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4 Maccabees 8

Greek original · 29 verses · some words can be tapped for a gloss

← ch. 7ch. 9 →
📖 This chapter exists in 1 other originals — side by side (Septuagint)
ℹ️ This corpus has no verse-level morphological tagging. Lemmas come mainly from word-level tagging of other books in the same language (not from this verse), falling back to dictionary form-matching for the rest. Rare homographs can still be misread; verify against the original and a specialist lexicon where precision matters.
ℹ️ The Chinese and English alongside are this site's own translation, made directly from the original text on this page (not the CUV or the WEB, which follow the Masoretic Text and a different textual tradition).
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8:1
τότε δὴ σφόδρα περιπαθῶς ἐκέλευσεν ἄλλους ἐκ τῆς ἡλικίας τῶν ῾Εβραίων ἀγαγεῖν, καὶ εἰ μὲν μιαροφαγήσαιεν, ἀπολύειν φαγόντας, εἰ δὲ ἀντιλέγοιεν, πικρότερον βασανίζειν.
Then, indeed, vehemently swayed with passion, he commanded to bring others of the adult Hebrews, and if they would eat of the unclean thing, to let them go when they had eaten; but if they objected, to torment them more grievously.
正因如此，連幾個孩童憑著敬虔的理性而思辨，也勝過了更為苦烈的酷刑。
8:2
ταῦτα διαταξαμένου τοῦ τυράννου, παρῆσαν ἀγόμενοι μετὰ γηραιᾶς μητρὸς ἑπτὰ ἀδελφοί, καλοί τε καὶ αἰδήμονες καὶ γενναῖοι καὶ ἐν παντὶ χαρίεντες.
The tyrant having given this charge, seven kindred were brought into his presence, along with their aged mother, handsome, and modest, and well-born, and altogether comely.
因為暴君在頭一次的試煉中明顯落敗，無法強迫一位老人喫不潔之物，那時他就大為惱怒，吩咐從擄來的希伯來人中再帶些人來，他們若喫了不潔之物，喫了就放他們走；若拒絕，就更殘酷地拷打他們。
8:3
οὓς ἰδὼν ὁ τύραννος καθάπερ ἐν χορῷ περιέχοντας μέσην τὴν μητέρα, ἥσθη ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς καὶ τῆς εὐπρεπείας ἐκπλαγεὶς καὶ τῆς εὐγενείας, προσεμειδίασεν αὐτοῖς καὶ πλησίον καλέσας ἔφη.
When the tyrant saw them encircling their mother as in a dance, he was pleased at them; and being struck with their becoming and ingenuous mien, smiled upon them, and calling them near, said:
暴君這樣吩咐之後，就有七兄弟同他們年邁的母親被帶來，他們既俊美、端莊、出身高貴，又樣樣討人喜愛。
8:4
ὦ νεανίαι, φιλοφρόνως ἐγὼ καθ’ ἑνὸς ἑκάστου ὑμῶν θαυμάζω, τὸ κάλλος καὶ τὸ πλῆθος τοσούτων ἀδελφῶν ὑπερτιμῶν, οὐ μόνον συμβουλεύω μὴ μανῆναι τὴν αὐτὴν τῷ προβασανισθέντι γέροντι μανίαν,
O youths, with favourable feelings, I admire the beauty of each of you; and greatly honouring so numerous a band of kindred, I not only counsel you not to share the madness of the old man who has been tortured before,
暴君看見他們如同跳舞般圍繞著中間的母親，心中喜悅，又因他們俊美高貴的儀態大為驚異，便向他們微笑，召他們近前，說：
8:5
ἀλλὰ καὶ παρακαλῶ συνείξαντάς μου τῇ συμβουλίᾳ τῆς ἐμῆς ἀπολαῦσαι φιλίας· δυναίμην δ’ ἂν ὥσπερ κολάζειν τοὺς ἀπειθοῦντάς μου τοῖς ἐπιτάγμασιν, οὕτως καὶ εὐεργετεῖν τοὺς εὐπειθοῦντάς μοι.
but I do beg you to yield, and to enjoy my friendship; for I possess the power, not only of punishing those who disobey my commands, but of doing good to those who obey them.
「少年人哪，我親切地讚賞你們每一個人的俊美，又極其看重你們這眾多兄弟，我不僅勸你們不要與那先前受刑的老人發同樣的瘋狂，
8:6
πεισθέντες οὖν μοι καὶ ἀρχὰς καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐμῶν πραγμάτων ἡγεμονίας λήψεσθε, ἀρνησάμενοι τὸν πάτριον ὑμῶν τῆς πολιτείας θεσμόν·
Put confidence in me, then, and you shall receive places of authority in my government, if you forsake your national ordinance,
更懇求你們順從我，享受我的友誼；因為我既有權柄刑罰那些違抗我命令的人，也有權柄善待那些順從我的人。
8:7
καὶ μεταλαβόντες ἑλληνικοῦ βίου καὶ μεταδιαιτηθέντες ἐντρυφήσατε ταῖς νεότησιν ὑμῶν·
and, conforming to the Greek mode of life, alter your rule, and revel in youth’s delights.
