself again, and 
 comforted her with soothing words, 
 
 9 and said unto her, Esther, what is the 
 matter ? I am thy brother, be of good 
 
 10 cheer : thou slialt not die, for * our 
 commandment is for our subjects : 
 
 11 come near. So he held up his golden 
 
 12 sceptre, and laid it upon her neck, and 
 embraced her, and said, Speak unto 
 
 13 me. Then said she unto him, I saw 
 thee, my lord, as an angel of God, and 
 my heart was troubled for fear of thy 
 
 14 glory. For wonderful art thou, my 
 lord, and thy countenance is full of 
 
 15 grace. And as she was speaking, she 
 
 16 fell down for faintness. Then the 
 king was troubled, and all his servants 
 comforted her.^ 
 
 16 * The great king Artaxerxes unto the 
 governors of countries in a hundred 
 and seven and twenty provinces from 
 India unto Ethiopia, and unto them 
 that are well aft'ected to our state, 
 
 2 greeting. Many, the more often they 
 are honoured with the great bounty of 
 their benefactors, the more proud they 
 
 3 are waxen, and endeavour to hurt not 
 our subjects only, but not being able to 
 bear abundance, do take in hand to 
 practise also against those that do 
 
 4 them good : and take not only thank- 
 fulness away from among men, but 
 also lifted up with the boastful words 
 of them that were never good, they 
 think to escape the evil-hating justice 
 of God, who alway seeth all things. 
 
 5 Oftentimes also fair speech of those 
 that are put in trust to manage their 
 friends' affairs, hath caused many that 
 are in authority to be partakers of 
 Innocent blood, and hath enwrapped 
 
1. 4. 
 
 THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 
 
 1. 7. 
 
 1 Gr. in 
 goodness. 
 
 * Gr.con- 
 victeth. 
 
 6 them in remediless calamities : beguil- 
 ing with the false deceit of their lewd 
 disposition the innocent good will of 
 
 7 princes. Now ye may see this, as we 
 have declared, not so much by more 
 ancient histories, as ye may, if ye 
 search what hath been wickedly done 
 of late through the pestilent behaviour 
 of them that are unworthily placed in 
 
 8 authority. And we must take care for 
 the time to come, to render our king- 
 dom quiet and peaceable for all men, 
 
 9 both by changing our purposes, and 
 always judging things that come be- 
 foreour eyes with more equal proceed- 
 
 10 ing. For Aman, a Macedonian, the son 
 of Amadathus, an alien in truth from 
 the Persian blood, and far distant from 
 our goodness, being as a guest received 
 
 1 1 of us, had so far forth obtained the fa- 
 vour that we she w toward every nation, 
 as that he was called our father, and 
 was continually honoured of allmen, as j 
 the next person unto the royal throne, i 
 
 12 But he, not bearing his high estate, j 
 went about to deprive us of our king- i 
 
 13 dom and our life ; having by manifold I 
 and cunning deceits sought of us the 
 destruction, as well of Mardocheus, i 
 who saved our life, and continually | 
 procured our good, as also of Esther i 
 the blameless partaker of our kingdom, 1 
 
 14 together with their whole nation. For | 
 by these means he thought, finding us 
 destitute of friends, to have translated 
 the kingdom of the Persians to the 
 
 15 Macedonians. But we find that the 
 Jews, whom this most ungracious 
 wretch hath delivered to utter de- 
 
 struction, are no evil-doers, but live 
 
 16 by most just laws : and that they be 
 children of the most high and most 
 mighty living God, who hath ordered 
 the kingdom both unto us and to our 
 progenitors in the most excellent man- 
 
 17 ner. Wherefore ye shall do well not 
 to put in execution the letters sent im- 
 to you by Aman the sou of Amadathus. 
 
 18 For he, tliat was the worker of these 
 things, is hanged at the gates of Susa 
 with all his family : God, who ruleth 
 all things, speedily rendering venge- 
 ance to him according to his deserts. 
 
 19 Therefore ye shall publish openly the 
 copy of this letter in all places, and 
 let the Jews hve after their own laws, 
 
 20 and ye shall aid them, that even the 
 same day, being the thirteenth day of 
 the twelfth month Adar, they may 
 defend themselves against those who 
 set upon them in the time of their 
 
 21 affliction. For Almighty God hath 
 made this day to be a joy unto them, 
 instead of the destruction of the 
 
 22 chosen people. And ye shall therefore 
 among your conunemorative feasts 
 keep it a high day with all feasting : 
 
 23 that both now and hereafter there may 
 be safety to us, and the well affected 
 Persians ; but to those which do con- 
 spire against us a memorial of destruc- 
 
 21 tion. Therefore every city or country 
 whatsoever, which shall not do accord- 
 ing to these things, shall be utterly de- 
 stroyed without mercy with ^ fire and 
 sword ; it shall be made not only un- 
 passable for men, but also most hate- 
 ful to wild beasts and fowls for ever. 
 
 THE 
 
 WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 
 
 1 Love righteousness, ye that be judges 
 
 of the earth, 
 Think ye of the Lord ^with a good 
 
 mind, 
 And in singleness of heart seek ye 
 
 him; 
 
 2 Because he is found of them that 
 
 tempt him not. 
 And is manifested to them that do not 
 distrust him. 
 
 3 For crooked thoughts separate from 
 
 God; 
 And the sxipreme Power, when it is 
 brought to the proof, ^putteth to 
 confusion the foolish : 
 
 4 Because wisdom will not enter into a 
 
 soul that deviseth evil. 
 Nor dwell in a bodV that is held in 
 pledge by sin. 
 
 5 For a holy spirit of discipline will flee 
 
 deceit. 
 And will start away from thoughts 
 
 that are without understanding, 
 And will be ^ put to confusion when 
 
 unrighteousness hath come in. 
 
 6 For * wisdom is a spirit that loveth 
 
 man. 
 And she will not hold a ^ blasphemer 
 
 guiltless for his lips ; 
 Because God beareth witness of his 
 
 reins. 
 And is a true overseer of his heart. 
 And a hearer of his tongue : 
 
 7 Because the spirit of the Lord hath 
 
 filled 6 the world, 
 And that which holdeth all things 
 together hath knowledge of every 
 voice. 
 
 iGr. 
 spear 
 andfin. 
 
 sGrjCOi*. 
 victed. 
 
 * Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 the spirit 
 of wis- 
 dom is 
 loving to 
 man. 
 6 Or, 
 revi^ 
 
 «Gr. tA« 
 inhabited 
 earth. 
 
 61 
 
2. 4. 
 
 THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 
 
 2. 1.9. 
 
 1 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 Nor ' 
 indeed. 
 
 a Or, all 
 the races 
 of crea- 
 tures 
 in the 
 world 
 »0r,o 
 royal 
 house 
 
 *Or, 
 Hades 
 6r. Mm. 
 6 Or, 
 
 were con- 
 stoned 
 with love 
 of him 
 
 6 Or, 
 
 among 
 
 1 Or, re- 
 tvmed 
 out of 
 Hades 
 
 »0r, 
 
 reason is 
 a spark 
 kindled 
 by the 
 heating 
 of our 
 heart 
 
 8 Therefore no man that uttereth un- 
 
 righteous things shall be unseen ; 
 * Neither shall Justice, when it con- 
 victeth, pass him by. 
 
 9 For in the midst of his counsels the 
 
 ungodly shall be searched out ; 
 And the sound of his words shall come 
 
 unto the Lord 
 To bring to conviction his lawless 
 
 deeds : 
 
 10 Because there is an ear of jealousy 
 
 that listeneth to all things, 
 And the noise of murmurings is not 
 hid. 
 
 11 Beware then of unprofitable murmur- 
 
 ing, 
 
 And refrain your tongue from back- 
 biting ; 
 
 Because no secret utterance shall go 
 on its way void. 
 
 And a mouth that belieth destroyeth 
 a soul. 
 
 12 Court not death in the error of your 
 
 life; 
 Neither draw upon yourselves destruc- 
 tion by the works of your hands : 
 
 13 Because God made not death; 
 Neither delighteth he when the living 
 
 perish : 
 
 14 For he created all things that they 
 
 might have being : 
 
 And 2 the generative powers of the 
 world are healthsome, 
 
 And there is no poison of destruction 
 In them : 
 
 Nor hath Hades ^ royal dominion up- 
 on earth, 
 
 15 For righteousness is immortal : 
 
 16 But ungodly men by their hands and 
 
 their words called * death unto 
 
 them : 
 Deeming him a friend they ^ consumed 
 
 away. 
 And they made a covenant with him, 
 Because they are worthy to be of his 
 
 portion. 
 
 2 For they said ^ within themselves, 
 
 reasoning not aright, 
 Short and sorrowful is our life ; 
 And there is no healing when a man 
 
 Cometh to his end. 
 And none was ever known that ^ gave 
 
 release from Hades. 
 
 2 Because by mere chance were we 
 
 born, 
 And hereafter we shall be as though 
 
 we had never been : 
 Because the breath in our nostrils is 
 
 smoke. 
 And « while our heart beateth reason 
 
 is a spark, 
 
 3 "Which being extinguished, the body 
 
 shall be turned into ashes, 
 And the spirit shall be dispersed as 
 thin air ; 
 
 4 And our name shall be forgotten in 
 
 time, 
 And no man shall remember our 
 works ; 
 
 And our life shall pass away as the 
 
 traces of a cloud. 
 And shall be scattered as is a mist. 
 When it is chased by the beams of the 
 
 sun, 
 And '•* overcome by the heat thereof. 
 
 5 For our allotted time is the passing of 
 
 a shadow. 
 And ^" our end retreateth not ; 
 Because it is fast sealed, and none 
 
 " turneth it back. 
 
 6 Come therefore and let us enjoy the 
 
 good things ^^ that now are ; 
 And let us use the creation " with all 
 our soul ^* as youth's possession. 
 
 7 Let us fill ourselves with costly wine 
 
 and perfumes ; 
 And let no flower of ^^ spring pass us 
 by: 
 
 8 Let us crown ourselves with rose- 
 
 buds, before they be withered : 
 
 9 Let none of us go without his share 
 
 in our proud revelry : 
 Everywhere let us leave tokens of 
 
 our mirth : 
 Because this is our portion, and our 
 
 lot is this. 
 
 10 Let us oppress the righteous poor ; 
 Let us not spare the widow. 
 
 Nor reverence the hairs of the old 
 man gray for length of years. 
 
 1 1 But let our strength be to us a law of 
 
 righteousness ; 
 For that which is weak is ^« found to 
 be of no service. 
 
 12 But let us lie in wait for the righteous 
 
 man. 
 Because he is of disservice to us. 
 And is contrary to our works, 
 And upbraideth us with sins against 
 
 1" the law, 
 And layeth to our charge sins against 
 
 ourmj»iphne. 
 
 13 He proffsseth to have knowledge of 
 
 God, 
 And nameth himself !» servant of the 
 Lord. 
 
 14 He became to us a reproof of our 
 
 thoughts. 
 
 15 He is grievous unto us even to behold, 
 Because his life is unlike other men's, 
 And his paths are of strange fashion. 
 
 16 We were accounted of him as base 
 
 metal. 
 
 And he abstaineth from our ways as 
 from uncleannesses. 
 
 The latter end of the righteous he 
 calleth happy ; 
 
 And he vaunteth that God is his fa- 
 ther. 
 
 17 Let us see if his words be true, 
 
 And let us try what shall befall in the 
 ending of his life. 
 
 18 For if the righteous man is God's son, 
 
 he will uphold him, 
 And he will deliver him out of the 
 hand of his adversaries. 
 
 19 With outrage and torture let us put 
 
 him to the ,:est, 
 That we may learn his gentleness, 
 
3. 11. 
 
 THE WISDOM 
 
 OF SOLOMON. 4. 6. 
 
 
 And may prove his patience under 
 
 12 Then- wives are foolish, and wicked 
 
 
 
 wrong. 
 
 are their children ; 
 
 
 
 20 Let us condemn him to a shameful 
 
 13 Accursed is their begetting. 
 
 
 
 death ; 
 
 Because happy is the barren that is 
 
 
 iGr. 
 
 For 1 he shall be visited according to 
 
 undefiled, 
 
 
 there 
 shall he 
 a vmtdn 
 
 his words. 
 
 She who hath not conceived in trans- 
 
 
 
 gression ; 
 
 
 Hon of 
 
 21 Thus reasoned they, and they were 
 
 She shall have fruit when God visiteth 
 
 
 htm out 
 o/hu! 
 
 led astray ; 
 
 souls. 
 
 
 words. 
 
 For their ^ wickedness blinded them, 
 22 And they knew not the mysteries of 
 God, 
 
 14 And happy is the eunuch which hath 
 
 
 8 Or, 
 malice 
 
 hands. 
 
 
 
 Neither hoped they for wages of holi- 
 
 Nor imagined wicked things against 
 
 
 
 ness, 
 
 the Lord ; 
 
 
 
 Nor did they judge that there is a 
 
 For there shall be given him for his 
 
 
 
 prize for blameless souls. 
 
 faithfulness « a pecuUar favour. 
 
 6 Or, the 
 
 
 23 Because God created man for incor- 
 
 And a lot in the sanctuary of the Lord 
 
 grace 
 0/ God's 
 chosen 
 
 
 ruption, 
 
 more delightsome thati xvife or chil- 
 
 
 And made him an image of his own 
 
 dren. 
 
 Gr. a 
 
 3 Some 
 
 3 proper being ; 
 
 15 For good labours have fruit of great 
 
 diosien 
 grace. 
 
 • authori- 
 ties read 
 ever las t- 
 
 24 But by the envy of the devil death 
 
 renown ; 
 
 
 entered into the world, 
 
 And the root of understanding can- 
 
 
 ingtiess. 
 
 And they that are of his portion make 
 
 not fail. 
 
 
 
 trial thereof. 
 
 16 But children of adulterers shall not 
 
 
 
 3 But the souls of the righteous are in 
 
 come to maturity. 
 
 
 
 the hand of God, 
 
 And the seed of an unlawful bed shall 
 
 
 
 And no torment shall touch them. 
 
 vanish away. 
 
 
 
 2 In the eyes of the foolish they seemed 
 
 17 For if they live long, they shall be 
 
 
 
 to have died ; 
 
 held in no account. 
 
 
 
 And their departm-e was accounted to 
 
 And at the last their old age shall be 
 
 
 
 be their hurt, 
 
 without honour. 
 
 
 
 3 And their journeying away from us 
 
 18 And if they die quickly, they ^ shall 
 
 1 Some 
 
 
 to be their ruin : 
 
 have no hope. 
 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 
 
 But they are in peace. 
 
 Nor in the day of decision shall they 
 
 have. 
 
 
 4 For even if in the sight of men they 
 
 have consolation. 
 
 
 
 be punished, 
 
 19For 8the endof an unrighteous gen- 
 
 8Gr. 
 
 
 Their hope is full of immortality ; 
 
 eration is alway grievous. 
 
 the ends 
 
 
 5 And having borne a little chastening. 
 
 4 Better than this is childlessness with 
 
 grievous. 
 
 
 they shall receive^reat good ; 
 Because God ma^etrial of them, and 
 
 virtue ; 
 
 
 
 For in the memory » of virtue is im- 
 
 «Gr. 
 
 
 found them worthy of himself. 
 
 mortality : 
 
 of it. 
 
 
 6 As goldMn the furnace he proved 
 
 Because it is recognised both before 
 
 
 
 them. 
 
 God and before men. 
 
 
 
 And as a wholfe burnt offering he ac- 
 
 2 When it is present, men imitate it; 
 
 
 
 cepted them. 
 
 And they long after it when it is de- 
 
 
 
 7 And in the time of their visitation they 
 
 parted : 
 
 
 
 shall shine forth. 
 
 And 10 tliroughout all time it march- 
 
 10 Gr. in 
 
 
 And as sparks among stubble they 
 
 eth crowned in triumph, 
 
 the age. 
 
 
 shall run to and fro. 
 
 Victorious in the strife for the prizes 
 
 
 
 8 They shall judge nations, and have 
 
 that are undefiled. 
 
 
 
 dominion over peoples ; 
 
 3 But the multiplying brood of the un- 
 
 
 
 And the Lord shall reign over them 
 
 godly shall be of no profit. 
 
 
 
 for evermore. 
 
 And " with bastard ^ slips they shall 
 
 liGr. 
 from. 
 12 Or, 
 
 
 9 They that trust on him shall under- 
 
 not strike deep root, 
 
 
 stand truth. 
 
 Nor shall they establish a siu-e hold. 
 
 offshoots 
 
 ■»Or, 
 
 And* the faithful shall abide with him 
 
 4 For even if these ^^ put forth boughs 
 
 13 Gr. in 
 
 they 
 that are 
 
 in love ; 
 
 and flourish for a season, 
 
 boughs 
 flourish. 
 
 faithful 
 
 Because grace and mercy are to his 
 
 Yet, standing unsure, they shaU be 
 
 through 
 love shall 
 abide 
 
 chosen. 
 
 shaken by the wind. 
 
 
 
 And by the violence of winds they 
 
 
 vrith him. 
 
 10 But the ungodly shall be requited 
 
 shall be rooted out. 
 
 
 
 even as they reasoned, 
 
 5 Their branches shall be broken off 
 
 
 5 Or, 
 that 
 which is 
 
 They which hghtly regarded Hhe 
 
 before they come to maturity, 
 
 
 righteous man, and revolted from 
 
 And their fruit shaZl be useless. 
 
 
 right- 
 
 the Lord; 
 
 Never ripe to eat, and fit for no- 
 
 
 eous 
 
 1 1 (For he that setteth at nought wisdom 
 
 thing. 
 
 
 
 and discipline is miserable ;) 
 
 6 For children unlawfully begotten are 
 
 
 
 And void is their hope and their toils 
 
 witnesses of wickedness 
 
 
 
 unprofitable, 
 
 Against parents when God searcheth 
 
 
 
 And useless are their works : 
 
 6 
 
 them out. 
 3 
 
 
5. 1. 
 
 THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 
 
 5. 14. 
 
 lOr, 
 malice 
 
 aGr. 
 
 times. 
 
 3 Or, he 
 hastened 
 him 
 away 
 
 *Gr. 
 
 svxha 
 thing aa 
 this. 
 
 « Gr. his 
 visita- 
 tion is 
 with. 
 
 «Or, 
 
 hefor 
 outrage 
 
 1 Or, be 
 
 aper- 
 
 pettuil 
 
 8 Or, 
 
 w/ien 
 
 they 
 
 reckon 
 
 up their 
 
 sins 
 
 7 But a righteous man, though he die 
 
 before his time, shall be at rest. 
 
 8 (For honourable old age is not that 
 
 which standeth in length of time, 
 Nor is its measure given by nimaber 
 of years : 
 
 9 But understanding is gray hairs unto 
 
 men, 
 And an unspotted life Is ripe old age.) 
 
 10 Being found well-pleasing unto God 
 
 he was beloved of him. 
 And while living among sinners he 
 was translated : 
 
 11 He was caught away, lest ^ wicked- 
 
 ness should change his understand- 
 ing, 
 Or guile deceive his soul. 
 
 12 (For the bewitching of naughtiness 
 
 bedimmeth the things which are 
 good, 
 And the giddy whirl of desire pervert- 
 eth an innocent mind.) 
 
 13 Being made perfect in a little while, 
 
 he fulfilled long ^ years ; 
 
 14 For his soul was pleasing unto the 
 
 Lord: 
 Therefore ^ hasted he out of the midst 
 of wickedness, 
 
 15 But as for the peoples, seeing and 
 
 understanding not. 
 Neither laying * this to heart, 
 That grace and mercy are with his 
 
 chosen, 
 And that ^ he visiteth his holy ones : — 
 
 16 But a righteous man that is dead 
 
 shall condemn the ungodly that are 
 living, 
 And youth that is quickly perfected 
 the many years of an unrighteous 
 man's old age ; 
 
 17 For the ungodly shall see a wise 
 
 man's end, 
 And shall not understand what the 
 
 Lord purposed concerning him. 
 And for what he safely kept him : — 
 
 18 They shall see, and they shall de- 
 
 spise ; 
 But them the Lord shall laugh to 
 
 scorn. 
 And after this they shall become a 
 
 dishonoured carcase, 
 And 6 a reproach among the dead for 
 
 ever: 
 
 19 Because he shall dash them speech- 
 
 less to the ground, 
 
 And shall shake them from the foun- 
 dations, 
 
 And they shall ^ lie utterly waste, and 
 they shall be in anguish. 
 
 And their memory shall perish. 
 
 20 They shall come, ^ when their sins are 
 
 reckoned up, with coward fear ; 
 And their lawless deeds shall convict 
 
 them to their face. 
 5 Then shall the righteous man stand 
 
 in great boldness 
 Before the face of them that afflicted 
 
 him, 
 
 And them that make his labours of no 
 account. 
 
 2 When they see ^it, they shall be 
 
 troubled with terrible fear. 
 And shall be amazed at the marvel of 
 God's salvation. 
 
 3 They shall say " within themselves 
 
 repenting. 
 And for distress of spirit shall they 
 
 groan, 
 This was he whom aforetime we had 
 
 in derision. 
 And made a parable of ^^ reproach : 
 
 4 "We fools accounted his life madness, 
 And his end without honour : 
 
 5 How was he numbered among sons 
 
 of God? 
 And how is his lot among saints ? 
 
 6 Verily we went astray from the way 
 
 of truth. 
 And the light of righteousness shined 
 
 not for us. 
 And the sun rose not for us. 
 
 7 We 12 took our fill of the paths of law- 
 
 lessness and destruction, 
 And we journeyed through trackless 
 
 deserts. 
 But the way of the Lord we knew 
 
 not. 
 
 8 What did our arrogancy profit us ? 
 And what good have riches "and 
 
 vaunting brought us ? 
 
 9 Those things all passed away as a 
 
 shadow, 
 And as a message that runneth by : 
 
 10 As a ship passing through the billowy 
 
 water. 
 Whereof, when it is gone by, there is 
 
 no trace to be found. 
 Neither pathway of its keel in the 
 
 billows : 
 
 11 Or as when a bird flieth through the 
 
 air, 
 No token of her passage is found, 
 But the light wind, lashed with the 
 
 stroke of her pinions, 
 And rent asunder " with the violent 
 
 rush of the moving wings, is passed 
 
 through. 
 And afterwards no sign of her coming 
 
 is found therein : 
 
 12 Or as when an arrow is shot at a 
 
 mark, 
 The air disparted closeth up again 
 
 immediately. 
 So that men know not where it passed 
 
 through : 
 
 13 So we also, as soon as we were born, 
 
 15 ceased to be ; 
 And of virtue we had no sign to shew. 
 But in our wickedness we were ut- 
 terly consumed. 
 
 14 Because the hope of the ungodly man 
 
 is as chaff carried by the wind, 
 And I'^as "foam vanishing before a 
 
 tempest ; 
 And is scattered as smoke is scattered 
 
 by the wind. 
 And passeth by as the remembrance 
 
 of a guest that tarrieth but a day. 
 
 64 
 
6. 5. 
 
 THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 
 
 6. 22. 
 
 1 Or, to 
 
 repethia 
 
 a Or, in 
 the mul- 
 titudes 
 o/your 
 ncUiona 
 
 3 Or, 
 the law 
 
 15 But the righteous live for ever, 
 And in the Lord is their reward. 
 And the care for them with the Most 
 
 High. 
 
 16 Therefore shall they receive the 
 
 crown of royal dignity 
 And the diadem of beauty from the 
 
 Lord's hand ; 
 Because with his right hand shall he 
 
 cover them. 
 And with his arm shall he shield 
 
 them. 
 
 17 He shall take his jealousy as complete 
 
 armour, 
 And shall make the whole creation 
 his weapons ^ for vengeance on his 
 enemies: 
 
 18 He shall put on righteousness as a 
 
 breastplate. 
 And shall array himself with judge- 
 ment unfeigned as with a helmet ; 
 
 19 He shall take holiness as an invinci- 
 
 ble shield, 
 
 20 And he shall sharpen stern wrath for 
 
 a sword : 
 And the world shall go forth with him 
 to fight against his insensate /ops. 
 
 21 Shafts of lightning shall fly with true 
 
 aim. 
 And from the clouds, as from a well 
 drawn bow, shall they leap to the 
 mark. 
 
 22 And as from an engine of war shall be 
 
 hurled hailstones full of wrath ; 
 The water of the sea shall be angered 
 
 against them. 
 And rivers shall sternly overwhelm 
 
 them; 
 
 23 A mighty blast shall encoimt^r them, 
 And as a tempest shall it winnow 
 
 them away : 
 And so shall lawlessness make all the 
 
 land desolate. 
 And their evil-doing shall overturn the 
 
 thrones of princes. 
 
 6 Hear therefore, ye kings, and under- 
 stand ; 
 Learn, ye judges of the ends of the 
 earth : 
 
 2 Give ear, ye that have dominion over 
 
 much people. 
 And make your boast ^ in multitudes 
 of nations. 
 
 3 Because your dominion was given 
 
 you from the Lord, 
 And your sovereignty from the Most 
 
 High; 
 Who shall search out your works. 
 And shall make inquisition of your 
 
 counsels : 
 
 4 Because being oflQcers of his kingdom 
 
 ye did not judge aright. 
 Neither kept ye ^law, nor walked 
 after the counsel of God. 
 
 5 Awfully and swiftly shall he come 
 
 upon you ; 
 Because a stern judgement befalleth 
 them that be in high place : 
 
 6 For the man of low estate may be 
 
 pardoned in mercy. 
 But mighty men shall be * searched 
 out mightily. 
 
 7 For the Sovereign Lord of all will not 
 
 refrain himself for any man's per- 
 son. 
 
 Neither will he reverence greatness ; 
 
 Because it is he that made both small 
 and great, 
 
 And aUke he taketh thought for 
 all; 
 
 8 But » strict is the scrutiny that cometh 
 
 upon the powerful. 
 
 9 Unto you therefore, O princes, are my 
 
 words. 
 That ye may learn wisdom and ^ fall 
 not from the right way. 
 
 10 For they that have kept hoUly the 
 
 things that are holy shall themselves 
 be " hallowed ; 
 And they that have been taught them 
 shall find what to answer ; 
 
 11 Set yovir desire therefore on my 
 
 words ; 
 Long for them, and ye shall be « train- 
 ed by their discipline. 
 
 12 Wisdom is radiant and fadeth not 
 
 away; 
 And easily is she beheld of them that 
 
 love her, 
 And found of them that seek her. 
 
 13 She forestalleth them that desire to 
 
 know her, making herself first 
 known. 
 
 14 He that riseth up early to seek her 
 
 shall have no toil, 
 For he shall find her sitting at his 
 gates. 
 
 15 For to think upon her is perfectness 
 
 of understanding, 
 And he that watcheth for her sake 
 shall quickly be free from care. 
 
 16 Because she goeth about, herseK seek- 
 
 ing them that are worthy of her. 
 And in their paths she appeareth unto 
 
 them graciously. 
 And in every purpose she meeteth 
 
 them. 
 
 17 For 9 her ^o true beginning is desire of 
 
 discipline ; 
 And the care for discipline is love of 
 her; 
 
 18 And love of her is observance of her 
 
 laws ; 
 And to give heed to her laws con- 
 firmeth incorruption ; 
 
 19 And incorruption " bringeth near unto 
 
 God; 
 
 20 So then desire of wisdom promoteth 
 
 to a kingdom. 
 
 21 If therefore ye delight in thrones and 
 
 sceptres, ye princes of peoples. 
 Honour wisdom, that ye may reign 
 for ever. 
 
 22 But what wisdom is, and how she 
 
 came into being, I will declare. 
 And I will not hide mysteries from 
 you; 
 
 *GT.fmt 
 
 to the 
 teat. 
 
 • Gr. 
 
 strong. 
 
 6 Gr. 
 
 faUnot 
 aside. 
 
 7 Or, ao. 
 
 counted 
 
 holy 
 
 8 Gr. dia- 
 ciplined. 
 
 9 Or, her 
 
 begin- 
 ning w 
 the true 
 desire 
 
 10 Gr. 
 truest. 
 
 11 Gr. 
 
 maketh 
 tobe 
 
 65 
 
7. 14. 
 
 THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 
 
 7. 27. 
 
 lOr, 
 
 from her 
 first be- 
 ginning 
 
 aGr. 
 wasted. 
 
 3Gr. 
 
 this. 
 
 •* Many 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 a mortal 
 man. 
 
 6 Gr. 
 
 of like 
 qualities. 
 
 e Gr. in. 
 
 1 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 first 
 origin. 
 
 8Gr. 
 
 prepare 
 for them- 
 selves. 
 
 But I will trace her out ^from the 
 
 beginning of creation, 
 And bring the knowledge of her into 
 
 clear light, 
 And I will not pass by the truth ; 
 
 23 Neither indeed will I take ^ pining 
 
 envy for my companion in the way, 
 Because ^ envy shall have no fellow- 
 ship with wisdom. 
 
 24 But a multitude of wise men is salva- 
 
 tion to the world. 
 And an understanding king is tran- 
 quillity to his people. 
 
 25 "Wherefore be disciplined by my 
 
 words, and thereby shall ye profit. 
 
 7 I myself also am * mortal, like to all, 
 And am sprung from one born of the 
 earth, the man first formed, 
 
 2 And in the womb of a mother was 
 
 I moulded into flesh in the time of 
 ten months. 
 Being compacted in blood of the seed 
 of man and pleasure that came with 
 sleep. 
 
 3 And I also, when I was born, drew in 
 
 the common air. 
 And fell upon the ^ kindred earth. 
 Uttering, like all, for my first voice, 
 
 the selfsame wail : 
 
 4 In swaddling clothes was I nursed, 
 
 and 6 with watchful cares. 
 
 5 For no king had any other first begin- 
 
 ning ; 
 
 6 But all men have one entrance into 
 
 life, and a like departure. 
 
 7 For this cause I prayed, and under- 
 
 standing was given me : 
 
 I called upon God, and there came to 
 me a spirit of wisdom. 
 8 1 preferred her before sceptres and 
 thrones, 
 
 And riches I esteemed nothing in com- 
 parison of her. 
 9 Neither did I liken to her any price- 
 less gem, 
 
 Because all the gold of the earth in 
 her presence is a little sand. 
 
 And silver shall be accounted as clay 
 before her. 
 
 10 Above health and comeliness I loved 
 
 her. 
 And I chose to have her rather than 
 
 light. 
 Because her bright shining is never 
 
 laid to sleep. 
 
 11 But with her there came to me all 
 
 good things together, 
 And in her hands innumerable riches : 
 
 12 And I rejoiced over them all because 
 
 wisdom leadeth them ; 
 Though I knew not that she was the 
 ^ mother of them. 
 
 13 As I learned without guile, I impart 
 
 without grudging ; 
 I do not hide her riches. 
 
 14 For she is unto men a treasure that 
 
 faileth not, 
 And they that use it « obtain friend- 
 ship with God, 
 
 Commended to him ^by the gifts 
 which they through discipline pre- 
 sent to him,. 
 
 15 But to me may God give to speak 
 
 1" with judgement. 
 And to conceive thoughts worthy of 
 
 what " hath been given me ; 
 Because himself is one that guideth 
 
 even wisdom and that correcteth 
 
 the wise. 
 
 16 For in his hand are both we and our 
 
 words ; 
 All understanding, and all acquaint- 
 ance with divers crafts. 
 
 17 For himself gave me an unerring 
 
 knowledge of the things that are, 
 
 To know the constitution of the world, 
 
 and the operation of the elements ; 
 
 18 The beginning and end and middle of 
 
 times. 
 The alternations of the solstices and 
 the changes of seasons, 
 
 19 The circuits of years and the "posi- 
 
 tions of stars ; 
 
 20 The natures of living creatures and 
 
 the ragings of wild beasts, 
 The violences of ^^ winds and the 
 
 thoughts of men, 
 The diversities of plants and the vir- 
 tues of roots : 
 
 21 All things that are either secret or 
 
 manifest I learned, 
 
 22 For she that is the artificer of all 
 
 things taught me, even wisdom. 
 
 For there is in her a spirit quick of 
 understanding, holy, 
 
 " Alone in kind, manifold, 
 
 Subtil, freely moving. 
 
 Clear in utterance, unpolluted. 
 
 Distinct, unharmed, 
 
 Loving what is good, keen, unhin- 
 dered, 
 
 23 Beneficent, loving toward man, 
 Stedfast, sure, free from care, 
 All-powerful, all-surveying, 
 
 And penetrating through all spirits 
 That are quick of understanding, pure, 
 most subtil : 
 
 24 For wisdom is more mobile than any 
 
 motion ; 
 Yea, she pervadeth and penetrateth 
 all things by reason of her pure- 
 ness. 
 
 25 For she is a ^^ breath of the power of 
 
 God, 
 And a clear effluence of the glory of 
 
 the Almighty ; 
 Therefore can nothing defiled find 
 
 entrance into her. 
 
 26 For she is an effulgence from ever- 
 
 lasting light, 
 
 And an unspotted mirror of the work- 
 ing of God, 
 
 And an image of his goodness. 
 
 27 And she, being one, hath power to do 
 
 all things ; 
 And remaining in herself, reneweth 
 all things : 
 
8. 11. 
 
 THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 
 
 9. 4. 
 
 iGr. 
 
 every 
 arrange- 
 ment of 
 stars. 
 
 aGr. 
 
 to this. 
 
 a Or, 
 
 reacheth 
 from end 
 onward 
 unto end 
 mightily 
 4 Or, 
 unto 
 good use 
 
 8 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 deviseth 
 for him. 
 
 6 The 
 Greek 
 text of 
 this 
 
 clause is 
 perhaps 
 corrupt. 
 
 7 Gr.she. 
 aGr. Her 
 labours 
 are. 
 
 « Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 how to 
 dii-ine 
 the 
 
 t hi tigs 
 of old 
 and the 
 things 
 to come. 
 10 Gr. 
 conjec- 
 tiireth. 
 Ji Or, 
 hold 
 couTisel 
 with me 
 for good 
 things, 
 and . . . 
 against 
 cares 
 and 
 gritf 
 IS Or, 
 exhort 
 Or, 
 advise 
 
 And from generation to generation 
 
 passing into holy souls 
 She maketh men friends of God and 
 
 prophets. 
 
 28 For nothing doth God love save him 
 
 that dwelleth with wisdom. 
 
 29 For she is fairer than the sun, 
 
 And above ^ all the constellations of 
 
 the stars : 
 Being compared with light, she is 
 
 found to be before it ; 
 
 30 For 2 to the light of day succeedeth 
 
 night, 
 But against wisdom evil doth not 
 
 prevail ; 
 8 But she 3 reacheth from one end of 
 
 the world to the other with full 
 
 strength, 
 And ordereth all things * graciously. 
 
 2 Her I loved and sought out from my 
 
 youth, 
 And I sought to take her for my 
 
 bride, 
 And I became enamoured of her 
 
 beauty. 
 
 3 She glorifleth her noble birth in that 
 
 it is given her to live with God, 
 And the Sovereign Lord of all loved 
 her. 
 
 4 For she is initiated into the know- 
 
 ledge of God, 
 And she ^ chooseth out for him his 
 works. 
 
 5 But if riches are a desired possession 
 
 in life. 
 What is richer than wisdom, which 
 worketh all things ? 
 
 6 ® And if understanding worketh, 
 Who more than ^wisdom is an arti- 
 ficer of the things that are ? 
 
 7 And if a man loveth righteousness, 
 
 * The fruits of wisdom's labour are 
 virtues. 
 
 For she teacheth soberness and un- 
 derstanding, righteousness and cou- 
 rage; 
 
 And there is nothing in life for men 
 more profitable than these. 
 
 8 And if a man longeth even for much 
 
 experience, 
 She knoweth » the things of old, and 
 
 ^0 divineth the things to come : 
 She understandeth subtilties of 
 
 speeches and interpretations of 
 
 dark sayings : 
 She foreseeth signs and wonders, and 
 
 the issues of seasons and times. 
 
 9 I determined therefore to take her 
 
 unto me to live with me, 
 Knowing that she is one who would 
 
 *^give me good thoughts lor counsel. 
 And 12 encourage me in cares and 
 
 grief. 
 10 Because of her I shall have glory 
 
 among multitudes, 
 And honour in the sight of elders, 
 
 though I be young. 
 Ill shall be found of a quick conceit 
 
 when I give judgement, 
 
 21 
 
 9 
 
 And in the presence of "princes I 
 shall be admired. 
 
 When I am silent, they shall wait for 
 me; 
 
 And when I open my lips, they shall 
 give heed unto me ; 
 
 And if I continue speaking, they shall 
 lay their hand upon their mouth. 
 
 Because of her I shall have immor- 
 tality. 
 
 And leave behind an eternal memory 
 to them that come after me. 
 
 I shall govern peoples, 
 
 And nations shall be subjected to 
 me. 
 
 Dread princes shall fear me when 
 they hear of me : 
 
 Among my i* people I shall shew 
 myself a good ruler, and in war 
 courageous. 
 
 When I am come into my house, I 
 shall find rest with her ; 
 
 For converse with her hath no bitter- 
 ness, 
 
 And to live with her hath no pain, but 
 gladness and joy. 
 
 When I considered these things in 
 myself. 
 
 And took thought in my heart how 
 that in kinship unto wisdom is im- 
 mortality, 
 
 And in her friendship is good delight, 
 
 And in the labours of her hands is 
 wealth that faileth not, 
 
 And in ^^ assiduous communing with 
 her is understanding, 
 
 And great renown in having fellow- 
 ship with her words, 
 
 I went about seeking how to take her 
 unto myself. 
 
 Now I was i« a child of parts, and a 
 good soul fell to my lot ; 
 
 Nay rather, being good, I came into a 
 body undefiled. 
 
 But perceiving that I could not other- 
 wise " possess wisdom except God 
 gave her me 
 
 (Yea and to know ^^hj whom the 
 grace is given, this too came of un- 
 derstanding), 
 
 I pleaded with the Lord and besought 
 him, 
 
 And with my whole heart I said, 
 
 O God of the fathers, and ^^ Lord who 
 
 keepest thy mercy. 
 Who madest all things 20 by thy word ; 
 And by thy wisdom thou formedst 
 
 man. 
 That he should have dominion over 
 
 the creatures that were made by 
 
 thee, 
 And rule the world in holiness and 
 
 righteousness. 
 And execute judgement in upright- 
 ness of soul ; 
 Give me wisdom, her that sitteth by 
 
 thee on thy 21 throne ; 
 And reject me not from among thy 
 
 22 servants : 
 
 13 Or, 
 mighty 
 men 
 
 i*Gr. 
 
 multi- 
 tude. 
 
 16 Gr. 
 practice 
 of com- 
 munion. 
 
 16 Or. a 
 
 goodly 
 child 
 
 17 This 
 is the 
 probable 
 sense : 
 the 
 
 Greek 
 text is 
 perhaps 
 defec- 
 tive. 
 
 isGr. 0/ 
 whom 
 is the 
 grace. 
 i»Gr. 
 Lard 
 of thy 
 mercy. 
 Compare 
 2 Sam. 
 vii. 15; 
 Ps. 
 
 Ixzxix. 
 49. 
 aoGr.en. 
 
 21 Gr. 
 thrones. 
 «2 0r, 
 children 
 
 67 
 
9. 18. 
 
 THE WISDOM 
 
 OF SOLOMON. 10. 10. 
 
 
 5 Because I am thy bondman and the 
 
 them which are on earth were cor- 
 
 
 
 son of thy handmaid, 
 
 rected, 
 
 
 
 A man weak and short-lived, 
 
 And men were taught the things that 
 
 
 
 And of small power to understand 
 
 are pleasing unto thee ; 
 
 
 
 judgement and laws. 
 
 And through wisdom were they saved. 
 
 
 
 6 For even if a man be perfect among 
 
 
 
 
 the sons of men, 
 
 
 
 
 Yet if the wisdom that cometh from 
 
 
 
 
 thee be not with him, he shall be 
 
 10 »o Wisdom guarded to the end the 
 
 10 Gr. 
 
 
 held in no account. 
 
 first formed father of the world, that 
 
 She. 
 
 
 7 Thou didst choose me before my bre- 
 
 was created alone, 
 
 
 
 thren to be king of thy people. 
 
 And delivered him out of his own 
 
 
 
 And to do judgement for thy sons and 
 
 transgression, 
 
 
 
 daughters. 
 
 2 And gave him strength to get domin- 
 
 
 
 8 Thou gavest command to build a sanc- 
 
 ion over all things. 
 
 
 
 tuary in thy holy mountain. 
 
 3 But when an unrighteous ma,Ti fell 
 
 
 1 Or, a 
 
 And 1 an altar in the city of thy 2 habi- 
 
 away from her in his anger, 
 
 
 place of 
 sacrifice 
 2 Gr. 
 
 tation, 
 
 He perished himself in the rage 
 
 
 A copy of the holy tabernacle which 
 
 wherewith he slew his brother. 
 
 
 taber- 
 
 thou preparedst aforehand from the 
 
 4 And when for his cause the earth was 
 
 
 nacting. 
 
 beginning. 
 
 drowning with a flood. 
 
 
 
 9 And with thee is wisdom, which 
 
 Wisdom again saved it. 
 
 
 
 knoweth thy works. 
 
 Guiding the righteous man's course 
 
 
 
 And was present when thou wast 
 
 by a poor piece of wood. 
 
 
 
 making the world. 
 
 
 
 
 And which understandeth what is 
 
 
 
 
 pleasing in thine eyes. 
 
 5 Moreover, when nations consenting 
 
 
 3 Gr. in. 
 
 And what is right ^ according to thy 
 
 together in wickedness had been 
 
 
 
 commandments. 
 
 confounded, 
 
 
 
 10 Send her forth out of the holy hea- 
 
 ^0 Wisdom knew the righteous man. 
 
 
 
 vens. 
 
 and preserved him blameless unto 
 
 
 
 And from the throne of thy glory bid 
 
 God, 
 
 
 
 her come, 
 
 And kept him strong when his heart 
 
 
 
 That being present with me she may 
 
 yearned toward his child. 
 
 
 
 toil with me, 
 
 
 
 
 And that I may learn what is well- 
 
 
 
 
 pleasing before thee. 
 
 6 While the ungodly were perishing. 
 
 
 
 11 For she knoweth all things and hath 
 
 "wisdom delivered a righteous 
 
 
 
 understanding thereof. 
 
 man. 
 
 
 
 And in my doings she shall guide me 
 
 Wlien he fled from the fire that de- 
 
 
 
 in ways of soberness, 
 
 scended out of heaven on ^^ Penta- 
 
 11 That 
 
 
 And she shall guard me in her glory. 
 
 polis. 
 
 is, the re- 
 
 
 12 And so shall my works be acceptable. 
 
 7 To whose wickedness a smoking 
 
 gion of 
 the five 
 cities. 
 
 
 And I shall judge thy people right- 
 
 waste still witnesseth. 
 
 
 eously, 
 
 And plants bearing fair fruit that 
 
 
 
 And I shall be worthy of my father's 
 
 cometh not to ripeness ; 
 
 
 4Gr. 
 
 4 throne. 
 
 Yea and a ^2 disbelieving soul hath a 
 
 12 Or, 
 
 thrones. 
 
 13 For what man shall know the counsel 
 
 memorial there, a pillar of salt still 
 
 distrust- 
 ful 
 
 
 of God? 
 
 standing. 
 
 
 Or who shall conceive what the Lord 
 
 8 For having passed wisdom by. 
 
 
 
 willeth? 
 
 Not only were they disabled from 
 
 
 
 14 For the thoughts of mortals are 
 
 recognising the things which are 
 
 
 sThe' 
 
 ^ timorous. 
 
 good. 
 
 
 Greek 
 
 text 
 here is 
 
 And our devices are prone to fail. 
 
 But they also left behind them ^^ for 
 
 " P'/.^?' 
 
 15 For a corruptible body weigheth 
 
 human life a monument of their 
 
 their life 
 
 perhaps 
 
 down the soul. 
 
 folly; 
 
 
 corrupt. 
 6 Or, 
 museth 
 
 And the earthy frame lieth heavy on 
 
 To the end that " where they ^^ went 
 
 14 Gr. 
 
 a mind that "is full of cares. 
 
 astray they might fail even to be 
 
 ivhcrein. 
 16 Gr. 
 stumbled. 
 
 upon 
 
 16 And hardly do we " divine the things 
 
 unseen : 
 
 many 
 thingg 
 
 that are on earth. 
 
 9 But wisdom delivered out of troubles 
 
 
 7Gr. 
 
 And the things that are close at hand 
 
 those that waited on her. 
 
 
 conjec- 
 ture. 
 
 we find with labour ; 
 
 
 
 But the things that are in the heavens 
 
 
 
 
 who ever yet traced out ? 
 
 10 When a righteous man was a fugitive 
 
 
 8 Or, 
 
 17 And who ever gained knowledge of 
 
 from a brother's wrath, i" wisdom 
 
 
 hadst 
 given 
 
 . . . and 
 
 thy counsel, except thou « gavest 
 
 guided him in straight paths ; 
 
 
 wisdom, 
 
 She shewed him God's kingdom, and 
 
 
 sent 
 
 And sentest thy holy spirit » from on 
 
 gave him knowledge of holy things ; 
 
 
 » Gr. 
 
 from the 
 
 high? 
 
 She prospered him in his toils, and 
 
 
 iighest. 
 
 18 And it was thus that the ways of 
 
 multiplied the fruits of his labour ; 
 
 
11. 4. 
 
 THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 
 
 11. 19. 
 
 iGr. 
 
 every 
 
 one. 
 
 « Gr. she. 
 
 »0r, 
 from the 
 sin of his 
 brethren 
 . . . into 
 
 *Gt. 
 
 She. 
 
 sOr, 
 toon- 
 venge- 
 ance 
 on foes 
 6 Or. 
 the steep 
 rock 
 'See 
 Deut. 
 viii. 15 : 
 Ps. cxiv. 
 
 11 When in their covetousness men dealt 
 
 hardly with him, 
 She stood by him and made him 
 rich ; 
 
 12 She guarded him from enemies, 
 And from those that lay in wait she 
 
 kept him safe, 
 And over his sore conflict she watched 
 
 as judge, 
 That he might know that godUness is 
 
 more powerful than ^ all. 
 
 13 When a righteous man was sold, ' wis- 
 
 dom forsook him not, 
 But ' from sin she delivered him ; 
 She went down with him into a dun- 
 geon, 
 
 14 And in bonds she left him not. 
 
 Till she brought him the sceptre of a 
 
 kingdom, 
 And authority over those that dealt 
 
 tyrannously with him ; 
 She shewed them also to be false that 
 
 had mockingly accused him. 
 And gave him eternal glory. 
 
 15 * Wisdom delivered a holy people and 
 
 a blameless seed from a nation of 
 oppressors. 
 
 16 She entered into the soul of a servant 
 
 of the Lord, 
 And withstood terrible kings in won- 
 ders and signs. 
 
 17 She rendered unto holy men a reward 
 
 of their toils ; 
 She guided them along a marvellous 
 
 way, 
 And became unto them a covering in 
 
 the day-time, 
 And a flame of stars through the 
 
 night. 
 
 18 She brought them over the Red sea, 
 And led them through much water ; 
 
 19 But their enemies she drowned. 
 And out of the bottom of the deep she 
 
 cast them up. 
 
 20 Therefore the righteous spoiled the 
 
 ungodly; 
 And they sang praise to thy holy 
 
 name, O Lord, 
 And extolled with one accord thy 
 
 hand that fought for them : 
 
 21 Because wisdom opened the mouth of 
 
 the dumb, 
 And made the tongues of babes to 
 speak clearly. 
 
 11 She prospered their works in the 
 hand of a holy prophet. 
 
 2 They journeyed through a desert 
 
 without inhabitant. 
 And in trackless regions they pitched 
 their tents. 
 
 3 They withstood enemies, and s repell- 
 
 ed foes. 
 
 4 They thirsted, and they called upon 
 
 thee. 
 And there was given them water out 
 of c the ^ flinty rock, 
 
 And healing of their thirst out of the 
 hard stone. 
 
 5 For by what things their foes were 
 
 punished, 
 By these they in their need were 
 benefited. 
 
 6 ® When the eiiemy were troubled with 
 
 clotted blood instead of a river's 
 ever-flowing fountain, 
 
 7 To rebuke the decree for the slaying 
 
 of babes, 
 Thou gavest them abundant water 
 beyond all hope, 
 
 8 Having shewn tfiem by ^ the thirst 
 
 which they had suffered how thou 
 didst punish the adversaries. 
 
 9 For when they were tried, albeit but 
 
 in mercy chastened. 
 They learned how the ungodly were 
 tormented, being judged with 
 wrath : 
 
 10 For these, as a father, admonishing 
 
 them, thou didst prove ; 
 But those, as a stern king, condemn- 
 ing them, thou didst search out. 
 
 11 Yea and whether they were far off 
 
 from the righteous or near them, 
 they were alike distressed ; 
 
 12 For a double grief took hold on them. 
 And a groaning at the remembrance 
 
 of things past. 
 
 13 For when they heard that through 
 
 their ovm punishments the others 
 ^0 had been benefited. 
 They felt the presence o/the Lord; 
 
 14 For him who long before was " cast 
 
 forth and exposed they left off 
 
 mocking : 
 In the last issue of what came to pass 
 
 12 they marvelled, 
 Having thirsted in another manner 
 
 than the righteous. 
 
 15 But in requital of the senseless im- 
 
 aginings of their unrighteousness, 
 Wherein they were led astray to wor- 
 ship irrational reptiles and wretch- 
 ed vermin. 
 Thou didst send upon them a mul- 
 titude of irrational creatures for 
 vengeance ; 
 
 16 That they might learn, that by what 
 
 things a man sinneth, by these he is 
 punished. 
 
 17 For thine all-powerful hand. 
 
 That created the world out of formless 
 
 matter. 
 Lacked not means to send upon them 
 
 a multitude of bears, or fierce lions. 
 
 18 Or "new-created wild beasts, full of 
 
 rage, of unknown kind. 
 Either breathing out a blast of fiery 
 
 breath. 
 Or blowing forth from their nostrils 
 
 noisome smoke. 
 Or flashing dreadful sparkles from 
 
 their eyes ; 
 
 19 Which had power not only to consume 
 
 them by their " violence. 
 But to destroy them even by the ter- 
 ror of their sight. 
 
 8 The 
 text of 
 this 
 verse is 
 perliaps 
 corrupt. 
 
 9Gr. 
 
 the then 
 thirst. 
 
 10 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 were 
 being. 
 
 1 1 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 cast 
 forth in 
 hatred 
 they. 
 
 la Or, 
 they 
 mar- 
 velled 
 at him 
 
 13 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 vnl-noivn 
 wild 
 beasts, 
 fun of 
 new- 
 
 it Gt. 
 
 harm- 
 fulness. 
 
12. 8. 
 
 THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 
 
 12. 19. 
 
 iGr. 
 
 that 
 
 which 
 
 just 
 
 tumeth. 
 
 3 Gr. 
 
 from. 
 
 3 Or, 
 
 souls 
 
 4 Gt.fall 
 aside. 
 
 6 The 
 •words 
 rendered 
 slaugh- 
 ters and 
 impious 
 in verses 
 5 and 6 
 differ 
 but 
 
 from 
 
 readings 
 
 of the 
 
 Greek 
 
 text, 
 
 which 
 
 here 
 
 yield no 
 
 eense. 
 
 «Or, 
 
 children 
 
 20 Yea and without these might they 
 have fallen by a single breath, 
 
 Being pursued by Justice, and scat- 
 tered abroad by the breath of thy 
 power. 
 
 But by measure and number and 
 weight thou didst order all things. 
 
 21 For to be greatly strong is thine at 
 
 all times ; 
 And the might of thine arm who shall 
 withstand? 
 
 22 Because the whole world before thee 
 
 is as 1 a grain = in a balance, 
 And as a drop of dew that at morning 
 Cometh down upon the earth. 
 
 23 But thou hast mercy on all men, be- 
 
 cause thou hast power to do all 
 things. 
 And thou overlookest the sins of men 
 to the end they may repent. 
 
 24 For thou lovest all things that are. 
 And abhorrest none of the things 
 
 which thou didst make ; 
 For never wouldest thou have formed 
 anything if thou didst hate it. 
 
 25 And how would anything have en- 
 
 dured, except thou hadst willed it ? 
 Or that which was not called by 
 thee, how would it have been pre- 
 served ? 
 
 26 But thou sparest all things, because 
 
 they are thine, 
 O Sovereign Lord, thou lover of men's 
 
 3 lives ; 
 12 For thine incorruptible spirit is in all 
 
 things. 
 2 Wherefore thou convictest by little 
 
 and little them that * fall from the 
 
 right way, 
 And, putting them in remembrance by 
 
 the very things wherein they sin, 
 
 dost thou admonish them. 
 That escaping from their wickedness 
 
 they may believe on thee, O Lord. 
 
 3 For verily the old inhabitants of thy 
 
 holy land, 
 4: B-Siting' them because they practised 
 
 detestable works of enchantments 
 
 and unholy rites 
 
 5 (5 Merciless slaughters of children. 
 And sacrificial banquets of men's flesh 
 
 and of blood), 
 
 6 Confederates in an impious fellow- 
 
 ship. 
 And murderers of their own helpless 
 
 babes, 
 It was thy counsel to destroy by the 
 
 hands of our fathers ; 
 
 7 That the land which in thy sight is 
 
 most precious of all lands 
 Might receive a worthy colony of 
 God's 6 servants. 
 
 8 Nevertheless even these thou didst 
 
 spare as beinr/ men, 
 And thou sentest '^hornets as fore- 
 runners of thy host. 
 
 To cause them to perish by little and 
 
 little ; 
 9 Not that thou wast unable to subdue 
 
 the ungodly under the hand of the 
 
 righteous in battle, 
 Or by terrible beasts or by one stern 
 
 word to make away with them at 
 
 once ; 
 
 10 But judging them by little and little 
 
 thou gavest them a place of repent- 
 ance, 
 
 Not being ignorant that their nature 
 by birth was evil, and their wicked- 
 ness inborn, 
 
 And that their manner of thought 
 would in no wise ever be changed, 
 
 11 For they were a seed accursed from 
 
 the beginning : 
 Neither was it through fear of any 
 that thou didst leave them theti 
 unpunished for their sins. 
 
 12 For who shall say. What hast thou 
 
 done ? 
 
 Or who shall withstand thy judge- 
 ment? 
 
 And who shall accuse thee for the 
 perishing of nations which thou 
 didst make ? 
 
 Or who shall come and stand before 
 thee as an avenger for unrighteous 
 men? 
 
 13 For neither is there any God beside 
 
 thee that careth for all. 
 That thou mightest shew imto him 
 that thou didst not judge unright- 
 eously : 
 
 14 Neither shall king or prince be able 
 
 to look thee in the face to plead 
 for those whom thou hast pun- 
 ished. 
 
 15 But being righteous thou rulest all 
 
 things righteously. 
 Deeming it a thing alien from thy 
 
 power 
 To condemn one that doth not himself 
 
 deserve to be punished. 
 
 16 For thy strength is the beginning of 
 
 righteousness, 
 And thy sovereignty over all maketh 
 thee to forbear all. 
 
 17 For when men believe not that thou 
 
 art perfect in power, thou shewest 
 thy strength, 
 8 And 9 in dealing with them that know 
 it thou puttest their boldness to 
 confusion. 
 
 18 But thou, being sovereign over thy 
 
 strength, judgest in gentleness. 
 And with great forbearance dost thou 
 
 govern us ; 
 For the power is thine whensoever 
 
 thou hast the will. 
 
 19 But thou didst teach thy people by 
 such works as these. 
 How that the righteous must be a 
 lover of men ; 
 
 70 
 
13. 3. 
 
 THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 
 
 13. 16. 
 
 lOr, 
 chUdr 
 
 9 Or, 
 even 
 beyond 
 'Gr. 
 
 living 
 crea- 
 tures : 
 and so 
 else- 
 where 
 in this 
 book. 
 
 * Or, by 
 a cor- 
 rection, 
 which 
 was as 
 chiU 
 dren's 
 play 
 Gr.by 
 child, 
 play of 
 correc- 
 tion. 
 •Or, 
 denied 
 that they 
 knew 
 
 « Or, are 
 
 TGr. 
 
 circle of 
 
 heaven, 
 
 nders 
 
 of the 
 
 world, 
 
 they 
 
 thought 
 
 tobegods 
 
 And thou didst make thy sons to he of 
 
 good hope, 
 Because thou givest repentance when 
 
 men have sinned. 
 
 20 For if on them that were enemies of 
 
 thy ^ servants and due to death 
 Thou didst talce vengeance with so 
 
 great heedfulness and indulgence. 
 Giving them times and place whereby 
 they might escape from their wick- 
 edness ; 
 
 21 "With how great carefulness didst thou 
 
 judge thy sons, 
 To whose fathers thou gavest oaths 
 and covenants of good promises ! 
 
 22 While therefore thou dost chasten us, 
 
 thou scourgest our enemies ten 
 
 thousand times more. 
 To the intent that we may ponder thy 
 
 goodness when we judge. 
 And when we are judged may look 
 
 for mercy. 
 
 23 Wherefore also the unrighteous that 
 
 lived in folly of life 
 Thou didst torment through their own 
 
 abominations. 
 24: For verily they went astray very far 
 
 2 in the ways of error. 
 Taking as gods those ^ animals which 
 
 even among their enemies were held 
 
 in dishonour. 
 Deceived like foolish babes. 
 
 25 Therefore, as unto unreasoning chil- 
 
 dren, thou didst send thy judgement 
 to mock them. 
 
 26 But they that would not be admon- 
 
 ished * by a mocking correction as 
 of children 
 Shall have experience of a judgement 
 worthy of God. 
 
 27 For through the sufferings whereat 
 
 they were indignant, 
 
 Being punished in these creatures 
 which they supposed to be gods. 
 
 They saw, and recognised as the true 
 God him whom before they ^ refused 
 to know : 
 
 Wherefore also the last end of con- 
 demnation came upon them. 
 
 13 For verily all men by nature ^were 
 
 init vain who had no perception of 
 
 God, 
 And from the good things that are 
 
 seen they gained not power to know 
 
 him that is, 
 Neither by giving heed to the works 
 
 did they recognise the artificer ; 
 
 2 But either fire, or wind, or swift au-. 
 Or ^ circling stars, or raging water, or 
 
 * Imninaries of heaven, 
 They thought to be gods that rule the 
 world. 
 
 3 And if it was through delight in their 
 
 beauty that they took them to be 
 
 gods, 
 Let them know how much better than 
 
 these is their Sovereign Lord ; 
 For the first author of beauty created 
 
 them: 
 
 4 But if it was through astonishment at 
 
 their power and » influence. 
 Let them understand from them how 
 much more powerful is he that 
 formed them ; 
 
 5 For from the " greatness of the beauty 
 
 "even of created things 
 " In like proportion ^^ does man form 
 the image of their first maker. 
 
 6 But yet for these " men there is but 
 
 small blame, 
 For they too peradventure do hut go 
 
 astray 
 While they are seeking God and 
 
 desiring to find him. 
 7 For ^living among his works they 
 
 make diUgent search, 
 And they ^^ yield themselves up to 
 
 sight, because the things that they 
 
 look upon are beautiful. 
 
 8 But again even they are not to be 
 
 excused. 
 
 9 For if they had power to know so 
 
 much. 
 That they should be able to explore 
 
 " the course of things. 
 How is it that they did not sooner find 
 
 the Sovereign Lord of these his 
 
 works? 
 
 10 But miserable ^u-ere they, and "in 
 
 dead things ^ ivere their hopes, 
 Who called them gods which are 
 
 works of men's hands. 
 Gold and silver, wrought with careful 
 
 art, and likenesses of animals, 
 Or a useless stone, the work of an 
 
 ancient hand. 
 
 11 Yea and if some ^^ woodcutter, having 
 
 sawn down a ^o tree that is easily 
 
 moved. 
 Skilfully strippeth away all its bark, 
 And fashioning it in comely form mak- 
 
 eth a vessel useful for the service of 
 
 life; 
 
 12 And burning the refuse of his handy- 
 
 work to dress his food,eateth his fill ; 
 
 13 And taking the very refuse thereof 
 
 which served to no use, 
 A crooked piece of wood and full of 
 
 knots, 
 Carveth it with the diligence of his 
 
 idleness. 
 And shapeth it by the skill of his 
 
 2^ indolence : 
 2- TJieii he giveth it the semblance of 
 
 the image of a man, 
 
 14 Or maketh it like some paltry animal. 
 Smearing it with vermilion, and with 
 
 23 paint colouring it red, 
 And smearing over every stain that is 
 therein ; 
 
 15 And having made for it a chamber 
 
 worthy of it, 
 He setteth it in a wall, making it fast 
 with iron. 
 
 16 While then he taketh thought for it 
 
 that it may not fall down. 
 Knowing that it is unable to help 
 itself; 
 
 »Gr. 
 
 efficacy. 
 
 10 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 great- 
 ness and 
 beauty 
 of. 
 
 11 Some 
 authori- 
 ties omit 
 even. 
 
 15 Or, 
 Cor- 
 
 respond- 
 ently 
 
 13 Gr. is 
 
 the first 
 
 maker 
 
 of them 
 
 beheld. 
 
 i*Or, 
 
 things 
 
 16 Or, 
 being 
 occupied 
 with 
 i«Or, 
 trust 
 their 
 sight 
 that the 
 
 17 Or, 
 
 Or, the 
 world 
 Gr. the 
 age. 
 
 18 Or, 
 
 19 Gr. 
 car- 
 penter 
 who is a 
 wood- 
 cutter. 
 
 20 Gr. 
 plant. 
 The 
 Greek 
 word, 
 slightly 
 changed, 
 would 
 mean 
 trunk* 
 
 aiOr, 
 leisure 
 
 aaOr, 
 And 
 
 «3 Gr. 
 
 rouge. 
 
14. 11. 
 
 THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 
 
 14. 24. 
 
 haniy- 
 voork 
 
 a Gr. by. 
 
 3 The 
 
 Greek 
 
 text 
 
 here is 
 
 perhaps 
 
 corrupt. 
 
 *0r, 
 
 future 
 
 time 
 
 Gr. age. 
 
 6 Or, is 
 
 • Or, 
 upon 
 Gr. in. 
 
 (For verily It is an image, and hath 
 need of help ;) 
 
 17 When he maketh his prayer concern- 
 
 ing goods and his marriage and chil- 
 dren, 
 He is not ashamed to speak to that 
 which hath no life; 
 
 18 Yea for health he calleth upon that 
 
 which is weak, 
 And for life he beseecheth that which 
 
 is dead, 
 And for aid he supplicateth that which 
 
 hath least experience, 
 And for a good journey that which 
 
 cannot so much as move a step, 
 19 And for gaining and ^getting and 
 
 good success of his hands 
 He asketh ability of that which with 
 
 its hands is most unable. 
 
 14 Again, one preparing to sail, and 
 
 about to journey over raging waves, 
 
 Calleth upon a piece of wood more 
 
 rotten than the vessel that carrieth 
 
 him ; 
 
 2 For that vessel the hunger for gains 
 
 devised, 
 And an artificer, even wisdom, built 
 it; 
 
 3 And thy providence, O Father, guid- 
 
 eth it along. 
 Because even in the sea thou gavest a 
 
 way, 
 And in the waves a sure path, 
 
 4 Shewing that thou canst save out of 
 
 every danger. 
 That so even without art a man may 
 put to sea ; 
 
 5 And it is thy will that the works of 
 
 thy wisdom should not be idle ; 
 Therefore also do men intrust their 
 
 lives to a little piece of wood. 
 And passing through the surge ^ on a 
 
 raft are brought safe to land. 
 
 6 For 8 in the old time also, when proud 
 
 giants were perishing. 
 The hope of the world, taking refuge 
 
 on a raft, 
 Left to *the race of men a seed of 
 
 generations to come. 
 Thy hand guiding the helm. 
 
 7 For blessed ^ hath been wood through 
 
 which Cometh righteousness : 
 
 8 But the idol made with hands is ac- 
 
 cursed, itself and he that made it; 
 Because his was the working, and the 
 corruptible thing was named a god : 
 
 9 For both the ungodly doer and his 
 
 ungodliness are alike hateful to 
 God; 
 
 10 For verily the deed shall be punished 
 
 together with him that committed 
 it. 
 
 11 Therefore also ^ among the idols of 
 
 the nations shall there be a visita- 
 tion, 
 Because, though formed of things 
 which God created, they were made 
 an abomination, 
 
 And stumblingblocks to the souls of 
 
 men. 
 And a snare to the feet of the foolish. 
 
 12 For the devising of idols was the 
 
 beginning of fornication, 
 And the invention of them the cor- 
 ruption of life : 
 
 13 For neither were they from the begin- 
 
 ning, neither shall they be for ever; 
 
 14 For by the vaingloriousness of men 
 
 they entered into the world, 
 And therefore was a speedy end 
 devised for them. 
 
 15 For a father worn with untimely grief. 
 Making an image of the child quickly 
 
 taken away. 
 Now honoured him as a god which 
 
 was then a dead man, 
 And delivered to those that were 
 
 under him mysteries and solemn 
 
 rites. 
 
 16 Afterward the ungodly custom, in 
 
 process of time grown strong, was 
 kept as a law. 
 And by the commandments of princes 
 the graven images received worship. 
 
 17 And when men could not honoui' them 
 
 in presence because they dwelt far 
 
 off. 
 Imagining the likeness from afar. 
 They made a visible image of the king 
 
 whom they honoured, 
 That by their zeal they might flatter 
 
 the absent as if present. 
 
 18 But unto a yet higher pitch was wor- 
 
 ship raised even by them that knew 
 Mm not, 
 Urged forward by the ambition of the 
 artificer : 
 
 19 For he, wishing peradventure to 
 
 please one in authority. 
 Used his art to force the likeness 
 toward a greater beauty ; 
 
 20 And the multitude, allured by reason 
 
 of the grace of his handywork. 
 Now accounted as an object of devo- 
 tion him that a little before was 
 honoured as a man. 
 
 21 And this became ^a hidden danger 
 
 unto life, 
 Because men, in bondage either to 
 
 calamity or to tyranny. 
 Invested stones and stocks with the 
 
 incommunicable Name. 
 
 22 Afterward it was not enough for them 
 
 to go astray as touching the know- 
 ledge of God ; 
 
 But also, while they live ^in ^sore 
 conflict through ignorance of him, 
 
 That multitude of evils they call 
 peace. 
 
 23 For either slaughtering children in 
 
 solemn rites, or celebrating secret 
 mysteries. 
 Or holding frantic revels of strange 
 ordinances, 
 
 24 No longer do they i" guard either life 
 
 or purity of marriage. 
 
 72 
 
15. 7. 
 
 THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 
 
 15. 18. 
 
 lOr, 
 trou- 
 bling of 
 the good, 
 for get- 
 fulness 
 
 °/ 
 favours 
 
 a Or, 
 
 kind 
 
 3 Or, 
 
 idols 
 
 that may 
 
 notbe 
 
 named 
 
 See Ex. 
 
 xxiii. 13; 
 
 Pa. xvi. 
 
 4; Hob. 
 
 ii. 17. 
 
 *See 
 
 ver. 21. 
 
 s Gr. the 
 Justice 
 of them 
 that sin. 
 
 • Gr. 
 entire. 
 
 f Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 re- 
 proach. 
 
 But one brings upon another either 
 death by treachery, or anguish by 
 adulterate offspring. 
 
 25 And all things confusedly are filled 
 
 with blood and murder, theft and 
 deceit, 
 Corruption, faithlessness, tumult, per- 
 
 26 jury, ^ turmoil, 
 Ingratitude for benefits received. 
 Defiling of souls, confusion of - sex, 
 Disorder in marriage, adultery and 
 
 wantonness. 
 
 27 For the worship of ' those * nameless 
 
 idols 
 Is a beginning and cause and end of 
 every evil. 
 
 28 For their worshippers either make 
 
 merry unto madness, or prophesy 
 lies. 
 Or live unrighteously, or lightly for- 
 swear themselves. 
 
 29 For putting their trust in lifeless 
 
 idols. 
 When they have sworn a wicked 
 oath, they expect not to suffer 
 harm. 
 
 30 But for both sins shall the just doom 
 
 pursue them. 
 Because they had evil thoughts of 
 
 God by giving heed to idols, 
 And swore unrighteously in deceit 
 
 through contempt for holiness. 
 
 31 For it is not the power of them by 
 
 whom men swear. 
 
 But it is 5 that Justice which hath re- 
 gard to them that sin. 
 
 That visiteth always the transgres- 
 sion of the unrighteous. 
 
 15 But thou, our God, art gracious and 
 true, 
 Longsuffering, and in mercy ordering 
 all things. 
 
 2 For even if we sin, we are thine, 
 
 knowing thy dominion ; 
 But we shall not sin, knowing that we 
 have been accounted thine : 
 
 3 For to be acquainted with thee is 
 
 « perfect righteousness, 
 And to know thy dominion is the root 
 of immortality. 
 
 4 For neither were we led astray by any 
 
 evil device of men's art, 
 Nor yet by painters' fruitless labour, 
 A form stained with varied colours ; 
 
 5 The sight whereof leadeth fools into 
 
 ^ lust : 
 Their desire is for the breathless form 
 of a dead image. 
 
 6 Lovers of evil things, and worthy of 
 
 such hopes as these, 
 Are both they that do, and they that 
 desire, and they that worship. 
 
 7 For a potter, kneading soft earth. 
 Laboriously mouldeth each several 
 
 vessel for our service : 
 Nay, out of the same clay doth he 
 fashion 
 
 Both the vessels that minister to clean 
 uses, and those of a contrary sort, 
 
 All in like manner ; 
 
 But what shall be the use of each ves- 
 sel of either sort. 
 
 The 8 craftsman himself is the judge. 
 
 8 And also, labouring to an evil end, he 
 
 mouldeth a vain god out of the same 
 
 clay. 
 He who, having but a little before 
 
 been made of earth, 
 After a short space goeth his way to 
 
 the earth out of which he was taken. 
 When he is required to render back 
 
 the 9 soul which was lent him. 
 
 9 Howbeit he hath anxious care, 
 Not because his powers must fail. 
 Nor because his span of life is short ; 
 But he matcheth himself against gold- 
 smiths and ^^ silversmiths, 
 
 And he imitate th moulders in " brass. 
 And esteemeth it glory that he mould- 
 eth counterfeits. 
 
 10 His heart is ashes. 
 
 And his hope of less value than earth. 
 And his life of less honour than clay : 
 
 1 1 Because he was ignorant of him that 
 
 moulded him. 
 And of him that inspired into him 
 
 "an active ^soul, 
 And breathed into him a vital spirit. 
 
 12 But " he accounted our very life to be 
 
 a " plaything. 
 And our ^^ lifetime a gainful ^^ fair ; 
 For, saith he, one must get gain 
 
 whence one can, though it be by 
 
 evil. 
 
 13 For this man beyond all others know- 
 
 eth that he sinneth, 
 Out of earthy matter making brittle 
 vessels and graven images. 
 
 14 But most foolish ^' were they all, and 
 
 18 of feebler soul than a babe. 
 The enemies of thy people, who op- 
 pressed them ; 
 
 15 Because they even accounted all the 
 
 idols of the nations to be gods ; 
 Which have neither the use of eyes 
 
 for seeing. 
 Nor nostrils for drawing breath. 
 Nor ears to hear, 
 Nor fingers for handling, 
 And their feet are helpless for walking. 
 
 16 For a man made them. 
 
 And one whose own spirit is borrow- 
 ed moulded them ; 
 
 For no one hath power, bei}p[f a man, 
 to mould a god like unto himself, 
 
 17 But, being mortal, he maketh a dead 
 
 thing by the work of lawless hands ; 
 For he is better than the objects of 
 his worship, 
 
 19 Forasmuch as he indeed had life, 
 but they never. 
 
 18 Yea, and the creatures that are most 
 
 hateful do they worship, 
 
 20 For, being compared as to want of 
 sense, these are worse than all 
 others ; 
 
 F* 
 
 8Gr. 
 
 worker 
 in clay. 
 
 8 Or, 
 
 life 
 
 10 Gr. 
 
 silver- 
 founders. 
 
 11 Or, 
 copper 
 
 IS Gr. a 
 
 soul that 
 moveth 
 to acti- 
 vity. 
 13 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 
 i*Or, 
 sport 
 IS Or, 
 way of 
 life 
 18 Or, 
 keeping 
 of 
 festival 
 
 17 Or, 
 are 
 
 18 Gr. 
 more 
 wretched 
 than the 
 soul of a 
 babe. 
 The 
 Greek 
 text 
 here is 
 perhaps 
 corrupt. 
 
 19 Most 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 Of 
 
 which, he 
 indeed. 
 2 The 
 Greek 
 text 
 here is 
 perhaps 
 corrupt. 
 
16. 12. 
 
 THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 
 
 16. 25. 
 
 iQr. 
 strange. 
 
 «Gr. 
 those. 
 
 sGr. 
 them. 
 
 *Gr. 
 
 pricked. 
 8 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 hereto/ 
 help 
 
 from, thy 
 benefi- 
 cence. 
 « Gr. dis- 
 tracted, 
 or, 
 drawn 
 
 meaning 
 is some- 
 what 
 ol)scure. 
 
 19 Neither, as seeu beside other crea- 
 tures, are they beautiful, so that one 
 should desire them, 
 But they have escaped both the praise 
 of God and his blessing. 
 
 16 For this cause were these men 
 worthily punished through creatures 
 like those which they worship. 
 And tormented through a multitude 
 of vermin. 
 
 2 Instead of which punishment, thou, 
 
 bestowing benefits on thy people, 
 Preparedst quails for food. 
 Food of irare taste, to satisfy the 
 
 desire of their appetite ; 
 
 3 To the end that ^ thine enemies, de- 
 
 siring food. 
 
 Might for the hideousness of the crea- 
 tures sent among them 
 
 Loathe even the necessary appetite ; 
 
 But these, thy people, having for a 
 short space suffered want, 
 
 Might even partake of food of * rare 
 taste. 
 
 4 For it was needful that upon those 
 
 should come inexorable want In 
 their tyrannous dealing, 
 
 But that to these it should only be 
 shewed how their enemies were tor- 
 mented. 
 6 For even when terrible raging of wild 
 beasts came upon ^ thy people. 
 
 And they were perishing by the bites 
 of crooked serpents, 
 
 Thy wrath continued not to the utter- 
 most; 
 
 6 But for admonition were they troubled 
 
 for a short space. 
 Having a token of salvation. 
 To put them in remembrance of the 
 
 commandment of thy law : 
 
 7 For he that turned toward it was not 
 
 saved because of that which was 
 beheld, 
 But because of thee, the Saviour of 
 all. 
 
 8 Yea, and in this didst thou persuade 
 
 our enemies. 
 That thou art he that delivereth out 
 of every evil. 
 
 9 For them verily the bites of locusts 
 
 and flies did slay, 
 
 And there was not found a healing for 
 their life, 
 
 Because they were worthy to be pun- 
 ished by such as these ; 
 
 10 But thy sons not the very teeth of 
 
 venomous dragons overcame. 
 For thy mercy passed by where they 
 were, and healed them. 
 
 11 For they were * bitten, to put them in 
 
 remembrance of thine oracles ; 
 And were quickly saved, lest, falling 
 
 into deep forgetfulness. 
 They should become ^ unable to be 
 
 ® roused by thy beneficence : 
 
 12 For of a truth it was neither herb nor 
 
 mollifying plaister that cured them, 
 But thy word, O Lord, which healeth 
 all things ; 
 
 13 For thou hast authority over life and 
 
 death, 
 And thou leadest down to the gates 
 of Hades, and leadest up again. 
 
 14 But though a man may slay by his 
 
 ^ wickedness, 
 Yet the spirit that is gone forth he 
 
 turneth not again. 
 Neither giveth release to the soul that 
 
 Hades hath received. 
 
 15 But thy hand it is not possible to 
 
 escape ; 
 
 16 For ungodly men, » refusing to know 
 
 thee, were scourged in the strength 
 
 of thine arm. 
 Pursued with strange rains and hails 
 
 and showers inexorable. 
 And utterly consumed with fire ; 
 
 17 For, what was most marvellous of all. 
 In the water which quencheth all 
 
 things the fire wrought yet more 
 mightily ; 
 
 For the world fighteth for the right- 
 eous. 
 18 For at onetime the flame lost its 
 fierceness, 
 
 That it might not burn up the crea- 
 tures sent against the ungodly. 
 
 But that these themselves as they 
 looked might »see that they were 
 chased through the judgement of 
 God: 
 
 19 And at another time even in the midst 
 
 of water it burneth above the power 
 of fire. 
 That it may destroy the *° fruits of an 
 unrighteous land. 
 
 20 Instead whereof thou gavest thy peo- 
 
 ple angels' food to eat. 
 And bread ready for their use didst 
 
 thou provide for them from heaven 
 
 without their toil. 
 Bread having the virtue of every 
 
 pleasant savour. 
 And agreeing to every taste ; 
 
 21 For " thy ^^ nature manifested thy 
 
 sweetness toward thy children ; 
 While that bread, ministering to the 
 
 desire of the eater, 
 Tempered itself according to every 
 
 man's choice, 
 
 22 But snow and ice endured fire, and 
 
 melted not. 
 That men might know that fire was 
 
 destroying the fruits of the enemies. 
 Burning in the hail and flashing in the 
 
 rains ; 
 
 23 And " that this element again, in or- 
 
 der that righteous men may be 
 nourished. 
 Hath even forgotten its own power. 
 
 24 For the creation, ministering to thee 
 
 its maker, 
 
 Straineth its force against the un- 
 righteous, for punishment, 
 
 And slackeneth it in behalf of them 
 that trust in thee, for beneficence. 
 
 25 Therefore at that time also, convert- 
 
 ing itself into all forms, 
 74 
 
17. 8. 
 
 THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 
 
 17. 21. 
 
 lOr, 
 ?uid need 
 
 aGr. 
 
 genera- 
 tions. 
 
 3 Or, set 
 
 forth 
 
 *Gr. 
 
 scat- 
 teredby. 
 
 6 Gr. the 
 recess. 
 
 6 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 /?-ow- 
 bling 
 them 
 sore. 
 
 T Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 And the 
 mock- 
 eries of 
 magic 
 art lay 
 low, and 
 shame- 
 ful was 
 the 
 rebuke 
 
 gfC. 
 
 It ministered to tliiue all-nourishing 
 
 bounty, 
 According to the desire of them that 
 
 1 made supplication ; 
 
 26 That thy sons, whom thou lovedst, O 
 
 Lord, might learn 
 That it is not the ^ growth of the 
 
 eaHh's fruits that nourisheth a man, 
 But that thy word preserveth them 
 
 that trust thee. 
 
 27 For that which was not marred by 
 
 fire. 
 When it was simply warmed by a faint 
 sunbeam melted away ; 
 
 28 That it might be known that ive must 
 
 rise before the sun to give thee 
 thanks, 
 And must plead with thee at the dawn- 
 ing of the light : 
 
 29 For the hope of the unthankful shall 
 
 melt as the winter's hoar frost, 
 And shall flow away as water that 
 hath no use. 
 
 17 For great are thy judgements, and 
 hard to ° interpret ; 
 Therefore souls undisciplined went 
 astray. 
 
 2 For when lawless men had supposed 
 
 that they held a holy nation in their 
 power, 
 They themselves, prisoners of dark- 
 ness, and bound in the fetters of a 
 long night, 
 Close kept beneath their roofs, 
 Lay exiled from the eternal provi- 
 dence. 
 
 3 For while they thought that they were 
 
 unseen in their secret sins. 
 They were * sundered one from an- 
 other by a dark curtain of forget- 
 fulness, 
 Stricken with terrible awe, and sore 
 troubled by spectral forms. 
 
