3 Maccabees 6

1Now there was a certain man, Eleazar, famous among the priests of the land, who reached the prime of his life in old age and adorned his life with every virtue. He directed the elders around him to call on the holy God, and he prayed as follows:

Ελεαζαρος δέ τις ἀνὴρ ἐπίσημος τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς χώρας ἱερέων ἐν πρεσβείῳ τὴν ἡλικίαν ἤδη λελογχὼς καὶ πάσῃ τῇ κατὰ τὸν βίον ἀρετῇ κεκοσμημένος τοὺς περὶ αὐτὸν καταστείλας πρεσβυτέρους ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὸν ἅγιον θεὸν προσηύξατο τάδε

2'O King, mighty in power, O Most High, the Almighty God, who governs all creation in mercy,

βασιλεῦ μεγαλοκράτωρ ὕψιστε παντοκράτωρ θεὲ τὴν πᾶσαν διακυβερνῶν ἐν οἰκτιρμοῖς κτίσιν

3look upon the seed of Abraham and the descendants of the saintly man Jacob, because a dedicated portion of Your people, O Father, are being unjustly destroyed as strangers in a foreign land.

ἔπιδε ἐπὶ Αβρααμ σπέρμα ἐπὶ ἡγιασμένου τέκνα Ιακωβ μερίδος ἡγιασμένης σου λαὸν ἐν ξένῃ γῇ ξένον ἀδίκως ἀπολλύμενον πάτερ

4Pharaoh abounded in chariots and was the master of this Egypt when he arose with unlawful boldness, a boasting tongue, and an arrogant army. But You destroyed him by drowning him in the sea and appeared as a light of mercy to the nation Israel.

σὺ Φαραω πληθύνοντα ἅρμασιν τὸν πρὶν Αἰγύπτου ταύτης δυνάστην ἐπαρθέντα ἀνόμῳ θράσει καὶ γλώσσῃ μεγαλορρήμονι σὺν τῇ ὑπερηφάνῳ στρατιᾷ ποντοβρόχους ἀπώλεσας φέγγος ἐπιφάνας ἐλέους Ισραηλ γένει

5Sennacherib also boasted in his countless forces, because this oppressive king of the Assyrians had already taken the whole world under his authority by the spear. Then he was lifted up against Your holy city and spoke grievously with pride and insults. But You shattered him, O Master, and made Your power visible to many nations.

σὺ τὸν ἀναριθμήτοις δυνάμεσιν γαυρωθέντα Σενναχηριμ βαρὺν Ἀσσυρίων βασιλέα δόρατι τὴν πᾶσαν ὑποχείριον ἤδη λαβόντα γῆν καὶ μετεωρισθέντα ἐπὶ τὴν ἁγίαν σου πόλιν βαρέα λαλοῦντα κόμπῳ καὶ θράσει σύ δέσποτα ἔθραυσας ἔκδηλον δεικνὺς ἔθνεσιν πολλοῖς τὸ σὸν κράτος

6Then when the three companions in Babylon willingly gave their lives to fire—for they would not bow to vain things—You sent dew upon the fiery furnace and saved them to their last hair. You sent them back unharmed and turned the flames against their adversaries.

σὺ τοὺς κατὰ τὴν Βαβυλωνίαν τρεῖς ἑταίρους πυρὶ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐθαιρέτως δεδωκότας εἰς τὸ μὴ λατρεῦσαι τοῖς κενοῖς διάπυρον δροσίσας κάμινον ἐρρύσω μέχρι τριχὸς ἀπημάντους φλόγα πᾶσιν ἐπιπέμψας τοῖς ὑπεναντίοις

7Daniel was thrown to the lions below ground as food for lions because of jealous slander. But You brought him unharmed back up to daylight.

σὺ τὸν διαβολαῖς φθόνου λέουσι κατὰ γῆς ῥιφέντα θηρσὶν βορὰν Δανιηλ εἰς φῶς ἀνήγαγες ἀσινῆ

8Jonah was decomposing in the belly of the deep-sea monster. But You, O Father, watched over him and returned him unharmed to all his kin.

τόν τε βυθοτρεφοῦς ἐν γαστρὶ κήτους Ιωναν τηκόμενον ἀφιδὼν ἀπήμαντον πᾶσιν οἰκείοις ἀνέδειξας πάτερ

9So now, O hater of insolence, O merciful Defender of all, appear speedily to those of the family of Israel, under outrageous abuse by abominable and lawless Gentiles.

καὶ νῦν μίσυβρι πολυέλεε τῶν ὅλων σκεπαστά τὸ τάχος ἐπιφάνηθι τοῖς ἀπὸ Ισραηλ γένους ὑπὸ ἐβδελυγμένων ἀνόμων ἐθνῶν ὑβριζομένοις

10'Even if our life has become enmeshed in unrighteousness during our captivity, save us from the hand of our adversaries, O Master, and destroy us by whatever death You choose.