你們若信靠我，背棄你們祖宗的制度律例，就必在我國中得著掌權的職位，
8:8
ἐπεὶ ἐὰν ὀργίλως με διάθησθε διὰ τῆς ἀπειθείας ὑμῶν, ἀναγκάσετέ με ἐπὶ δειναῖς κολάσεσιν ἕνα ἕκαστον ὑμῶν διὰ τῶν βασάνων ἀπολέσαι.
For if you provoke me by your disobedience, you will compel me to destroy you, every one, with terrible punishments by tortures.
改採希臘的生活方式，更換你們的習俗，盡情享受你們的青春。
8:9
κατελεήσατε οὖν ἑαυτούς, οὓς καὶ ὁ πολέμιος ἔγωγε καὶ τῆς ἡλικίας καὶ τῆς εὐμορφίας οἰκτείρομαι.
Have mercy, then, upon your own selves, whom I, although an enemy, compassionate for your age and comeliness.
因為你們若用悖逆惹我發怒，就必逼我用可怕的酷刑，藉著各樣的拷打把你們每一個都毀滅。
8:10
οὐ διαλογιεῖσθε τοῦτο, ὅτι οὐδὲν ὑμῖν ἀπειθήσασι πλὴν τοῦ μετὰ στρεβλῶν ἀποθανεῖν ἀπόκειται;
Will you not reason upon this—that if you disobey, there will be nothing left for you but to die in tortures?
所以你們當憐惜自己；我雖是仇敵，也尚且憐憫你們的年幼與俊美。
8:11
Ταῦτα δὲ λέγων ἐκέλευσεν εἰς τὸ ἔμπροσθεν προτεθεῖναι τὰ βασανιστήρια, ὅπως καὶ διὰ τοῦ φόβου πείσειεν αὐτοὺς μιαροφαγῆσαι.
Thus speaking, he ordered the instruments of torture to be brought forward, that very fear might prevail upon them to eat unclean meat.
你們豈不思想這事麼：你們若悖逆，所剩下的就只有在酷刑中死去？」
8:12
ὡς δὲ τροχούς τε καὶ ἀρθρέμβολα, στρεβλωτήριά τε καὶ τροχαντῆρας καὶ καταπέλτας καὶ λέβητας, τήγανά τε καὶ δακτυλήθρας καὶ χεῖρας σιδηρᾶς καὶ σφῆνας καὶ τὰ ζώπυρα τοῦ πυρὸς οἱ δορυφόροι προέθεσαν, ὑπολαβὼν ὁ τύραννος ἔφη·
And when the spearman brought forward the wheels, and the racks, and the hooks, and catapults, and caldrons, pans, and finger-racks, and iron hands and wedges, and bellows, the tyrant continue:
他說了這話，就吩咐把刑具擺在面前，要藉著恐懼說服他們去喫不潔之物。
8:13
μειράκια φοβήθητε, καὶ ἣν σέβεσθε δίκην, ἵλεως ὑμῖν ἔσται δι’ ἀνάγκην παρανομήσασιν.
Fear, young men, and the righteousness which you⌃ worship will be merciful to you if you err from compulsion.
當衛兵把刑輪、肢解的器械、各樣拷打的刑具、轉軸、彈射機、大鍋、煎盤、夾指器、鐵爪、楔子，以及助燃的炭火都擺出來時，暴君又接著說：
8:14
οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες ἐπαγωγὰ καὶ ὁρῶντες δεινά, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐφοβήθησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀντεφιλοσόφησαν τῷ τυράννῳ καὶ διὰ τῆς εὐλογιστίας τὴν τυραννίδα αὐτοῦ κατέλυσαν.
Now they having listened to these words of persuasion, and seeing the fearful instruments, not only were not afraid, but even answered the arguments of the tyrant, and through their good reasoning destroyed his power.
「少年人哪，你們當懼怕；你們所敬拜的公義，若你們是因被迫而違法，必向你們施恩。」
8:15
καί τοι λογισώμεθα· εἰ δειλόψυχοί τινες ἦσαν καὶ ἄνανδροι ἐν αὐτοῖς, ποίοις ἂν ἐχρήσαντο λόγοις; οὐχὶ τούτοις;
Now let us consider the matter: had any of them been weak-spirited and cowardly among them, what reasonings would they have employed but these?
他們聽了這些誘人的話，又看見那些可怕的刑具，不但毫不懼怕，反倒與暴君針鋒相對地論辯，藉著正確的理性瓦解了他的暴政。
8:16
ᾦ τάλανες ἡμεῖς καὶ λίαν ἀνόητοι· βασιλέως ἡμᾶς παρακαλοῦντος καὶ ἐπὶ εὐεργεσίᾳ φωνοῦντος, μὴ πεισθείημεν αὐτῷ,
O wretched that we are, and exceeding senseless! when the king exhorts us, and calls us to his bounty, should we not obey him?
