4 Maccabees 16

Greek original · 25 verses · some words can be tapped for a gloss

📖 This chapter exists in 1 other originals — side by side (Septuagint)

16:1

εἰ δὲ τοίνυν καὶ γυνὴ καὶ γεραιὰ καὶ ἑπτὰ παίδων μήτηρ ὑπέμεινεν τὰς μέχρι θανάτου βασάνους τῶν τέκνων ὁρῶσα ὁμολογουμένως αὐτοκράτωρ ἐστὶν τῶν παθῶν ὁ εὐσεβὴς λογισμός

If, then, even a woman, and that an aged one, and the mother of seven children, endured to see her children’s torments even to death, confessedly religious reasoning is master even of the passions.

那麼，倘若連一個婦人，而且是年邁的、七個孩子的母親，都能忍受看著自己兒女至死的酷刑，敬虔的理性無可否認地就連情慾也能駕馭。

16:2

ἀπέδειξα οὖν ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἄνδρες τῶν παθῶν ἐκράτησαν ἀλλὰ καὶ γυνὴ τῶν μεγίστων βασάνων ὑπερεφρόνησεν

I have proved, then, that not only men have obtained the mastery of their passions, but also that a woman despised the greatest torments.

我既已證明，不單是男子勝過了情慾，連一個婦人也藐視了最大的酷刑。

16:3

καὶ οὐχ οὕτως οἱ περὶ Δανιηλ λέοντες ἦσαν ἄγριοι οὐδὲ ἡ Μισαηλ ἐκφλεγομένη κάμινος λαβροτάτῳ πυρί ὡς ἡ τῆς φιλοτεκνίας περιέκαιεν ἐκείνην φύσις ὁρῶσαν αὐτῆς οὕτως ποικίλως βασανιζομένους τοὺς ἑπτὰ υἱούς

And not so fierce were the lions round Daniel, nor the furnace of Misael burning with most vehement fires as that natural love of children burned within her, when she saw her seven sons tortured.

但以理周圍的獅子並不那樣兇猛，米沙利那燒著最猛烈之火的火窯也不那樣熾烈，正如愛子女的天性在那母親裡面焚燒著，她看著自己七個兒子受那各樣的酷刑。

16:4

ἀλλὰ τῷ λογισμῷ τῆς εὐσεβείας κατέσβεσεν τὰ τοσαῦτα καὶ τηλικαῦτα πάθη ἡ μήτηρ

But with the reasoning of religion the mother quenched passions so great and powerful.

然而這母親卻以敬虔的理性撲滅了這麼大、這麼強烈的情慾。

16:5

καὶ γὰρ τοῦτο ἐπιλογίσασθε ὅτι δειλόψυχος εἰ ἦν ἡ γυνὴ καίπερ μήτηρ οὖσα ὠλοφύρετο ἂν ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἴσως ἂν ταῦτα εἶπεν

For we must consider also this: that, had the woman been faint hearted, as being their other, she would have lamented over them; and perhaps might have spoken thus:

因為你們當思想這事：這婦人若是膽怯的，雖身為母親，必為他們哀號，或許會這樣說：

16:6

ὦ μελέα ἔγωγε καὶ πολλάκις τρισαθλία ἥτις ἑπτὰ παῖδας τεκοῦσα οὐδενὸς μήτηρ γεγένημαι

Ah! wretched I, and many times miserable; who having born seven sons, have become the mother of none.

「我何等悲慘，又何等三重不幸！我生了七個兒子，如今卻一個也沒有了，作了沒有兒女的母親。

16:7

ὦ μάταιοι ἑπτὰ κυοφορίαι καὶ ἀνόνητοι ἑπτὰ δεκάμηνοι καὶ ἄκαρποι τιθηνίαι καὶ ταλαίπωροι γαλακτοτροφίαι

O seven useless childbirths, and seven profitless periods of labor, and fruitless givings of suck, and miserable nursings at the breast.

哦，這七次徒勞的懷胎、七段無益的十月之孕、無果的撫育、可憐的哺乳！

16:8

μάτην δὲ ἐφ’ ὑμῖν ὦ παῖδες πολλὰς ὑπέμεινα ὠδῖνας καὶ χαλεπωτέρας φροντίδας ἀνατροφῆς

Vainly, for your sakes, O sons, have I endured many pangs, and the more difficult anxieties of rearing.

兒女啊，我為你們白白忍受了許多劇痛，又承受了養育更艱難的憂慮。

16:9

ὦ τῶν ἐμῶν παίδων οἱ μὲν ἄγαμοι οἱ δὲ γήμαντες ἀνόνητοι οὐκ ὄψομαι ὑμῶν τέκνα οὐδὲ μάμμη κληθεῖσα μακαρισθήσομαι

Alas, of my children, some of you unmarried, and some who have married to no profit, I shall not see your children, nor be felicitated as a grandmother.

哦，我的兒女中，有的未曾婚娶，有的雖娶卻無益處；我看不見你們的兒女，也不能被稱為祖母而蒙福。