εἰ δὲ ἀσεβείαις κατὰ τὴν ἀποικίαν ὁ βίος ἡμῶν ἐνέσχηται ῥυσάμενος ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ ἐχθρῶν χειρός ᾧ προαιρῇ δέσποτα ἀπόλεσον ἡμᾶς μόρῳ

11Only do not allow these vain-minded men to praise their useless things as they destroy those You love, saying, 'Not even their God could rescue them.'

μὴ τοῖς ματαίοις οἱ ματαιόφρονες εὐλογησάτωσαν ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν ἠγαπημένων σου ἀπωλείᾳ λέγοντες οὐδὲ ὁ θεὸς αὐτῶν ἐρρύσατο αὐτούς

12But You, who have all strength and authority, O Eternal One, look down on us now. Have mercy on us, who are being deprived of life like traitors by the thoughtless insults of lawless men.

σὺ δέ ὁ πᾶσαν ἀλκὴν καὶ δυναστείαν ἔχων ἅπασαν αἰώνιε νῦν ἔπιδε ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς τοὺς καθ᾿ ὕβριν ἀνόμων ἀλόγιστον ἐκ τοῦ ζῆν μεθισταμένους ἐν ἐπιβούλων τρόπῳ

13Let the Gentiles cower at Your unconquerable power this day, O Honorable One who has the power to save the race of Jacob.

πτηξάτω δὲ ἔθνη σὴν δύναμιν ἀνίκητον σήμερον ἔντιμε δύναμιν ἔχων ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ Ιακωβ γένους

14This entire multitude of babes and their parents beseech You with tears.

ἱκετεύει σε τὸ πᾶν πλῆθος τῶν νηπίων καὶ οἱ τούτων γονεῖς μετὰ δακρύων

15Let it be revealed to all the Gentiles, O Lord, that You are with us, and that You did not turn Your face from us. For as You said, 'Not even in the land of their enemies did I neglect them.' Do this for us, O Lord.'

δειχθήτω πᾶσιν ἔθνεσιν ὅτι μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν εἶ κύριε καὶ οὐκ ἀπέστρεψας τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀφ᾿ ἡμῶν ἀλλὰ καθὼς εἶπας ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐν τῇ γῇ τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτῶν ὄντων ὑπερεῖδον αὐτούς οὕτως ἐπιτέλεσον κύριε

16When Eleazar finished his prayer, the king arrived at the hippodrome with the beasts and with all the haughtiness of his army.

τοῦ δὲ Ελεαζαρου λήγοντος ἄρτι τῆς προσευχῆς ὁ βασιλεὺς σὺν τοῖς θηρίοις καὶ παντὶ τῷ τῆς δυνάμεως φρυάγματι κατὰ τὸν ἱππόδρομον παρῆγεν

17Then the Jews who saw him cried out in a loud voice to heaven, so much so that the valleys nearby echoed and brought unrestrained fear on the whole army.

καὶ θεωρήσαντες οἱ Ιουδαῖοι μέγα εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀνέκραξαν ὥστε καὶ τοὺς παρακειμένους αὐλῶνας συνηχήσαντας ἀκατάσχετον πτόην ποιῆσαι παντὶ τῷ στρατοπέδῳ

18Then the Almighty God, most glorious and full of truth, manifested His holy face and thrust open the doors of heaven, from which two glorious angels descended, terrible in form, and visible to all except the Jews.

τότε ὁ μεγαλόδοξος παντοκράτωρ καὶ ἀληθινὸς θεὸς ἐπιφάνας τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ πρόσωπον ἠνέῳξεν τὰς οὐρανίους πύλας ἐξ ὧν δεδοξασμένοι δύο φοβεροειδεῖς ἄγγελοι κατέβησαν φανεροὶ πᾶσιν πλὴν τοῖς Ιουδαίοις

19They attacked the enemy forces, filled them with confusion and fright, and bound them with immovable fetters.

καὶ ἀντέστησαν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν τῶν ὑπεναντίων ἐπλήρωσαν ταραχῆς καὶ δειλίας καὶ ἀκινήτοις ἔδησαν πέδαις

20The king's body was seized with a tremor, and he even forgot his contemptible vocabulary.

καὶ ὑπόφρικον καὶ τὸ τοῦ βασιλέως σῶμα ἐγενήθη καὶ λήθη τὸ θράσος αὐτοῦ τὸ βαρύθυμον ἔλαβεν

21Then the beasts turned against the armed forces who were behind them, and they trampled and killed them.