 4 For neither did ^the dark recesses 
 
 that held them guard them from 
 
 fears. 
 But sounds « rushing down rang 
 
 around them. 
 And phantoms appeared, cheerless 
 
 with unsmiling faces. 
 
 5 And no force of fire prevailed to give 
 
 them light, 
 Neither were the brightest flames of 
 the stars strong enough to illumine 
 that gloomy night : 
 
 6 But only there appeared to them the 
 
 glimmering of a fire self-kindled, full 
 
 of fear; 
 And in terror they deemed the things 
 
 which they saw 
 To be worse than that sight, on which 
 
 they could not gaze. 
 
 7 ^ And they lay helpless, made the sport 
 
 of magic art. 
 And a shameful rebuke of their vaunts 
 of understanding : 
 
 8 For they that promised to drive away 
 
 terrors and troublings from a sick 
 soul, 
 
 These were themselve3 sick with a 
 ludicrous fearfulness : 
 9 For even if no troublous thing af- 
 frighted them, 
 
 Yet, scared with the creepings of ver- 
 
 10 min and hissings of serpents, they 
 perished « for very trembling, 
 
 Refusing even to look on the air, which 
 could on no side be escaped. 
 
 11 s For wickedness, condemned by a 
 
 witness within, is a coward thing, 
 And, being pressed hard by con- 
 science, always "forecasteth the 
 worst lot : 
 
 12 For fear is nothing else but a sur- 
 
 render of the succours which reason 
 offereth ; 
 
 13 And from within the heart the ex- 
 
 pectation of them being less 
 Maketh of greater account the igno- 
 rance of the cause that bringeth the 
 torment. 
 
 14 But they, all through the night which 
 
 was powerless indeed, 
 And which came upon them out of the 
 
 recesses of powerless Hades, 
 All sleeping the same sleep, 
 
 15 Now were haunted by monstrous ap- 
 
 paritions. 
 And now were paralysed by their 
 
 soul's surrendering ; 
 For fear sudden and unlooked for 
 
 " came upon them. 
 
 16 So then every man, whosoever it 
 
 might be, sinking down ^^jn his 
 place. 
 Was kept in ward shut up in that 
 prison which was barred not with 
 iron: 
 
 17 For whether he were a husbandman, 
 
 or a shepherd. 
 Or a labourer whose toils were in the 
 
 wilderness, 
 He was overtaken, and endured that 
 
 inevitable necessity, 
 For with one chain of darkness were 
 
 they all bound. 
 
 18 Whether there were a whistling wind, 
 Or a melodious noise of birds among 
 
 the spreading branches, 
 Or a measured fall of water running 
 violently, 
 
 19 Or a harsh crashing of rocks hurled 
 
 down. 
 
 Or the swift course of animals bound- 
 ing along unseen, 
 
 Or the voice of wild beasts harshly 
 roaring. 
 
 Or an echo rebounding from ^^the 
 hollows of the mountains. 
 
 All these things paralysed them with 
 terror. 
 
 20 For the whole world beside was en- 
 
 lightened with clear light. 
 And was occupied with unhindered 
 works ; 
 
 21 While over them alone was spread a 
 
 heavy night, 
 An image of the darkness that should 
 afterward receive them ; 
 
 8 Or, 
 trem- 
 bling, 
 and re- 
 fusing to 
 • This 
 is the 
 probable 
 sense : 
 the 
 Greek 
 text is 
 perhaps 
 slightly 
 corrupt. 
 10 Most 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 hath 
 added. 
 
 11 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 wa^ 
 poured 
 upon 
 them. 
 
 12 Gr. 
 there. 
 
 13 Or, o 
 hollow 
 
18. 12. 
 
 THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 
 
 18. 24. 
 
 1 Gr. un- 
 harmful. 
 
 2 Or, 
 aspiring 
 3Gr. 
 they. 
 
 *0r, 
 future 
 time 
 Gr. the 
 age. 
 
 6 Or, to 
 fee to 
 them a 
 rdtruke 
 
 « Gr. By 
 this. 
 T Or. of 
 blessing 
 GT.of 
 good 
 men, or, 
 of good 
 things. 
 8Gr. 
 law of 
 divvie- 
 ness. 
 » Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 the 
 saifits 
 would 
 partake 
 . . .perils; 
 already 
 leading 
 the 
 
 fathers' 
 songs of 
 praise. 
 10 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 And was 
 
 lamenta- 
 tion for 
 children. 
 
 But yet heavier than darkness were 
 
 they unto themselves. 
 18 But for thy holy ones there was 
 
 great light ; 
 And the Egyptians, hearing their 
 
 voice but seeiug not their form, 
 Counted it a happy thing that they 
 
 too had suffered, 
 
 2 Yet for that they do not hurt them 
 
 now, though wronged by them, be- 
 fore, they are thankful ; 
 And because they had been at vari- 
 ance with them, they made suppli- 
 cation to them. 
 
 3 Whereas thou didst provide for thy 
 
 people a burning pillar of fire. 
 To be a guide for their unknown 
 
 journey. 
 And withal a ^ kindly sun for their 
 
 2 proud exile. 
 
 4 For well did ^ the Egyptians deserve 
 
 to be deprived of light and impri- 
 soned by darkness. 
 
 They who had kept in close ward thy 
 sons. 
 
 Through whom the incorruptible light 
 of the law was to be given to * the 
 race of meiL 
 
 5 After they had taken counsel to slay 
 
 the babes of the holy ones, 
 And when a single child had been 
 
 cast forth and saved = to convict 
 
 them of their sin. 
 Thou tookest away from them their 
 
 multitude of children, 
 And destroyedst Silltheir hosttogether 
 
 in a mighty flood. 
 
 6 Of that night were our fathers made 
 
 aware beforehand. 
 That, having sure knowledge, they 
 might be cheered by the oaths which 
 they had trusted : 
 
 7 So by thy people was expected salva- 
 
 tion of the righteous and destruction 
 of the enemies ; 
 
 8 For as thou didst take vengeance on 
 
 the adversaries, 
 « By the same means, calling us unto 
 thyself, thou didst glorify us. 
 
 9 For holy children ^ of good men of- 
 
 fered sacrifice in secret, 
 
 And with one consent they took upon 
 themselves the covenant of the 
 8 divine law, 
 
 That 8 they would partake alike in the 
 same good things and the same 
 perils ; 
 
 The fathers already leading the sa- 
 cred songs of praise. 
 
 10 But there sounded back in discord the 
 
 cry of the enemies, 
 ^° And a piteous voice of lamentation 
 for children was borne abroad. 
 
 11 And servant along with master pun- 
 
 ished with a like just doom, 
 And commoner suffering the same as 
 king, 
 
 12 Yea, all the people together, under one 
 
 form of death. 
 
 Had with them corpses without num- 
 ber; 
 
 For the living were not sufficient even 
 to bury them, 
 
 Since at a single " stroke their "no- 
 bler offspring was consumed. 
 
 13 For while they were disbelieving all 
 
 things by reason of the enchant- 
 ments. 
 Upon the destruction of the firstborn 
 they confessed the people to be 
 God's son. 
 
 14 For while peaceful silence enwrapped 
 
 all things, 
 And night in her own swiftness was 
 in mid course, 
 
 15 Thine all-powerful word leaped from 
 
 heaven out of ^^ the royal " throne, 
 A stern warrior, into the midst of the 
 ^5 doomed land, 
 
 16 Bearing as a sharp sword thine un- 
 
 feigned commandment ; 
 And standing it filled all things with 
 
 death ; 
 And while it touched the heaven it 
 
 trode upon the earth. 
 
 17 Then forthwith apparitions in dreams 
 
 terribly troubled them, 
 And fears came upon them unlooked 
 for: 
 
 18 And each, one thrown here half dead, 
 
 another there. 
 Made manifest wherefore he was dy- 
 ing: 
 
 19 For the dreams, perturbing them, did 
 
 foreshew this, 
 That they might not perish without 
 knowing why they were afflicted. 
 
 20 But it 16 befell the righteous also to 
 
 make trial of death. 
 And a multitude were stricken in the 
 
 wilderness : 
 Howbeit the wrath endured not for 
 
 long. 
 
 21 For a blameless man hasted to be 
 
 their champion : 
 
 Bringing the weapon of his own minis- 
 try. 
 
 Even prayer and the propitiation of 
 incense. 
 
 He withstood the indignation, and set 
 an end to the calamity, 
 
 Shewing that he was thy servant. 
 
 22 And he overcame the ^^ anger, 
 
 Not by strength of body, not by effi- 
 cacy of weapons ; 
 
 But 18 by word did he subdue "the 
 minister of punishment. 
 
 By bringing to remembrance oaths 
 and covenants made with the fa- 
 thers. 
 
 23 For when the dead were already fallen 
 
 in heaps one upon another. 
 Standing between he stopped the ad- 
 vancing wrath. 
 And 20 cut off the way to the living. 
 
 24 For upon 7iis long higJi-priestly robe 
 
 was the whole world. 
 And the glories of the fathers were 
 
19. 10. 
 
 THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 
 
 19. 22. 
 
 upon the graving of the four rows 
 
 of 1 precious stones, 
 And thy majesty was upon the diadem 
 
 of his head. 
 25 To these the destroyer gave place, 
 
 and these ^ the people feared ; 
 For it was enough only to make trial 
 
 of the wrath. 
 
 19 But upon the ungodly there came 
 unto the end indignation without 
 mercy ; 
 For their future also God foreknew, 
 
 2 How that, having changed their minds 
 
 to let thy people go, 
 And having speeded them eagerly on 
 
 their way. 
 They would repent themselves and 
 
 pursue them. 
 
 3 For while they were yet in the midst 
 
 of their mourning. 
 And making lamentation at the 
 
 graves of the dead. 
 They drew upon themselves another 
 
 counsel of folly. 
 And pursued as fugitives those whom 
 
 with intreaties they had cast out. 
 
 4 For '^ the doom which they deserved 
 
 was drawing them *unto this end. 
 And it made them forget the things 
 
 that had befallen them. 
 That they might fill up the punish- 
 ment which was yet wanting to 
 their torments, 
 
 5 And that thy people might ^ journey 
 
 on by a marvellous road. 
 But they themselves might find a 
 strange death. 
 
 6 For the whole creation, each part in 
 
 its several kind, was fashioned 
 again anew, 
 
 Ministering to thy several command- 
 ments. 
 
 That thy « servants might be guarded 
 free from hurt. 
 
 7 Then was beheld the cloud that sha- 
 
 dowed the camp. 
 And dry land rising up out of what 
 
 before was water. 
 Out of the Red sea an unhindered 
 
 highway, 
 And a grassy plain out of the violent 
 
 surge; 
 
 8 ^ By which they passed over with all 
 
 their hosts, 
 These that were covered with thy 
 
 hand, 
 Having beheld strange mai-vels. 
 
 9 For like horses they roamed at large, 
 And they skipped about like lambs, 
 Praising thee, O Lord, who wast their 
 
 deliverer. 
 10 For they still remembered the things 
 
 that came to pass in the time of 
 
 their sojourning, 
 How that instead of * bearing ^ cattle 
 
 the land brought forth i" lice. 
 And instead of " fish the river cast up 
 
 a multitude of frogs. 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 But afterwards they saw also a new 
 
 " race of birds. 
 When, led on by desire, they asked 
 
 for luxurious dainties ; 
 For, to solace them, there came up 
 
 for them quails from the sea. 
 
 And upon the sinners came the pun- 
 ishments 
 Not without the tokens that were 
 
 given 13 beforehand by the force of 
 
 the thunders ; 
 For justly did they suffer through their 
 
 own wickednesses, 
 For " grievous indeed was the hatred 
 
 which they practised toward guests. 
 ^ For whereas the men of Sodom re- 
 ceived not 16 the strangers when 
 
 they came among them ; 
 i^The Egyptians made slaves of 
 
 guests who were their benefac- 
 tors. 
 And not only so, hut God shall i* visit 
 
 19 the men of Sodom after another 
 
 sort. 
 Since they received as enemies them 
 
 that were aUens ; 
 Whereas these first welcomed with 
 
 feastings, 
 And then afflicted with dreadful toils. 
 Them that had already shared with 
 
 them, in the same rights. 
 And moreover they were stricken 
 
 with loss of sight 
 (Even as were those others at the 
 
 righteous man's doors). 
 When, being compassed about with 
 
 yawning darkness. 
 They sought every one the passage 
 
 through his own door. 
 For as the notes of a psaltery vary the 
 
 character of the rhytlmi. 
 Even so did the elements, changing 
 
 their order one with another. 
 Continuing always the same, each in 
 
 its several sound; 
 As may clearly be ^o divined from the 
 
 sight of the things that are come to 
 
 pass. 
 For creatures of the dry land were 
 
 turned into creatures of the wa- 
 ters, 
 And creatures that swim trode now 
 
 upon the earth : 
 Fire kept the mastery of its own 
 
 power in the midst of water, 
 And water forgat its quenching na- 
 ture : 
 Contrariwise, flames wasted not the 
 
 flesh of perishable creatures that 
 
 walked among them ; 
 Neither ^i melted they the 22 ice-like 
 
 grains of ambrosial food, that were 
 
 of nature apt to melt. 
 For in all things, O Lord, thou didst 
 
 magnify thy people, 
 And thou didst glorify them and not 
 
 lightly regard them ; 
 Standing by their side in every time 
 
 and place. 
 
 i«Or, 
 produc- 
 tion 
 Gr. 
 
 genera- 
 tion. 
 
 13 Some 
 authori- 
 ties omit 
 before- 
 hand. 
 1* Or, 
 yet more 
 grievous 
 was 
 i»The 
 Greek 
 text of 
 this and 
 the fol- 
 lowing 
 verse is 
 perhaps 
 corrupt. 
 
 16 Gr. 
 them who 
 knew 
 them not. 
 
 17 Gr. 
 These. 
 
 18 Or, 
 visit 
 them 
 
 . . . sort ; 
 since the 
 men of 
 Sodom 
 received 
 . . . aliens 
 
 19 Gr. 
 them. 
 
 soGr. 
 
 conjec- 
 tured. 
 
 SI The 
 Greek 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 could he 
 melted. 
 The 
 Latin 
 seems to 
 have pre- 
 served 
 the 
 
 original 
 Greek 
 text 
 22 Gr. 
 ice-like 
 kind. 
 
 77 
 
THE WISDOM OF JESUS THE SON OF SIRACH, 
 
 ECCLESIASTICUS. 
 
 iOr,a 
 
 like work 
 The 
 word is 
 of very 
 doubtful 
 mean- 
 ing. 
 
 The Prologue of the Wisdom of Jesus 
 the Son of Siraeh, 
 
 Whereas many and great things have 
 been delivered unto us by the law and 
 the prophets, and by the others that 
 have followed in their steps, for the 
 which things we must give Israel the 
 praise of instruction and wisdom; and 
 since not only the readers must needs 
 become skilful themselves, but also they 
 that love learning must be able to profit 
 them which are without, both by speak- 
 ing and writing ; my grandfather Jesus, 
 having much given himself to the read- 
 ing of the law, and the prophets, and the 
 other books of our fathers, and having 
 gained great familiarity therein, was 
 drawn on also himself to write somewhat 
 pertaining to instruction and wisdom; 
 in order that those who love learning, 
 and are addicted to these things, might 
 make progress much more by living ac- 
 cording to the law. Ye are intreated 
 therefore to read with favour and atten- 
 tion, and to pardon us, if in any parts of 
 what we have laboured to interpret, we 
 may seem to fail in some of the phrases. 
 For things originally spoken in Hebrew 
 have not the same force in them, when 
 they are translated into another tongue : 
 and not only these, but the law itself, 
 and the prophecies, and the rest of the 
 books, have no small difference, when 
 they are spoken in their original lan- 
 guage. For having come into Egypt in 
 the eight and thirtieth year of Euergetes 
 the king, and having continued there 
 some time, I found ^ a copy affording no 
 small instruction. I thought it therefore 
 most necessary for me to apply some dil- 
 igence and travail to interpret this book ; 
 applying indeed much watchfulness and 
 skill in that space of time to bring the 
 book to an end, and set it forth for them 
 also, who in the land of their sojourning 
 are desirous to learn, fashioning their 
 manners beforehand, so as to live accord- 
 ing to the law. 
 
 1 All wisdom cometh from the Lord, 
 And is with him for ever. 
 
 2 The sand of the seas, and the drops of 
 
 rain. 
 And the days of eternity, who shall 
 number? 
 
 3 The height of the heaven, and the 
 
 breadth of the earth. 
 
 And the deep, and wisdom, who shall 
 
 search them out ? 
 4 Wisdom hath been created before all 
 
 things, 
 And the understanding of prudence 
 
 from everlasting.2 
 6 To whom hath the root of wisdom 
 
 been revealed? 
 And who hath known her shrewd 
 
 counsels?'^ 
 
 8 There is one wise, greatly to be 
 
 feared, 
 The Lord sitting upon his throne : 
 
 9 He created her, 
 
 And saw, and numbered her, 
 And poured her out upon all his 
 works. 
 
 10 She is with all flesh according to his 
 
 gift; 
 And he gave her freely to them that 
 love him. 
 
 11 The fear of the Lord is glory, and 
 
 exultation. 
 And gladness, and a crown of rejoi- 
 cing. 
 
 12 The fear of the Lord shall deUght the 
 
 heart, 
 And shall give gladness, and joy, and 
 length of days. 
 
 13 Whoso feareth the Lord, it shall go 
 
 well with him at the last. 
 And in the day of his death he shall 
 be blessed. 
 
 14 To fear the Lord is the beginning of 
 
 wisdom ; 
 And it was created together with the 
 faithful in the womb. 
 
 15 With men she ^ laid an eternal foun- 
 
 dation ; 
 And with their seed shall she be had 
 in trust. 
 
 16 To fear the Lord is the fulness of 
 
 wisdom ; 
 And she satiateth men with her 
 fruits. 
 
 17 She shall fill all her house with desir- 
 
 able things. 
 And her garners with her produce. 
 
 18 The fear of the Lord is the crown of 
 
 wisdom, 
 Making peace and * perfect health to 
 flourish.^ 
 
 19 He both saw and numbered her ; 
 
 He rained down skill and knowledge 
 
 of understanding, 
 And exalted the honour of them that 
 
 hold her fast. 
 
 78 
 
2. 8. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICUS. 3. 8. 
 
 
 20 To fear the Lord is the root of wis- 
 
 9 Ye that fear the Lord, hope for good 
 
 
 
 dom; 
 
 things. 
 
 
 1 Verse 
 
 And her branches are length of days.^ 
 
 And for eternal gladness and mercy. 
 
 
 21 is 
 
 
 10 Look at the generations of old, and 
 
 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 
 22 Unjust wrath can never be justified ; 
 
 see: 
 
 
 For the sway of his wrath is his down- 
 
 Who did ever put his trust in the 
 
 
 thorities. 
 
 fall 
 
 Lord, and was ashamed ? 
 
 
 a Most 
 
 23 A man that is longsufEering will ^ bear 
 
 Or who did abide in his fear, and was 
 
 
 authori- 
 
 3 for a season, 
 
 forsaken ? 
 
 
 ties read 
 resist. 
 
 And afterward gladness shaU spring 
 
 Or who did call upon hun, and he 
 
 
 3 Or, 
 
 up unto him ; 
 
 despised him ? 
 
 
 until his 
 
 24 He will hide his words ^ for a season, 
 
 1 1 For the Lord is full of compassion and 
 
 
 season 
 
 And the lips of many shall tell forth 
 
 mercy ; 
 
 
 
 his understanding. 
 
 And he forgiveth sins, and saveth in 
 
 
 
 25 A parable of knowledge is in the trea- 
 
 time of aflaiction. 
 
 
 
 sures of wisdom ; 
 
 
 
 
 But godliness is an abomination to a 
 
 12 Woe unto fearful hearts, and to faint 
 
 
 
 smner. 
 
 hands. 
 
 
 
 26 If thou desire wisdom, keep the com- 
 
 And to the sinner that goeth two 
 
 
 
 mandments, 
 
 ways ! 
 
 
 
 And the Lord shall give her unto thee 
 
 13 Woe unto the faint heart ! for it be- 
 
 
 
 freely : 
 
 lieveth not ; 
 
 
 
 27 For the fear of the Lord is wisdom 
 
 Therefore shall it not be defended. 
 
 
 
 and instruction ; 
 
 14 Woe unto you that have lost your 
 
 
 
 And in faith and meekness is his good 
 
 patience ! 
 
 
 
 pleasure. 
 
 And what will ye do when the Lord 
 
 
 *The 
 
 28 Disobey not the fear of the Lord * ; 
 
 shall visit you ? 
 
 
 remain- 
 der of 
 
 And come not imto him with a double 
 
 15 They that fear the Lord will not dis- 
 
 
 this line 
 
 heart. 
 
 obey his words ; 
 
 
 is omit- 
 ted by 
 
 29 Be not a hypocrite in the mouths of 
 
 And they that love him will keep his 
 
 
 the best 
 
 men; 
 
 ways. 
 
 
 authori- 
 
 And take good heed to thy lips. 
 
 16 They that fear the Lord will seek his 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 30 Exalt not thyself, lest thou fall. 
 
 good pleasure ; 
 
 
 
 And bring dishonour upon thy soul ; 
 
 And they that love him shall be filled 
 
 
 
 And so the Lord shall reveal thy 
 
 with the law. 
 
 
 
 secrets. 
 
 17 They that fear the Lord will prepare 
 
 
 
 And shall cast thee down in the midst 
 
 their hearts, 
 
 
 
 of the congregation ; 
 
 And will humble their souls in his 
 
 
 
 Because thou earnest not unto the fear 
 
 18 sight, saying. 
 
 
 
 of the Lord, 
 
 We will fall into the hands of the 
 
 
 
 And thy heart was full of deceit. 
 
 Lord, 
 And not into the hands of men : 
 
 
 
 2 My son, if thou comest to serve the 
 
 For as his majesty is, 
 
 
 
 Lord, 
 
 So also is his mercy. 
 
 
 
 Prepare thy soul for temptation. 
 
 
 
 
 2 Set thy heart aright, and constantly 
 
 3 Hear me your father, my children, 
 
 
 
 endure, 
 
 And do thereafter, that ye may be 
 
 
 
 And make not haste in tune of ca- 
 
 saved. 
 
 
 
 lamity. 
 
 2 For the Lord hath given the father 
 
 
 
 3 Cleave unto him, and depart not, 
 
 glory as touching the children. 
 
 
 
 That thou mayest be increased at thy 
 
 And hath confirmed the judgement of 
 
 
 
 latter end. 
 
 the mother as touching the sons. 
 
 
 
 4 Accept whatsoever is brought upon 
 
 3 He that honoureth his father shall 
 
 
 
 thee, 
 
 make atonement for sins : 
 
 
 sGr. 
 
 And be longsufEering ^ when thou 
 
 4 And he that giveth glory to his mo- 
 
 
 in the 
 changes 
 of thy 
 
 passest into humiliation. 
 
 ther is as one that layeth up trea- 
 
 
 5 For gold is tried in the fire. 
 
 sure. 
 
 
 humili- 
 
 And acceptable men in the furnace of 
 
 5 Whoso honoureth his father shall 
 
 
 ation. 
 
 humiliation. 
 
 have joy of his children ; 
 
 
 
 6 Put thy trust in him, and he will help 
 
 And in the day of his prayer he shall 
 
 
 
 thee: 
 
 be heard. 
 
 
 
 Order thy ways aright, and set thy 
 
 6 He that giveth glory to his father shall 
 
 
 
 hope on him. 
 
 have length of days ; 
 
 
 
 
 And he that hearkeneth unto the Lord 
 
 6 The 
 
 
 7 Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his 
 
 shall bring rest unto his mother. 
 
 pre- 
 ceding 
 
 
 mercy ; 
 
 7 6 And will do service under his par- 
 
 words 
 
 
 And turn not aside, lest ye fall. 
 
 ents, as unto masters. 
 
 of this 
 
 
 8 Ye that fear the Lord, put your trust 
 
 8 In deed and word honour thy father, 
 
 verse are 
 omitted 
 
 
 in him ; 
 
 That a blessing may come upon thee 
 
 by the 
 
 
 And your reward shall not fail. 
 
 from him. KtiTs. 
 9 
 
3. 27. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICUS. 4. 14. 
 
 
 9 For the blessing of the father estab- 
 
 28 The calamity of the proud is no heal- 
 
 
 
 lisheth the houses of children ; 
 
 ing; 
 
 
 
 But the curse of the mother rooteth 
 
 For a plant of wickedness hath taken 
 
 
 
 out the foundations. 
 
 root in him. 
 29 The heart of the prudent will under- 
 
 
 
 10 Glorify not thyself in the dishonour of 
 
 stand a parable ; 
 
 
 
 thy father ; 
 
 And the ear of a listener is the desire 
 
 
 
 For thy father's dishonour is no glory 
 
 of a wise man. 
 
 
 
 unto thee. 
 
 30 Water will quench a flaming fire ; 
 
 
 
 11 For the glory of a man is from the 
 
 And almsgiving will make atonement 
 
 
 
 honour of his father ; 
 
 for sins. 
 
 
 
 And a mother in dishonour is a re- 
 
 31 He that requiteth good turns is mind- 
 
 
 
 proach to her children. 
 
 ful of that which cometh afterward ; 
 
 
 
 12 My son, help thy father in his old 
 
 And in the time of his falling he shall 
 
 
 
 age; 
 
 find a support. 
 
 
 
 And grieve him not as long as he 
 
 
 
 
 liveth. 
 
 4 My son, deprive not the poor of his 
 
 
 
 13 And if he fail in understanding, have 
 
 living. 
 
 
 
 patience with him ; 
 
 And make not the needy eyes to wait 
 
 
 
 And dishonour him not while thou art 
 
 long. 
 
 
 
 in thy full strength. 
 
 2 Make not a hungry soul sorrowful ; 
 
 
 
 14 For the relieving of thy father shall 
 
 Neither provoke a man in his dis- 
 
 
 
 not be forgotten : 
 
 tress. 
 
 
 
 And instead of sins it shall be added 
 
 3 To a heart that is provoked add not 
 
 
 
 to build thee up. 
 
 more trouble ; 
 
 
 
 15 In the day of thine affliction it shall 
 
 And defer not to give to him that is in 
 
 
 
 remember thee ; 
 
 need. 
 
 
 
 As fair weather upon ice, 
 
 4Ee.iect not a suppliant in his afflic- 
 
 
 
 So shall thy sins also melt away. 
 
 tion ; 
 
 
 
 16 He that forsaketh his father is as a 
 
 And turn not away thy face from a 
 
 
 
 blasphemer ; 
 
 poor man. 
 
 
 
 And he that provoketh his mother is 
 
 5 Turn not away thine eye from one 
 
 
 
 cursed of the Lord. 
 
 that asketh of thee. 
 And give none occasion to a man to 
 
 
 
 17 My son, go on with thy business in 
 
 curse thee : 
 
 
 
 meekness ; 
 
 6 For if he curse thee in the bitterness 
 
 
 
 So Shalt thou be beloved of an accept- 
 
 of his soul, 
 
 
 
 able man. 
 
 He that made him will hear his sup- 
 
 
 
 18 The greater thou art, humble thyself 
 
 plication. 
 
 
 
 the more, 
 
 
 
 
 And thou shalt find favour before the 
 
 7 Get thyself the love of the congrega- 
 
 
 1 Verse 
 
 Lord.i 
 
 tion ; 
 
 
 19 is 
 omitted 
 
 20 For great is the potency of the Lord, 
 
 And to a great man bow thy head. 
 
 
 by the 
 
 And he is glorified of them that are 
 
 8 Incline thine ear to a poor man, 
 
 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 lowly. 
 
 And answer him with peaceable 
 
 
 21 Seek not things that are too hard for 
 
 words in meekness. 
 
 
 
 thee. 
 
 9 Deliver him that is wronged from the 
 
 
 
 And search not out things that are 
 
 hand of him that wrongeth him ; 
 
 
 
 above thy strength. 
 
 And be not fainthearted in giving 
 
 
 
 22 The things that have been commanded 
 
 judgement. 
 
 
 
 thee, think thereupon ; 
 
 10 Be as a father unto the fatherless, 
 
 
 
 For thou hast no need of the things 
 
 And instead of a husband unto their 
 
 
 
 that are secret. 
 
 mother : 
 
 
 
 23 Be not over busy in thy superfluous 
 
 So shalt thou be as a son of the Most 
 
 
 
 works : 
 
 High, 
 
 
 
 For more things are shewed unto thee 
 
 And he shall love thee more than thy 
 
 
 
 than men can understand. 
 
 mother doth. 
 
 
 
 24 For the conceit of many hath led them 
 
 
 
 
 astray ; 
 
 11 "Wisdom exalteth her sons. 
 
 
 
 And evil surmising hath caused their 
 
 And taketh hold of them that seek 
 
 
 3 Most 
 
 judgement to slip.^ 
 
 her. 
 
 
 authori- 
 
 
 12 He that loveth her loveth life ; 
 
 
 ties omit 
 verse 25, 
 and 
 
 26 A stubborn heart shall fare ill at the 
 
 And they that seek to her early shall 
 
 
 last; 
 
 be filled with gladness. 
 
 
 trans- 
 
 And he that loveth danger shall per- 
 
 13 He that holdeth her fast shall inherit 
 
 
 pose the 
 lines in 
 
 ish therein. 
 
 glory ; 
 
 
 verse 26. 
 
 27 A stubborn heart shall be laden with 
 
 And where * he entereth, the Lord will 
 
 * Or, she 
 
 
 troubles ; 
 
 bless. 
 
 
 3Gr. 
 
 sins. 
 
 And the sinner shall heap sin upon 
 
 14 They that do her service shall minis- 
 
 
 3 sin. 
 
 8 
 
 ter to the Holy One ; 
 
 
 
5. 3. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICUS. 
 
 6. 5. 
 
 iGr. 
 
 to the 
 hands of 
 his/all. 
 sOr, 
 an evil 
 
 3 Or, 
 he not 
 abashed 
 *Gr. 
 in an 
 occasion 
 of safety. 
 6 Most 
 authori- 
 ties omit 
 this line. 
 
 • Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 rough. 
 
 »0r, 
 
 drawn 
 
 back 
 
 And them that love her the Lord doth 
 love. 
 
 15 He that giveth ear unto her shall 
 
 judge the nations ; 
 And he that giveth heed unto her shall 
 dwell securely. 
 
 16 If he trust her, he shall inherit her; 
 And his generations shall have her in 
 
 possession. 
 
 17 For at the first she will walk with 
 
 him in crooked ways, 
 And will bring fear and dread upon 
 
 him, 
 And torment him with her discipline, 
 Until she may trust his soul, and try 
 
 him by her judgements : 
 
 18 Then will she return again the straight 
 
 way unto him, 
 And will gladden him, and reveal to 
 him her secrets. 
 
 19 If he go astray, she will forsake 
 
 him. 
 And give him over * to his fall. 
 
 20 Observe the opportunity, and beware 
 
 of - evil ; 
 And be not ashamed concerning thy 
 soul. 
 
 21 For there is a shame that bringeth 
 
 sin ; 
 And there is a shame that is glory and 
 grace. 
 
 22 Accept not the person of any against 
 
 thy soul ; 
 And 3 reverence no man unto thy fall- 
 ing. 
 
 23 Eefrain not speech, * when it tendeth 
 
 to safety ; 
 5 And hide not thy wisdom for the sake 
 of fair-seeming. 
 
 24 For by speech wisdom shall be known ; 
 And instruction by the word of the 
 
 tongue. 
 
 25 Speak not against the truth ; 
 
 And be abashed for thine ignorance. 
 
 26 Be not ashamed to make confession 
 
 of thy sins ; 
 And force not the current of the river. 
 
 27 Lay not thyself down for a fool to 
 
 tread upon ; 
 And accept not the person of one that 
 is mighty. 
 
 28 Strive for the truth unto death, and 
 
 the Lord God shall fight for thee. 
 
 29 Be not ^ hasty in thy tongue, 
 
 And in thy deeds slack and remiss. 
 
 30 Be not as a Hon in thy house, 
 Nor fanciful among thy servants. 
 
 31 Let not thine hand be stretched out 
 
 to receive, and ^ closed when thou 
 shouldest repay. 
 5 Set not thy heart upon thy goods ; 
 And say not. They are sufficient for 
 me. 
 
 2 Follow not thine own mind and thy 
 
 strength, 
 To walk in the desires of thy heart ; 
 
 3 And say not, Who shall have dominion 
 
 over me ? 
 
 For the Lord will surely take venge- 
 ance on thee. 
 
 4 Say not, I sinned, and what happened 
 
 unto me? 
 For the Lord is longsuffering.' 
 
 5 Concerning atonement, be not with- 
 
 out fear, 
 To add sin upon sins : 
 
 6 And say not. His compassion is great ; 
 He will be pacified for the multitude 
 
 of my sins : 
 For mercy and wrath are with him, 
 And his indignation will rest upon 
 
 sinners. 
 
 7 Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord ; 
 And put not off from day to day : 
 For suddenly shall the wrath of the 
 
 Lord come forth ; ^ 
 And thou shalt perish in the time of 
 vengeance. 
 
 8 Set not thine heart upon unrighteous 
 
 gains : 
 For thou Shalt profit nothing in the 
 day of calamity. 
 
 9 Winnow not with every wind, 
 And walk not in every path : 
 
 Thus doeth the sinner that hath a 
 double tongue. 
 
 10 Be stedfast in tliy understanding ; 
 And let thy word be one. 
 
 11 Be swift to hear; 10 
 
 And with patience make thine an- 
 swer. 
 
 12 If thou hast understanding, answer 
 
 thy neighbour ; 
 And if not, let thy hand be upon thy 
 mouth. 
 
 13 Glory and dishonour is in talk : 
 And the tongue of a man is his fall. 
 
 14 Be not called a whisperer ; 
 
 And lie not in wait with thy tongue : 
 For upon the thief there is shame, 
 And an evil condemnation upon him 
 that hath a double tongue. 
 
 15 In a great matter and in a small, be 
 
 not ignorant ; 
 6 And instead of a friend become not 
 
 an enemy ; 
 For an evil name shall inherit shame 
 
 and reproach : 
 Even so shall the sinner that hath a 
 
 double tongue. 
 
 2 Exalt not thyself in the counsel of thy 
 
 soul; 
 That thy soul be not torn in pieces as 
 a bull : 
 
 3 Thou Shalt eat up thy leaves, and 
 
 destroy thy fruits. 
 And leave thyseK as a dry tree. 
 
 4 A wicked soul shall destroy him that 
 
 hath gotten it, 
 And shall make him " a laughing- 
 stock to his enemies. 
 
 5 12 Sweet words will multiply " a man's 
 friends ; 
 
 8 The 
 remain- 
 der of 
 this 
 verse is 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 9 Aline 
 of this 
 verse 
 is here 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 10 The 
 remain- 
 der of 
 this line 
 is omit- 
 ted by 
 the best 
 authori- 
 ties. 
 
 11 Or. a 
 rejoicing 
 
 12 Gr. A 
 sweet 
 throat. 
 
 13 Gr. 
 his. 
 
 81 
 
6. 24. ECCLESIASTICUS. 
 
 7. 6. 
 
 
 And a fair-speaking tongue will multi- 
 
 25 Put thy shoulder under her, and bear 
 
 
 
 ply courtesies. 
 
 her. 
 
 
 
 6 Let those that are at peace with thee 
 
 And be not grieved with her bonds. 
 
 
 
 be many ; 
 
 26 Come unto her with all thy soul. 
 
 
 
 But thy counsellors one of a thou- 
 
 And keep her ways with thy whole 
 
 
 
 sand. 
 
 power. 
 
 
 
 7 If thou wouldest get thee a friend, get 
 
 27 Search, and seek, and she shall be 
 
 
 1 Or. in 
 
 him 1 by proving, 
 
 made known unto thee ; 
 
 
 the time 
 of tna 
 
 And be not in haste to trust him. 
 
 And when thou hast got hold of her, 
 
 
 
 8 For there is a friend that is so for his 
 
 let her not go. 
 
 
 
 own occasion ; 
 
 28 For at the last thou shalt find her 
 
 
 
 And he will not continue in the day of 
 
 rest; 
 
 
 
 thy affliction. 
 
 And * she shall be turned for thee into 
 
 4 Or, it 
 
 
 9 And there is a friend that turneth to 
 
 gladness. 
 
 
 
 enmity ; 
 
 29 And her fetters shall be to thee for a 
 
 
 
 And he will discover strife to thy 
 
 covering of strength, 
 
 
 
 reproach. 
 
 And her chains for a robe of glory. 
 
 
 
 10 And there is a friend that is a com- 
 
 30 For there is a golden ornament upon 
 
 
 
 panion at the table ; 
 
 her. 
 
 
 
 And he will not continue in the day 
 
 And her bands are ^a riband of 
 
 »Num. 
 
 
 of thy affliction. 
 
 blue. 
 
 XV. 38. 
 
 
 11 And in thy prosperity he will be as 
 
 31 Thou shalt put her on as a robe of 
 
 
 
 thyself, 
 
 glory, 
 
 
 
 And will be bold over thy servants : 
 
 And shalt array thee with her as a 
 
 
 
 12 If thou Shalt be brought low, he will 
 
 crown of rejoicing. 
 
 
 
 be against thee, 
 
 
 
 
 And will hide himself from thy face. 
 
 32 My son, if thou wilt, thou shalt be 
 
 
 
 13 Separate thyself from thine enemies ; 
 
 instructed ; 
 
 
 
 And beware of thy friends. 
 
 And if thou wilt yield thy soul, thou 
 
 
 
 
 shalt be " prudent. 
 
 8 Or, 
 
 shrewd 
 
 2 Or. 
 
 14 A faithful friend is a strong ^ defence ; 
 
 33 If thou love to hear, thou shalt re- 
 
 
 covert 
 
 And he that hath found him hath 
 
 ceive ; 
 
 
 
 found a treasure. 
 
 And if thou inchne thine ear, thou 
 
 
 
 15 There is nothing that can be taken in 
 
 shalt be wise. 
 
 
 
 exchange for a faithful friend ; 
 
 34 Stand thou in the multitude of the 
 
 
 3Gr. 
 
 And his excellency is beyond ^ price. 
 
 elders ; 
 
 
 weight. 
 
 16 A faithful friend is a medicine of life ; 
 
 And whoso is wise, cleave thou unto 
 
 
 
 And they that fear the Lord shall find 
 
 him. 
 
 
 
 him. 
 
 35 Be willing to listen to every godly dis- 
 
 
 
 17 He that feareth the Lord directeth his 
 
 course ; 
 
 
 
 friendship aright ; 
 
 And let not the proverbs of under- 
 
 
 
 For as he is, so is his neighbour also. 
 
 standing escape thee. 
 36 If thou seest a man of understanding, 
 
 
 
 18 My son, gather instruction from thy 
 
 get thee betimes unto him, 
 
 
 
 youth up : 
 
 And let thy foot wear out the steps of 
 
 
 
 And even unto hoar hairs thou shalt 
 
 his doors. 
 
 
 
 find wisdom. 
 
 37 Let thy mind dwell upon the ordi- 
 
 
 
 19 Come unto her as one that ploweth 
 
 nances of the Lord, 
 
 
 
 and soweth, 
 
 And meditate continually in his com- 
 
 
 
 And wait for her good fruits ; 
 
 mandments : 
 
 
 
 For thy toil shall be little in the tillage 
 
 He shall establish thine heart. 
 
 
 
 of her, 
 
 And thy desire of wisdom shall be 
 
 
 
 And thou shalt eat of her fruits right 
 
 given unto thee. 
 
 
 
 soon. 
 20 How exceeding harsh is she to the 
 
 7 Do no evil, so shall no evil overtake 
 
 
 
 unlearned ! 
 
 thee. 
 
 
 
 And he that is without understanding 
 
 2 Depart from wrong, and it shall turn 
 
 
 
 will not abide in her. 
 
 aside from thee. 
 
 
 
 21 As a mighty stone of trial shall she 
 
 3 My son, sow not upon the furrows of 
 
 
 
 rest upon him ; 
 
 unrighteousness, 
 
 
 
 And he will not delay to cast her from 
 
 And thou shalt not reap them seven- 
 
 
 
 him. 
 
 fold. 
 
 
 
 22 For wisdom is according to her name ; 
 
 
 
 
 and she is not manifest unto many. 
 
 4 Seek not of the Lord preeminence. 
 Neither of the king the seat of honour. 
 
 
 
 23 Give ear, my son, and accept my 
 
 5 Justify not thyself in the presence of 
 
 
 
 judgement. 
 
 the Lord ; 
 
 
 
 And refuse not my counsel, 
 
 And display not thy wisdom before 
 
 
 
 24 And bring thy feet into her fetters. 
 
 the king. 
 
 
 
 And thy neck into her chain. 
 
 6 Seek not to be a judge, 
 2 
 
 
7. 25. ECCLESIASTICUS. 8. 8. 
 
 
 Lest thou be not able to take away 
 
 And give her to a man of vmderstand- 
 
 
 
 iniquities ; 
 
 ing. 
 
 
 
 Lest haply thou fear the person of a 
 
 
 
 
 mighty man, 
 
 26 Hast thou a wife after thy mind? 
 
 
 
 And lay a stumblingblock in the way 
 
 cast her not out : 
 
 
 
 of thy uprightness. 
 
 5 But trust not thyself to one that is 
 « hateful. 
 
 • Many 
 authori- 
 ties omit 
 
 
 7 Sin not against the multitude of the 
 
 27 Give glory to thy father with thy 
 
 tbis line. 
 
 
 city, 
 
 whole heart ; 
 
 •Or, 
 
 
 And cast not thyself down in the 
 
 And forget not the pangs of thy mo- 
 
 hated 
 
 
 crowd. 
 
 ther. 
 
 
 
 8 Bind not up sin twice ; 
 
 28 Remember that of them thou wast 
 
 
 
 For in one sin thou shalt not be un- 
 
 born : 
 
 
 
 punished. 
 
 And what wilt thou recompense them 
 
 
 
 9 Say not, He will look upon the multi- 
 
 for the things that they have done 
 
 
 
 tude of my gifts, 
 
 for thee? 
 
 
 
 And when I offer to the Most High 
 
 
 
 lOr, 
 
 God, he will accept ^ it. 
 
 29 Fear the Lord with all thy soul ; 
 
 
 them 
 
 10 Be not fainthearted in thy prayer ; 
 
 And reverence his priests. 
 
 
 
 And neglect not to give alms. 
 
 30 With all thy strength love him that 
 made thee ; 
 
 
 
 11 Laugh not a man to scorn when he is 
 
 And forsake not his ministers. 
 
 
 
 in the bitterness of his soul ; 
 
 31 Fear the Lord, and glorify the priest ; 
 
 
 
 For there is one who humbleth and 
 
 And give him his portion, even as it 
 
 
 
 exalteth. 
 
 is commanded thee ; 
 
 
 aGr. 
 Plow 
 not. 
 
 12 2 Devise not a lie against thy brother ; 
 
 The flrstfruits, and the trespass offer- 
 
 
 Neither do the like to a friend. 
 
 ing, and the gift of the shoulders, 
 
 
 
 13 Love not to make any manner of lie ; 
 
 And the sacrifice of sanctifi cation, 
 
 
 
 For the custom thereof is not for 
 good. 
 14 Prate not in the multitude of elders ; 
 
 and the firstfruits of holy things. 
 
 
 
 32 Also to the poor man stretch out thy 
 
 
 
 And repeat not thy words in thy 
 
 hand. 
 
 
 
 prayer. 
 
 That thy blessing may be perfected. 
 33 A gift hath grace in the sight of every 
 
 
 
 15 Hate not laborious work ; 
 
 man living ; 
 
 
 
 Neither husbandry, which the Most 
 
 And for a dead man keep not back 
 
 
 sGr. 
 
 High hath s ordained. 
 
 grace. 
 
 
 created. 
 
 16 Number not thyself among the multi- 
 
 34 Be not wanting to them that weep ; 
 
 
 
 tude of sinners : 
 
 And mourn with them that mourn. 
 
 
 
 Remember that wrath will not tarry. 
 
 35 Be not slow to visit a sick man ; 
 
 
 
 17 Humble thy soul greatly; 
 
 For by such things thou shalt gain 
 
 
 
 For the punishment of the vmgodly 
 
 love. 
 
 
 
 man is fire and the worm. 
 
 36 In all thy ^matters remember thy 
 last end, 
 
 ^ ' 
 
 
 18 Change not a friend for a thing indif- 
 ferent ; 
 Neither a true brother for the gold of 
 
 And thou shalt never do amiss. 
 
 
 
 8 Contend not with a mighty man. 
 
 
 
 Ophir. 
 
 Lest haply thou fall into his hands. 
 
 
 
 19 Forgo not a wise and good wife ; 
 
 2 Strive not with a rich man, lest haply 
 
 
 
 For her grace is above gold. 
 
 he overweigh thee : 
 
 
 
 20 Entreat not evil a servant that work- 
 
 For gold hath destroyed many. 
 
 
 
 eth truly. 
 
 And turned aside the hearts of kings. 
 
 
 *Ot,souI 
 
 Nor a hireling that giveth thee his * life. 
 
 3 Contend not with a man that is full of 
 
 
 
 21 Let thy soul love a wise servant; 
 
 tongue, 
 
 
 
 Defraud him not of liberty. 
 
 And heap not wood upon his fire. 
 
 
 
 22 Hast thou cattle ? have an eye to 
 
 4 Jest not with a rude man, 
 
 
 
 them ; 
 
 Lest thine ancestors be dishonoured. 
 
 
 
 And if they are profitable to thee, let 
 
 5 Reproach not a man when he turneth 
 
 
 
 them stay by thee. 
 
 from sin : 
 
 
 
 23 Hast thou children ? correct them. 
 
 Remember that we are all worthy of 
 
 
 
 And bow down their neck from their 
 
 punishment. 
 
 
 
 youth. 
 
 6 Dishonour not a man in his old age ; 
 
 
 
 24 Hast thou daughters? give heed to 
 
 For some of us also are waxing old. 
 
 
 
 their body, 
 
 7 Rejoice not over one that is dead : 
 
 
 
 And make not thy face cheerful to- 
 
 Remember that we die all. 
 
 
 
 ward them. 
 
 
 
 
 25 Give thy daughter in marriage, and 
 
 8 Neglect not the discourse of the wise, 
 
 
 
 thou Shalt have accompUshed a 
 
 And be conversant with their pro- 
 
 
 
 great matter : 
 
 8 
 
 verbs ; 
 3 
 
 
9. 7. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICUS. 
 
 10. 3. 
 
 1 GT.fire 
 of his 
 flame. 
 
 For of them thou shalt learn instruc- 
 tion, 
 
 And how to minister to great men. 
 9 Miss not the discourse of the aged ; 
 
 For they also learned of their fa- 
 thers : 
 
 Because from them thou shalt learn 
 understanding. 
 
 And to give answer in time of need. 
 
 10 Kindle not the coals of a sinner. 
 Lest thou be burned with the ^ flame 
 
 of his fire, 
 
 11 Rise not up from the presence of an 
 
 insolent man. 
 Lest he lie in wait as an ambush for 
 thy mouth. 
 
 12 Lend not to a man that is mightier 
 
 than thyself ; 
 And if thou lend, be as one that hath 
 lost. 
 
 13 Be not surety above thy power : 
 And if thou be surety, talce thought as 
 
 one that will have to pay. 
 
 14 Go not to law with a judge ; 
 
 For according to his honour will they 
 give judgement for him. 
 
 15 Go not in the way with a rash man, 
 Lest he be aggrieved with thee ; 
 For he will do according to his own 
 
 will. 
 And thou shalt perish with his folly. 
 
 16 Fight not with a wrathful man, 
 And travel not with him through the 
 
 desert : 
 For blood is as nothing in his sight ; 
 And where there is no help, he will 
 
 overthrow thee. 
 
 17 Take not counsel with a fool; 
 
 For he will not be able to conceal the 
 matter. 
 
 18 Do no secret thing before a stranger ; 
 For thou knowest not what ^ he will 
 
 bring forth. 
 
 19 Open not thine heart to every man ; 
 And let him not return thee a favour. 
 
 9 Be not jealous over the wife of thy 
 bosom. 
 And teach her not an evil lesson 
 against thyself. 
 
 2 Give not thy soul unto a woman. 
 That she should set her foot upon thy 
 
 strength. 
 
 3 Go not to meet a woman thatplayeth 
 
 the harlot. 
 Lest haply thou fall into her snares. 
 
 4 Use not the company of a woman that 
 
 is a singer. 
 Lest haply thou be caught by her 
 attempts. 
 
 5 Gaze not on a maid, lest haply thou 
 
 be trapped in her penalties. 
 
 6 Give not thy soul unto harlots. 
 That thou lose not thine inheritance. 
 
 7 Look not round about thee in the 
 
 streets of the city. 
 Neither wander thou in the solitary 
 places thereof. 
 
 8 Turn away thine eye from a comely 
 
 woman. 
 And gaze not on another's beauty : 
 By the beauty of a woman many have 
 
 been led astray ; 
 And herewith love is kindled as a fire. 
 
 9 Sit not at all with a woman that hath 
 
 a husband ; ^ 
 And revel not with her at the wine ; 
 Lest haply thy soul turn aside unto 
 
 her. 
 And with thy spirit thou slide into 
 
 destruction. 
 
 10 Forsake not an old friend ; 
 
 For the new is not comparable to him : 
 As new wine, so is a new friend ; 
 If it become old, thou shalt drink it 
 with gladness. 
 
 11 Envy not the glory of a sinner ; 
 
 For thou knowest not what shall be 
 his overthrow. 
 
 12 Delight not in the delights of the 
 
 ungodly : 
 Remember they shall not go unpun- 
 ished unto * the grave. 
 
 13 Keep thee far from the man that hath 
 
 s power to kill, 
 And thou shalt have no suspicion of 
 
 the fear of death : 
 And if thou come unto him, commit no 
 
 fault, 
 Lest he take away thy life : 
 Know surely that thou goest about in 
 
 the midst of snares. 
 And walkest upon the battlements of 
 
 a city. 
 
 14 As well as thou canst, guess at thy 
 
 neighbours ; 
 And take counsel with the wise. 
 
 15 Let thy converse be with men of 
 
 understanding ; 
 And let all thy discourse be in the law 
 of the Most High. 
 
 16 Let just men be the companions of thy 
 
 board ; 
 And let thy glorying be in the fear of 
 the Lord. 
 
 17 For the hand of the artificers a work 
 
 shall be commended : 
 And he that ruleth the people shall be 
 counted wise for his speech. 
 
 18 A man full of tongue is dangerous in 
 
 his city ; 
 And he that is headlong in his speech 
 shall be hated. 
 
 10 A wise judge will instruct his people ; 
 And the government of a man of un- 
 derstanding shall be well ordered. 
 
 2 As is the judge of his people, so are 
 
 his ministers ; 
 And as is the ruler of the city, such 
 are all they that dwell therein. 
 
 3 An uninstructed king will destroy his 
 
 people ; 
 
 84 
 
10. 19. ECCLESIASTICUS. 11. 6. 
 
 
 And a city will be establishecTtlirougli 
 
 20 In the midst of brethren he that rul- 
 
 
 
 the understanding of the power- 
 
 eth them hath honour ; 
 
 
 
 ful. 
 
 And in the eyes of the Lord they that 
 
 
 
 4 In the hand of the Lord is the author- 
 
 fear him.* 
 
 * Verse 
 
 
 ity of the earth ; 
 
 22 The rich man, and the honourable, 
 
 21 is 
 omitted 
 
 
 And in due time he will raise up over 
 
 and the poor. 
 
 by the 
 
 
 it one that is profitable. 
 
 Their glorying is the fear of the Lord. 
 
 bestau- 
 tlioritics* 
 
 
 5 In the hand of the Lord is tlie pro- 
 
 23 It is not right to dishonour a poor 
 
 
 
 sperity of a man ; 
 
 man that hath understanding ; 
 
 
 
 And upon the person of the scribe 
 
 And it is not fitting to glorify a man 
 
 
 
 shall he lay his honour. 
 
 that is a sinner. 
 24 The great man, and the judge, and the 
 
 
 
 6 Be not wroth with thy neighbour for 
 
 mighty man, shall be glorified; 
 
 
 
 every wrong ; 
 
 And there is not one of them greater 
 
 
 
 And do nothing by works of violence. 
 
 than he that feareth the Lord. 
 
 
 
 7 Pride is hateful before the Lord and 
 
 25 Free men shall minister unto a wise 
 
 
 
 before men ; 
 
 servant ; 
 
 
 
 And in the judgement of both will 
 
 And a man that hath knowledge will 
 
 
 
 unrighteousness err. 
 
 not murmur thereat. 
 
 
 
 8 Sovereignty is transferred from nation 
 
 
 
 
 to nation, 
 
 26 Be not over wise in doing thy work ; 
 
 
 
 Because of iniquities, and deeds of 
 
 And glorify not thyself in the time of 
 
 
 
 violence, and greed of money. 
 
 thy distress. 
 
 
 iThe 
 
 9 1 Why is earth and ashes proud ? 2 
 
 27 5 Better is he that laboureth, and 
 
 8 The 
 
 text here 
 is un- 
 
 Because in his life he hath cast away 
 
 aboundeth in all things. 
 
 Greek 
 text of 
 
 certain. 
 
 his bowels. 
 
 Than he that glorifieth himself, and 
 
 this 
 
 2 Two 
 
 10 It is a long disease ; the physician 
 
 lacketh bread. 
 
 verse 
 
 lines of 
 this 
 
 mocketh : 
 
 28 My son, glorify thy soul in meekness. 
 
 certain. 
 
 verse 
 
 And he is a king to-day, and to-mor- 
 
 And give it honour according to the 
 
 
 are here 
 omitted 
 by the 
 
 row he shall die. 
 
 worthiness tliereof. 
 
 
 1 1 For when a man is dead, 
 
 29 Who will justify him that sinneth 
 
 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 He shall inherit creeping things, and 
 
 against his own soul ? 
 
 
 beasts, and worms. 
 
 And who will glorify him that dis- 
 
 
 
 12 It is tlie beginning of pride when a 
 
 honoureth his own life ? 
 
 
 
 man departeth from the Lord ; 
 
 
 
 
 And his heart is departed from him 
 
 30 A poor man is glorified for his know- 
 
 
 
 that made him. 
 
 ledge ; 
 
 
 
 13 For the beginning of pride is sin ; 
 
 And a rich man is glorified for his 
 
 
 
 And he that keepeth it will pour forth 
 
 riches. 
 
 
 
 abomination. 
 
 31 But he that is glorified in poverty. 
 
 
 
 For this cause the Lord brought upon 
 
 how much more in riches ? 
 
 
 
 them strange calamities, 
 
 And he that is inglorious in riches, 
 
 
 
 And overthrew them utterly. 
 
 how much more in poverty ? 
 
 
 
 14 The Lord cast down the thrones of 
 
 
 
 
 rulers. 
 
 11 The wisdom of the lowly shall lift up 
 
 
 
 And set the meek in their stead. 
 
 his head. 
 
 
 
 15 The Lord plucked up the roots of 
 
 And make him to sit in the midst of 
 
 
 
 nations. 
 
 great men. 
 
 
 
 And planted the lowly in their stead. 
 
 
 
 
 16 The Lord overthrew the lands of 
 
 2 Commend not a man for his beauty ; 
 
 
 
 nations. 
 
 And abhor not a man for his outward 
 
 
 
 And destroyed them unto the founda- 
 
 appearance. 
 
 
 
 tions of the earth. 
 
 3 The bee is little among such as fly ; 
 
 
 
 17 He took some of them away, and de- 
 
 And her fruit is the chief of sweet- 
 
 
 
 stroyed them, 
 
 meats. 
 
 
 
 And made their memorial to cease 
 
 4 Glory not in the putting on of rai- 
 
 
 
 from the earth. 
 
 ment. 
 
 
 
 1 8 Pride hath not been created for men. 
 
 And exalt not thyself in the day of 
 
 
 
 Nor wrathful anger for the offspring 
 
 honour ; 
 
 
 
 of women. 
 
 For the works of the Lord are won- 
 • derful. 
 
 
 3 The 
 
 193 What manner of seed hath honour ? 
 
 And his works are hidden among men. 
 
 
 "?f- 
 
 the seed of man. 
 
 5 Many ^ kings have sat down upon the 
 
 «Gr. 
 
 EL 
 
 What manner of seed hath honour ? 
 
 ground ; 
 
 tyrants. 
 
 tliey that fear the Lord. 
 
 And one that was never thought of 
 
 
 derlng 
 
 What manner of seed hath no hon- 
 
 hath worn a diadem. 
 
 
 repre- 
 sents 
 the most 
 
 our ? the seed of man. 
 
 6 Many mighty men have been greatly 
 
 
 What manner of seed hath no hon- 
 
 disgraced ; 
 
 
 probable 
 text. 
 
 our? they that transgress the com- 
 
 And men of renown have been de- 
 
 
 mandments. 
 
 8 
 
 livered into other men's hands. 
 5 
 
 
11. 24. ECCLESIASTICUS. 12. 7. 
 
 
 
 25 In the day of good things there is a 
 
 
 
 7 Blame not before thou hast exam- 
 
 forgetf ulness of evil things ; 
 
 
 
 ined: 
 
 And in the day of evil things a man 
 
 
 
 Understand first, and then rebuke. 
 
 will not remember things that are 
 
 
 
 8 Answer not before thou hast heard ; 
 
 good. 
 
 
 
 And interrupt not in the midst of 
 
 26 For it is an easy thing in the sight of 
 
 
 
 speech. 
 
 the Lord 
 
 
 
 9 Strive not in a matter that concerneth 
 
 To reward a man in the day of death 
 
 
 
 thee not ; 
 
 according to his ways. 
 
 
 
 And where sinners judge, sit not thou 
 
 27 The aflliction of an hour causeth for- 
 
 
 
 with them. 
 
 getf ulness of deliglit ; 
 And in the last end of a man is the 
 
 
 
 10 My son, be not busy about many mat- 
 
 revelation of his deeds. 
 
 
 
 ters : 
 
 28 Call no man blessed before his death ; 
 
 
 
 For if thou meddle much, thou shalt 
 
 And a man shall be known in his 
 
 
 
 not be unpunislied ; 
 
 children. 
 
 
 
 And if thou pursue, thou shalt not 
 
 
 
 
 overtake ; 
 
 29 Bring not every man into thine 
 
 
 
 And thou shalt not escape by fleeing. 
 
 house ; 
 
 
 
 11 There is one that toileth, and labour- 
 
 For many are the plots of the deceit- 
 
 
 
 eth, and maketh haste, 
 
 ful man. 
 
 
 
 And is so much the more behind. 
 
 30 As a decoy partridge in a cage, so is 
 
 
 
 12 There is one that is sluggish, and 
 
 the heart of a proud man ; 
 
 
 
 hath need of help, 
 
 And as one that is a spy, he looketh 
 
 
 
 Lacking in strength, and that abound- 
 
 upon thy falling. 
 
 
 
 eth in poverty ; 
 
 31Forhelieth in wait to turn things 
 
 
 
 And the eyes of the Lord looked upon 
 
 that are good into evil ; 
 
 
 
 him for good, 
 
 And in things that are praiseworthy 
 
 
 
 And he set him up from his low es- 
 
 he will lay blame. 
 
 
 
 tate, 
 
 32 From a spark of fire a heap of many 
 
 
 
 13 And lifted up his head; 
 
 coals is kindled ; 
 
 
 
 And many marvelled at him. 
 
 And a sinful man lieth in wait for 
 blood. 
 33 Take heed of an evil-doer, for he 
 
 
 
 14 Good things and evil, life and death, 
 
 
 
 Poverty and riches, are from the 
 
 contriveth wicked things ; 
 
 
 X Verses 
 
 Lord.i 
 
 Lest haply he bring upon thee blame 
 
 
 15 and 
 
 17 The gift of the Lord remaineth with 
 
 for ever. 
 
 
 16 are 
 omitted 
 
 the godly, 
 
 34 Receive a stranger into thine house. 
 
 
 by the 
 
 And his good pleasure shall prosper 
 
 and he will distract thee with 
 
 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 for ever. 
 
 brawls. 
 
 
 
 18 There is that waxeth rich by his 
 
 And estrange thee from thine own. 
 
 
 
 wariness and pinching. 
 
 
 
 
 And this is the portion of his reward : 
 
 12 If thou do good, know to whom thou 
 
 
 
 19 When he saith, I have found rest, 
 
 doestit; 
 
 
 
 And now will I eat of my goods ; 
 
 And thy good deeds shall have 
 
 
 
 Yet he knoweth not what time shall 
 
 thanks. 
 
 
 
 pass. 
 
 2 Do good to a godly man, and thou 
 
 
 
 And he shall leave them to others, and 
 
 shalt find a recompense ; 
 
 
 
 die. 
 
 And if not from him, yet from the 
 
 
 
 20 Be stedfast in thy covenant, and be 
 
 Most High. 
 
 
 
 conversant therein, 
 
 3 There shall no good come to him 
 
 
 
 And wax old in thy work. 
 
 that continueth to do evil. 
 Nor to him that giveth no alms. 
 
 
 
 21 Marvel not at the works of a sinner ; 
 
 4 Give to the godly man. 
 
 
 
 But trust the Lord, and abide in thy 
 
 And help not the sinner. 
 
 
 
 labour : 
 
 5 Do good to one that is lowly, 
 
 
 
 For it is an easy thing in the sight of 
 
 And give not to an ungodly man : 
 
 
 
 the Lord swiftly on the sudden to 
 
 Keep back his bread, and give it not 
 
 
 
 make a poor man rich. 
 
 to him. 
 
 
 
 22 The blessing of the Lord is in the 
 
 Lest he overmaster thee thereby: 
 
 
 
 reward of the godly ; 
 
 For thou Shalt receive twice as much 
 
 
 
 And in an hour that cometh swiftly 
 
 evil 
 
 
 
 he maketh his blessing to flour- 
 
 For all the good thou shalt have done 
 
 
 
 ish. 
 
 unto him. 
 
 2 The 
 
 
 23 Say not, What use is there of me ? 
 
 6 For the Most High also hateth sin- 
 
 remain- 
 
 
 And v^^hat from henceforth shall my 
 
 ners. 
 
 der of 
 this 
 
 
 good things be ? 
 
 And will repay vengeance unto the 
 
 verse is 
 
 
 24 Say not, I have sufficient. 
 
 ungodly. ^ 
 
 omitted 
 
 
 And from henceforth what harm shall 
 
 7 Give to the good man. 
 
 by the 
 best au- 
 
 
 happen unto me ? 
 
 8 
 
 And help not the sinner. 
 6 
 
 thorities. 
 
13. 3. ECCLESIASTICUS. 13. 21. 
 
 
 
 4 If thou be profitable, he will make 
 
 
 lOr, 
 
 8 A man's friend will not be ^ fully tried 
 
 merchandise of thee ; 
 
 
 P^"-j 
 
 in prosperity ; 
 
 And if thou be in want, he will for- 
 
 
 ished 
 
 And his enemy will not be hidden in 
 
 sake thee. 
 
 
 
 adversity. 
 
 5 If thou have substance, he will live 
 
 
 
 9 In a man's prosperity his enemies are 
 
 with thee; 
 
 
 
 grieved ; 
 
 And he will make thee bare, and wiU 
 
 
 
 And in his adversity even his friend 
 
 not be sorry. 
 
 
 
 will be separated //-om him. 
 
 6 Hath he had need of thee ? then he 
 
 
 
 10 Never trust thine enemy: 
 
 will deceive thee, 
 
 
 
 For Uke as the brass rusteth, so is his 
 
 And smile upon thee, and give thee 
 
 
 
 wickedness. 
 
 hope: 
 
 
 
 11 Though he humble himself, and go 
 
 He will speak thee fair, and say, 
 
 
 
 crouching, 
 
 What needest thou? 
 
 
 
 Yet take good heed, and beware of 
 
 7 And he will shame thee by his meats, 
 
 
 
 him, 
 
 Until he have made thee bare twice 
 
 
 
 And thou shalt be unto him as one 
 
 or thrice. 
 
 
 
 that hath wiped a mirror, 
 
 And at the last he will laugh thee to 
 
 
 2 Or, it 
 
 And thou shalt know that ^ he hath 
 
 scorn : 
 
 
 hath not 
 
 utterly 
 
 rusted 
 
 not utterly rusted it 
 
 Afterward will he see thee, and will 
 
 
 12 Set him not by thee. 
 
 forsake thee. 
 
 
 him 
 
 Lest he overthrow thee and stand in 
 
 And shake his head at thee. 
 
 
 
 thy place ; 
 
 8 Beware that thou be not deceived. 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 Let him not sit on thy right hand. 
 
 and brought low in thy mirth. 
 
 
 
 Lest he seek to take thy seat, 
 
 9 n a mighty man invite thee, be re- 
 
 
 
 And at the last thou acknowledge my 
 
 tiring. 
 
 
 
 words, 
 
 And so much the more will he invite 
 
 
 
 And be pricked with my sayings. 
 
 thee. 
 
 
 
 13 Who will pity a charmer that is bitten 
 
 10 Press not upon him, lest thou be 
 
 
 
 with a serpent, 
 
 thrust back ; 
 
 
 
 Or any that come nigh wild beasts ? 
 
 And stand not far off, lest thou be 
 
 
 
 14 Even so who will pity him that goeth 
 
 forgotten. 
 
 
 
 to a sinner. 
 
 11 Affect not to speak with him as an 
 
 
 
 And is mingled with him in his sins ? 
 
 equal. 
 
 
 
 15 For a while he will abide with thee. 
 
 And believe not his many words : 
 
 
 
 And if thou give way, he will not hold 
 
 For with much talk will he try thee, 
 
 
 
 out. 
 
 And in a smiling manner will search 
 
 
 
 16 And the enemy will speak sweetly 
 
 thee out. 
 
 
 
 with his lips. 
 
 12 He that keepeth not to himself words 
 
 
 
 And in his heart take counsel how to 
 
 spoken is unmerciful ; 
 
 
 
 overthrow thee into a pit : 
 
 And he will not spare to hurt and to 
 
 
 
 The enemy will weep with his eyes, 
 
 bind. 
 
 
 
 And if he find opportunity, he will 
 
 13 Keep them to thyself, and take ear- 
 
 
 
 not be satiated with blood. 
 
 nest heed. 
 
 
 
 17 If adversity meet thee, thou shalt find 
 
 For thou walkest ^in peril of thy 
 
 3Gr. 
 
 
 him there before thee ; 
 
 falling.* 
 
 along 
 with. 
 
 
 And as though he would help thee. 
 
 
 *The 
 
 
 he will trip up thy heel. 
 
 15 Every living creature loveth his like. 
 
 remain- 
 
 
 18 He will shake his head, and clap his 
 
 And every man loveth his neighbom-. 
 
 der of 
 verse 13, 
 
 
 hands. 
 
 16 All flesh consorteth according to kind. 
 
 and 
 
 
 And whisper much, and change his 
 
 And a man will cleave to his like. 
 
 verse 14, 
 
 
 countenance. 
 
 17 What fellowship shall the wolf have 
 
 omitted 
 
 
 
 vnth the la,mb ? 
 
 by the 
 
 
 13 He that toucheth pitch shall be de- 
 
 So is the sinner unto the godly. 
 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 
 filed; 
 
 18 What peace is there between the 
 
 
 
 And he that hath fellowship with a 
 
 hyena and the dog ? 
 
 
 
 proud man shall become like unto 
 
 And what peace between the rich 
 
 
 
 him. 
 
 man and the poor? 
 
 
 
 2 Take not up a burden above thy 
 
 19 Wild asses are the prey of lions in 
 
 
 
 strength ; 
 
 the wilderness ; 
 
 
 
 And have no fellowship with one that 
 
 So poor men are pasture for the rich. 
 
 
 
 is mightier and richer than thyself. 
 
 20 Lowliness is an abomination to a 
 
 
 
 What fellowship shall the earthen 
 
 proud man ; 
 
 
 
 pot have with the kettle ? 
 
 So a poor man is an abomination to 
 
 
 
 This shall smite, and that shaU be 
 
 the rich. 
 
 
 
 dashed in pieces. 
 
 
 
 
 3 The rich man doeth a wrong, and he 
 
 21 A rich man when he is shaken is held 
 
 
 
 threateneth withal : 
 
 up of his friends ; 
 
 
 
 The poor is wronged, and he shall in- 
 
 But one of low degree being dovra is 
 
 
 1 treat withal. 
 
 thrust away also by his friends. 
 
 7 
 
 
14. 12 
 
 ECCLESIASTICUS. 
 
 15. 5. 
 
 
 22 When a rich man is fallen, there are 
 
 13 Do well unto thy friend before thou 
 
 
 
 many helpers ; 
 
 die; 
 
 
 lOr, 
 
 He speaketh ^ things not to be spoken, 
 
 And according to thy ability stretch 
 
 
 and 
 
 and men justify him : 
 
 out thy hand and give to him. 
 
 
 
 A man of low degree falleth, and men 
 
 14 Defraud not thyself of a good day ; 
 
 
 
 rebuke him withal ; 
 
 And let not the portion of a good 
 
 
 
 He uttereth wisdom, and no place is 
 
 desire pass thee by. 
 
 
 
 allowed him. 
 
 15 Shalt thou not leave thy labours unto 
 
 
 
 23 A rich man speaketh, and all keep 
 
 another ? 
 
 
 
 silence ; 
 
 And thy toils to be divided by lot? 
 
 
 
 And what he saith they extol to the 
 
 16 Give, and take, and beguile thy soul; 
 
 
 
 clouds : 
 
 For there is no seeking of luxury in 
 
 
 
 A poor man speaketh, and they say, 
 
 3 the grave. 
 
 
 
 Who is this? 
 
 17 All flesh waxeth old as a garment ; 
 
 
 
 And if he stumble, they will help to 
 
 For the covenant from the beginning 
 
 
 
 overthrow him. 
 
 is, Thou Shalt die the death. 
 18 As of the leaves flourishing on a thick 
 
 
 
 24 Riches are good that have no sin ; 
 
 tree, 
 
 
 
 And poverty is evil in the mouth of 
 
 Some it sheddeth, and some it maketh 
 
 
 
 the ungodly. 
 
 to grow ; 
 
 
 
 25 The heart of a man changeth his 
 
 So also of the generations of flesh and 
 
 
 
 countenance, 
 
 blood, 
 
 
 sThe 
 
 Whether it be for good or for evil.^ 
 
 One cometh to an end, and another is 
 
 
 remain- 
 
 26 A cheerful countenance is a token of 
 
 born. 
 
 
 this 
 
 a heart that is in prosperity ; 
 
 19 Every work rotteth and falleth away. 
 
 
 verse is 
 
 And the finding out of parables is a 
 
 And the worker thereof shall depart 
 
 
 by the 
 
 weariness of thinking. 
 
 with it. 
 
 
 best au- 
 
 14 Blessed is the man that hath not 
 
 
 
 thorities. 
 
 slipped with his mouth, 
 
 20 Blessed is the man that shall * medi- 
 
 4 Most 
 
 
 And is not pricked with sorrow for 
 
 tate in wisdom. 
 
 authori- 
 
 
 sins. 
 
 And that shall discourse by his under- 
 
 come to 
 
 
 2 Blessed is he whose soul doth not 
 
 standing. 
 
 an end. 
 
 
 condemn him, 
 
 21 He that considereth her ways in his 
 
 
 
 And who is not fallen from his hope. 
 
 heart 
 Shall also have knowledge in her 
 
 
 
 3 Riches are not comely for a niggard ; 
 
 secrets. 
 
 
 
 And what should an envious man do 
 
 22 Go forth after her as one that track- 
 
 
 
 with money ? 
 
 eth. 
 
 
 
 4 He that gathereth by taking from his 
 
 And lie in wait in her ways. 
 
 
 
 own soul gathereth for others ; 
 
 23 He that prieth in at her windows 
 
 
 
 And others shall revel in his goods. 
 
 Shall also hearken at her doors. 
 
 
 
 5 He that is evil to himself, to whom 
 
 24 He that lodgeth close to her house 
 
 
 
 will he be good? 
 
 Shall also fasten a nail in her walls. 
 
 
 
 And he shall not rejoice in his posses- 
 sions. 
 
 25 He shall pitch his tent nigh at hand to 
 
 Vipr 
 
 
 
 6 There is none more evil than he that 
 
 uer, 
 And shall lodge in a lodging where 
 
 
 
 envieth himself ; 
 
 good things are. 
 
 
 
 And this is a recompense of his 
 
 26 He shall set his children under her 
 
 
 
 wickedness. 
 
 shelter. 
 
 
 
 7 Even if he doeth good, he doeth it in 
 
 And shall rest under her branches. 
 
 
 
 forgetfulness ; 
 
 27 By her he shall be covered from heat. 
 
 
 
 And at the last he sheweth forth his 
 
 And shall lodge in her glory. 
 
 
 
 wickedness. 
 
 15 He that f eareth the Lord will do this ; 
 
 
 
 8 Evil is he that envieth with his eye. 
 
 And he that hath possession of the 
 
 
 
 Turning away the face, and despising 
 
 law shall obtain her. 
 
 
 
 the souls of men. 
 
 2 And as a mother shall she meet him. 
 
 
 
 9 A covetous man's eye is not satisfied 
 
 And receive him as a wife married in 
 
 
 
 with his portion ; 
 
 her virginity. 
 
 
 
 And wicked injustice drieth up his 
 
 3 With bread of understanding shall 
 
 
 
 soul. 
 
 she feed him. 
 
 
 
 10 An evil eye is grudging of bread. 
 
 And give him water of wisdom to 
 
 
 
 And he is miserly at his table. 
 
 drink. 
 4 He shall be stayed upon her, and shall 
 
 
 
 11 My son, according as thou hast, do 
 
 not be moved ; 
 
 
 
 well unto thyself. 
 
 And shall rely upon her, and shall not 
 
 
 
 And bring offerings unto the Lord 
 
 be confounded. 
 
 
 
 worthily. 
 
 5 And she shall exalt him above his 
 
 
 
 12 Remember that death will not tarry. 
 
 neighbours ; 
 
 
 3Gr. 
 
 And that the covenant of ^ the grave 
 
 And in the midst of the congregation 
 
 
 Hades. 
 
 is not shewed unto thee. 
 
 shall she open his mouth. 
 
 
16. 5. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICUS. 16. 24. 
 
 
 6 He shall inherit joy, and a crown of 
 
 
 
 
 gladness, 
 
 6 In the congregation of sinners shall 
 
 
 
 And an everlasting name. 
 
 a fire be kindled ; 
 
 
 
 7 Foolish men shall not obtain her ; 
 
 And in a disobedient nation wrath is 
 
 
 
 And sinners shall not see her. 
 
 kindled. 
 
 
 
 8 She is far from pride ; 
 
 7 He was not pacified toward the giants 
 
 
 
 And liars shall not remember her. 
 
 of old time. 
 
 
 
 9 Praise is not comely in the mouth of 
 
 Who revolted in their strength. 
 
 
 
 a sinner ; 
 
 8 He spared not those with whom Lot 
 
 
 
 For it was not sent him from the 
 
 sojourned. 
 
 
 
 Lord. 
 
 Whom he abhorred for their pride. 
 
 
 
 10 For praise shall be spoken in wis- 
 
 9 He pitied not the people of perdition, 
 
 
 
 dom; 
 
 Who were taken away in their sins. 
 
 
 
 And the Lord will prosper it. 
 
 10 And in like manner the six hundred 
 thousand footmen. 
 
 
 
 11 Say not thou. It is through the Lord 
 
 Who were gathered together in the 
 
 
 
 that I fell away ; 
 
 hardness of their hearts. 
 
 
 
 For thou Shalt not do the things that 
 
 11 Even if there be one stiffnecked per- 
 
 
 
 he hateth. 
 
 son. 
 
 
 
 12 Say not thou. It is he that caused me 
 
 It is marvel if he shall be unpun- 
 
 
 
 to err ; 
 
 ished : 
 
 
 
 For he hath no need of a sinful man. 
 
 For mercy and wrath are with him ; 
 
 
 
 13 The Lord hateth every abomination; 
 
 He is mighty to forgive, and he pour- 
 
 
 
 And they that fear him love it not. 
 
 eth out wrath. 
 
 
 
 14: He himself made man from the begin- 
 
 12 As his mercy is great, so is his cor- 
 
 
 
 ning, 
 
 rection also : 
 
 
 
 And left him in the hand of his own 
 
 He judgeth a man according to his 
 
 
 
 counsel. 
 
 works. 
 
 
 
 15 If thou wilt, thou shalt keep the com- 
 
 13 The sinner shall not escape with hU 
 
 
 
 mandments ; 
 
 plunder ; 
 
 
 
 And to perform faithfulness is of thine 
 
 And the patience of the godly shall 
 
 
 
 o%in good pleasure. 
 
 not be frustrate. 
 
 
 
 16 He hath set fire and wat^r before 
 
 14 He will make room for every work of 
 
 
 
 thee : 
 
 mercy ; 
 
 
 
 Thou Shalt stretch forth thy hand 
 
 Each man shall find accordmg to his 
 
 
 
 unto whichsoever thou wilt. 
 
 works.i 
 
 1 Verses 
 
 
 17 Before man is life and death; 
 
 
 15 and 
 
 16 are 
 
 
 And whichsoever he liketh, it shall 
 
 17 Say not thou, I shall be hidden from 
 
 omitted 
 
 
 be given him. 
 
 the Lord ; 
 
 by the 
 
 
 18 For great is the wisdom of the Lord: 
 
 And who shall remember me from on 
 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 
 He is mighty in power, and beholdeth 
 
 high? 
 
 
 
 all things ; 
 
 I shall not be known among so many 
 
 
 
 19 And his eyes are upon them that fear 
 
 people ; 
 
 
 
 him; 
 
 For what is my soul in a boundless 
 
 
 
 And he will take knowledge of every 
 
 creation ? 
 
 
 
 work of man. 
 
 18 Behold, the heaven, and the heaven 
 
 
 
 20 He hath not commanded any man to 
 
 of heavens. 
 
 
 
 be ungodly ; 
 
 The deep, and the earth, shall be 
 
 
 
 And he hath not given any man li- 
 
 moved when he shall visit. 
 
 
 
 cence to sin. 
 
 19 The mountains and the foundations 
 of the earth together 
 
 
 
 16 Desire not a multitude of unprofita- 
 
 Are shaken with trembling, when he 
 
 
 
 ble children. 
 
 looketh upon them. 
 
 
 . 
 
 Neither delight in ungodly sons. 
 
 20 And no heart shall think upon these 
 
 
 
 2 If they multiply, delight not in them, 
 
 things : 
 
 
 
 Except the fear of the Lord be with 
 
 And who shall conceive his ways ? 
 
 
 
 them. 
 
 21 And there is a tempest which no man 
 
 
 
 3 Trust not thou in their life, 
 
 shall see ; 
 
 
 
 Neither rely on their condition : 
 
 Yea, the more part of his works are 
 
 
 
 For one is better than a thousand; 
 
 2 hid. 
 
 2 Gr. 
 
 
 And to die childless than to have 
 
 22 Who shall declare the works of his 
 
 among 
 hidden 
 things. 
 
 
 ungodly children. 
 
 righteousness ? 
 
 
 4 For from one that hath understanding 
 
 Or who shall endure them ? 
 
 3 The 
 
 
 shall a city be peopled ; 
 
 For his covenant is afar off.^ 
 
 remain- 
 
 
 But a race of wicked men shall be 
 
 23 He that is wanting in * understanding 
 
 this 
 
 
 • made desolate. 
 5 Many such things have I seen with 
 
 thinketh upon these things ; 
 And an unwise and erring man think- 
 
 verse is 
 omitted 
 by the 
 
 
 mine eyes ; 
 
 eth follies. 
 
 best au- 
 
 
 And mine ear hath heard mightier 
 
 24 My son, hearken unto me, and learn 
 
 thorities. 
 