且讓我們設想：他們中間若有些人是膽怯懦弱的，他們會用怎樣的話語呢？豈不是這樣說：
8:17
εἰ βουλήμασι κενοῖς ἑαυτοὺς εὐφραίνομεν καὶ θανατηφόρον ἀπείθειαν τολμῶμεν;
Why do we cheer ourselves with vain counsels, and venture upon a disobedience bringing death?
「我們何等可憐，又何等愚昧！王既召我們、邀我們去享他的恩惠，我們豈不該順從他麼？
8:18
οὐ φοβησόμεθα, ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, τὰ βασανιστήρια καὶ λογιούμεθα τὰς τῶν βασάνων ἀπειλὰς καὶ φευξόμεθα τὴν κενοδοξίαν ταύτην καὶ ὀλεθροφόρον ἀλαζονείαν;
Shall we not fear, O kindred, the instruments of torture and weigh the threatenings of torment and shun this vain-glory and destructive pride?
我們何苦用空洞的念頭來自我陶醉，竟膽敢作這招致死亡的悖逆呢？
8:19
ἐλεήσωμεν τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἡλικίας καὶ κατοικτείρωμεν τὸ τῆς μητρὸς γῆρας
Let us have compassion upon our age and relent over the years of our mother.
弟兄們哪，我們豈不該懼怕這些刑具，掂量這些酷刑的威嚇，逃避這虛榮和招致毀滅的傲慢麼？
8:20
καὶ ἐνθυμηθῶμεν ὅτι ἀπειθοῦντες τεθνηξόμεθα.
And let us bear in mind that we shall be dying as rebels.
讓我們憐惜自己的年幼，顧惜母親的老年吧！
8:21
συγγνώσεται δὲ ἡμῖν καὶ ἡ θεία δίκη δι’ ἀνάγκην τὸν βασιλέα φοβηθεῖσιν.
And Divine Justice will pardon us if we fear the king through necessity.
讓我們想一想：我們若悖逆，就必死去。
8:22
τί ἐξάγομεν ἑαυτοὺς τοῦ ἡδίστου βίου καὶ ἐπιστεροῦμεν ἑαυτοὺς τοῦ γλυκέος κόσμου;
Why withdraw ourselves from a most sweet life, and deprive ourselves of this pleasant world?
神聖的公義也必赦免我們，因我們是因被迫而懼怕王的。
8:23
μὴ βιαζώμεθα τὴν ἀνάγκην μηδὲ φιλοδοξήσωμεν ἐπὶ τῇ ἑαυτῶν στρέβλῃ.
Let us not oppose necessity, nor seek vain-glory by our own excruciation.
我們何苦把自己從這甜美的人生中拉出去，剝奪自己這可愛的世界呢？
8:24
οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ὁ νόμος ἀκουσίως ἡμᾶς θανατοῖ φοβηθέντας τὰ βασανιστήρια.
The law itself is not forward to put us to death, if we dread torture.
讓我們不要違抗那無可奈何的境況，也不要因自我折磨而貪求虛榮。
8:25
πόθεν ἡμῖν ἡ τοσαύτη ἐντέτηκε φιλονικία καὶ ἡ θανατηφόρος ἀρέσκει καρτερία, παρὸν μετὰ ἀταραξίας ζῆν τῷ βασιλεῖ πεισθέντας;
Whence has such angry zeal taken root in us, and such fatal obstinacy approved itself to us, when we might live unmolested by the king?
我們若懼怕這些刑具，律法本身也不會逼我們去死。
8:26
ἀλλὰ τούτων οὐδὲν εἶπον οἱ νεανίαι βασανίζεσθαι μέλλοντες οὐδὲ ἐνεθυμήθησαν.
But nothing of this kind did the young men say or think when about to be tortured.
這樣強烈的固執怎會在我們裡面生根，這招致死亡的剛硬怎會討我們的喜悅呢？我們本可順從王，安然無事地活著啊！」
8:27
ἦσαν γὰρ περίφρονες τῶν παθῶν
For they were well aware of the sufferings, and masters of the pains. So that as soon as the tyrant had ceased counselling them to eat the unclean, they altogether with one voice, as from the same heart said:
但這些少年人在將要受刑時，卻沒有說過、也沒有想過這類的話；
8:28
καὶ αὐτοκράτορες τῶν ἀλγηδόνων,
For they were despisers of the passions and masters of their pains.
因為他們藐視情慾，作了痛苦的主人。
8:29
ὥστε ἅμα τῷ παύσασθαι τὸν τύραννον συμβουλεύοντα αὐτοῖς τοῦ μιαροφαγῆσαι, πάντες διὰ μιᾶς φωνῆς ὁμοῦ, ὥσπερ ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς ψυχῆς εἶπον πρὸς αὐτόν.
So that, as soon as the tyrant ceased counseling them to eat defiled food, they all with one voice together, as though from the same soul, said:
因此，暴君一停止勸他們喫不潔之物，他們就眾口一聲，彷彿出於同一個魂，齊聲說：
← ch. 7ch. 9 →
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