καὶ ἀπέστρεψαν τὰ θηρία ἐπὶ τὰς συνεπομένας ἐνόπλους δυνάμεις καὶ κατεπάτουν αὐτὰς καὶ ὠλέθρευον

22The king's wrath was turned to compassion and tears because of the plot he devised earlier,

καὶ μετεστράφη τοῦ βασιλέως ἡ ὀργὴ εἰς οἶκτον καὶ δάκρυα ὑπὲρ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῷ μεμηχανευμένων

23for he heard the wailing and saw all the people who fell to destruction. So, weeping with anger, he threatened his friends, shouting,

ἀκούσας γὰρ τῆς κραυγῆς καὶ συνιδὼν πρηνεῖς ἅπαντας εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν δακρύσας μετ᾿ ὀργῆς τοῖς φίλοις διηπειλεῖτο λέγων

24'You act as if you were the king yourselves, and you exceed tyrants in your savagery and attack even me, your benefactor. You scheme to deprive me of my reign and my life itself with secret plots which are unprofitable to the kingdom.

παραβασιλεύετε καὶ τυράννους ὑπερβεβήκατε ὠμότητι καὶ ἐμὲ αὐτὸν τὸν ὑμῶν εὐεργέτην ἐπιχειρεῖτε τῆς ἀρχῆς ἤδη καὶ τοῦ πνεύματος μεθιστᾶν λάθρᾳ μηχανώμενοι τὰ μὴ συμφέροντα τῇ βασιλείᾳ

25Who drove these people from their houses—who faithfully kept our strongholds—and stupidly gathered all of them here?

τίς τοὺς κρατήσαντας ἡμῶν ἐν πίστει τὰ τῆς χώρας ὀχυρώματα τῆς οἰκίας ἀποστήσας ἕκαστον ἀλόγως ἤθροισεν ἐνθάδε

26Who so unlawfully entangled in terrible dangers these, who from the beginning differed from all other nations in their goodwill toward us and repeatedly accepted the worst pitfalls known to man?

τίς τοὺς ἐξ ἀρχῆς εὐνοίᾳ πρὸς ἡμᾶς κατὰ πάντα διαφέροντας πάντων ἐθνῶν καὶ τοὺς χειρίστους πλεονάκις ἀνθρώπων ἐπιδεδεγμένους κινδύνους οὕτως ἀθέσμως περιέβαλεν αἰκίαις

27Release them! Undo their unjust bonds. Send them back home in peace and beg forgiveness for what you did to them.

λύσατε ἐκλύσατε ἄδικα δεσμά εἰς τὰ ἴδια μετ᾿ εἰρήνης ἐξαποστείλατε τὰ προπεπραγμένα παραιτησάμενοι

28Set free the sons of the heavenly and living Almighty God, who has provided uninterrupted tranquility for our affairs from the time of our fathers until now.'

ἀπολύσατε τοὺς υἱοὺς τοῦ παντοκράτορος ἐπουρανίου θεοῦ ζῶντος ὃς ἀφ᾿ ἡμετέρων μέχρι τοῦ νῦν προγόνων ἀπαραπόδιστον μετὰ δόξης εὐστάθειαν παρέχει τοῖς ἡμετέροις πράγμασιν

29Thus he said these things. So the Jews, who were released immediately, kept praising their holy God and Savior, for they had at last escaped death.

ὁ μὲν οὖν ταῦτα ἔλεξεν οἱ δὲ ἐν ἀμερεῖ χρόνῳ λυθέντες τὸν ἅγιον σωτῆρα θεὸν αὐτῶν εὐλόγουν ἄρτι τὸν θάνατον ἐκπεφευγότες

30Then the king returned to the city and summoned the man in charge of the treasury. He commanded that he provide wine and everything else necessary so the Jews could feast for seven days. For the king thought it fitting that they celebrate their deliverance and rejoice in the very place they expected to meet their doom.

εἶτα ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἀπαλλαγεὶς τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν προσόδων προσκαλεσάμενος ἐκέλευσεν οἴνους τε καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ πρὸς εὐωχίαν ἐπιτήδεια τοῖς Ιουδαίοις χορηγεῖν ἐπὶ ἡμέρας ἑπτὰ κρίνας αὐτοὺς ἐν ᾧ τόπῳ ἔδοξαν τὸν ὄλεθρον ἀναλαμβάνειν ἐν τούτῳ ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ πάσῃ σωτήρια ἀγαγεῖν

31Then those who had been treated disgracefully and were close to death, or rather stood at death's door, were given a special invitation. They organized a feast of deliverance from the bitter and mournful fate of death. Filled with joy, their celebration took the place of desolation and grave clothes.