 4Gr. 
 
 heart. 
 
 
 things than these. 
 
 knowledge, 
 
 
 8 
 
 9 G* 1 
 
17. 17. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICUS. 
 
 18. 8. 
 
 iThe 
 Greek 
 text of 
 this line 
 is un- 
 certain. 
 a Gr. 
 The soul 
 of every 
 living 
 thing. 
 
 3Gr. 
 
 him. 
 
 * Verse 
 5 is 
 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 s Verse 
 9 is 
 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 «This 
 line is 
 added 
 by the 
 beet au- 
 thorities. 
 
 7 Some 
 ancient 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 their. 
 
 8 Verses 
 16, 18, 
 and 21 
 are 
 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 »The 
 pre- 
 ceding: 
 part of 
 this 
 verse is 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 And give heed to my words with thy 
 heart. 
 25 1 will shew forth instruction by 
 weight, 
 And declare knowledge exactly. 
 
 26 In the judgement of the Lord are his 
 
 works from the beginning ; 
 And from the making of them he dis- 
 posed the parts thereof. 
 
 27 He garnished his works for ever, 
 And the beginnings of them unto their 
 
 generations : 
 They neither hunger, nor are weary. 
 And they cease not from their works. 
 
 28 No one thrusteth aside his neighbour ; 
 And they shall never disobey his 
 
 word. 
 
 29 After this also the Lord looked upon 
 
 the earth. 
 And filled it with his blessings. 
 
 30 1 2 All manner of living things covered 
 
 the face thereof ; 
 And into it is their return. 
 
 17 The Lord created man of the earth, 
 And turned him back unto it again. 
 
 2 He gave them days by number, and a 
 
 set time. 
 And gave them authority over the 
 things that are thereon. 
 
 3 He endued them with strength proper 
 
 to them ; 
 And made them according to his own 
 image. 
 
 4 He put the fear of ^ man upon all flesh, 
 And gave him to have dominion over 
 
 beasts and fowls.* 
 
 6 Counsel, and tongue, and eyes, 
 Ears, and heart, gave he them to 
 
 understand withal. 
 
 7 He filled them with the knowledge of 
 
 wisdom. 
 And shewed them good and evil. 
 
 8 He set his eye upon their hearts. 
 
 To shew them the majesty of his 
 works.s 
 
 10 And they shall praise the name of 
 
 his holiness, 
 6 That they may declare the majesty of 
 his works. 
 
 11 He added unto them knowledge. 
 And gave them a law of life for a 
 
 heritage. 
 
 12 He made an everlasting covenant 
 
 with them. 
 And shewed them his judgements. 
 
 13 Their eyes saw the majesty of his 
 
 glory ; 
 And their ear heard the glory of ' his 
 voice. 
 
 14 And he said unto them, Beware of all 
 
 unrighteousness ; 
 And he gave them commandment, 
 each man concerning his neighbour. 
 
 15 Their ways are ever before him; 
 They shall not be hid from his eyes.^ 
 
 17® For every nation he appointed a 
 ruler ; 
 And Israel is the Lord's portion.^ 
 
 19 All their works are as the sun before 
 
 him; 
 And his eyes are continually upon 
 their ways. 
 
 20 Their iniquities are not hid from him ; 
 And all their sins are before the Lord.s 
 
 22 With him the alms of a man is as a 
 
 signet ; 
 And he will keep the bounty of a man 
 as the apple of the eye.^" 
 
 23 Afterwards he will rise up and recom- 
 
 pense them. 
 
 And render their recompense upon 
 their head. 
 24Howbeit unto them that repent he 
 granteth a return ; 
 
 And he comforteth them that are los- 
 ing patience. 
 
 25 Keturn unto the Lord, and forsake 
 
 sins: 
 Make thy prayer before his face, and 
 lessen the offence. 
 
 26 Turn again to the Most High, and 
 
 turn away from iniquity ; ^^ 
 And greatly hate the abominable 
 thing. 
 
 27 Who shall give praise to the Most 
 
 High in ^^ the grave. 
 Instead of them which live and return 
 thanks ? 
 
 28 Thanksgiving perisheth from the 
 
 dead, as from one that is not : 
 He that is in life and health shall 
 praise the Lord. 
 
 29 How great is the mercy of the Lord, 
 And his forgiveness unto them that 
 
 turn unto him ! 
 
 30 For all things cannot be in men. 
 Because the son of man is not im- 
 mortal. 
 
 31 What is brighter than the sun? yet 
 
 this f aileth : 
 And an evil man will think on flesh 
 and blood. 
 
 32 He looketh upon the power of the 
 
 height of heaven : 
 And all men are earth and ashes. 
 
 18 He that liveth for ever created all 
 things in common. 
 2 The Lord alone shall be justified." 
 
 4 To none hath he given power to de- 
 
 clare his works : 
 And who shall trace out his mighty 
 deeds? 
 
 5 Who shall number the strength of his 
 
 majesty ? 
 And who shall also tell out his mer- 
 cies ? 
 
 6 As for the wondrous works of the 
 
 Lord, it is not possible to take from 
 them nor add to them. 
 Neither is it possible to track them 
 out. 
 
 7 When a man hath finished, then he is 
 
 but at the beginning ; 
 And when he ceaseth, then shall he be 
 in perplexity. 
 
 8 What is man, and whereto serveth he ? 
 
 10 The 
 remain- 
 der of 
 this 
 verse is 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 11 Aline 
 
 is here 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 isGr. 
 Hades. 
 
 13 The 
 remain- 
 der of 
 verse 2, 
 and 
 verse 
 3, are 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
18. 26. ECCLESIASTICUS. 19. 13. 
 
 
 What is his good, and whatsis his 
 
 27 A wise man will fear in everything ; 
 
 
 
 evil? 
 
 And in days of sinnmg he will beware 
 
 
 
 9 The uiunber of man's days at the 
 
 of offence.^ 
 
 iThe 
 
 
 most are a hundred years. 
 
 28 Every man of understanding knoweth 
 
 remain- 
 der of 
 
 
 10 As a drop of water from the sea, and 
 
 wisdom ; 
 
 this 
 
 
 a pebble from the sand ; 
 
 And he will give thanks unto him that 
 
 verse ia 
 omitted 
 
 
 So are a few years in the day of 
 
 found her. 
 
 by the 
 
 
 eternity. 
 
 29 They that were of understanding in 
 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 
 11 For this cause the Lord was long- 
 
 sayings became also wise them- 
 
 
 
 suffering over them, 
 
 selves, 
 
 
 
 And poured out his mercy upon them. 
 
 And poured forth apt proverbs. 
 
 
 
 12 He saw and perceived their end, that 
 
 
 
 
 it is evil; 
 
 30 Go not after thy lusts ; 
 
 
 
 Therefore he multiplied his forgive- 
 
 And refrain thyself from thine appe- 
 
 
 
 ness. 
 
 tites. 
 
 
 
 13 The mercy of a man is upon his neigh- 
 
 31 If thou give fully to thy soul the de- 
 
 
 
 bour ; 
 
 light of her desire, 
 
 
 
 But the mercy of the Lord is upon all 
 
 She will make thee Hhe laughing- 
 
 2 Or, a 
 
 
 flesh ; 
 
 stock of thine enemies. 
 
 rejoicing 
 
 
 Eeproving, and chastening, and teach- 
 
 32 Make not merry in much luxury ; 
 
 to 
 
 
 ing, 
 
 Neither be tied to the expense there- 
 
 
 
 And bringing again, as a shepherd 
 
 of. 
 
 
 
 doth his flock. 
 
 33 Be not made a beggar by banqueting 
 
 
 
 14 He hath mercy on them that accept 
 
 upon borrowing. 
 
 
 
 chastening. 
 
 When thou hast nothing in thy purse.* 
 
 
 
 And that diligently seek after his 
 
 
 
 
 judgements. 
 
 19 A workman that is a drunkard shaU 
 not become rich : 
 
 
 
 15 My son, to thy good deeds add no 
 
 He that despiseth small things shall 
 
 
 
 blemish ; 
 
 fall by little and little. 
 
 
 
 And no grief of words in any of thy 
 
 2 Wine and women will make men of 
 
 
 
 giving. 
 
 understanding to fall away : 
 
 
 
 16 Shall not the dew assuage the scorch- 
 
 And he that cleaveth to harlots will 
 
 
 
 ingheat? 
 
 be the more reckless. 
 
 
 
 So is a word better than a gift. 
 
 3 Moths and worms shall have him to 
 
 
 
 17 Lo, is not a word better than a gift? 
 
 heritage ; 
 
 
 
 And both are with a gracious man. 
 
 And a reckless soul shall be taken 
 
 
 
 18 A fool will upbraid ungraciously ; 
 
 away. 
 
 
 
 And the gift of an envious man con- 
 
 
 
 
 smneth the eyes. 
 
 4 He that is hasty to trust is light- 
 minded ; 
 
 
 
 19 Learn before thou speak ; 
 
 And he that sinneth shall offend 
 
 
 
 And have a care of thy health or ever 
 
 against his own soul. 
 
 
 
 thou be sick. 
 
 5 He that maketh merry in his heart 
 
 
 
 20 Before judgement examine thyself; 
 
 shall be condemned : ^ 
 
 
 
 And in the hour of visitation thou 
 
 6 3 And he that hateth talk hath the 
 
 3 The 
 
 
 Shalt find forgiveness. 
 
 less wickedness. 
 
 preced- 
 
 
 21 Humble thyself before thou be sick ; 
 
 7 Never repeat what is told thee. 
 
 S^tffs^ 
 
 
 And in the time of sins shew repent- 
 
 And thou shalt fare never the worse. 
 
 verse is 
 
 
 ance. 
 
 8 Whether it be of friend or foe, tell it 
 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 
 
 22 Let nothing hinder thee to pay thy 
 
 not; 
 
 
 vow in due time ; 
 
 And unless it is a sin to thee, reveal 
 
 thorities. 
 
 
 And wait not until death to be justi- 
 
 it not. 
 
 
 
 fied. 
 
 9 For he hath heard thee, and observed 
 
 
 
 23 Before thou makest a vow, prepare 
 
 thee. 
 
 
 
 thyself; 
 
 And when the time cometh he will 
 
 
 
 And be not as a man that tempteth 
 
 hate thee. 
 
 
 
 the Lord. 
 
 10 Hast thou heard a word? let it die 
 
 
 
 24 Think upon the wrath that shall &ein 
 
 with thee : 
 
 
 
 the days of the end. 
 
 Be of good courage, it will not burst 
 
 
 
 And the time of vengeance, when he 
 
 thee. 
 
 
 
 turneth away his face. 
 
 11 A fool will travail in pain with a 
 
 
 
 25 In the days of fulness remember the 
 
 word. 
 
 
 
 time of hunger, 
 
 As a woman in labour with a child. 
 
 
 
 And poverty and want in the days of 
 
 12 As an arrow that sticketh in the 
 
 
 
 wealth. 
 
 * flesh of the thigh, 
 
 4Gr. 
 
 
 26 From morning mitil evening the time 
 change th ; 
 
 So is a word in a fool's belly. 
 
 thigh of 
 flesh. 
 
 
 And all things are speedy before the 
 Lord. 
 
 9 
 
 13 Reprove a friend ; it may be he did it 
 
 not: 
 1 
 
 
20. 5. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICUS. 
 
 20. 22. 
 
 1 Verses 
 
 18 and 
 
 19 are 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities, 
 a The 
 remain- 
 der of 
 verse 20, 
 and 
 verse 
 
 21, are 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 a Gr. to 
 bring to 
 light. 
 ♦ The 
 remain- 
 der of 
 this 
 verse is 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 s Gr. 
 
 laughter 
 of the 
 teeth. 
 
 8 Verse 
 Sis 
 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 And if he did something, that he may 
 do It no more. 
 
 14 Reprove thy neighbour; it may be he 
 
 said it not : 
 And if he hath said it, that he may not 
 say it again. 
 
 15 Reprove a friend ; for many times 
 
 there is slander : 
 And trust not every word. 
 
 16 There is one that slippeth, and not 
 
 from the heart : 
 And who is he tliat hath not sinned 
 with his tongue ? 
 
 17 Reprove thy neighbour before thou 
 
 threaten him ; 
 And give place to the law of the Most 
 High.i 
 
 20 All wisdom is the fear of the Lord ; 
 And in all wisdom is the doing of the 
 law.'' 
 
 22 And the knowledge of wickedness is 
 
 not wisdom ; 
 And the prudence of sinners is not 
 counsel. 
 
 23 There is a wickedness, and the same 
 
 is abomination ; 
 And there is a fool wanting in wisdom. 
 
 24 Better is one that hath small under- 
 
 standing, and feareth, 
 Than one that hath much prudence, 
 and transgresseth the law. 
 
 25 There is an exquisite subtilty, and the 
 
 same is unjust ; 
 And there is one that perverteth fa- 
 vour ^to gain a judgement.* 
 
 26 There is one that doeth wickedly, that 
 
 hangeth down his head with mourn- 
 ing; 
 But inwardly he is full of deceit, 
 
 27 Bowing down his face, and making as 
 
 if he were deaf of one ear : 
 Where he is not known, he will be 
 beforehand with thee. 
 
 28 And if for want of power he be hin- 
 
 dered from sinning. 
 If he find opportunity, he will do mis- 
 chief. 
 
 29 A man shall be known by his look, 
 And one that hath understanding 
 
 shall be known by his face, when 
 thou meetest him. 
 
 30 A man's attire, and ^grinning laugh- 
 
 ter, 
 And gait, shew what he is. 
 
 20 There is a reproof that is not come- 
 ly; 
 And there is a man that keepeth si- 
 lence, and he is wise. 
 2 How good is it to reprove, rather than 
 to be wroth ; 
 And he that maketh confession shall 
 be kept back from hurt.'' 
 
 4 As is the lust of an eunuch to deflower 
 
 a virgin ; 
 So is he that executeth judgements 
 with violence. 
 
 5 There is one that keepeth silence, and 
 
 is found wise ; 
 
 And there is one that is hated for his 
 much talk. 
 
 6 There is one that keepeth silence, for 
 
 he hath no answer to make ; 
 And there is that keepeth silence, as 
 knowing his time. 
 
 7 A wise man will be silent till his time 
 
 come; 
 But the braggart and fool will over- 
 pass his time. 
 
 8 He that useth many words shall be 
 
 abhorred ; 
 And he that taketh to himself au- 
 thority therein shall be hated. 
 
 9 There is a prosperity that a man 
 
 findeth in misfortunes ; 
 And there is a gain that turneth to 
 loss. 
 
 10 There is a gift that shall not profit 
 
 thee; 
 And there is a gift whose recompense 
 is double. 
 
 11 There is an abasement because of 
 
 glory ; 
 And there is that hath lifted up his 
 head from a low estate. 
 
 12 There is that buyeth much for a little, 
 And payeth for it again sevenfold. 
 
 13 He that is wise in words shall make 
 
 himself beloved ; 
 But the pleasantries of fools shall be 
 wasted. 
 
 14 The gift of a fool shall not profit 
 
 thee 7 ; 
 For his eyes are many instead of one. 
 
 15 He will give little, and upbraid much ; 
 And he will open his mouth like a 
 
 crier : 
 To-day he will lend, and to-morrow he 
 
 will ask it again : 
 Such an one is a hateful man. 
 
 16 The fool will say, I have no friend. 
 And I have no thanks for my good 
 
 deeds ; 
 They that eat my bread are of evil 
 tongue. 
 
 17 How oft, and of how many, shall he 
 
 be laughed to scorn ! « 
 
 18 A slip on a pavement is better than 
 
 a slip with the tongue ; 
 So the fall of the wicked shall come 
 speedily. 
 
 19 A man without grace is as a tale out 
 
 of season : 
 It will be continually in the mouth of 
 the ignorant. 
 
 20 A 9 wise sentence from a fool's mouth 
 
 will be rejected ; 
 For he will not speak it in its season. 
 
 21 There is that is hindered from sin- 
 
 ning through want ; 
 And when he taketh rest, he shall not 
 be troubled. 
 
 22 There is that destroyeth his soul 
 
 through bashf ulness ; 
 And by a foolish countenance he will 
 destroy it. 
 
 92 
 
21. 9. ECCLESIASTICUS. 21. 25. 
 
 
 23 There is that for bashf ulness promis- 
 
 And the end of them is a flame of 
 
 
 
 eth to his friend; 
 
 fire. 
 
 
 
 And he maketh him his enemy for 
 
 10 The way of sinners is made smooth 
 
 
 
 nothing. 
 
 with stones ; 
 And at the last end thereof is the pit 
 
 
 
 24 A lie is a foul blot in a man : 
 
 of Hades. 
 
 
 
 It will be continually in the mouth of 
 
 
 
 
 the ignorant. 
 
 11 He that keepeth the law become th 
 
 
 
 25 A thief is better than a man that is 
 
 master of the intent thereof ; 
 
 
 
 continually lying : 
 
 And the end of the fear of the Lord is 
 
 
 
 But they both shall inherit destruc- 
 
 wisdom. 
 
 
 
 tion. 
 
 12 He that is not clever will not be in- 
 
 
 
 26 The disposition of a liar is dishonour ; 
 
 structed ; 
 
 
 
 And his shame is with him continu- 
 
 And there is a cleverness which mak- 
 
 
 
 aUy. 
 
 eth bitterness to abound. 
 13 The knowledge of a wise man shall be 
 
 
 
 27 He that is wise in words shall ad- 
 
 made to abound as a flood ; 
 
 
 
 vance himself ; 
 
 And his counsel as a fountain of life. 
 
 
 
 And one that is prudent will please 
 
 14 The inward parts of a fool are like a 
 
 
 
 great men. 
 
 broken vessel ; 
 
 
 
 28 He that tilleth his land shall raise his 
 
 And he will hold no knowledge. 
 
 
 
 heap high ; 
 
 
 
 
 And he that pleaseth great men shall 
 
 15 If a man of knowledge hear a wise 
 
 
 
 get pardon for iniquity. 
 
 word. 
 
 
 
 29 Presents and gifts blind the eyes of 
 
 He will commend it, and add unto 
 
 
 
 the wise, 
 
 it: 
 
 
 
 And as a muzzle on the mouth, turn 
 
 The dissolute man heareth it, and it 
 
 
 
 away reproofs. 
 
 displeaseth him, 
 
 
 
 30 "Wisdom that is hid, and treasure 
 
 And he putteth it away behind his 
 
 
 
 that is out of sight, 
 
 back. 
 
 
 
 What profit is in them both ? 
 
 16 The discourse of a fool is like a burden 
 
 
 
 31 Better is a man that hideth his folly 
 
 in the way ; 
 
 
 1 Verse 
 
 Than a man that hideth his wisdom^ 
 
 But grace shall be found on the lips of 
 
 
 32 is 
 omitted 
 
 
 the wise. 
 
 
 by the 
 
 21 My son, hast thou sinned? add no 
 
 17 The mouth of the prudent man shall 
 
 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 more thereto ; 
 
 be sought for in the congregation ; 
 
 
 
 And make supplication for thy former 
 
 And they will ponder his words in 
 
 
 
 sins. 
 
 their heart. 
 
 
 
 2 Flee from sin as from the face of a 
 
 
 
 
 serpent ; 
 
 18 As a house that is destroyed, so is wis- 
 
 
 
 For if thou draw nigh it will bite 
 
 dom to a fool ; 
 
 
 
 thee: 
 
 And the knowledge of an unwise man 
 
 
 
 The teeth thereof are the teeth of a 
 
 is as 2 talk without sense. 
 
 3Gr. 
 
 
 lion. 
 
 19 Instruction is as fetters on the feet of 
 
 unex- 
 amined 
 words. 
 
 
 Slaying the souls of men. 
 
 an unwise man, 
 
 
 3 All iniquity is as a two-edged sword ; 
 
 And as manacles on the right hand. 
 
 
 
 Its stroke hath no healing. 
 
 20 A fool lifteth up his voice with laugh- 
 ter; 
 But a clever man will scarce smile 
 
 
 
 4 Terror and violence will lay waste 
 
 
 
 riches ; 
 
 quietly. 
 
 
 
 So the house of a haughty man shall 
 
 21 Instruction is to a prudent man as an 
 
 
 
 be laid waste. 
 
 ornament of gold, 
 
 
 
 5 Supplication from a poor man's mouth 
 
 And as a bracelet upon his right arm. 
 
 
 2Gr. 
 
 reacheth to the ears of 2 God, 
 
 
 
 him. 
 
 And his judgement cometh speedily. 
 
 22 The foot of a fool is soon in another 
 
 
 
 6 One that hateth reproof is in the path 
 
 man's house ; 
 
 
 
 of the sinner ; 
 
 But a man of experience will be 
 
 
 
 And he that f eareth the Lord wiU tiurn 
 
 ashamed of entering. 
 
 
 
 again in his heart. 
 
 23 A foolish man peepeth in from the 
 
 
 
 7 He that is mighty in tongue is known 
 
 door of another man's house ; 
 
 
 
 afar off : 
 
 But a man that is instructed will 
 
 
 
 But the man of understanding know- 
 
 stand without. 
 
 
 
 eth when he slippeth. 
 
 24 It is a want of instruction in a man to 
 listen at the door ; 
 
 
 
 8 He that buildeth his house with other 
 
 But the prudent man will be grieved 
 
 
 
 men's money 
 
 with the disgrace. 
 
 
 
 Is like one that gathereth himself 
 
 25 * The lips of strangers will be grieved 
 
 * The 
 
 
 stones against winter. 
 
 at these things ; 
 
 text 
 
 
 9 The congregation of wicked men is as 
 
 But the words of prudent men will be 
 
 seems 
 to be un- 
 certain. 
 
 
 tow wrapped together; 
 
 9 
 
 weighed in the balance. 
 3 
 
22. 14. ECCLESIASTICUS. 23. 1. 
 
 
 
 And what is the name thereof, but a 
 
 
 
 26 The heart of fools is in their mouth ; 
 
 fool? 
 
 
 
 But the mouth of wise men is their 
 
 15 Sand, and salt, and a mass of iron, is 
 
 
 
 heart. 
 
 easier to bear, 
 
 
 
 27 When the ungodly curseth Satan, 
 
 Than a man without understanding. 
 
 
 
 He curseth his own soul. 
 
 
 
 
 28 A whisperer defileth his own soul, 
 
 16 Timber girt and bound into a building 
 
 
 
 And shall be hated wheresoever he 
 
 shall not be loosed with shaking : 
 
 
 
 sojourneth. 
 
 So a heart established in due season 
 on well advised counsel shall not be 
 
 
 
 22 A slothful man is compared to a 
 
 afraid. 
 
 
 
 stone that is defiled; 
 
 17 A heart settled upon a thoughtful 
 
 
 
 And every one will hiss him out in his 
 
 understanding 
 
 
 
 disgrace. 
 
 Is as an ornament of plaister on a 
 
 
 
 2 A slothful man is compared to the 
 
 polished wall. 
 
 
 
 filth of a dunghill : 
 
 18 Pales set on a high place will not 
 
 
 
 Every man that taketh it up will 
 
 stand against the wind : 
 
 
 
 shake out his hand. 
 
 So a fearful heart in the imagination 
 of a fool will not stand against any 
 
 
 
 3 A father hath shame in having be- 
 
 fear. 
 
 
 
 gotten an uninstructed son ; 
 
 
 
 
 And a foolish daughter is born to his 
 
 19 He that pricketh the eye will make 
 
 
 
 loss. 
 
 tears to fall ; 
 
 
 
 4 A prudent daughter shall inherit a 
 
 And he that pricketh the heart mak- 
 
 
 
 husband of her own ; 
 
 eth it to shew feeling. 
 
 
 
 And she that bringeth shame is the 
 
 20 Whoso casteth a stone at birds fray- 
 
 
 
 grief of him that begat her. 
 
 eth them away ; 
 
 
 
 5 She that is bold bringeth shame upon 
 
 And he that upbraideth a friend will 
 
 
 
 father and husband ; 
 
 dissolve friendship. 
 
 
 
 And she shall be despised of them 
 
 21 H thou hast drawn a sword against a 
 
 
 
 both. 
 
 friend, despair not ; 
 
 
 
 6 Unseasonable discourse is as music 
 
 For there may be a returning. 
 
 
 
 in mourning; 
 
 22 If thou hast opened thy mouth against 
 
 
 
 But stripes and correction are wisdom 
 
 a friend, fear not ; 
 
 
 
 at every season. 
 
 For there may be a reconciling ; 
 Except it be for upbraiding, and arro- 
 
 
 
 7 He that teacheth a fool is as one that 
 
 gance, and disclosing of a secret. 
 
 
 
 glueth a potsherd together ; 
 
 and a treacherous blow : 
 
 
 
 Uven as one that waketh a sleeper 
 
 For these things every friend will 
 
 
 
 out of a deep sleep. 
 
 flee. 
 
 
 
 8 He that discourseth to a fool is as one 
 
 
 
 
 discoursing to a man that slumber- 
 
 23 Gain trust with thy neighbour in his 
 
 
 
 eth; 
 
 poverty. 
 
 
 
 And at the end he will say, What is 
 
 That in his prosperity thou mayest 
 
 
 1 Verses 
 
 it?i 
 
 have gladness : 
 
 
 9 and 
 
 10 are 
 
 11 Weep for the dead, for light hath 
 
 Abide stedfast unto him in the time of 
 
 
 omitted 
 
 failed him ; 
 
 his affliction. 
 
 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 And weep for a fool, for understand- 
 
 That thou mayest be heir with him in 
 
 
 ing hath failed him : 
 
 his inheritance.^ 
 
 3 The 
 
 
 Weep more sweetly for the dead, be- 
 
 24 Before fire is the vapour and smoke of 
 
 remain- 
 
 
 cause he hath found rest ; 
 
 a furnace ; 
 
 der of 
 this 
 
 
 But the life of the fool is worse than 
 
 So revilings before bloodshed. 
 
 verse is 
 
 
 death. 
 
 251 will not be ashamed to shelter a 
 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 
 
 12 Seven days are the days 0/ mourning 
 
 friend; 
 
 
 for the dead ; 
 
 And I will not hide myself from his 
 
 thorities. 
 
 
 But for a fool and an ungodly man, 
 
 face: 
 
 
 
 all the days of his life. 
 
 26 And if any evil happen unto me be- 
 cause of him, 
 
 
 
 13 Talk not much with a foolish man, 
 
 Every one that heareth it will beware 
 
 
 
 And go not to one that hath no under- 
 
 of him. 
 
 
 
 standing: 
 
 
 
 
 Beware of him, lest thou have trou- 
 
 27 Who shall set a watch over my mouth. 
 
 
 
 ble; 
 
 And a seal of shrewdness upon my 
 
 
 a Or, de- 
 
 And so thou shalt not be ^ defiled in 
 
 lips. 
 
 
 filed: in 
 hiJi on- 
 slauaht 
 
 his onslaught : 
 
 That I fall not from it, and that my 
 
 
 Turn aside from him, and thou shalt 
 
 tongue destroy me not ? 
 
 
 turtC 
 
 find rest ; 
 
 23 Lord, Father and Master of my 
 
 
 
 And so thou shalt not be wearied in 
 
 life, 
 
 
 
 his madness. 
 
 Abandon me not to their counsel : 
 
 
 
 14 What shall be heavier than lead? 
 
 9 
 
 Suffer me not to fall by them. 
 4 
 
 
23. 14. ECCLESIASTICUS. 24. 2. 
 
 
 2 Who will set scourges over my 
 
 15 A man that is accustomed to words 
 
 
 
 thought, 
 
 of reproach 
 
 
 
 And a discipline of wisdom over mine 
 
 Will not be corrected all the days of 
 
 
 
 heart ? 
 
 his life. 
 
 
 
 That they spare me not for mine 
 
 
 
 
 ignorances. 
 
 16 Two sorts of men multiply sins, * 
 
 
 
 And my heart pass not by theu- sins : 
 
 And the third will bring wrath : 
 
 
 
 3 That mine ignorances be not multi- 
 
 A hot mind, as a burning fire, will not 
 
 
 
 plied. 
 
 be quenched till it be consumed : 
 
 
 
 And my sins abound not ; 
 
 A fornicator in the body of his flesh 
 
 
 
 And I shall fall before mine adver- 
 
 will never cease till he hath ^ burned 
 
 «0r, 
 
 
 saries, 
 
 out the fire. 
 
 made a 
 blaze up 
 
 iThe 
 
 And mine enemy rejoice over me.i 
 
 17 All bread is sweet to a fornicator: 
 
 de"^^' 
 
 4 Lord, Father and God of my Ufe, 
 
 He will not leave off till he die. 
 
 
 this 
 
 Give me not a ^ proud look,i 
 
 18 A man that goeth astray from his 
 
 
 omitted 
 
 5 And turn away concupiscence from 
 
 own bed, 
 
 
 by the 
 
 me.i 
 
 Saying in his heart, Who seeth me ? 
 
 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 6 Let not 3 greediness and chambering 
 
 Darkness is round about me, and the 
 
 
 sGr. 
 
 overtake me ; 
 
 walls hide me. 
 
 
 li/ting 
 ■up of 
 eyes. 
 
 And give me not over to a shameless 
 
 And no man seeth me ; of whom am I 
 
 
 mind. 
 
 afraid ? 
 
 
 3 Gr. ap- 
 
 
 The Most High will not remember 
 
 
 petite of 
 the belly. 
 
 7 Hear ye, my children, the discipline of 
 
 my sins ; 
 
 
 the mouth ; 
 
 19 — And the eyes of men are his terror. 
 
 
 
 And he that keepeth it shall not be 
 
 And he knoweth not that the eyes 
 
 
 
 taken. 
 
 of the Lord are ten thousand times 
 
 
 *M06t 
 
 8 The sinner shall be * overtaken in his 
 
 brighter than the sun. 
 
 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 
 lips; 
 
 Beholding all the ways of men, 
 
 
 Wt. 
 
 And the reviler and the proud man 
 
 And looking into secret places. 
 
 
 
 shall stumble therein. 
 
 20 All things were known unto him or 
 
 
 
 9 Accustom not thy mouth to an oath ; 
 
 ever they were created ; 
 
 
 
 And be not accustomed to the naming 
 
 And in like manner also after they 
 
 
 
 of the Holy One. 
 
 were perfected. 
 
 
 
 10 For as a servant that is continually 
 
 21 This man shall be punished in the 
 
 
 
 scourged shall not lack a bruise, 
 
 streets of the city ; 
 
 
 
 So he also that sweareth and nameth 
 
 And where he suspected not he shall 
 
 
 
 God continually shall not be 
 
 be taken. 
 
 
 
 cleansed from sin. 
 
 22 So also a wife that leaveth her hus- 
 
 
 
 11 A man of many oaths shall be filled 
 
 band. 
 
 
 
 with iniquity ; 
 
 And bringeth in an heir by a stranger. 
 
 
 
 And the scourge shall not depart from 
 
 23 For first, she was disobedient in the 
 
 
 
 his house : 
 
 law of the Most High ; 
 
 
 
 If he shall offend, his sin shall be 
 
 And secondly, she trespassed against 
 
 
 
 upon him ; 
 
 her own husband ; 
 
 
 
 And if he disregard it, he hath sinned 
 
 And thirdly, she played the adulteress 
 
 
 
 doubly ; 
 
 in whoredom. 
 
 
 
 And if he hath sworn in vain, he shall 
 
 And brought in children by a stranger. 
 
 
 
 not be justified ; 
 
 24 She shall be brought out into the 
 
 
 
 For his house shall be filled with 
 
 congregation ; 
 
 
 
 calamities. 
 
 And upon her children shall there be 
 
 
 
 12 There is a manner of speech that is 
 
 visitation. 
 
 
 
 clothed about with death : 
 
 25 Her children shall not spread into 
 
 
 
 Let it not be found in the heritage of 
 
 roots. 
 
 
 
 Jacob ; 
 
 And her branches shall bear no fruit 
 
 
 
 For all these things shall be far from 
 
 26 She shall leave her memory for a 
 
 
 ' 
 
 the godly, 
 
 curse ; 
 
 
 
 And they shall not wallow in sins. 
 
 And her reproach shall not be blotted 
 
 
 
 13 Accustom not thy mouth to gross 
 
 out. 
 
 
 
 rudeness, 
 
 27 And they that are left behind shall 
 
 
 
 For therein is the word of sin. 
 
 know that there is nothing better 
 
 
 
 14 Remember thy father and thy mo- 
 
 than the fear of the Lord, 
 
 
 
 ther, 
 
 And nothing sweeter than to take 
 
 
 
 For thou sittest in the midst of great 
 
 heed unto the commandments of 
 
 
 
 men; 
 
 the Lord.6 
 
 6 Verse 
 28 is 
 
 
 That thou be not forgetful before 
 
 
 
 them. 
 
 24 Wisdom shall praise ' herself, 
 
 omitted 
 
 
 And become a fool by thy custom ; 
 
 And shall glory in the midst of her 
 
 by the 
 best au- 
 
 
 So Shalt thou wish that thou hadst 
 
 people. 
 
 thorities. 
 
 
 not been born. 
 
 2 In the congregation of the Most High 
 
 7 Gr. 
 Tier own 
 soul. 
 
 
 And curse the day of thy nativity. 
 
 9 
 
 shall she open her mouth, 
 5 
 
24. 21. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICUS. 
 
 25. 4. 
 
 1 See 
 Exodus 
 XXX. 34. 
 
 a Verse 
 18 is 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 And glory in the presence of his 
 power. 
 3 I came forth from the mouth of the 
 Most High, 
 And covered the earth as a mist. 
 4 1 dwelt in high places, 
 And my throne Is in the pillar of the 
 cloud. 
 
 5 Alone I compassed the circuit of 
 
 heaven. 
 And walked in the depth of the abyss. 
 
 6 In the waves of the sea, and in all the 
 
 earth. 
 And in every people and nation, I got 
 a possession. 
 
 7 With all these I sought rest ; 
 
 And in whose inheritance shall I 
 lodge ? 
 
 8 Then the Creator of all things gave 
 
 me a commandment ; 
 And he that created me made my 
 
 tabernacle to rest, 
 And said, Let thy tabernacle be in 
 
 Jacob, 
 And thine inheritance in Israel. 
 
 9 He created me from the beginning 
 
 before the world ; 
 And to the end I shall not fail. 
 
 10 In the holy tabernacle I ministered 
 
 before him; 
 And so was I established in Sion. 
 
 11 In the beloved city likewise he gave 
 
 me rest; 
 And in Jerusalem was my authority. 
 
 12 And I took root in a people that was 
 
 glorified. 
 
 Even in the portion of the Lord's own 
 inheritance. 
 131 was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, 
 
 And as a cypress tree on the moun- 
 tains of Hermon. 
 14 1 was exalted like a palm tree on the 
 sea shore, 
 
 And as rose plants in Jericho, 
 
 And as a fair olive tree in the plain ; 
 
 And I was exalted as a plane tree. 
 
 15 As cinnamon and aspalathus, I have 
 
 given a scent of perfumes ; 
 And as choice myrrh, I spread abroad 
 
 a pleasant odour ; 
 As 1 galbanum, and onyx, and staete, 
 And as the fume of frankincense in 
 
 the tabernacle. 
 
 16 As the terebinth I stretched out my 
 
 branches ; 
 And my branches are branches of 
 glory and grace. 
 
 17 As the vine I put forth grace ; 
 
 And my flowers are the fruit of glory 
 and riches.2 
 
 19 Come unto me, ye that are desirous 
 
 of me, 
 And be ye filled with my produce. 
 
 20 For my memorial is sweeter than 
 
 honey. 
 And mine inheritance than the honey- 
 comb. 
 
 21 They that eat me shall yet be hungry ; 
 And they that drink me shall yet be 
 
 thirsty. 
 
 22 He that obeyeth me shall not be 
 
 ashamed ; 
 And they that work in me shall not 
 do amiss. 
 
 23 All these things are the book of the 
 
 covenant of the Most High God, 
 Even the law which Moses command- 
 ed us for a heritage unto the as- 
 semblies of Jacob.3 
 
 25 It is he that maketh wisdom abun- 
 
 dant, as rishon, 
 And as Tigris in the days of new 
 fruits ; 
 
 26 That maketh understanding full as 
 
 Euphrates, 
 And as Jordan in the days of harvest ; 
 
 27 Thatmaketh instruction to shine forth 
 
 as the light, 
 As Gihon in the days of vintage. 
 
 28 The first man knew her not perfectly ; 
 And in like manner the last hath not 
 
 traced her out. 
 
 29 For her thoughts are filled from the 
 
 sea. 
 And her counsels from the great 
 deep. 
 
 30 And I came out as a * stream from a 
 
 river. 
 
 And as a conduit into a garden. 
 311 said, I will water my garden, 
 
 And will water abundantly my gar- 
 den bed ; 
 
 And, lo, my stream became a river, 
 
 And my river became a sea. 
 321 will yet bring instruction to light as 
 the morning. 
 
 And will make ^ these things to shine 
 forth afar off. 
 
 33 I will yet pour out doctrine as pro- 
 
 phecy. 
 And leave it unto generations of ages. 
 
 34 Behold that I have not laboured for 
 
 myself only. 
 But for all them that diligently seek 
 her. 
 
 25 In three things I was beautified, 
 And stood up beautiful before the 
 
 Lord and men : 
 The concord of brethren, and friend- 
 ship of neighbours. 
 And a woman and her husband that 
 walk together in agreement. 
 
 2 But three sorts of men my soul hat- 
 
 eth. 
 And I am greatly offended at their 
 
 life: 
 A poor man that is haughty, and a 
 
 rich man that is a liar. 
 And an old man that is an adulterer 
 
 lacking understanding. 
 
 3 In thy youth thou hast not gathered. 
 And how shouldest thou find in thine 
 
 old age ? 
 
 4 How beautiful a thing Is judgement 
 
 for gray hairs, 
 And for elders to know counsel ! 
 
25. 21. ECCLESIASTICUS. 26. 12. 
 
 
 5 How beautiful is the wisdom of old 
 
 And desire not a woman for her 
 
 
 
 men, 
 
 beauty. 
 
 
 
 And thought and counsel to men that 
 
 22 There is anger, and Impudence, and 
 
 
 
 are in honour ! 
 
 great reproach. 
 
 
 
 6 Much experience is the crown of old 
 
 If a woman maintain her husband. 
 
 
 
 men ; 
 
 23 A wicked woman is abasement of 
 
 
 
 And; their glorying is the fear of the 
 
 heart, 
 
 
 
 Lord. 
 
 And sadness of countenance, and a 
 wounded heart : 
 
 
 
 7 There be nine things that I have 
 
 A woman that will not make her hus- 
 
 
 
 thought of, and in mine heart 
 
 band happy 
 
 
 
 counted happy ; 
 
 Is as hands that hang down, and 
 
 
 
 And the tenth I will utter with my 
 
 palsied knees. 
 
 
 
 tongue : 
 
 24 From a woman was the beginning of 
 
 
 
 A man that hath joy of his children ; 
 
 sin; 
 
 
 
 A man that liveth and looketh upon 
 
 And because of her we all die. 
 
 
 
 the fall of his enemies : 
 
 25 Give not water an outlet ; 
 
 
 
 8 Happy is he that dwelleth with a wife 
 
 Neither to a wicked woman freedom 
 
 
 
 of understanding ; 
 
 of speech. 
 
 
 
 And he that hath not slipped with 
 
 26 If she go not 2 as thou wouldest have 
 
 2 Gr. ac- 
 
 
 his tongue ; 
 
 her. 
 
 cording 
 
 a. 
 
 
 And he that hath not served a man 
 
 Cut her off from thy flesh.^ 
 
 
 that is unworthy of him : 
 
 
 3 The 
 
 
 9 Happy is he that hath found pru- 
 
 26 Happy is the husband of a good 
 
 remain- 
 der of 
 
 
 dence ; 
 
 wife; 
 
 this 
 
 
 And he that discourseth in the ears 
 
 And the number of his days shall be 
 
 verse is 
 omitted 
 by the 
 
 
 of them that listen. 
 
 twofold. 
 
 
 10 How great is he that hath found 
 
 2 A brave woman rejoiceth her hus- 
 
 best au- 
 
 
 wisdom ! 
 
 band; 
 
 thorities. 
 
 
 Yet is there none above him that 
 
 And he shall fulfil his years in peace. 
 
 
 
 feareth the Lord. 
 
 3 A good wife is a good portion : 
 
 
 
 1 1 The fear of the Lord passeth all 
 
 She shall be given in the portion of 
 
 
 
 things : 
 
 such as fear the Lord. 
 
 
 
 He that holdeth it, to whom shall he 
 
 4 Whether a man be rich or poor. 
 
 
 1 Verse 
 
 be likened ?i 
 
 A good heart maketh at all times a 
 
 
 12 is 
 omitted 
 
 
 cheerful countenance. 
 
 
 by the 
 
 13 Give me any plague but the plague of 
 
 
 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 the heart ; 
 
 5 Of three things my heart was afraid ; 
 
 
 And any wickedness but the wicked- 
 
 And concerning the fourth * kind I 
 
 *Gr. 
 
 
 ness of a woman ; 
 
 made supplication : 
 
 couTite- 
 
 
 14 Any calamity, but a calamity from 
 
 The slander of a city, and the assem- 
 
 nance. 
 
 
 them that hate me ; 
 
 bly of a multitude, and a false ac- 
 
 
 
 And any vengeance, but the venge- 
 
 cusation : 
 
 
 
 ance of enemies. 
 
 All these are more grievous than 
 
 
 
 15 There is no head above the head of a 
 
 death. 
 
 
 
 serpent ; 
 
 6 A grief of heart and sorrow is a wo- 
 
 
 
 And there is no wrath above the 
 
 man that is jealous of another wo- 
 
 
 
 wrath of an enemy. 
 
 man, 
 And the scourge of a tongue commu- 
 
 
 
 161 will rather dwell with a lion and a 
 
 nicating to all. 
 
 
 
 dragon. 
 
 7 A wicked woman is as a yoke of oxen 
 
 
 
 Than keep house with a wicked wo- 
 
 shaken to and fro : 
 
 
 
 man. 
 
 He that taketh hold of her is as one 
 
 
 
 17 The wickedness of a woman changeth 
 
 that graspeth a scorpion. 
 
 
 
 her look. 
 
 8 A drunken woman causeth great 
 
 
 
 And darkeneth her countenance as a 
 
 wrath ; 
 
 
 
 bear doth. 
 
 And she will not cover her own 
 
 
 
 18 Her husband shall sit at meat among 
 
 shame. 
 
 
 
 his neighbomrs. 
 
 9 The whoredom of a woman is in the 
 
 
 
 And when he heareth it he sigheth 
 
 lifting up of her eyes ; 
 
 
 
 bitterly. 
 
 And it shall be known by her eyelids. 
 
 
 
 19 All malice is but little to the malice 
 
 10 Keep strict watch on a headstrong 
 
 
 
 of a woman : 
 
 daughter, 
 
 
 
 Let the portion of a sinner fall on her. 
 
 Lest she find liberty for herself, and 
 
 
 
 20 As the going up a sandy way is to the 
 
 use it. 
 
 
 
 feet of the aged, 
 
 11 Look well after an impudent eye ; 
 
 
 
 So is a wife full of words to a quiet 
 
 And marvel not if it trespass against 
 
 
 
 man. 
 
 thee. 
 
 
 
 21 Throw not thyself upon the beauty of 
 
 12 She will open her mouth, as a thirsty 
 
 
 
 a woman ; 
 
 traveller. 
 
 
 9 
 
 7 ^ 
 
27. 7. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICUS. 
 
 27. 24. 
 
 iGr. 
 
 weight. 
 
 3 Verses 
 l!)-27 are 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 *Gr. 
 rub. 
 
 And drink of every water that is near : 
 At every post will she sit down, 
 And open her quiver against any 
 arrow. 
 
 13 The grace of a wife will delight her 
 
 husband ; 
 And her knowledge will fatten his 
 bones. 
 
 14 A silent woman is a gift of the Lord ; 
 And there is nothing so much worth 
 
 as a well-instructed soul. 
 
 15 A shamefast woman is grace upon 
 
 grace ; 
 And there is no ^ price worthy of a 
 continent soul. 
 
 16 As the sun when it ariseth in the 
 
 highest places of the Lord, 
 So is the beauty of a good wife in the 
 ordering of ^ a man's house. 
 
 17 As the lamp that shineth upon the 
 
 holy candlestick, 
 So is the beauty of the face in ripe age. 
 
 18 As the golden pillars are upon a base 
 
 of silver, 
 So are beautiful feet with the breasts 
 of one that is stedfast.^ 
 
 28 For two things my heart is grieved ; 
 And for the third anger cometh upon 
 
 me: 
 
 A man of war that sufiEereth for 
 poverty ; 
 
 And men of understanding that are 
 counted as refuse : 
 
 One that turneth back from righteous- 
 ness to sin ; 
 
 The Lord shall prepare him for the 
 sword. 
 
 29 A merchant shall hardly keep him- 
 
 self from wrong doing ; 
 
 And a huckster shall not be acquitted 
 of sin. 
 27 Many have sinned for a thing indif- 
 ferent ; 
 
 And he that seeketh to multiply gain 
 will turn his eye away. 
 
 2 A nail will stick fast between the 
 
 joinings of stones ; 
 And sin will * thrust itself in between 
 buying and selling. 
 
 3 Unless a man hold on diligently in 
 
 the fear of the Lord, 
 His house shall soon be overthrown. 
 
 4 In the shaking of a sieve, the refuse 
 
 remaineth ; 
 So the filth of man in his reasoning. 
 
 5 The furnace will prove the potter's 
 
 vessels ; 
 And the trial of a man is in his 
 reasoning. 
 
 6 The fruit of a tree declareth the hus- 
 
 bandry thereof ; 
 So is the utterance of the thought of 
 the heart of a man. 
 
 7 Praise no man before thou hearest 
 
 him reason ; 
 For this is the trial of men. 
 
 8 If thou followest righteousness, thou 
 
 Shalt obtain her. 
 And put her on, as a long robe of 
 glory. 
 
 9 Birds will resort unto their like ; 
 And truth will return unto them that 
 
 practise her. 
 
 10 The lion lieth in wait for prey ; 
 
 So doth sin for them that work ini- 
 quity. 
 
 11 The discourse of a godly man is al- 
 
 ways wisdom : 
 But the foolish man changeth as the 
 moon. 
 
 12 Among men void of understanding 
 
 observe the opportunity ; 
 But stay continually among the 
 thoughtful. 
 
 13 The discourse of fools is an offence ; 
 And their laughter is in the wanton- 
 ness of sin. 
 
 14 The talk of a man of many oaths will 
 
 make the hair stand upright ; 
 And their strife maketli one stop his 
 ears. 
 
 15 The strife of the proud is a shedding 
 
 of blood ; 
 And their reviling of each other is a 
 grievous thing to hear. 
 
 16 He that revealeth secrets desti'oyeth 
 
 credit. 
 And shall not find a friend to his 
 mind. 
 
 17 Love a friend, and keep faith with 
 
 him: 
 But if thou reveal his secrets, 
 Thou Shalt not pursue after him ; 
 
 18 For as a man hath destroyed his 
 
 enemy. 
 So hast thou destroyed the friendship 
 of thy neighbour. 
 
 19 And as a bird which thou hast loosed 
 
 out of thy hand. 
 So hast thou let thy neighbour go, and 
 thou wilt not catch him again : 
 
 20 Pursue him not, for he is gone far 
 
 away. 
 And hath escaped as a gazelle out of 
 the snare. 
 
 21 For a wound may be bound up, and 
 
 after reviling there may be a recon- 
 cilement ; 
 But he that revealeth secrets hath 
 lost hope. 
 
 22 One that winketh with the eye con- 
 
 triveth evil things ; 
 And no man will remove him from it. 
 
 23 When thou art present, he will speak 
 
 sweetly, 
 And will admire thy words ; 
 But afterward he will writhe his 
 
 mouth, 
 And set a trap /or thee in thy words. 
 
 24 I have hated many things, but no- 
 
 thing like him ; 
 And the Lord will hate him. 
 
28. 11. ECCLESIASTICUS. 
 
 29. 1. 
 
 
 
 And a hasty fighting sheddeth blood. 
 
 
 
 25 One that casteth a stone on high cast- 
 
 12 If thou blow a spark, it shall burn ; 
 
 
 
 eth it on his own head ; 
 
 And if thou spit upon it, it shall be 
 
 
 
 And a deceitful stroke will open 
 
 quenched : 
 
 
 
 wounds. 
 
 And both these shall come out of thy 
 
 
 
 26 He that diggeth a pit shaU fall into It ; 
 
 mouth. 
 
 
 
 And he that setteth a snare shall be 
 
 
 
 
 taken therein. 
 
 13 Curse the whisperer and double- 
 
 
 
 27 He that doeth evil things, they shall 
 
 tongued : 
 
 
 
 roll upon him, 
 
 For he hath destroyed many that were 
 
 
 
 And he shall not know whence they 
 
 at peace. 
 
 
 
 have come to him. 
 
 14 A third person's tongue hath shaken 
 
 
 
 28 Mockery and reproach are from the 
 
 many. 
 
 
 
 haughty; 
 
 And dispersed them from nation to 
 
 
 
 And vengeance, as a lion, shall lie in 
 
 nation ; 
 
 
 
 wait for him. 
 
 And it hath pulled down strong cities, 
 
 
 
 29 They that rejoice at the faU of the 
 
 And overthrown the houses of great 
 
 
 
 godly shall be taken in a snare ; 
 
 men. 
 
 
 
 And anguish shall consume them be- 
 
 15 A third person's tongue hath cast out 
 
 
 
 fore they die. 
 
 brave women. 
 And deprived them of their labours. 
 
 
 
 30 Wrath and anger, these also are abom- 
 
 16 He that hearkeneth unto it shall not 
 
 
 
 inations ; 
 
 find rest. 
 
 
 
 And a sinful man shall possess them. 
 
 Nor shall he dwell quietly. 
 
 
 
 28 He that taketh vengeance shall find 
 
 17 The stroke of a whip maketh a mark 
 
 
 
 vengeance from the Lord ; 
 
 in the flesh ; 
 
 
 
 And he will surely make firm his 
 
 But the stroke of a tongue will break 
 
 
 
 sins. 
 
 bones. 
 
 
 
 2 Forgive thy neighbour the hurt that 
 
 18 Many have fallen by the edge of the 
 
 
 
 he hath done thee ; 
 
 sword : 
 
 
 
 And then thy sins shall be pardoned 
 
 Yet not so many as they that have 
 
 
 
 when thou prayest. 
 
 fallen because of the tongue. 
 
 
 
 3 Man cherisheth anger against man ; 
 
 19 Happy is he that is sheltered from it, 
 
 
 
 And doth he seek healing from the 
 
 That hath not passed through the 
 
 
 
 Lord? 
 
 wrath thereof ; 
 
 
 
 4 Upon a man like himself he hath no 
 
 That hath not drawn its yoke, 
 
 
 
 mercy ; 
 
 And hath not been bound with its 
 
 
 
 And doth he make supplication for 
 
 bands. 
 
 
 
 his own sins ? 
 
 20 For the yoke thereof is a yoke of 
 
 
 
 5 He being himself flesh nourisheth 
 
 Iron, 
 
 
 
 wrath: 
 
 And the bands thereof are bands of 
 
 
 
 Who shall make atonement for his 
 
 brass. 
 
 
 
 sins? 
 
 21 The death thereof is an evil death ; 
 
 
 
 6 Remember thy last end, and cease 
 
 And Hades were better than it. 
 
 
 
 from enmity : 
 
 22 It shall not have rule over godly 
 
 
 
 Rememher corruption and death, and 
 
 men; 
 
 
 
 abide in the commandments. 
 
 And they shall not be burned in its 
 
 
 
 7 Remember the commandments, and 
 
 flame. 
 
 
 
 be not wroth with thy neighbour ; 
 
 23 They that forsake the Lord shall fall 
 
 
 
 And remember the covenant of the 
 
 into it ; 
 
 
 
 Highest, and wink at ignorance. 
 
 And it shall burn among them, and 
 shall not be quenched : 
 
 
 
 8 Abstain from strife, and thou shalt 
 
 It shall be sent forth upon them as a 
 
 
 
 diminish thy sins : 
 
 lion; 
 
 
 
 For a passionate man will kindle 
 
 And as a leopard it shall destroy 
 
 
 
 strife ; 
 
 them. 
 
 
 
 9 And a man that is a sinner will trou- 
 
 24 Look that thou hedge thy possession 
 
 
 
 ble friends. 
 
 about with thorns ; 
 
 
 
 And will make debate among them 
 
 Bind up thy silver and thy gold ; 
 
 
 
 that be at peace. 
 
 25 And make a balance and a weight for 
 
 
 iThe 
 
 10^ As is the fuel of the fire, so wiU it 
 
 thy words ; 
 
 
 order of 
 the lines 
 in this 
 
 burn; 
 
 And make a door and a bar for thy 
 
 
 And as the stoutness of the strife is. 
 
 mouth. 
 
 
 verse 
 is un- 
 
 so will it burn : 
 
 26 Take heed lest thou slip therein ; 
 
 
 certain. 
 
 As is the strength of the man, so will 
 
 Lest thou fall before one that lieth in 
 
 
 
 be his wrath ; 
 
 wait 
 
 
 
 And as is his wealth, so will he exalt 
 
 
 
 
 his anger. 
 
 29 He that sheweth mercy will lend 
 
 
 
 11 A contention begun in haste kindleth 
 
 unto his neighbour ; 
 
 
 
 afire; 
 
 9 
 
 And he that strengtheneth him with 
 9 
 
 
29. 17. ECCLESIASTICUS. 30. 6. 
 
 
 his hand keepeth the command- 
 
 ISSui-etiship hath undone many that 
 
 
 
 ments. 
 
 were prospering. 
 
 
 
 2 Lend to thy neighbour in time of his 
 
 And shaken them as a wave of the 
 
 
 
 need; 
 
 sea: 
 
 
 
 And pay thou thy neighbour again in 
 
 Mighty men hath it driven from their 
 
 
 
 due season. 
 
 homes ; 
 
 
 
 3 Confirm thy word, and keep faith with 
 
 And they wandered among strange 
 
 
 
 him ; 
 
 nations. 
 
 
 
 And at all seasons thou shalt find 
 
 19 A sinner that falleth into suretiship. 
 
 
 
 what thou needest. 
 
 And undertaketh contracts for work. 
 
 
 
 4 Many have reckoned a loan as a wind- 
 
 shall fall into lawsuits. 
 
 
 
 fall, 
 
 20 Help thy neighbour according to thy 
 
 
 
 And have given trouble to those that 
 
 power, 
 
 
 
 helped them. 
 
 And take heed to thyself that thou 
 
 
 
 5 Till he hath received, he will kiss a 
 
 fall not to the same. 
 
 
 
 man's hands ; 
 
 
 
 
 And for his neighbour's money he will 
 
 21 The chief thing for life is water, and 
 
 
 
 speak submissly : 
 
 bread, 
 
 
 
 And when payment is due, he will 
 
 And a garment, and a house to cover 
 
 
 
 prolong the time, • 
 
 shame. 
 
 
 
 And return words of heaviness, and 
 
 22 Better is the life of a poor man under 
 
 
 1 Gr. the 
 
 complain of ^ the times. 
 
 a shelter of logs, 
 
 
 season. 
 
 6 If he prevail, he shall hardly receive 
 
 Than sumptuous fare in another 
 
 
 
 the half; 
 
 man's house. 
 
 
 
 And he will count it as a windfall : 
 
 23 With little or with much, be well 
 
 
 
 If not, he hath deprived him of his 
 
 satisfled.3 
 
 3 The 
 
 
 money. 
 
 24 It is a miserable life to go from house 
 
 remain- 
 
 
 And he hath gotten him for an enemy 
 
 to house : 
 
 der of 
 this 
 
 
 without cause : 
 
 And where thou art a sojourner, thou 
 
 verse is 
 
 
 He will pay him with cursings and 
 
 Shalt not dare to open thy mouth. 
 
 omitted 
 by the 
 
 
 railings ; 
 
 25 Thou Shalt entertain, and give to 
 
 best au- 
 
 
 And for honour he will pay him dis- 
 
 drink, and have no thanks : 
 
 thorities. 
 
 
 grace. 
 
 And besides this thou shalt hear bit- 
 
 
 a Some 
 
 7 2 Many on account of meri's ill-dealing 
 
 ter words. 
 
 
 ancient 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 
 have turned away ; 
 
 26 Come hither, thou sojourner, furnish 
 
 
 They have feared to be defrauded for 
 
 a table. 
 
 
 Many 
 
 nought. 
 
 And if thou hast aught in thy hand. 
 
 
 there- 
 fore. 
 
 8 Howbeit with a man in poor estate be 
 
 feed me with it. 
 
 
 
 longsufEering ; 
 
 27 Go forth, thou sojourner, from the 
 
 
 
 And let him not wait for thine alms. 
 
 face of honour ; 
 
 
 
 9 Help a poor man for the command- 
 
 My brother is come to be my guest ; I 
 
 
 
 ment's sake ; 
 
 have need of my house. 
 
 
 
 And according to his need send him 
 
 28 These things are grievous to a man of 
 
 
 
 not empty away. 
 
 understanding ; 
 
 
 
 10 Lose thy money for a brother and a 
 
 The upbraiding of house-room, and 
 
 
 
 friend; 
 
 the reproaching of the money- 
 
 
 
 And let it not rust under the stone to 
 
 lender. 
 
 
 
 be lost. 
 
 
 
 
 11 Bestow thy treasure according to the 
 
 30 He that loveth his son will continue 
 
 
 
 commandments of the Most High ; 
 
 to lay stripes upon him, 
 
 
 
 And it shall profit thee more than gold. 
 
 That he may have joy of him in the 
 
 
 
 12 Shut up alms in thy store-chambers; 
 
 end. 
 
 
 
 And it shall deliver thee out of all 
 
 2 He that chastiseth his son shall have 
 
 
 
 affliction : 
 
 profit of him. 
 
 
 
 13 It shall fight for thee against thine 
 
 And shall glory of him among his 
 
 
 
 enemy 
 
 acquaintance. 
 
 
 
 Better than a mighty shield and a 
 
 3 He that teacheth his son shall pro- 
 
 
 
 ponderous spear. 
 
 voke his enemy to jealousy ; 
 And before friends he shall rejoice of 
 
 
 
 14 A good man will be surety for his 
 
 him. 
 
 
 
 neighbour ; 
 
 4 His father dieth, and is as though he 
 
 
 
 And he that hath lost shame will fail 
 
 had not died ; 
 
 
 
 him. 
 
 For he hath left one behind him like 
 
 
 
 15 Forget not the good offices of thy 
 
 himself. 
 
 
 
 surety ; 
 
 5 In his life, he saw and rejoiced in him ; 
 
 
 
 For he hath given his life for thee. 
 
 And when he died, he sorrowed not : 
 
 
 
 16 A sinner will overthrow the good 
 
 6 He left behind him an avenger against 
 
 
 
 estate of his surety ; 
 
 his enemies, 
 
 
 
 17 And he that is of an unthankful mind 
 
 And one to requite kindness to his 
 
 
 
 will fail him that delivered him. 
 
 1( 
 
 friends. 
 >0 
 
 
30. 24 
 
 ECCLESIASTiCUS. 31. 17. 
 
 
 7 He that maketh too much of his son 
 
 25 A'chee;'fuli>nd good heart-. 
 
 
 
 shall bind up his wounds ; 
 
 Will ha»v« a care of Lis meat and diet 
 
 
 
 And his heart will be troubled at 
 
 31 Wakefulness that- cometh -of riches 
 
 
 
 every cry. 
 
 consumeth the flesh. 
 
 
 
 8 An unbroken horse becometh stub- 
 
 And the anxiety thereof putteth away 
 
 
 
 born ; 
 
 sleep. 
 
 
 
 And a son left at large becometh head- 
 
 2 Wakeful anxiety will crave slumber; 
 
 
 
 strong. 
 
 And* in a sore disease sleep will be 
 
 4 This 
 
 
 9 Cocker thy child, and he shall make 
 
 broken. 
 
 toSTthe 
 
 
 thee afraid : 
 
 
 mean- 
 
 
 Play with hun, and he will grieve thee. 
 
 3 A rich man toileth in gathering money 
 
 Tbut the 
 
 
 10 Laugh not with him, lest thou have 
 
 together ; 
 
 Greek 
 
 
 sorrow with him ; 
 
 And when he resteth, he is filled with 
 
 text here 
 
 
 And thou shalt gnash thy teeth in the 
 
 his good things. 
 
 baSl^ 
 
 
 end. 
 
 4 A poor man toileth in lack of sub- 
 
 corrupt. 
 
 
 11 Give him no liberty in his youth, 
 
 stance ; 
 
 
 1 These 
 
 1 And wink not at his follies. 
 
 And when he resteth, he becometh 
 
 
 three 
 lines are 
 absent 
 
 12 ^ Bow down his neck in his youth, 
 
 needy. 
 
 
 And beat him on the sides while he is 
 
 5 He that loveth gold shaUnotbe justi- 
 
 
 from the 
 
 a child, 
 
 fied; 
 
 
 oldest 
 
 MSS. 
 
 Lest he wax stubborn, and be dis- 
 
 And he that followeth destruction 
 
 
 
 obedient unto thee ; 
 
 shall himself have his fill of it. 
 
 
 
 lAnd there shall be sorrow to thy 
 
 6 Many have been given over to ruin 
 
 
 
 soul. 
 
 for the sake of gold ; 
 
 
 
 13 Chastise thy son, and take pains with 
 
 And their perdition ^meeteth them 
 
 6 Or, 
 
 cometh 
 
 
 him, 
 
 face to face. 
 
 to pass 
 
 
 Lest his shameless behaviour be an 
 
 7 It is a stumblingblock unto them that 
 
 in their 
 
 
 offence unto thee. 
 
 sacrifice unto it ; 
 And every fool shall be taken there- 
 
 faces 
 
 
 14 Better is a poor man, being sound and 
 
 with. 
 
 
 
 strong of constitution, 
 
 8 Blessed is the rich that is found vnth- 
 
 
 
 Than a rich man that is plagued in 
 
 out blemish. 
 
 
 
 his body. 
 
 And that goeth not after gold. 
 
 
 
 15 Health and a good constitution are 
 
 9 Who is he? and we will call him 
 
 
 
 better than all gold ; 
 
 blessed : 
 
 
 
 And a strong body than wealth with- 
 
 For wonderful things hath he done 
 
 
 
 out measure. 
 
 among his people. 
 
 
 
 16 There is no riches better than health 
 
 10 Who hath been tried thereby, and 
 
 
 
 of body ; 
 
 found perfect ? 
 
 
 
 And there is no gladness above the 
 
 Then let him glory. 
 
 
 
 joy of the heart 
 
 Who hath had the power to trans- 
 
 
 
 17 Death is better than a bitter life, 
 
 gress, and hath not transgressed ? 
 
 
 sThe 
 
 * And 3 eternal rest than a continual 
 
 And to do evil, and hath not done it ? 
 
 
 oldest 
 MSS. 
 omit 
 
 sickness. 
 
 11 His goods shall be made sure, 
 
 
 18 Good things poured out upon a mouth 
 
 And the congregation shall declare 
 
 
 ^ 7 
 
 that is closed 
 
 his alms. 
 
 
 eternal 
 rest. 
 
 Are as messes of meat laid upon a 
 
 12 Sittest thou at a great table ? « be not 
 
 «Gr. 
 
 »Gr. 
 
 grave. 
 
 greedy upon it, 
 
 open 
 not thy 
 throat 
 
 age-long 
 
 19 What doth an offering profit an idol ? 
 
 And say not. Many are the things 
 
 rest. 
 
 For neither shall it eat nor smell : 
 
 upon it 
 
 upon it. 
 
 
 So is he that is aflQicted of the Lord, 
 
 13 Kemember tha.t an evil eye is a wicked 
 
 
 
 20 Seeing with his eyes and groaning. 
 
 thing: 
 
 
 
 As an eunuch embracing a vu-gin and 
 
 What hath been created more evil 
 
 
 
 groaning. 
 
 than an eye ? 
 Therefore it sheddeth tears from 
 
 
 
 21 Give not over thy soul to sorrow; 
 
 every face. 
 
 
 
 And afflict not thyself in thine own 
 
 14 Stretch not thine hand whithersoever 
 
 
 
 counsel. 
 
 it looketh. 
 
 
 
 22 Gladness of heart is the life of a man ; 
 
 And thrust not thyself with it into 
 
 
 
 And the joyfulness of a man is length 
 
 the dish. 
 
 
 
 of days. 
 
 15 Consider thy neighbour's liking by 
 
 
 
 23 Love thine own soul, and comfort thy 
 
 thine own ; 
 
 
 
 heart : 
 
 And be discreet in every point. 
 
 
 
 And remove sorrow far from thee ; 
 
 16 Eat, as becometh a man, those things 
 
 
 
 For sorrow hath destroyed many. 
 
 which are set before thee ; 
 
 
 
 And there is no profit therein. 
 
 And eat not greedily, lest thou be 
 
 
 
 24 Envy and wrath shorten a man's 
 
 hated. 
 
 
 
 days; 
 
 17 Be first to leave off for manners' 
 
 
 
 And care bringeth old age before the 
 
 sake; 
 
 
 
 time. 
 
 1 
 
 And be not insatiable, lest thou offend. 
 31 
 
 
32. 2. 
 
 'Etrciii^SflASTICUS. 
 
 32. 19. 
 
 18 And if Shou sitfeesC anJong; many; ' 
 Beach not out ♦^hy hand befcre then. , 
 
 19 How sufficient to a well-mannered 
 
 man is a very little, 
 And he doth not breathe hard upon 
 his bed. 
 
 20 Healthy sleep cometh of moderate 
 
 eating ; 
 He riseth early, and his wits are with 
 
 him: 
 The pain of wakefulness, and colic, 
 And griping, are with an insatiable 
 
 man. 
 
 21 And if thou hast been forced to eat. 
 Rise up in the midst thereof, and thou 
 
 Shalt have rest. 
 
 22 Hear me, my son, and despise me not. 
 And at the last thou shalt find my 
 
 words true : 
 In all thy works be quick. 
 And no disease shall come unto thee. 
 
 23 Him that is liberal of his meat the 
 
 lips shall bless ; 
 And the testimony of his excellence 
 shall be believed. 
 
 24 Him that is a niggard of his meat the 
 
 city shall murmur at ; 
 And the testimony of his niggardness 
 shall be sure. 
 
 25 Shew not thyself valiant in wine ; 
 For wine hath destroyed many. 
 
 26 The furnace proveth the temper of 
 
 steel by dipping ; 
 So doth wine prove hearts in the quar- 
 relling of the proud. 
 
 27 Wine is as good as life to men, 
 If thou drink it in its measure : 
 What life is there to a man that is 
 
 without wine ? 
 And it hath been created to make 
 men glad. 
 
 28 Wine drunk in season and to satisfy 
 Is joy of heart, and gladness of soul : 
 
 29 Wine drunk largely is bitterness of 
 
 soul. 
 With provocation and conflict. 
 
 30 Drunkenness increaseth the rage of a 
 
 fool unto his hurt ; 
 It diminisheth strength, and addeth 
 wounds. 
 
 31 Rebuke not thy neighbour at a ban- 
 
 quet of wine, 
 
 Neither set him at nought in his 
 mirth : 
 
 Speak not unto him a word of re- 
 proach. 
 
 And press not upon him by asking 
 back a debt. 
 
 32 Have they made thee ruler of a 
 feast? 
 
 Be not lifted up, 
 
 Be thou among them as one of them ; 
 
 Take thought for them, and so sit 
 
 down. 
 2 And when thou hast done all thy 
 
 office, take thy place, 
 
 That thou mayest be gladdened on 
 their account, 
 
 And receive a crown for thy well or- 
 dering. 
 
 3 Speak, thou that art the elder, for it 
 
 becometh thee, Init with sound 
 knowledge ; 
 And hinder not music. 
 
 4 Pour not out talk where there is a 
 
 performance of music. 
 And display not thy wisdom out of 
 
 season. 
 5Assi signet of carbuncle in a setting 
 
 of gold, 
 So is a concert of music in a banquet 
 
 of wine. 
 
 6 ^s a signet of emerald in a work of 
 
 gold, 
 So is a strain of music with pleasant 
 wine. 
 
 7 Speak, young man, if there be need of 
 
 thee; 
 Yet scarcely if thou be twice asked. 
 
 8 Sum up thy speech, many things in 
 
 few words ; 
 Be as one that knoweth and yet hold- 
 eth his tongue. 
 
 9 If thou be among great men, behave 
 
 not as their equal ; 
 And when another is speaking, make 
 not much babbling. 
 
 10 Before thunder speedeth lightning ; 
 And before a shamefast man favour 
 
 shall go forth. 
 
 11 Rise up betimes, and be not the last ; 
 Get thee home quickly and loiter 
 
 not: 
 
 12 There take thy pastime, and do what 
 
 is in thy heart ; 
 And sin not by proud speech : 
 
 13 And for these things bless him that 
 
 made thee, 
 And giveth thee to drink freely of his 
 good things. 
 
 14 He that feareth the Lord will receive 
 
 his discipline ; 
 And they that seek him early shall 
 find favour. 
 
 15 He that seeketh the law shall be filled 
 
 therewith : 
 But the hypocrite shall stumble 
 thereat. 
 
 16 They that fear the Lord shall find 
 
 judgement, 
 And shall kindle righteous acts as a 
 light. 
 
 17 A sinful man shunneth reproof, 
 And will find a judgement according 
 
 to his will. 
 
 18 A man of counsel will not neglect a 
 
 thought ; 
 A strange and proud man will not 
 
 crouch in fear, 
 Even after he hath done a thing by 
 
 himself without counsel. 
 
 19 Do nothing without counsel; 
 
 102 
 
33. 14. ECCLESIASTICUS. 33. 31. 
 
 
 And when thou hast once done, re- 
 
 15 And thus look upon all the works of 
 
 
 
 pent not. 
 
 the Most High; 
 
 
 
 20 Go not in a way of conflict ; 
 
 Two and two, one against another. 
 
 
 
 And stumble not in stony places. 
 
 
 
 iGr. 
 
 21 Be not confident in a ^ smooth way. 
 
 16 And I awaked up last. 
 
 
 vrithout 
 stwm- 
 
 22 And beware of thine own children. 
 
 As one that gleaneth after the grape- 
 
 
 a. 
 
 23 In every work trust thine own soul ; 
 
 gatherers : 
 
 
 For this is the keeping of the com- 
 
 By the blessing of the Lord I got 
 
 
 
 mandments. 
 
 before them, 
 And filled my winepress as one that 
 
 
 
 24 He that believeth the law giveth heed 
 
 gathereth grapes. 
 
 
 
 to the commandment ; 
 
 17 Consider that I laboured not for my- 
 
 
 
 And he that trusteth in the Lord shall 
 
 self alone, 
 
 
 
 suffer no loss. 
 
 But for all them that seek instruc- 
 
 
 
 33 There shall no evil happen unto him 
 
 tion. 
 
 
 
 that feareth the Lord; 
 
 18 Hear me, ye great men of the peo- 
 
 
 
 But in temptation once and again will 
 
 ple, 
 
 
 
 he deliver him. 
 
 And hearken with your ears, ye rulers 
 
 
 
 2 A wise man will nothate the law; 
 
 of the congregation. 
 
 
 
 But he that is a hypocrite therein is 
 
 
 
 
 as a ship in a storm. 
 
 19 To son and wife, to brother and 
 
 
 
 3 A man of understanding will put his 
 
 friend. 
 
 
 
 trust in the law ; 
 
 Give not power over thee while thou 
 
 
 
 And the law is faithful unto him, as 
 
 livest ; 
 
 
 
 when one asketh at the oracle. 
 
 And give not thy goods to another. 
 Lest thou repent and make supplica- 
 
 
 
 4 Prepare thy speech, and so shalt thou 
 
 tion for them again. 
 
 
 
 be heard ; 
 
 20 Whilst thou yet livest, and breath is 
 
 
 
 Bind up instruction, and make thine 
 
 in thee, 
 
 
 
 answer. 
 
 Give not thyself over to anybody. 
 
 
 
 5 The heart of a fool is as a cartwheel ; 
 
 21 For better it is that thy children 
 
 
 
 And his thoughts like a rolling axle- 
 
 should suppUcate thee, 
 
 
 
 tree. 
 
 Than that thou shouldest look to the 
 
 
 
 6 A stallion horse is as a mocking 
 
 hand of thy sons. 
 
 
 
 friend ; 
 
 22 In all thy works keep the upper 
 
 
 
 He neigheth under every one that 
 
 hand; 
 
 
 
 sitteth upon him. 
 
 Bring not a stain on thine honojir. 
 23 In the day that thou endest the days 
 
 
 
 7 Why doth one day excel another, 
 
 of thy life. 
 
 
 
 When all the light of every day in the 
 
 And in the time of death, distribute 
 
 
 
 year is of the sun ? 
 
 thine inheritance. 
 
 
 
 8 By the knowledge of the Lord they 
 
 
 
 
 were distinguished ; 
 
 24 Fodder, a stick, and burdens, for an 
 
 
 
 And he varied seasons and feasts : 
 
 ass; 
 
 
 
 9 Some of them he exalted and hal- 
 
 Bread, and discipline, and work, for a 
 
 
 
 lowed, 
 
 servant. 
 
 
 
 And some of them hath he made ordi- 
 
 25 Set thy servant to work, and thou 
 
 
 
 nary days. 
 
 Shalt find rest : 
 
 
 
 10 And all men are from the ground, 
 
 Leave his hands idle, and he will seek 
 
 
 
 And Adam was created of earth. 
 
 liberty. 
 
 
 
 llln the abundance of his knowledge 
 
 26 Yoke and thong will bow the neck : 
 
 
 
 the Lord distinguished them. 
 
 And for an evil servant there are 
 
 
 
 And made their ways various : 
 
 racks and tortures. 
 
 
 
 12 Some of them he blessed and exalted. 
 
 27 Send him to labour, that he be not 
 
 
 
 And some of them he hallowed and 
 
 idle; 
 
 
 
 brought nigh to himself : 
 
 For idleness teacheth much mischief. 
 
 
 
 Some of them he cursed and brought 
 
 28 Set him to work, as is fit for him ; 
 
 
 
 low, 
 
 And if he obey not, make his fetters 
 
 
 
 And overthrew them from their place. 
 
 heavy. 
 
 
 
 13 As the clay of the potter in his hand, 
 
 29 And be not excessive toward any ; 
 
 
 
 All his ways are according to his good 
 
 pleasure ; 
 So men are in the hand of him that 
 
 And without judgement do nothing. 
 
 
 
 30 If thou hast a servant, let him be as 
 
 
 
 made them, 
 
 thyself, 
 
 
 a A line 
 
 To render unto them according to his 
 
 Because thou hast bought him with 
 
 
 of this 
 
 judgement. 
 
 blood. 
 
 3 The 
 
 verse is 
 here 
 
 14 Good is set over against evil, 
 
 31 If thou hast a servant, treat him as 
 
 Greek 
 text of 
 
 omitted 
 
 And life over against death : 
 
 thyself ; 
 
 this line 
 
 by the 
 best au- 
 
 So is 2 the sinner over against the 
 
 3 For as thine own soul wilt thou have 
 
 iiey^- 
 
 thorities. 
 
 godly. 
 
 K 
 
 need of him : corrupt. 
 )3 
 
34. 17. ECCLESIASTICUS. 35. 9. 
 
 
 If thou treat him ill, and he depart 
 
 He giveth healing, life, and bless- 1 I 
 
 
 and run away, 
 
 ing. 
 
 
 
 Which way wilt thou go to seek him ? 
 
 18 He that sacriflceth of a thing wrong- 
 
 
 
 34 Vain and false hopes are for a man 
 
 fully gotten, his offering is made in 
 
 
 
 void of understanding ; 
 
 mockery ; 
 
 
 
 And dreams give wings to fools. 
 
 And the mockeries of wicked men are 
 
 
 
 2 As one that catcheth at a shadow. 
 
 not well-pleasing. 
 
 
 
 and followeth after the wind, 
 
 19 The Most High hath no pleasxu'e in 
 
 
 
 So is he that setteth his mind on 
 
 the offerings of the ungodly ; 
 
 
 
 dreams. 
 
 Neither is he pacified for sins by the 
 
 
 
 3 The vision of dreams is as this thing 
 
 multitude of sacrifices. 
 
 
 
 against that, 
 
 20 As one that killeth the son before his 
 
 
 
 The likeness of a face over against a 
 
 father's eyes 
 
 
 
 face. 
 
 Is he that bringeth a sacrifice from 
 
 
 
 4 Of an unclean thing what shall be 
 
 the goods of the poor. 
 
 
 
 cleansed? 
 
 21 The bread of the needy is the life of 
 
 
 
 And of that which is false what shall 
 
 the poor : 
 
 
 
 be true ? 
 
 He that depriveth him thereof is a 
 
 
 
 5 Divinations, and soothsayings, and 
 
 man of blood. 
 
 
 
 dreams, are vain : 
 
 22 As one that slayeth his neighbour is 
 
 
 
 And the heart fancieth, as a woman's 
 
 he that taketh away his living; 
 
 
 
 in travail. 
 
 And as a shedder of blood is he that 
 
 
 
 6 If they be not sent from the Most 
 
 depriveth a hireling of his hire. 
 
 
 
 High in thy visitation. 
 
 23 One building, and another pulling 
 
 
 
 Give not thy heart unto them. 
 
 down. 
 
 
 
 7 For dreams have led many astray : 
 
 What profit have they had but toil? 
 
 
 
 And they have failed by putting their 
 
 24 One praying, and another cursing. 
 
 
 
 hope in them. 
 
 Whose voice will the Lord listen to ? 
 
 
 
 8 Without lying shall the law be ac- 
 
 25 He that washeth himself after touch- 
 
 
 
 complished ; 
 
 ing a dead body, and toucheth it 
 
 
 
 And wisdom is perfection to a faithful 
 
 again. 
 
 
 
 mouth. 
 
 What profit hath he in his washing ? 
 26 Even so a man fasting for his sins, 
 
 
 
 9 A well-instructed man knowethmany 
 
 And going again, and doing the same ; 
 
 
 
 things; 
 
 Who will listen to his prayer ? 
 
 
 
 And he that hath much experience 
 
 And what profit hath he in his humi- 
 
 
 
 will declare understanding. 
 
 liation? 
 
 
 
 10 He that hath no experience knoweth 
 
 
 
 
 few things : 
 
 35 He that keepeth the law multiplieth 
 
 
 
 But he that hath wandered shall in- 
 
 offerings ; 
 
 
 
 crease his skill. 
 
 He that taketh heed to the command- 
 
 
 
 11 In my wandering I have seen many 
 
 ments sacrificeth a peace offering. 
 
 
 
 things ; 
 
 2 He that requiteth a good turn offer- 
 
 
 
 And more than my words is my un- 
 
 eth fine flour ; 
 
 
 
 derstanding. 
 
 And he that giveth alms sacrificeth 
 
 
 
 12 Ofttimes was I in danger even unto 
 
 a thank offering. 
 
 
 
 death ; 
 
 3 To depart from wickedness is a thing 
 
 
 
 And I was preserved because of these 
 
 pleasing to the Lord ; 
 
 
 
 things. 
 
 And to depart from unrighteousness 
 
 
 
 13 The spirit of those that fear the Lord 
 
 is a propitiation. 
 
 
 
 shall live ; 
 
 4 See that thou appear not in the pre- 
 
 
 
 For their hope is upon him that saveth 
 
 sence of the Lord empty. 
 
 
 
 them. 
 
 5 For all these things are to be done 
 
 
 
 14 Whoso feareth the Lord shall not be 
 
 because of the commandment. 
 