τότε οἱ τὸ πρὶν ἐπονείδιστοι καὶ πλησίον τοῦ ᾅδου μᾶλλον δὲ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ βεβηκότες ἀντὶ πικροῦ καὶ δυσαιάκτου μόρου κώθωνα σωτήριον συστησάμενοι τὸν εἰς πτῶσιν αὐτοῖς καὶ τάφον ἡτοιμασμένον τόπον κλισίαις κατεμερίσαντο πλήρεις χαρμονῆς

32They ceased their chanting of lamentations and took up an ode of their fathers, praising their wonderworking God and Savior. They halted all wailing and lamenting and formed choirs as a symbol of joy and peace.

καταλήξαντες δὲ θρήνων πανόδυρτον μέλος ἀνέλαβον ᾠδὴν πάτριον τὸν σωτῆρα καὶ τερατοποιὸν αἰνοῦντες θεόν οἰμωγήν τε πᾶσαν καὶ κωκυτὸν ἀπωσάμενοι χοροὺς συνίσταντο εὐφροσύνης εἰρηνικῆς σημεῖον

33Similarly, the king called a great feast to celebrate these things, and ceaselessly and magnificently gave thanks to heaven for his unplanned experience of personal salvation.

ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς περὶ τούτων συμπόσιον βαρὺ συναγαγὼν ἀδιαλείπτως εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀνθωμολογεῖτο μεγαλομερῶς ἐπὶ τῇ παραδόξῳ γενηθείσῃ αὐτῷ σωτηρίᾳ

34Those who believed previously that the Jews were going to be made food for the birds unto destruction, and thus registered them with glee, sighed as they were covered with shame, for their fire-breathing aggression was shamefully extinguished.

οἵ τε πρὶν εἰς ὄλεθρον καὶ οἰωνοβρώτους αὐτοὺς ἔσεσθαι τιθέμενοι καὶ μετὰ χαρᾶς ἀπογραψάμενοι κατεστέναξαν αἰσχύνην ἐφ᾿ ἑαυτοῖς περιβαλόμενοι καὶ τὴν πυρόπνουν τόλμαν ἀκλεῶς ἐσβεσμένοι

35But the Jews, as we said before, formed the aforementioned choir and spent their time feasting with psalms of a joyful thanksgiving.

οἵ τε Ιουδαῖοι καθὼς προειρήκαμεν συστησάμενοι τὸν προειρημένον χορὸν μετ᾿ εὐωχίας ἐν ἐξομολογήσεσιν ἱλαραῖς καὶ ψαλμοῖς διῆγον

36They established a public ritual to commemorate these things within their entire community for the generations to come. They structured this observance as a festival, not for drunkenness and gluttony, but because of the salvation which they received from God.

καὶ κοινὸν ὁρισάμενοι περὶ τούτων θεσμὸν ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν παροικίαν αὐτῶν εἰς γενεὰς τὰς προειρημένας ἡμέρας ἄγειν ἔστησαν εὐφροσύνους οὐ πότου χάριν καὶ λιχνείας σωτηρίας δὲ τῆς διὰ θεὸν γενομένης αὐτοῖς

37They then requested that the king dismiss them to return back home.

ἐνέτυχον δὲ τῷ βασιλεῖ τὴν ἀπόλυσιν αὐτῶν εἰς τὰ ἴδια αἰτούμενοι

38Now their registration took place from the twenty-fifth of Pachon until the fourth of Epiphi, that is, forty days. They faced destruction from the fifth of Epiphi until the seventh, that is, three days.

ἀπογράφονται δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ πέμπτης καὶ εἰκάδος τοῦ Παχων ἕως τῆς τετάρτης τοῦ Επιφι ἐπὶ ἡμέρας τεσσαράκοντα συνίστανται δὲ αὐτῶν τὴν ἀπώλειαν ἀπὸ πέμπτης τοῦ Επιφι ἕως ἑβδόμης ἡμέραις τρισίν

39During this time the Lord over all things manifested His mercy with great glory and saved them all, together and unharmed.

ἐν αἷς καὶ μεγαλοδόξως ἐπιφάνας τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ ὁ τῶν πάντων δυνάστης ἀπταίστους αὐτοὺς ἐρρύσατο ὁμοθυμαδόν

40Thus they feasted with everything provided by the king until the fourteenth day, when they also petitioned to be sent away.

εὐωχοῦντο δὲ πάνθ᾿ ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως χορηγούμενοι μέχρι τῆς τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτης ἐν ᾗ καὶ τὴν ἐντυχίαν ἐποιήσαντο περὶ τῆς ἀπολύσεως αὐτῶν

41The king immediately granted their request and wrote for them the letter, copied below, to the commanders in each city, magnanimously stating his concern for them:

συναινέσας δὲ αὐτοῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἔγραψεν αὐτοῖς τὴν ὑπογεγραμμένην ἐπιστολὴν πρὸς τοὺς κατὰ πόλιν στρατηγοὺς μεγαλοψύχως τὴν ἐκτενίαν ἔχουσαν