 
 
 afraid,and shall notplay the coward; 
 
 6 The offering of the righteous maketh 
 
 
 
 For he is his hope. 
 
 the altar fat ; 
 
 
 
 15 Blessed is the soul of him that fear- 
 
 And the sweet savour thereof is be- 
 
 
 
 eth the Lord : 
 
 fore the Most High. 
 
 
 
 To whom doth he give heed ? and who 
 
 7 The sacrifice of a righteous man is 
 
 
 
 is his stay ? 
 
 acceptable ; 
 
 
 
 16 The eyes of the Lord are upon them 
 
 And the memorial thereof shall not 
 
 
 
 that love him. 
 
 be forgotten. 
 
 
 
 A mighty protection and strong stay, 
 
 8 Glorify the Lord with a good eye. 
 
 
 
 A cover from the hot blast, and a 
 
 And stint not the firstfruits of thine 
 
 
 
 cover from the noonday. 
 
 hands. 
 
 
 
 A guard from stumbling, and a suc- 
 
 9 In every gift shew a cheerful counte- 
 
 
 
 cour from falling. 
 
 nance. 
 
 
 
 17 He raiseth up the soul, and enlighten- 
 
 And dedicate thy tithe with glad- 
 
 
 eth the eyes : 
 
 1 
 
 ness. 
 34 
 
 
36. 3. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICUS. 36. 22. 
 
 10 Give unto the Most High according 
 
 4 As thou wast sanctified in us before 
 
 
 
 as he hath given ; 
 
 them, 
 
 
 
 And as thy hand hath found, give 
 
 So be thou magnified inthembef ore us. 
 
 
 
 with a good eye. 
 
 5 And let them know thee, as we also 
 
 
 
 11 For the Lord recompenseth, 
 
 have known thee. 
 
 
 
 And he will recompense thee seven- 
 
 That there is no God but only thou, 
 
 
 
 fold. 
 
 OGod. 
 6 Shew new signs, and work divers 
 
 
 
 12 Think not to corrupt with gifts; for 
 
 wonders ; 
 
 
 
 he will not receive them : 
 
 Glorify thy hand and thy right arm.s 
 
 
 
 And set not thy mind on an unright- 
 
 7 Raise up indignation, and pour out 
 
 
 
 eous sacrince ; 
 
 wrath; 
 
 
 
 For the Lord is judge, 
 
 Take away the adversary, and destroy 
 
 
 
 And with him is no respect of per- 
 
 the enemy. 
 
 
 
 sons. 
 
 8 Hasten the time, and remember the 
 
 
 
 13 He will not accept any person against 
 
 oath; 
 
 
 
 a poor man ; 
 
 And let them declare thy mighty 
 
 
 
 And he will listen to the prayer of 
 
 works. 
 
 
 
 him that is wronged. 
 
 9 Let him that escapeth be devoured 
 
 
 
 14 He will in no wise despise the suppli- 
 
 by the rage of fire ; 
 
 
 
 cation of the fatherless ; 
 
 And may they that harm thy people 
 
 
 iQr.if. 
 
 Nor the widow, ^ when she poureth 
 
 find destruction. 
 
 
 
 out her tale. 
 
 10 Crush the heads of the rulers of the 
 
 
 
 15 Do not the tears of the widow run 
 
 enemies, 
 
 
 
 down her cheek? 
 
 That say. There is none but we. 
 
 
 
 And is not her cry against him that 
 
 11 Gather all the tribes of Jacob to- 
 
 
 
 hath caused them to fall ? 
 
 gether. 
 
 
 
 16 He that serve th God according to his 
 
 And * take them for thine inheritance, 
 
 *The 
 
 
 good pleasure shall be accepted. 
 
 as from the beginning. 
 
 ancient 
 authori- 
 
 
 And his supplication shall reach un- 
 
 12 Lord, have mercy upon the people 
 
 ties read 
 
 
 to the clouds. 
 
 that is called by thy name. 
 
 I took 
 themfor 
 
 
 17 The prayer of the humble pierceth 
 
 And upon Israel, whom thou didst 
 
 nune_ 
 
 
 the clouds ; 
 
 liken unto a firstborn. 
 
 inherit- 
 
 
 And till it come nigh, he will not be 
 
 13 Have compassion upon the city of thy 
 
 ance i 
 but the 
 
 
 comforted ; 
 
 sanctuary, 
 
 Greek 
 
 
 And he will not depart, till the Most 
 
 Jerusalem, the place of thy rest. 
 
 text is 
 here 
 
 
 High shall visit; 
 
 14 Fill Sion ; exalt thine oracles, 
 
 very con- 
 
 a Some 
 
 And he shall judge - righteously, and 
 
 And fill thy people with thy glory. 
 
 fused. 
 
 ancient 
 suthori- 
 
 execute judgement. 
 
 15 Give testimony unto those that were 
 
 
 tics read 
 
 18 And the Lord will not be slack, nei- 
 
 thy creatures in the beginning, 
 
 
 ^a?' 
 
 ther will he be longsuffering toward 
 
 And raise up the prophecies that have 
 
 
 eous. 
 
 them, 
 
 been in thy name. 
 
 
 
 Till he have crushed the loins of the 
 
 16 Give reward unto them that wait for 
 
 
 
 unmerciful ; 
 
 thee: 
 
 
 
 And he shall repay vengeance to the 
 
 And men shall put their trust in thy 
 
 
 
 heathen ; 
 
 prophets. 
 
 
 
 Till he have taken away the multitude 
 
 17 Hearken, Lord, to the prayer of thy 
 
 
 
 of the haughty, 
 
 suppliants, 
 
 
 
 And broken in pieces the sceptres of 
 
 According to the blessing of Aaron 
 
 
 
 the unrighteous ; 
 
 concerning thy people ; 
 
 
 
 19 Till he have rendered to every man 
 
 And all they that are on the earth 
 
 
 
 according to his doings. 
 
 shall know 
 
 
 
 And to the works of men according 
 
 That thou art the Lord, the ^ eternal 
 
 6Gr. 
 
 
 to their devices ; 
 
 God. 
 
 Oodqf 
 
 
 Till he have judged thelcause of his 
 
 
 the ages. 
 
 
 people ; 
 
 18 The belly will eat any meat ; 
 
 
 
 And he shall make them to rejoice in 
 
 Yet is one meat better than another. 
 
 
 
 his mercy. 
 
 19 The 6 mouth tasteth meats taken in 
 
 6 Or. 
 
 
 20 Mercy is seasonable in the time of his 
 
 hunting : 
 
 throat. 
 
 
 aflaicting them, 
 
 So doth an understanding heart false 
 
 
 
 As clouds of rain in the time of 
 
 speeches. 
 
 
 
 drought. 
 
 20 A f roward heart will cause heaviness : 
 And a man of experience will recom- 
 
 
 3 The 
 
 36 Have mercy upon us, Lord the 
 
 pense hun. 
 
 
 remain- 
 
 God of all, and behold; 
 
 21 A woman will receive any man ; 
 
 
 der of 
 this 
 Terse is 
 
 2 And send thy fear upon all the na- 
 
 But one daughter is better than an- 
 
 
 tions : 3 
 
 other. 
 
 
 omitted 
 
 3 Lift up thy hand against the strange 
 
 22 The beauty of a woman cheereth the 
 
 
 by the 
 best au- 
 
 nations ; 
 
 countenance ; 
 
 
 thorities. 
 
 And let them see thy mighty power. 
 
 And a man desireth nothing so much. 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 95 S* 1 
 
37. 11. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICUS. 
 
 37. 29. 
 
 23 If there is on her tongue mercy and 
 
 meekness, 
 Her husband is not like the sons of 
 men. 
 
 24 He that getteth a wife entereth upon 
 
 a possession ; 
 A help meet for him, and a pillar of 
 rest. 
 
 25 Where no hedge is, the possession will 
 
 be laid waste : 
 And he that hath no wife will mourn 
 as he wandereth up and down. 
 
 26 For who will trust a nimble robber, 
 
 that skippeth from city to city ? 
 Even so who shall trust a man that 
 hath no nest, and lodgeth whereso- 
 ever he flndeth himself at nightr 
 fall? 
 
 37 Every friend will say, I also am his 
 friend : 
 But there is a friend, which is only a 
 friend in name. 
 
 2 Is there not a grief in it even unto 
 
 death, 
 When a companion and friend is 
 turned to enmity ? 
 
 3 O wicked imagination, whence camest 
 
 thou rolling in 
 To cover the dry land with deceitful- 
 ness? 
 
 4 There is a companion, which rejoiceth 
 
 in the gladness of a friend. 
 But in time of affliction will be against 
 him. 
 
 5 There is a companion, which for the 
 
 belly's sake laboureth with his 
 friend. 
 In the face of battle will take up the 
 buckler. 
 
 6 Forget not a friend in thy soul ; 
 
 And be not unmindful of him in thy 
 riches. 
 
 7 Every counsellor extolleth counsel ; 
 But there is that counselleth for him- 
 self. 
 
 8 Let thy soul beware of a counsellor, 
 And know thou before what is his 
 
 interest 
 (For he will take counsel for himself) ; 
 Lest he cast the lot upon thee, 
 
 9 And say unto thee. Thy way is good : 
 And he will stand over against thee, 
 
 to see what shall befall thee. 
 
 10 Take not counsel with one that look- 
 
 eth askance at thee ; 
 And hide thy counsel from such as are 
 jealous of thee. 
 
 11 Take not counsel with a woman about 
 her rival ; 
 
 Neither with a coward about war ; 
 
 Nor with a merchant about exchange ; 
 
 Nor with a buyer about selling ; 
 
 Nor with an envious man about thank- 
 fulness ; 
 
 Nor with an unmerciful man about 
 kindliness ; 
 
 Nor with a sluggard about any kind 
 of work ; 
 
 Nor with a hireling in thy house about 
 
 finishing his work ; 
 Nor with an idle servant about much 
 
 business : 
 Give not heed to these in any matter 
 
 of counsel. 
 
 12 But rather be continually with a godly 
 
 man. 
 Whom thou shalt have known to be a 
 
 keeper of the commandments, 
 Who in his soul is as thine own soul, 
 And who will grieve with thee, if thou 
 
 Shalt miscarry. 
 
 13 And make the counsel of thy heart to 
 
 stand ; 
 For there is none more faithful unto 
 thee than it. 
 
 14 For a man's soul is sometime wont 
 
 to bring him tidings, 
 More than seven watchmen that sit 
 on high on a watch-tower. 
 
 15 And above all this intreat the Most 
 
 High, 
 That he may direct thy way in truth. 
 
 16 Let reason be the beginning of every 
 
 work, 
 And let counsel go before every action. 
 
 1 7 As a token of the changing of the heart, 
 
 18 four manner of things do rise up, 
 Good and evil, life and death ; 
 
 And that which ruleth over them con- 
 tinually is the tongue. 
 
 19 There is one that is shrewd and the 
 
 instructor of many. 
 And yet is unprofitable to his own 
 soul. 
 
 20 There is one that is subtil in words, 
 
 and is hated ; 
 He shall be destitute of all food : 
 
 21 For grace was not given him from the 
 
 Lord; 
 Because he is deprived of all wisdom. 
 
 22 There is one that is wise to his own 
 
 soul; 
 And the fruits of his understanding 
 are trustworthy in the mouth. 
 
 23 A wise man will instruct his own 
 
 people ; 
 And the fruits of his understanding 
 are trustworthy. 
 
 24 A wise man shall be filled with bless- 
 
 ing; 
 And all they that see him shall call 
 him happy. 
 
 25 The life of man is numbered by days ; 
 And the days of Israel are innumera- 
 ble. 
 
 26 The wise man shall inherit confidence 
 
 among his people, 
 And his name shall hve for ever. 
 
 27 My son, prove thy soul in thy life. 
 And see what is evil for it, and give 
 
 not that unto it. 
 
 28 For all things are not profitable for 
 
 all men. 
 Neither hath every soul pleasure in 
 every thing. 
 
 29 Be not insatiable in any luxury, 
 
 106 
 
38 16 ECCLESIASTICUS. 38. 28. 
 
 
 And be not greedy on the things that 
 
 And as one that suffereth grievously 
 
 
 
 thou eatest. 
 
 begin lamentation ; 
 
 
 
 30 For in multitude of meats there shall 
 
 And wind up his body according to 
 
 
 
 be disease. 
 
 his due, 
 
 
 
 And surfeiting shall come nigh unto 
 
 And neglect not his burial. 
 
 
 
 colic. 
 
 17 Make bitter weeping, and make pas- 
 
 
 
 31 Because of surfeiting have many 
 
 sionate wailing. 
 
 
 
 perished ; 
 
 And let thy mourning be according to 
 
 
 
 But he that taketh heed shall prolong 
 
 his desert. 
 
 
 
 his life. 
 
 For one day or two, lest thou be evil 
 spoken of : 
 
 
 
 38 Honour a physician according to thy 
 
 And so be comforted for thy sorrow. 
 
 
 
 need of him with the honours due 
 
 18 For of sorrow cometh death. 
 
 
 
 unto him : 
 
 And sorrow of heart will bow dovra 
 
 
 
 For verily the Lord hath created him. 
 
 the strength. 
 
 
 
 2 For from the Most High cometh heal- 
 
 19 In calamity sorrow also remaineth : 
 
 
 
 ing; 
 
 And the poor man's life is 2 grievous 
 
 2Gr. 
 
 
 And from the king he shall receive a 
 
 to the heart. 
 
 aoainst 
 
 
 gift. 
 
 20 Give not thy heart unto sorrow : 
 
 heart. 
 
 
 3 The skill of the physician shall lift up 
 
 Put it away, remembermg the last 
 
 
 
 his head ; 
 
 end: 
 
 
 
 And in the sight of great men he shall 
 
 21 Forget it not, for there is no returning 
 
 
 
 be admired. 
 
 again : 
 
 
 
 4 The Lord created medicines out of 
 
 Him thou shalt not profit, and thou 
 
 
 
 the earth ; 
 
 wilt hurt thyself. 
 
 
 
 And a prudent man will have no dis- 
 
 22 Remember the sentence upon him; 
 
 
 
 gust at them. 
 
 for so also shall thine be ; 
 
 
 
 5 Was not water made sweet with wood, 
 
 Yesterday for me, and to-day for thee. 
 
 
 
 That the virtue thereof might be 
 
 23 When the dead is at rest, let his 
 
 
 
 known? 
 
 remembrance rest ; 
 
 
 
 6 And he gave men skill, 
 
 And be comforted for him, when his 
 
 
 xOr,Ae 
 
 That 1 they might be glorified in his 
 marvellous works. 
 
 spirit departeth from him. 
 
 
 
 7 With them doth he heal a man. 
 
 24 The wisdom of the scribe cometh by 
 
 
 
 And taketh away his pain. 
 
 opportunity of leisure ; 
 
 
 
 8 With these will the apothecary make 
 
 And 3 he that hath little business shall 
 
 s Or. ht 
 
 
 a confection ; 
 
 become wise. 
 
 that is 
 
 
 And his works shall not be brought 
 
 25 How shall he become wise that hold- 
 
 in/iis 
 
 
 to an end ; 
 
 eth the plough, 
 
 business. 
 
 
 And from him is peace upon the face 
 
 That glorieth in the shaft of the 
 
 
 
 of the earth. 
 
 goad, 
 That driveth oxen, and is occupied in 
 
 
 
 9 My son, in thy sickness be not negli- 
 
 their labours. 
 
 
 
 gent; 
 
 And whose discourse is of the stock 
 
 
 
 But pray unto the Lord, and he shall 
 
 of bulls? 
 
 
 
 heal thee. 
 
 26 He will set his heart upon turning his 
 
 
 
 10 Put away vn-ong doing, and order 
 
 furrows ; 
 
 
 
 thine hands aright. 
 
 And his wakefulness is to give his 
 
 
 
 And cleanse thy heart from all man- 
 
 heifers their fodder. 
 
 
 
 ner of sin. 
 
 27 So is every artificer and workmaster. 
 
 
 
 11 Give a sweet savour, and a memorial 
 
 That passeth his time by night as by 
 
 
 
 of fine flom- ; 
 
 day; 
 
 
 
 And make fat thine offering, as one 
 
 They that cut gravings of signets. 
 
 
 
 that is not. 
 
 And his diligence is to make great 
 
 
 
 12 Then give place to the physician, for 
 
 variety ; 
 
 
 
 verily the Lord hath created him ; 
 
 He will set his heart to preserve like- 
 
 
 
 And let him not go from thee, for thou 
 
 ness in his portraiture, 
 
 
 
 hast need of him. 
 
 And will be wakeful to finish his work. 
 
 
 
 13 There is a time when in their very 
 
 28 So is the smith sitting by the anvil. 
 
 
 
 hands is the issue for good. 
 
 And considering the unwrought iron : 
 
 
 
 14 For they also shall beseech the Lord, 
 
 The vapour of the fire will waste his 
 
 
 
 That he may prosper them in giving 
 
 flesh; 
 
 
 
 relief and in healing for the mam- 
 
 And in the heat of the furnace will he 
 
 
 
 tenance of life. 
 
 wrestle ivith his work : 
 
 
 
 15 He that sinneth before his Maker, 
 
 The noise of the hammer will * be ever 
 
 4Gr. 
 
 
 Let him fall into the hands of the 
 
 in his ear, 
 
 renew. 
 
 
 physician. 
 
 And his eyes are upon the pattern of 
 the vessel ; 
 
 
 
 16 My son, let thy tears fall over the 
 
 He will set his heart upon perfecting 
 
 
 
 dead, 
 
 1( 
 
 his works, 
 )7 
 
 
39. 5. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICUS. 39. 20. 
 
 
 And he will be wakeful to adorn them 
 
 
 
 
 perfectly. 
 
 6 If the great Lord will. 
 
 
 
 29 So is the potter sitting at his work, 
 
 He shall be filled with the spirit of 
 
 
 
 And turning the wheel about with his 
 
 understanding : 
 
 
 
 feet, 
 
 He shall pour forth the words of his 
 
 
 
 Who is alway anxiously set at his 
 
 wisdom. 
 
 
 
 work, 
 
 And in prayer give thanks unto the 
 
 
 
 And all his handywork is by number ; 
 
 Lord. 
 
 
 
 30 He will fashion the clay with his 
 
 7 He shall direct his counsel and know- 
 
 
 
 arm. 
 
 ledge, 
 
 
 
 And will bend its strength in front of 
 
 And in his secrets shall he meditate. 
 
 
 
 his feet ; 
 
 8 He shall shew forth the instruction 
 
 
 
 He will apply his heart to finish the 
 
 which he hath been taught, 
 
 
 
 glazing; 
 
 And shall glory in the law of the cove- 
 
 
 
 And he will be wakeful to make clean 
 
 nant of the Lord. 
 
 
 
 the furnace. 
 
 9 Many shall commend his understand- 
 
 
 
 31 All these put their trust in their 
 
 ing ; 
 And so long as the world endureth, it 
 
 
 
 hands ; 
 
 shall not be blotted out : 
 
 
 
 And each becometh wise in his own 
 
 His memorial shall not depart, 
 
 
 
 work. 
 
 And his name shall live from genera- 
 
 
 
 3-2 Without these shall not a city be in- 
 
 tion to generation. 
 
 
 
 habited, 
 
 10 Nations shall declare his wisdom, 
 
 
 
 And men shall not sojourn nor walk 
 
 And the congregation shall tell out 
 
 
 
 up and down therein. 
 
 his praise. 
 
 
 iThis 
 
 33 1 They shall not be sought for in the 
 
 1 llf he continue, he shall leave a gi-eater 
 
 
 line is 
 absent 
 
 council of the people. 
 
 name than a thousand : 
 
 
 from the 
 
 And in the assembly they shall not 
 
 And if he * die, he addeth thereto. 
 
 *Gt. 
 
 oldest 
 MSS. 
 
 mount on high ; 
 
 
 cease. 
 
 They shall not sit on the seat of the 
 
 12 Yet more will I utter, which I have 
 
 
 
 judge. 
 
 thought upon ; 
 
 
 
 And they shall not understand the 
 
 And I am filled as the moon at the 
 
 
 
 covenant of judgement : 
 
 full. 
 
 
 
 Neither shall they declare instruction 
 
 13 Hearken unto me, ye holy children. 
 
 
 
 and judgement; 
 
 And bud forth as a rose growing by a 
 
 
 
 And where parables are they shall 
 
 brook of water : 
 
 
 
 not be found. 
 
 14 And give ye a sweet savour as frank- 
 
 
 
 34 But they will maintain the fabric of 
 
 incense, 
 
 
 2Gr. 
 
 the 2 world ; 
 
 And put forth flowers as a lily. 
 
 
 age. 
 
 And in the handywork of their craft 
 
 Spread abroad a sweet smell, and 
 
 
 
 is their prayer. 
 
 sing a song of praise ; 
 Bless ye the Lord for all his works. 
 
 
 3Gr. 
 
 39 3 Not so he that hath applied his 
 
 15 Magnify his name. 
 
 
 Except 
 him that. 
 
 soul. 
 
 And give utterance to his praise 
 
 
 And meditateth in the law of the 
 
 With the songs of your lips, and with 
 
 
 
 Most High ; 
 
 harps ; 
 
 
 
 He will seek out the wisdom of all 
 
 And thus shall ye say when ye utter 
 
 
 
 the ancients, 
 
 his praise : 
 
 
 
 And will be occupied in prophecies. 
 
 
 
 
 2 He will keep the discourse of the men 
 
 16 All the works of the Lord are exceed- 
 
 
 
 of renown. 
 
 ing good. 
 
 
 
 And will enter in amidst the subtilties 
 
 And every command shall be accom- 
 
 
 
 of parables. 
 
 plished in his season. 
 
 
 
 3 He will seek out the hidden meaning 
 
 17 None can say. What is this? where- 
 
 
 
 of proverbs, 
 
 fore is that? 
 
 
 
 And be conversant in the dark say- 
 
 For in his season they shall all be 
 
 
 
 ings of parables. 
 
 sought out. 
 
 
 
 4 He will serve among great men, 
 
 At his word the waters stood as a 
 
 
 
 And appear before him that ruleth : 
 
 heap. 
 
 
 
 He will travel through the land of 
 
 And the receptacles of waters at the 
 
 
 
 strange nations ; 
 
 word of his mouth. 
 
 
 
 For he hath tried good things and 
 
 18 At his command is all his good plea- 
 
 
 
 evil among men. 
 
 sure done ; 
 
 
 
 5 He will apply his heart to resort early 
 
 And there is none that shall hinder 
 
 
 
 to the Lord that made him, 
 
 his salvation. 
 
 
 
 And will make supplication before 
 
 19 The works of all flesh are before him ; 
 
 
 
 the Most High, 
 
 And it is not possible to be hid from 
 
 
 
 And will open his mouth in prayer. 
 
 his eyes. 
 
 
 
 And will make supplication for his 
 
 20 He beholdeth from everlasting to 
 
 
 
 sins. 
 
 1 
 
 everlasting ; 
 38 
 
 
40. 1. ECCLESIASTICUS. 40. 16. 
 
 
 And there is nothing wonderful be- 
 
 And a heavy yoke is upon the sons of 
 
 
 
 fore him. 
 
 Adam, 
 
 
 
 21 None can say, What is this? where- 
 
 From the day of then- coming forth 
 
 
 
 fore is that ? 
 
 from their mother's womb. 
 
 
 
 For all thmgs are created for then: 
 
 Until the day for then: burial in the 
 
 
 
 uses. 
 
 mother of all things. 
 2 The expectation of things to come, 
 
 
 
 22 His blessing covered the dry land as 
 
 and the day of death, 
 
 
 
 a river, 
 
 1 Trouble their thoughts, and cause 
 
 iThe 
 
 
 And saturated it as a flood. 
 
 fear of heart ; 
 
 Greek 
 text of 
 
 
 23 As he hath turned the waters into 
 
 3 From him that sitteth on a throne of 
 
 this line 
 
 
 saltness ; 
 
 glory. 
 
 is pro- 
 bably 
 corrupt 
 
 
 So shall the heathen inherit his wrath. 
 
 Even unto him that is humbled in 
 
 
 24 His ways are plain unto the holy ; 
 
 earth and ashes ; 
 
 
 
 So are they stumblingblocks iinto the 
 
 4 From him that weareth purple and 
 
 
 
 wicked. 
 
 a crown, 
 
 
 
 25 Good things are created from the be- 
 
 Even unto hun that is clothed with a 
 
 
 
 ginning for the good ; 
 
 hempen frock. 
 
 
 
 So are evil things for sinners. 
 
 5 There is wrath, and jealousy, and 
 
 
 
 26 The chief of all things necessary for 
 
 trouble, and disquiet. 
 
 
 
 the life of man 
 
 And fear of death, and anger, and 
 
 
 
 Are water, and fire, and iron, and 
 
 strife ; 
 
 
 
 salt, 
 
 And in the time of rest upon his bed 
 
 
 
 And flour of wheat, and honey, and 
 
 His night sleep doth change his 
 
 
 
 milk, 
 
 knowledge. 
 
 
 
 The blood of the grape, and oil, and 
 
 6 A Uttle or nothing is his resting. 
 
 
 
 clothing. 
 
 And afterward in his sleep, as m a 
 
 
 
 27 All these things are for good to the 
 
 day of keeping watch. 
 
 
 
 godly ; 
 
 He is troubled in the vision of his 
 
 
 
 So to the sinners they shall be turned 
 
 heart, 
 
 
 
 into evil 
 
 As one that hath escaped from the 
 front of battle. 
 
 
 
 28 There be winds that are created for 
 
 7 In the very tune of his deUverance he 
 
 
 
 vengeance, 
 
 awaketh, 
 
 
 
 And in their fury lay on then: scourges 
 
 And marvelleth that the fear is 
 
 
 
 heavily ; 
 
 nought 
 
 
 
 In the time of consummation they 
 
 
 
 
 pour out their strength. 
 
 8 It is thus with all flesh, from man to 
 
 
 
 And shall appease the wrath of him 
 
 beast. 
 
 
 
 that made them. 
 
 And upon sinners sevenfold more. 
 
 
 
 29 Fire, and hail, and famine, and death. 
 
 9 Death, and bloodshed, and strife, and 
 
 
 
 All these are created for vengeance ; 
 
 sword, 
 
 
 
 30 Teeth of wild beasts, and scorpions 
 
 Calamities, famine, tribulation, and 
 
 
 
 and adders, 
 
 the scourge ; 
 
 
 
 And a sword pimishing the ungodly 
 
 10 All these things were created for the 
 
 
 
 unto destruction. 
 
 wicked, 
 
 
 
 31 They shall rejoice in his command- 
 
 And because of them came the flood. 
 
 
 
 ment, 
 
 11 All things that are of the earth turn 
 
 
 
 And shall be made ready upon earth. 
 
 to the earth again : 
 
 
 
 when need is ; 
 
 And all things that are of the waters 
 
 
 
 And in their seasons they shall not 
 
 return into the sea. 
 
 
 
 transgress his word. 
 
 12 All bribery and injustice shall be 
 
 
 
 32 Therefore from the beginning I was 
 
 blotted out ; 
 
 
 
 resolved. 
 
 And good faith shall stand for ever. 
 
 
 
 And I thought this, and left it in 
 
 13 The goods of the unjust shall be dried 
 
 
 
 writing ; 
 
 up Uke a river. 
 
 
 
 33 All the works of the Lord are good : 
 
 And like a great thunder in rain shall 
 
 
 
 And he will supply every need in its 
 
 go off in noise. 
 
 
 
 season. 
 
 14 In opening his hands a man shall be 
 
 
 
 34 And none can say, This is worse than 
 
 made glad : 
 
 
 
 that: 
 
 So shall transgressors utterly fail. 
 
 
 
 For they shall all be weU approved in 
 
 15 The children of the ungodly shall not 
 
 
 
 their season. 
 
 put forth many branches ; 
 
 
 
 35 And now with all your heart and 
 
 And are as unclean roots upon a sheer 
 
 
 
 mouth sing ye praises, 
 
 rock. 
 
 
 
 And bless the name of the Lord. 
 
 16 The sedge that groweth upon every 
 water and bank of a river 
 
 
 
 40 Great travail is created for every 
 
 Shall be plucked up before all 
 
 
 
 man, 
 
 1 
 
 grass. 
 99 
 
 
41. 2. ECCLESIASTICUS. 41. 18. 
 
 1 Gr. in. 
 
 17 Bounty is as a garden » of blessings, 
 
 That is in extreme old age, and is dis- 
 
 
 
 And almsgiving endureth for ever. 
 
 tracted about all things, 
 And is perverse, and hath lost pa- 
 
 
 
 18 The life of one that laboureth, and is 
 
 tience! 
 
 
 
 contented, shall be made sweet ; 
 
 3 Fear not the sentence of death ; 
 
 
 
 And he that findeth a treasure is 
 
 Remember them that have been be- 
 
 
 
 above both. 
 
 fore thee, and that come after : 
 
 
 
 19 Children and the building of a city 
 
 This is the sentence from the Lord 
 
 
 
 establish a man's name ; 
 
 over all flesh. 
 
 
 
 And a blameless wife is counted above 
 
 4 And why dost thou refuse, when it 
 
 
 
 both. 
 
 is the good pleasure of the Most 
 
 
 
 20 Wine and music rejoice the heart; 
 
 High? 
 
 
 
 And the love of wisdom is above 
 
 Whether it be ten, or a hundred, or a 
 
 
 
 both. 
 
 thousand years, 
 
 
 
 21 The pipe and the psaltery make 
 
 There is no inquisition of life in 3 the 
 
 3Gr. 
 
 
 pleasant melody ; 
 
 grave. 
 
 Hades. 
 
 
 And a pleasant tongue is above both. 
 
 
 
 
 22 Thine eye shall desire grace and 
 
 5 The children of sinners are abomina- 
 
 
 
 beauty ; 
 
 ble children. 
 
 
 
 And above both the green blade of 
 
 And they frequent the dwellings of 
 
 
 
 corn. 
 
 the ungodly. 
 
 
 
 23 A friend and a companion never meet 
 
 6 The inheritance of sinners' children 
 
 
 
 amiss ; 
 
 shall perish. 
 
 
 
 And a wife with her husband is above 
 
 And with their posterity shall be a 
 
 
 
 both. 
 
 perpetual reproach. 
 
 
 
 24 Brethren and succour are for a time 
 
 7 Children will complain of an ungodly 
 
 
 
 of affliction ; 
 
 father, 
 
 
 
 And almsgiving is a deliverer above 
 
 Because they shall be reproached for 
 
 
 
 both. 
 
 his sake. 
 
 
 
 25 Gold and silver will make the foot 
 
 8 Woe unto you, ungodly men. 
 
 
 
 stand sure ; 
 
 Which have forsaken the law of the 
 
 
 
 And counsel is esteemed above them 
 
 Most High God!* 
 
 *The 
 
 ramnin 
 
 
 both. 
 
 9 If ye be born, ye shall be born to a 
 
 remain- 
 der of 
 
 
 26 Riches and strength will lift up the 
 
 curse ; 
 
 this 
 
 
 heart; 
 
 If ye die, a curse shall be your portion. 
 
 verse is 
 omitted 
 
 
 And the fear of the Lord is above both : 
 
 10 All things that are of the earth shall 
 
 ^yj''^ 
 
 
 There is nothing wanting in the fear 
 
 go back to the earth : 
 
 bestau- 
 thoritics* 
 
 
 of the Lord, 
 
 So the ungodly shall go from a curse 
 
 
 
 And there is no need to seek help 
 
 unto perdition. 
 
 
 
 therein. 
 
 11 The mourning of men is about their 
 
 
 
 27 The fear of the Lord is as a garden 
 
 bodies: 
 
 
 
 of blessing, 
 
 But the name of sinners being evil 
 
 
 9Gr. 
 
 And covereth ^ a man above all glory. 
 
 shall be blotted out. 
 
 
 him. 
 
 
 12 Have regard to thy name ; 
 
 
 
 28 My son, lead not a beggar's life ; 
 
 For it continueth with thee longer 
 
 
 
 Better it is to die than to beg. 
 
 than a thousand great treasures of 
 
 
 
 29 A man that looketh unto the table of 
 
 gold. 
 
 
 
 another, 
 
 13 A good life hath its number of days ; 
 
 
 
 His life is not to be counted for a 
 
 life; 
 He will pollute his soul with another 
 
 And a good name continueth for ever. 
 
 
 
 14 My children, keep instruction in 
 
 
 
 man's meats : 
 
 peace : 
 
 
 
 But a man wise and well-instructed 
 
 But wisdom that is hid, and a treasure 
 
 
 
 will beware thereof. 
 
 that is not seen. 
 
 
 
 30 In the mouth of the shameless begging 
 
 What profit is in them both ? 
 
 
 
 will be sweet ; 
 
 15 Better is a man that hideth his fool- 
 
 
 
 And in his belly a fire shall be kin- 
 
 ishness 
 
 
 
 dled. 
 
 Than a man that hideth his wisdom. 
 16 Wherefore shew reverence to my 
 
 
 
 410 death, how bitter is the remem- 
 
 word: 
 
 
 
 brance of thee to a man that is at 
 
 For it is not good to retain every kind 
 
 
 
 peace in his possessions, 
 
 of shame ; 
 
 
 
 Unto the man that hath nothing to 
 
 And not all things are approved by 
 
 
 
 distract him, and hath prosperity in 
 
 all in good faith. 
 
 
 
 all things. 
 
 
 
 
 And that still hath strength to receive 
 
 17 Be ashamed of whoredom before fa- 
 
 
 
 meat! 
 
 ther and mother : 
 
 
 
 2 death, acceptable is thy sentence 
 
 And of a lie before a prince and a 
 
 
 
 unto a man that is needy, and that 
 
 mighty man ; 
 
 
 
 faileth in strength, 
 
 11 
 
 1 8 Of an offence before a judge and ruler ; 1 
 10 
 
42. 9. ECCLESIASTICUS. 42. 21. 
 
 
 Of iniquity before the congregation 
 
 In her youth, lest she pass the flower 
 
 
 
 and the people ; 
 
 of her age ; 
 
 
 
 Of unjust dealing before a partner 
 
 And when she is married, lest she 
 
 
 
 and friend ; 
 
 should be hated : 
 
 
 
 19 And of theft in regard of the place 
 
 10 In her virginity, lest she should be 
 
 
 
 where thou sojournest, 
 
 defiled 
 
 
 
 And in regard of the truth of God and 
 
 And be with child in her father's 
 
 
 
 his covenant ; 
 
 house ; 
 
 
 
 And of leaning with thine elbow at 
 
 And when she hath a husband, lest 
 
 
 
 meat; 
 
 she should transgress ; 
 
 
 
 And of scurrility in the matter of 
 
 And when she is married, lest she 
 
 
 
 giving and taking ; 
 
 should be barren. 
 
 
 
 20 And of silence before them that salute 
 
 11 Keep a strict watch over a headstrong 
 
 
 
 thee; 
 
 daughter, 
 
 
 
 And of looking upon a woman that is 
 
 Lest she make thee ^ a laughingstock 
 
 3 Or. a 
 
 
 a harlot ; 
 
 to thine enemies, 
 
 rejoicing 
 
 1 Or, the 
 
 21 And of turning away ^ thy face from 
 
 A byword in the city and * notorious 
 
 *9,^: 
 
 ^^n 
 
 a kinsman ; 
 
 among the people. 
 
 called 
 forth. 
 
 Kinsman 
 
 Of taking away a portion or a gift ; 
 
 And shame thee before the multitude. 
 
 
 And of gazing upon a woman that 
 
 
 
 
 hath a husband ; 
 
 12 Look not upon every body in regard 
 
 
 
 22 Of being over busy with his maid; 
 
 of beauty. 
 
 
 
 and come not near her bed ; 
 
 And sit not in the midst of women ; 
 
 
 
 Of upbraiding speeches before friends; 
 
 13 For from garments cometh a moth. 
 
 
 
 And after thou hast given, upbraid not; 
 
 And from a woman a woman's wicked- 
 
 
 
 23 Of repeating and speaking what thou 
 
 ness. 
 
 
 
 hast heard ; 
 
 14 Better is the wickedness of a man 
 
 
 
 And of revealing of secrets. 
 
 than a pleasant-dealing woman, 
 
 
 
 24 So Shalt thou be truly shamefast. 
 
 And a woman which putteth thee to 
 
 
 
 And find favour in the sight of every 
 
 shameful reproach. 
 
 
 
 man. 
 
 151 will make mention now of the works 
 
 
 
 42 Of these things be not ashamed, 
 
 of the Lord, 
 
 
 
 And accept no man's person to sin 
 
 And will declare the things that I 
 
 
 
 thereby : 
 
 have seen : 
 
 
 
 2 Of the law of the aiost High, and his 
 
 In the words of the Lord are his 
 
 
 
 covenant ; 
 
 works. 
 
 
 
 And of judgement to do justice to the 
 
 16 The sun that giveth light looketh 
 
 
 
 ungodly ; 
 
 upon all things ; 
 
 
 
 3 Of reckoning \vith a partner and with 
 
 And the work of the Lord is full of 
 
 
 
 travellers ; 
 
 his glory. 
 
 
 
 And of a gift from the heritage of 
 
 17 The Lord hath not given power to the 
 
 
 
 friends ; 
 
 saints to declare aU his marvellous 
 
 
 
 4 Of exactness of balance and weights ; 
 
 works ; 
 
 
 
 And of getting much or little ; 
 
 Which the Almighty Lord firmly 
 
 
 
 5 Of indifferent selling of merchants ; 
 
 settled. 
 
 
 
 And of much correction of children ; 
 
 That whatsoever is might be estab- 
 
 
 
 And of making the side of an evil ser- 
 
 lished in his glory. 
 
 
 
 vant to bleed. 
 
 18 He searcheth out the deep, and the 
 
 
 «0r. 
 
 6 2 Sure keeping is good, where an evil 
 
 heart. 
 
 
 A seal 
 
 wife is ; 
 
 And he hath understanding of then- 
 
 
 
 And where many hands are, shut thou 
 
 cunning devices : 
 
 
 
 close. 
 
 For the Most High knoweth all know- 
 
 
 
 7 Whatsoever thou handest over, let it 
 
 ledge. 
 
 
 
 be by number and weight ; 
 
 And he looketh into the ^ signs of the 
 
 6Gr. 
 
 
 And in giving and receiving let all be 
 
 world, 
 
 sign. 
 
 
 in writing. 
 
 19 Declaring the things that are past. 
 
 
 
 8 Be not ashamed to instruct the unwise 
 
 and the things that shall be. 
 
 
 
 and foolish. 
 
 And revealing the traces of hidden 
 
 
 
 And one of extreme old age that con- 
 
 things. 
 
 
 
 tendeth with those that are young ; 
 
 20 No thought escapeth hun ; 
 
 
 
 And so Shalt thou be well instructed 
 
 There is not a word hid from him. 
 
 
 
 indeed, 
 
 2 1 The mighty works of his wisdom he 
 
 
 
 And approved in the sight of every 
 
 hath ordered, 
 
 
 
 man living. 
 
 Who is from everlasting to everlast- 
 ing: 
 Nothing hath been added unto them, 
 
 
 
 9 A daughter is a secret cause of wake- 
 
 
 
 fulness to a father ; 
 
 nor diminished from them ; 
 
 
 
 And the care for her putteth away 
 
 And he had no need of any coun- 
 
 
 
 sleep ; 
 
 1 
 
 sellor. 
 11 
 
 
43. 13. ECCLESIASTICUS. 43. 30. 
 
 
 22 How desirable are all his works ! 
 
 And sendeth swiftly the lightnings of 
 
 
 
 One may behold this even unto a 
 
 his judgement. 
 
 
 
 spark. 
 
 14 By reason thereof the treasure-houses 
 
 
 
 23 All these things live and remain for 
 
 are opened ; 
 
 
 
 ever in all manner of uses, 
 
 And clouds fly forth as fowls. 
 
 
 
 And they are all obedient. 
 
 15 By his mighty power he maketh 
 
 
 
 24 All things are double one against 
 
 strong the clouds. 
 
 
 
 another : 
 
 And the hailstones are broken small : 
 
 
 
 And he hath made nothing imperfect. 
 
 16 And at his appearing the mountains 
 
 
 
 25 One thing establisheth the good things 
 
 will be shaken. 
 
 
 
 of another : 
 
 And at his will the south wind will 
 
 
 
 And who shall be filled with behold- 
 
 blow. 
 
 
 
 ing his glory? 
 
 17 The voice of his thunder maketh the 
 earth to travail ; 
 
 
 
 43 The pride of the height is the firma- 
 
 So doth the northern storm and the 
 
 
 1 Gr. of 
 
 ment ^ in its clearness, 
 
 whirlwind : 
 
 
 dear- 
 
 The appearance of heaven, in the 
 
 As birds flying down he sprinkleth the 
 
 
 
 spectacle of its glory. 
 
 snow; 
 
 
 
 2 The sun when he appeareth, bringing 
 
 And as the lighting of the locust is 
 
 
 
 tidings as he goeth forth, 
 
 the falling down thereof : 
 
 
 
 Is a marvellous instrument, the work 
 
 18 The eye will marvel at the beauty of 
 
 
 
 of the Most High : 
 
 its whiteness. 
 
 
 
 3 At his noon he drieth up the coun- 
 
 And the heart will be astonished at 
 
 
 
 try, 
 
 the raining of it. 
 
 
 
 And who shall stand against his bm-n- 
 
 19 The hoarfrost also he poureth on the 
 
 
 
 ing heat ? 
 
 earth as salt; 
 
 
 
 4 A man blowing a furnace is in works 
 
 And when it is congealed, it is as 
 
 
 
 of heat. 
 
 points of thorns. 
 
 
 
 But the sun three times more, burning 
 
 
 
 
 up the mountains : 
 
 20 The cold north wind shall blow. 
 
 
 
 Breathing out fiery vapours, 
 
 And the ice shall be congealed on the 
 
 
 
 And sending forth bright beams, he 
 
 water : 
 
 
 
 dimmeth the eyes. 
 
 It shall lodge upon every gathering 
 
 
 
 5 Great is the Lord that made him ; 
 
 together of water, 
 
 
 
 And at his word he hasteneth his 
 
 And the water shall put on as it were 
 
 
 
 course. 
 
 a breastplate. 
 21 It shall devour the mountains, and 
 
 
 
 6 The moon also is in all things for her 
 
 burn up the wilderness. 
 
 
 
 season. 
 
 And consume the green herb as fire. 
 
 
 
 For a declaration of times, and a sign 
 
 22 A mist coming speedily is the healing 
 
 
 
 of the world. 
 
 of all things ; 
 
 
 
 7 From the moon is the sign of the 
 
 A dew coming after heat shall bring 
 
 
 
 feast day; 
 
 cheerfulness. 
 
 
 
 A light that waneth when she is come 
 
 23 By his counsel he hath stilled the 
 
 
 
 to the full. 
 
 deep. 
 
 
 
 8 The month is called after her name, 
 
 And 3 planted islands therein. 
 
 3 The 
 
 
 Increasing wonderfully in her chang- 
 
 24 They that sail on the sea tell of the 
 
 most 
 
 
 ing; 
 
 danger thereof ; 
 
 authori- 
 
 
 An instrument of the hosts on high. 
 
 And when we hear it with our ears. 
 
 ticB read 
 vlanted 
 
 
 Shining forth in the firma,ment of 
 
 we marvel. 
 
 
 heaven ; 
 
 25 Therein be also those strange and 
 
 ft. 
 
 
 9 The beauty of heaven, the glory of the 
 
 wondrous works, 
 
 
 
 stars. 
 
 Variety of all that hath life, the * race 
 
 *Gr. 
 
 
 An ornament giving light in the high- 
 
 of sea-monsters. 
 
 creation. 
 Several 
 
 
 est places of the Lord. 
 
 26 By reason of him his end hath suc- 
 
 ancient 
 
 
 10 At the word of the Holy One they will 
 
 cess. 
 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 posses- 
 
 »Gr. 
 
 stand in ^ due order. 
 
 And by his word all things consist. 
 
 judge- 
 
 And they will not faint in their 
 
 
 sionof 
 
 menl. 
 
 watches. 
 
 27 We may say many things, yet shall 
 
 cattle. 
 
 
 11 Look upon the rainbow, and praise 
 
 we not attain ; 
 
 
 
 him that made it ,• 
 
 And the sum of our words is, He is all. 
 
 
 
 Exceeding beautiful in the brightness 
 
 28 How shall we have strength to glorify 
 
 
 
 thereof. 
 
 him? 
 
 
 
 12 It compasseth the heaven roundabout 
 
 For he is himself the great one above 
 
 
 
 with a circle of glory ; 
 
 all his works. 
 
 
 
 The hands of the Most High have 
 
 29 The Lord is terrible and exceeding 
 
 
 
 stretched it. 
 
 great ; 
 And marvellous is his power. 
 
 
 
 13 By his commandment he maketh the 
 
 30 When ye glorify the Lord, exalt him 
 
 
 
 snow to fall apace, as much as ye can ; 
 
 112 
 
 
44 15. ECCLESIASTICUS. 
 
 45. 3. 
 
 
 For even yet will he exceed: 
 
 
 
 
 And when ye exalt him, put forth your 
 
 16 Enoch pleased the Lord, and was 
 
 
 
 full strength : 
 
 translated, 
 
 
 
 Be not weary ; for ye will never at- 
 
 Being an example of repentance to all 
 
 
 
 tain. 
 
 generations. 
 
 
 
 31 Who hath seen him, that he may 
 
 17 Noah was found perfect and right- 
 
 
 
 declare him ? 
 
 eous; 
 
 
 
 And who shall magnify him as he is ? 
 
 In the season of wrath he was taken 
 
 
 
 32 Many things are hidden greater than 
 
 in exchange /or the world ; 
 
 
 
 these ; 
 
 Therefore was there left a remnant 
 
 
 
 For we have seen but a few of his 
 
 unto the earth. 
 
 
 
 works. 
 
 When the flood came. 
 
 
 
 33 For the Lord made all things ; 
 
 18 Everlasting covenants were made 
 
 
 
 And to the godly gave he wisdom. 
 
 vnth him, 
 That all flesh should no more be 
 
 
 
 44 Let us now praise famous men, 
 
 blotted out by a flood. 
 
 
 
 And our fathers that begat us. 
 
 
 
 iGr. 
 
 2 The Lord ^ manifested in them great 
 
 19 Abraham was a great father of a mul- 
 
 
 areated. 
 
 glory, 
 
 titude of nations ; 
 
 
 
 Even his mighty power from the he- 
 
 And there was none found like him in 
 
 
 
 ginning. 
 
 glory; 
 
 
 
 3 Such as did bear rule in their king- 
 
 20 Who kept the law of the Most High, 
 
 
 
 doms, 
 
 And was taken into covenant with 
 
 
 
 And were men renowned for their 
 
 him : 
 
 
 
 power. 
 
 In his flesh he established the cove- 
 
 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 
 2 Giving counsel by their understand- 
 
 nant; 
 
 
 ing. 
 
 And when he was proved, he was 
 
 
 B 
 
 Such as have brought tidings in pro- 
 
 found faithful. 
 
 
 phecies : 
 
 
 
 counsel. 
 
 4 Leaders of the people by then- coun- 
 
 21 Therefore he assured him by an oath, 
 
 
 
 sels. 
 
 That the nations should be blessed in 
 
 
 3 The 
 Greek 
 
 textis 
 
 And by then* understanding ^ men of 
 
 his seed ; 
 
 
 learning for the people ; 
 
 That he would multiply him as the 
 
 
 here 
 
 Wise were their words in their instruc- 
 
 dust of the earth, 
 
 
 corrupt. 
 
 tion: 
 
 And exalt his seed as the stars. 
 
 
 
 5 Such as sought out musical tunes, 
 
 And cause them to mherit from sea 
 
 
 
 And set forth verses in writing : 
 
 to sea. 
 
 
 
 6 Rich men furnished with ability, 
 
 And from the River unto the utmost 
 
 
 
 Living peaceably in their habitations : 
 
 part of the earth. 
 
 
 
 7 All these were honoured in their gen- 
 
 22 In Isaac also did he estabUsh like- 
 
 
 
 erations, 
 
 wise, for Abraham his father's 
 
 
 
 And were a glory in their days. 
 
 sake. 
 
 
 
 8 There be of them, that have left a 
 
 The blessing of all men, and the cove- 
 
 
 
 name behind them, 
 
 nant: 
 
 
 
 To declare their praises. 
 
 23 And he made it rest upon the head of 
 
 
 
 9 And some there be, which have no 
 
 Jacob ; 
 
 
 
 memorial ; 
 
 He acknowledged him in his bless- 
 
 
 
 Who are perished as though they had 
 
 ings. 
 
 
 
 not been, 
 
 And gave to him by inheritance, 
 
 
 
 And are become as though they had 
 
 And divided his portions ; 
 
 
 
 not been born ; 
 
 Among twelve tribes did he part 
 
 
 
 And their children after them. 
 
 them. 
 
 
 
 10 But these were men of mercy. 
 
 
 
 
 Whose righteous deeds have not been 
 
 45 And he brought out of him a man of 
 
 
 
 forgotten. 
 
 mercy, 
 
 
 
 11 With their seed shall remain continu- 
 
 Wliich found favour in the sight of all 
 
 
 
 ally a good inheritance ; 
 
 flesh; 
 
 
 ♦ Or, »n 
 
 Their children are * within the cove- 
 
 A man beloved of God and men, even 
 
 
 their tes- 
 taments 
 
 nants. 
 
 Moses, 
 
 
 
 12 Then- seed standeth fast. 
 
 Whose memorial is blessed. 
 
 
 
 And their children for their sakes. 
 
 2 He made him like to the glory of the 
 
 
 
 13 Their seed shall remain for ever. 
 
 saints. 
 
 
 
 And their glory shall not be blotted 
 
 And magnified him in the fears of his 
 
 
 
 out. 
 
 enemies. 
 
 
 
 14 Their bodies were buried in peace, 
 
 3 By his words he caused the wonders 
 
 
 
 And their name Uveth to all genera- 
 
 to cease ; 
 
 
 
 tions. 
 
 He glorified him in the sight of kings ; 
 
 
 
 15 Peoples will declare their wisdom. 
 
 He gave him commandment for his 
 
 
 
 And the congregation telleth out their 
 
 people. 
 
 
 
 praise. 
 
 1 
 
 And shewed him part of his glory. 
 13 I 
 
 
45. 15. ECCLESIASTICUS. 45. 26. 
 
 
 4 He sanctified him in his faithfulness 
 
 To minister unto him, and to execute 
 
 
 
 and meekness ; 
 
 also the priest's office, 
 
 
 
 He chose him out of all flesh. 
 
 And bless his people in his name. 
 
 
 
 5 He made him to hear his voice, 
 
 16 He chose him out of all living 
 
 
 
 And led him into the thick darkness, 
 
 To offer sacrifice to the Lord, 
 
 
 
 And gave him commandments face to 
 
 Incense, and a sweet savour, for a 
 
 
 
 face, 
 
 memorial. 
 
 
 
 Even the law of life and knowledge. 
 
 To make reconciliation for thy peo- 
 
 
 
 That he might teach Jacob the cove- 
 
 ple. 
 
 
 
 nant, 
 
 17 He gave unto him in his command- 
 
 
 
 And Israel his judgements. 
 
 ments. 
 Yea, authority in the covenants of 
 
 
 
 6 He exalted Aaron, a holy man like 
 
 judgements. 
 
 
 
 unto him. 
 
 To teach Jacob the testimonies, 
 
 
 
 Even his brother, of the tribe of Levi. 
 
 And to enlighten Israel in his law. 
 
 
 
 7 He established for him an everlasting 
 
 18 Strangers gathered themselves to- 
 
 
 
 covenant, 
 
 gether against him. 
 
 
 
 And gave him the priesthood of the 
 
 And envied him in the wilderness. 
 
 
 
 people ; 
 
 Even Dathan and Abiram with their 
 
 
 iGr. 
 
 blessed. 
 
 He 1 beautified him with comely orna- 
 
 company. 
 
 
 ments. 
 
 And the congregation of Korah, with 
 
 
 
 And girded hmi about with a robe of 
 
 wrath and anger. 
 
 
 
 glory. 
 
 19 The Lord saw it, and it displeased 
 
 
 
 8 He clothed him with the perfection of 
 
 him; 
 
 
 
 exultation ; 
 
 And in the wrath of his anger they 
 
 
 
 And strengthened him with apparel 
 
 were destroyed : 
 
 
 sGr. 
 
 strength. 
 
 of 2 honour. 
 
 He did wonders upon them. 
 
 
 The linen breeches, the long robe. 
 
 To consume them with flaming fire. 
 
 
 
 and the ephod. 
 
 20 And he added glory to Aaron, 
 
 
 
 9 And he compassed him with pome- 
 
 And gave him a heritage : 
 
 
 
 granates of gold, 
 
 He divided unto him the firstfruits of 
 
 
 
 And with many bells round about. 
 
 the increase ; 
 
 
 
 To send forth a sound as he went, 
 
 And first did he prepare bread in 
 
 
 
 To make a sound that might be heard 
 
 abundance : 
 
 
 
 in the temple. 
 
 21 For they shall eat the sacrifices of the 
 
 
 
 For a memorial to the children of his 
 
 Lord, 
 
 
 
 people ; 
 
 Which he gave unto him and to his 
 
 
 
 10 With a holy garment, with gold and 
 
 seed. 
 
 
 
 blue and purple, the work of the 
 
 22 Howbeit in the land of the people he 
 
 
 
 embroiderer. 
 
 shall have no inheritance, 
 
 
 
 With an oracle of judgement, even 
 
 And he hath no portion among the 
 
 
 
 with the Urim and Thummim ; 
 
 people : 
 
 
 
 11 With twisted scarlet, the work of the 
 
 For he himself is thy portion and in- 
 
 
 
 craftsman ; 
 
 heritance. 
 
 
 
 With precious stones graven like a 
 
 
 
 
 signet, in a setting of gold, the work 
 
 23 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar is 
 
 
 
 of the jeweller. 
 
 the third in glory. 
 
 
 
 For a memorial engraved in writing. 
 
 In that he was zealous in the fear of 
 
 
 
 after the number of the tribes of 
 
 the Lord, 
 
 
 
 Israel ; 
 
 And stood fast in the good forward- 
 
 
 
 12 With a crown of gold upon the mitre. 
 
 ness of his soul when the people 
 
 
 3 Gr. an 
 
 3 having graven on it, as on a signet. 
 
 turned away. 
 
 
 engrav- 
 ing of a 
 signet of 
 
 HOLINESS, 
 
 And he made reconciliation for Is- 
 
 
 An ornament of honour, a work of 
 
 rael. 
 
 
 holiness. 
 
 might. 
 
 24 Therefore was there a covenant of 
 
 
 
 The desires of the eyes, goodly and 
 
 peace established for him, 
 
 
 
 beautiful. 
 
 That he should be leader of the 
 
 
 
 13 Before him there never have been 
 
 3 saints and of his people ; 
 
 6 Or. 
 
 
 any such ; 
 
 That he and his seed 
 
 sanc- 
 tuartf 
 
 
 No stranger put them on, but his sons 
 
 Should have the dignity of the priest- 
 
 
 only, and his offspring perpetually. 
 
 hood for ever. 
 
 
 
 14 His sacrifices shall be wholly con- 
 
 25 Also he made a covenant with David 
 
 
 
 sumed 
 
 the son of Jesse, of the tribe of 
 
 
 
 Every day twice continually. 
 
 Judah ; 
 
 
 *Ji^: , 
 
 15 Moses * consecrated him. 
 
 The inheritance of the king is his 
 
 
 miedhis 
 
 And anointed him with holy oil : 
 
 alone from son to son ; 
 
 
 
 It was unto him for an everlasting 
 
 So the inheritance of Aaron is also 
 
 
 
 covenant. 
 
 unto his seed. 
 
 
 
 And to his seed, all the days of hea- 
 
 26 God give you wisdom in your heart 
 
 
 
 ven, 
 
 1 
 
 To judge his people in righteousness, 
 
 L4 
 
 
46. 11. ECCLESIASTICUS. 
 
 47. 6. 
 
 
 That their good things be not abol- 
 
 And who turned not away from the 
 
 
 
 ished, 
 
 Lord, 
 
 
 
 And that their glory endure for aU 
 
 May their memorial be blessed. 
 
 
 
 their generations. 
 
 12 May their bones flourish again out of 
 their place, 
 
 
 iGr. 
 
 46 Joshua the son of ^ Nun was valiant 
 
 And may the name of them that have 
 
 
 Nave. 
 
 in war, 
 
 been honoured be renewed upon 
 
 
 
 And was the successor of Moses in 
 
 prophecies : 
 Who according to his name was made 
 
 their children. 
 
 
 
 13 Samuel, the prophet of the Lord, be- 
 
 
 
 great 
 
 loved of his Lord, 
 
 
 >Qr.Aw. 
 
 For the saving of ^ God's elect, 
 
 Established a kingdom, and anointed 
 
 
 
 To take vengeance of the enemies 
 
 princes over his people. 
 
 
 
 that rose up against them. 
 
 14 By the law of the Lord he judged the 
 
 
 
 That he might give Israel their inherit- 
 
 congregation. 
 
 
 
 ance. 
 
 And the Lord visited Jacob. 
 
 
 
 2 How was he glorified in the lifting 
 
 15 By his faithfulness he was proved to 
 
 
 
 up his hands, 
 
 be a prophet. 
 
 
 
 And in stretching out his sword 
 
 And by his words he was known to 
 
 
 
 against the cities ! 
 
 be faithful in vision. 
 
 
 
 3 Who before him so stood fast? 
 
 16 Also when his enemies pressed him 
 
 
 
 For the Lord himself brought his 
 
 round about 
 
 
 
 enemies unto him. 
 
 He called upon the Lord, the Mighty 
 
 
 
 4 Did not the sun go back by his hand? 
 
 One, 
 
 
 
 And did not one day become as two ? 
 
 With the offering of the sucking lamb. 
 
 
 
 5 He called upon the Most High and 
 
 17 And the Lord thundered from heaven. 
 
 
 
 Mighty One, 
 
 And with a mighty sound made his 
 
 
 
 When his foes pressed him roimd 
 
 voice to be heard. 
 
 
 
 about ; 
 
 18 And he utterly destroyed the rulers of 
 
 
 
 And the great Lord heard him. 
 
 the Tyrians, 
 
 
 
 6 With hailstones of mighty power 
 
 And all the princes of the Philistines. 
 
 
 
 He caused war to break violently up- 
 
 19 Also before the time of his » long sleep 
 
 sGr. 
 
 
 on the nation. 
 
 He made protestations in the sight of 
 
 sleep. 
 
 3 See 
 
 And 3 in the going down he destroyed 
 
 the Lord and his anointed. 
 
 Joshua 
 X. 11. 
 
 them that resisted ; 
 
 I have not taken any man's goods, so 
 
 
 
 That the nations might know his 
 
 much as a shoe : 
 
 
 *Gr. 
 
 4 armour, , 
 
 And no man did accuse him. 
 
 
 pcmoply. 
 
 How that he fought in the sight of 
 
 20 And after he fell asleep he prophesied, 
 
 
 
 the Lord; 
 
 And shewed the king his end. 
 
 
 
 For he followed after the Mighty 
 
 And lifted up his voice from the earth 
 
 
 
 One. 
 
 in prophecy. 
 
 
 
 7 Also in the time of Moses he did a 
 
 To blot out the wickedness of the 
 
 
 
 work of mercy, 
 
 people. 
 
 
 
 He and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, 
 
 
 
 
 In that they withstood the adversary, 
 
 47 And after him rose up Nathan 
 
 
 
 Hindered the people from sin, 
 
 To prophesy in the days of David. 
 
 
 
 And stilled the murmuring of wicked- 
 
 2 As is the fat when it is separated 
 
 
 
 ness. 
 
 from the peace offering. 
 
 
 
 8 And of six hundred thousand people 
 
 So was David sex>arated fromthe chil- 
 
 
 
 on foot, they two alone were pre- 
 
 dren of Israel, 
 
 
 
 served 
 
 3 He played with lions as with kids, 
 
 
 
 To bring them into the heritage, 
 
 And with bears as with lambs of the 
 
 
 
 Even into a land flowing with milk 
 
 flock. 
 
 
 
 and honey. 
 
 4 In his youth did he not slay a giant. 
 
 
 
 9 Also the Lord gave strength unto 
 
 And take away reproach from the 
 
 
 
 Caleb, 
 
 people, 
 
 
 
 And it remained with him unto his 
 
 When he lifted up his hand with a 
 
 
 
 old age ; 
 
 sling stone. 
 
 
 
 So that he entered upon the height of 
 
 And beat down the boasting of Goli- 
 
 
 
 the land. 
 
 ath? 
 
 
 
 And his seed obtained it for a herit- 
 
 5 For he called upon the Most High 
 
 
 
 age: 
 
 Lord; 
 
 
 
 10 That all the children of Israel might 
 
 And he gave him strength in his right 
 
 
 
 see 
 
 hand. 
 
 
 
 That it is good to walk after the 
 
 To slay a man mighty in war, 
 
 
 
 Lord. 
 
 To exalt the horn of his people, 
 6 So they glorified him for his ten thou- 
 
 
 
 11 Also the judges, every one by his 
 
 sands, 
 
 
 
 name. 
 
 And praised him for the blessings of 
 
 
 1 All whose hearts went not a whoring, 
 
 1 
 
 the Lord, 
 
 L5 
 
 
47. 22. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICUS. 
 
 48. 13. 
 
 iThe 
 remain- 
 der of 
 this 
 verse is 
 omitted 
 by the 
 best au- 
 thorities. 
 
 «Gr. 
 
 parables 
 
 of 
 
 riddles. 
 
 In that there was given him a diadem 
 of glory. 
 
 7 For he destroyed the enemies on every 
 
 side, 
 And brought to nought the Philistines 
 
 his adversaries, 
 Brake their horn in pieces unto this 
 
 day. 
 
 8 In every work of his he gave thanks 
 
 to the Holy One Most High with 
 
 words of glory ; 
 With his whole heart he sang praise, 
 And loved him that made him. 
 
 9 Also he set singers before the altar, 
 And to make sweet melody by their 
 
 musie.^ 
 
 10 He gave comeUness to the feasts. 
 And set in order the seasons to per- 
 fection. 
 
 While they praised his holy name. 
 And the sanctuary sounded from early 
 morning. 
 
 11 The Lord took away his sins, 
 And exalted his horn for ever ; 
 And gave him a covenant of kings, 
 And a throne of glory in Israel. 
 
 12 After him rose up a son, a man of 
 
 understanding ; 
 And for his sake he dwelt at large. 
 
 13 Solomon reigned in days of peace ; 
 And to him God gave rest round about, 
 That he might set up a house for his 
 
 name, 
 And prepare a sanctuary for ever. 
 
 14 How wise wast thou made in thy 
 
 youth. 
 And filled as a river with under- 
 standing ! 
 
 15 Thy soul covered the earth. 
 
 And thou flUedst it with ^ dark para- 
 bles. 
 
 16 Thy name reached unto the isles afar 
 
 off; 
 And for thy peace thou wast beloved. 
 
 17 For thy songs and proverbs and para- 
 
 bles. 
 And for thine interpretations, the 
 countries marvelled at thee. 
 
 18 By the name of the Lord God, 
 Which is called the God of Israel, 
 Thou didst gather gold as tin, 
 And didst multiply silver as lead. 
 
 19 Thou didst bow thy loins unto women. 
 And in thy body thou wast brought 
 
 into subjection. 
 
 20 Thou didst blemish thine honour, 
 And profane thy seed, 
 
 To bring wrath upon thy children ; 
 And I was grieved for thy folly : 
 
 21 So that the sovereignty was divided. 
 And out of Ephraim ruled a disobedi- 
 ent kingdom. 
 
 22 But the Lord will never forsake his 
 
 mercy ; 
 And he will not destroy any of his 
 
 works. 
 Nor blot out the posterity of his elect ; 
 And the seed of him that loved him he 
 
 will not take away ; 
 
 And he gave a remnant unto Jacob, 
 And unto David a root out of him. 
 
 23 And so rested Solomon with his fa- 
 
 thers ; 
 And of his seed he left behind him 
 
 Rehoboam, 
 Even the foolishness of the people, 
 
 and one that lacked understanding, 
 Who made the people to revolt by his 
 
 counsel. 
 Also Jeroboam the son of Nebat, 
 Who made Israel to sin, 
 And gave unto Ephraim a way of sin. 
 
 24 And their sins were multiplied exceed- 
 
 ingly, 
 To remove them from their land. 
 
 25 For they sought out all manner of 
 
 wickedness. 
 Till vengeance should come upon 
 them. 
 
 48 Also there arose Elijah the prophet 
 as fire, 
 And his word burned like a torch : 
 
 2 Who brought a famine upon them. 
 And by his zeal made them few in 
 
 number. 
 
 3 By the word of the Lord he shut up 
 
 the heaven : 
 Thrice did he thus bring down fire. 
 
 4 How wast thou glorified, O Elijah, in 
 
 thy wondrous deeds ! 
 And who shall glory like unto thee ? 
 
 5 Who did raise up a dead man from 
 
 death. 
 And from ^ the place of the dead, by 
 the word of the Most High : 
 
 6 Who brought down kings to destruc- 
 
 tion, 
 And honourable men from their bed : 
 
 7 Who heard rebuke in Sinai, 
 
 And judgements of vengeance in 
 Horeb : 
 
 8 Who anointed kings for retribution, 
 And prophets to succeed after him : 
 
 9 Who was taken up in a tempest of fire, 
 In a chariot of fiery horses : 
 
 10 Who was recorded for reproofs in 
 
 their seasons, 
 To pacify anger, before it brake forth 
 
 into wrath ; 
 To turn the heart of the father unto 
 
 the son. 
 And to restore the tribes of Jacob. 
 
 11 Blessed are they that saw thee, 
 And they that have been beautified 
 
 with love ; 
 For we also shall surely live. 
 
 12 Elijah it was, who was wrapped in a 
 
 tempest : 
 
 And Elisha was filled with his spirit ; 
 
 And in all his days he was not moved 
 by the fear o/any ruler. 
 
 And no one brought him into subjec- 
 tion. 
 
 13 * Nothing was too high for him ; 
 And when he was laid on sleep his 
 
 body prophesied. 
 
 116 
 
1 49. 2. ECCLESIASTICUS. 49. 16. 
 
 
 14 As in his life he did wonders, 
 
 And took away the abominations of 
 
 
 
 So in death were his works marvel- 
 
 Iniquity. 
 
 
 
 lous. 
 
 3 He set his heart right toward the 
 
 
 
 15 For all this the people repented not, 
 
 Lord; 
 
 
 
 And they departed not from their sins, 
 
 In the days of wicked men he made 
 
 
 
 Till they were carried away as a 
 
 godUness to prevail. 
 
 
 
 spoil from their land. 
 
 
 
 
 And were scattered through all the 
 
 4 Except David and Hezekiah and 
 
 
 
 earth ; 
 
 Josiah, 
 
 
 
 And the people was left very few in 
 
 All committed trespass : 
 
 
 
 number. 
 
 For they forsook the law of the Most 
 
 
 
 And a ruler was Uft in the house of 
 
 High; 
 
 
 
 David. 
 
 The kings of Judah failed. 
 
 
 
 16 Some of them did that which was 
 
 5 For they gave their * power unto 
 
 *Gr. 
 
 
 pleasing to God, 
 
 others, 
 
 horn. 
 
 
 And some multiplied sins. 
 
 And their glory to a strange nation. 
 6 They set on fire the chosen city of 
 
 
 
 17 Hezekiah fortified his city. 
 
 the sanctuary, 
 
 
 iSome 
 
 And brought in ^ water into the midst 
 
 And made her streets desolate, as it 
 
 
 ancient 
 
 of them : 
 
 was written by the hand of Jere- 
 
 
 ties, ap- 
 
 He digged the sheer rock with iron. 
 
 miah. 
 
 
 parently 
 by a con- 
 fusion. 
 
 And builded up wells for waters. 
 
 7 For they entreated him evil ; 
 
 
 18 In his days Sennacherib came up, 
 
 And yet he was sanctified in the womb 
 
 
 read 
 
 And sent Kabshakeh, and departed ; 
 
 to be a prophet. 
 
 
 Gog. 
 
 And he lifted up his hand against 
 
 To root out, and to aflQict, and to 
 
 
 
 Sion, 
 
 destroy ; 
 
 
 
 And boasted great things in his arro- 
 
 And in like manner to build and to 
 
 
 
 gancy. 
 
 plant 
 
 
 
 19 Then were theu- hearts and their 
 
 8 It was Ezekiel who saw the vision of 
 
 
 
 hands shaken, 
 
 glory, 
 
 
 
 And they were in pain, as women in 
 
 Which God shewed him upon the 
 
 
 
 travail ; 
 
 chariot of the cherubim. 
 
 
 
 20 And they called upon the Lord which 
 
 9 For verily he remembered the ene- 
 
 
 
 is merciful. 
 
 mies in 3 storm, 
 
 3Gr. 
 
 
 Spreading forth their hands unto 
 
 And to do good to them that directed 
 
 rain. 
 
 
 him: 
 
 their ways aright. 
 
 
 
 And the Holy One heard them speed- 
 
 10 Also of the twelve prophets * 
 
 *The 
 
 
 ily out of heaven, 
 
 May the bones flourish again out of 
 
 remain- 
 der of 
 
 
 And delivered them by the hand of 
 
 their place. 
 
 this line 
 
 
 Isaiah. 
 
 And he comforted Jacob, 
 
 is omit- 
 
 
 21 He smote the camp of the Assyrians, 
 
 And delivered them by confidence of 
 
 ted by 
 the best 
 
 
 And his angel utterly destroyed them. 
 
 hope. 
 
 authori- 
 
 
 22 For Hezekiah did that which was 
 
 
 ties. 
 
 
 pleasing to the Lord, 
 
 11 How shall we magnify Zerubbabel? 
 
 
 
 And was strong in the ways of David 
 
 And he was as a signet on the right 
 
 
 
 his father, 
 
 hand: 
 
 
 
 Which Isaiah the prophet command- 
 
 12 So was Jesus the son of Josedek : 
 
 
 
 ^' 
 
 Who in their days builded the house, 
 
 
 
 Who was great and faithful in his 
 
 And exalted a s people holy to the 
 
 6 Some 
 
 
 vision. 
 23 In his days the sun went backward ; 
 
 Lord, 
 Prepared for everlasting glory. 
 
 ancient 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 
 
 And he added life to the king. 
 
 13 Also of Nehemiah the memorial is 
 
 tenytie. 
 
 
 24 He saw by an excellent spirit what 
 
 great; 
 
 
 
 should come to pass at the last ; 
 
 Who raised up for us the walls that 
 
 
 
 And he comforted them that mourned 
 
 were fallen. 
 
 
 
 in Sion. 
 
 And set up the gates and bars. 
 
 
 
 25 He shewed the things that should be 
 
 And raised up our homes again. 
 
 
 
 to the end of time, 
 
 
 
 
 And the hidden things or ever they 
 
 14 No man was created upon the earth 
 
 
 
 came. 
 
 such as was Enoch ; 
 For he was taken up from the earth. 
 
 
 
 49 The memorial of Josiah is like the 
 
 15 Neither was there a man born like 
 
 
 
 composition of incense 
 
 unto Joseph, 
 
 
 
 Prepared by the work of the apothe- 
 
 A governor of his brethren, a stay of 
 
 
 
 cary: 
 
 the people : 
 
 
 
 It shall be sweet as honey in every 
 
 Yea, his bones were visited. 
 
 
 
 mouth, 
 
 16 Shem and Seth were glorified among 
 
 
 
 And as music at a banquet of wine. 
 
 men; 
 
 
 
 2 He behaved himself uprightly in the 
 
 And above every living thfhg in the 
 
 
 
 conversion of the people, 
 
 11 
 
 creation is Adam. 
 
 7 
 
50. 15. ECCLESIASTICUS. 50. 29. 
 
 
 
 A sweet-smelling savour unto the 
 
 
 
 50 /* was Simon, the son of Onias, the 
 
 Most High, the King of all. 
 
 
 »Or, 
 
 1 great priest, 
 
 16 Then shouted the sons of Aaron, 
 
 
 high 
 
 Who in his life repaired the house, 
 
 They sounded the trumpets of beaten 
 
 
 
 And in his days strengthened the 
 
 work, 
 
 
 
 temple : 
 
 They made a great noise to be heard, 
 
 
 
 2 And by him was built from the foun- 
 
 For a remembrance before the Most 
 
 
 
 dation the height of the double 
 
 High. 
 
 
 
 wall, 
 
 17 Then all the people together hasted. 
 
 
 
 The lofty underworks of the inclosure 
 
 And fell down upon the earth on their 
 
 
 
 of the temple : 
 
 faces 
 
 
 
 3 In his days the cistern of waters was 
 
 To worship their Lord, the Almighty, 
 
 
 2 The 
 
 2 diminished, 
 
 God Most High. 
 
 
 text here 
 seems 
 
 The brasen vessel in compass as the 
 
 18 The singers also praised him with 
 
 
 to be 
 
 sea. 
 
 their voices ; 
 
 
 corrupt. 
 
 4 It tvas he that took thought for his 
 
 In the whole house was there made 
 
 
 
 people that they should not fall, 
 
 sweet melody. 
 
 
 3 Gr. to 
 
 And fortified the city ^ against be- 
 
 19 And the people besought the Lord 
 
 
 besiege : 
 that is, 
 
 sieging : 
 
 Most High, 
 
 
 as to he- 
 
 5 How glorious was he when the peo- 
 
 In prayer before him that is merci- 
 
 
 1^ 
 
 ple gathered round him 
 
 ful, 
 
 
 «Gr. 
 
 At his coming forth out of the * sanc- 
 
 Till the « worship of the Lord should 
 
 6Gr. 
 
 house of 
 
 tuary ! 
 
 be ended ; 
 
 adorn- 
 
 the veil. 
 
 6 As the morning star in the midst of a 
 
 And so they accomplished his ser- 
 
 tiwnt. 
 
 
 cloud. 
 
 vice. 
 
 
 
 As the moon at the full : 
 
 20 Then he went down, and lifted up his 
 
 
 
 7 As the sun shining forth upon the 
 
 hands 
 
 
 
 temple of the Most High, 
 
 Over the whole congregation of the 
 
 
 
 And as the rainbow giving light in 
 
 children of Israel, 
 
 
 
 clouds of glory : 
 
 To give blessing unto the Lord with 
 
 
 
 8 As the flower of roses in the days of 
 
 his lips. 
 
 
 
 nevf fruits. 
 
 And to glory in his name. 
 
 
 
 As lilies at the waterspring. 
 
 21 And he bowed himself down in wor- 
 
 
 
 As the shoot of the frankincense tree 
 
 ship the second time. 
 
 
 
 in the time of summer : 
 
 To declare the blessing from the Most 
 
 
 
 9 As fire and incense in the censer. 
 
 High. 
 
 
 
 As a vessel all of beaten gold 
 
 
 
 
 Adorned with all manner of precious 
 
 22 And now bless ye the God of all, 
 
 
 
 stones : 
 
 Which everywhere doeth great things, 
 
 
 
 10 As an olive tree budding forth fruits. 
 
 Which exalteth our days from the 
 
 
 
 And as a cypress growing high among 
 
 womb. 
 
 
 
 the clouds. 
 
 And dealeth with us according to his 
 
 
 
 11 When he took up the robe of glory, 
 
 mercy. 
 
 
 
 And put on the perfection of exulta- 
 
 23 May he grant us joyfulness of heart. 
 
 
 
 tion. 
 
 And that peace may be in our days in 
 
 
 
 In the ascent of the holy altar, 
 
 Israel for the days of eternity : 
 
 
 
 He made glorious the precinct of the 
 
 24 To intrust his mercy with us ; 
 
 
 
 sanctuary. 
 
 And let him deliver us in his time ! 
 
 
 
 12 And when he received the portions 
 
 
 
 
 out of the priests' hands, 
 
 25 With two nations is my soul vexed. 
 
 
 
 Himself also standing by the hearth 
 
 And the third is no nation : 
 
 
 
 of the altar. 
 
 26 They that sit upon the mountain of 
 
 
 
 His brethren as a garland round 
 
 ^ Samaria, and the Philistines, 
 
 r Ac- 
 
 
 about him, 
 
 And that foolish people that dwelleth 
 
 cording 
 to some 
 
 
 He was as a young cedar in Libanus ; 
 
 in Sichem. 
 
 ancient 
 
 
 And as stems of palm trees compass- 
 
 
 versions, 
 Seir. 
 
 
 ed they him round about, 
 
 271 have » written in this book the 
 
 8Gr. 
 
 
 13 And all the sons of Aaron in their 
 
 instruction of understanding and 
 
 graven. 
 
 
 glory. 
 
 knowledge. 
 
 
 
 And the Lord's offering in their hands, 
 
 I Jesus, the son of Sirach Eleazar, of 
 
 
 
 before all the congregation of Is- 
 
 Jerusalem, 
 
 
 
 rael. 
 
 Who out of his heart poured forth 
 
 
 
 14 And finishing the service at the al- 
 
 wisdom. 
 
 oGr. 
 
 
 tars. 
 
 28 Blessed is he that shall be exercised 
 
 footstep. 
 
 ^ n TVio 
 
 
 That he might adorn the offering of 
 
 in these things ; 
 
 10 ine 
 remain- 
 
 
 the Most High, the Almighty, 
 
 And he that layeth them up in his 
 
 der of 
 
 
 15 He stretched out his hand to the 
 
 heart shall become wise. 
 
 this 
 verse is 
 
 BGr. 
 
 ^cup. 
 
 29 For if he do them, he shall be strong 
 
 omitted 
 
 ^f 
 
 And ifoured of the blood of the grape ; 
 
 to all things : 
 
 by the 
 best au- 
 
 iKtatwn. 
 
 He poured out at the foot of the altar 
 
 1 
 
 For the light of the Lord is his ^ guide.'"^ 
 18 
 
 thorities. 
 
51. 12. ECCLESIASTICUS. 51. 30. 
 
 
 
 Therefore will I give thanks and 
 
 
 
 A Prayer of Jesus the son of Sirach. 
 
 praise unto thee, 
 And bless the name of the Lord. 
 
 
 
 51 1 will give thanks unto thee, Lord, 
 
 
 
 
 King, 1 13 When I was yet young, 
 
 
 
 And will praise thee, God my Saviour : j Or ever I went abroad, 
 
 
 
 I do give thanks unto thy name : ! I sought wisdom openly in my prayer. 
 
 
 
 2 For thou wast my protector and 14 Before the temple I asked for her. 
 
 
 
 helper. And I will seek her out even to the 
 
 
 
 And didst deliver my body out of end. 
 
 
 
 destruction. 
 
 15 From her flower as from the ripening 
 
 
 
 And out of the snare of a slanderous 
 
 grape my heart deUghted in her : 
 
 
 
 tongue. 
 
 My foot trod in uprightness, 
 
 
 
 From lips that forge lies. 
 
 From my youth I tracked her out. 
 
 
 
 And wast my helper before them that 
 
 16 I bowed down mine ear a little, and 
 
 
 
 stood by ; 
 
 received her, 
 
 
 
 3 And didst deliver me, according to [ And found for myself much instruc- 
 
 
 
 the abundance of thy mercy, and ] tion. 
 
 
 
 greatness of thy name, 171 profited in her : 
 
 
 
 From the gnashings of teeth ready to Unto him that giveth me wisdom I 
 
 
 
 devour, will give glory. 
 
 
 
 Out of the hand of such as sought my | 18 For I purposed to practise her. 
 
 
 
 life, i And I was zealous for that which is 
 
 
 
 Out of the manifold afflictions which | good ; 
 
 
 
 I had; 
 
 And I shall never be put to shame. 
 
 
 
 4 From the choking of a fire on every 
 
 19 My soul hath wrestled in her. 
 
 
 
 side. 
 
 And in my doing I was exact : 
 
 
 
 And out of the midst of fire which I 
 
 I spread forth my hands to the heaven 
 
 
 
 kindled not ; 
 
 above. 
 
 
 iGr. 
 
 5 Out of the depth of the belly of Hhe 
 
 And bewailed my ignorances of her. 
 
 
 Bodes. 
 
 grave. 
 
 20 I set my soul aright unto her. 
 
 
 
 And from an unclean tongue, 
 
 And in pureness I found her. 
 
 
 
 And from lying words, 
 
 I gat me a heart joi7i€rf with her from 
 
 
 
 6 The slander of an unrighteous tongue 
 
 the beginning : 
 
 
 
 imto the king. 
 
 Therefore shall I not be forsaken. 
 
 
 
 My soul drew near even unto death, 21 My inward part also was troubled to 
 
 
 
 And my life was near to » the grave \ seek her : 
 
 
 
 beneath. 
 
 Therefore have I gotten a good pos- 
 
 
 
 7 They compassed me on every side, 
 
 session. 
 
 
 
 And there was none to help me. 
 
 22 The Lord gave me a tongue for my 
 
 
 
 I was looking for the succour of men, \ reward ; 
 
 
 
 And it was not 
 
 And I will praise him therewith. 
 
 
 
 8 And I remembered thy mercy, 
 
 
 
 
 Lord, 
 
 23 Draw near unto me, ye unlearned. 
 
 
 
 And thy working which hath been 
 
 And lodge in the house of instruction. 
 
 
 
 from everlasting, 
 
 24 Say, wherefore are ye lacking in these 
 
 
 
 How thou deliverest them that wait 
 
 things, 
 
 
 
 for thee, 
 
 And your souls are very thu-sty? 
 
 
 
 And savest them out of the hand of 
 
 25 I opened my mouth, and spake. 
 
 
 
 the enemies. 
 
 Get her for yourselves without money. 
 
 
 
 9 And I lifted up my supplication from 
 
 26 Put your neck under the yoke. 
 
 
 
 the earth. 
 
 And let your soul receive instruc- 
 
 
 
 And prayed for deliverance from 
 
 tion: 
 
 
 
 death. 
 
 She is hard at hand to find. 
 
 
 
 10 1 called upon the Lord, the Father of 
 
 27 Behold with your eyes. 
 
 
 
 my Lord, 
 
 How that I laboured but a little, 
 
 
 
 That he would not forsake me in the 
 
 And found for myself much rest. 
 
 
 
 days of affliction, 
 
 28 Get you instruction with a great sum 
 
 
 
 In the time when there was no help 
 
 of silver, 
 
 
 
 against the proud. 
 
 And gain much gold by her. 
 
 
 
 111 will praise thy name continually. 
 
 29 May your soul rejoice in his mercy. 
 
 
 
 And will sing praise with thanks- 
 
 And may ye not be put to shame in 
 
 
 
 giving ; praising him. 
 
 
 
 And my supplication was heard : 30 Work yoiu- work before the time 
 
 
 
 12 For thou savedst me from destruction, ] cometh, 
 
 
 
 And deliveredst me from the evil i And in his time he will give you your 
 
 
 \ time: i reward. ' i 
 
 119 
 
BARUCH 
 
 1 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, and 
 
 2 See 
 Deut. xi. 
 21. 
 
 1 Akd these are the words of the book, 
 which Baruch the son of Nerias, the 
 son of Maaseas, the son of Sedekias, 
 the son of Asadias, the son of Helkias, 
 
 2 wrote in Babylon, in the fifth year, 
 a7id in the seventh day of the month, 
 what time as the Chaldeans took Je- 
 
 3 rusalem, and burnt it with fire. And 
 Baruch did read the words of this 
 book in the hearing of Jechonias the 
 son of Joakim king of Judah, and in 
 the hearing of all the people that 
 
 4 came to hear the book, and in the 
 hearing of the mighty men, and of the 
 kings' sons, and in the hearing of 
 the elders, and in the hearing of all 
 the people, from the least unto the 
 greatest, even of all them that dwelt at 
 
 5 Babylon by the river Sud. And they 
 wept, and fasted, ^ and prayed before 
 
 6 the Lord ; they made also a collection 
 of money according to every man's 
 
 7 power : and they sent it to Jerusalem 
 unto Joakim the high priest, the son 
 of Helkias, the son of Salom, and to 
 the priests, and to all the people 
 which were found with him at Jeru- 
 
 8 salem, at the same time when he took 
 the vessels of the house of the Lord, 
 that had been carried out of the tem- 
 ple, to return them into the land of 
 Judah, the tenth day of the month 
 Sivan, namely, silver vessels, which 
 Sedekias the son of Josias king of Ju- 
 
 9 dah had made, after that Nabucho- 
 donosor king of Babylon had carried 
 away Jechonias, and the princes, and 
 the captives, and the mighty men, and 
 the people of the land, from Jerusa- 
 lem, and brought them unto Babylon. 
 
 10 And they said. Behold, we have sent 
 you money; buy you therefore with 
 the money burnt offerings, and sin of- 
 ferings, and incense, and prepare an 
 oblation, and offer upon the altar of 
 
 lithe Lord our God; and pray for the 
 life of Nabuchodonosor king of Baby- 
 lon, and for the life of Baltasar his 
 son, that their days may be - as the 
 
 12 days of heaven above the earth : and 
 the Lord will give us strength, and 
 lighten our eyes, and we shall live 
 under the shadow of Nabuchodonosor 
 king of Babylon, and under the sha- 
 dow of Baltasar his son, and we shall 
 serve them many days, and find fa- 
 
 13 vour in their sight. Pray for us also 
 unto the Lord our God, for we have 
 sinned against the Lord our God ; and 
 unto this day the wrath of the Lord 
 and his indignation is not turned from 
 
 14 us. And ye shall read this book 
 
 which we have sent unto you, to make 
 confession in the house of the Lord, 
 upon the day of the feast and on the 
 days of the solemn assembly. 
 
 15 And ye shall say, To the Lord our 
 God belongeth righteousness, but un- 
 to us confusion of face, as at this day, 
 vmto the men of Judah, and to the in- 
 
 16 habitants of Jerusalem, and to our 
 kings, and to our princes, and to our 
 priests, and to our prophets, and to 
 
 17 our fathers : for that we have sinned 
 
 18 before the Lord, and disobeyed him, 
 and have not hearkened unto the 
 voice of the Lord our God, to walk in 
 the commandments of the Lord that 
 
 19 he hath set before us : since the day 
 that the Lord brought our fathers out 
 of the land of Egypt, unto this pre- 
 sent day, we have been disobedient 
 unto the Lord our God, and we have 
 dealt unadvisedly in not hearkening 
 
 20 unto his voice. Wherefore the plagues 
 clave unto us, and the curse, which 
 the Lord commanded Moses his ser- 
 vant to ^pronounce in the day that he 
 brought our fathers out of the land of 
 Egypt, to give us a land that floweth 
 with milk and honey, as at this day. 
 
 21 Nevertheless we hearkened not unto 
 the voice of the Lord our God, accord- 
 ing unto all the words of the prophets, 
 
 22 whom he sent unto us : but we walked 
 every man in the imagination of his 
 own wicked heart, to serve strange 
 gods, and to do that which is evil in 
 
 2 the sight of the Lord our God. There- 
 fore the Lord hath made good his 
 word, which he pronounced against 
 us, and against our judges that judged 
 Israel, and against our kings, and 
 against our princes, and against the 
 
 2 men of Israel and Judah, to bring 
 upon us great plagues, such as never 
 happened under the whole heaven, 
 3 as it came to pass in Jerusalem, 
 according to the things that are writ- 
 
 3 ten in the law of Moses ; that we should 
 eat every man the flesh of his own son, 
 and every man the flesh of his own 
 
 4 daughter. Moreover he hath given 
 them to be in subjection to all the 
 kingdoms that are round about us, to 
 be a reproach and a desolation among 
 all the people round about, where the 
 
 5 Lord hath scattered them. Thus were 
 they cast down, and not exalted, be- 
 cause we sinned against the Lord our 
 God, in not hearkening unto his voice. 
 
 6 To the Lord our God belongeth right- 
 eousness : but unto us and to our fa- 
 thers confusion of face, as at this day. 
 
 120 
 
2. 24. 
 
 BARUCH. 
 
 3. 8. 
 
 7 For all these plagues are come upon 
 us, which the Lord hath pronounced 
 
 8 against us. Yet have we not intreated 
 the favour of the Lord, in turning 
 every one from the thoughts of his 
 
 9 wicked heart. Therefore hath the 
 Lord kept watch over the plagues, and 
 the Lord hath brought them upon us ; 
 for the Lord is righteous in all his 
 works which he hath commanded us. 
 
 10 Yet we have not hearkened unto his 
 voice, to walk in the commandments 
 of the Lord that the hath set before 
 us. 
 
 1 1 And now, O Lord, thou God of Israel, 
 that hast brought thy people out of 
 the land of Egj^t with a mighty hand, 
 and with signs, and with wonders, and 
 with great power, and with a high 
 arm, and hast gotten thyself a name, 
 
 12 as at this day : O Lord our God, we 
 have sinned, we have done ungodly, 
 we have dealt unrighteously in all 
 
 13 thine ordinances. Let thy wrath turn 
 from us : for we are but a few left 
 among the heathen, where thou hast 
 
 14 scattered us. Hear our prayer, O 
 Lord, and our petition, and deliver us 
 for thine own sake, and give us favour 
 in the sight of them which have led us 
 
 15 away captive : that all the earth may 
 know that thou art the Lord our God, 
 because Israel and his posterity is 
 
 16 called by thy name. O Lord, look 
 down from thine holy house, and con- 
 sider us : incline thine ear, O Lord, 
 
 17 and hear : open thine eyes, and be- 
 hold: for the dead that are in ^the 
 grave, whose breath is taken from 
 their bodies, will give unto the Lord 
 
 18 neither glory nor righteousness : but 
 the soul that is greatly vexed, which 
 goeth stooping and feeble, and the 
 eyes that fail, and the hungry soul, 
 will give thee glory and righteousness, 
 
 19 Lord. For we do not present our 
 supplication before thee, O Lord our 
 God, for the righteousness of our 
 
 20 fathers, and of our kings. For thou 
 hast sent thy wrath and thine indig- 
 nation upon us, as thou hast spoken 
 by thy servants the prophets, saying, 
 
 21 Thus saith the Lord, Bow your shoul- 
 ders to serve the king of Babylon, and 
 remain in the land that I gave unto 
 
 22 your fathers. But if ye will not hear 
 the voice of the Lord, to serve the 
 
 23 king of Babylon, I will cause to cease 
 out of the cities of Judah, and from 
 without Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, 
 and the voice of gladness, the voice of 
 the bridegroom, and the voice of the 
 bride: and the whole land shall be 
 
 24 desolate without inhabitant. But we 
 would not hearken unto thy voice, to 
 serve the king of Babylon : therefore 
 hast thou made good thy words that 
 thou spake St by thy servants the pro- 
 phets, namely, that the bones of our 
 kings, and the bones of our fathers, 
 
 should be taken out of their places. 
 
 25 And, lo, they are cast out to the heat 
 by day, and to the frost by night, and 
 they died in great miseries by famine, 
 
 26 by sword, and by -pestilence. And 
 the house which is called by thy name 
 hast thou laid waste, as at this day, 
 for the wickedness of the house of 
 
 27 Israel and the house of Judah. Yet, 
 
 Lord our God, thou hast dealt with 
 us after all thy kindness, and accord- 
 
 28.iug to all that great mercy of thine, as 
 thou spakest by thy servant Moses in 
 the day when thou didst command him 
 to write thy law before the children of 
 
 29 Israel, saying. If ye will not hear my 
 voice, surely this very great multitude 
 shall be turned into a small number 
 among the nations, where I will scat- 
 
 30 ter them. For I know that they will 
 not hear me, because it is a stiffnecked 
 people : but in the land of their cap- 
 
 Sltivity they shall lay it to heart, and 
 shall know that I am the Lord their 
 God: and I will give them a heart, 
 
 32 and ears to hear : and they shall praise 
 me in the land of their captivity, and 
 
 33 think upon my name, and shall return 
 from their stiff neck, and from their 
 wicked deeds : for they shall remem- 
 ber the way of their fathers, which 
 
 34 sinned before the Lord. And I will 
 bring them again into the land which 
 
 1 sware unto their fathers, to Abra- 
 ham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, and they 
 shall be lords of it : and I will increase 
 them, and they shall not be dimin- 
 
 35 ished. And I will make an everlast- 
 ing covenant with them to be their 
 God, and they shall be my people : 
 and I will no more remove my people 
 of Israel out of the land that I have 
 given them. 
 
 3 O Lord Almighty, thou God of Is- 
 rael, the soul in anguish, the troubled 
 
 2 spirit, crieth unto thee. Hear, O 
 Lord, and have mercy ; for thou art a 
 merciful God : yea, have mercy upon 
 us, because we have sinned before 
 
 3 thee. For thou sittest as king for 
 
 4 ever, and we perish evermore. O 
 Lord Almighty, thou God of Israel, 
 hear now the prayer of ^ the dead Is- 
 raelites, and of the children of them 
 which were sinners before thee, that 
 hearkened not unto the voice of thee 
 their God: for the which cause these 
 
 5 plagues clave unto us. Remember 
 not the iniquities of our fathers : but 
 remember thy power and thy name 
 
 6 now at this time. For thou art the 
 Lord our God, and thee, O Lord, will 
 
 7 we praise. For for this cause thou 
 hast put thy fear in our hearts, * to the 
 intent that we should call upon thy 
 name : and we will praise thee in our 
 captivity, for we have ^ called to mind 
 all the iniquity of our fathers, that 
 
 8 sinned before thee. Behold, we are yet 
 this day in our captivity, where thou 
 
 * See 
 Jer. 
 
 sProbar 
 
 blya 
 
 mistake 
 
 ioxthe 
 
 menof 
 
 Israel. 
 
 * An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, and 
 made us 
 to call. 
 s An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, put 
 away 
 from our 
 heart 
 alltfc. 
 
 121 
 
3. 32. 
 
 BARUCH. 
 
 4. 18. 
 
 >Or, 
 prudence 
 
 3 Or, 
 
 dili- 
 
 xL2- 
 (Sept.). 
 
 * An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, the 
 way 
 thereof. 
 
 hast scattered us, for a reproach and 
 a curse, and to be subject to penalty, 
 according to all the iniquities of our 
 fathers, which departed from the 
 Lord our God. 
 9 Hear, O Israel, the commandments of 
 life : give ear to understand wisdom. 
 
 10 How happeneth it, O Israel, that thou 
 art in thine enemies' land, that thou 
 art waxen old in a strange country, 
 that thou art defiled with the dead, 
 
 11 that thou art counted with them that 
 
 12 go down into ^ the grave ? Thou hast 
 
 13 forsaken the fountain of wisdom. For 
 if thou hadst walked in the way of 
 God, thou shouldest have dwelled in 
 
 14 peace for ever. Learn where is ^ wis- 
 dom, where is strength, where is under- 
 standing ; that thou mayest know also 
 where is length of days, and life, where 
 is the light of the eyes, and peace. 
 
 15 Who hath found out her place? and 
 who hath come into her treasuries? 
 
 16 Where are the princes of the heathen, 
 and such as ruled the beasts that are 
 
 17 upon the earth; they that had their 
 pastime with the fowls of the air, and 
 they that hoarded up silver and gold, 
 wherein men trust ; and of whose get- 
 
 18 ting there is no end? For they that 
 3 wrought in silver, and were so care- 
 ful, and whose works are past finding 
 
 19 out, they are vanished and gone down 
 to 1 the grave, and others are come up 
 
 20 in their steads. Younger men have 
 seen the light, and dwelt upon the 
 earth : but the way of knowledge have 
 
 21 they not known, neither understood 
 they the paths thereof : neither have 
 their children laid hold of it : they are 
 
 22 far ofi' from * their way. It hath not 
 been heard of in Canaan,neither hath it 
 
 23 been seen in Teman. The sons also of 
 Agar that seek understanding, which 
 are in the land, the merchants of Mer- 
 ran and Teman, and the authors of 
 fables, and the searchers out of under- 
 standing ; none of these have known 
 the way of wisdom, or remembered 
 
 24 her paths. O Israel, how great is the 
 house of God! and how large is the 
 
 25 place of his possession ! great, and 
 hath none end ; high, and unmeasur- 
 
 26 able. There were the giants born that 
 were famous of old, great of stature, 
 
 27 awc2 expert in war. These did not God 
 choose, neither gave he the way of 
 
 28 knowledge unto them : so they per- 
 ished, because they had no ^ wisdom, 
 they perished through their own fool- 
 
 29ishness. Who hath gone up into 
 heaven, and taken her, and brought 
 
 30 her down from the clouds ? Wlio hath 
 gone over the sea, and found her, and 
 
 31 will bring her for choice gold? There 
 is none that knoweth her way, nor 
 any that comprehendeth her path. 
 
 32 But he that knoweth all things know- 
 eth her, he found her out with his 
 understanding : he that prepared the 
 
 earth for evermore hath filled it with 
 
 33 fourfooted beasts : he that sendeth 
 forth the light, and it goeth ; he called 
 
 34 it, and it obeyed him with fear : and 
 the stars shined in their watches, and 
 were glad : when he called them, they 
 said. Here we be ; they shined with 
 gladness unto him that made them. 
 
 35 This is our God, anrf there shall none 
 other be accounted of in comparison 
 
 36 of him. He hath found out all the 
 way of knowledge, and hath given it 
 unto Jacob his servant, and to Israel 
 
 37 that is beloved of him. Afterward 
 did she appear upon earth, and was 
 conversant with men. 
 
 4 This is the book of the command- 
 ments of God, and the law that en- 
 dureth for ever : all they that hold it 
 fast are appointed to life ; but such 
 
 2 as leave it shall die. Turn thee, O Ja- 
 cob, and take hold of it : walk towards 
 her shining in the presence of the light 
 
 3 thereof. Give not thy glory to an- 
 other, nor the things that are profita- 
 ble unto thee to a strange nation. 
 
 4 O Israel, happy are we : for the things 
 that are pleasing to God are made 
 
 5 known unto us. Be of good cheer, 
 my people, the memorial of Israel. 
 
 6 Ye were sold to the nations, hut not 
 for destruction: because ye moved 
 God to wrath, ye were delivered unto 
 
 7 your adversaries. For ye provoked 
 him that made you by sacrificing unto 
 
 8 demons, and not to God. Ye forgat 
 the everlasting God, that brought you 
 up; ye grieved also Jerusalem, that 
 
 9 nursed you. For she saw the wrath 
 that is come upon you from God, and 
 said. Hearken, ye vjomen that dwell 
 about Sion: for God hath brought 
 
 10 upon me great mourning ; for I have 
 seen the captivity of my sons and 
 daughters, which the Everlasting hath 
 
 1 1 brought upon them. For with joy did 
 I nourish them ; but sent them away 
 
 12 with weeping and mourning. Let no 
 man rejoice over me, a widow, and 
 forsaken of many : for the sins of my 
 children am I left desolate ; because 
 they turned aside from the law of 
 
 13 God, and had no regard to his statutes, 
 neither walked they in the ways of 
 God's commandments, nor trod in the 
 paths of discipline in his righteous- 
 
 14 ness. Let them that dwell about Sion 
 come, and remember ye the captivity 
 of my sons and daughters, which the 
 Everlasting hath brought upon them. 
 
 15 For he hath brought a nation upon 
 them from far, a shameless nation, 
 and of a strange language, °who 
 neither reverenced old man, nor pitied 
 
 16 child. And they have carried away 
 the dear beloved sons of the widow, 
 and left her that was alone desolate 
 
 17 of her daughters. But I, what can I 
 
 18 help you ? For he that brought these 
 plagues upon you will deliver you 
 
 122 
 
5. 2. 
 
 BARUCH. 
 
 6. 11. 
 
 from 
 your 
 ever- 
 lasting 
 Saviour 
 
 * An- 
 other 
 reading 
 iB,yow. 
 
 sGr. 
 demons. 
 
 diadem on thine head of the glory of 
 3 the Everlasting. For God will shew 
 
 thy brightness unto every region un- 
 Ider heaven. For thy name shall be 
 
 called of God for ever The peace of 
 
 righteousness, and The glory of godli- 
 
 5 ness. Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand 
 upon the height, and look about thee 
 toward the east, and behold thy chil- 
 dren gathered from the going down of 
 the sun unto the rising thereof at the 
 word of the Holy One, rejoicing that 
 
 6 God hath remembered them. For 
 they went from thee on foot, being 
 led away of their enemies : but God 
 bringeth them in unto thee borne on 
 high with glory, * as on a royal throne. 
 
 7 For God hath appointed that every 
 high mountain, and the everlasting 
 hills, should be made low, and the 
 valleys filled up, to make plain the 
 ground, that Israel may go safely in 
 
 8 the glory of God. Moreover the woods 
 and every sweet-smelling tree have 
 overshadowed Israel by the command- 
 
 9ment of God. For God shall lead 
 Israel with joy in the Ught of his glory 
 with the rbercy and righteousness that 
 Cometh from him. 
 
 19 from the hand of your enemies. Go 
 your way, O my children, go your way : 
 
 20 for I am left desolate. I have put off 
 the garment of peace, and put upon 
 me the sackcloth of my petition: I 
 will cry unto the Everlasting as long 
 
 21 as I live. Be of good cheer, O my 
 children, cry unto God, and he shall 
 deliver you from the power and hand 
 
 22 of the enemies. For I have trusted 
 in the Everlasting, that he will save 
 you ; and joy is come unto me from 
 the Holy One, because of the mercy 
 which shall soon come unto you ^ from 
 
 23 the Everlasting your Saviour. For I 
 sent you out with mourning and weep- 
 ing: but God will give you to me 
 again with joy and gladness for ever. 
 
 24 For like as now they that dwell about 
 Sion have seen your captivity : so 
 shall they see shortly your salvation 
 from 2 our God, which shall come upon 
 you with great glory, and brightness 
 
 25 of the Everlasting. My children, suf- 
 fer patiently the wrath that is come 
 upon you from God : for thine enemy 
 hath persecuted thee; but shortly 
 thou Shalt see his destruction, and 
 
 26 Shalt tread upon their necks. My 
 delicate ones have gone rough ways ; 
 they were taken away as a flock 
 
 27 carried off by the enemies. Be of 
 good cheer, O my children, and cry 
 unto God : for ye shall be remember- 
 ed of him that hath brought these 
 
 28 things upon you. For as it was your 
 mind to go astray from God : so, re- 
 turn and seek him ten times more. 
 
 29 For he that brought these plagues 
 upon you shall bring you everlasting 
 
 30 joy again with your salvation. Be of 
 good cheer, O Jerusalem : for he that 
 called thee by name will comfort thee. 
 
 31 Miserable are they that afflicted thee, 
 
 32 and rejoiced at thy fall. Miserable 
 are the cities which thy children 
 served : miserable is she that received 
 
 33 thy sons. For as she rejoiced at thy 
 fall, and was glad of thy ruin : so shall 
 she be grieved for her own desolation. 
 
 34 And I will take away her exultation 
 in her great multitude, and her boast- 
 ing shall be turned into mom-ning. 
 
 35 For fire shall come upon her from the 
 Everlasting, long to endure ; and she 
 shall be inhabited of ^ devils for a 
 great time. 
 
 36 O Jerusalem, look about thee toward 
 the east, and behold the joy that 
 
 37 cometh unto thee from God. Lo, thy 
 sons come, whom thou sentest away, 
 they come gathered together from the 
 east to the west at the word of the 
 Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of 
 
 5 God. Put off, O Jerusalem, the gar- 
 ment of thy mourning and affliction, 
 
 and put on the comeliness of the glory j 10 of their gods : and sometimes also the 
 2 that cometh from God for ever. Cast j priests convey from their gods gold 
 
 THE EPISTLE OF JEREMY. 
 
 Q A copy of an epistle, which Jeremy 
 sent unto them which were to be led 
 captives into Babylon by the king of 
 the Babylonians, to certify them, as it 
 was commanded him of God. 
 
 2 Because of the sins which ye have 
 committed before God, ye shall be led 
 away captives into Babylon by Nabu- 
 chodonosor king of the Babylonians. 
 
 3 So when ye be come unto Babylon, 
 ye shall remain there many years, 
 and for a long season, even for seven 
 generations: and after that I will 
 bring you out peaceably from thence. 
 
 4 But now shall ye see in Babylon gods 
 of silver, and of gold, and of wood, 
 borne upon shoulders, which cause the 
 
 5 nations to fear. Beware therefore that 
 ye in no wise become like unto the 
 strangers, neither let fear take hold 
 upon you because of them, when ye 
 see the multitude before them and 
 
 6 behind them, worshipping them. But 
 say ye in your hearts, O Lord, we 
 
 7 must worship thee. For mine angel 
 is with you, ^and I myself do care 
 
 8 for yotu- ^ souls. For their tongue is 
 polished by the workman, and they 
 themselves are overlaid with gold and 
 with silver : yet are they but false, and 
 
 9 cannot speak. And taking gold, as it 
 were for a virgin that lovetli to go 
 gay, they make crowns for the heads 
 
 about thee the robe of the righteous- 
 ness which cometh from God: set a 
 
 and silver, and bestow it upon them- 
 1 1 selves ; and will even give thereof to 
 
 * An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, as 
 children 
 oft fie 
 kingdom. 
 
 6 Or, 
 and he 
 careth 
 6 Or, 
 
 lives 
 
 123 
 
6. 29. 
 
 BARUCH. 
 
 6. 51. 
 
 the common harlots : and they deck 
 them as men with garments, even the 
 gods of silver, and gods of gold, and of 
 
 12 wood. Yet cannot these gods save 
 themselves from rust and moths, 
 though they be covered with purple 
 
 13 raiment. They wipe their faces be- 
 cause of the dust of the temple, which 
 
 14 is thick upon them. And he that 
 cannot put to death one that ofEend- 
 eth against him holdeth a sceptre, as 
 though he were judge of a country. 
 
 15 He hath also a dagger in his right 
 hand, and an axe : but cannot deliver 
 
 16 himself from war and robbers. Where- 
 by they are known not to be gods: 
 
 17 therefore fear them not. For like as 
 a vessel that a man useth is nothing 
 worth when it is broken ; even so it 
 is with their gods : when they be set 
 up in the temples their eyes be full of 
 dust through the feet of them that 
 
 18 come in. And as the comts are made 
 sure on every side upon him that 
 ofEendeth the king, as being committed 
 to suffer death; even so the priests 
 make fast their temples with doors, 
 with locks, and bars, lest they be 
 
 19 carried off by robbers. They light 
 them candles, yea, more than for 
 themselves, whereof they cannot see 
 
 20 one. They are as one of the beams 
 of the temple ; and men say their 
 hearts are eaten out, when things 
 creeping out of the earth devour both 
 them and their raiment: they feel 
 
 21 it not when their faces are blacked 
 through the smoke that cometh out 
 
 22 of the temple : upon their bodies and 
 heads alight bats, swallows, and birds ; 
 and in like manner the cats also. 
 
 23 Whereby ye may know that they are 
 no gods: therefore fear them not. 
 
 24 Notwithstanding the gold wherewith 
 they are beset to make them beautiful, 
 except one wipe off the rust, they will 
 not shine : for not even when they 
 
 25 were molten did they feel it. Things 
 wherein there is no breath are bought 
 
 26 at any cost. Having no feet, they are 
 borne upon shoulders, whereby they 
 declare unto men that they be nothing 
 
 27 worth. They also that serve them 
 are ashamed : for if they fall to the 
 ground at any time, they cannot rise 
 up again of themselves: neither, if 
 one set them upright, can they move 
 of themselves : neither, if they be set 
 awry, can they make themselves 
 straight: but the offerings are set 
 before them, as if they were dead 
 
 28 men. And the things that are sacri- 
 ficed unto them, their priests sell and 
 spend ; and in like manner their wives 
 also lay up part thereof in salt ; but 
 unto the poor and to the impotent will 
 
 29 they give nothing thereof. The men- 
 struous woman and the woman in 
 childbed touch their sacrifices : know- 
 ing therefore by these things that they 
 
 30 
 
 31 
 
 32 
 
 34 
 
 35 
 
 40 
 
 41 
 
 42 
 
 43 
 
 44 
 
 45 
 
 46 
 
 49 
 
 50 
 
 51 
 
 are no gods, fear them not. For how 
 can they be called gods? because 
 women set meat before the gods of 
 silver, gold, and wood. And in their 
 temples the priests ^sit on seats, 
 having their clothes rent, and their 
 heads and beards shaven, and nothing 
 upon their heads. They roar and cry 
 before their gods, as men do at the 
 feast when one is dead. The priests 
 also take off garments from them, and 
 clothe their wives and children withal. 
 Whether it be evil that one doeth unto 
 them, or good, they are not able to 
 recompense it: they can neither set 
 up a king, nor put him down. In like 
 manner, they can neither give riches 
 nor money: though a man make a 
 vow unto them, and keep it not, they 
 will never exact it. They can save no 
 man from death, neither deliver the 
 weak from the mighty. They cannot 
 restore a blind man to his sight, nor 
 deliver any that is in distress. They 
 can shew no mercy to the widow, nor 
 do good to the fatherless. They are 
 like the stones that be hewn out of 
 the mountain, these gods of wood, and 
 that are overlaid with gold and with 
 silver : they that minister unto them 
 shall be confounded. How should a 
 man then think or say that they are 
 gods, when even the Chaldeans them- 
 selves dishonovu: them ? Who if they 
 shall see one dumb that cannot speak, 
 they bring him, and intreat him to 
 call upon Bel, as though he were able 
 to understand. Yet they cannot per- 
 ceive this themselves, and forsake 
 them: for they have no understand- 
 ing. The women also with cords about 
 them sit in the ways, burning bran 
 for incense : but if any of them, drawn 
 by some that passeth by, lie with him, 
 she reproacheth her fellow, that she 
 was not thought as worthy as herself, 
 nor her cord broken. Whatsoever is 
 done among them is false : how should 
 a man then think or say that they 
 are gods? They are fashioned by 
 carpenters and goldsmiths : they can 
 be nothing else than the workmen 
 will have them to be. And they them- 
 selves that fashioned them can never 
 continue long ; how then should the 
 things that are fashioned by them? 
 For they have left lies and reproaches 
 to them that come after. For when 
 there cometh any war or plague upon 
 them, the priests consult with them- 
 selves, where they may be hidden with 
 them. How then cannot men under- 
 stand that they be no gods, which can 
 neither save themselves from war, 
 nor from plague ? For seeing they be 
 but of wood, and overlaid with gold 
 and with silver, it shall be known 
 hereafter that they are false : and it 
 shall be manifest to all nations and 
 kings that they are no gods, but the 
 
 124 
 
1. 5. 
 
 SONG OF THE THREE CHILDREN. 
 
 1. 8. 
 
 other 
 reading 
 is, de- 
 liver 
 him 
 that is 
 wronged. 
 
 1 An- 
 other 
 reading 
 is, ana 
 thy 
 
 ncuneis 
 worthy 
 tobe 
 praised 
 and 
 glorified. 
 
 works of men's hands, and that there 
 
 52 is no work of God in them. Who 
 then may not know that they are 
 
 53 no gods ? For neither can they set 
 up a king in a land, nor give rain 
 
 54 unto men. Neither can they judge 
 their own cause, nor ^ redress a wrong, 
 being unable : for they are as crows 
 
 55 between heaven and earth. For even 
 when fire falleth upon the house of 
 gods of wood, or overlaid with gold or 
 with silver, their priests will flee away, 
 and escape, but they themselves shall 
 
 56 be burnt asimder like beams. More- 
 over they cannot withstand any king 
 or enemies : how should a man then 
 allow or think that they be gods? 
 
 57 Neither are those gods of wood, and 
 overlaid with silver or with gold, able 
 to escape either from thieves or rob- 
 
 58bers. Whose gold, and silver, and 
 garments wherewith they are clothed, 
 they that are strong will take from 
 them, and go away withal: neither 
 shall they be able to help themselves. 
 
 59 Therefore it is better to be a king 
 that sheweth his manhood, or else a 
 vessel in a house profitable for that 
 whereof the owner shall have need, 
 than such false gods ; or even a door 
 in a house, to keep the things safe 
 that be therein, than such false gods ; 
 or a pillar of wood in a palace, than 
 
 60 such false gods. For sun, and moon, 
 and stars, being bright and sent to do 
 
 61 their offices, are obedient Likewise 
 also the lightning when it glittereth 
 is fair to see ; and after the same 
 manner the wind also bloweth in 
 
 j 62 every country. And when God com- 
 j mandeth the clouds to go over the 
 I whole world, they do as they are 
 I 63 bidden. And the flje sent from above 
 to consume mountains and woods do- 
 eth as it is commanded : but these are 
 i to be likened imto them neither in 
 I 64 shew nor power. Wherefore a man 
 I should neither think nor say that they 
 j are gods, seeing they are able neither 
 I to judge causes, nor to do good unto 
 
 65 men. Knowing therefore that they 
 
 66 are no gods, fear them not. For they 
 can neither curse nor bless kings: 
 
 67 neither can they shew signs in the 
 I heavens among the nations, nor shine 
 I as the sun, nor give light as the moon. 
 \ 68 The beasts are better than they : for 
 : they can get under a covert, and help 
 
 69 themselves. In no wise then is it 
 manifest unto us that they are gods : 
 
 70 therefore fear them not. For as a 
 scarecrow in a garden of cucumbers 
 that keepeth nothing, so are their 
 gods of wood, and overlaid with gold 
 
 71 and with silver. Likewise also their 
 gods of wood, and overlaid with gold 
 and with silver, are like to a white 
 thorn in an orchard, that every bird 
 sitteth upon ; as also to a dead body, 
 
 72 that is cast forth into the dark. And 
 ye shall know them to be no gods by 
 the * bright purple that rotteth upon 
 them : and they themselves afterward 
 shall be consumed, and shall be a re- 
 
 73 proach in the country. Better there- 
 fore is the just man that hath none 
 idols: for he shall be far from re- 
 proach. 
 
 THE SONG OF THE 
 
 THREE HOLY CHILDREN, 
 
 Which followeth in the third Chapter of DANIEL after this place,— /eiZ dovm 
 bound into the midst of the burning fiery fumace.j- Verse 23. That which 
 followeth is not in the Hebrew, to wit. And they walked — unto these words. 
 Then ^Nebuchadnezzar — verse 24. 
 
 1 And they walked in the midst of the 
 fire, praising God, and blessing the 
 
 2 Lord. Then Azarias stood, and prayed 
 on this manner; and opening his 
 mouth in the midst of the fire said, 
 
 3 Blessed art thou, O Lord, thou God of 
 our fathers, ^and worthy to be praised; 
 andthy name isglorified for evermore : 
 
 4 for thou art righteous in all the things 
 that thou hast done : yea, true are all 
 thy works, and thy ways are right, 
 
 5 and all thy judgements truth. In all 
 the things that thou hast brought 
 upon us, and upon the holy city of 
 
 our fathers, even Jerusalem, thou hast 
 executed true judgements : for accord- 
 ing to truth and justice hast thou 
 brought all these things upon us be- 
 
 6 cause of our sins. For we have sinned 
 and committed iniquity, in departing 
 
 7 from thee. In all things have we 
 trespassed, and not obeyed thy com- 
 mandments, nor kept them, neither 
 done as thou hast commanded us, that 
 
 8 it might go well with us. Wherefore 
 all that thou hast brought upon us, 
 and everything that thou hast done 
 to us, thou hast done in true judge- 
 
 «Gr. 
 pwrpU 
 cmd 
 bright- 
 
 125 
 
1. 29. 
 
 SONG OF THE THREE CHILDREN. 
 
 1. 61. 
 
 9 ment. And thou didst deliver us into 
 the hands of lawless enemies, and 
 most hateful f orsaliers of God, and to 
 an unjust king, and the most wicked 
 
 10 in all the world. And now we cannot 
 open our mouth ; shame and reproach 
 have befallen thy servants, and them 
 
 11 that worship thee. Deliver us not up 
 utterly, for thy name's sake, neither 
 
 12 disannul thou thy covenant: and cause 
 not thy mercy to depart from us, for 
 the sake of Abraham that is beloved 
 of thee, and for the sake of Isaac thy 
 
 13 servant, and Israel thy holy one ; to 
 whom thou didst promise, that thou 
 wouldest multiply their seed as the 
 stars of heaven, and as the sand that 
 
 14 is upon the sea shore. For we, O Lord, 
 are become less than any nation, and 
 be kept under this day in all the world 
 
 15 because of our sins. Neither is there 
 at this time prince, or prophet, or 
 leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, 
 or oblation, or incense, or place to 
 offer before thee, and to find mercy. 
 
 16 Nevertheless in a contrite heart and 
 a hmnble spirit let us be accepted; 
 
 17 like as in the burnt offerings of rams 
 and bullocks, and like as in ten thou- 
 sands of fat lambs ; so let our sacrifice 
 be in thy sight this day, and grant 
 that we may wholly go after thee, for 
 they shall not be ashamed that put 
 
 18 their trust in thee. And now we 
 follow thee with all our heart, we fear 
 
 19 thee, and seek thy face. Put us not 
 to shame : but deal with us after thy 
 kindness, and according to the multi- 
 
 20 tude of thy mercy. Deliver us also 
 according to thy marvellous works, 
 and give glory to thy name, O Lord : 
 and let all them that do thy servants 
 
 21 hurt be confounded; and let them be 
 ashamed of all their ^ power and 
 might, and let their strength be bro- 
 
 22 ken ; and let them know that thou art 
 the Lord, the only God, and glorious 
 over the whole world. 
 
 23 And the king's servants, that put 
 them in, ceased not to make the fur- 
 nace hot with naphtha, pitch, tow, and 
 
 24 small wood ; so that the flame stream- 
 ed forth above the furnace forty and 
 
 25 nine cubits. And it spread, and 
 burned those Chaldeans whom it 
 
 26 found about the furnace. But the 
 angel of the Lord came down into 
 the furnace together with Azarias 
 and his fellows, and he smote the 
 flame of the fire out of the furnace ; 
 
 27 and made the midst of the furnace 
 as it had been a moist whistling 
 wind, so that the fire touched them 
 not at all, neither hurt nor troubled 
 them. 
 
 28 Then the three, as out of one mouth, 
 praised, and glorified, and blessed God 
 
 29 in the furnace, saying, Blessed art 
 thou, O Lord, thou God of our fathers : 
 and to be praised and exalted above 
 
 30 all for ever. And blessed is thy 
 glorious and holy name: and to be 
 praised and exalted above all for 
 
 31 ever. Blessed art thou in the temple 
 of thine holy glory : and to be praised 
 and glorified above all for ever. 
 
 32 Blessed art thou that beholdest the 
 depths, and sittest upon the cherubim : 
 and to be praised ;and exalted above 
 
 33 all for ever. Blessed art thou on the 
 throne of thy kingdom: and to be 
 praised and 2 extolled above all for 
 
 34 ever. Blessed art thou in the firma- 
 ment of heaven: and to be praised 
 and glorified for ever. 
 
 35 O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye 
 the Lord : praise and exalt him above 
 
 36 all for ever. O ye heavens, bless ye 
 the Lord : praise and exalt him above 
 
 37 all for ever. O ye angels of the Lord, 
 bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt 
 
 38 him above all for ever. O all ye waters 
 that be above the heaven, bless ye 
 the Lord : praise and exalt him above 
 
 39 all for ever. O all " ye powers of the 
 Lord, bless ye the Lord : praise and 
 
 40 exalt him above all for ever. O ye 
 sun and moon, bless ye the Lord : 
 praise and exalt him above all for ever. 
 
 410 ye stars of heaven, bless ye the 
 Lord: praise and exalt him above 
 
 42 all for ever. O every shower and 
 dew, bless ye the Lord: praise and 
 
 43 exalt him above all for ever. O all ye 
 winds, bless ye the Lord : praise and 
 
 44 exalt him above all for ever. O ye fire 
 and heat, bless ye the Lord : praise 
 
 47 and exalt him above all for ever.* « O 
 ye nights and days, bless ye the Lord : 
 praise and exalt him above all for ever. 
 
 48 O ye light and darkness, bless ye the 
 Lord : praise and exalt him above all 
 for ever. O ye cold and heat, bless ye 
 the Lord : praise and exalt him above 
 
 50 all for ever. « O ye frost and snow, 
 bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt 
 
 5 1 him above all for ever. O ye lightnings 
 and clouds, bless ye the Lord : praise 
 
 52 and exalt him above all for eyer. O let 
 the earth bless the Lord : let it praise 
 
 53 and exalt him above all for ever. O ye 
 mountains and hills, bless ye the Lord : 
 praise and exalt him above all for ever. 
 
 54 O all ye things that grow on the earth, 
 bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt 
 
 56 him above all for ever. ^ O sea and 
 rivers, bless ye the Lord : praise and 
 
 55 exalt him above all for ever. O ye 
 fountains, bless ye the Lord : praise 
 
 57 and exalt him above all for ever. O ye 
 whales, and all that move in the wa- 
 ters, bless ye the Lord: praise and 
 
 5 8 exalt him above all for ever . O all ye 
 fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord : 
 praise and exalt him above all for 
 
 59 ever. O all ye beasts and cattle, 
 bless ye the Lord : praise and exalt 
 
 60 him above all for ever. O ye children 
 of men, bless ye the Lord : praise and 
 
 61 exalt him above all for ever. ^ O let 
 
 126 
 
1. 14. 
 
 HISTORY OF SUSANNA. 
 
 1. 27. 
 
 1 Some 
 M8S. 
 onut of 
 the Lord. 
 
 Israel bless the Lord: praise and 
 
 62 exalt him above all for ever. O ye 
 priests ^ of the Lord, bless ye the 
 Lord : praise and exalt him above all 
 
 63 for ever, O ye servants i of the Lord, 
 bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt 
 
 64 him abo.ve all for ever. O ye spirits 
 and souls of the righteous, bless ye the 
 Lord : praise and exalt him above all 
 
 65 for ever. O ye that are holy and 
 humble of heart, bless ye the Lord : 
 praise and exalt him above all for ever. 
 
 66 O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless 
 
 ye the Lord : praise and exalt him 
 above all for ever : for he hath rescued 
 us from - hell, and saved us from the \^ Or, the 
 hand of death : he hath delivered us I gr""* 
 out of the midst of the furnace and \ Hades. 
 burning flame, even out of the midst 
 
 67 of the fire hath he delivered us. O 
 give thanks unto the Lord, for he Is 
 good : for his mercy endureth for ever. 
 
 68 O all ye that worship the Lord, bless 
 the God of gods, praise him, and give 
 him thanks : for his mercy endureth 
 for ever. 
 
 THE 
 
 HISTORY OF SUSANNA, 
 
 Set apart from the beginning of DANIEL, because it is not in the Hebrev^r, as 
 neither the Narration of Bel and the Dragon. 
 
 1 There d^welt a man In Babylon, and 
 
 2 his name was Joakim : and he took a 
 wife, whose name was Susanna, the 
 daughter of Helkias, a very fair wo- 
 man, and one that feared the Lord. 
 
 3 Her parents also were righteous, and 
 taught their daughter according to the 
 
 4 law of Moses. Now Joakim was a 
 great rich man, and had a fair garden 
 joining unto his house: and to him 
 resorted the Jews; because he was 
 
 5 more honourable than all others. And 
 the same year there were appointed 
 two of the ancients of the people to 
 be judges, such as the Lord spake of, 
 that wickedness came from Babylon 
 from ancient judges, who were ac- 
 
 6 counted to govern the people. These 
 kept much at Joakim's house : and all 
 that had any suits in law came unto 
 
 7 them. Now when the people departed 
 away at noon, Susanna went into her 
 
 8 husband's garden to walk. And the 
 two elders beheld her going in every 
 day, aud walking ; and they were in- 
 
 9 flamed with love for her. And they 
 perverted their own mind, and turned 
 away their eyes, that they might not 
 look unto heaven, nor remember just 
 
 10 judgements. And albeit they both 
 were wounded with her love, yet 
 durst not one shew another his grief, 
 
 one another the cause, they acknow- 
 ledged their lust : and then appointed 
 they a time both together, when they 
 
 15 might find her alone. And it fell out, 
 as they watched a fit day, she went in 
 as aforetime with two maids only, and 
 she was desirous to wash herself in 
 
 16 the garden : for it was hot And there 
 was nobody there save the two elders, 
 that had hid themselves, and watched 
 
 1 7 her. Then she said to her maids, Bring 
 me oil and washing balls, and shut the 
 garden doors, that I may wash me. 
 
 18 And they did as she bade them, and 
 shut the garden doors, and went out 
 themselves at the side doors to fetch 
 the things that she had commanded 
 them: and they saw not the elders, 
 
 19 because they were hid. Now when the 
 maids were gone forth, the two elders 
 
 20 rose up, and ran unto her, saying, Be- 
 hold, the garden doors are shut, that 
 no man can see us, and we are in love 
 with thee ; therefore consent unto us, 
 
 21 and lie with us. If thou wilt not, we 
 will bear witness against thee, that a 
 young man was with thee : and there- 
 fore thou didst send away thy maids 
 
 22 from thee. Then Susanna sighed, and 
 said, I am straitened on every side: 
 for if I do this thing, it is death unto 
 me : and if I do it not, I cannot escape 
 
 11 For they were ashamed to declare , 23 your hands. It is better for me to fall 
 their lust, that they desired to have to j into your hands, and not do it, than 
 
 12 do with her. Yet they watched jeal- 
 ously from day to day to see her. 
 
 13 And the one said to the other. Let us 
 
 14 now go home : for it is dinner time. So 
 when they were gone out, they parted 
 the one from the other, and turning 
 back again they came to the same 
 place ; and after that they had asked 
 
 24 to sin in the sight of the Lord. With 
 that Susanna cried with a loud voice : 
 and the two elders cried out against 
 
 2 5 her. Then ran the one, and opened the 
 
 26 garden doors. So when the servants 
 of the house heard the cry in the gar- 
 den, they rushed in at the side door, to 
 
 27 see what had befallen her. But when 
 
 127 
 
1. 48. 
 
 HISTORY OF SUSANNA. 
 
 1. 64. 
 
 the elders had told their tale, the ser- 49 
 vants were greatly ashamed : for there 
 was never such a report made of 50 
 
 28 Susanna. And it came to pass on the 
 morrow, when the people assembled 
 to her husband Joakim, the two elders 
 came full of their wicked intent against 
 
 29 Susanna to put her to death ; and said 51 
 before the people. Send for Susanna, 
 the daughter of Helkias, Joakim's 52 
 
 30 wife. So they sent ; and she came with 
 her father and mother, her children, 
 
 31 and all her kindred. Now Susanna 
 was a very delicate woman, and 
 
 32 beauteous to behold. And these 
 wicked men commanded her to be un- 53 
 veiled, (for she was veiled) that they 
 
 33 might be filled with her beauty. There- 
 fore her friends and all that saw her 
 
 34 wept. Then the two elders stood up in 
 the midst of the people, and laid their 54 
 
 35 hands upon her head. And she weep- 
 ing looked up toward heaven : for her 
 
 36 heart trusted in the Lord. And the 55 
 elders said. As we walked in the garden 
 alone, this woman came in with two 
 maids, and shut the garden doors, and 
 
 37 sent the maids away. Then a young 
 man, who there was hid, came unto 56 
 
 38 her, and lay with her. And we, being 
 in a corner of the garden, saw this 
 
 39 wickedness, and ran unto them. And 
 when we saw them together, the man 
 we could not hold : for he was stronger 5 7 
 than we, and opened the doors, and 
 
 40 leaped out. But having taken this 
 woman, we asked who the young man 
 was, but she would not tell us : these 58 
 
 41 things do we testify. Then the as- 
 sembly believed them, as those that 
 were elders of the people and judges : 59 
 
 42 so they condemned her to death. Then 
 Susanna cried out with a loud voice, 
 and said, O everlasting God, that 
 knowest the secrets, that knowest all 
 
 43 things before they be : thou knowest 60 
 that they have borne false witness 
 against me, and, behold, I must die ; 
 whereas I never did such things as 61 
 these men have maliciously invented 
 
 44 against me. And the Lord heard her 
 
 45 voice. Therefore when she was led 62 
 away to be put to death, God raised 
 up the holy spirit of a young youth, 
 
 46 whose name was Daniel : and he cried 
 with a loud voice, I am clear from the 
 
 47 blood of this woman. Then all the 63 
 people turned them toward him, and 
 said, What mean these words that 
 
 48 thou hast spoken ? So he standing in 
 the midst of them said. Are ye such 
 fools, ye sons of Israel, that without 64 
 examination or knowledge of the truth 
 ye have condemned a daughter of 
 
 128 
 
 Israel ? Return again to the place of 
 judgement : for these have borne false 
 witness against her. Wherefore all 
 the people turned again in haste, and 
 the elders said unto him. Come, sit 
 down among us, and shew it us, seeing 
 God hath given thee the honour of an 
 elder. Then said Daniel unto them. 
 Put them asunder one far from an- 
 other, and I will examine them. So 
 when they were put asunder one from 
 another, he called one of them, and 
 said unto him, O thou that art waxen 
 old in wickedness, now are thy sins 
 come home to thee which thou hast 
 committed aforetime, in pronouncing 
 unjust judgement, and condemning 
 the innocent, and letting the guilty go 
 free ; albeit the Lord saith, The inno- 
 cent and righteous shalt thou not slay. 
 Now then, if thou sawest her, tell me, 
 Under what tree sawest thou them 
 companyiug together ? Who answered. 
 Under a i nastick t ree. And Daniel 
 said. Right well hast thou lied against 
 thine own head; for even now the 
 angel of God hath received the sen- 
 tence of God and shall cut thee in 
 two. So he put him aside, and com- 
 manded to bring the other, and said 
 unto him, O thou seed of Canaan, and 
 not of Judah, beauty hath deceived 
 thee, and lust hath perverted thine 
 heart. Thus have ye dealt with the 
 daughters of Israel, and they for fear 
 companied with you : but the daughter 
 of Judah would not abide your wicked- 
 ness. Now therefore tell me, Under 
 what tree didst thou take them com- 
 panyiug together? Who answered, 
 Under a holm tree. Then said Daniel 
 unto him. Right well hast thou also 
 lied against thine own head : for the 
 angel of God waiteth with the sword 
 to cut thee in two, that he may de- 
 stroy you. With that all the assembly 
 cried out with a loud voice, and bless- 
 ed God, who saveth them that hope in 
 hinj. And they arose against the two 
 elders, for Daniel had convicted them 
 of false witness out of their own 
 mouth : and according to the law of 
 Moses they did unto them in such 
 sort as they maliciously intended to 
 do to their neighbour : and they put 
 them to death, and the innocent blood 
 was saved the same day. Therefore 
 Helkias and his wife praised God for 
 their daughter Susanna, with Joakim 
 her husband, and all the kindred, be- 
 cause there was no dishonesty found 
 in her. And from that day forth was 
 Daniel had in great reputation in the 
 sight of the people. 
 
BEL AND THE DRAGON 
 
 1 A>T) king Astyages was gathered to 
 his fathers, and Cyrus the Persian 
 
 2 received his kingdom. And Daniel 
 lived with the king, and was honoured 
 
 3 above all his friends. Now the Baby- 
 lonians had an idol, called Bel, and 
 there were spent upon him every day 
 twelve great measures of fine flour, 
 and forty sheep, and six firkins of 
 
 4 wine. And the king did honour to it, 
 and went daily to worship it: but 
 Daniel worshipped his own God. 
 And the king said unto hun. Why 
 
 5 dost thou not worship Bel ? And he 
 said, Because I may not do honour 
 to idols made with hands, but to the 
 living God, who hath created the 
 heaven and the earth, and hath sov- 
 
 6ereignty over all flesh. Then said 
 the king unto him, Thinkest thou not 
 that Bel is a living god? or seest thou 
 not how much he eateth and drinketh 
 
 7 every day ? Then Daniel laughed, and 
 said, O king, be not deceived : for this 
 is but clay within, and brass without, 
 and did never eat or drink anything. 
 
 8 So the king was wroth, and called for 
 his priests, and said unto them. If ye 
 tell me not who this is that devoiu-eth 
 
 9 these expenses, ye shall die. But if 
 ye can shew me that Bel devoureth 
 them, then Daniel shall die : for he 
 hath spoken blasphemy against Bel. 
 And Daniel said unto the king. Let it 
 
 10 be according to thy word. Now the 
 priests of Bel were threescore and ten, 
 beside their wives and children. And 
 the king went with Daniel into the 
 
 11 temple of Bel. So Bel's priests said, 
 Lo, we will get us out: but thou, O 
 king, set on the meat, and mingle the 
 wine and set it forth, and shut the 
 door fasr, and seal it with thine own 
 
 12 signet ; and when thou comest in the 
 morning, if thou find not that Bel hath 
 eaten up all, we will suffer death: 
 or else Daniel, that speaketh falsely 
 
 13 against us. And they little regarded 
 it : for under the table they had made 
 a privy entrance, whereby they en- 
 tered in continually, and consumed 
 
 14 those things. And it came to pass, 
 when they were gone forth, the king 
 set the meat before Bel. Now Daniel 
 had commanded his servants to bring 
 ashes, and they strewed all the temple 
 with them in the presence of the king 
 alone : then went they out, and shut 
 the door, and sealed it with the king's 
 
 15 signet, and so departed. Now in the 
 night came the priests with their 
 ^vives and children, as they were wont 
 
 16 to do, and did eat and drmk up all. In 
 • the morning betime the king arose, 
 
 17 and Daniel with him. And the king 
 said, Daniel, are the seals whole? 
 And he said. Yea, O king, they be 
 
 18 whole. And as soon as he had opened 
 the door, the king looked upon the 
 table, and cried with a loud voice, 
 Great art thou, O Bel, and with thee 
 
 19 is no deceit at all. Then laughed 
 Daniel, and held the king that he 
 should not go in, and said. Behold 
 now the pavement, and mark well 
 
 20 whose footsteps are these. And the 
 king said, I see the footsteps of men, 
 women, and children. And then the 
 
 21 king was angry, and took the priests 
 with their wives and children, who 
 shewed him the privy doors, where 
 they came in, and consumed such 
 
 22 things as were upon the table. There- 
 fore the king slew them, and delivered 
 Bel into Daniel's power, who over- 
 threw him and his temple. 
 
 23 And in that same place there was a 
 great ^ dragon, which they of Babylon 
 
 24 worshipped. And the king said unto 
 Daniel, Wilt thou also say that this 
 is of brass ? lo, he liveth, and eateth 
 and drinketh ; thou canst not say that 
 he is no hving god : therefore worship 
 
 25 him. Then said Daniel, I will wor- 
 slilp the Lord my God: for he is a 
 
 26 living God. But give me leave, O 
 king, and I shall slay this dragon 
 without sword or staff. The king 
 
 27 said, I give thee leave. Then Daniel 
 took pitch, and fat, and hair, and did 
 seethe them together, and made lumps 
 thereof: this he put in the dragon's 
 mouth, so the dragon did eat and 
 burst in sunder : and Daniel said, Lo, 
 
 28 these are the gods ye worship. When 
 they of Babylon heard that, they 
 took great indignation, and conspired 
 against the king, saying, The king is 
 become a Jew, and he hath pulled 
 down Bel, and slain the dragon, and 
 
 29 put the priests to the sword. So they 
 came to the king, and said. Deliver 
 us Daniel, or else we will destroy thee 
 
 30 and thine house. Now when the king 
 saw that they pressed him sore, being 
 constrained, the king delivered Dan- 
 
 31iel unto them: who cast him into 
 the lions' den : where he was six days. 
 
 32 And in the den there were seven 
 lions, and they had given them every 
 day two carcases, and two sheep: 
 which then were not given to them, to 
 the intent they might devour Daniel. 
 
 33 Now there was in Jewry the prophet 
 129 K 
 
 serpent 
 
THE PRAYER OF MANASSES. 
 
 1 Gr. 
 
 Arriba- 
 kouin. 
 
 *Or, 
 
 order 
 Or, 
 
 array 
 Gen. ii. 
 1 (Sept.). 
 
 2 Gr. Qf 
 
 the evils 
 of men. 
 sThe 
 Alex. 
 
 MS. 
 omits 
 Thou . . . 
 saved. 
 
 ^ Habakkuk, who had made pottage, 
 and had broken bread into a bowl, 
 and was going into the field, for to 
 
 34 bring it to the reapers. But the angel 
 of the Lord said unto Habakkuk, Go 
 carry the dinner that thou hast into 
 Babylon unto Daniel, in the lions' den. 
 
 35 And Habakkuk said, Lord, I never 
 saw Babylon; neither do I know 
 
 36 where the den is. Then the angel of 
 the Lord took him by the crown, and 
 lifted him up by the hair of his head, 
 and with the blast of his breath set 
 
 37 him in Babylon over the den. And 
 Habakkuk cried, saying, O Daniel, 
 Daniel, take the dinner which God 
 
 38 hath sent thee. And Daniel said. 
 
 Thou hast remembered me, O God: 
 neither hast thou forsaken them that 
 
 39 love thee. So Daniel arose, and did 
 eat : and the angel of God set Habak- 
 kuk in his own place again immedi- 
 
 40ately. Upon the seventh day the 
 king came to bewail Daniel: and 
 when he came to the den, he looked 
 in, and, behold, Daniel was sitting. 
 
 41 Then cried the king with a loud voice, 
 saying, Great art thou, O Lord, thou 
 God of Daniel, and there is none other 
 
 42 beside thee. And he drew him out, 
 and cast those that were the cause of 
 his destruction into the den : and they 
 were devoured in a moment before 
 his face. 
 
 THE 
 
 PRAYER OF MANASSES 
 
 KING OF JUDAH, 
 
 WHEN HE WAS HOLDEN CAPTIVE IN BABYLON. 
 
 O Lord Almighty, that art in heaven, 
 thou God of our fathers, of Abraham, 
 and Isaac, and Jacob, and of their right- 
 eous seed ; who hast made heaven and 
 earth, with all the ^ ornament thereof; 
 who hast bound the sea by the word of 
 thy commandment; who hast shut up 
 the deep, and sealed it by thy terrible 
 and glorious name ; whom all things fear, 
 yea, tremble before thy power; for the 
 majesty of thy glory cannot be borne, 
 and the anger of thy threatening toward 
 sinners is importable : thy merciful pro- 
 mise is unmeasuKible and unsearchable ; 
 for thou art the Lord Most High, of great 
 compassion, longsufEering and abundant 
 in mercy, and repentest ^ of bringing evils 
 upon men. ^ Thou, O Lord, according to 
 thy great goodness hast promised repent- 
 ance and forgiveness to them that have 
 sinned against thee : and of thine infinite 
 mercies hast appointed repentance unto 
 sinners, that they may be saved. Thou 
 therefore, O Lord, that art the God of 
 the just, hast not appointed repentance 
 to the just, to Abraham, and Isaac, and 
 Jacob, which have not sinned against 
 thee ; but thou hast appointed repentance 
 unto me that am a sinner: for I have 
 sinned above the number of the sands of 
 
 the sea. My transgressions are multi- 
 plied, * O Lord : my transgressions are 
 multiplied, and I am not worthy to be- 
 hold and see the height of heaven for the 
 multitude of mine iniquities. I am bowed 
 down with many iron bands, that I can- 
 not lift up mine head ^ by reason of my 
 sins, neither have I any respite : for I 
 have provoked thy wrath, and done that 
 which is evil before thee : « I did not thy 
 will, neither kept I thy commandments : 
 I have set up abominations, and have 
 multiplied ''detestable things. Now 
 therefore I bow the knee of mine heart, 
 beseeching thee of grace. I have sinned, 
 O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknow- 
 ledge mine iniquities : but, I humbly be- 
 seech thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive 
 me, and destroy me not with mine iniqui- 
 ties. Be not angry with me for ever, by 
 reserving evil for me ; neither condemn 
 me into the lower parts of the earth. 
 For thou, 8 O Lord, art the God of them 
 that repent ; and in me thou wilt shew 
 all thy goodness : for thou wilt save me, 
 that am unworthy, according to thy great 
 mercy. And I will praise thee for ever 
 all the days of my life : for all the host of 
 heaven doth sing thy praise, and thine is 
 the glory for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 130 
 
THE FIRST BOOK OF THE 
 
 MACCABEES. 
 
 iThatia, 
 the 
 Greek 
 Empire. 
 Com- 
 pare ver. 
 10 and 
 ch. vi. 2. 
 
 » circa 
 B. C. 176. 
 
 s Or, na- 
 tions : 
 and 80 
 
 through- 
 out this 
 book. 
 
 * See 
 2 Mace, 
 iv. 9, 12. 
 
 1 Ayro it came to pass, after that Alex- 
 ander the Macedonian, the son of 
 Philip, who came out of the land of 
 Chittim, and smote Darius king of the 
 Persians and Medes, it came to pass, 
 after he had smitten him, that he 
 reigned in his stead, in former time, 
 
 2 over ^ Greece. And he fought many 
 battles, and won many strongholds, 
 
 3 and slew the kings of the earth, and 
 went through to tlie ends of the earth, 
 and took spoils of a multitude of na- 
 tions. And the earth was quiet before 
 liim, and he was exalted, and his heart 
 
 4 was lifted up, and he gathered to- 
 gether an exceeding strong host, and 
 ruled over countries and nations and 
 principalities, and they became tribu- 
 
 5 tary unto him. And after these things 
 he fell sick, and perceived that he 
 
 6 should die. And he called his ser- 
 vants, which were honourable, which 
 had been brought up with him from his 
 youth, and he divided unto them his 
 
 7 kingdom, while he was yet alive. And 
 Alexander reigned twelve years, and 
 
 8 he died. And his servants bare rule, 
 
 9 each one in his place. And they did 
 all put diadems upon themselves after 
 that he was dead, and so did their sons 
 after them many years : and they mul- 
 tiplied evils in the earth. 
 
 10 And there came forth out of them a 
 sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son 
 of Antiochus the king, who had been 
 a hostage at Rome, and he reigned in 
 2 the hundred and thirty and seventh 
 year of the kingdom of the Greeks. 
 
 11 In those days came there forth out 
 of Israel transgressors of the law, and 
 persuaded many, saying, Let us go 
 and make a covenant with the ^ Gen- 
 tiles that are round about us ; for 
 since we were parted from them many 
 
 1 2 evils have befallen us. And the saying 
 
 13 was good in their eyes. And certain 
 of the people were forward herein and 
 went to the king, and he gave them 
 licence to do after the ordinances of 
 
 1 4 the 3 Gentiles. And ^ they built a place 
 of exercise in Jerusalem according to 
 
 15 the laws of the ^ Gentiles; and they 
 made themselves uncircumcised. and 
 forsook the holy covenant, and joined 
 themselves to the ^ Gentiles, and sold 
 themselves to do evil. 
 
 16 And the kingdom was well ordered 
 in the sight of Antiochus, and he 
 thought to reign over Egypt, that he 
 might reign over the two kingdoms. 
 
 17 And he entered into Egypt with a 
 5 great multitude, with chariots, and 
 with elephants, and with horsemen, 
 
 18 and with a great ^navy ; and he made 
 war against Ptolemy king of Egjpt ; 
 and Ptolemy was put to shame before 
 him, and fled ; and many fell wounded 
 
 19 to death. And they got possession of 
 the strong cities in the land of Eg^'pt ; 
 and he took the spoils of Egypt. 
 
 20 LAnd Antiochus, after that he had 
 smitten Egypt, returned in ' the hun- 
 dred and forty and third year, and 
 went up against Israel and Jerusalem 
 
 21 with a * great multitude, and entered 
 presumptuously into the sanctuary, 
 and took the golden altar, and the 
 candlestick of the light, and all that 
 
 22 pertained thereto, and the table of 
 the shewbread, and the cups to pour 
 withal, and the bowls, and the golden 
 censers, and the veil, and the crowns, 
 and the adorning of gold which was on 
 the face of the temple, and he scaled 
 
 23 it all off. And he took the silver and 
 the gold and the precious vessels; 
 and he took the hidden treasures 
 
 24 which he found. And when he had 
 taken all, he went away into his own 
 land, and he made a great slaughter, 
 
 25 and spake very presumptuouslyj And 
 there came great mourning upon Is- 
 rael, in every place where they were ; 
 
 26 and the rulers and elders groaned, 
 the virgins and young men were made 
 feeble, and the beauty of the women 
 
 2 7 was changed. Every bridegroom took 
 up lamentation, she that sat in the 
 marriage chamber was in heaviness. 
 
 28 And the land was moved for the in- 
 habitants thereof, and all the house 
 of Jacob was clothed with shame. 
 
 29fAnd « after ^ two full years the king 
 sent a chief collector of tribute unto 
 the cities of Judah, and he came unto 
 Jerusalem with a ^ great multitude. 
 
 30 And he spake words of peace unto 
 them in subtilty, and they gave him 
 credence: and he fell upon the city 
 suddenly, and smote it very sore, and 
 destroyed much people out of Israel. 
 
 31 And he took the spoils of the city, and 
 set it on fire, and pulled down the 
 houses thereof and the walls thereof 
 
 32 on every side. And they led captive 
 the women and the children, and the 
 
 33 cattle they took in possession.1 And 
 they builded the city of David with 
 a great and strong wall, with strong 
 towers, and it became unto them a 
 
 B Gr. 
 
 heavy. 
 
 •Or. 
 arma- 
 ment 
 
 1 circa 
 B. C. 170. 
 See 
 
 2 Mace. 
 V. U-1& 
 
 « See 
 2 Mace. 
 V.24. 
 « Gr. two 
 years of 
 days. 
 
 131 
 
1. 55. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 2. 17. 
 
 iSee 
 2 Mace. 
 vi.6. 
 
 9 circa 
 B. C. 168. 
 See 
 
 2 Mace. 
 V. 11. 
 
 3 The 
 two 
 words 
 rendered 
 altar 
 are dif- 
 ferent in 
 the 
 
 Greek: 
 and 80 
 inver.59. 
 
 34 citadel. And they put there a sinful 
 nation, transgressors of the law, and 
 they strengthened themselves therein. 
 
 35 And they stored up arms and victuals, 
 and gathering together the spoils of 
 Jerusalem, they laid them up there, 
 
 36 and they became a sore snare : and it 
 became a place to lie in wait in against 
 the sanctuary, and an evil adversary 
 
 37 to Israel continually. And they shed 
 innocent blood on every side of the 
 sanctuary, and defiled the sanctuary. 
 
 38 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled 
 because of them ; and she became a 
 habitation of strangers, and she be- 
 came strange to them that were born 
 in her, and her children forsook her. 
 
 39 Her sanctuary was laid waste like a 
 wilderness, ^her feasts were turned 
 into mourning, her sabbaths into re- 
 proach, her honour into contempt. 
 
 40 According to her glory, so was her 
 dishonour multiplied, and her high 
 estate was turned into mourning. 
 
 41vA.nd king Antiochus wrote to his 
 whole kingdom, that all should be 
 
 42 one people, and that each should for- 
 sake his own laws. And all the na- 
 tions agreed according to the word of 
 
 43 the king ; and many of Israel con- 
 sented to his worship, and sacrificed 
 to the idols, and profaned the sabbath. 
 
 44 And the king sent letters by the hand 
 of messengers unto Jerusalem and 
 the cities of Judah, that they should 
 
 45 follow laws strange to the land, and 
 should forbid whole burnt offerings 
 and sacrifice and drink offerings in 
 the sanctuary; and should profane 
 
 46 the sabbaths and feasts, and pollute 
 the sanctuary and them that were 
 
 47 holy ; that they should build altars, 
 and temples, and shrines for idols, 
 and should sacrifice swine's flesh and 
 
 48 unclean beasts : and that they should 
 leave their sons uncircumcised, that 
 they should make their souls abomin- 
 able with all manner of un cleanness 
 
 49 and profanation ; so that they might 
 forget the law, and change all the or- 
 
 50dinances. And whosoever shall not 
 do according to the word of the king, 
 
 51 he shall die. According to all these 
 words wrote he to his whole kingdom ; 
 and he appointed overseers over all the 
 people, and he commanded the cities 
 of Judah to sacrifice, city by city. 
 
 52 And from the people were gathered 
 together unto them many, every one 
 that had forsaken the law ; and they 
 
 53 did evil things in the land ; and they 
 made Israel to hide themselves in 
 ever^ place of refuge which they 
 had.J 
 
 54 And on the fifteenth day of Chislev, 
 in 2 the hundred and forty and fifth 
 year, they builded an abomination of 
 desolation upon the ' altar, and in the 
 cities of Judah on every side they 
 
 55 builded idol ^ altars. And at the 
 
 doors of the houses and in the streets 
 
 56 they burnt incense. And they rent 
 in pieces the books of the law which 
 
 57 they found, and set them on fire. And 
 wheresoever was found with any a 
 book of the covenant, and if any con- 
 sented to the law, the king's sentence 
 
 58 delivered him to death. Thus did 
 they in their might unto Israel, to 
 those that were found month by 
 
 59 month in the cities. And on the five 
 and twentieth day of the month they 
 sacrificed upon the idol ^ altar, which 
 
 60 was upon the ^ altar of God. And 
 *the women that had circumcised 
 their children they put to death ac- 
 
 61 cording to the commandment. And 
 they hanged their babes about their 
 necks, and destroyed their houses, 
 and them that had circumcised them. 
 
 62 And many in Israel were fully re- 
 solved and confirmed in themselves 
 
 63 not to eat unclean things. And ^ they 
 chose to die, that they might not be 
 defiled with the meats, and that they 
 might not profane the holy covenant : 
 
 64 and they died. And there came ex- 
 ceeding great wrath upon Israel. 
 
 2 In those days rose up Mattathias the 
 son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest 
 of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem ; 
 
 2 and he dwelt at Modin. And he had 
 five sons, ^ John, who was surnamed 
 
 3 Gaddis ; Simon, who was called 
 
 4 Thassi ; Judas, who was called Mac- 
 
 5 cabaeus ; Eleazar, who was called 
 Avaran; Jonathan, who was called 
 Apphus. 
 
 6 And he saw the blasphemies that 
 were committed in Judah and in Jeru- 
 
 7 salem, and he said, 
 
 Woe is me ! wherefore was I born to 
 see the destruction of my people, and 
 the destruction of the holy city, and 
 to dwell there, when it was given into 
 the hand of the enemy, the sanctuary 
 
 8 into the hand of aliens ? Her temple 
 is become as a man ' that was glori- 
 
 9 ous : her vessels of glory are carried 
 away into captivity, her infants are 
 slain in her streets, her young men 
 
 10 with the sword of the enemy. What 
 nation hath not inherited her palaces, 
 and gotten possession of her spoils ? 
 
 11 her adorning is all taken away; in- 
 stead of a free woman she is become 
 
 12 a bond woman : and, behold, our holy 
 things and our beauty and our glory 
 are laid waste, and the Gentiles have 
 
 13 profaned them. Wherefore should 
 we live any longer ? 
 
 14 And Mattathias and his sons rent 
 their clothes, and put on sackcloth, 
 and mourned exceedingly. 
 
 15 And the king's officers, that were 
 enforcing the apostasy, came into the 
 
 16 city Modin to sacrifice. And many of 
 Israel came unto them, and Mattathias 
 and his sons were gathered together. 
 
 17 And the king's officers answered and 
 
 132 
 
2. 36. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 2. 58. 
 
 1 See 
 ch. iii. 
 3» ; vi. 10, 
 &c. Com- 
 pare ch. 
 X. 65; 
 xi. 27 ; 
 
 2 Mace, 
 viii. 9. 
 
 3Gr. 
 
 3fay he 
 be pro- 
 pitious. 
 Compare 
 2 Sam. 
 xxiii. ir 
 (Sept.). 
 
 spake to Mattatliias, saying, Thou art 
 a ruler and an honourable and great 
 man in this city, and strengthened 
 18 with sons and brethren: now there- 
 fore come thou first and do the com- 
 mandment of the king, as all the 
 nations have done, and the men of 
 Judah, and they that remain in Je- 
 rusalem: and thou and thy house 
 shall be in the number of the king's 
 1 Friends, and thou and thy sons shall 
 be honoured with silver and gold and 
 
 19 many gifts. And Mattathias answered 
 and said with a loud voice, If all the 
 nations that are in the house of the 
 king's dominion hearken unto him, to 
 fall away each one from the worship 
 of his fathers, and have made choice 
 
 20 to follow his commandments, yet will 
 I and my sons and my brethren walk 
 
 21 in the covenant of our fathers. - Hea- 
 ven forbid that we should forsake the 
 
 22 law and the ordinances. We will not 
 hearken to the king's words, to go 
 aside from our worship, on the right 
 hand, or on the left. 
 
 23 And when he had left speaking these 
 words, there came a Jew in the sight 
 of all to sacrifice on the altar which 
 was at Modin, according to the king's 
 
 24 commandment. And ^Vlattathias saw 
 it, and his zeal was kindled, and his 
 reins trembled, and he shewed forth 
 his wrath according to judgement, and 
 
 25 ran, and slew him upon the altar. And 
 the king's officer, who compelled men 
 to sacrifice, he killed at that time, and 
 
 26 pulled down the altar. And he was 
 zealous for the law, even as Phinehas 
 
 27 did unto Zimri the son of Salu. And 
 Mattathias cried out in the city with 
 a loud voice, saying. Whosoever is 
 zealous for the law, and maintaineth 
 the covenant, let him come forth after 
 
 28 me. And he and his sons fled into 
 the mountains, and forsook all that 
 they had in the city. 
 
 29 Then many that sought after justice 
 and judgement went down into the 
 
 30 wilderness, to dwell there, they, and 
 their sons, and their wives, and their 
 cattle ; because evils were multiplied 
 
 31 upon them. And it was told the 
 king's officers, and the forces that 
 were in Jerusalem, the city of David, 
 that certain men, who had broken the 
 king's commandment, were gone down 
 into the secret places in the wilder- 
 
 32ness; and many pursued after them, 
 and having overtaken them, they en- 
 camped against them, and set the 
 battle in array against them on the 
 
 33 sabbath day. And they said unto 
 them, Thus far. Come forth, and do 
 according to the word of the king, and 
 
 34 ye shall live. And they said, We will 
 not come forth, neither will we do the 
 word of the king, to profane the sab- 
 
 35 bath day. And they hasted to give 
 
 36 them battle. And they answered them 
 
 not, neither cast they a stone at them, 
 
 37 nor stopped up the secret places, say- 
 ing. Let us die all in our innocency : 
 heaven and earth witness over us, that 
 
 38 ye put us to death without trial. And 
 they rose up against them in battle on 
 the sabbath, and they died, they and 
 their wives and their children, and 
 their cattle, to the number of a thou- 
 sand ^ souls. 
 
 39 And Mattathias and his friends knew 
 it, and they mourned over them ex- 
 
 40 ceedingly. And one said to another. 
 If we all do as our brethren have done, 
 and fight not against the Gentiles for 
 our lives and our ordinances, they will 
 now quickly destroy us from off the 
 
 4 1 earth. And they took counsel on that 
 day, saying. Whosoever shall come 
 against us to battle on the sabbath 
 day, let us fight against him, and we 
 shall in no wise all die, as our brethren 
 
 42 died in the secret places. Then were 
 gathered together unto them a com- 
 pany of *Hasidaeans, mighty men of 
 Israel, every one that offered himself 
 
 43 willingly for the law. And all they 
 that fled from the evils were added to 
 them, and became a stay unto them. 
 
 44 And they mustered a host, and smote 
 sinners in their anger, and lawless men 
 in their wrath : and the rest fled to the 
 
 45 Gentiles for safety. And Mattathias 
 and his friends went round about, and 
 
 46 pulled down the altars ; and they cir- 
 cumcised by force the children that 
 were uncircumcised, as many as they 
 
 47 found in the coasts of Israel. And they 
 pursued after the sons of pride, and 
 
 48 the work prospered in their hand. And 
 they rescued the law out of the hand 
 of the Gentiles, and out of the hand of 
 the kings, neither ° suffered they the 
 sinner to triumph. 
 
 49 And the days of Mattathias drew 
 near that he should die, and he said 
 unto his sons, 
 
 Now have pride and rebuke gotten 
 strength, and a season of overthrow, 
 
 50 and wrath of indignation. And now, 
 my children, be ye zealous for the law, 
 and give your lives for the covenant 
 
 51 of your fathers. And call to remem- 
 brance the deeds of our fathers which 
 they did in their generations; and 
 receive great glory and an everlasting 
 
 52 name. Was not Abraham found faitli- 
 ful in temptation, and it was reckoned 
 
 53 unto him for righteousness ? Joseph 
 in the time of his distress kept the 
 commandment, and became lord of 
 
 54 Egypt. Phinehas our father, for that 
 he was zealous exceedingly, obtained 
 the covenant of an everlasting priest- 
 
 55 hood. Joshua for fulfilling the word 
 
 56 became a judge in Israel. Caleb for 
 bearing witness in the congregation 
 
 57 obtained a heritage in the land. David 
 for being merciful inherited the throne 
 
 5 8 of a kingdom for ever and ever. Elijah, 
 
 sGr. 
 
 souls of 
 
 * That is, 
 
 Chasi- 
 
 dim. 
 
 SGr. 
 
 gave 
 they 
 a horn 
 to the 
 sinner. 
 
 133 
 
3. 11. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 3. 30. 
 
 1 Some 
 ancient 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 ye shall 
 fight. 
 
 a circa 
 B.C. 167. 
 
 » Or. out 
 of it. 
 
 for that he was exceeding zealous for 
 the law, was taken up into heaven. 
 
 59 Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, believed, 
 and were saved out of the flame. 
 
 60 Daniel for his innocency was deUvered 
 
 61 from the mouth of lions. And thus 
 consider ye from generation to genera- 
 tion, that none that put their trust in 
 
 62 him shall want for strength. And be 
 not afraid of the words of a sinful 
 man ; for his glory shall be dung and 
 
 63 worms. To-day he shall be lifted up, 
 and to-morrow he shall in no wise 
 be found, because he is returned unto 
 his dust, and his thought is perished. 
 
 64 And ye, my children, be strong, and 
 shew yourselves men in behalf of the 
 law ; for therein shall ye obtain glory. 
 
 65 And, behold, Simon your brother, I 
 know that he is a man of counsel; 
 give ear unto him alway : he shall 
 
 66 be a father unto you. And Judas 
 Maccabaeus, he hath been strong and 
 mighty from his youth: he shall 
 be your captain, and ^ shall fight the 
 
 67 battle of the people. And take ye unto 
 you all the doers of the law, and avenge 
 
 68 the wrong of your people. Eender a 
 recompense to the Gentiles, and take 
 heed to the conunandments of the law. 
 
 69 And he blessed them, and was gather- 
 
 70 ed to his fathers. And he died in ^ the 
 hundred and forty and sixth year, and 
 his sons buried him in the sepulchres 
 of his fathers at Modin, and all Israel 
 made great lamentation for him. 
 
 3 And his son Judas, who was called 
 
 2 Maccabseus, rose up in his stead. And 
 all his brethren helped him, and so did 
 all they that clave unto his father, and 
 they fought with gladness the battle of 
 
 3 Israel. And he gat his people great 
 glory, and put on a breastplate as a 
 giant, and girt his warlike harness 
 about him, and set battles in array, 
 protecting the army with his sword. 
 
 4 And he was like a lion in his deeds, 
 and as a lion's whelp roaring for prey. 
 
 5 And he pursued the lawless, seeking 
 them out, and he burnt up those that 
 
 6 troubled his people. And the lawless 
 shrunk for fear of him, and all the 
 workers of lawlessness were sore trou- 
 bled, and salvation prospered in his 
 
 7 hand. And he angered many kings, 
 and made Jacob glad with his acts, and 
 
 8 his memorial is blessed for ever. And 
 he went about among the cities of 
 Judah,and destroyed the ungodly ^out 
 of the land, and turned away wrath 
 
 9 from Israel: and he was renowned 
 unto the utmost part of the earth, and 
 he gathered together such as were 
 ready to perish. 
 10 And Apollonius gatheredthe Gentiles 
 together, and a great host from Sa- 
 il maria, to fight against Israel. And 
 Judas perceived it, and he went forth 
 to meet him, and smote him, and slew 
 him : and many fell wounded to death, 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 18 
 
 23 
 
 24 
 
 25 
 
 26 
 
 27 
 
 28 
 
 29 
 
 30 
 
 and the rest fled. And they took their 
 spoils, and Judas took the sword of 
 Apollonius, and therewith he fought 
 all his days. 
 
 And Seron, the commander of the 
 host of Syria, heard say that Judas 
 had gathered a gathering and a con- 
 gregation of faithful men with him, 
 and of such as went out to war ; and 
 he said, I will make myself a name 
 and get me glory in the kingdom ; and 
 I will fight against Judas and them 
 that are with him, that set at nought 
 the word of the king. And there went 
 up with him also a mighty army of the 
 ungodly to help him, to take vengeance 
 on the children of Israel. 
 
 And he came near unto the going up 
 of Bethhoron, and Judas went forth to 
 meet him with a small company. But 
 when they saw the army coming to 
 meet them, they said unto Judas, 
 What? shall we be able, being a small 
 company, to fight against so great and 
 strong a multitude? and we for our 
 part are faint, having tasted no food 
 this day. And Judas said. It is an 
 easy thing for many to be shut up in 
 the hands of a few ; and with * heaven 
 it is all one, to save by many or by 
 few: for victory in battle standeth 
 not in the multitude of a host; but 
 strength is from heaven. They come 
 unto us in fulness of insolence and 
 lawlessness, to destroy us and our 
 wives and our children, for to spoil 
 us : but we fight for our lives and our 
 laws. And he himself will discomfit 
 them before our face : but as for you, 
 be ye not afraid of them. 
 
 Now when he had left off speaking, 
 he leapt suddenly upon them, and 
 Seron and his army were discomfited 
 before him. And they pursued them 
 in the going down of Bethhoron unto 
 the plain, and there fell of them about 
 eight hundred men; but the residue 
 fled into the land of the Philistines. 
 
 And the fear of Judas and his bre- 
 thren, and the dread of them, began 
 to fall upon the nations round about 
 them : and his name came near even 
 unto the king, and every nation told 
 of the battles of Judas. 
 
 But when king Antiochus heard 
 these words, he was full of indigna- 
 tion : and he sent and gathered to- 
 gether all the forces of his realm, an 
 exceeding strong army. And he open- 
 ed his treasury, and gave his forces 
 pay for a year, and commanded them 
 to be ready for every need. And he 
 saw that the money failed from his 
 treasures, and that the tributes of the 
 country were small, because of the 
 dissension and plague which he had 
 brought upon the land, to the end that 
 he might take away the laws which 
 had been from the first days ; and he 
 feared that he should not have enough 
 
 134 
 
3. 45. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 1 circa 
 B.C. 166. 
 
 a See ch. 
 U.18. 
 
 s Most 
 of the 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 servants. 
 
 *Gr. 
 
 stran- 
 gers. 
 
 as at Other times for the charges and 
 the gifts which he gave aforetime 
 with a liberal hand, and he abounded 
 above the kings that were before him. 
 
 31 And he was exceedingly perplexed in 
 his mind, and he determined to go 
 into Persia, and to take the tributes 
 of the countries, and to gather much 
 
 32 money. And he left Lysias, an hon- 
 ourable man, and one of the seed 
 royal, to be over the affairs of the 
 king from the river Euphrates unto 
 
 33 the borders of Egypt, and to bring up 
 his son Antiochus, until he came 
 
 34 again. And he delivered unto him the 
 half of his forces, and the elephants, 
 and gave him charge of all the things 
 that he would have done, and con- 
 cerning them that dwelt in Judaea and 
 
 35 in Jerusalem, that he should send a 
 host against them, to root out and 
 destroy the strength of Israel, and the 
 remnant of Jerusalem, and to take 
 away their memorial from the place ; 
 
 36 and that he should make strangers to 
 dwell in all their coasts, and should 
 
 37 divide their land to them by lot. And 
 the king took the half that remained 
 of the forces, and removed from Anti- 
 och, from his royal city, i the hundred 
 and forty and seventh year ; and he 
 passed over the river Euphrates, and 
 went through the upper countries. 
 
 38 And Lysias chose Ptolemy the son of 
 Dorymenes, and Nicanor,and Gorgias, 
 mighty men of the king's ^ Friends; 
 
 39 and with them he sent forty thousand 
 footmen, and seven thousand horse, to 
 go into the land of Judah, and to de- 
 stroy it, according to the word of the 
 
 40 king. And they removed with all 
 their host, and came and pitched near 
 unto Emmaus in the plain country. 
 
 41 And the merchants of the country 
 heard the fame of them, and took 
 silver and gold exceeding much, with 
 3 fetters, and came into the camp to 
 take the children of Israel for ser- 
 vants: and there were added unto 
 them the forces of SjTia and of the 
 land of the * Philistines. 
 
 42 And Judas and his brethren saw that 
 evils were multiplied, and that the 
 forces were encamping in their bor- 
 ders ; and they took knowledge of the 
 king's words which he had command- 
 ed, to destroy the people and make an 
 
 43 end of them ; and they said each man 
 to his neighbour, Let us raise up the 
 ruin of our people, and let us fight for 
 
 44 our people and the holy place. And 
 the congregation was gathered to- 
 gether, that they might be ready for 
 battle, and that they might pray, and 
 
 45 ask for mercy and compassion. And 
 Jerusalem was without inhabitant as 
 ?\wilderness, there was none of her 
 cjffspring that went in or went out; 
 {'^d the sanctuary was trodden down, 
 r^H the sons of strangers were in the 
 
 citadel, the Gentiles lodged therein; 
 and joy was taken away from Jacob, 
 and the pipe and the harp ceased. 
 
 46 And they gathered themselves to- 
 gether, and came to Mizpeh, over 
 against Jerusalem ; for in Mizpeh was 
 there a place of prayer aforetime for 
 
 47 Israel. And they fasted that day, and 
 put on sackcloth, and put ashes upon 
 
 48 their heads, and rent their clothes, and 
 laid open the book of the law, con- 
 cerning which the Gentiles were wont 
 to inquire, seeking the likenesses of 
 
 49 their idols. And they brought the 
 priests' garments, and the firstfruits, 
 and the tithes : and they stirred up the 
 Nazirites, who had accomplished their 
 
 50 days. And they cried aloud toward 
 heaven, saying, What shall we do with 
 these men, and whither shall we carry 
 
 51 them away? And thy holy place is 
 trodden down and profaned, and thy 
 priests are in heaviness and brought 
 
 52 low. And, behold, the Gentiles are 
 assembled together against us to de- 
 stroy us : thou knowest what things 
 
 53 they imagine against us. How shall 
 we be able to stand before them, 
 
 54 except thou be our help ? And they 
 sounded with the trvunpets, and cried 
 with a loud voice. 
 
 55 And after this Judas appointed lead- 
 ers of the people, captains of thou- 
 sands, and captains of hundreds, and 
 captains of fifties, and captains of 
 
 56 tens. And he said to them that were 
 building houses, and were betrothing 
 wives, and were planting vineyards, 
 and were fearful, that they should 
 return, each man to his own house, 
 
 57 according to the law. And the army 
 removed, and encamped upon the 
 
 58 south side of Emmaus. And Judas 
 said, Gird yourselves, and be valiant 
 men, and be in readiness against the 
 morning, that ye may fight with these 
 Gentiles, that are assembled together 
 against us to destroy us, and our holy 
 
 59 place : for it is better for us to die in 
 battle, than to look upon the evils of 
 
 60 our nation and the holy place. Nev- 
 ertheless, as may be the will in hea- 
 ven, so shall he do. 
 
 4 And Gorgias took five thousand footr 
 men, and a thousand chosen horse, 
 
 2 and the army removed by night, that it 
 might fall upon the army of the Jews 
 and smite them suddenly : and the 
 men of the citadel were his guides. 
 
 3 And Judas heard thereof, and remov- 
 ed, he and the valiant men, that he 
 might smite the king's host which was 
 
 4 at Emmaus, while as yet the forces 
 
 5 were dispersed from the camp. And 
 Gorgias came into the camp of Judas 
 by night, and found no man ; and he 
 sought them in the mountains ; for he 
 
 6 said, These men flee from us. And as 
 soon as it was day, Judas appeared in 
 the plain with three thousand men: 
 
 135 
 
4. 28. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 4. 46. 
 
 iGr. 
 Gazera. 
 
 2Gr. 
 stran- 
 gers. 
 
 3 Or, 
 
 looking 
 up unto 
 heaven 
 
 liowbeit they had not armour nor 
 
 7 swords to their minds. And they saw 
 the camp of the Gentiles strong and 29 
 fortified, and horsemen compassing it 
 round about ; and these were expert in 
 
 8 war. And Judas said to the men that 30 
 were with him, Fear ye not their mul- 
 titude, neither be ye afraid of their 
 
 9 onset. Kemember how our fathers 
 were saved in the Eed sea, when Pha- 
 
 10 raoh pursued them with a host. And 
 now let us cry unto heaven, if he will 
 have us, and will remember the cove- 
 nant of our fathers, and destroy this 
 
 11 army before our face to-day : and all 31 
 the Gentiles shall know that there 
 is one who redeemeth and saveth Is- 
 
 12rael. And the strangers lifted up their 32 
 eyes, and saw them coming over 
 
 13 against them: and they went out of 
 the camp to battle. And they that 33 
 were with Judas sounded their trum- 
 
 14 pets, and joined battle, and the Gen- 
 tiles were discomfited, and fled into 
 
 15 the plain. But all the hindmost fell 
 by the sword : and they pursued them 34 
 unto 1 Gazara, and unto the plains of 
 Idumsea and Azotus and Jamnia, and 
 there fell of them about three thou- 35 
 
 16 sand men. And Judas and his host 
 returned from pursuing after them, 
 
 17 and he said unto the people, Be not 
 gi-eedy of the spoils, inasmuch as 
 
 18 there is a battle before us ; and Gor- 
 gias and his host are nigh unto us in 
 the mountain. But stand ye now 
 against our enemies, and fight against 
 them, and afterwards take the spoils 36 
 
 19 with boldness. While Judas was yet 
 making an end of these words, there 
 appeared a part of them looking out 37 
 
 20 from the mountain : and they saw that 
 their host had been put to flight, and 38 
 that the Jews were burning the camp ; 
 for the smoke that was seen declared 
 
 21 what was done. But when they per- 
 ceived these things, they were sore 
 afraid ; and perceiving also the army 
 of Judas in the plain ready for battle, 39 
 
 22 they fled all of them into the land of 
 
 23 the 2 Philistines. And Judas returned 40 
 
 to spoil the camp, and they got much 
 
 gold, and silver, and blue, and sea 
 
 24 purple, and great riches. And they 41 
 returned home, and sang a song of 
 thanksgiving, and gave praise ^unto 
 heaven ; because Ms mercy is good, 
 because his mercy endureth for ever. 42 
 
 25 And Israel had a great deliverance 43 
 that day. 
 
 26 But the strangers, as many as had 
 escaped, came and told Lysias all the 44 
 
 27 things that had happened : but when 
 he heard thereof, he was confounded 
 and discouraged, because neither had 45 
 such things as he would been done 
 unto Israel, nor had such things as 
 the king commanded him come to 
 pass. 
 
 28 And in the next year he gathered 46 
 
 136 
 
 together threescore thousand chosen 
 footmen, and five thousand horse, that 
 he might subdue them. And they 
 came into Idumaea, and encamped at 
 Bethsura ; and Judas met them with 
 ten thousand men. And he saw that 
 the army was strong, and he prayed 
 and said, 
 
 Blessed art thou, O Saviour of Israel, 
 who didst quell the onset of the 
 mighty man by the hand of thy ser- 
 vant David, and didst deliver the army 
 of the 2 Philistines into the hands of 
 Jonathan the son of Saul, and of his 
 armourbearer : shut up this army in 
 the hand of thy people Israel, and let 
 them be ashamed for their host and 
 their horsemen : give them faintness 
 of heart, and cause the boldness of 
 their strength to melt away, and let 
 them quake at their destruction : cast 
 them down with the sword of them 
 that love thee, and let all that know 
 thy name praise thee with thanksgiv- 
 ing. 
 
 And they joined battle ; and there fell 
 of the army of Lysias about five thou- 
 sand men, and they fell down over 
 against them. But when Lysias saw 
 that his array was put to flight, and 
 the boldness that had come upon them 
 that were with Judas, and how they 
 were ready either to live or to die 
 nobly, he removed to Antioch, and 
 gathered together hired soldiers, that 
 he might come again into Judaea with 
 even a greater company. 
 
 But Judas and his brethren said, Be- 
 hold, our enemies are discomfited : let 
 us go up to cleanse the holy place, 
 and to dedicate it afresh. And all the 
 army was gathered together, and they 
 went up unto mount Sion. And they 
 saw the sanctuary laid desolate, and 
 the altar profaned, and the gates 
 burned up, and shrubs growing in the 
 courts as in afforest or as on one of 
 the mountains, and the priests' cham- 
 bers pulled down ; and they rent their 
 clothes, and made great lamentation, 
 and put ashes upon their heads, and 
 fell on their faces to the ground, and 
 * blew with the ^ solemn trumpets, and 
 cried toward heaven. Theii, Judas 
 appointed certain men to fight'against 
 those that were in the citadel, until he 
 should have cleansed the holy place. 
 
 And he chose blameless priests, such 
 as had pleasure in the law : and they 
 cleansed the holy place, and bare out 
 the stones of defilement into an un- 
 clean place. And they took coxmsel 
 concerning the altar of burnt offerings, 
 which had been profaned, what they 
 should do with it : and there came in- 
 to their mind a good counsel, that they 
 should pull it down, lest it shoukf be 
 a reproach to them, because the^^ en- 
 tiles had defiled it : and they ^tP^le^. 
 down the altar, and laid up th'^^/^^es 
 
5. 2. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 5. 19. 
 
 2 Or, 
 
 gave 
 
 praise, 
 
 looking 
 
 up unto 
 
 heaven, 
 
 to him 
 
 which 
 
 in the mountain of the house In a 
 convenient place, until there should 
 come a prophet to give an answer con- 
 
 47 cerning them. And they took whole 
 stones according to the law, and built 
 a new altar after the fashion of the 
 
 48 former ; and they built the holy place, 
 and the inner parts of the house ; and 
 
 49 they hallowed the courts. And they 
 made the holy vessels new, and they 
 brought the candlestick, and the altar 
 of burnt offerings and of incense, and 
 
 50 the table, into the temple. And they 
 burned incense upon the altar, and 
 they lighted the lamps that were upon 
 the candlestick, and they gave light 
 
 51 in the temple. And they set loaves 
 upon the table, and spread out the 
 veils, and finished all the works 
 which they made. 
 
 52 And they rose up early in the morn- 
 ing, on the five and twentieth day of 
 the ninth month, which is the month 
 Chislev, in ^the hundred and forty 
 
 53 and eighth year, and offered sacrifice 
 according to the law upon the new 
 altar of burnt offerings which they 
 
 54 had made. At what time and on what 
 day the Gentiles had profaned it, even 
 on that day was it dedicated afresh, 
 with songs and harps and lutes, and 
 
 55 with cymbals. And all the people fell 
 upon their faces, and worshipped, and 
 2 gave praise unto heaven, which had 
 
 56 given them good success. And they 
 kept the dedication of the altar eight 
 days, and offered burnt offerings with 
 gladness, and sacrificed a sacrifice of 
 
 57 deliverance and praise. And they 
 decked the forefront of the temple 
 with crowns of gold and small shields, 
 and dedicated afresh the gates and the 
 priests' chambers, and made doors for 
 
 58 them. And there was exceeding great 
 gladness among the people, and the 
 reproach of the Gentiles was turned 
 
 59 away. And Judas and his brethren 
 and the whole congregation of Israel 
 ordained, that the days of the dedica- 
 tion of the altar should be kept in 
 their seasons from year to year by the 
 space of eight days, from the five and 
 twentieth day of the month Chislev, 
 
 60 with gladness and joy. And at that 
 season they builded up the mount Sion 
 with high walls and strong towers 
 round about, lest haply the Gentiles 
 should come and tread them down, as 
 
 61 they had done aforetime. And he set 
 there a force to keep it, and they 
 fortified Bethsura to keep it ; that the 
 people might have a stronghold over 
 against Idumaea. 
 
 5 And it came to pass, when the Gen- 
 tiles round about heard that the altar 
 was built, and the sanctuary dedicated 
 as aforetime, they were exceeding 
 
 2 wroth. And they took counsel to de- 
 stroy the race of Jacob that was in 
 the midst of them, and they began to 
 
 slay and destroy among the people. 
 
 3 And Judas fought against the children 
 of Esau in Idumaea at Akrabattine, 
 because they besieged Israel : and he 
 smote them with a great slaughter, 
 and brought down their pride, and 
 
 4 took their spoils. And he remembered 
 the wickedness of the children of 
 3 Baean, who were unto the people a 
 snare and a stumblingblock, lying in 
 
 5 wait for them in the ways. And they 
 were shut up by him in the towers ; 
 and he encamped against them, and 
 destroyed them utterly, and burned 
 with fire the towers of the place, with 
 
 6 all that were therein. And he passed 
 over to the children of Ammon, and 
 found a mighty band, and much 
 people, with Timotheus for their 
 
 7 leader. And he fought many battles 
 with them, and they were discomfited 
 before his face ; and he smote them, 
 
 8 and gat possession of Jazer, and the 
 * villages thereof, and returned again 
 into Judaea. 
 
 9 And the Gentiles that were in Gilead 
 gathered themselves together against 
 the Israelites that were on their bor- 
 ders, to destroy them. And they fled 
 
 10 to the stronghold of Dathema, and 
 sent letters unto Judas and his bre- 
 thren, saying. The Gentiles that are 
 round about us are gathered together 
 
 11 against us to destroy us : and they are 
 preparing to come and get possession 
 of the stronghold whereunto we are 
 fled for refuge, and Timotheus is the 
 
 12 leader of their host. Now therefore 
 come and deliver us from their hand, 
 
 13 for many of us are fallen. And all 
 our brethren that were in the land of 
 5 Tubias have been put to death ; and 
 they have carried into captivity their 
 wives and their children and their 
 stuff ; and they destroyed there about 
 
 14 a thousand men. While the letters 
 were yet reading, behold, there came 
 other messengers from Galilee with 
 their clothes rent, bringing a report 
 
 15 after this wise, saying. That there 
 were gathered together against them 
 those of Ptolemais, and of Tyre, and 
 of Sidon, and all Galilee of the ^ Gen- 
 tiles, to consume them. 
 
 16 Now when Judas and the people 
 heard these words, there assembled 
 together a great congregation, to con- 
 sult what they should do for their 
 brethren, that were in tribulation, and 
 
 17 were assaulted of them. And Judas 
 said unto Simon his brother. Choose 
 thee out men, and go and deliver thy 
 brethren that are in Galilee, but I and 
 Jonathan my brother will go into the 
 
 18 land of Gilead. And he left Joseph 
 the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, as 
 leaders of the people, with the rem- 
 nant of the host, in Judaea, for to keep 
 
 19 it. And he gave conmiandment unto 
 them, saying. Take ye the charge of 
 
 137 K* 
 
 3 Com- 
 pare 
 2 Mace. 
 X. 18-23. 
 
 4Gr. 
 
 daugh- 
 ters. 
 
 Compare 
 Num. 
 
 6 Com- 
 pare 
 2 Mace 
 xu. 17. 
 
 8Gr. 
 
 stran- 
 gers. 
 
5. 36. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 5. 52. 
 
 1 Com- 
 pare 
 
 2 Mace, 
 xii. 13. 
 a Com- 
 pare 
 
 2 Mace, 
 xii. 21. 
 
 3 See 
 ver. 26. 
 
 this people, and fight no battle with 
 the Gentiles until that we come again. 
 
 20 And unto Simon were divided three 
 thousand men to go into Galilee, but 
 unto Judas eight thousand men to go 
 into the land of Gilead. 
 
 21 And Simon went into Galilee, and 
 fought many battles with the Gentiles, 
 and the Gentiles were discomfited 
 
 22 before him. And he pursued them 
 unto the gate of Ptolemais ; and there 
 fell of the Gentiles about three thou- 
 sand men, and he took their spoils. 
 
 23 And they took to them those that 
 were in Galilee, and in Arbatta, with 
 their wives and their children, and all 
 that they had, and brought them into 
 Judaea with great gladness. 
 
 24 And Judas Maccabaeus and his bro- 
 ther Jonathan passed over Jordan, 
 and went three days' journey in the 
 
 25 wilderness ; and they met with the 
 Nabathaeans, and these met them in a 
 peaceable manner, and told them all 
 things that had befallen their brethren 
 
 26 in the land of Gilead : and how that 
 many of them were shut up in Bosora, 
 and Bosor, and Alema, ^ Casphor, 
 Maked, and ^ Carnaim ; all these cities 
 
 27 are strong and great : and how that 
 they were shut up in the rest of the 
 cities of the land of Gilead, and that 
 to-morrow they have appointed to 
 encamp against the strongholds, and 
 to take them, and to destroy all these 
 
 28 men in one day. And Judas and his 
 army turned suddenly by the way of 
 the wilderness unto Bosora; and he 
 took the city, and slew all the males 
 with the edge of the sword, and took 
 all their spoils, and burned the city 
 
 29 with fire. And he removed from 
 thence by night, and went till he came 
 
 30 to the stronghold. And the morning 
 came, and they lifted up their eyes, 
 and, behold, much people which could 
 not be numbered, bearing ladders and 
 engines of war, to take the stronghold; 
 and they were fighting against them. 
 
 31 And Judas saw that the battle was 
 begun, and that the cry of the city 
 went up to heaven, with trumpets and 
 
 32 a great sound, and he said unto the 
 men of his host, Fight this day for 
 
 33 your brethren. And he went forth 
 behind them in three companies, and 
 they sounded with their trumpets, and 
 
 34 cried out in prayer. And the army of 
 Timotheus perceived that it was Mac- 
 cabaeus, and they fled from before 
 him : and he smote them with a great 
 slaughter ; and there fell of them on 
 that day about eight thousand men. 
 
 35 And he turned aside to Mizpeh and 
 fought against it, and took it, and 
 slew all the males thereof, and took 
 the spoils thereof, and burned it with 
 
 36 fire. From thence he removed, and 
 took 3 Casphor, Maked, Bosor, and the 
 other cities of the land of Gilead. 
 
 37 Now after these things Timotheus 
 gathered another army, and encamped 
 over against Kaphon beyond the 
 
 38 brook. And Judas sent men to espy 
 the army ; and they brought him word, 
 saying, All the Gentiles that be round 
 about us are gathered together unto 
 
 39 them, an exceeding great host. And 
 they have hired Arabians to help 
 them, and are encamping beyond the 
 brook, ready to come against thee to 
 battle. And Judas went to meet them. 
 
 40 And Timotheus said unto the captains 
 of his host, when Judas and his army 
 drew nigh unto the brook of water, If 
 he pass over first unto us, we shall 
 not be able to withstand him ; for he 
 
 41 will mightily prevail against us: but 
 if he be afraid, and encamp beyond 
 the river, we will cross over unto him, 
 
 42 and prevail against him. Now when 
 Judas came nigh unto the brook of 
 water, he caused the scribes of the 
 people to remain by the brook, and 
 gave commandment unto them, say- 
 ing, Sufi!er no man to encamp, but let 
 
 43 all come to the battle. And he crossed 
 over the first against them, and all the 
 people after him : and all the Gentiles 
 were discomfited before his face, and 
 cast away their arms, and fled unto 
 
 44 the temple at ^ Carnaim. And they 
 took the city, and burned the temple 
 with fire, together with all that were 
 therein. And Carnaim was subdued, 
 neither could they stand any longer 
 before the face of Judas. 
 
 45 And Judas gathered together all Is- 
 rael, them that were in the land of 
 Gilead, from the least unto the great- 
 est, and their wives, and their chil- 
 dren, and their stuff, an exceeding 
 great army, that they might come into 
 
 46 the land of Judah. And they came as 
 far as Ephron, and this same city was 
 great, and it was in the way as they 
 should go, exceeding strong: they 
 could not turn aside from it on the 
 right hand or on the left, but must 
 needs pass through the midst of it. 
 
 47 And they of the city shut them out, 
 and stopped up the gates with stones. 
 
 48 And Judas sent unto them with words 
 of peace, saying, We will pass through 
 thy land to go into our own land, and 
 none shall do you any hurt, we will 
 only pass by on our feet. And they 
 
 49 would not open unto him. And Judas 
 commanded proclamation to be made 
 in the army, that each man should 
 encamp in the place where he was. 
 
 50 And the men of the host encamped, 
 and fought against the city all that 
 day and all that night, and the city 
 
 51 was delivered into his hands ; and he 
 destroyed all the males with the edge 
 of the sword, and rased the city, and 
 took the spoils thereof, and passed 
 through the city over them that were 
 
 52 slain. And they went over Jordan 
 
6. 2. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 6. 20. 
 
 iGr. 
 
 daugh- 
 ters. 
 
 Compare 
 Num. 
 xxi.25. 
 «Gr. 
 stran- 
 gers. 
 » Or. 
 Marisa 
 See Jo- 
 sephus, 
 Antiq. 
 xii. 8. 6, 
 and 
 2 Mace, 
 xii. 'io. 
 * Some 
 ancient 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 they. 
 
 into the great plain over against Beth- 
 
 53 shau. And Judas gathered together 
 those that lagged behind, and encour- 
 aged the people all the way through, 
 until he came into the land of Judah. 
 
 54 And they went up to mount Sion with 
 gladness and joy, and offered whole 
 burnt offerings, because not so much 
 as one of them was slain until they 
 returned in peace. 
 
 55 And in the days when Judas and 
 Jonathan were in the land of Gilead, 
 and Simon his brother in Gahlee be- 
 
 56 fore Ptolemais, Joseph the son of 
 Zacharias, and Azarias, rulers of the 
 host, heard of their exploits and of the 
 
 57 war, what things they had done : and 
 they said. Let us also get us a name, 
 and let us go fight against the Gentiles 
 
 58 that are round about us. And they 
 gave charge unto the men of the host 
 that was with them, and went toward 
 
 59Jamnia. And Gorgias and his men 
 came out of the city to meet them in 
 
 60 battle. And Joseph and Azarias were 
 put to flight, and were pursued unto 
 the borders of Judaea ; and there fell 
 on that day of the people of Israel 
 
 61 aboyt two thousand men. And there 
 was a great overthrow among the peo- 
 ple, because they hearkened not unto 
 Judas and his brethren, thinking to do 
 
 62 some exploit. But they were not of the 
 seed of those men, by whose hand 
 deliverance was given unto Israel. 
 
 63 And the man Judas and his brethren 
 were glorified exceedingly in the sight 
 of all Israel, and of all the Gentiles, 
 wheresoever their name was heard of ; 
 
 64 and men gathered together unto them, 
 acclaiming them. 
 
 65 And Judas and his brethren went 
 forth, and fought against the children 
 of Esau in the land toward the south ; 
 and he smote Hebron and the ^ villages 
 thereof, and pulled down the strong- 
 holds thereof, and burned the towers 
 
 66 thereof round about. And he removed 
 to go into the laud of the 2 Philistines, 
 
 67 and he went through ^ Samaria. In 
 that day certain priests, desiring to 
 do exploits there, were slain in battle, 
 when as * he went out to battle unad- 
 
 68 visedly. And Judas turned aside to 
 Azotus, to the land of the ■ Philistines, 
 and pulled down their altars, and 
 burned the carved images of their 
 gods with fire, and took the spoil of 
 their cities, and retm-ned into the 
 land of Judah. 
 
 Q And king Antiochus was journeying 
 through the upper countries ; and he 
 heard say, that in Elymais in Persia 
 there was a city renowned for riches, 
 
 2 for silver and gold ; and that the tem- 
 ple which was in it was rich exceed- 
 ingly, and that therein were golden 
 shields, and breastplates, and arms, 
 which Alexander, son of Philip, the 
 Macedonian king, who reigned first 
 
 among the Greeks, left behind there. 
 
 3 And he came and sought to take the 
 city, and to pillage it ; and he was not 
 able, because the thing was known to 
 
 4 them of the city, and they rose up 
 against hun to battle : and he fled, 
 and removed thence with great heavi- 
 ness, to return unto Babylon. 
 
 5 And there came one bringing him 
 tidings into Persia, that the armies, 
 which went against the land of Ju- 
 
 6 dah, had been put to flight ; and that 
 Lysias went first with a strong host, 
 and was put to shame before them ; 
 and that they had waxed strong by 
 reason of arms and power, and with 
 store of spoils, which they took from 
 
 7 the armies that they had cut off ; and 
 that they had pulled down the abom- 
 ination which he had built upon the 
 altar that was in Jerusalem ; and that 
 they had compassed about the sanc- 
 tuary with high walls, as before, and 
 
 8 Bethsura, his city. And it came to 
 pass, when the king heard these 
 words, he was astonished and moved 
 exceedingly: and he laid him down 
 upon his bed, and fell sick for grief, 
 because it had not befallen him as he 
 
 9 looked for. And he was there many 
 days, because great grief was renewed 
 upon him, and he made account that 
 
 10 he should die. And he called for all 
 his 5 Friends, and said unto them. 
 Sleep departeth from mine eyes, and 
 
 11 my heart faileth for care. And I said 
 in my heart. Unto what tribulation 
 am I come, and how great a flood is 
 it, wherein I now am ! for I was gra- 
 
 12 cious and beloved in my power. But 
 now I remember the evils which I did 
 at Jerusalem, and that I took all the 
 vessels of silver and gold that were 
 therein, and sent forth to destroy the 
 inhabitants of Judah without a cause. 
 
 13 I perceive that on this account these 
 evils are come upon me, and, behold, 
 I perish through great grief in a 
 
 14 strange land. And he called for 
 Philip, one of his ° Friends, and set 
 
 15 him over all his kingdom, and gave 
 him his diadem, and his robe, and his 
 signet-ring, to the end he should bring 
 Antiochus his son, and nourish him 
 
 16 up that he might be king. And king 
 Antiochus died there in ^ the hundred 
 
 17 and forty and ninth year. And Lysias 
 knew that the king was dead, and he 
 set up Antiochus his son to. reign, 
 whom he had nourished up being 
 young, and he called his name Eu- 
 pator. 
 
 18 And they that were in the citadel 
 shut up Israel round about the sanc- 
 tuary, and sought always their hurt, 
 and the strengthening of the Gentiles. 
 
 19 And Judas thought to destroy them, 
 and called all the people together to 
 
 20 besiege them. And they were ga- 
 thered together, and besieged them 
 
 6 See eh. 
 ii.l8. 
 
 6 circa 
 B. C. 164. 
 
6. 37. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 6. 55. 
 
 1 circa 
 B. C. 163. 
 
 3 See ch. 
 ii.l8. 
 
 *Or, 
 
 itself 
 eager 
 for the 
 fight 
 
 in 1 the hundred and fiftieth year, and 
 he made mounds to shoot from, and 
 
 21 engines of war. And there came forth 
 some of them that were shut up, and 
 there were joined unto them certain 
 
 22 ungodly men of Israel. And they 
 went unto the king, and said. How 
 long wilt thou not execute judgement, 
 
 23 and avenge our brethren ? We were 
 willing to serve thy father, and to 
 walk after his words, and to follow 
 
 24 his commandments; and for this 
 cause the children of our people be- 
 sieged 2 the citadel, and were alien- 
 ated from us ; but as many of us as 
 they could light on they slew, and 
 
 25 spoiled our inheritances. And not 
 against us only did they stretch out 
 their hand, but also against all their 
 
 26 borders. And, behold, they are en- 
 camped this day against the citadel 
 at Jerusalem, to take it : and the sanc- 
 tuary and Bethsura have they fortified. 
 
 27 And if ye are not beforehand with 
 them quickly, they will do greater 
 things than these, and thou shalt not 
 be able to control them. 
 
 28 And when the king heard this, he 
 was angry, and gathered together all 
 his 3 Friends, even the rulers of his 
 host, and them that were over the 
 
 29 horse. And there came unto him 
 from other kingdoms, and from isles 
 of the sea, bands of hired soldiers. 
 
 30 And the number of his forces was 
 a hundred thousand footmen, and 
 twenty thousand horsemen, and two 
 and thirty elephants trained for war. 
 
 31 And they went through Idumaea, 
 and encamped against Bethsura, and 
 fought against it many days, and made 
 engines of war ; and they of Bethsura 
 came out, and burned them with fire, 
 
 32 and fought valiantly. And Judas re- 
 moved from the citadel, and encamped 
 at Bethzacharias, over against the 
 
 33 king's camp. And the king rose early 
 in the morning, and removed his army 
 * at full' speed along the road to Beth- 
 zacharias, and his forces made them 
 ready to battle, and sounded with the 
 
 34 trumpets. And they shewed the ele- 
 phants the blood of grapes and mul- 
 berries, that they might prepare them 
 
 35 for the battle. And they divided the 
 beasts among the phalanxes, and 
 they set by each elephant a thousand 
 men armed with coats of mail, and 
 helmets of brass on their heads ; and 
 for each beast were appointed five 
 
 36 hundred chosen horsemen. These 
 were ready beforehand, wheresoever 
 the beast was; and whithersoever 
 the beast went, they went with him ; 
 
 37 they departed not from him. And tow- 
 ers of wood were upon them, strong 
 and covered, one upon each beast, 
 girt fast upon him with cunning con- 
 trivances ; and upon each beast were 
 two and thirty valiant men that fought 
 
 38 
 
 39 
 
 40 
 
 41 
 
 42 
 
 43 
 
 44 
 
 45 
 
 46 
 
 47 
 
 48 
 
 49 
 
 53 
 
 54 
 
 55 
 
 upon them, beside his Indian (and the 
 residue of the horsemen he set on 
 this side and that side at the two 
 parts of the army), striking terror 
 i7ito the enemy, and protected by the 
 phalanxes. Now when the sun shone 
 upon the shields of gold and brass, 
 the mountains shone therewith, and 
 blazed like torches of fire. And a 
 part of the king's army was spread 
 upon the high mountains, and some 
 on the low ground, and they went on 
 firmly and in order. And all that 
 heard the noise of their multitude, 
 and the marching of the multitude, 
 and the rattling of the arms, did 
 quake: for the army was exceeding 
 great and strong. And Judas and his 
 army drew near for battle, and there 
 fell of the king's army six hundred 
 men. And Eleazar, who was called 
 Avaran, saw one of the beasts armed 
 with royal breastplates, and he was 
 higher than all the beasts, and the 
 king seemed to be upon him ; and he 
 gave himself to deliver his people, 
 and to get him an everlasting name ; 
 and he ran upon him courageously 
 into the midst of the phalanx, and 
 slew on the right hand and "on the 
 left, and they parted asunder from 
 him on this side and on that. And he 
 crept under the elephant, and thrust 
 him from beneath, and slew him ; and 
 the elephant fell to the earth upon 
 him, and he died there. And they saw 
 the strength of the kingdom, and the 
 fierce onset of the hosts, and turned 
 away from them. 
 
 But they of the king's army went up 
 to Jerusalem to meet them, and the 
 king encamped toward Judaea, and 
 toward mount Sion, And he made 
 peace with them of Bethsura ; and he 
 came out of the city, because they had 
 no food there to endure the siege, 
 because it was a sabbath to the land. 
 And the king took Bethsura, and ap- 
 pointed a garrison there to keep it. 
 And he encamped against the sanc- 
 tuary many days ; and set there 
 mounds to shoot from, and engines of 
 war, and instruments for casting fire 
 and stones, and pieces to cast darts, 
 and slings. And they also made en- 
 gines against their engines, and 
 fought for many days. But there 
 were no victuals in the sanctuary, 
 because it was the seventh year, and 
 they that fled for safety into Judaea 
 from among the Gentiles had eaten 
 up the residue of the store ; and there 
 were but a few left in the sanctuary, 
 because the famine prevailed against 
 them, and they were scattered, each 
 man to his own place. 
 
 And Lysias heard say, that Philip, 
 whom Antiochus the king, whiles he 
 was yet alive, appointed to nourish up 
 his son Antiochus, that he might be 
 
 140 
 
7. 9. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 7. 28. 
 
 1 circa 
 B. C. 162. 
 
 3 See ch. 
 ii. 18. 
 
 56 king, was returned from Persia ami 
 Media, and with him the forces tliat 
 went with the king, and that he was 
 seeking to take unto him the govern- 
 
 57 ment. And he made haste, and gave 
 consent to depart ; and he said to the 
 king and the leaders of the host and 
 to the men, We decay daily, and our 
 food Is scant, and the place where we 
 encamp is strong, and the affairs of 
 
 58 the kingdom lie upon us : now there- 
 fore let us give the right hand to these 
 men, and make peace with them and 
 
 59 with all their nation, and covenant 
 with them, that they shall walk after 
 their own laws, as aforetime : for be- 
 cause of their laws which we abol- 
 ished they were angered, and did all 
 
 60 these things. And the saying pleased 
 the king and the princes, and he sent 
 unto them to make peace ; and they 
 
 61 accepted thereof. And the king and 
 the princes sware unto them : there- 
 upon they came forth from the strong- 
 
 62 hold. And the king entered into 
 mount Sion ; and he saw the strength 
 of the place, and set at nought the 
 oa-th which he had sworn, and gave 
 commandment to pull down the wall 
 
 63 round about. And he removed in 
 haste, and returned unto Antioch, and 
 found Philip master of the city ; and 
 he fought against him, and took the 
 city by force. 
 
 7 In 1 the hundred and one and fiftieth 
 year Demetrius the son of Seleucus 
 came forth from Rom.e, and went up 
 with a few men unto a city by the sea, 
 
 2 and reigned there. And it came to 
 pass, when he would go into the house 
 of the kingdom of his fathers, that the 
 army laid hands on Antiochus and 
 
 3 Lysias, to bring them unto him. And 
 the thing was known to him, and 
 he said, Shew me not their faces. 
 
 4 And the army slew them. And De- 
 metrius sat upon the throne of his 
 
 5 kingdom. And there came unto him 
 all the lawless and ungodly men of 
 Israel ; and Alcimus was their leader, 
 
 6 desiring to be high priest ; and they 
 accused the people to the king, say- 
 ing, Judas and his brethren have de- 
 stroyed all thy friends, and have 
 
 7 scattered us from our own land. Now 
 therefore send a man whom thou 
 trustest, and let him go and see all 
 the havock which he hath made of us, 
 and of the king's country, and hoio 
 he hath punished them and all that 
 
 8 helped them. And the king chose 
 Bacchides, one of the king's ^ Friends, 
 who was ruler in the country beyond 
 the river, and was a great man in the 
 kingdom, and faithful to the king. 
 
 9 And he sent him, and that ungodly 
 Alcimus, and made sure to him the 
 high priesthood, and he commanded 
 him to take vengeance upon the chil- 
 dren of Israel. 
 
 And they removed, and came with 
 a great host into the land of Judah, 
 and he sent messengers to Judas and 
 his brethren with words of peace 
 deceitfully. And they gave no heed 
 to their words ; for they saw that they 
 were come with a great host. And 
 there were gathered together unto 
 Alcimus and Bacchides a company of 
 scribes, to seek for justice. And the 
 3 Hasidaeans were the first among the 
 children of Israel that sought peace 
 of them; for they said. One that is 
 a priest of the seed of Aaron is come 
 with the forces, and he will do us no 
 wrong. And he spake with them 
 words of peace, and sware unto them, 
 saying. We will seek the hurt neither 
 of you nor your friends. And they 
 gave him credence : and he laid hands 
 on threescore men of them, and slew 
 them in one day, according to the 
 word which the psalmist wrote, 
 * The flesh of thy saints did they 
 
 cast out. 
 And their blood did they shed round 
 
 about Jerusalem; 
 And there was no man to bury them. 
 
 And the fear and the dread of them 
 fell upon all the people, for they said. 
 There is neither truth nor judgement 
 in them; for they have broken the 
 covenant and the oath which they 
 sware. And Bacchides removed from 
 Jerusalem, and encamped in Bezeth ; 
 and he sent and took many of the de- 
 serters that were with him, and cer- 
 tain of the people, and he slew them, 
 and cast them into the great pit And 
 he made sure the country to Alcunus, 
 and left with him a force to aid him ; 
 and Bacchides went away unto the 
 king. 
 
 And Alcimus strove for his high 
 priesthood. And there were gathered 
 unto him all they that troubled their 
 people, and they got the mastery of 
 the land of Judah, and did great hurt 
 in Israel. And Judas saw all the mis- 
 chief that Alcimus and his company 
 had done among the children of Israel, 
 eveii above the Gentiles, and he went 
 out into all the coasts of Judaea round 
 about, and took vengeance on the men 
 that had deserted from him, and they 
 were restrained from going forth into 
 the country. But when Alcimus saw 
 that Judas and his company waxed 
 strong, and knew that he was not able 
 to withstand them, he returned to the 
 king, and brought evil accusations 
 against them. 
 
 ^ And the king sent Nicanor, one of 
 his honourable princes, a man that 
 hated Israel and was their enemy, and 
 commanded him to destroy the people. 
 And Nicanor came to Jerusalem with 
 a great host ; and he sent unto Judas 
 and his brethren deceitfully with 
 words of peace, saying. Let there be 
 
 141 
 
7. 46. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 8. 12. 
 
 1 Some 
 ancient 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 five thou- 
 sand. 
 
 3 Gr. 
 
 polluted 
 
 3 Gr. 
 
 Oazera. 
 4Gr. 
 trum- 
 pets of 
 signals. 
 8 Gr. out- 
 flanked 
 them. 
 
 no battle between me and you ; I will 
 come with a few men, that I may see 
 
 29 your faces in peace. And he came to 
 Judas, and they saluted one another 
 peaceably. And the enemies were 
 ready to take away Judas by vio- 
 
 30 lence. And the thing was known to 
 Judas, to wit, that he came unto him 
 with deceit, and he was sore afraid of 
 him, and would see his face no more. 
 
 31 And Nicanor knew that his counsel 
 was discovered ; and he went out to 
 meet Judas in battle beside Capharsa- 
 
 32 lama; and there fell of Nicanor's side 
 about 1 five hundred men, and they 
 fled into the city of David. 
 
 33 And after these things Nicanor went 
 up to mount Sion: and there came 
 some of the priests out of the sanc- 
 tuary, and some of the elders of the 
 people, to salute him peaceably, and 
 to shew him the whole burnt sacrifice 
 that was being offered for the king. 
 
 34 And he mocked them, and laughed at 
 them, and ^ entreated them shamefully, 
 
 35 and spake haughtily, and sware in a 
 rage, saying, Unless Judas and his 
 army be now delivered into my hands, 
 it shall be that, if I come again in 
 peace, I will burn up this house : and 
 
 36 he went out in a great rage. And the 
 priests entered in, and stood before 
 the altar and the temple; and they 
 
 37 wept, and said, Thou didst choose this 
 house to be called by thy name, to be 
 a house of prayer and supplication 
 
 38 for thy people: take vengeance on 
 this man and his army, and let them 
 fall by the sword: remember their 
 blasphemies, and suffer them not to 
 live any longer. 
 
 39 And Nicanor went forth from Jeru- 
 salem, and encamped in Bethhoron, 
 and there met him the host of Syria. 
 
 40 And Judas encamped in Adasa with 
 three thousand men : and Judas pray- 
 
 41 ed and said. When they that came 
 from the king blasphemed, thine an- 
 gel went out, and smote among them 
 a hundred and fourscore and five 
 
 42 thousand. Even so discomfit thou 
 this army before us to-day, and let all 
 the rest know that he hath spoken 
 wickedly against thy sanctuary, and 
 judge thou him according to his wick- 
 
 43 edness. And on the thirteenth day of 
 the month Adar the armies joined 
 battle : and Nicanor's army was dis- 
 comfited, and he himself was the first 
 
 44 to fall in the battle. Now when his 
 army saw that Nicanor was fallen, they 
 
 45 cast away their arms, and fled. And 
 they pursued after them a day's jour- 
 ney from Adasa until thou comest to 
 2 Gazara, and they sounded an alarm 
 after them with the ^ solemn trumpets. 
 
 46 And they came forth out of all the 
 villages of Judaea round about, and 
 s closed them in; and these turned 
 them back on those, and they all fell 
 
 by the sword, and there was not one 
 
 47 of them left. And they took the spoils, 
 and the booty, and they smote off 
 Nicanor's head, and his right hand, 
 which he stretched out so haughtily, 
 and brought them, and ^ hanged them 
 
 48 up beside Jerusalem. And the people 
 was exceeding glad, and they kept 
 that day as a day of great gladness. 
 
 49 And ^they ordained to keep this day 
 year by year, to wit, the thirteenth 
 
 50 day of Adar. And the land of Judah 
 had rest ^ a little while. 
 
 8 And Judas heard of the fame of the 
 Eomans, that they are valiant men, 
 and have pleasure in all that join 
 themselves unto them, and make 
 amity with all such as come unto 
 
 2 them, and that they are valiant men. 
 And they told him of their wars and 
 exploits which they do among the 
 Gauls, and how that they conquered 
 them, and brought them under tri- 
 
 3 bute ; and what things they did in 
 the land of Spain, that they might 
 become masters of the mines of silver 
 
 4 and gold which were there ; and how 
 that by their policy and persistence 
 they conquered all the place (and the 
 place was exceeding far from them), 
 and the kings that came against them 
 from the uttermost part of the earth, 
 until they had discomfited them, and 
 smitten them very sore ; and how the 
 rest give them tribute year by year : 
 
 5 and Philip, and Perseus, king of Chit- 
 tim, and them that lifted up them- 
 selves against them, did they discom- 
 fit in battle, and conquered them : 
 
 6 Antiochus also, the great king of 
 Asia, who came against them to 
 battle, having a hundred and twenty 
 elephants, with horse, and chariots, 
 and an exceeding great host, and he 
 
 7 was discomfited by them, and they 
 took him alive, and appointed that 
 both he and such as reigned after him 
 should give them a great tribute, and 
 should give hostages, and a parcel of 
 
 8 land, to tvit, the country of India, and 
 Media, and Lydia, and of the goodliest 
 of their countries ; and they took them 
 from him, and gave them to king 
 
 9Eumenes: and how they of Greece 
 took counsel to come and destroy 
 
 10 them; and the thing was known to 
 them, and they sent against them a 
 captain, and fought against them, and 
 many of them fell down wounded to 
 death, and they made captive their 
 wives and their children, and spoiled 
 them, and conquered their land, and 
 pulled down their strongholds, and 
 spoiled them, and brought them into 
 
 11 bondage unto this day : and the resi- 
 due of the kingdoms and of the isles, 
 as many as rose up against them at 
 any time, they destroyed and made 
 
 12 them to be their servants; but with 
 their friends and such as relied upon 
 
 142 
 
8. 28. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 9. 12. 
 
 them they kept amity ; and they con- 
 quered the kingdoms that were nigh 
 and those that were far off, and all 
 that heard of their fame were afraid 
 
 13 of them : moreover, whomsoever they 
 will to succour and to make kings, 
 these do they make kings ; and whom- 
 soever they will, do they depose ; and 
 
 14 they are exalted exceedingly: and 
 for all this none of them did ever 
 put on a diadem, neither did they 
 clothe themselves with purple, to be 
 
 15 magnified thereby : and how they had 
 made for themselves a senate house, 
 and day by day three hundred and 
 twenty men sat in council, consult- 
 ing alway for the people, to the end 
 
 16 they might be well ordered: and 
 how they commit their government 
 to one man year by year, that he 
 should rule over them, and be lord 
 over all their country, and all are 
 obedient to that one, and there is 
 neither envy nor emulation among 
 them. 
 
 17 And Judas chose Eupolemus the son 
 of John, the son of Accos, and Jason 
 the son of Eleazar, and sent them to 
 Kome, to make a league of amity and 
 
 18 confederacy with them, and that they 
 should take the yoke from them ; for 
 they saw that the kingdom of the 
 Greeks did keep Israel in bondage. 
 
 19 And they went to Kome (and the way 
 was exceeding long), and they entered 
 into the senate house, and answered 
 
 20 and said, Judas, who is also called 
 Maccabaeus, and his brethren, and the 
 people of the Jews, have sent us unto 
 you, to make a confederacy and peace 
 with you, and that we might be regis- 
 tered your confederates and friends. 
 
 21 And the thing was well-pleasing in 
 
 22 their sight. And this is the copy of 
 the writing which they wrote back 
 again on tables of brass, and sent to 
 Jerusalem, that it might be with them 
 there for a memorial of peace and con- 
 federacy : 
 
 23 Good success be to the Romans, and 
 to the nation of the Jews, by sea and 
 by land for ever : the sword also and 
 
 24 the enemy be far from them. But if 
 war arise for Rome first, or any of 
 their confederates in all their domin- 
 
 25 ion, the nation of the Jews shall help 
 them as confederates, as the occasion 
 shall prescribe to them, with all their 
 
 26 heart : and unto them that make war 
 upon them they shall not give, neither 
 supply, food, arms, money, or ships, as 
 it hath seemed good unto Rome, and 
 they shall keep their ordinances with- 
 
 27 out taking anything therefore. In the 
 same manner, moreover, if war come 
 first upon the nation of the Jews, the 
 Romans shall help them as confeder- 
 ates with all their soul, as the occasion 
 
 28 shall prescribe to them : and to them 
 that are confederates %vith their foes 
 
 there shall not be given food, arms, 
 money, or ships, as it hath seemed 
 good unto Rome ; and they shall keep 
 these ordinances, and that without de- 
 
 29 ceit. According to these words have 
 the Romans made a covenant thus 
 
 30 with the people of the Jews. But if 
 hereafter the one party and the other 
 shall take counsel to add or diminish 
 anything, they shall do it at their 
 pleasure, and whatsoever they shall 
 add or take away shall be established. 
 
 31 And as touching the evils which king 
 Demetrius doeth unto them, we have 
 written to him, saying, Wherefore 
 hast thou made thy yoke heavy upon 
 our friends and confederates the 
 
 32 Jews? If therefore they plead any 
 more against thee, we will do them 
 justice, and fight with thee by sea 
 and by land. 
 
 9 And Demetrius heard that Nicanor 
 was fallen with his forces in battle, and 
 he sent Bacchides and Alcimus again 
 into the land of Judah a second time, 
 and the right wing of his army with 
 
 2 them : and they went by the way that 
 leadeth to Gilgal, and encamped 
 against Mesaloth, which is in Arbela, 
 and gat possession of it, and destroy- 
 
 3 ed much people. And the first month 
 of 1 the hundred and fifty and second 
 year they encamped against Jerusa- 
 
 4 lem : and they removed, and went to 
 Berea, with twenty thousand footmen 
 
 5 and two thousand horse. And Judas 
 was encamped at Elasa, and three 
 
 6 thousand chosen men with him : and 
 they saw the multitude of the forces, 
 that they were many, and they feared 
 exceedingly : and many slipped away 
 out of the army ; there were not left 
 of them more than eight hundred men. 
 
 7 And Judas saw that his army slipped 
 away, and that the battle pressed up- 
 on him, and he was sore troubled in 
 heart, for that he had no time to 
 gather them together, and he waxed 
 
 8 faint. And he said to them that were 
 left, Let us arise and go up against 
 our adversaries, if peradventure we 
 
 9 may be able to fight with them. And 
 they would have dissuaded him, say- 
 ing. We shall in no wise be able : but 
 let us rather save our lives now: let 
 us return again, we and oiu" brethren, 
 and fight against them: but we are 
 
 10 few. And Judas said. Let it not be so 
 that I should do this thing, to flee 
 from them : and if our time is come, 
 let us die manfully for our brethren's 
 sake, and not leave a cause of re- 
 
 llproach against our gloi-y. And the 
 host removed from the camp, and 
 stood to encounter them, and the 
 horse was parted into two companies, 
 and the slingers and the archers went 
 before the host, and all the mighty 
 men that fought in the front of the 
 
 12 battle. But Bacchides was in the 
 
 1 circa 
 B.C. 161. 
 
 143 
 
9. 33. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 9. 53. 
 
 right wing; and the phalanx drew 
 near on the two parts, and they blew 
 
 13 with their trumpets. And the men 
 of Judas' side, even they sounded 
 with their trumpets, and the earth 
 shook with the shout of the armies, 
 and the battle was joined, and con- 
 tinued from morning until evening. 
 
 14 And Judas saw that Bacchides and 
 the strength of his army were on the 
 right side, and there went with him all 
 
 15 that were brave in heart, and the right 
 wing was discomfited by them, and he 
 pursued after them unto the mount 
 
 16 Azotus. And they that were on the 
 left wing saw that the right wing was 
 discomfited, and they turned and fol- 
 lowed upon the footsteps of Judas and 
 
 17 of those that were with him : and the 
 battle waxed sore, and many on both 
 
 18 parts fell wounded to deatb. And 
 
 19 Judas fell, and the rest fled. And 
 Jonathan and Simon took Judas their 
 brother, and buried him in the sepul- 
 
 20 chre of his fathers at Modin. And 
 they bewailed him, and all Israel 
 made great lamentation for him, and 
 
 21 mourned many days, and said. How 
 Is the mighty fallen, the saviour of 
 
 22 Israel! And the rest of the acts of 
 Judas, and his wars, and the valiant 
 deeds which he did, and his greatness, 
 they are not written; for they were 
 exceeding many. 
 
 23 And it came to pass after the death 
 of Judas, that the lawless put forth 
 their heads in all the coasts of Israel, 
 and all they that wrought iniquity 
 
 24 rose up (in those days was there an 
 exceeding great famine), and the coun- 
 
 25 try went over with them. And Bac- 
 chides chose out the ungodly men, 
 and made them loi-ds of the country. 
 
 26 And they sought out and searched 
 for the friends of Judas, and brought 
 them unto Bacchides, and he took 
 vengeance on them, and used them 
 
 27 despitefully. And there was great 
 tribulation in Israel, such as was not 
 since the time that no prophet ap- 
 
 28peared unto them. And all the 
 friends of Judas were gathered to- 
 gether, and they said unto Jonathan, 
 
 29 Since thy brother Judas hath died, we 
 have no man like him to go forth 
 against our enemies and Bacchides, 
 and among them of our nation that 
 
 30 hate us. Now therefore we have 
 chosen thee this day to be our prince 
 and leader in his stead, that thou 
 
 31 mayest fight our battles. And Jona- 
 than took the governance upon him 
 at that time, and rose up in the stead 
 of his brother Judas. 
 
 32 And Bacchides knew it, and he 
 
 33 sought to slay him. And Jonathan, 
 and Simon his brother, and all that 
 were with him, knew it ; and they fled 
 into the wilderness of Tekoah, and 
 encamped by the water of the pool 
 
 34Asphar. And Bacchides knew it on 
 the sabbath day, and came, he and 
 
 35 all his army, over Jordan. And Joncu- 
 than sent his brother, a leader of the 
 multitude, and besought his friends 
 the Nabathgeans, that they might 
 leave with them their baggage, which 
 
 36 was much. And the children of Jam- 
 bri came out of Medaba, and took 
 John, and all that he had, and went 
 their way with it. 
 
 37 But after these things they brought 
 word to Jonathan and Simon his bro- 
 ther, that the children of Jambri were 
 making a great marriage, and were 
 bringing the bride from Nadabath 
 witli a great train, a daughter of one 
 
 38 of the great nobles of Canaan. And 
 they remembered John their brother, 
 and went up, and hid themselves un- 
 
 39 der the covert of the mountain : and 
 they lifted up their eyes, andsaw, and, 
 behold,a great ado and much baggage : 
 and the bridegroom came forth, and 
 his friends and his brethren, to meet 
 them with timbrels, and minstrels, and 
 
 40 many weapons. And they rose up 
 against them from their ambush, and 
 slew them, and many fell wounded to 
 death, and the remnant fled into the 
 mountain, and they took all their 
 
 41 spoils. And the marriage was turned 
 into mourning, and the voice of their 
 
 42 minstrels into lamentation. And they 
 avenged fully the blood of their bro- 
 ther, and turned back to the marsh of 
 Jordan. 
 
 43 And Bacchides heard it, and he came 
 on the sabbath day unto the banks of 
 
 44 Jordan with a great host. And Jona- 
 than said to his company, Let us stand 
 up now and fight for our lives, for it is 
 not with us to-day, as yesterday and 
 
 45 the day before. For, behold, the battle 
 is before us and behind us ; moreover 
 the water of the Jordan is on this side 
 and on that side, and marsh and wood ; 
 and there is no place to turn aside, 
 
 46 Now therefore cry unto heaven, that 
 ye may be delivered out of the hand 
 
 47 of your enemies. And the battle was 
 joined, and Jonathan stretched forth 
 his hand to smite Bacchides, and he 
 
 48 turned away back from him. And 
 Jonathan and they that were with him 
 leapt into the Jordan, and swam over 
 to the other side : and they did not 
 
 49 pass over Jordan against them. And 
 there fell of Bacchides' company that 
 
 50 day about a thousand men ; and he re- 
 turned to Jerusalem. And they builded 
 strong cities in Judaea, the stronghold 
 that was in Jericho, and Emmaus, and 
 Bethhoron, and Bethel, and Timnath, 
 Pharathon, and Tephon, with high 
 
 51 walls and gates and bars. And in 
 them he set a garrison, to vex Israel. 
 
 52 And he fortified the city Bethsura, and 
 Gazara, and the citadel, and put forces 
 
 53 in them, and store of victuals. And 
 
9. 70. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 10. 16. 
 
 » circa 
 B. C. IGO. 
 
 he took the sons of the chief men of 
 the country for hostages, and put 
 them in ward in the citadel at Jeru- 
 salem. 
 
 54 And in ^ the hundred and fifty and 
 third year, in the second month, Al- 
 cimus commanded to pull down the 
 wall of the inner court of the sanc- 
 tuary ; he pulled down also the works 
 
 55 of the prophets ; and he began to pull 
 down. At that time was Alcimus 
 stricken, and his works were hindered; 
 and his mouth was stopped, and he 
 was taken with a palsy, and he could 
 no more speak anything and give 
 
 56 order concerning his house. And Al- 
 cimus died at that time with great 
 
 57 torment. And Bacchides saw that Al- 
 cimus was dead, and he returned to 
 the king : and the land of Judah had 
 rest two years, 
 
 58 And all the lawless men took coun- 
 sel, saying. Behold, Jonathan and they 
 of his part are dwelling at ease, and in 
 security : now therefore we will bring 
 Bacchides, and he shall lay hands on 
 
 59 them all in one night. And they went 
 
 60 and consulted with him. And he re- 
 moved, and came with a great host, 
 and sent letters privily to all his con- 
 federates that were in Judaea, that 
 they should lay hands on Jonathan 
 and those that were with him : and 
 they could not, because their counsel 
 
 61 was known unto them. And theijthat 
 were of Jonathan'' s part laid hands on 
 about fifty of the men of the country, 
 that were authors of the wickedness, 
 
 62 and he slew them. And Jonathan, 
 and Simon, and they that were with 
 him, gat them away to Bethbasi,which 
 Is in the wilderness, and he built up 
 that which had been pulled down 
 
 63 thereof, and they made it strong. And 
 Bacchides knew it, and he gathered 
 together all his multitude, and sent 
 word to them that were of Judaea. 
 
 64 And he went and encamped against 
 Bethbasi, and fought against it many 
 
 65 days, and made engines of war. And 
 Jonathan left his brother Simon in 
 the city, and went forth into the coun- 
 
 66 try, and he went with a few men. And 
 he smote Odomera and his brethren, 
 and the children of Phasiron in their 
 
 67 tent. And they began to smite them, 
 and to go up with their forces. And 
 Simon and they that were with him 
 went out of the city, and set on fire 
 
 68 the engines of war, and fought against 
 Bacchides, and he was discomfited by 
 them, and they afflicted him sore ; for 
 his counsel was in vain, and his in- 
 
 69 road. And they were very wroth with 
 the lawless men that gave him counsel 
 to come into the country, and they 
 slew many of them. And he took coun- 
 
 70 sel to depart into his own land. And 
 Jonathan had knowledge thereof, and 
 sent ambassadors unto him, to the 
 
 145 
 
 end that they should make peace with 
 him, and that he should restore unto 
 
 71 them the captives. And he accepted 
 the thing, and did according to his 
 words, and sware unto him that he 
 would not seek his hurt all the days 
 
 72 of his life. And he restored unto him 
 the captives which he had taken 
 aforetime out of the land of Judah, 
 and he returned and departed into 
 his own land, and came not any more 
 
 73 into their borders. And the sword 
 ceased from Israel. And Jonathan 
 dwelt at Michmash; and Jonathan 
 began to judge the people; and he 
 destroyed the ungodly out of Israel. 
 
 10 And in 2 the hundred and sixtieth 
 year Alexander Epiphanes, the son of 
 Antiochus, went up and took posses- 
 sion of Ptolemais : and they received 
 
 2 him, and he reigned there. And king 
 Demetrius heard thereof, and he 
 gathered together exceeding great 
 forces, and went forth to meet him in 
 battle. 
 
 3 And Demetrius sent letters unto 
 Jonathan with words of peace, so as 
 
 4 to magnify him. For he said. Let us 
 be beforehand to make peace with 
 them, ere he make peace with Alex- 
 
 5 ander against us : for he will remem- 
 ber all the evils that we have done 
 against him, and unto his brethren 
 
 6 and uuto his natioa And he gave him 
 authority to gather together forces, 
 and to provide arms, and that he 
 should be his confederate: and he 
 commanded that they should deliver 
 up to hira the hostages that were in 
 the citadel. 
 
 7 And Jonathan came to Jerusalem, 
 
 and read the letters in the audience of 
 all the people, and of them that were 
 
 8 In the citadel : and they were sore 
 afraid, when they heard that the king 
 had given him authority to gather 
 
 9 together a host. And they of the 
 citadel delivered up the hostages unto 
 Jonathan, and he restored them unto 
 
 10 their parents. And Jonathan dwelt 
 in Jerusalem, and began to build and 
 
 1 1 renew the city. And he commanded 
 them that did the work to build the 
 walls and the mount Sion round about 
 with 2 square stones for defence ; and 
 
 12 they did so. And the strangers, that 
 were in the strongholds which Bacchi- 
 
 13des had built, fled away; and each 
 man left his place, and departed into 
 
 14 his own land. Only at Bethsura were 
 there left certain of those that had for- 
 saken the law and the commandments; 
 for it was a place of refuge unto them. 
 
 15 And king Alexander heard all the 
 promises which Demetrius had sent 
 unto Jonathan : and they told him of 
 the battles and the valiant deeds which 
 he and his brethren had done, and of 
 
 16 the toils which they had endiu-ed ; and 
 he said, Shall we find such another 
 
 L 
 
 2 circa 
 B. C. 153. 
 
 3 So the 
 versions 
 and Jo- 
 seph us. 
 Gr. four- 
 foot 
 stones. 
 
10. 34. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 10. 48. 
 
 1 See ch. 
 ii. 18. 
 Compare 
 ver. 65. 
 
 2 circa 
 B.C. 153. 
 
 man? and now we will make him our 
 171 Friend and confederate. And he 
 wrote letters, and sent them unto 
 him, according to these words, say- 
 ing, 
 
 18 King Alexander to his brother Jona- 
 
 19 than, greeting : We have heard of thee, 
 that thou art a mighty man of valour, 
 
 20 and meet to he our ^ Friend. And 
 now we have appointed thee this day 
 to be high priest of thy nation, and to 
 be called the king's ^ Friend (and he 
 sent unto him a purple robe and a 
 crown of gold), and to take our part, 
 and to keep friendship with us. 
 
 21 And Jonathan put on the holy gar- 
 ments in the seventh month of 2 the 
 hundred and sixtieth year, at the 
 feast of tabernacles, and he gathered 
 together forces, and provided arms in 
 abundance. 
 
 22 And Demetrius heard these things, 
 
 23 and he was grieved, and said, What is 
 this that we have done, that Alexander 
 hath been beforehand with us in estab- 
 lishing friendship with the Jews, to 
 
 24 strengthen himself ? I also will write 
 unto them words of encouragement 
 and of honour and of gifts, that they 
 
 25 may be with me to aid me. And he 
 sent unto them according to these 
 words : 
 
 King Demetrius unto the nation of 
 
 26 the Jews, greeting : Forasmuch as ye 
 have kept your covenants with us, 
 and continued in our friendship, and 
 have not joined yourselves to our 
 enemies, we have heard hereof, and 
 
 27 are glad. And now continue ye still to 
 keep faith with us, and we will recom- 
 pense unto you good things in return 
 
 28 for your dealings with us, and will 
 grant you many immunities, and give 
 
 29 you gifts. And now do I free you, and 
 release all the Jews, from the tributes, 
 and from the customs of salt, and from 
 
 30 the crowns. And instead of the third 
 part of the seed, and instead of the 
 half of the fruit of the trees, which 
 falleth to me to receive, I release it 
 from this day and henceforth, so that 
 I will not take it from the land of 
 Judah, and from the three govern- 
 ments which are added thereunto from 
 the country of Samaria and Galilee, 
 from this day forth and for all time. 
 
 31 And let Jerusalem be holy and free, 
 and her borders ; the tenths and the 
 
 32 tolls also. I yield up also my author- 
 ity over the citadel which is at Jeru- 
 salem, and give it to the high priest, 
 that he may appoint in it such men as 
 
 33 he shall choose to keep it. And every 
 soul of the Jews, that hath been car- 
 ried captive from the land of Judah 
 into any part of my kingdom, I set at 
 liberty without price ; and let all remit 
 
 34 the tributes of their cattle also. And 
 all the feasts, and the sabbaths, and 
 new moons, and appointed days, and 
 
 37 
 
 38 
 
 39 
 
 40 
 
 41 
 
 42 
 
 43 
 
 44 
 
 45 
 
 46 
 
 47 
 
 48 
 
 three days before a feast, and three 
 days after a feast, let them all be 
 days of immunity and release for all 
 the Jews that are in my kingdom. 
 And no man shall have authority to 
 exact from any of them, or to trouble 
 them concerning any matter. And let 
 there be enrolled among the king's 
 forces about thirty thousand men of 
 the Jews, and pay shall be given unto 
 them, as belongeth to all the king's 
 forces. And of them some shall be 
 placed in the king's great strongholds, 
 and some of them shall be placed over 
 the affairs of the kingdom, which are 
 of trust : and let those that are over 
 them, and their rulers, be of them- 
 selves, and let them walk after their 
 own laws, even as the king hath com- 
 manded in the land of Judah. And the 
 three governments that have been 
 added to Judaea from the country of 
 Samaria, let them be added to Judaea, 
 that they may be reckoned to be un- 
 der one, that they may not obey other 
 authority than the high priest's. As 
 for Ptolemais, and the land pertaining 
 thereto, I have given it as a gift to 
 the sanctuary that is at Jerusalem, 
 for the expenses that befit the sanc- 
 tuary. And I give every year fifteen 
 thousand shekels of silver from the 
 king's revenues from the places that 
 are convenient. And all the overplus, 
 which they that manage the king's 
 affairs paid not in as in the first years, 
 they shall give from henceforth to- 
 ward the works of the house. And 
 beside this, the five thousand shekels 
 of silver, which they received from 
 the uses of the sanctuary from the 
 revenue year by year, this also is re- 
 leased, because it appertaineth to the 
 priests that minister. And whoso- 
 ever shall flee unto the temple that 
 is at Jerusalem, and be found within 
 all the borders thereof, whether one 
 owe moneys to the king, or any other 
 matter, let them go free, and all that 
 they have in my kingdom. And for 
 the building and renewing of the 
 works of the sanctuary the expense 
 shall be given also out of the king's 
 revenue. And for the building of the 
 walls of Jerusalem, and the fortifying 
 thereof round about, shall the expense 
 be given also out of the king's reve- 
 nue, and for the building of the walls 
 in Judaea. 
 Now when Jonathan and the people 
 heard these words, they gave no cre- 
 dence unto them, nor received them, 
 because they remembered the great 
 evil which he had done in Israel, and 
 that he had afflicted them very sore. 
 And they were well pleased with 
 Alexander, because he was the first 
 that spake words of peace unto them, 
 and they were confederate with him 
 always. And king Alexander ga- 
 
 146 
 
10. 65. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 10. 84. 
 
 1 circa 
 B.C. 151. 
 
 3 See ch. 
 U.18. 
 Compare 
 ver. 65. 
 
 thered together great forces, and en- 
 4:9 camped over against Demetrius. And 
 the two kuigs joined battle, and the 
 army of Alexander fled; and Deme- 
 trius followed after him, and prevailed 
 
 50 against them. And he strengthened 
 the battle exceedingly until the sun 
 went down : and Demetrius fell that 
 day. 
 
 5 1 And Alexander sent ambassadors to 
 Ptolemy king of Egj'pt according to 
 
 52 these words, saying, Forasmuch as I 
 am returned to my kingdom, and am 
 set on the throne of my fathers, and 
 have gotten the dominion, and have 
 overthro^vn Demetrius, and have got- 
 
 53 ten possession of our country; yea, 
 I joined battle with him, and he 
 and his army were discomfited by us, 
 and we sat upon the throne of his 
 
 54 kingdom : now also let us establish 
 amity one with the other, and give me 
 now thy daughter to wife : and I will 
 make affinity with thee, and will give 
 both thee and her gifts worthy of thee. 
 
 55 And Ptolemy the king answered, say- 
 ing, Happy is the day wherein thou 
 didst return into the land of thy 
 fathers, and didst sit on the throne 
 
 56 of their kingdom. And now will I do 
 to thee, as thou hast written: but 
 meet me at Ptolemais, that we may 
 see one another; and I will make 
 affinity with thee, even as thou hast 
 
 57 saicL And Ptolemy went out of 
 Egypt, himself and Cleopatra his 
 daughter, and came unto Ptolemais 
 in 1 the hundred and threescore and 
 
 58 second year : and king Alexander 
 met him, and he bestowed on him his 
 daughter Cleopatra, and celebrated 
 her marriage at Ptolemais with great 
 pomp, as the manner of kings is. 
 
 59 And king Alexander wrote unto Jo- 
 nathan, that he should come to meet 
 
 60 him. And he went with pomp to 
 Ptolemais, and met the two kings, and 
 gave them and their ^ Friends silver 
 and gold, and many gifts, and found 
 
 6 1 favour in their sight. And there were 
 gathered together against him certain 
 pestilent fellows out of Israel, men 
 that were transgressors of the law, to 
 complain against him: and the king 
 
 62 gave no heed to them. And the king 
 commanded, and they took off Jona- 
 than's garments, and clothed him in 
 
 63 purple : and thus they did. And the 
 king made him sit with him, and said 
 unto his princes, Go forth with him 
 into the midst of the city, and make 
 proclamation, that no man complain 
 against him of any matter, and let no 
 man trouble him for any manner of 
 
 64 cause. And it came to pass, when 
 they that complained against him saw 
 his glory according as the herald 
 made proclamation, and saw hira 
 clothed in purple, they all fled away. 
 
 65 And the king gave him honour, and 
 
 66 
 
 67 
 
 68 
 
 69 
 
 70 
 
 71 
 
 72 
 
 73 
 
 74 
 
 75 
 
 76 
 
 77 
 
 80 
 
 81 
 
 83 
 
 84 
 147 
 
 wrote him among his ^ chief Friends, 
 and made him a captain, and gover- 
 nor of a province. And Jonathan 
 returned to Jerusalem with peace 
 and gladness. 
 
 And in * the hundred and threescore 
 and fifth year came Demetrius, son of 
 Demetrius, out of Crete into the land 
 of his fathers: and king Alexander 
 heard thereof, and he was grieved ex- 
 ceedingly, and returned unto Antioch. 
 And Demetrius appointed Apollonius, 
 who was over Ccelesyria, and he 
 gathered together a great host, and 
 encamped in Jamnia, and sent unto 
 Jonathan the high priest, saying. 
 
 Thou alone liftest up thyself against 
 us, but I am had in derision and in re- 
 proach because of thee. And why dost 
 thou vaunt thy power against us in the 
 mountains? Now therefore, if thou 
 trustest in thy forces, come down to us 
 into the plain, and there let us try the 
 matter together; for with me is the 
 power of the cities. Ask and learn 
 who I am, and the rest that help us ; 
 and they say. Your foot cannot stand 
 before our face ; for thy fathers have 
 been twice put to flight in their own 
 land. And now thou shalt not be able 
 to abide the horse and such a host as 
 this in the plain, where is neither stone 
 nor flint, nor place to flee unto. 
 
 Now when Jonathan heard the words 
 of Apollonius, he was moved in his 
 mind, and he chose out ten thousand 
 men, and went forth from Jerusalem, 
 and Simon his brother met him for to 
 help him. And he encamped against 
 Joppa : and they of the city shut him 
 out, because Apollonius had a garrison 
 in Joppa : and they fought against it 
 And they of the city were afraid, and 
 opened unto him : and Jonathan be- 
 came master of Joppa. And Apollo- 
 nius heard, and he gathered an army 
 of three thousand horse, and a great 
 host, and went to Azotus as though he 
 were on a journey, and therewithal 
 drew onward into the plain, because 
 he had a multitude of horse, and 
 trusted therein. And he pursued after 
 him to Azotus, and the armies joined 
 battled And Apollonius had left a 
 thousand horse behind them privily. 
 And Jonathan knew that there was an 
 ambushment behintrhim. And they 
 compassed round his army, and cast 
 their darts at the people, from morn- 
 ing until evening : but the people stood 
 still, as Jonathan commanded them : 
 and their horses were wearied. And 
 Simon drew forth his host, and joined 
 battle with the phalanx (for the horse- 
 men were spent), and they were dis- 
 comfited by him, and fled. And the 
 horsemen were scattered in the plain, 
 and they fled to Azotus, and entered 
 into Beth-dagon, their idol's temple, 
 to save themselves. And Jonathan 
 
 3 See ch. 
 xi.27; 
 2 Mace, 
 viii. 9. 
 Compare 
 ch. ii. 18 ! 
 ver. 16, 
 &c. 
 
 s Most 
 of the 
 authori- 
 ties here 
 repeat 
 
 repi 
 
 after 
 
11. 13. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 11. 33. 
 
 burned Azotus, and the cities round 
 about it, and took their spoils; and 
 the temple of Dagon, and them that 
 
 85 fled into it, he burned with fire. And 
 they that had fallen by the sword, 
 with them that were burned, were 
 
 86 about eight thousand men. And from 
 thence Jonathan removed, and en- 
 camped against Ascalon, and they of 
 the city came forth to meet him with 
 
 87 great pomp. And Jonathan, with them 
 that were on his side, returned unto 
 
 88 Jerusalem, having many spoils. And 
 it came to pass, when king Alexander 
 heard these things, he honoured Jona- 
 
 89 than yet more ; and he sent unto him 
 a buckle of gold, as the use is to give 
 to such as are of the kindred of the 
 kings : and he gave him Ekron and all 
 the coasts thereof for a possession. 
 
 11 And the king of Egypt gathered to- 
 gether great forces, as the sand which 
 is by the sea shore, and many ships, 
 and sought to make himself master 
 of Alexander's kingdom by deceit, and 
 
 2 to add it to his own kingdom. And 
 he went forth into Syria with words 
 of peace, and they of the cities opened 
 unto him, and met him; for king 
 Alexander's commandment was that 
 they should meet him, because he was 
 
 3 his father in law. Now as he entered 
 into the cities of Ptolemais, he set his 
 forces for a garrison in each city. 
 
 4 But when he came near to Azotus, 
 they shewed him the temple of Dagon 
 burned with fire, and Azotus and the 
 suburbs thereof pulled down, and the 
 bodies cast abroad, and them that had 
 been burned, whom he burned in the 
 war, for they had made heaps of them 
 
 5 in his way. And they told the king 
 what things Jonathan had done, that 
 they might cast blame on him: and 
 
 6 the king held his peace. And Jona- 
 than met the king with pomp at Joppa, 
 and they saluted one another, and 
 
 7 they slept there. And Jonathan went 
 with the king as far as the river that 
 is called Eleutherus, and returned to 
 
 8 Jerusalem. But king Ptolemy became 
 master of the cities upon the sea coast, 
 unto Seleucia which is by the sea, and 
 he devised evil devices concerning 
 
 9 Alexander. And he sent ambassadors 
 unto king Demetrius, saying. Come, 
 let us make a covenant with one an- 
 other, and I will give thee my daughter 
 whom Alexander hath, and thou shalt 
 
 10 reign over thy father's kingdom ; for 
 I have repented that I gave my 
 daughter unto him, for he sought to 
 
 11 slay me. And he cast blame on him, 
 
 12 because he coveted his kingdom. And 
 taking his daughter from him, he gave 
 her to Demetrius, and was estranged 
 from Alexander, and their enmity was 
 
 13 openly seen. And Ptolemy entered 
 into Antioch, and put on himself the 
 diadem of Asia ; and he put two dia- 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 
 24 
 
 27 
 
 28 
 
 29 
 
 dems upon his head, the diadem of 
 Egypt and that of Asia. But king 
 Alexander was in Cilicia at that sea- 
 son, because they of those parts were 
 in revolt. And Alexander heard of it, 
 and he came against him in war : and 
 Ptolemy led forth his host, and met 
 him with a strong force, and put him 
 to flight. And Alexander fled into 
 Arabia, that he might be sheltered 
 there ; but king Ptolemy was exalted. 
 And Zabdiel the Arabian took off 
 Alexander's head, and sent it to Ptol- 
 emy. And king Ptolemy died the 
 third day after, and they that were in 
 his strongholds were slain by them 
 that were in the strongholds. And 
 Demetrius reigned in Hhe hundred 
 and threescore and seventh year. 
 
 In those days Jonathan gathered 
 together them of Judaea, to take the 
 citadel that was at Jerusalem : and he 
 made many engines of war against it. 
 And certain that hated their own na- 
 tion, men that transgressed the law, 
 went unto the king, and reported to 
 him that Jonathan was besieging the 
 citadel. And he heard, and was an- 
 gered ; but when he heard it, he set 
 forth immediately, and came to Ptole- 
 mais, and wrote unto Jonathan, that 
 he should not besiege it, and that he 
 should meet him and speak with him 
 at Ptolemais with all speed. But 
 when Jonathan heard this, he com- 
 manded to besiege it still: and he 
 chose certain of the elders of Israel 
 and of the priests, and put himself 
 in peril, and taking silver and gold 
 and raiment and divers presents be- 
 sides, went to Ptolemais unto the 
 king. And he found favour in his 
 sight. And certain lawless men of 
 them that were of the nation made 
 complaints against him, and the king 
 did unto him even as his predecessors 
 had done unto him, and exalted him 
 in the sight of all his ^ Friends, and 
 confirmed to him the high priest- 
 hood, and all the other honours that 
 he had before, and gave him preemi- 
 nence among his ^ chief Friends. 
 And Jonathan requested of the king, 
 that he would make Judaea free from 
 tribute, and the three * provinces, and 
 the country of Samaria; and pro- 
 mised him three hundred talents. And 
 the king consented, and wrote letters 
 unto Jonathan concerning all these 
 things after this manner : 
 
 King Demetrius unto his brother 
 Jonathan, and unto the nation of the 
 Jews, greeting : The copy of the letter 
 which we wrote unto Lasthenes our 
 kinsman concerning you, we have 
 written also unto you, that ye may see 
 it. King Demetrius imto Lasthenes 
 his father, greeting : We have deter- 
 mined to do good to the nation of the 
 Jews, who are our friends, and ob- 
 
 148 
 
11. 46. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 11. 63. 
 
 serve what is just toward us, because 
 
 34 of their good will toward us. We have 
 confirmed therefore unto them the 
 borders of Judaea, and also the three 
 govermnents of Aphaeremaand Lydda 
 and Ramathaim {these were added 
 unto Judaea from the country of Sa- 
 maria), and all things appertaining 
 unto them, for all such as do sacrifice 
 in Jerusalem, instead of the Icing's 
 dues whicli the king received of them 
 yearly aforetime from the produce 
 of the earth and the fruits of trees. 
 
 35 And as for the other things that per- 
 tain unto us from henceforth, of the 
 tenths and the tolls that pertain unto 
 us, and the saltpits, and the crowns 
 that pertain unto us, all these we will 
 
 36 bestow upon them. And not one of 
 these things shall be annulled from 
 
 37 this time forth and for ever. Now 
 therefore be careful to make a copy 
 of these things, and let it be given 
 unto Jonathan, and let it be set up 
 on the holy mount in a meet and con- 
 spicuous place. 
 
 38 And king Demetrius saw that the 
 land was quiet before him, and that 
 no resistance was made to him, and 
 he sent away all his forces, each man 
 to his own place, except the foreign 
 forces, which he had raised from the 
 isles of the Gentiles : and all the forces 
 
 39 of his fathers hated him. Now Try- 
 phon was of those who aforetime 
 had been of Alexander's part, and he 
 saw that all the forces murmured 
 against Demetrius, and he went to 
 Imalcue the Arabian, who was nour- 
 ishing up Antiochus the young child 
 
 40 of Alexander, and pressed sore upon 
 him that he should deliver him unto 
 him, that he might reign in his father's 
 stead : and he told him all that De- 
 metrius had done, and the hatred 
 wherewith his forces hated him ; and 
 he abode there many days. 
 
 41 And Jonathan sent unto king De- 
 metrius, that he should cast out of 
 Jerusalem them of the citadel, and 
 them that were in the strongholds ; 
 for they fought against Israel con- 
 
 42 tinually. And Demetrius sent unto 
 Jonathan, saying, I will not only do 
 this for thee and thy nation, but I 
 will greatly honour thee and thy na- 
 
 43 tion, if I find fair occasion. Now there- 
 fore thou Shalt do well, if thou send 
 me men who shall fight for me ; for all 
 
 44 my forces are revolted. And Jona- 
 than sent him three thousand valiant 
 men unto Antioch : and they came to 
 the king, and the king was glad at 
 
 45 their coming. And they of the city 
 gathered themselves together into the 
 midst of the city, to the number of a 
 hundred and twenty thousand men, 
 and they were minded to slay the 
 
 46 king. And the king fled into the court 
 of the palace, and they of the city 
 
 47 
 
 53 
 
 54 
 
 58 
 
 61 
 
 62 
 
 63 
 
 seized the passages of the city, and 
 began to fight. And the king called 
 the Jews to help him, and they were 
 gathered together unto him all at once, 
 and they dispersed themselves in the 
 city, and slew that day to the number 
 of a hundred thousand. And they set 
 the city on fire, and gat many spoils 
 that day, and saved the king. And 
 they of the city saw that the Jews had 
 made themselves masters of the city 
 as they would, and they waxed faint 
 in their hearts, and they cried out to 
 the king with supplication, saying. 
 Give us thy right hand, and let the 
 Jews cease from fighting against us 
 and the city. And they cast away 
 their arms, and made peace ; and the 
 Jews were glorified in the sight of the 
 king, and before all that were in his 
 kingdom; and they returned to Je- 
 rusalem, having many spoils. And 
 king Demetrius sat on the throne of 
 his kingdom, and the land was quiet 
 before him. And he lied in all that 
 he spake, and estranged himself from 
 Jonathan, and recompensed him not 
 according to the benefits with which 
 he had recompensed him, and aflfiicted 
 him exceedingly. 
 
 Now after this Tryphon returned, 
 and with him the young child Antio- 
 chus ; and he reigned, and put on a 
 diadem. And there were gathered 
 unto him all the forces which Deme- 
 trius had sent away with disgrace, and 
 they fought against him, and he fled 
 and was put to the rout. And Tryphon 
 took the elephants, and became mas- 
 ter of Antioch. And the young Anti- 
 ochus wrote unto Jonathan, saying, I 
 confirm unto thee the high priesthood, 
 and appoint thee over the four govern- 
 ments, and to be one of the king's 
 ^ Friends. And he sent unto him 
 golden vessels and furniture for the 
 table, and gave him leave to drink in 
 golden vessels, and to be clothed in 
 purple, and to have a golden buckle. 
 And his brother Simon he made cap- 
 tain from the Ladder of Tyre unto the 
 borders of Egypt. And Jonathan went 
 forth, and took his journey beyond the 
 river and through the cities ; and all 
 the forces of Syria gathered them- 
 selves unto him for to be his confed- 
 erates. And he came to Ascalon, and 
 they of the city met him honourably. 
 And he departed thence to Gaza, and 
 they of Gaza shut him out ; and he 
 laid siege unto it, and burned the sub- 
 urbs thereof with fire, and spoiled 
 them. And they of Gaza made re- 
 quest unto Jonathan, and he gave 
 them his right hand, and took the 
 sons of their princes for hostages, and 
 sent them away to Jerusalem ; and he 
 passed through the coimtry as far as 
 Damascus. 
 
 And Jonathan heard that Demetrius' 
 
 149 
 
12. 8. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 12. 27. 
 
 1 So the 
 old 
 Latin 
 versions 
 and Jo- 
 sephus : 
 compare 
 also ver. 
 20. All 
 the other 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 Darius 
 in this 
 place. 
 
 princes were come to Kedesh, which is 
 in Galilee, with a great host, purposing 
 
 64 to remove him from his office ; and he 
 went to meet them, but Simon his 
 
 65 brother he left in the country. And Si- 
 mon encamped against Bethsura, and 
 fought against it many days, and shut 
 
 66 it up : and they made request to him 
 that he would give them his right 
 hand, and he gave it to them ; and he 
 put them out from thence, and took 
 possession of the city, and set a gar- 
 
 67 rison over it. And Jonathan and his 
 army encamped at the water of Gen- 
 nesareth, and early in the morning 
 they gat them to the plain of Hazor. 
 
 68 And, behold, an army of strangers met 
 him in the plain, and they laid an 
 ambush for him in the mountains, but 
 
 69 themselves met him face to face. But 
 they that lay in ambush rose out of 
 their places, and joined battle; and 
 all they that were of Jonathan's side 
 
 70 fled : not one of them was left, except 
 Mattathias the son of Absalom, and 
 Judas the son of Chalphi, captains of 
 
 71 the forces. And Jonathan rent his 
 clothes, and put earth upon his head, 
 
 72 and prayed. And he turned again unto 
 them in battle, and put them to the 
 
 73 rout, and they fled. And they of his 
 side that fled saw it, and returned 
 unto him, and pursued with him unto 
 Kedesh unto their camp, and they 
 
 74 encamped there. And there fell of the 
 strangers on that day about three 
 thousand men: and Jonathan re- 
 turned to Jerusalem. 
 
 12 And Jonathan saw that the time 
 served him, and he chose men, and 
 sent them to Rome, to confirm and 
 renew the friendship that they had 
 
 2 with them. And to the Spartans, and 
 to other places, he sent letters after 
 
 3 the same manner. And they went 
 unto Rome, and entered into the sen- 
 ate house, and said, Jonathan the high 
 priest, and the nation of the Jews, 
 have sent us, to renew for them the 
 friendship and the confederacy, as in 
 
 4 former time. And they gave them 
 letters unto the men in every place, 
 that they should bring them on their 
 way to the land of Judah in peace. 
 
 5 And this is the copy of the letters 
 which Jonathan wrote to the Spar- 
 tans : 
 
 6 Jonathan the high priest, and the 
 senate of the nation, and the priests, 
 and the rest of the people of the Jews, 
 unto their brethren the Spartans, 
 
 7 greeting : Even before this time were 
 letters sent unto Onias the high priest 
 from 1 Arius, who was reigning among 
 you, to signify that ye are our bre- 
 thren, as the copy here underwritten 
 
 Ssheweth. And Onias entreated hon- 
 ourably the man that was sent, and 
 received the letters, wherein declara- 
 tion was made of confederacy aud 
 
 9 friendship. Therefore we also, albeit 
 we need none of these things, having 
 for our encouragement the holy books 
 
 10 which are in our hands, have assayed 
 to send that we might renew our bro- 
 therhood and friendship with you, to 
 the end that we should not become 
 estranged from you altogether: for 
 long time is passed since ye sent unto 
 
 11 us. We therefore at all times with- 
 out ceasing, both in our feasts, and on 
 the other convenient days, do remem- 
 ber you in the sacrifices which we 
 offer, and in our prayers, as it is right 
 and meet to be mindful of brethren : 
 
 12 and moreover are glad for your glory. 
 
 13 But as for ourselves, many afflictions 
 and many wars have encompassed us, 
 and the kings that are round about us 
 
 14 have fought against us. We were not 
 minded therefore to be troublesome 
 unto you, and to the rest of our con- 
 federates and friends, in these wars ; 
 
 15 for we have the help which is from 
 heaven to help us, and we have been 
 delivered from our enemies, and our 
 
 16 enemies have been brought low. We 
 chose therefore Numenius the son of 
 Antiochus, and Antipater the son of 
 Jason, and have sent them unto the 
 Romans, to renew the friendship that 
 we had with them, and the former con- 
 
 17 federacy. We commanded them 
 therefore to go also unto you, and to 
 salute you, and to deliver you our 
 letters concerning the renewing of 
 
 1% friendship 2i\\(\ our brotherhood. And 
 now ye shall do well if ye give us an 
 answer thereto. 
 
 19 And this is the copy of the letters 
 which they sent to Onias : 
 
 20 Arius king of the Spartans to Onias 
 
 21 the chief priest, greeting: It hath 
 been found in writing, concerning the 
 Spartans and the Jews, that they are 
 brethren, and that they are of the 
 
 22 stock of Abraham : and now, since 
 this is come to our knowledge, ye 
 shall do well to write unto us of your 
 
 23 2 prosperity. And we moreover do 
 write on our part to you, that your 
 cattle and goods are ours, and ours 
 are yours. We do command there- 
 fore that they make report unto you 
 on this wise. 
 
 24 And Jonathan heard that Demetrius' 
 princes were returned to fight against 
 him with a greater host than afore, 
 
 25 and he removed from Jerusalem, and 
 met them in the country of Hamath ; 
 for he gave them no respite to set foot 
 
 26 in his country. And he sent spies 
 into his camp, and they came again, 
 and reported to him that they were 
 appointed in such and such a way to 
 fall upon them in the night season. 
 
 27 But so soon as the sun was down, 
 Jonathan commanded his men to 
 watch, and to be in arms, that all the 
 night long they might be ready for 
 
 150 
 
12. 45. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 13. 10. 
 
 1 Some 
 authori- 
 ties add 
 and de- 
 parted. 
 
 a Or. 
 
 Sephela. 
 
 3 See ch. 
 ii. 18. 
 
 battle: and he put forth sentinels 
 
 28 round about the camp. And the ad- 
 versaries heard that Jonathan and his 
 men were ready for battle, and they 
 feared, and trembled in their hearts, 
 and they kindled fires in their camp ^ 
 
 29 But Jonathan and his men knew it 
 not till the morning; for they saw the 
 
 30 lights burning. And Jonathan pur- 
 sued after them, and overtook them 
 not ; for they were gone over the river 
 
 3 1 Eleutherus. And Jonathan turned 
 aside to the Arabians, who are called 
 Zabadaeans, and smote them, and took 
 
 32 their spoils. And he set out from 
 thence, and came to Damascus, and 
 took his journey through all the coun- 
 
 33 try. And Simon went forth, and took 
 his journey as far as Ascalon, and the 
 strongholds that were near unto it. 
 And he turned aside to Joppa, and 
 
 34 took possession of it ; for he had heard 
 that they were minded to deliver the 
 stronghold unto the men of Deme- 
 trius ; and he set a garrison there to 
 keep it. 
 
 35 And Jonathan returned, and called 
 the elders of the people together ; and 
 he took counsel with them to build 
 
 36 strongholds in Judaea, and to make 
 the walls of Jerusalem higher, and to 
 raise a great mound between the 
 citadel and the city, for to separate 
 it from the city, that so it might 
 be all alone, that men might neither 
 
 37 buy nor sell. And they were gathered 
 together to build the city, and there 
 fell down part of the wall of the brook 
 that is on the east side, and he repair- 
 ed that which is called Chaphenatha. 
 
 38 And Simon also built Adida in the 
 * plain country, and made it strong, 
 and set up gates and bars. 
 
 39 And Tryphon sought to reign over 
 Asia and lo put on himself the diadem, 
 and to stretch forth his hand against 
 
 40 Antiochus the king. And he was afraid 
 lest haply Jonathan should not suffer 
 him, and lest he should fight against 
 him ; and he sought a way how to take 
 him, that he might destroy him. And 
 he removed, and came to Bethshan. 
 
 41 And Jonathan came forth to meet him 
 with forty thousand men chosen for 
 
 42 battle, and came to Bethshan. And 
 Tryphon saw that he came with a 
 great host, and he was afraid to stretch 
 
 43 forth his hand against him : and he 
 received him honourably, and com- 
 mended him unto all his ^ Friends, and 
 gave him gifts, and commanded his 
 forces to be obedient unto him, as unto 
 
 44 himself. And he said unto Jonathan, 
 Why hast thou put all this people 
 to trouble, seeing there is no war 
 
 45 betwixt us ? And now send them 
 away to their homes, but choose for 
 thyself a few men who shall be with 
 thee, and come thou with me to Pto- 
 lemais, and I will give it up to thee, 
 
 and the rest of the strongholds and 
 the rest of the forces, and all the 
 king's officers : and I will return and 
 depart; for this is the cause of my 
 
 46 coming. And he put trust in him, 
 and did even as he said, and sent 
 away his forces, and they departed in- 
 
 47 to the land of Judah. But he reserved 
 to himself three thousand men, of 
 whom he left two thousand in Galilee, 
 but one thousand went with him. 
 
 48 Now as soon as Jonathan entered into 
 Ptolemais,they of Ptolemais shut the 
 gates, and laid hands on him; and 
 all them that came in with him they 
 
 49 slew with the sword. And Tryphon 
 sent forces and horsemen into Galilee, 
 and into the great plain, to destroy all 
 
 50 Jonathan's men. And they perceived 
 that he was taken and had perished, 
 and they that were with him; and 
 they encouraged one another, and 
 went on their way close together, 
 
 5 1 prepared to fight. And they that 
 followed upon them saw that they 
 were ready to fight for their lives, and 
 
 52 turned back again. And they all came 
 in peace into the land of Judah, and 
 they mourned for Jonathan, and them 
 that were with him, and they were sore 
 afraid ; and all Israel mourned with 
 
 53 a great mourning. And all the Gen- 
 tiles that were round about them 
 sought to destroy them utterly: for 
 they said. They have no ruler, nor any 
 to help them : now therefore let us 
 fight against them, and take away 
 their memorial from among men. 
 
 13 And Simon heard that Tryphon had 
 gathered together a mighty host to 
 come into the land of Judah, and 
 
 2 destroy it utterly. And he saw that 
 the people trembled and was in great 
 fear; and he went up to Jerusalem, 
 
 3 and gathered the people together ; and 
 he encouraged them, and said unto 
 them, Ye yourselves know all the 
 things that I, and my brethren, and 
 my father's house, have done for the 
 laws and the sanctuary, and the battles 
 and the distresses which we have seen : 
 
 4 by reason hereof all my brethren have 
 perished for Israel's sake, and I am 
 
 5 left alone. And now be it far from 
 me, that I should spare mine own life 
 in any time of affliction ; for I am not 
 
 6 better than my brethren. Howbeit I 
 will take vengeance for my nation, and 
 for the sanctuary, and for our wives 
 and children ; because all the Gentiles 
 are gathered to destroy us of very 
 
 7 hatred. And the spirit of the people 
 revived, as soon as they heard these 
 
 Swords. And they answered with a 
 loud voice, saying, Thou art our leader 
 instead of Judas and Jonathan thy 
 
 9 brother. Fight thou our battles, and 
 
 all that thou shalt say unto us, that 
 
 10 will we do. And he gathered together 
 
 all the men of war, and made haste 
 
 151 
 
13. 29. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 13. 47. 
 
 iQr. 
 pan- 
 oplies. 
 
 to finish the walls of Jerusalem, and 
 
 11 he fortified it round about. And he 
 sent Jonathan the son of Absalom, 
 and with him a great host, to Joppa : 
 and he cast out them that were there- 
 in, and abode there in it. 
 
 12 And Tryphon removed from Ptole- 
 mais with a mighty host to enter into 
 the land of Judah, and Jonathan was 
 
 13 with him in ward. But Simon en- 
 camped at Adida, over against the 
 
 14 plain. And Tryphon knew that Simon 
 was risen up instead of his brother 
 Jonathan, and meant to join battle 
 with him, and he sent ambassadors 
 
 15 unto him, saying. It is for money 
 which Jonathanthy brother owed unto 
 the king's treasure, by reason of the 
 oflices which he liad, that we hold 
 
 16 him fast. And now send a hundred 
 talents of silver, and two of his sons 
 for hostages, that when he is set at 
 liberty he may not revolt from us, 
 
 17 and we will set him at liberty. And 
 Simon knew that they spake unto him 
 deceitfully ; and he sendeth the money 
 and the children, lest peradventure he 
 should procure to himself great hatred 
 
 18 of the people, and they should say, 
 Because I sent him not the money and 
 
 19 the children, he perished. And he 
 sent the children and the hundred 
 talents. And he dealt falsely, and did 
 
 20 not set Jonathan at liberty. And after 
 this Tryphon came to invade the land, 
 and destroy it, and he went round 
 about by the way that leadeth unto 
 Adora: and Simon and his army 
 marched over against him to every 
 
 21 place, wheresoever he went. Now 
 they of the citadel sent unto Tryphon 
 ambassadors, hastening him to come 
 unto them through the wilderness, and 
 
 22 to send them victuals. And Tryphon 
 made ready all his horse to come : and 
 on that night there fell a very great 
 snow, and he came not by reason of 
 the snow. And he removed, and came 
 
 23 into the country of Gilead. But when 
 he came near to Bascama, he slew 
 Jonathan, and he was buried there. 
 
 24 And Tryphon returned, and went 
 away into his own land. 
 
 25 And Simon sent, and took the bones 
 of Jonathan his brother, and buried 
 him at Modin, the city of his fathers. 
 
 26 And all Israel made great lamentation 
 over him, and mourned for him many 
 
 27 days. And Simon built a monument 
 upon the sepulchre of his father and 
 his brethren, and raised it aloft to the 
 sight, with polished stone behind and 
 
 2 8 before. And he set up seven pyra- 
 mids, one over against another, for 
 his father, and his mother, and his 
 
 29 four brethren. And for these he made 
 cunning devices, setting about them 
 great pillars, and upon the pillars he 
 fashioned ^ all manner of arms for a 
 perpetual memory, and beside the 
 
 152 
 
 ^ arms ships carved, that they should 
 be seen of all that sail on the sea. 
 
 30 This is the sepulchre which he made 
 at Modin, and it is there unto this day. 
 
 31 Now Tryphon dealt deceitfully with 
 the young king Antiochus, and slew 
 
 32 him, and reigned in his stead, and put 
 on himself the diadem of Asia, and 
 brought a great calamity upon the 
 
 33 land. And Simon built the strong- 
 holds of Judaea, and fenced them 
 about with high towers, and great 
 walls, and gates, and bars; and he 
 laid up victuals in the strongholds. 
 
 34 And Simon chose men, and sent to 
 king Demetrius, to the end he should 
 give the country an immunity, because 
 all that Tryphon did was to plunder. 
 
 35 And king Demetrius sent unto him 
 according to these words, and an- 
 swered him, and wrote a letter unto 
 him, after this manner : 
 
 36 King Demetrius unto Simon the high 
 priest and ^ Friend of kings, and unto 
 the elders and nation of the Jews, 
 
 37 greeting: The golden crown, and the 
 palm branch, which ye sent, we have 
 received : and we are ready to make a 
 3 stedfast peace with you, yea, and to 
 write unto our officers, to grant Im- 
 
 38 munities unto you. And whatsoever 
 things we confirmed unto you, they 
 are confirmed; and the strongholds, 
 which ye have builded, let them be 
 
 39 your own. As for any oversights and 
 faults committed unto this day, we 
 forgive them, and the crown which ye 
 owed us : and if there were any other 
 toll exacted in Jerusalem, let it be 
 
 40 exacted no longer. And if there be 
 any among you meet to be enrolled 
 in our court, let them be enrolled, and 
 let there be peace betwixt us. 
 
 41 In * the hundred and seventieth year 
 was the yoke of the heathen taken 
 
 42 away from Israel. And the people 
 began to write in their instruments 
 and contracts. In the first year of 
 Simon the great high priest and cap- 
 tain and leader of the Jews. 
 
 43 In those days he encamped against 
 s Gazara, and compassed it round 
 about with armies ; and he made an 
 engine of siege, and brought it up to 
 the city, and smote a tower, and took 
 
 44 it. And they that were in the engine 
 leaped forth into the city ; and there 
 
 45 was a great uproar in the city : and 
 they of the city rent their clothes, and 
 went up on the walls with their wives 
 and children, and cried with a loud 
 voice, making request to Simon to give 
 
 46 them ^ his right hand. And they said, 
 Deal not with us according to our 
 wickednesses, but according to thy 
 
 47 mercy. And Simon was reconciled 
 unto them, and did not fight against 
 them: and he put them out of the 
 city, and cleansed the houses wherein 
 the idols were, and so entered into it 
 
14. 10. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 14. 27. 
 
 1 circa 
 B. C. 142. 
 
 3 Circa 
 B.C.141. 
 
 3 Gr. im- 
 plements 
 of mu- 
 nition. 
 
 48 with siuging and giving praise. And 
 he put all uncleanness out of it, and 
 placed in it such men as would keep 
 the law, and made it stronger than it 
 was before, and built therein a dwell- 
 ing place for himself. 
 
 49 But they of the citadel in Jerusalem 
 were hindered from going forth, and 
 from going into the countrj^ and from 
 buying and selling; and they hungered 
 exceedingly, and a great number of 
 
 50 them perished through famine. And 
 they cried out to Simon, that he should 
 give them his right hand ; and he gave 
 it to them : and he put them out from 
 thence, and he cleansed the citadel 
 
 51 from its pollutions. And he entered 
 into it on the three and twentieth day 
 of the second month, in ^ the hundred 
 and seventy and first year, with praise 
 and palm branches, and with harps, 
 and with cymbals, and with viols, and 
 with hymns, and with songs : because 
 a great enemy was destroyed out of 
 
 52 Israel. And he ordained that they 
 should keep that day every year with 
 gladness. And the liill of the temple 
 that was by the citadel he made 
 stronger than before, and there he 
 
 53 dwelt, himself and his men. And 
 Simon saw that John his son was a 
 valiant man, and he made him leader 
 of all his forces: and he dwelt in 
 Gazara. 
 
 14 And in ^the hundred and seventy 
 and second year king Demetrius ga- 
 thered his forces together, and went 
 into Media, to get him help, that he 
 
 2 might fight against Tryphon. And Ar- 
 saces, the king of Persia and Media, 
 heard that Demetrius was come into 
 his borders, and he sent one of his 
 
 3 princes to take him alive : and he went 
 and smote the army of Demetrius, and 
 took him, and brought him to Arsaces ; 
 and he put him in ward. 
 
 4 And the land had rest all the days of 
 Simon : and he sought the good of his 
 nation ; and his authority and his glory 
 was well-pleasing to them all his days. 
 
 5 And amid all his glory he took Joppa 
 for a haven, and made it an entrance 
 
 6 for the isles of the sea; and he en- 
 larged the borders of his nation, and 
 
 7 gat possession of the country ; and he 
 gathered together a great number of 
 captives, and gat the dominion of 
 Gazara, and Bethsura, and the citadel, 
 and he took away from it its unclean- 
 nesses ; and there was none that re- 
 
 8 sisted him. And they tilled their land 
 in peace, and the land gave her in- 
 crease, and the trees of the plains 
 
 9 their fruit. The ancient men sat in the 
 streets, they communed all of them 
 together of good things, and the young 
 men put on glorious and warlike ap- 
 
 10 parel. He provided victuals for the 
 cities, and furnished them with ^ all 
 manner of munition, until the name of 
 
 153 
 
 his glory was named unto the end of 
 
 11 the earth. He made peace in the 
 land, and Israel rejoiced with great 
 
 12 joy : and they sat each man under his 
 vine and his fig tree, and there was 
 
 13 none to make them afraid : and there 
 ceased in the land any that fought 
 against them: and the kings were 
 
 14 discomfited in those days. And he 
 strengthened all those of his people 
 that were brought low: the law he 
 searched out, and every lawless and 
 
 15 wicked person he took away. He 
 glorified the sanctuary, and the ves- 
 sels of the temple he multiplied. 
 
 16 And it was heard at Rome that Jona- 
 than was dead, and even unto Sparta, 
 
 17 and they were exceeding sorry. But 
 as soon as they heard that his brother 
 Simon was made high priest in his 
 stead, and ruled the country, and the 
 
 18 cities therein, they wrote unto him on 
 tables of brass, to renew with him the 
 friendship and the confederacy which 
 they had confirmed with Judas and 
 
 19 Jonathan his brethren ; and they 
 were read before the congregation at 
 
 20 Jerusalem. And this is the copy of 
 the letters which the Spartans sent: 
 
 The rulers of the Spartans, and the 
 city, unto Simon the high priest, and 
 unto the elders, and the priests, and 
 the residue of the people of the Jews, 
 
 21 our brethren, greeting : The ambassa- 
 dors that were sent unto our people 
 made report to us of your glory and 
 honour: and we were glad for their 
 
 22 coming, and we did register the things 
 that were spoken by them in the 
 * public records after this manner: 
 Numenius son of Antiochus, and Anti- 
 pater son of Jason, the Jews' ambas- 
 sadors, came unto us to renew the 
 
 23 friendship they had with us. And it 
 pleased the people to entertain the 
 men honourably, and to put the copy 
 of their words in the ^ public records, 
 to the end that the people of the 
 Spartans might have a memorial 
 thereof : moreover they wrote a copy 
 of these things unto Simon the high 
 priest. 
 
 24 After this Simon sent Numenius to 
 Rome with a great shield of gold of a 
 thousand pound weight, in order to 
 confirm the confederacy with them. 
 
 25 But when the people heard these 
 things, they said. What thanks shall 
 
 26 we give to Simon and his sons? for 
 he and his brethren and the house 
 of his father have made themselves 
 strong, and have chased away in fight 
 the enemies of Israel from them, and 
 
 27 confirmed liberty to « Israel. And 
 they wrote on tables of brass, and set 
 them upon pillars in mount Sion : and 
 this is the copy of the writing : 
 
 On the eighteenth day of Elul, in 
 2 the hundred and seventy and second 
 year, and this is the thu-d year of 
 
 *Gr. 
 
 counsels 
 of the 
 people. 
 
 6 Gr. 
 
 books 
 that 
 are ap- 
 pointed 
 for the 
 people. 
 
 «Gr. 
 
 him. 
 
14. 42. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 15. 8. 
 
 1 Per- 
 haps a 
 Hebrew 
 title of 
 Simon 
 under- 
 lies these 
 words. 
 
 2 Gr. 
 he made 
 
 3 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 <icts. 
 
 * See ch. 
 U.18. 
 
 28 Simon the high priest, ^in Asaramel, 
 in a great congregation of priests and 
 people and princes of the nation, and 
 of the elders of the country, ^ was it 
 
 29 notified unto us : Forasmuch as often- 
 times there have been wars in the 
 country, but Simon the son of Matta- 
 thias, the son of the sons of Joarib, 
 and his brethren, put themselves in 
 jeopardy, and withstood the enemies 
 of their nation, that their sanctuary 
 and the law might be established, and 
 glorified their nation with great glory : 
 
 30 and Jonathan assembled their na- 
 tion together, and became their high 
 priest, and was gathered to his peo- 
 
 31 pie: and their enemies purposed to 
 invade their country, that they might 
 destroy their country utterly, and 
 stretch forth their hands against their 
 
 32 sanctuary : then rose up Simon, and 
 fought for his nation, and spent much 
 of his own substance, and armed the 
 valiant men of his nation, and gave 
 
 33 them wages : and he fortified the 
 cities of Judaea, and Bethsura that 
 lieth upon the borders of Judaea, 
 where the arms of the enemies were 
 aforetime, and set there a garrison of 
 
 34 Jews: and he fortified Joppa which 
 is upon the sea, and Gazara which is 
 upon the borders of Azotus, wherein 
 the enemies dwelt aforetime, and 
 placed Jews there, and set therein all 
 things convenient for the reparation 
 
 35 thereof : and the people saw the 
 3 faith of Simon, and the glory which 
 he thought to bring unto his nation, 
 and they made him their leader and 
 high priest, because he had done all 
 these things, and for the justice and 
 the faith which he kept to his nation, 
 and for that he sought by all means 
 
 36 to exalt his people : and in his days 
 things prospered in his hands, so that 
 the Gentiles were taken away out of 
 their country, and they also that were 
 In the city of David, they that were in 
 Jerusalem, who had made themselves 
 a citadel, out of which they issued, 
 and polluted all things round about 
 the sanctuary, and did great hurt 
 
 37 unto its purity ; and he placed Jews 
 therein, and fortified it for the safety 
 of the country and the city, and made 
 
 38 high the walls of Jerusalem : and king 
 Demetrius confirmed to him the high 
 priesthood according to these things, 
 
 39 and made him one of his * Friends, 
 and honoured him with great honour ; 
 
 40 for he had heard say, that the Jews 
 had been called by the Romans friends 
 and confederates and brethren, and 
 that they had met the ambassadors of 
 
 41 Simon honourably ; and that the Jews 
 and the priests were well pleased that 
 Simon should be their leader and 
 high priest for ever, until there should 
 
 42 arise a faithful prophet ; and that he 
 should be captain over them, and 
 
 should take charge of the sanctuary, 
 to set them over their works, and over 
 the country, and over the arms, and 
 over the strongholds ; and that he 
 should take charge of the sanctuary, 
 
 43 and that he should be obeyed by all, 
 and that all instruments in the country 
 should be written in his name, and 
 that he should be clothed in purple, 
 
 44 and wear gold ; and that it should not 
 be lawful for any of the people or of 
 the priests to set at nought any of 
 these things, or to gainsay the words 
 that he should speak, or to gather an 
 assembly in the country without him, 
 or to be clothed in purple, or wear a 
 
 45 buckle of gold; but whosoever should 
 do otherwise, or set at nought any of 
 these things, he should be liable to 
 
 46 punishment. All the people consent- 
 ed to ordain for Simon that he should 
 
 47 do according to these words; and Si- 
 mon accepted hereof, and consented 
 to be high priest, and to be captain 
 and ° governor of the Jews and of the 
 priests, and to be protector of all. 
 
 48 And they commanded to put this 
 writing on tables of brass, and to set 
 them up within the precinct of the 
 sanctuary in a conspicuous place ; 
 
 49 and moreover to put the copies there- 
 of in the treasury, to the end that 
 Simon and his sons might have them. 
 
 15 And Antiochus son of Demetrius 
 the king sent letters from the isles of 
 the sea unto Simon the priest and 
 5 governor of the Jews, and to all the 
 
 2 nation ; and the contents thereof were 
 after this manner : 
 
 King Antiochus to Simon the chief 
 priest and ^ governor, and to the 
 
 3 nation of the Jews, greeting: Foras- 
 much as certain pestilent fellows have 
 made themselves masters of the king- 
 dom of our fathers, but my purpose 
 is to claim the kingdom, that I may 
 restore it as it was before ; and more- 
 over I have raised a multitude of 
 foreign soldiers, and have prepared 
 
 4 ships of war ; moreover I am minded 
 to land in the country, that I may 
 punish them that have destroyed our 
 country, and them that have made 
 many cities in the kingdom desolate : 
 
 5 Now therefore I confirm unto thee all 
 the exactions which the kings that 
 were before me remitted unto thee, 
 and whatsoever gifts besides they 
 
 6 remitted unto thee : and I give thee 
 leave to coin money for thy country 
 
 7 with thine own stamp, but that Jeru- 
 salem and the sanctuary should be 
 free : and all the arms that thou hast 
 prepared, and the strongholds that 
 thou hast built, which thou hast in 
 thy possession, let them remain unto 
 
 8 thee: and everything owing to the 
 king, and the things that shall be 
 owing to the king from henceforth 
 and for evermore, let them be remit- 
 
 154 
 
15. 25. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 15. 41. 
 
 1 circa 
 B. C. 139. 
 
 2 Or, 
 he came 
 unto 
 Dor, 
 fleeing 
 by the 
 way 
 which is 
 by the 
 sea 
 
 3 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 Sampsa- 
 ces : the 
 Latin 
 versions 
 have 
 Lampsa- 
 cus. 
 
 9 ted unto thee : moreover, when we 
 shall have established our kingdom, 
 we will glorify thee and thy nation 
 and the temple with great glory, so 
 that your glory shall be made mani- 
 fest in all the earth. 
 
 10 In 1 the hundred and seventy and 
 fourth year went Antiochus forth into 
 the land of his fathers ; and all the 
 forces came together unto him, so that 
 there were few men with Tryphon. 
 
 11 And king Antiochus pursued him, 
 and 2 he came, as he fled, unto Dor, 
 
 12 which is by the sea : for he knew that 
 troubles were come upon him all at 
 once, and that his forces had for- 
 
 13 saken him. And Antiochus encamped 
 against Dor, and with him a hundred 
 and twenty thousand men of war, and 
 
 14 eight thousand horse. And he com- 
 passed the city round about, and the 
 ships joined in the attack from the 
 sea ; and he vexed the city by land 
 and sea, and suffered no man to go 
 out or in. 
 
 15 And Numenius and his company 
 came from Kome, having letters to 
 the kings and to the countries, where- 
 in were written these things : 
 
 16 Lucius, consul of the Romans, unto 
 
 17 king Ptolemy, greeting : The Jews' 
 ambassadors came unto us as our 
 friends and confederates, to renew 
 the old friendship and confederacy, 
 being sent from Simon the high priest, 
 and from the people of the Jews: 
 
 18 moreover they brought a shield of 
 
 19 gold of a thousand pound. It pleased 
 us therefore to write unto the kings 
 and unto the countries, that they 
 should not seek their hurt, nor fight 
 against them, and their cities, and 
 their country, nor be confederates 
 with such as fight against them. 
 
 20 Moreover it seemed good to us to 
 
 2 1 receive the shield of them. If there- 
 fore any pestilent fellows have fled 
 from their country unto you, deliver 
 them unto Simon the high priest, that 
 he may take vengeance on them ac- 
 cording to their law. 
 
 22 And the same things wrote he to De- 
 metrius the king, and to Attains, and 
 
 23 to Arathes, and to Arsaces, and unto 
 all the countries, and to ^Sampsa- 
 mes, and to the Spartans, and unto 
 Delos, and unto Myndos, and unto 
 Sicyon, and unto Caria, and unto 
 Samos, and unto Pamphylia, and unto 
 Lycia, and unto Halicarnassus, and 
 unto Rhodes, and unto Phaselis, and 
 unto Cos, and unto Side, and unto 
 Aradus, and Gortyna, and Cnidus, and 
 
 24 Cyprus, and Cyrene. But the copy 
 hereof they wrote to Simon the high 
 priest. 
 
 25 But Antiochus the king encamped 
 against Dor the second day, bringing 
 his forces up to it continually, and 
 making engines of war, and he shut up 
 
 26 Tryphon from going in or out. And 
 Simon sent him two thousand chosen 
 men to fight on his side ; and silver, 
 and gold, and instruments of war in 
 
 27 abundance. And he would not receive 
 them, but set at nought all the cove- 
 nants which he had made with him 
 aforetime, and was estranged from 
 
 28 him. And he sent unto him Atheno- 
 bius, one of his * Friends, to commune 
 with him, saying. 
 
 Ye hold possession of Joppa and 
 Gazara, and the citadel that is in 
 Jerusalem, cities of my kingdom. 
 
 29 The borders thereof ye have wasted, 
 and done great hurt in the land, and 
 got the dominion of many places in 
 
 30 my kingdom. Now therefore dehver 
 up the cities which ye have taken, 
 and the tributes of the places whereof 
 ye have gotten dominion without the 
 
 31 borders of Judaea : or else give me for 
 them five hundred talents of silver; 
 and for the harm that ye have done, 
 and the tributes of the cities, other 
 five hundred talents : or else we will 
 come and subdue you. 
 
 32 And Athenobius the king's * Friend 
 came to Jerusalem; and he saw the 
 glory of Simon, and the cupboard of 
 gold and silver vessels, and his great 
 attendance, and he was amazed ; and 
 he reported to him the king's words. 
 
 33 And Simon answered, and said unto 
 him. 
 
 We have neither taken other men's 
 land, nor have we possession of that 
 which appertaineth to others, but of 
 the inheritance of our fathers; how- 
 beit, it was had in possession of our 
 enemies wrongfully for a certain time. 
 
 34 But we, having opportunity, hold fast 
 
 35 the Inheritance of our fathers. But 
 as touching Joppa and Gazara, which 
 thou demandest, they did great harm 
 among the people throughout our 
 country, we will give a hundred tal- 
 ents for them. 
 
 And he answered him not a word, 
 
 36 but returned in a rage to the king, 
 and reported unto him these words, 
 and the glory of Simon, and all that 
 he had seen: and the king was ex- 
 
 37ceeding wroth. But Tryphon em- 
 barked on board a ship, and fled to 
 Orthosia. 
 
 38 And the king appointed Cendebaeus 
 chief captain of the sea coast, and 
 gave him forces of foot and horse : 
 
 39 and he commanded him to encamp 
 before Judaea, and he commanded him 
 to build up Kidron, and to fortify the 
 gates, and that he should fight against 
 the people : but the king pursued Try- 
 
 40 phon. And Cendebaeus came to Jam- 
 nia, and began to provoke the people, 
 and to invade Judaea, and to take the 
 
 41 people captive, and to slay them. And 
 he built Kidron, and set horsemen 
 there, and forces of foot, to the end 
 
 * See ch. 
 ii.18. 
 
 155 
 
16. 12. 
 
 I. MACCABEES. 
 
 16. 24. 
 
 that issuing out they might make out- 
 roads upon tlie ways of Judaea, ac- 
 cording as the Icing commanded him. 
 1Q And John went up from Gazara, and 
 told Simon his father what Cendebasus 
 
 2 was doing. And Simon called his two 
 eldest sons, Judas and John, and said 
 unto them, I and my brethren and my 
 father's house have fought the battles 
 of Israel from our youth, even unto 
 this day ; and things have prospered 
 in our hands, that we should deliver 
 
 3 Israel oftentimes. But now I am old, 
 and ye moreover, by his mercy, are of 
 a sufficient age : be ye instead of me 
 and my brother, and go forth and 
 fight for our nation ; but let the help 
 which is from heaven be with you. 
 
 4 And he chose out of the country 
 twenty thousand men of war and 
 horsemen, and they went against 
 
 5 Cendebaeus, and slept at Modin. And 
 rising up in the morning, they went 
 Into the plain, and, behold, a great 
 host came to meet them, of footmen 
 and horsemen : and there was a brook 
 
 6 betwixt them. And he encamped 
 over against them, he and his people : 
 and he saw that the people were 
 afraid to pass over the brook, and he 
 passed over first, and the men saw 
 
 7 him, and passed over after him. And 
 he divided the people, and set the 
 horsemen in the midst of the footmen : 
 but the enemies' horsemen were ex- 
 
 Sceeding many. And they sounded 
 with the trumpets; and Cendebaeus 
 and his army were put to the rout, 
 and there fell of them many wounded 
 to death, but they that were left fled 
 
 9 to the stronghold : at that time was 
 Judas John's brother wounded: but 
 John pursued after them, till he came 
 unto Kidron, which Cendebceus had 
 
 10 built ; and they fled unto the towers 
 that are in the fields of Azotus ; and 
 he burned it with fire ; and there fell 
 of them about two thousand men. 
 And he returned into Judaea in peace. 
 
 11 And Ptolemy the son of Abubus had 
 been appointed captain for the plain 
 of Jericho, and he had much silver and 
 
 12 gold ; for he was the high priest's son 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 19 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 
 24 
 
 in law. And his heart was lifted up, 
 and he was minded to make himself 
 master of the country, and he took 
 counsel deceitfully against Simon and 
 his sons, to make away with them. 
 Now Simon was visiting the cities 
 that were in the country, and taking 
 care for the good ordering of them; 
 and he went down to Jericho, liimself 
 and Mattathias and Judas his sons, 
 in Uhe hundred and seventy and 
 seventh year, in the eleventh month, 
 the same is the month Sebat : and the 
 son of Abubus received them deceit- 
 fully into the little stronghold that is 
 called Dok, which he had built, and 
 made them a great banquet, and hid 
 men there. And when Simon and 
 his sons had drunk fi-eely, Ptolemy 
 and his men rose up, and took their 
 arms, and came in upon Simon into 
 the banqueting place, and slew him, 
 and his two sons, and certain of his 
 servants. And he committed a great 
 iniquity, and recompensed evil for 
 good. And Ptolemy wrote these 
 things, and sent to the king, that he 
 should send him forces to aid him, and 
 should deliver him their country and 
 the cities. And he sent others to 
 Gazara to make away with John: 
 and unto the captains of thousands he 
 sent letters to come unto him, that he 
 might give them silver and gold and 
 gifts. And others he sent to take pos- 
 session of Jerusalem, and the mount 
 of the temple. And one ran before 
 to Gazara, and told John that his fa- 
 ther and brethren were perished, and 
 he hath sent to slay thee also. And 
 when he heard, he was sore amazed ; 
 and he laid hands on the men that 
 came to destroy him, and slew them ; 
 for he perceived that they were seek- 
 ing to destroy him. 
 And the rest of the acts of John, and 
 of his wars, and of his valiant deeds 
 which he did, and of the building of 
 the walls which he built, and of his 
 doings, behold, they are written in 
 the 2 chronicles of his high priesthood, 
 from the time that he was made high 
 priest after his father. 
 
 156 
 
THE SECOND BOOK OF THE 
 
 MACCABEES. 
 
 iGr. 
 
 wills. 
 
 9 Or, 
 
 porch 
 
 sGr. 
 loaves. 
 
 *Ot, 
 against 
 the holy 
 city 
 
 » See ch. 
 viii. 9. 
 
 •Gr. 
 them. 
 
 1 The brethren, the Jews that are in 
 Jerusalem and they that are in the 
 country of Judaea, send greeting to the 
 brethren, the Jews that are through- 
 out Egypt, and tcish them good 
 
 2 peace : and may God do good unto 
 you, and remember his covenant with 
 Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, his 
 
 3 faithful servants; and give you all 
 a heart to worship him and do his 
 ^pleasure with a great heart and a 
 
 4 willing soul ; and open your heart in 
 his law and in his statutes, and make 
 
 5 peace, and hearken to your supplica- 
 tions, and be reconciled with you, and 
 
 6 not forsake you in an evil time. And 
 
 7 now we here are praying for you. In 
 the reign of Demetrius, in the hundred 
 threescore and ninth year, we the 
 Jews have already written unto you 
 in the tribulation and in the extrem- 
 ity that hath come upon us in these 
 years, from the time that Jason and 
 his company revolted from the holy 
 
 8 land and the kingdom, and set the 
 - gate on fire, and shed innocent blood : 
 and we besought the Lord, and were 
 heard ; and we offered sacrifice and 
 meal offering, and we lighted the 
 lamps, and we set forth the ^shew- 
 
 9 bread. And now see that ye keep the 
 days of the feast of tabernacles of 
 
 10 the month Chislev. Written in the 
 hundred fourscore and eighth year. 
 
 They that are in Jerusalem and they 
 that are in Judaea and the senate and 
 Judas, unto Aristobulus, king Pto- 
 lemy's teacher, who is also of the 
 stock of the anointed priests, and un- 
 to the Jews that are in Egypt, send 
 
 11 greeting and health. Having been 
 saved by God out of great perils, as 
 men arrayed against a king, we thank 
 
 12 him greatly. For himself cast forth 
 into Persia them that arrayed them- 
 selves * against us in the holy city. 
 
 13 For when the prince was come there, 
 and the army with him that seemed 
 irresistible, they were cut to pieces 
 in the temple of Xanaea by the treach- 
 
 14ery of Xanaea's priests. For Antio- 
 chus, on the pretence that he would 
 marry her, came into the place, he 
 and his ^ Friends that were with him, 
 that they might take a great part of 
 the treasures in name of a dowry. 
 
 15 And when the priests of Nanaea's 
 temple had set ^the treasures forth, 
 and he was come there with a small 
 
 company within the wall of the pre- 
 cincts, they shut to the temple when 
 
 16 Antiochus was come in : and opening 
 the secret door of the panelled cieling, 
 they threw stones and ^ struck down 
 the prince, and they hewed ^ him and 
 his company in pieces, and smote off 
 their heads, and cast them to those 
 
 17 that were without. Blessed be our 
 God in all things, who gave for a 
 prey them that had committed impi- 
 ety. 
 
 18 Whereas we are now about to keep 
 the purification of the temple in the 
 month Chislev, on the five and twen- 
 tieth day, we thought it necessary to 
 certify you thereof, that » ye also may 
 keep a feast of tabernacles, and a me- 
 tnoHal of the fire tvhich was given 
 when Nehemiah offered sacrifices, 
 after that he had builded both the 
 
 19 temple and the altar. For indeed 
 when our fathers were about to be 
 led into the land of Persia, the godly 
 priests of that time took of the fire of 
 the altar, and hid it privily in the 
 hollow of a well that was without 
 water, wherein they made it sure, so 
 that the place was unknown to all 
 
 20 men. Now after many years, when it 
 pleased God, Nehemiah, having re- 
 ceived a charge from the king of 
 Persia, sent in quest of the fire the de- 
 scendants of the priests that hid it 
 When they declared to us that they 
 
 2 1 had found no fire, but thick water, he 
 commanded them to draw out thereof 
 and bring to him, : and when ^° the sac- 
 rifices had been offered on the altar, 
 Nehemiah commanded the priests to 
 sprinkle with the water both the wood 
 
 22 and the things laid thereupon. And 
 when it was done, and some time had 
 passed, and the sun shone out, which 
 before was hid with clouds, there was 
 kindled a great blaze, so that all men 
 
 23 marvelled. And the priests made a 
 prayer while the sacrifice was con- 
 suming, both the priests and all others, 
 Jonathan leading and the rest answer- 
 
 24 ing, as Nehemiah did. And the 
 prayer was after this manner : 
 
 O Lord, Lord God, the Creator of all 
 things, who art terrible and strong 
 and righteous and merciful, who alone 
 
 25 art King and gracious, who alone sup- 
 pUest every need, who alone art right- 
 eous and almighty and eternal, thou 
 that savest Israel out of all evil, who 
 madest the fathers thy chosen, and 
 
 iGt. 
 struck 
 doumas 
 vxitha 
 thunder- 
 bolt. 
 8 Or, 
 his com- 
 pany 
 
 9 The 
 Greek 
 
 text 
 
 hereia 
 
 corrupt 
 
 lOGr.iAe 
 things of 
 the sacri- 
 fices. 
 Simi- 
 larly 
 in verses 
 31, .33, 
 and en. 
 ii. 10. 
 
2. 8. 
 
 11. MACCABEES. 
 
 2. 22. 
 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 that 
 great 
 stones 
 should 
 inclose 
 the 
 
 water 
 that was 
 left. 
 
 Both the 
 Greek 
 text and 
 the 
 
 meaning 
 of this 
 verse 
 and the 
 nexi: 
 are un- 
 certain. 
 
 2 Or, but 
 it spent 
 itself, 
 whereas 
 the... 
 shone 
 still. 
 
 3 Or, 
 shone 
 back 
 
 «Gr. 
 
 and 
 when. 
 The 
 Greek 
 text 
 here is 
 probably 
 corrupt. 
 8 6r. a 
 cavern- 
 ous 
 
 6Gr. 
 
 gather 
 together 
 a gather- 
 ing of 
 the 
 
 26 didst sanctify them: accept the sacri- 
 fice for all thy people Israel, and guard 
 thine own portion, and consecrate it. 
 
 27 Gather together our Dispersion, set 
 at liberty them that are in bondage 
 among the heathen, look upon them 
 that are despised and abhorred, and 
 let the heathen know that thou art our 
 
 28 God. Torment them that oppress us 
 and in arrogancy shamefully entreat 
 
 29 us. Plant thy people in thy holy 
 place, even as Moses said. 
 
 30 And thereupon the priests sang the 
 
 31 hymns. And as soon as the sacrifice 
 was consumed, then Nehemiah com- 
 manded ^ to pour on great stones the 
 
 32 water that was left. And when this 
 was done, a flame was kindled ; ^ but 
 when the light from the altar s shone 
 over against it, all was consumed. 
 
 33 And when the matter became known, 
 and it was told the king of the Per- 
 sians, that, in the place where the 
 priests that were led away had hid 
 the fire, there appeared the water, 
 wherewith also Nehemiah and they 
 that were with him purified the sacri- 
 
 34 fice, then the king, inclosing the place, 
 made it sacred, after he had proved 
 
 35 the matter. And when the king would 
 shew favour to any, he would take 
 from them many presents and give 
 
 36 them some of this water. And Ne- 
 hemiah and they that were with him 
 called this thing Nephthar, which is 
 by interpretation, Cleansing; but 
 most men call it Nephthai. 
 
 2 It is also found in the records, that 
 Jeremiah the prophet commanded 
 them that were carried away to take of 
 the fire, as hath been signified above: 
 
 2 and how that the prophet charged 
 them that were carried away, having 
 given them the law, that they should 
 not forget the statutes of the Lord, 
 neither be led astray in their minds, 
 when they saw images of gold and 
 silver, and the adornment thereof. 
 
 3 And with other such words exhorted 
 he them, that the law should not de- 
 
 4 part from their heart. And it was 
 contained in the writing, that the pro- 
 phet, being warned of God, command- 
 ed that the tabernacle and the ark 
 should follow with him, * when he 
 went forth into the mountain where 
 Moses went up and beheld the herit- 
 
 5 age of God. And Jeremiah came and 
 found 5 a chamber in the rock, and 
 there he brought in the tabernacle, 
 and the ark, and the altar of incense ; 
 
 6 and he made fast the door. And some 
 of those that followed with him came 
 there that they might mark the way, 
 
 7 and could not find it. But when Jere- 
 miah perceived it, he blamed them, 
 saying, Yea and the place shall be un- 
 known until God ^ gather the people 
 
 8 again together, and mercy come : and 
 then shall the Lord disclose these 
 
 things, and the glory of the Lord shall 
 be seen, and the ^ cloud. 
 As also it was shewed with Moses ; 
 as also Solomon besought that the 
 place might be consecrated greatly, 
 9 and it was also declared that he, hav- 
 ing wisdom, offered a sacrifice of dedi- 
 cation, and of the finishing of the 
 temple ; so ive would have it now. 
 
 10 As Moses prayed unto the Lord, and 
 fire came down out of heaven and 
 consumed the sacrifice, even so prayed 
 Solomon also, and the fire came down 
 and consumed the burnt offerings ; 
 
 ll(*and Moses said, Because the sin 
 offering had not been eaten, it was 
 consumed in like manner with the 
 
 12 rest;) and Solomon kept the eight 
 days. 
 
 13 And the same things were related 
 8 both in the public archives and in 
 ^0 the records that concern Nehemiah ; 
 and how he, founding a library, ga- 
 thered together the books about the 
 kings and prophets, and the books of 
 David, and letters of kings about sa- 
 
 14 cred gifts. And in like manner Judas 
 also gathered together for us all those 
 writings that had been scattered by 
 reason of the war that befell, and they 
 
 15 are still with us. If therefore ye have 
 need thereof, send some to fetch them 
 unto you. 
 
 16 Seeing then that we are about to 
 keep the purification, we write unto 
 you; ye will therefore do well if ye 
 
 17 keep the days. Now God, who saved 
 all his people, and restored the herit- 
 age to all, and the kingdom, and the 
 
 18 priesthood, and the hallowing, even 
 as he promised through the law, — in 
 God have we hope, that he will quick- 
 ly have mercy upon us, and gather us 
 together out of ^^ all the earth into the 
 holy place : for he delivered us out of 
 great evils, and purified the place. 
 
 19 Now the things concerning Judas 
 Maccabaeus and his brethren, and the 
 purification of the " great temple, and 
 
 20 the dedication of the altar, and further 
 the wars against Antiochus Epipha- 
 
 21nes, and Eupator his son, and the 
 manifestations that came from heaven 
 unto those that vied with one another 
 in manful deeds for the religion of the 
 Jews ; so that, being but a few, they 
 "rescued the whole country, and chas- 
 
 22 ed the barbarous multitudes, and 
 
 158 
 
3. 5. 
 
 II. MACCABEES. 
 
 3. 18. 
 
 1 Gr. 
 
 propi- 
 tious. 
 
 a Or, 
 
 weari- 
 ness 
 
 »0r, 
 the past 
 
 *0r, 
 making 
 no effort 
 » Or, en- 
 large on 
 8 Gr. 
 foun- 
 dation. 
 TGr. 
 decorate 
 in en- 
 caustic. 
 8 Or, 
 provide 
 a place 
 for dis- 
 cussions 
 
 8 Or, 
 spoken of 
 
 10 Or, 
 charge 
 of the 
 buildings 
 Gr. office 
 ofasdile. 
 
 recovered agaiu the temple renowned 
 all the world over, and freed the city, 
 and restored the laws which were like 
 to be overthrown, seeing the Lord be- 
 came ^ gracious unto them with all 
 
 23 forbearance : these things, /sa*/, which 
 have been declared by Jason of Cyrene 
 in five books, we will assay to abridge 
 
 24 in one work. For having in view the 
 confused mass of the numbers, and 
 the 2 difficulty which awaiteth them 
 that would enter into the narratives 
 of the history, by reason of the abun- 
 
 25 dance of the matter, we were careful 
 that they who choose to read may be 
 attracted, and that they who wish well 
 to our cause may find it easy to recall 
 3 uhat ii-e have written, and that all 
 
 26 readers may have profit. And al- 
 though to us, who have taken upon us 
 the painful labour of the abridgement, 
 the task is not easy, but a matter of 
 
 27 sweat and watching (even as it is no 
 light thing unto him that prepareth a 
 banquet, and seeketh the benefit of 
 others); yet for the sake of the grati- 
 tude of the many we will gladly en- 
 
 28 d'lre the painful labour, leaving to the 
 historian the exact handling of every 
 particular, and again * having no 
 strength to ° fill in the outlines of our 
 
 29 abridgement. For as the master- 
 builder of a new house must care for 
 the whole ^ structure, and again he 
 that undertaketh to " decorate and 
 paint it must seek out the things fit 
 for the adorning thereof; even so I 
 
 30 think it is also with us. To occupy 
 the ground, and to » indulge in long 
 discussions, and to be cvu-ious in par- 
 ticulars, becometh the first author of 
 
 31 the history : but to strive after brevity 
 of expression, and to avoid a laboured 
 fulness in the treatment, is to be 
 granted to him that would bring a 
 
 32 writing into a new form. Here then 
 let us begin the narration, only adding 
 thus much to that which hath been 
 ah-eady ^ said ; for it is a foolish thing 
 to make a long prologue to the history, 
 and to abridge the history itself. 
 
 3 Whex the holy city was inhabited 
 with all peace, and the laws were kept 
 very well, because of the godliness of 
 Onias the high priest, and his hatred 
 
 2 of wickedness, it came to pass that 
 even the kings themselves did honour 
 the place, and glorify the temple with 
 
 3 the noblest presents ; insomuch that 
 even Seleucus the king of Asia of his 
 own revenues bare all the costs be- 
 longing to the services of the sacrifices. 
 
 4 But one Simon of the tribe of Ben- 
 jamin, having been made guardian of 
 the temple, fell out with the high priest 
 about the i" ruling of the market in the 
 
 5 city. And when he could not over- 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 come Onias, he gat him to ApoUonius 
 the son of " Thrasaeus, who at that 
 time was governor of Coelesyria and 
 Phoenicia: and he brought hun word 
 how that the treasury in Jerusalem 
 was full of untold sums of money, so 
 that the multitude of the funds was 
 innvuuerable, and that they did not 
 pertain to the account of the sacrifices, 
 but that it was possible that these 
 should fall under the king's power. 
 And when ApoUonius met the king, 
 he informed him of the money where- 
 of he had been told ; and the king 
 appointed Heliodorus, who was his 
 chancellor, and sent him with a com- 
 mandment to accomplish the removal 
 of the aforesaid money. So forthwith 
 Heliodorus took his journey, under a 
 colour of visiting the cities of Coelesy- 
 ria and Phoenicia, but in fact to exe- 
 cute the king's purpose. And when 
 he was come to Jerusalem, and had 
 been courteously received by the high 
 priest 12 of the city, he laid before 
 13 tfiem an account of the information 
 which had been given him, and de- 
 clared wherefore he was come; and 
 he inquired if in truth these things 
 were so. And the high priest explain- 
 ed to him that there were in the trea- 
 sury deposits of widows and orphans, 
 and moreover some money belonging 
 to Hyrcanus the son of Tobias, a man 
 in very high place, " and that the case 
 was not as that impious Simon falsely 
 alleged; and that in all there were 
 four hundred talents of silver and two 
 hundred of gold ; and that it was alto- 
 gether impossible that wrong should 
 be done unto them that had put trust 
 in the holiness of the place, and in the 
 majesty and inviolable sanctity of the 
 temple, honoured over all the world. 
 But 1^ Heliodorus, because of the 
 king's commandments given him, said 
 that in any case this money must be 
 confiscated for the king's treasu^)^ 
 So having appointed a day, he entered 
 in to direct the inquiry concerning 
 these matters ; and there was no small 
 distress throughout the whole city. 
 And the priests, prostrating them- 
 selves before the altar in their priestly 
 garments, and looking toward heaven, 
 called upon him that gave the law 
 concerning deposits, that he should 
 preserve these treasures safe for those 
 that had deposited them. And who- 
 soever saw the mien of the high priest 
 was wounded in mind ; for his counte- 
 nance and the change of his colour 
 betrayed the distress of his soul. For 
 a terror and a shuddering of the body 
 had come over the man, whereby the 
 pain that was in his heart was plainly 
 shewn to them that looked upon him. 
 And they that were in the houses 
 rushed flocking out to make a univer- 
 sal suppUcation, because the place 
 
 11 Or, 
 
 Thra- 
 
 seas 
 
 The 
 
 Greek 
 
 text is 
 
 probably 
 
 corrupt. 
 
 Perhaps 
 
 the true 
 
 reading 
 
 is Apol- 
 
 lonius of 
 
 Ta)-sus. 
 
 12 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 and of 
 the city. 
 
 13 Or, 
 him 
 
 14 Or, 
 and not 
 such a 
 man as 
 that 
 impious 
 Simon 
 slander- 
 ously 
 alleged 
 
 IS Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 the 
 other. 
 
 159 
 
3. 33. 
 
 11. MACCABEES. 
 
 4. 9. 
 
 lOr. 
 
 porches 
 
 aGr. 
 
 safe 
 with all 
 
 festa- 
 tion. 
 
 19 was like to come into contempt. And 
 the women, girt with sackcloth under 
 their breasts, thronged the streets, and 
 the virgins that were kept in ward ran 
 together, some to the Agates, others 
 to the walls, and some looked out 
 
 20 through the windows. And all, stretch- 
 ing forth their hands toward heaven, 
 
 2 1 made their solemn supplication. Then 
 it would have pitied a man to see the 
 multitude prostrating themselves all 
 mingled together, and the expectation 
 of the high priest in his sore distress. 
 
 22 While therefore they called upon the 
 Almighty Lord to keep the things in- 
 trusted to them 2 safe and sure for 
 
 23 those that had intrusted them, Helio- 
 dorus went on to execute that which 
 
 24 had been decreed. But when he was 
 already present there with his guards 
 over against the treasury, the Sove- 
 reign of spirits and of all authority 
 caused a great ^ apparition, so that all 
 that had presumed to come in with 
 him, stricken with dismay at the power 
 of God, fainted and were sore afraid. 
 
 25 For there was seen by them a horse 
 with a terrible rider upon him, and 
 adorned with beautiful trappings, and 
 he rushed fiercely and smote at Helio- 
 dorus with his forefeet, and it seemed 
 that he that sat upon the horse had 
 
 26 complete armour of gold. Two other 
 also appeared unto him, young men 
 notable in their strength, and beautiful 
 in their glory, and splendid in their 
 apparel, who stood by him on either 
 side, and scourged him unceasingly. 
 Inflicting on him many sore stripes. 
 
 27 And when he had fallen suddenly unto 
 the ground, and great dai'kness had 
 come over him, his guards caught him 
 
 28 up and put him into a litter, and 
 carried him, him that had just now 
 entered with a great train and all his 
 guard into the aforesaid treasury, 
 himself now brought to utter help- 
 lessness, manifestly made to recog- 
 
 29nise the sovereignty of God. And so, 
 while he, through the working of God, 
 speechless and bereft of all hope and 
 
 30 deliverance, lay prostrate, they bless- 
 ed the Lord, that made marvellous his 
 own place ; and the temple, which a 
 little afore was full of terror and 
 alarm, was filled with joy and gladness 
 after the Almighty Lord appeared. 
 
 31 But quickly certain of Heliodorus's 
 familiar friends besought Onias to call 
 upon the Most High, and grant life to 
 him who lay quite at the last gasp. 
 
 32 And the high priest, secretly fearing 
 lest the king might come to think that 
 some treachery toward Heliodorus 
 had been perpetrated by the Jews, 
 brought a sacrifice for the deliverance 
 
 33 of the man. But as the high priest 
 was making the propitiation, the same 
 young men appeared again to Helio- 
 dorus, arrayed in the same garments ; 
 
 and they stood and said. Give Onias 
 the high priest great thanks, for for 
 his sake the Lord hath granted thee 
 
 34 life ; and do thou, since thou hast been 
 scourged from heaven, publish unto 
 all men the sovereign majesty of God. 
 And when they had spoken these 
 
 35 words, they vanished out of sight. So 
 Heliodorus, having offered a sacrifice 
 unto the Lord and vowed * great 
 vows unto him that had saved his life, 
 and having graciously received Onias, 
 returned with his host to the king. 
 
 36 And he testified to all men the works 
 of the * great God which he had be- 
 held with his eyes. 
 
 37 And when the king asked Heliodo- 
 rus, what manner of man was fit to 
 be sent yet once again to Jerusalem, 
 
 38 he said, If thou hast any enemy or 
 conspirator against the state, send 
 him thither, and thou shalt receive 
 him back well scourged, if he even 
 escape with his life; because of a 
 truth there is about the place a power 
 
 3 9 of God. For he that hath his dwelling 
 in heaven himself hath his eyes upon 
 that place, and helpeth it ; and them 
 that come to hiu't it he smiteth and 
 destroyeth. 
 
 40 And such was the history of Helio- 
 dorus and the keeping of the treasury. 
 
 4 But the aforesaid Simon, he who had 
 given information of the money, and 
 had betrayed his country, slandered 
 Onias, saying that it was he who had 
 incited Heliodorus, and made himself 
 
 2 the author of these evils. And him 
 that was the benefactor of the city, 
 and the guardian of his fellow-country- 
 men, and a zealot for the laws, he 
 dared to call a conspirator against 
 
 3 the state. But when the growing 
 enmity between them waxed so great, 
 that even murders were perpetrated 
 through one of ^ Simon's trusted f ol- 
 
 4 lowers, Onias, seeing the « danger of 
 the contention, and that ^ Apollonius 
 the son of Menestheus, the governor 
 of CcBlesyria and Phoenicia, was in- 
 
 5 creasing Simon's malice, betook him- 
 self to the king, not to be an accuser 
 of his fellow-citizens, but looking to 
 the good of all the « people, both pub- 
 
 6 lie and private ; for he saw that with- 
 out the king's providence it was im- 
 possible for the state to obtain peace 
 any more, and that Simon would not 
 cease from his madness. 
 
 7 But when Seleucus was deceased, 
 and Antiochus, who was called Epi- 
 phanes, succeeded to the kingdom, 
 Jason the brother of Onias supplanted 
 
 8 his brother in the high priesthood, hav- 
 ing promised unto the king at an au- 
 dience three hundred and threescore 
 talents of silver, and out of another 
 
 9 fund eighty talents ; and beside this, 
 he undertook to assign a hundred and 
 fifty more, if it might be allowed him 
 
4 22. 
 
 11. MACCABEES. 
 
 4. 36. 
 
 iGr. 
 
 through 
 his. 
 
 «Or, 
 take 
 part in 
 the un- 
 lawful 
 provi- 
 sion 
 for the 
 palsestra 
 3 Or. 
 to the 
 game of 
 the 
 discus 
 
 *0r. 
 
 this the 
 due 
 
 season of 
 requital 
 toiu 
 make 
 plain 
 • See 
 Ter. 9. 
 
 •Or, 
 
 ' Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 the 
 
 bearers. 
 ■ The 
 exact 
 meaning 
 of the 
 Greek 
 wordia 
 uncer- 
 
 1 through the king's authority to set 
 him up a Greek place of exercise and 
 form a body of youths to be trained 
 therehi,a.i\d to register the inhabitants 
 of Jerusalem as citizens of Antioch. 
 
 10 And when the king had given assent, 
 and he had gotten possession of the 
 office, he forthwith brought over them 
 of his own race to the Greek fashion, 
 
 11 And setting aside the royal ordinances 
 of special favoiu- to the Jews, granted 
 by the means of John the father of 
 Eupolemus, who went on the ambas- 
 sage to the Romans for friendship and 
 alliance, and seeking to overthrow the 
 lawful modes of life, he brought in new 
 
 12 customs forbidden by the law : for he 
 eagerly established a Greek place of 
 exercise under the citadel itself ; and 
 caused the noblest of the young men 
 
 13 to wear the Greek cap. And thus there 
 was an extreme of Greek fashions, and 
 an advance of an alien religion, by rea- 
 son of the exceeding profaneness of 
 Jason, that ungodly man and no high 
 
 14 priest ; so that the priests had no more 
 any zeal for the services of the altar : 
 but despising the sanctuary, and neg- 
 lecting the sacrifices, they hastened 
 to * enjoy that which was unlawfully 
 provided in the palaestra, after the 
 
 15 summons ^ of the discus ; making of 
 no account the honours of their fa- 
 thers, and thinking the glories of the 
 
 16 Greeks best of all. By reason where- 
 of sore calamity beset them ; and the 
 men whose ways of living they ear- 
 nestly followed, and unto whom they 
 desired to be made like in all things, 
 these they had to be their enemies and 
 
 17 to punish them. For it is not a light 
 thing to do impiously against the laws 
 of God: but * these things the time 
 following shall declare, 
 
 18 Now when certain games that came 
 every fifth year were kept at Tyre, and 
 
 19 the king was present, the vile Jason 
 sent sacred envoys, ^as being Anti- 
 ochians of Jerusalem, bearing three 
 hundred drachmas of silver to the 
 sacrifice of Hercules, which even the 
 bearers thereof thought not right to 
 use for any sacrifice, because it was 
 not fit, but to 6 expend on another 
 
 20 charge. And though in the purpose 
 of the sender this money was for the 
 sacrifice of Hercules, yet on account 
 of ^ present circumstances it went to 
 the equipment of the galleys. 
 
 21 Now when Apollonius the son of 
 Menestheus was sent into Egypt for 
 the 8 enthronement of Ptolemy Philo- 
 metor as king, Antiochus, learning 
 that Ptolemy had shewn himself ill 
 affected toward his state, took thought 
 for the security of his realm ; where- 
 fore, going by sea to Joppa, he trav- 
 
 22elled on to Jerusalem, And being 
 magnificently received by Jason and 
 the city, he was brought in with 
 
 torches and shoutings. This done, he 
 afterward led his army down into 
 Phoenicia. 
 
 23 Now after a space of three years 
 Jason sent Menelaus, the aforesaid 
 Simon's brother, to bear the money 
 unto the king, and to » make reports 
 concerning some necessary matters, 
 
 24 But he being commended to the king, 
 and 1" having glorified ^^ himself " by 
 the display of his authority, got the 
 high priesthood for himself, outbid- 
 ding Jason by three hundred talents 
 
 25 of silver. And having received the 
 royal mandates he came to Jentsalem, 
 bringing nothing worthy the high 
 priesthood, but having the passion of 
 a cruel tyrant, and the rage of a sav- 
 
 26 age beast. And whereas Jason, who 
 had supplanted his own brother, was 
 supplanted by another and driven as 
 a fugitive into the country of the Am- 
 
 27 monites, Menelaus had possession of 
 the office : but of the money that had 
 been promised to the king nothing 
 ^was duly paid, and that though 
 Sostratus the governor of the citadel 
 
 28 demanded it {for unto him appertained 
 the gathering of the revenues) ; for 
 which cause they were both called by 
 
 29 the king to his presence. And Mene- 
 laus left his own brother Lysimachus 
 for his "deputy in the high priest- 
 hood ; and Sostratus left Crates, who 
 was over the Cyprians. 
 
 30 Now while such was the state of 
 things, it came to pass that they of 
 Tarsus and Mallus made insurrection, 
 because they were to be given as a 
 present to Antiochis, the king's con- 
 
 31 cubine. The king therefore came io 
 Cilicia in all haste to settle matters, 
 leaving for his " deputy Andronicus, 
 
 32 a man of high rank. And Menelaus, 
 supposing that he had gotten a favour- 
 able opportunity, presented to Andio- 
 nicus certain vessels of gold belonging 
 to the temple, which he had stolen : 
 other vessels also he had already sold 
 into Tyre and the cities round about. 
 
 33 And when Onias had sure knowledge 
 of this, he sharply reproved him, hav- 
 ing withdrawn himself into a sanctu- 
 ary at Daphne, that lieth by Antioch. 
 
 34 Wherefore Menelaus, taking Andro- 
 nicus apart, prayed him ^^to kill Onias. 
 And coming to Onias, and i® being per- 
 suaded to use treachery, and being 
 received as a friend, Andronicus gave 
 him his right hand with oaths of fidel- 
 ity, and, though he was suspected by 
 him, so persuaded him to come forth 
 of the sanctuary; and forthwith he 
 1' despatched him without regard of 
 
 35 justice. For the which cause not only 
 Jews, but many also of the other 
 nations, had indignation and dis- 
 pleasure at the unjust murder of 
 
 36 the man. And when the king was 
 come back again from the places in 
 
 161 ^ 
 
 "Or, 
 convey 
 to him 
 reports 
 10 The 
 Greek 
 text of 
 this 
 
 "Or, 
 him 
 12 Or, 
 bj/ flat- 
 tering 
 the 
 
 dignity 
 ofhisav 
 thority 
 
 13 Gr. 
 was in 
 due 
 order. 
 
 i*Gr. 
 
 suc- 
 cessor. 
 
 15 Or, 
 to get 
 Onias 
 into his 
 hands 
 
 16 The 
 Greek 
 text of 
 this sen- 
 tence is 
 probably 
 corrupt. 
 i7 0r,ini- 
 pt'isoned 
 him 
 
 Gr. shut 
 him off. 
 
4 49. 
 
 II. MACCABEES. 
 
 5. 12. 
 
 lOr. 
 in the 
 several 
 cities 
 
 2 Or, 
 rent his 
 
 Cilicia, the Jews that were Mn the 
 city pleaded hefore him against 
 Andronicus (the Greeks also joining 
 with them in hatred of the wicked- 
 ness), urging that Onias had been 
 
 37 wrongfully slain. Antioehus therefore 
 was heartily sorry, and was moved to 
 pity, and wept, because of the sober 
 and well ordered life of him that was 
 
 38 dead; and being inflamed with pas- 
 sion, forthwith he stripped off An- 
 dronicus's purple robe, and ^ rent off 
 his under garments, and when he had 
 led him round through the whole city 
 unto that very place where he had 
 committed Impiety against Onias, 
 there he put the murderer out of the 
 way, the Lord rendering to him the 
 punishment he had deserved. 
 
 39 Now when many sacrileges had been 
 committed in the city by Lysimachus 
 with the consent of Menelaus, and 
 when the bruit thereof was spread 
 abroad outside, the people gathered 
 themselves together against Lysima- 
 chus, after many vessels of gold had 
 
 40 been already dispersed. And when 
 the multitudes were rising against 
 Mm, and were filled with anger, Ly- 
 simachus armed about three thousand 
 men, and with unrighteous violence 
 began the conflict, one Hauran, a man 
 far gone in years and no less also in 
 
 41 madness, leading the attack. But 
 when they perceived the assault of 
 Lysimachus, some caught up stones, 
 others logs of wood, and some took 
 handfuls of the ashes that lay near, 
 and they flung them all pell-mell 
 upon Lysimachus and them that were 
 
 42 with him ; by reason of which they 
 wounded many of them, and some 
 they struck to the ground, and all of 
 them they forced to flee, but the au- 
 thor of the sacrilege himself they 
 killed beside the treasury. 
 
 43 But touching these matters there was 
 an accusation laid against Menelaus. 
 
 44 And when the king was come to Tyre, 
 the three men that were sent by the 
 senate pleaded the cause before him. 
 
 45 But Menelaus, seeing himself now 
 defeated, promised much money to 
 Ptolemy the son of Dorymenes, that 
 
 46 he might win over the king. Where- 
 upon Ptolemy taking the king aside 
 into a cloister, as it were to take the 
 air, brought him to be of another 
 
 47 mind : and him that was the cause of 
 all the evil, Menelaus, he discharged 
 from the accusations ; but those hap- 
 less men, who, if they had pleaded 
 even before Scythians, would have 
 been discharged uncondemned, them 
 
 48 he sentenced to death. Soon then did 
 they that were spokesmen for the 
 city and the families of Israel and the 
 holy vessels suffer that unrighteous 
 
 49 penalty. For which cause even certain 
 Tyrians, moved with hatred of the 
 
 50 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 wickedness, provided magnificently 
 for their bui'ial. But Menelaus through 
 the covetpous dealings of them that 
 were in power remained still in his 
 office, » cleaving to wickedness, * as a 
 great conspirator against his fellow- 
 citizens. 
 
 Now about this time Antioehus made 
 his second inroad into Egypt. And it 
 so befell that throughout all the city, 
 for the space of almost forty days, 
 there appeared in the midst of the 
 sky horsemen in swift motion, wear- 
 ing robes inwrought with gold and 
 carrying spears, equipped in troops 
 for battle ; and drawing of swords ; 
 and on the other side squadrons of 
 horse in array; and encounters and 
 5 pursuits of both armies ; and shak- 
 ing of shields, and multitudes of 
 lances, and casting of darts, and 
 flashing of golden trappings, and gird- 
 ing on of all sorts of armour. Where- 
 fore all men besought that the *' vision 
 might have been given for good. 
 
 But when a false rumour had arisen 
 that Antioehus was deceased, Jason 
 took not less than a thousand men, 
 and suddenly ^ made an assault upon 
 the city ; and they that were upon the 
 wall being routed, and the city being 
 now at length well nigh taken, Mene- 
 laus took refuge in the citadel. But 
 Jason slaughtered his own citizens 
 without mercy, not considering that 
 good success against kinsmen is the 
 greatest ill success, but supposing 
 himself to be setting up trophies over 
 enemies, and not over fellow-country- 
 men. The office however he did not 
 get, but, receiving shame as the end 
 of his conspiracy, he passed again 
 a fugitive into the country of the 
 Anunonites. At the last therefore he 
 met with a miserable end : having 
 been » shut up at the court of Aretas 
 the prince of the Arabians, fleeing 
 from city to city, pursued of all men, 
 hated as an apostate from the laws, 
 and held in abomination as the 
 butcher of his country and his fellow- 
 citizens, he was cast forth into Egypt : 
 and he that had driven many from 
 their own country into strange lands 
 perished himself in a strange land, 
 having crossed the sea to the Lacedae- 
 monians, as thinking to find shelter 
 there because they were '•' near of kin ; 
 and he that had cast out a multitude 
 unburied had none to mourn for him, 
 nor had he any funeral at all, or 
 place in the sepulchre of his fathers. 
 
 Now when tidings came to the king 
 concerning that which was done, he 
 thought that Judaea was in revolt; 
 whereupon setting out from Egypt in 
 a furious mind, he took the city by 
 force of arms, and commanded his 
 soldiers to cut down without mercy 
 such as came in their way, and to slay 
 
 162 
 
5. 25. 
 
 II. MACCABEES. 
 
 6. 12. 
 
 1 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 toward 
 the Jeics, 
 fie sent. 
 The 
 Greek 
 text of 
 this sen- 
 tence 
 
 is un- 
 certain. 
 
 2 Com- 
 pare ch. 
 iv. 9. 19 ! 
 ix. 19. 
 3Gr. 
 mvsarc?!, 
 which 
 may also 
 mean 
 ruler 
 
 of the 
 JSysiaTis. 
 
 13 such as went up upon the houses ; aud 
 there was killing of young and old, 
 making away of boys, women, and 
 children, slaying of virgins and in- 
 
 14 fants. And in all the three days of 
 the slaughter there were destroyed 
 fourscore thousand, whereof forty 
 thousand tcere slain in close combat, 
 and no fewer were sold than slain. 
 
 15 But not content with this he presumed 
 to enter into the most holy temple of 
 all the earth, having Menelaus for his 
 guide (him that had proved himself 
 a traitor both to the laws and to his 
 
 16 country), even taking the sacred ves- 
 sels with his polluted hands, and drag- 
 ging down with his profane hands 
 the offerings that had been dedicated 
 by other kings to the augmentation 
 and glory and honour of the place. 
 
 17 And Antiochus was lifted up in mind, 
 not seeing that because of the sins 
 of them that dwelt in the city the 
 Sovereign Lord had been provoked to 
 auger a little while, and therefore his 
 eye was then turned away from the 
 
 18 place. But had it not so been that 
 they were already holden by many 
 sins, this man, even as Heliodorus 
 who was sent by Seleucus the king 
 to view the treasury, would, so soon 
 as he pressed forward, have been 
 scourged and turned back from his 
 
 19 daring deed. Howbeit the Lord did 
 not choose the nation for the place's 
 sake, but the place for the nation's 
 
 20 sake. Wherefore also the place itself, 
 having partaken in the calamities that 
 befell the nation, did afterward share 
 in its benefits; and the place which 
 was forsaken in the wrath of the Al- 
 mighty was, at the reconciliation of 
 the great Sovereign, restored again 
 with all glory. 
 
 21 As for Antiochus, when he had car- 
 ried away out of the temple a thousand 
 and eight hundred talents, he departed 
 in all haste unto Antioch, weening in 
 his arrogancy to make the laud navi- 
 gable and the sea passable by foot, 
 
 22 because his heart was hfted up. And 
 moreover he left governors to afflict 
 the race: at Jerusalem, Philip, by 
 race a Phrygian, and in character 
 more barbarous than him that set 
 
 23 him there ; and at Gerizim, Androui- 
 cus; and besides these, Menelaus, 
 who worse than all the rest exalted 
 himself against his fellow-citizens. 
 And having a malicious mind ^ toward 
 the Jews ^uhom he had made his 
 
 24 citizens, he sent that Mord of pollu- 
 tions Apollonius with an army of two 
 and twenty thousand, commanding 
 
 ; him to slay all those that were of full 
 i age, and to sell the women and the 
 ; 25 younger men. And he coming to Je- 
 I rusalem, aud playing the man of 
 I peace, waited till the holy day of the 
 1 sabbath, and finding the Jews at rest 
 
 from work, he commanded his men to 
 
 26 parade in ai-ms. And he put to the 
 sword all them that came forth to the 
 spectacle ; and running into the city 
 with the armed men he slew great 
 
 27 multitudes. But Judas, who is also 
 called Maccabaeus, with nine others 
 or thereabout, withdrew himself, and 
 with his company kept himself alive 
 in the mountains after the manner of 
 wild beasts ; and they continued feed- 
 ing on * such poor herbs as grew there, 
 that they might not be partakers of 
 the threatened pollution. 
 
 6 And not long after this the king sent 
 forth 3 an old man of Athens to compel 
 the Jews to depart from the laws of 
 their fathers, and not to live after the 
 
 2 laws of God ; and also to pollute the 
 sanctuary in Jerusalem, and to call it 
 by the name of « Jupiter OljTnpius, and 
 to call the sanctuary in Gerizim by 
 the name of ^ Jupiter the Protector of 
 strangers, even as they ''were that 
 
 3 dwelt in the place. But sore and 
 utterly grievous was the visitation of 
 
 4 this evil. For the temple was filled 
 with riot and revellings by the hea^ 
 then, who « dallied with harlots, and 
 had to do with women within the sa- 
 cred precincts, and moreover brought 
 inside things that were not befitting ; 
 
 5 and ^ the place of sacrifice was filled 
 with those abominable things which 
 
 6 had been prohibited by the laws. And 
 a man coiild neither keep the sabbath, 
 nor observe the feasts of the fathers, 
 nor so much as confess himself to be 
 
 7 a Jew. And on the day of the king's 
 birth every month they were led along 
 with bitter constraint to eat of the 
 sacrifices ; and when the ^" feast of 
 Bacchus came, they were compelled 
 to go in procession in honour of " Bac- 
 
 8chus, wearing wreaths of ivy. And 
 there went out a decree to the neigh- 
 bouring Greek cities, by the sugges- 
 tion of Ptolemy, that they should 
 observe the same conduct against the 
 Jews, and should make them eat of 
 
 9 the sacrifices; and that they should 
 slay such as did not choose to go over 
 to the Greek rit€S. So the present 
 
 10 misery was for all to see : for two 
 women were brought up for having 
 circumcised their children ; and these, 
 when they had led them publicly 
 round about the city, with the babes 
 hung from their breasts, they cast 
 
 1 1 down headlong from the wall. And 
 others, that had run together into the 
 caves near by to keep the seventh 
 day secretly, being betrayed to Philip 
 were all burnt together, because they 
 scrupled to defend themselves, from 
 regard to the. honour of that most 
 solemn day. 
 
 12 I beseech therefore those that read 
 this book, that they be not discou- 
 raged because of the calamities, but 
 
 * Gr. the 
 
 grassy 
 food. 
 
 s Or, 
 Geron an 
 Athenian 
 
 6Gr. 
 Zeus. 
 
 7 Or, did 
 
 8 Or, 
 
 idled 
 
 with 
 
 their 
 
 fellows 
 
 » Or, 
 
 the altar 
 
 10 Gr. 
 feast of 
 Dio- 
 nysia. 
 
 11 Gr. 
 Dio- 
 
 163 
 
6. 26. 
 
 11. MACCABEES. 
 
 7. 9. 
 
 lOr, 
 when 
 our sins 
 become 
 to their 
 height 
 9Gr. 
 end. 
 
 3 The 
 Greek 
 text 
 
 wr 
 
 corrupt. 
 * Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 
 of life. 
 s Or, 
 but yet 
 more 
 «Gr. 
 legisla- 
 tion. 
 
 7 Or, 
 while I 
 shall get 
 
 account that these punishments were 
 not for the destruction, but for the 
 
 13 cliastening of our race. For indeed 
 that those who act impiously be not 
 let alone any long time, but straight- 
 way meet with retribution, is a sign 
 
 14 of great beneficence. For in the case 
 of the other nations the Sovereign 
 Lord doth with longsuffering forbear, 
 until that he punish them when they 
 have attained unto the full measure 
 of their sins ; but not so judged he as 
 
 15 touching us, that he may not take 
 vengeance on us afterward, ^ when we 
 be come unto the ^ height of our sins. 
 
 16 Wherefore he never withdraweth his 
 mercy from us ; but though he chas- 
 teneth with calamity, yet doth he not 
 
 17 forsake his own people. Howbeit let 
 this that we have spoken suffice to 
 put you in remembrance; biit after 
 these few words we must come to the 
 narrative. 
 
 18 Eleazar, one of the principal scribes, 
 a man already well stricken in years, 
 and of a noble countenance, was com- 
 pelled to open his mouth to eat swine's 
 
 1 9 flesh. But he, welcoming death with 
 renown rather than life with pollution, 
 advanced of his own accord to the 
 instrument of torture, but first spat 
 
 20 forth the flesh,coming forward as men 
 ought to come that are resolute to 
 repel such things as not even for the 
 natural love of life is it lawful to taste. 
 
 2 1 But they that had the charge of that 
 forbidden sacrificial feast took the 
 man aside, for the acquaintance which 
 of old times they had with him, and 
 privately besought him to bring flesh 
 of his own providing, such as was 
 befitting for him to use, and to make 
 as if he did eat of the flesh from the 
 sacrifice, as had been commanded by 
 
 22 the king ; that by so doing he might 
 be delivered from death, and for his 
 ancient friendship with them might be 
 
 23 treated kindly. But he, having formed 
 a high resolve, and one that became 
 his years, and the dignity of old age, 
 and the gray hairs ^ which he had 
 reached with honour, and his excellent 
 * education from a child, ^ or rather 
 that became the holy ^ laws of God's 
 ordaining, declared his mind accord- 
 ingly, bidding them quickly send him 
 
 24 unto Hades. For it becometh not our 
 years to dissemble, said he, that 
 through this many of the young 
 should suppose that Eleazar, the man 
 of fourscore years and ten, had gone 
 
 25 over unto an alien religion ; and so 
 they, by reason of my dissimulation, 
 and for the sake of this brief and 
 momentary life, should be led astray 
 because of me, ^ and thus I get to my- 
 self a pollution and a stain of mine 
 
 26 old age. For even if for the present 
 time I shall remove from me the pun- 
 ishment of men, yet shall I not escape 
 
 the hands of the Almighty, either liv- 
 
 27 ing or dead. Wherefore, by manfully 
 parting with my life now, I will shew 
 
 28 myself worthy of mine old age, and 
 ^ leave behind a noble ensample to 
 the young to die willingly and nobly a 
 glorious death for the reverend and 
 holy laws. And when he had said 
 these words, he went straightway to 
 
 29 the instrument of torture. '•And 
 when they changed the good will they 
 bare him a little before into ill will, 
 because ^^ these words of his were, as 
 
 30 they thought, sheer madness, and 
 when he was at the point to die with 
 the "stripes, he groaned aloud and 
 said. To the Lord, that hath the holy 
 knowledge, it is manifest that, where- 
 as I might have been delivered from 
 death, I endure sore pains in my body 
 by being scourged; but in soul I 
 gladly suffer these things for my fear 
 
 31 of him. So this man also died after 
 this manner, leaving his death for an 
 ensample of nobleness and a memo- 
 rial of virtue, not only to the young 
 but also to the great body of his 
 nation. 
 
 7 And it came to pass that seven bre- 
 thren also with their mother were at 
 the king's command taken and shame- 
 fully handled with scourges and cords, 
 to compel them to taste of the abomin- 
 
 2 able swine's flesh. But one of them 
 made himself the spokesman and said. 
 What wouldest thou ask and learn 
 of us ? for we are ready to die rather 
 than transgress the laws of our fa- 
 
 3 thers. And the king fell into a rage, 
 and commanded to heat pans and 
 
 4 caldrons : and when these forthwith 
 were heated, he commanded to cut 
 out the tongue of him that had been 
 their spokesman, and to scalp him, 
 and to cut off his extremities, the rest 
 of his brethren and his mother look- 
 
 5 ing on. And when he was utterly 
 "maimed, the king commanded to 
 bring him to the fire, being yet alive, 
 and to fry him in the pan. And as 
 the vapour of the pan spread far, they 
 and their mother also exhorted one 
 another to die nobly, saying thus : 
 
 6 The Lord God beholdeth, and in 
 truth is ^ intreated for us, as Moses 
 declared in " his song, which witness- 
 eth against the people to their faces, 
 saying, And he shall be ^^ intreated 
 for his servants. 
 
 7 And when the first had died after 
 this manner, they brought the second 
 to the mocking; and they pulled off 
 the skin of his head with the hair and 
 asked him. Wilt thou eat, before thy 
 
 8 body be punished in every limb ? But 
 he answered in the language of his 
 fathers and said to them, No. Where- 
 fore he also underwent the next tor- 
 ture in succession, as the first h?id 
 
 9 done. And when he was at the last 
 
 164 
 
7. 24. 
 
 II. MACCABEES. 
 
 7. 38. 
 
 *Or, 
 breath 
 
 »Or, 
 
 Jirst 
 
 gasp, lie said, Thou, miscreant, dost 
 release us out of this present life, but 
 the King of the world shall raise up 
 us, who have died for his laws, unto 
 an eternal renewal of life. 
 
 10 And after him was the third made a 
 mocking-stock. And when he was re- 
 quired, he quickly put out his tongue, 
 and stretched forth his hands cou- 
 
 11 rageously, and nobly said, From hea- 
 ven I possess these ; and for his laws' 
 sake I contemn these ; and from him 
 I hope to receive these back again : 
 
 12 insomuch that the king himself and 
 they that were with him were aston- 
 ished at the young man's -soul, for that 
 he nothing regarded the pains. 
 
 13 And when he too was dead, they 
 shamefully handled and tortured the 
 
 14 fourth in like manner. And being 
 come near unto death he said thus: 
 It is good to die at the hands of men 
 and look for the hopes which are 
 give7i by God, that we shall be raised 
 up again by him ; for as for thee, thou 
 Shalt have no resurrection unto life. 
 
 15 And next after him they brought the 
 fifth, and shamefully handled him. 
 
 16 But he looked toward ^ the king and 
 said, Because thou hast authority 
 among men, though thou art thyself 
 corruptible, thou doest what thou 
 wilt ; yet think not that our race hath 
 
 17 been forsaken of God ; but hold thou 
 on thy way, and behold his sovereign 
 majesty, how it will tortm-e thee and 
 thy seed. 
 
 18 And after him they brought the 
 sixth. And when he was at the point 
 to die he said, Be not vainly deceived, 
 for we suffer these things for our own 
 doings, as sinning against our own 
 God : marvellous things are come to 
 
 19 pass; but think not thou that thou 
 Shalt be unpunished, having assayed 
 to fight against God. 
 
 20 But above all was the mother mar- 
 vellous and worthy of honourable 
 memory; for when she looked on 
 seven sons perishing within the space 
 of one day, she bare the sight with a 
 good courage for the hopes that she 
 
 21 had set on the Lord. And she exhort- 
 ed each one of them in the language 
 of their fathers, filled with a noble 
 temper and stirring up her womanish 
 thought with manly passion, saying 
 
 22 unto them, I know not how ye came 
 into my womb, neither was it I that 
 bestowed on you your - spirit and your 
 life, and it was not I that brought into 
 order the first elements of each one 
 
 23 of you. Therefore the Creator of the 
 world, who fashioned the ^ generation 
 of man and devised the ^ generation of 
 all things, in mercy giveth back to you 
 again both your 2 spirit and your life, 
 as ye now contemn your own selves 
 
 24 for his laws' sake. But Antiochus, 
 thinking himself to be despised, and 
 
 suspecting the reproachful voice, 
 whilst the youngest was yet alive did 
 not only make his appeal to him by 
 words, but also at the same time pro- 
 mised with oaths that he would enrich 
 him and * raise him to high estate, if 
 he would turn from the customs of his 
 fathers, and that he would take him 
 for his ^ Friend and intrust him with 
 
 25 affairs. But when the young man 
 would in no wise give heed, the king 
 called unto him his mother, and ex- 
 horted her that she would counsel the 
 
 26 lad to save himself. And when he had 
 exhorted her with many words, she 
 
 27 undertook to persuade her son. But 
 bending toward him, laughing the 
 cruel tyrant to scorn, she spake thus 
 in the language of her fathers: My 
 son, have pity upon me that carried 
 thee nine months in my womb, and 
 gave thee suck three years, and nour- 
 ished and brought thee up unto this 
 
 28 age, and sustained thee. I beseech 
 thee, my child, to lift thine eyes unto 
 the heaven and the earth, and to see 
 all things that are therein, and thus 
 to recognise that God made them not 
 of things that were, and that the race 
 of men in this wise cometh into being. 
 
 29 Fear not this butcher, but, proving 
 thyself worthy of thy brethren, accept 
 thy death, that in the mercy of God 
 I may receive thee again with thy 
 brethren. 
 
 30 But before she had yet ended speak- 
 ing, the young man said. Whom wait 
 ye for ? I obey not the commandment 
 of the king, but I hearken to the com- 
 mandment of the law that was given 
 
 3 1 to our fathers through Moses. But 
 thou, that hast devised all manner of 
 evil against the Hebrews, shalt in no 
 
 32 wise escape the hands of GocL For 
 we are suffering because of our own 
 
 33 sins ; and if for rebuke and chastening 
 our living Lord hath been angered a 
 little while, yet shall he again be re- 
 
 34 conciled with his own servants. But 
 thou, O unholy man and of all most 
 vile, be not vainly lifted up in thy wild 
 pride with uncertain hopes, raising thy 
 hand against the heavenly children; 
 
 35 for not yet hast thou escaped the judge- 
 ment of the Almighty God that seeth 
 
 36 all things. For these our brethren, 
 having endured a ^ short pain that 
 bringeth everlasting life, have now 
 • died under God's covenant ; but thou, 
 through the judgement of God, shalt 
 receive in just measure the penalties 
 
 37 of thine arrogancy. But I, as my bre- 
 thren, give up both body and soul for 
 the laws of our fathers, calling upon 
 God that he may speedily become 
 8 gracious to the nation ; and that thou 
 amidst trials and plagues mayest con- 
 
 38 fess that he alone is God ; and that in 
 me and my brethren » thou mayest 
 stay the wrath of the Almighty, which 
 
 *Gr. 
 
 make 
 him one 
 that is 
 counted 
 happy. 
 s See ch. 
 viii.9. 
 
 e Gr. 
 
 short 
 pain of 
 ever- 
 flowing 
 life. 
 1 Gr. 
 fallen. 
 By the 
 omission 
 of one 
 Greek 
 letter the 
 words 
 would 
 signify 
 having 
 endured 
 a short 
 pain, 
 have now 
 drunk 
 of ever- 
 flowing 
 life 
 under 
 God's 
 covenant. 
 8Gr. 
 propi- 
 tious. 
 » Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 maj/ be 
 stayed. 
 
 165 
 
8. 11. 
 
 II. MACCABEES. 
 
 8. 24. 
 
 iGr. 
 destrvic- 
 tion. 
 !»Gr. 
 
 concern- 
 ing the 
 bias- 
 phemies. 
 
 3 The 
 Greek 
 
 text of 
 verses 
 6 and 7 
 is un- 
 certain. 
 
 *See 
 1 Mace. 
 X.65. 
 Compare 
 ch. i. 14 ; 
 vii. 24 ; 
 X. 13; 
 xiv. 11 ; 
 1 Mace, 
 ii. 18. 
 BOr, 
 resolved 
 
 6 Gr. 
 bodies. 
 
 hath been justly brought upon our 
 
 39 whole race. But the king, falling into 
 a rage, handled him worse than all the 12 
 rest, being exasperated at his mock- 
 
 40 ing. So he also died pure froin pollu- 
 tion, putting his whole trust in the 
 Lord. 13 
 
 41 And last of all after her sons the 
 mother died. 14 
 
 42 Let it then suffice to have said thus 
 much concerning the enforcement of 
 sacrificial feasts and the king''s ex- 
 ceeding barbarities. 
 
 8 But Judas, who is also called Macca- 15 
 baeus, and they that were with him, 
 making their way privily into the vil- 
 lages, called unto them their kinsfolk ; 
 and taking unto them such as had con- 16 
 tinued in the Jews' religion, gathered 
 
 2 together as many as six thousand. And 
 they called upon the Lord, beseech- 
 ing him to look upon the people that 
 was oppressed by all; and to have 
 compassion on the sanctuary also 17 
 that had been profaned by the ungod- 
 
 3 ly men ; and to have pity on the city 
 also that was suffering ruin and 
 ready to be made even with the 
 ground ; and to hearken to the blood 
 
 4 that cried unto him ; and to remember 
 also the lawless ^ slaughter of the in- 18 
 nocent infants, and 2 the blasphemies 
 that had been committed against 
 his name ; and to shew his hatred of 
 
 5 wickedness. And when Maccabaeus 
 had trained his men for service, the 
 heathen at once found him Irresist- 19 
 Ible, for that the wrath of the Lord 
 
 6 was turned into pity. ^ And coming 
 unawares he set fire to cities and vil- 
 lages. And in winning back the most 
 Important positions, putting to flight 20 
 
 7 no small number of the enemies, he 
 specially took advantage of the nights 
 for such assaults. And his courage 
 was loudly talked of everywhere. 
 
 8 But when Philip saw the man gain- 
 ing ground by little and little, and in- 
 creasing more and more in his pro- 
 sperity, he wrote unto Ptolemy, the 
 governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, 
 that he should support the king's 
 
 9 cause. And P^o?c»ii/ quickly appoint- 21 
 ed Nicanor the so7i of Patroclus, one 
 of the king^s * Chief Friends, and sent 
 him, in command of no fewer than 
 twenty thousand of all nations, to de- 22 
 stroy the whole race of Judaea ; and 
 with him he joined Gorgias also, a 
 captain and one that had experience 
 
 10 in matters of war. And Nicanor ^ un- 
 dertook by the sale of the captive 23 
 Jews to make up for the king the tri- 
 bute of two thousand talents which he 
 
 11 was to pay to the Romans. And im- 
 mediately he sent unto the cities 
 upon the sea coast, inviting them to 24 
 buy Jewish « slaves, promising to 
 allow fourscore and ten " slaves for 
 a talent, not expecting the judgement 
 
 166 
 
 that was to follow upon him from the 
 Almighty. 
 But tidings came to Judas concern- 
 ing the inroad of Nicanor ; and when 
 he communicated to them that were 
 with him the presence of the army, 
 they that were cowardly and distrust- 
 ful of the judgement of God 'ran 
 away and left the country. And 
 others sold all that was left over to 
 them, and withal besought the Lord 
 to deliver them that had been sold as 
 slaves by the impious Nicanor or ever 
 he met them ; and this, if not for their 
 own sakes, yet for the covenants made 
 with their fathers, and because he 
 had called them by his reverend and 
 glorious name. And Maccabaeus ga- 
 thered his men together, six thousand 
 in number, and exhorted them not to 
 be stricken with dismay at the.enemy, 
 nor to fear the great multitude of the 
 heathen who came wrongfully against 
 them; but to contend nobly, setting 
 before their eyes the outrage that 
 had been lawlessly perpetrated upon 
 the holy place, and the shameful 
 handling of the city that had been 
 turned to mockery, and further the 
 overthrow of the mode of life received 
 from their ancestors. For they, said 
 he, trust to arms, and withal to deeds 
 of daring; but we trust on the Al- 
 mighty God, since he is able at a 
 beck to cast down them that are com- 
 ing against us, and even the whole 
 world. And moreover he recounted 
 unto them the help given from time 
 to time in the days of their ancestors, 
 both the help given in the days of 
 Sennacherib, how that a hundred four- 
 score and five thousand perished, and 
 the help given in the land of Baby- 
 lon, even the battle that was fought 
 against the » Gauls, how that they 
 came to the engagement eight thou- 
 sand in all, with four thousand Mace- 
 donians, and how that, the Macedo- 
 nians being hard pressed, the ^six 
 thousand destroyed the hundred and 
 twenty thousand, because of the suc- 
 cour which they had from heaven, 
 and took great booty. And when he 
 had with these words made them of 
 good courage, and ready to die for 
 the laws and their country, he divided 
 his army into four parts ; '^'^ appointing 
 his brethren to be with himself leaders 
 of the several bands, to wit, Simon 
 and Joseph and Jonathan, giving 
 each the command of fifteen hundred 
 men, and moreover Eleazar also : 
 then, having read aloud the sacred 
 book, and having given as watch- 
 word, THE HELP OF GoD, leading the 
 first band himself, he joined battle 
 with Nicanor. And, since the Al- 
 mighty fought on their side, they slew 
 of the enemy above nine thousand, 
 and wounded and ^^ disabled the more 
 
8. 36. 
 
 II. MACCABEES. 
 
 9. 12. 
 
 lOr, 
 while 
 
 2 The 
 exact 
 meaning 
 of this 
 clause 
 
 is un- 
 certain. 
 
 3 Gr. 
 their 
 amis . . . 
 the spoils 
 of the 
 enemy. 
 *0r, 
 wounded 
 Gr. 
 
 shame- 
 Mly . 
 
 6 Gr. 
 
 of them. 
 
 • That 
 ia, pro- 
 bably, 
 the cap- 
 tain of 
 an ir- 
 regular 
 auxiliary 
 force. 
 Some 
 write 
 Phylar- 
 ches, as a 
 proper 
 name. 
 
 r The 
 
 Greek 
 
 text 
 
 here is 
 
 perhaps 
 
 corrupt. 
 
 • Or, 
 country 
 
 • Or 
 porches 
 
 10 Or, a 
 solitary 
 hut 
 
 11 Gr. 
 Tuiving 
 made 
 himself 
 soUtary. 
 13 Or, 
 having 
 won the 
 greatest 
 possible 
 
 f avow- 
 by reason 
 of the 
 destruc- 
 tion of 
 his host 
 13 Or, 
 because 
 of this 
 their 
 icatj of 
 life 
 Gr. 
 
 because 
 of this 
 
 part of Nicanor's army, and compelled 
 
 25 all to flee ; and they took the money 
 of those that had come there to buy 
 them. And after they had pursued 
 them for some ^ distance, they re- 
 turned, being constrained by the time 
 
 26 of the day ; for it was the day before 
 the sabbath, and for this cause they 
 made no effort to chase them far. 
 
 27 2 And when they had gathered ^the 
 arms of the enemy together, and had 
 stripped off their spoils, they occupied 
 themselves about the sabbath, bless- 
 ing and thanking the Lord exceed- 
 ingly, who had saved them unto this 
 day, for that he had caused a begin- 
 ning of mercy to distil upon them. 
 
 28 And after the sabbath, when they 
 had given of the spoils to the * maimed, 
 and to the widows and orphans, the 
 residue they distributed among them- 
 
 29 selves and their children. And when 
 they had accomplished these tilings, 
 and had made a common supplica^ 
 tion, they besought the merciful Lord 
 to be wholly reconciled with his ser- 
 vants. 
 
 30 And having had an encounter with 
 the forces of Timotheus and Bac- 
 chides, they killed above twenty 
 thousand of them, and made them- 
 selves masters of strongholds exceed- 
 ing high, and divided very much plun- 
 der, giving the * maimed and orphans 
 and widows, and moreover the aged 
 also, an equal share with themselves. 
 
 31 2 And when they had gathered the 
 arms ^of the enemy together, they 
 stored them all up carefully in the 
 most important positions, and the 
 residue of the spoils they carried to 
 
 32 Jerusalem. And they killed the 
 fiphylarch of Timotheus's forces, a 
 most unholy man, and one who had 
 
 33 done the Jews much hurt. ^ And as 
 they kept the feast of victory in the 
 8 city of then- fathers, they burned 
 those that had set the sacred » gates 
 on fire, and among them Callisthenes, 
 who had fled into ^° an outhouse ; and 
 so they received the meet reward of 
 their impiety. 
 
 34 And the thrice-accursed Nicanor, 
 who had brought the thousand mer- 
 
 35 chants to buy the Jews for slaves, be- 
 ing through the help of the Lord 
 humbled by them who in his eyes 
 were held to be of least account, put 
 off his glorious apparel, and passing 
 through the midland. ^^ shunning all 
 company like a fugitive slave, arrived 
 at Antioch, ^^ having, «s he thought, 
 had the greatest possible good for- 
 tune, though his host was destroyed. 
 
 36 And he that had taken upon him to 
 make tribute sure for the Romans by 
 the captivity of the men of Jerusalem 
 published abroad that the Jews had 
 One who fought for them, and that 
 " because this was so the Jews were 
 
 invulnerable, because they followed 
 the laws ordained by him. 
 9 Now about that time it befell that 
 Autiochus had returned " in disorder 
 
 2 from the region of Persia. For he 
 had entered into the city called Per- 
 sepolis, and he assayed to rob ^^a. 
 temple and to hold down the city. 
 Whereupon there was an onset of the 
 multitudes, and ^^ Autiochus and his 
 men turned to make defence with 
 arms ; and it came to pass that Autio- 
 chus was put to flight by the people 
 of the country and broke up his camp 
 
 3 with disgrace. And while he was at 
 Ecbatana, news was brought him 
 what had happened unto Nicanor and 
 
 4 the forces of Timotheus. And being 
 lifted up " by his passion he thought 
 to make the Jews suffer even for the 
 evil-doing of those that had put him 
 to rout Wherefore, the judgement 
 
 ' from heaven even now accompanying 
 him, he gave order to his charioteer 
 to drive without ceasing and despatch 
 the journey; for thus he arrogantly 
 spake : I will make Jerusalem a com- 
 mon graveyard of Jews, when I come 
 
 5 there. But the All-seeing Lord, the 
 God of Israel, smote him with a ^* fatal 
 and invisible stroke ; and as soon as 
 he had ceased speaking this word, an 
 incurable paiu of the bowels seized 
 him, and bitter torments of the inner 
 
 6 parts ; and that most justly, for he 
 had tormented other men's bowels 
 with many and strange sufferings. 
 
 7 But he in no wise ceased from his 
 rude insolence; nay, still more was 
 he filled with arrogancy, breathing 
 fire in his passion against the Jews, 
 and commanding to haste the jour- 
 ney. But it came to pass moreover 
 that he fell from his chariot as it 
 rushed along, and having a grievous 
 fall was racked in all the members of 
 
 8 his body. And he that but now sup- 
 posed himself to have the waves of 
 the sea at his bidding, so vainglorious 
 was he beyond the condition of a man, 
 and that thought to weigh the heights 
 of the mountains in a balance, was 
 now brought to the ground and car- 
 ried in a litter, ^^ shewing unto all that 
 
 9 the power was manifestly God's; so 
 that out of the body of the impious 
 man worms swarmed, and while he 
 was still living in anguish and pains, 
 his flesh fell off, and by reason of the 
 stench all the army turned with loath- 
 
 10 ing from his corruption. And the man 
 that a little afore supposed himself 
 to touch the stars of heaven, no one 
 could endure to carry for his intoler- 
 
 1 1 able stench. Hereupon therefore he 
 began in great part to cease from his 
 arrogancy, being broken in spirit, 
 and to come to knowledge under the 
 scourge of God, his pains increasing 
 
 12 every moment. And when he himself 
 
 i*Or, 
 
 toith dis- 
 honour 
 
 IB Or, 
 
 temples 
 
 18 Or, 
 
 the 
 
 people 
 
 of the 
 
 country 
 
 turned 
 
 "Otj w 
 his spirit 
 
 i8Gr. 
 
 remedi- 
 less. 
 
 19 Or, 
 s/iewing 
 mani- 
 festly 
 untoaU 
 the 
 
 power 
 of God 
 
 167 
 
9. 26. 
 
 II. MACCABEES. 
 
 10. 12. 
 
 1 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 he mind- 
 ed as if 
 eqtial to 
 God. 
 
 sGr. 
 build. 
 
 3 Or, 
 
 Ye/are 
 well, and 
 yovr 
 chil- 
 dren; 
 and 
 your 
 affairs 
 are to 
 your 
 mind. 
 The 
 Greek 
 text in 
 verses 20 
 and 21 
 is un- 
 certain. 
 
 could not abide his own smell, lie said 
 these words : It is right to be subject 
 unto God, and that one who is mortal 
 should not ^be minded arrogantly. 
 
 13 And the vile man vowed unto the Sove- 
 reign Lord, who now no more would 
 have pity upon him, saying on this 
 
 14 wise : that the holy city, to the which 
 he was going in haste,to lay it even with 
 the ground and to ^ make it a common 
 
 15 graveyard, he would declare free ; and 
 as touching the Jews, whom he had 
 decided not even to count worthy of 
 burial, but to cast them out to the 
 beasts with their infants, for the birds 
 to devour, he would make them all 
 
 16 equal to citizens of Athens ; and the 
 holy sanctuary, which before he had 
 spoiled, he would adorn with goodliest 
 offerings, and would restore all the 
 sacred vessels many times multiplied, 
 and out of his own revenues would 
 defray the charges that were required 
 
 17 for the sacrifices ; and, beside all this, 
 that he would become a Jew, and 
 would visit every inhabited place, pub- 
 
 18 lishing abroad the might of God. But 
 when his sufferings did in no wise 
 cease, for the judgement of God had 
 come upon him in righteousness, hav- 
 ing given up all hope of himself, he 
 wrote unto the Jews the letter writ- 
 ten below, having the nature of a 
 supplication, to this effect: 
 
 19 To the worthy Jews, his fellow-citi- 
 zens, Antiochus, king and general, 
 wisheth much joy and health and pro- 
 
 20 sperity. ^ May ye and your children 
 fare well; and your affairs shall be 
 to your mind. Having my hope in 
 
 21 heaven, I remembered with affection 
 your honour and good will toward vie. 
 Returning out of the region of Persia, 
 and being taken with a noisome sick- 
 ness, I deemed it necessary to take 
 thought for the common safety of all, 
 
 22 not despairing of myself, but having 
 great hope to escape from the sick- 
 
 23 ness. But considering that my father 
 also, at what time he led an army into 
 the upper country, appointed his suc- 
 
 24 cessor, to the end that, if anything fell 
 out contrary to expectation, or if any 
 unwelcome tidings were brought, they 
 that remained in the country, know- 
 ing to whom the state had been left, 
 
 25 might not be troubled ; and, beside all 
 this, observing how that the princes 
 that are borderers and neighbours 
 unto my kingdom watch opportuni- 
 ties, and look for the future event, I 
 have appointed my son Antiochus to 
 he king, whom I often committed and 
 commended to most of you, when I 
 was hastening unto the upper pro- 
 vinces; and I have written to him what 
 
 26 is written below. I exhort you there- 
 fore and beseech you, having in your 
 remembrance the benefits done to you 
 in common and severally, to preserve 
 
 each of you your present good will 
 
 27 toward me and my son. For I am per- 
 suaded that he in gentleness and kind- 
 ness will follow my purpose and treat 
 you with indulgence. 
 
 28 So the murderer and blasphemer, 
 having endured the sorest sufferings, 
 even as he had dealt with other men, 
 ended his life among the mountains 
 by a most piteous fate in a strange 
 
 29 land. And Philip his foster-brother 
 conveyed the body home ; and then, 
 fearing the son of Antiochus, he be- 
 took himself to Ptolemy Philometor in 
 Egypt. 
 
 10 And Maccabaeus and they that were 
 with him, the Lord leading them on, 
 recovered the temple and the city; 
 
 2 and they pulled down the altars that 
 had been built in the marketplace by 
 the aliens, and also the walls of sacred 
 
 3 inclosures. And having cleansed the 
 sanctuary they made another altar of 
 sacrifice; and < striking stones and 
 taking fire out of them, they offered 
 sacrifices, after they had ceased for 
 two years, and burned incense, and 
 lighted lamps, and set forth the shew- 
 
 4 bread. And when they had done these 
 things, they fell prostrate and be- 
 sought the Lord that they might fall 
 no more into such evils ; but that, if 
 ever they should sin, they might be 
 chastened by him with forbearance, 
 and not be delivered unto blasphem- 
 
 5 ing and barbarous heathen. Now on 
 the same day that the sanctuary was 
 profaned by aliens, upon that very 
 day did it come to pass that the cleans- 
 ing of the sanctuary was made, even 
 on the five and twentieth day of the 
 
 6 same month, which is Chislev. And 
 they kept eight days with gladness in 
 the manner of the feast of tabernacles, 
 remembering how that ^not long 
 afore, during the feast of tabernacles, 
 they were wandering in the mountains 
 and in the caves after the manner 
 
 7 of wild beasts. Wherefore bearing 
 wands wreathed with leaves, and fair 
 boughs, and palms also, they offered 
 up hymns of thanksgiving to him that 
 had prosperously brought to pass the 
 
 8 cleansing of his own place. They or- 
 dained also with a common statute 
 and decree, for all the nation of the 
 Jews, that they should keep these 
 days every year. 
 
 9 And « such was the end of Antiochus, 
 
 10 who was called Epiphanes. But now 
 will we declare what came to pass 
 under Antiochus named ^ Eupator, 
 who proved himself a true son of that 
 ungodly man, and will gather up 
 briefly the » successive evils of the 
 
 11 wars. For this man, when he suc- 
 ceeded to the kingdom, appointed one 
 Lysias to be chancellor, and supreme 
 governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia. 
 
 12 For Ptolemy that was called Macron, 
 
 168 
 
10. 25. 
 
 II. MACCABEES. 
 
 11. 2. 
 
 lOr, 
 settle his 
 relations 
 with 
 
 « See ch. 
 viii. 9. 
 
 3 The 
 Greek 
 text here 
 is cor- 
 rupt 
 
 *Or, 
 horses 
 
 setting an example of observing jus- 
 tice toward the Jews because of the 
 wrong that had been done unto them, 
 endeavoured to ^ conduct his dealings 
 
 13 with them on peaceful terms. Where- 
 upon being accused by the king^s 
 
 2 Friends before Eupator, and hear- 
 ing himself called traitor at every 
 turn, because he had abandoned Cy- 
 prus which Philometor had intrusted 
 to him, and had withdrawn himself 
 unto Antiochus called Epiphanes, and 
 
 3 failing to uphold the honovu: of his 
 office, he took poison and made away 
 with himself. 
 
 14 But Gorgias, when he was made 
 governor of the district, maintained a 
 force of mercenaries, and at every 
 
 15 turn kept up war with the Jews. And 
 together with him the Idiunaeans also, 
 being masters of important strong- 
 holds, harassed the Jews ; and receiv- 
 ing unto them those that had taken 
 refuge there from Jerusalem, they as- 
 
 16 sayed to keep up war. But Maccabaeus 
 and his men, having made solemn sup- 
 plication and besought God to fight on 
 their side, rushed upon the strong- 
 
 17 holds of the Idumaeans ; and assault- 
 ing them vigorously they made them- 
 selves masters of the positions, and 
 kept off all that fought upon the wall, 
 and slew those that fell in their way, 
 and killed no fewer than twenty thou- 
 
 18 sand. And because no less than nine 
 thousand were fled into two towers 
 exceeding strong and having all things 
 
 19 needed for a siege, Maccabaeus, having 
 left Simon and Joseph, and Zacchaeus 
 besides and them that were with him, 
 a force sufficient to besiege them, de- 
 parted himself unto places where he 
 
 20 was most needed. But Simon and 
 they that were with him, yielding to 
 covetousness, were bribed by certain 
 of those that were in the towers, and 
 receiving seventy thousand drachmas 
 
 21 let some of them slip away. But 
 when word was brought to Macca- 
 baeus of what was done, he gathered 
 the leaders of the people together, 
 and accused those men of having sold 
 their brethren for money, by setting 
 their enemies free to fight against 
 
 22 them. So he slew these men for hav- 
 ing turned traitors, and forthwith took 
 
 23 possession of the two towers. And 
 prospering with his arms in all things 
 he took in hand, he destroyed in the 
 two strongholds more than twenty 
 thousand. 
 
 24 Now Timotheus.who had been before 
 defeated by the Jews, having gathered 
 together foreign forces in great multi- 
 tudes, and having collected the < horse- 
 men which belonged to Asia, not a few, 
 came as though he would take Judaea 
 
 25 by force of arms. But as he drew near, 
 Maccabaeus and his men sprinkled 
 earth upon their heads and girded 
 
 their loins with sackcloth, in suppli- 
 
 26 cation to God, and falling down upon 
 the step in front of the altar, be- 
 sought him to become ^gracious to 
 them, and ^ be an enemy to their ene- 
 mies and an adversary to their adver- 
 
 27 saries, as the law declareth. And ris- 
 ing from their prayer they took up 
 their arms, and advanced some dis- 
 tance from the city ; and when they 
 had come near to their enemies they 
 
 28 ^halted. And when the dawn was 
 now spreading, the two armies joined 
 battle ; the one part having this, be- 
 side their virtue, for a pledge of suc- 
 cess and victory, that they had fled 
 unto the Lord for refuge, the others 
 making their passion their leader in 
 
 29 tlie strife. But when the battle wax- 
 ed strong, there appeared out of hea- 
 ven unto their adversaries five men on 
 horses with bridles of gold, in splendid 
 
 ^ array; « and two of them, leading on 
 
 30 the Jews, and taking Maccabaeus in 
 the midst of them, and covering him 
 with their own armour, guarded him 
 from wounds, while on the adversaries 
 they shot forth arrows and thunder- 
 bolts ; by reason whereof they were 
 blinded and thrown into confusion, 
 and were cut to pieces, filled with be- 
 
 31 wilderment. And there were slain 
 twenty thousand and five himdred, 
 beside six hundred horsemen. 
 
 32 But Timotheus himself fled into a 
 stronghold called Gazara, a fortress of 
 exceeding strength, ^Chaereas being 
 
 33 in command there. But Maccabaeus 
 and his men were glad and laid siege 
 to the fortress four and twenty days. 
 
 34 And they that were within, trusting to 
 the strength of the place, blasphemed 
 exceedingly, and hurled forth impious 
 
 35 words. But at dawn of the five and 
 twentieth day certain young men of 
 the company of Maccabaeus, inflamed 
 with passion because of the blasphe- 
 mies, assaulted the wall with mascu- 
 line force and with ^^ furious passion, 
 and cut down whosoever came in their 
 
 36 way. And others climbing up in like 
 manner, while tfie besieged were dis- 
 tracted with them that had made 
 their way within, set fire to the tow- 
 ers, and kindling fires burned the 
 blasphemers alive ; while others broke 
 open the gates, and, having given en- 
 trance to the rest of the band, occupied 
 
 37 the city. And they slew Timotheus, 
 who was hidden in a cistern, and his 
 brother Chaereas, and Apollophanes. 
 
 38 And when they had accomphshed 
 these things, they blessed the Lord 
 with hymns and thanksgivings, him 
 who doeth great benefits unto Israel, 
 and giveth them the victory. 
 
 11 Now after a very little time Lysias, 
 
 the king's guardian and kinsman and 
 
 chancellor, being sore displeased for 
 
 2 the things that had come to pass, col- 
 
 j 3f* 
 
 8 Gr. 
 propi- 
 tious. 
 8 See 
 Ex. 
 xxiii. 22. 
 
 7 Gr. 
 
 ■were by 
 them- 
 selves. 
 
 8 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 and 
 leading 
 on the 
 Jexos; 
 who also, 
 taking. 
 
 8 See 
 ver. 37. 
 
 10 Gr. 
 
 pcutsioH 
 as of 
 wild 
 beasts. 
 
11. 17. 
 
 II. MACCABEES. 
 
 11. 35. 
 
 1 Or. on 
 
 all the 
 
 places 
 of the 
 heathen 
 
 2 The 
 Greek 
 text here 
 is un- 
 certain. 
 
 3 Gr. a 
 panoply. 
 
 4 Or. 
 
 wound. 
 
 6 The 
 Greek 
 text here 
 is cor- 
 rupt. 
 
 8 Gr. 
 
 multi- 
 tude. 
 1 Or, 
 docu- 
 ment 
 
 lected about fourscore thousand /oo^ 
 men and all his horsemen and came 
 against the Jews, thinking to make 
 the city a place for Greeks to dwell 
 
 3 in, and to levy tribute on the temple, 
 as ^ on the other sacred places of the 
 nations, and to put up the high priest- 
 
 4 hood to sale every year ; holding in no 
 account the might of God, but puffed 
 up with his ten thousands of footmen, 
 and his thousands of horsemen, and 
 
 5 his fourscore elephants. And coming 
 into Judaea and drawing near to Beth- 
 suron, which was a strong place and 
 distant from Jerusalem about ^flve 
 
 6 leagues, he pressed it hard. But when 
 Maccabseus and his men learned that 
 he was besieging the strongholds, they 
 and all the people with lamentations 
 and tears made supplication unto the 
 Lord to send a good angel to save 
 
 7 Israel. And Maccabseus himself took 
 up arms first, and exhorted the othen 
 to jeopard themselves together with 
 him and succour their brethren ; and 
 they sallied forth with him right will- 
 
 8 ingly. And as they were there, close 
 to Jerusalem, there appeared at their 
 head one on horseback in white ap- 
 parel, brandishing ^ weapons of gold. 
 
 9 And they all together praised the 
 merciful God, and were yet more 
 strengthened in heart : being ready to 
 * assail not men only but the wildest 
 
 10 beasts, and walls of iron, they ad- 
 vanced in array, having him that is in 
 heaven to fight on their side, for the 
 
 1 1 Lord had mercy on them. And hurling 
 themselves like lions upon the enemy, 
 they slew of them eleven thousand 
 footmen and sixteen hundred horse- 
 
 12 men, and forced all the rest to flee. But 
 the more part of them escaped wound- 
 ed and naked ; and Lysias also him- 
 
 13 self escaped by shameful flight. But 
 as he was a man not void of under- 
 standing, weighing with himself the 
 defeat which had befallen him, and 
 considering that the Hebrews could 
 not be overcome, because the Almighty 
 God fought on their side, he sent again 
 
 \4tunto them,, and persuaded them to 
 come to terms on condition that all 
 their rights were acknowledged, and 
 ^promised that he would also per- 
 suade the king to become their friend. 
 
 15 And Maccabaeus gave consent upon 
 all the conditions which Lysias pro- 
 posed to him, being careful of the 
 com,7non good ; for whatsoever re- 
 quests Maccabaeus delivered in writing 
 unto Lysias concerning the Jews the 
 
 16 king allowed. For the letters written 
 unto the Jews from Lysias were to 
 this effect : 
 
 Lysias unto the « people of the Jews, 
 
 17 greeting. John and Absalom, who 
 were sent from you, having delivered 
 the ^ petition written below, made re- 
 quest concerning the things signified 
 
 18 therein. What things soever there- 
 fore had need to be brought before 
 the king I declared to him, and what 
 
 19 things were possible he allowed. If 
 then ye will preserve your good will 
 toward the state, henceforward also 
 will I endeavour to contribute to your 
 
 20 good, 8 And on this behalf I have 
 given order in detail, both to these 
 men and to those that are sent from 
 
 21 me, to confer with you. Fare ye well. 
 Written in the hundred forty and 
 eighth year, on the four and twentieth 
 day of the month ^ Dioscorinthius. 
 
 22 And the king's letter was in these 
 words : 
 
 King Antiochus unto his brother Ly- 
 
 23 sias, greeting. Seeing that our father 
 passed unto the gods having the wish 
 that the subjects of his kingdom 
 10 should be undisturbed and give 
 themselves to the care of their own 
 
 24 affairs, we, having heard that the 
 Jews do not consent to our father's 
 purpose to turn them unto the customs 
 of the Greeks, but choose rather their 
 own manner of living, and make re- 
 quest that the customs of their law be 
 
 25 allowed unto them, — choosing there- 
 fore that this nation also should be 
 free from ^^ disturbance, we determine 
 that their temple be restored to them, 
 and that they live according to the 
 customs that were in the days of their 
 
 26 ancestors. Thou wilt therefore do 
 well to send messengers unto them and 
 give them the right hand of friend- 
 ship, that they, knowing our mind, 
 may be of good heart, and gladly oc- 
 cupy themselves with the conduct of 
 their own affairs. 
 
 27 And unto the nation the king's letter 
 was after this manner : 
 
 King Antiochus to the senate of the 
 Jews and to the other Jews, greeting. 
 
 28 If ye fare well, we have our desire : 
 we ourselves also are in good health. 
 
 29 Menelaus informed us that your desire 
 was to return home and follow your 
 
 30 own business. They therefore that 
 depart home up to the thirtieth day 
 of Xanthicus shall have our i^friend- 
 
 31 ship, with full permission that the 
 Jews use their own proper meats and 
 observe their own laws, even as here- 
 tofore ; and none of them shall be in 
 any way molested for the things that 
 
 32 have been ignorantly done. Moreover 
 I have sent Menelaus also, that he 
 
 33 may encourage you. Fare ye well. 
 Written in the hundred forty and 
 eighth year, on the fifteenth day of 
 Xanthicus. 
 
 34 And the Romans also sent unto them 
 a letter in these words : 
 
 Quintus Memmius and Titus Mani- 
 us, ambassadors of the Romans, unto 
 
 35 the people of the Jews, greeting. In 
 regard to the things which Lysias the 
 king's kinsman granted you, we also 
 
12. 12. 
 
 II. MACCABEES. 
 
 12. 24. 
 
 1 Gr. 
 Be in 
 
 sGr. 
 
 tfiey also. 
 
 sGr. 
 
 after. 
 
 *Gr. 
 
 them. 
 
 36 give consent. But as for the things 
 which he judged should be referred to 
 the king, send one forthwith, after ye 
 have advised thereof, that we may 
 publish such decrees as befit your 
 case ; for we are on our way to An- 
 
 37tioch. "Wherefore send some with 
 speed, that we also may learn what is 
 
 38 your mind. ^ Farewell. Written in 
 the hundred fort}' and eighth year, on 
 the fifteenth day of Xanthicus. 
 
 12 So when these covenants had been 
 made, Lysias departed unto the king, 
 and the Jews went about their hus- 
 bandry. 
 
 2 But certain of the governors of dis- 
 tricts, Timotheus and Apollonius the 
 san of Gennseus, and Hieronymus also 
 and Demophon, and beside them Nica- 
 nor the governor of Cyprus, would 
 not suffer them to enjoy tranquillity 
 
 3 and live in peace. And men of Joppa 
 perpetrated this great impiety : they 
 invited the Jews that dwelt among 
 them to go with their wives and chil- 
 dren into the boats which they had 
 provided, as though they had no ill 
 
 4 will towards them ; and when * the 
 Jews, 3 relying on the common decree 
 of the city, accepted the invitation, 
 as men desiring to live in peace and 
 suspecting nothing, they took them 
 out to sea and drowned them, in 
 nnmher not less than two hundred. 
 
 5 But when Judas heard of the cruelty 
 done unto his fellow-countrymen, giv- 
 ing command to the men that were 
 
 6 with him and calling upon God the 
 righteous Judge, he came against the 
 miu-derers of his brethren, and set 
 the haven on fire by night, and burned 
 the boats, and put to the sword those 
 
 7 that had fled thither. But when the 
 town was closed against him, he with- 
 drew, intending to come again to root 
 out the whole community of the men 
 
 8 of Joppa. But learning that the men 
 of Jamnia were minded to do in like 
 manner unto the Jews that sojourned 
 
 9 among them, he fell upon the Jam- 
 nites also by night, and set fire to the 
 haven together with the fleet, so that 
 the glare of the light was seen at Je- 
 rusalem, two hundred and forty fur- 
 longs distant. 
 
 10 Now when they had drawn off nine 
 furlongs from thence, as they marched 
 against Timotheus, a host of Ara- 
 bians attacked him, no fewer than 
 five thousand footmen and five hun- 
 
 11 dred horsemen. And when a sore 
 battle had been fought, and Judas 
 and his company by the help of God 
 had good success, the nomads being 
 overcome besought Judas to grant 
 them friendship, promising to give 
 hiin cattle, and to help * his people in 
 
 12 all other ways. So Judas, thinking 
 that they would indeed be profitable 
 in many things, agreed to live in 
 
 peace with them ; and receiving 
 pledges of friendship they departed 
 
 13 to their tents. And he also fell upon 
 a certain city ^ Gephyrun, strong and 
 fenced about with walls, and inhabit- 
 ed by a mixed multitude of divers 
 nations ; and it was named Caspin. 
 
 14 But they that were within, trusting 
 to the strength of the walls and to 
 their store of provisions, behaved 
 themselves rudely toward Judas and 
 them that were with him, railing, and 
 furthermore blaspheming and speak- 
 
 15 iug impious words. But Judas and 
 his company, calling upon the great 
 Sovereign of the world, who without 
 rams and cunning engines of war 
 hurled down Jericho in the times of 
 Joshua, rushed wildly against the 
 
 16 wall: and having taken the city by 
 the will of God, they made unspeaka- 
 ble slaughter, insomuch that the ad- 
 
 . joining lake, which was two furlongs 
 broad, appeared to be filled with the 
 deluge of blood. 
 
 17 And when they had drawn off seven 
 hundred and fifty furlongs from 
 thence, they made their way to Cha- 
 rax, unto the Jews that are called 
 
 1 8 « Tubieni. And Timotheus they found 
 not in occupation of that district, for 
 he had then departed from the district 
 without accomplishing anything, but 
 had left behind a garrison, and that 
 a very strong one, in a certain post. 
 
 19 But Dositheus and Sosipater, who 
 were of Maccabaeus's captains, sallied 
 forth and destroyed those that had 
 been left by Timotheus in the strong- 
 
 20 hold, above ten thousand men. And 
 Maccabaeus, ranging his own army by 
 bands, set * these two over the bands, 
 and marched in haste against Timo- 
 theus, who had with him a hundred 
 and twenty thousand footmen and two 
 thousand and five hundred horsemen. 
 
 21 But when Timotheus heard of the 
 inroad of Judas, he at once sent away 
 the women and the children and also 
 the baggage into the fortress called 
 ^ Carnion ; for the place was hard to 
 besiege and diflBcult of access by rea- 
 son of the narrowness of the ap- 
 
 22 proaches on all sides. But when the 
 band of Judas, who led the van, 
 appeared in sight, and when terror 
 came upon the enemy and fear, be- 
 cause the manifestation of him who 
 beholdeth all things came upon them, 
 they fled amain, carried this way and 
 that, so that they were often hurt of 
 their own men, and pierced with the 
 
 23 points of their swords. And Judas 
 continued the pursuit the more hotly, 
 putting the wicked wretches to the 
 sword, and he destroyed as many as 
 
 24 thirty thousand men. But Timotheus 
 himself, falling in with the company 
 of Dositheus and Sosipater, besought 
 them with much « crafty guile to let 
 
 BThe 
 relation 
 between 
 the 
 
 names 
 Gephy- 
 run SLTid 
 Caspin 
 i8 un- 
 known, 
 and per- 
 haps the 
 Greek 
 text is 
 corrupt. 
 Compare 
 Geph- 
 7im, the 
 name of 
 a citv of 
 Gilead 
 men- 
 tioned 
 by Poly- 
 bius, 
 ▼.70.12; 
 and 
 
 Casphor, 
 IMacc. 
 V. 26,36. 
 
 oThatia, 
 men of 
 Tab: see 
 Judg. xi. 
 3, 2 Sam. 
 X. 6, and 
 compare 
 IMacc. 
 V.13. 
 
 7 Com- 
 
 8 Gr. 
 jugglery. 
 
12. 38. 
 
 II. MACCABEES. 
 
 13. 5. 
 
 iGr. 
 and the 
 
 result 
 will be 
 that these 
 be disre- 
 garded. 
 The 
 Greek 
 text here 
 is per- 
 haps 
 corrupt. 
 2 Or, 
 have 
 been 
 shevm 
 i Com- 
 pare 
 Car- 
 
 m 
 
 ace. 
 
 V.26, 
 43,44. 
 *The 
 Greek 
 text here 
 is per- 
 haps 
 corrupt. 
 6 Gr. in 
 front of. 
 « Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 weight. 
 1 Or, his 
 enemies 
 
 8 The 
 Greek 
 text is 
 uncer- 
 tain. 
 
 9 Com- 
 pare 
 1 Mace. 
 
 v.ee. 
 
 10 Gr. 
 OdoU 
 lam. 
 
 liim go with his life, because he had 
 in his power the parents of many of 
 them and the brethren of some : ^ other- 
 wise, said he, little regard will ''be 
 
 25 shewn to these. So when he had with 
 many words confirmed the agreement 
 to restore them without hurt, they let 
 him go that they might save their 
 brethren. 
 
 26 And Judas, marching against ^Car- 
 nionandthe temple of Atergatis, slew 
 five and twenty thousand persons. 
 
 27 And after he had put these to flight 
 and destroyed them, he marched 
 against Ephron also, a strong city, 
 
 * wherein were multitudes of people 
 of all nations ; and stalwart young 
 men placed ^on the walls made a 
 vigorous defence ; and there were 
 great stores of engines and darts 
 
 28 there. But calling upon the Sove- 
 reign who with might breaketh in 
 pieces the « strength of '' the enemy, 
 they got the city into their hands, and 
 slew as many as twenty and five 
 thousand of them that were within. 
 
 29 And setting out from thence they 
 marched in haste against Scythopo- 
 lis, which is distant from Jerusalem 
 
 30 six hundred furlongs. But when the 
 Jews that were settled there testified 
 of the good will that the Scythopo- 
 litans had shewn toward them, and of 
 their kindly bearing toward them in 
 
 31 the times of their misfortune, they 
 gave thanks, and further exhorted 
 them to remain well affected toward 
 the race for the future ; and they 
 went up to Jerusalem, the feast of 
 weeks being close at hand. 
 
 32 But after the /ecwf called Pentecost 
 they marched in haste against Gor- 
 
 33 gias the governor of Idumaea : and he 
 came out with three thousand footmen 
 
 34 and four hundred horsemen. And 
 when they had set themselves in array, 
 it came to pass that a few of the Jews 
 
 35 fell. And a certain Dositheus, one 
 
 * of Bacenor's company, who was on 
 horseback and a strong man, pressed 
 hard on Gorgias, and taking hold of 
 his cloke drew him along by main 
 force; and while he was minded to 
 take the accursed man alive, one of 
 the Tliracian horsemen bore down 
 upon him and disabled his shoulder, 
 and so Gorgias escaped unto ^ Marisa. 
 
 36 And when they that were with Es- 
 dris had been fighting long and were 
 wearied out, Judas called upon the 
 Lord to shew himself, fighting on 
 their side and leading the van of the 
 
 37 battle; and then in the language of 
 his fathers he raised the battle-cry 
 joined with hymns, and rushing un- 
 awares upon the troops of Gorgias 
 put them to flight. 
 
 38 And Judas gathering his army came 
 unto the city of ^o Adullam ; and as 
 the seventh day was coming on, they 
 
 purified themselves according to the 
 custom, and kept the sabbath there. 
 
 39 And on the day following, " at which 
 time it had become necessary, Judas 
 and his company came to take up the 
 bodies of them that had fallen, ^^ and 
 in company with their kinsmen to 
 bring them back unto the sepulchres 
 
 40 of their fathers. But under the gar- 
 ments of each one of the dead they 
 found " consecrated tokens of the 
 idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids 
 the Jews to have aught to do with ; 
 and it became clear to all that it was 
 for this cause that they had fallen. 
 
 41 All therefore, blessing the works of 
 the Lord, the righteous Judge, who 
 maketh manifest the things that are 
 
 42 hid, betook themselves unto supplica- 
 tion, beseeching that the sin commit- 
 ted might be wholly blotted out. And 
 the noble Judas exhorted the multi- 
 tude to keep themselves from sin, for- 
 somuch as they had seen before their 
 eyes what things had come to pass 
 because of the sin of them that had 
 
 43 fallen. And when he had made a 
 collection man by man to the sum of 
 two thousand drachmas of silver, he 
 sent unto Jerusalem to offer a sacri- 
 fice for sin, doing therein right well 
 and honourably, in that he took 
 
 44 thought for a resurrection. For if he 
 were not expecting that they that had 
 fallen would rise again, it were super- 
 fluous and idle to pray for the dead. 
 
 45 (And if he did it looking unto an hon- 
 ourable memorial of gratitude laid up 
 for them that " die ^^ in godliness, holy 
 and godly was the thought.) Where- 
 fore he made the propitiation for them 
 that had died, that they might be re- 
 leased from their sin. 
 
 13 In the hundred forty and ninth year 
 tidings were brought to Judas and his 
 company that Antiochus Eupator was 
 coming with great multitudes against 
 2Jud8ea, and with him Lysias his 
 guardian and chancellor, ^^ each hav- 
 ing a Greek force, a hundred and ten 
 thousand footmen, and five thousand 
 and three hundred horsemen, and two 
 and twenty elephants, and three hun- 
 dred chariots armed with scythes. 
 
 3 And Menelaus also joined himself 
 with them, and with great dissimula- 
 tion encoui'aged Antiochus, not for the 
 saving of his country, but because he 
 thought that he would be set over the 
 
 4 government. But the King of kings 
 stirred up the ^^ passion of Antiochus 
 against the wicked wretch ; and when 
 Lysias informed him that this man 
 was the cause of all the evils, the king 
 commanded to bring him unto Beroea, 
 and *to put him to death after the 
 
 5 manner of that place. Now there is 
 in that place a tower of fifty cubits 
 high, full of ashes, and it had all 
 round it a " gallery ^^ descending sheer 
 
 172 
 
13. 20. 
 
 II. MACCABEES. 
 
 14. 8. 
 
 1 The 
 Greek 
 text here 
 is pro- 
 bably 
 corrupt. 
 
 aGr. 
 
 about. 
 
 3 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 indig- 
 nant. 
 
 *Gr. 
 
 and be- 
 sought. 
 
 8 Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 the Lord. 
 • Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 Creator. 
 TOr, 
 mode of 
 life 
 
 • Or. 
 
 court. 
 
 • Or. 
 camp. 
 10 Gr. 
 house. 
 
 11 Gr. 
 fnm. 
 
 6 on every side into the ashes. Here 
 him that is guilty of sacrilege, or hath 
 attained a preeminence in any other 
 evil deeds, they ^all push forward 
 
 7 into destruction. By such a fate it 
 befell the breaker of the law, Mene- 
 laus, to die, without obtaining so 
 much as a grave in the earth, and 
 
 8 that right justly; for inasmuch as 
 he had perpetrated many sins ^ against 
 the altar, whose fire and whose ashes 
 were holy, in ashes did he receive his 
 death. 
 9 Now the king, ^ infuriated in spirit, 
 was coming with intent to inflict on 
 the Jews the very worst of the suffer- 
 ings that had befallen them in his 
 10 father's time. But when Judas heard 
 of these things, he gave charge to the 
 multitude to call upon the Lord day 
 ; and night, beseeching him, if ever at 
 '■ any other time, so now to succour 
 ! them that were at the point to be de- 
 j prived of the law and their country 
 I 11 and the holy temple, and not to suffer 
 j the people that had been but now a 
 I little while revived to fall into the 
 I 12 hands of those profane heathen. So 
 j when they had all done the same 
 I thing together, * beseeching the 
 merciful Lord with weeping and fast- 
 ings and prostration for three days 
 without ceasing, Judas exhorted them 
 and commanded they should join him 
 13/or service. And having gone apart 
 with the elders he resolved that, be- 
 fore the king's army should enter 
 into Judaea and make themselves 
 masters of the city, they should go 
 forth and try the matter in fight by 
 
 14 the help of ^God. And committing 
 the decision to the ^Lord of the 
 world, and exhorting them that were 
 with him to contend nobly even unto 
 death for laws, temple, city, country, 
 ' commonwealth, he pitched his camp 
 
 15 by Modin. And having given out to 
 his men the watchword, victoby is 
 GOD'S, with a chosen body of the 
 bravest young men he fell upon the 
 camp by night and penetrated to the 
 king's * tent, and slew ^ of the ^ army 
 as many as two thousand men, and 
 1 brought down the chiefest elephant 
 with him that was in the ^° tower upon 
 
 16 him. And at last they filled the 
 •army with terror and alarm, and 
 
 17 departed with good success. And this 
 had been accomplished when the day 
 was but now dawning, because of the 
 Lord's protection that gave " Judas 
 help. 
 
 18 But the king, having had a taste of 
 the exceeding boldness of the Jews, 
 made attempts by stratagem upon 
 
 19 their positions, and upon a strong 
 fortress of the Jews at Bethsura ; he 
 advanced, was tiu-ned back, failed, 
 
 20 was defeated. And Judas conveyed 
 such things as were necessary unto 
 
 21 them that were within. But Rhodo- 
 cus, from the Jewish ranks, made 
 known to the enemy the secrets of his 
 countrymen. He was sought out, and 
 
 22 taken, and shut up in prison. The 
 king treated with them in Bethsura 
 the second time, gave his hand, took 
 theirs, departed, attacked the forces 
 
 23 of Judas, was put to the worse, heard 
 that Philip who had been left as 
 chancellor in Antioch had become 
 reckless, was confoimded, made to the 
 Jews an overture of peace, submitted 
 himself and sware to acknowledge all 
 their rights, came to terms with them 
 and offered sacrifice, honoured the 
 
 24 sanctuary and the place, shewed kind- 
 ness and graciously received Mac- 
 cabaeus, left Hegemonides governor 
 from Ptolemais even unto the ^^ Ger- 
 
 25 renians, came to Ptolemais. The men 
 of Ptolemais were displeased at the 
 
 . treatj', for they had exceeding great 
 indignation against the Jetvs : they de- 
 sired to annul the articles of the agree- 
 
 26 ment. Lysias ^^ came forward to 
 speak, made the best defence that 
 was possible, persuaded, pacified, 
 made them well affected, departed 
 unto Antioch. This was the issue of 
 the inroad and departure of the king. 
 
 14 Now after a space of three years 
 tidings were brought to Judas and his 
 company that Demetrius the son of 
 Seleucus, having sailed into the haven 
 of Tripolis with a mighty host and a 
 
 2 fleet, had gotten possession of the 
 country, having made away with An- 
 tiochus and Lysias his guardian. 
 
 3 But one Alcimus, who had formerly 
 been high priest, and had wilfully pol- 
 luted himself in the times when there 
 was no mingling with the Gentiles, 
 considering that there was no deliver- 
 ance for him in any way, nor any more 
 
 4 access unto the holy altar, came to 
 king Demetrius in about the hundred 
 and one and fiftieth year, presenting 
 to him a chaplet of gold and a palm, 
 and beside these some of the festal 
 olive boughs of the temple. And for 
 
 5 that day he held his peace ; but hav- 
 ing gotten opportunity to further his 
 own madness, being called by Deme- 
 trius into a meeting of his council, and 
 asked how the Jews stood affected 
 and what they purposed, he answered 
 
 6 thereunto. Those of the Jews that be 
 called " Hasidaeans, whose leader is 
 Judas Maccabaeus, keep up war, and 
 are seditious, not suffering the king- 
 
 7 dom to find tranquillity. Wherefore, 
 having laid aside mine ancestral 
 glory, I mean the high priesthood, I 
 
 8am now come ^^ hither; first for the 
 unfeigned care I have for the things 
 that concern the king, and secondly 
 because I have regard also to mine 
 own fellow-citizens : for, through the 
 unadvised dealing of those of whom 
 
 la The 
 form of 
 this word 
 is un- 
 certain. 
 Compare 
 Girzites 
 (or Giz- 
 rites), 
 ISam. 
 xxvii. 8. 
 One 
 manu- 
 script 
 reads 
 Gera- 
 renea. 
 13 Gr. 
 came 
 fortcard 
 to the 
 tribune 
 or judge- 
 ment- 
 
 Chasi- 
 dim. 
 
 IS Some 
 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 
 173 
 
14. 24. 
 
 II. MACCABEES. 
 
 14 37. 
 
 1 Or. is 
 
 hardly 
 bestead 
 
 2 Or. the 
 
 king's 
 
 Friends 
 
 likewise 
 
 3 See ch. 
 viii. 9. 
 
 *Gr. 
 
 greatest. 
 
 5 Or, 
 they that 
 had fled 
 before 
 Judas 
 all over 
 Jvdsea 
 thronged 
 
 6 See ch. 
 v. 27. 
 
 7 The 
 Greek 
 text of 
 this 
 verse 
 and the 
 next is 
 corrupt. 
 
 8 Or, 
 and had 
 received 
 a check, 
 pet not 
 till late 
 by reason 
 of the 
 sudden 
 conster- 
 nation 
 of his 
 adver- 
 saries 
 
 • Or. 
 
 people 
 Or. mul- 
 titudes. 
 
 I spake before, our whole race is in no 
 9 small misfortune. But do thou, O 
 king, having informed thyself of these 
 things severally, take thought both for 
 our country and for our race, which 
 1 is surrounded by foes, according to 
 the gracious kindness with which thou 
 
 10 receivest all. For as long as Judas re- 
 mainetb alive, it is impossible that the 
 
 1 1 state should find peace. And when he 
 had spoken such words as these, at 
 once 2 the rest of the king^s ^ Friends, 
 having ill will against Judas, inflamed 
 
 12 Demetrius yet more. And forthwith 
 appointing Nicanor, who had been 
 master of the elephants, and making 
 him governor of Judaea, he sent him 
 
 13 forth, giving him written instructions 
 to make away with Judas himself and 
 to scatter them that were with him, 
 and to set up Alcimus as high priest 
 
 14 of the * great temple. And ^ those in 
 Judaea that " had before driven Judas 
 into exile thronged to Nicanor in 
 flocks, supposing that the misfortunes 
 and calamities of the Jews would be 
 successes to themselves. 
 
 15 But when the Jervs heard of Nica- 
 nor's inroad and the assault of the 
 heathen, they sprinkled earth upon 
 their heads and made solemn suppli- 
 cation to him who had established his 
 own people for evermore, and who al- 
 way, making manifest his presence, 
 upholdeth them that are his own por- 
 
 16 tion. ^ And when the leader had given 
 his commands, he straightway setteth 
 out from thence, and joineth battle 
 with them at a village called Lessau. 
 
 17 But Sirnon, the brother of Judas, had 
 encountered Nicanor, *yet not till 
 late, having received a check by rea- 
 son of the sudden consternation caus- 
 ed by his adversaries. 
 
 18 Nevertheless Nicanor, hearing of the 
 manliness of them that were with 
 Judas, and their courage in fighting 
 for their country, shrank from bring- 
 ing the matter to the decision of the 
 
 19 sword. Wherefore he sent Posidonius 
 and Theodotus and Mattathias to give 
 
 20 and receive pledges of friendship. So 
 when these proposals had been long 
 considered, and the leader had made 
 the 8 troops acquainted therewith, 
 and it appeared that they were all of 
 like mind, they consented to the cove- 
 
 21 nants. And they appointed a day on 
 which to meet together by themselves. 
 And a litter was borne forward from 
 
 22 each anny, they set chairs of state ; 
 Judas stationed armed men ready in 
 convenient places, lest haply there 
 should suddenly be treachery on the 
 part of the enemy; they held such 
 
 23 conference as was meet. Nicanor 
 tarried in Jerusalem, and did nothing 
 to cause disturbance, but dismissed 
 the flocks of people that had gathered 
 
 24 together. And he kept Judas always 
 
 in his presence; he had gained a 
 
 25 hearty affection for the man ; he urged 
 him to marry and beget children ; he 
 married, settled quietly, took part in 
 common life. 
 
 26 But Alcimus, perceiving the good 
 will that was betwixt them, "and 
 having got possession of the cove- 
 nants that had been made, came unto 
 Demetrius and told him that Nicanor 
 was ill affected toward the state, for 
 he had appointed that conspirator 
 against his kingdom, Judas, to be his 
 
 27 successor. And the king, falling into 
 a rage, and being exasperated by the 
 calumnies of that most wicked man, 
 wrote to Nicanor, signifying that he 
 was displeased at the covenants, and 
 commanding him to send Maccabaeus 
 prisoner unto Antioch in all haste. 
 
 28 And when this message came to Ni- 
 canor, he was confounded, and was 
 sore troubled at the thought of annul- 
 ling the articles that had been agreed 
 upon, the man having done no wrong ; 
 
 29 but because there was no dealing 
 against the king, he watched his time 
 to execute this purpose by strata- 
 
 30 gem. But Maccabaeus, when he per- 
 ceived that Nicanor was behaving 
 more harshly in his dealings with him, 
 and that he had become ruder in his 
 customary bearing, understanding 
 that this harshness came not of good, 
 gathered together not a few of his 
 men, and concealed himself from Ni- 
 canor. 
 
 31 But the other, i^when he became 
 aware that he had been bravely de- 
 feated by the stratagem of ^^ Judas, 
 came to the * great and holy temple, 
 while the priests were offering the 
 usual sacrifices, and commanded them 
 
 32 to deliver up the man. And when they 
 declared with oaths that they had no 
 knowledge where the man was whom 
 
 33 he sought, he stretched forth his right 
 hand toward the sanctuary, and sware 
 this oath : If ye will not deliver up to 
 me Judas as a prisoner, I will lay this 
 13 temple of God even with the ground, 
 and will break down the altar, and I 
 will erect here a temple unto " Bacchus 
 
 34 for all to see. And having said this 
 he departed. But the priests, stretch- 
 ing forth their hands toward heaven, 
 called upon him that ever fighteth for 
 
 35 our nation, in these words : Thou, ^^ O 
 Lord of the universe, who in thyself 
 hast need of nothing, wast well pleas- 
 ed that a sanctuary of thy ^^ habitation 
 
 36 should be set among us ; so now, O 
 holy Lord of all hallowing, keep un- 
 defiled for ever this house that hath 
 been lately cleansed. 
 
 37 Now information was given to Ni- 
 canor against one Razis, an elder of 
 Jerusalem, ^^ as being a lover of his 
 countrymen and a man of very good 
 report, and one called Father of the 
 
 174 
 
15. 7. 
 
 II. MACCABEES. 
 
 15. 20. 
 
 lOr 
 people 
 Gr. mul- 
 titudes. 
 
 •Or, 
 the void 
 place 
 
 »Or, 
 
 life and 
 ipirit 
 *0r. 
 breath 
 » Some 
 authori- 
 ties read 
 the same. 
 
 •Or, 
 
 honoured 
 
 above 
 
 other 
 
 days as a 
 
 haUowed 
 
 TOr. 
 that com- 
 mandeth 
 
 «Or, 
 
 miserable 
 8Gr. 
 can-i/ing 
 his neck 
 high. 
 
 Jews for his good will toivard tfievi. 
 
 38 For in the former times when there 
 was no mingling icith the Gentiles he 
 had been accused of cleaving to the 
 Jews' religion, and had jeoparded 
 body and life with all earnestness for 
 
 39 the religion of the Jews. And Nicanor, 
 wishing to make evident the ill will 
 that he bare unto the Jews, sent above 
 
 40 five hundred soldiers to take him ; for 
 he thought by taking him to inflict a 
 
 41 calamity upon them. But when the 
 * troops were on the point of taking 
 the tower, and were forcing the door 
 of the court, and bade bring fire and 
 burn the doors, he being surrounded 
 on every side fell upon his sword, 
 
 42 choosing rather to die nobly than to 
 fall into the hands of the wicked 
 wretches, and suft'er outrage unworthy 
 
 43 of his own nobleness: but since he 
 missed his stroke through the excite- 
 ment of the struggle, and the crowds 
 were now rushing within the door, he 
 . ran bravely up to the wall and cast 
 himself down manfully among the 
 
 44 crowds. But as they quickly gave 
 back, a space was made, and he fell on 
 
 45 the middle of ^ his side. And having 
 yet breath within him, and being in- 
 flamed with passion, he rose up, and 
 though his blood gushed out in 
 streams and his wounds were griev- 
 ous, he ran through the crowds, and 
 
 46 standing upon a steep rock, when as 
 his blood was now well nigh spent, 
 he drew forth his bowels through the 
 wound, and taking them in both his 
 hands he shook them at the crowds ; 
 and calling upon him who is Lord of 
 3 the life and the * spirit to restore 
 him ° these again, he thus died. 
 
 15 But Nicanor, hearing that Judas and 
 his company were in the region of 
 Samaria, resolved to set upon them 
 with all security on the day of rest. 
 
 2 And when the Jews that were com- 
 pelled to follow him said, O destroy 
 not so savagely and barbarously, but 
 give due glory to the day which he 
 that beholdeth all things hath <= hon- 
 oured and hallowed above other days ; 
 
 3 then the thrice-accursed wretch asked 
 if there were a Sovereign in heaven 
 that had commanded to keep the sab- 
 
 4 bath day. And when they declared, 
 There is the Lord, living himself a 
 
 ^ Sovereign in heaven, who bade us ob- 
 
 5 serve the seventh day ; then saith the 
 other, I also am a sovereign upon the 
 earth, " who now command to take up 
 arms and execute the king's business. 
 Nevertheless he prevailed not to exe- 
 cute his 8 cruel purpose. 
 
 6 And Xicanor, ^ bearing himself 
 haughtily in all vaingloriousness, had 
 determined to set up a monument of 
 complete victory over Judas and all 
 
 7 them that were with him : but Macca- 
 baeus still trusted unceasingly, with all 
 
 hope that he should obtain help from 
 
 8 the Lord, And he exhorted his com- 
 pany not to be fearful at the i" inroad 
 of the heathen, but, keeping in mind 
 the help which of old they had oft^ 
 times received from heaven, so now 
 also to look for the victory which 
 would come unto them from the Al- 
 
 9 mighty ; and comforting them out of 
 the law and the prophets, and withal 
 putting them in mind of the conflicts 
 that they had maintained, he made 
 
 10 them more eager /or the battle. And 
 when he had roused their ^^ spirit, he 
 gave them his commands, at the same 
 time pointing out the perfldiousness of 
 the heathen and their breach of their 
 
 1 1 oaths. And arming each one of them, 
 not so much with the sure defence of 
 shields and spears as with the encou- 
 ragement that lieth in good words, and 
 moreover relating to them a dream 
 " worthy to be believed, he made them 
 
 12 all exceeding glad. And the vision of 
 that dream was this : He saw Onias, 
 him that was high priest, a noble and 
 good man, reverend in bearing, yet 
 gentle in manner and well-spoken, and 
 exercised from a child in all points 
 of virtue, with outstretched hands in- 
 voking blessings on the whole body of 
 
 13 the Jews: thereupon he satv a man 
 appear, of venerable age and exceed- 
 ing glory, and wonderful and most 
 majestic was the dignity around him : 
 
 14 and Onias answered and said. This 
 is the lover of the brethren, he who 
 prayeth much for the people and the 
 holy city, Jeremiah the prophet of 
 
 15 God : and Jeremiah stretching forth 
 his right hand delivered to Judas 
 a sword of gold, and in giving it 
 
 16 addressed him thus. Take the holy 
 sword, a gift from God, wherewith 
 thou Shalt smite down the adversaries. 
 
 17 And being encouraged by the words 
 of Judas, which were of a lofty strain, 
 and able to incite unto virtue and to 
 stir the souls of the young unto manly 
 courage, they determined ^^not to 
 carry on a campaign, but nobly to 
 bear down upon the enemy, and fight- 
 ing hand to hand with all courage 
 bring the matter to an issue, because 
 the city and the sanctuary and the 
 
 18 temple were in danger. For their 
 fear for wives and children, and fur- 
 thermore for brethren and kinsfolk, 
 was in less account with them ; but 
 greatest and first was their fear for 
 
 19 the consecrated sanctuary. And they 
 also that were shut up in the city were 
 in no light distress, being troubled be- 
 cause of the encounter in the open 
 ground, 
 
 20 And when all were now waiting for 
 the decision of the issue, and the ene- 
 my had already joined battle, and the 
 army had been set in array, and the 
 " elephants ^^ brought back to a con- 
 
 10 Or, 
 assault 
 
 "Or, 
 passion 
 
 12 Or, 
 
 most 
 
 worthy 
 
 ...all 
 
 glad 
 
 13 Or, 
 not to go 
 out to 
 battle, 
 but 
 
 nobly to 
 engage 
 within 
 their 
 lines, SfC. 
 The 
 Greek 
 text of 
 this pas- 
 sage is 
 uncer- 
 tain. 
 
 1* Gr, 
 beasts. 
 16 Or, 
 stationed 
 for con- 
 venient 
 action 
 
 175 
 
^ 
 
 15. 31. 
 
 II. MACCABEES. 
 
 15. 39. 
 
 lOr, 
 in line 
 2Gr. 
 multi- 
 tudes. 
 3 Gr. 
 
 *Gr. 
 
 B Or, be- 
 unlder- 
 tnent 
 
 venient post, and the horsemen drawn 
 
 21 up ^on the flank, Maccabaeus, per- 
 ceiving the presence of the ^ troops, 
 and the various arms with which they 
 were equipped, and the savageness of 
 the 3 elephants, holding up his hands 
 unto heaven called upon the Lord 
 that worketh wonders, recognising 
 that success cometh not by arms, but 
 that, according as tfie Lord shall 
 judge, he gaineth the victory for them 
 
 22 that are worthy. And calling upon 
 God he said after this manner : Thou, 
 O Sovereign Lord, didst send thine 
 angel in the time of Hezekiah king of 
 Judgea, and he slew of the * host of 
 Sennacherib as many as a hundred 
 
 23 fourscore and Ave thousand ; so now 
 also, O Sovereign of the heavens, send 
 a good angel before us to bring terror 
 
 24 and trembling : through the greatness 
 of thine arm let them be stricken with 
 dismay that with blasphemy are come 
 hither against thy holy people. And 
 
 25 as he ended with these words, Nicanor 
 and his company advanced with trum- 
 
 26 pets and pseans ; but Judas and his 
 company joined battle with the enemy 
 
 27 with invocation and prayers. And con- 
 tending with their hands, and praying 
 unto God with their hearts, they slew 
 no less than thirty and five thousand 
 men, being made exceeding glad by 
 the manifestation of God. 
 
 28 And when the engagement was over, 
 and they were returning again with 
 joy, they recognised Nicanor lying 
 
 29 dead in full armour; and there arose 
 a shout and '^ tumult, and then they 
 blessed the Sovereign Lord in the 
 
 30 language of their fathers. And he 
 that in all things was in body and soul 
 the foremost champion of his fellow- 
 citizens, he that kept through life the 
 good will of his youth toward his 
 countrymen, commanded to cut off 
 Nicanor's head, and his hand with the 
 shoulder, and bring them to Jerusalem. 
 
 31 And when he had arrived there, and 
 had called his countrymen together 
 
 32 
 
 33 
 
 34 
 
 35 
 
 36 
 
 and set the priests before the altar, 
 he sent for them that were in the 
 citadel ; and shewing the head of the 
 vile Nicanor, and the hand of that 
 profane man, which with proud brags 
 he had stretched out against the holy 
 house of the Almighty, and cutting 
 out the tongue of the impious Nicanor, 
 he said that he would give ""'it by pieces 
 to the birds, and hang up the ^rewards 
 of his madness over against the sanc- 
 tuary. And they all looking tip unto 
 heaven blessed ^the Lord who had 
 manifested himself, saying. Blessed be 
 he that hath preserved his own place 
 undefiled. And he hanged Nicanor's 
 head and shoulder from the citadel, a 
 sign, evident unto all and manifest, 
 of the help of the Lord. And they all 
 ordained with a common decree in no 
 wise to let this day pass undistin- 
 guished, but to mark with honour the 
 thirteenth day of the twelfth month (it 
 is called Adar in the Syrian tongue), 
 the day before the day of Mordecai., 
 
 37 
 
 39 
 
 This then having been the issue of 
 the attempt of Nicanor, and the city 
 having from those times been held by 
 the Hebrews, I also will here make an 
 end of my book. And if / have written 
 well and to the point in my story, this 
 is what I myself desired ; but if meanly 
 and indifferently, this is all I could at- 
 tain unto. For as it is ^ distasteful 
 to drink wine alone and in like manner 
 again to drink water alone, ^° while 
 the mingling of wine with water at 
 once " giveth full pleasantness to the 
 flavour ; so also the fashioning of the 
 language delighteth the ears of them 
 that read the story. 
 And here shall be the end. 
 
 e Or, 
 
 them 
 1 The 
 Greek 
 text here 
 is per- 
 haps 
 corrupt. 
 8 Or, 
 the 
 
 (dorimis 
 Lord 
 
 «0r, 
 hurtful 
 
 10 Gr. 
 hut even 
 as. 
 
 11 Or, 
 addcth 
 delifjht 
 to the 
 benefit 
 
 176 
 
 J 
 
 The end of Apocrypha. 
 
10 
 
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 BERKELEY 
 
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