but

'I am not so old in years as my brethren, but I am as old in mind. For we were born and reared for the same purpose and are equally bound also to die for the same cause; so if thou chooseth to torture us for not eating unclean meat, torture.'

But he in the midst of his tortures exclaimed, 'O contest worthy of saints, wherein so many of us brethren, in the cause of righteousness, have been entered for a competition in torments, and have not been conquered!

Thy fire is cool for us, thy engines of torture torment not, and thy violence is impotent. 61 For the guards have been officers for us, not of a tyrant, but of the Divine Law; and therefore have we our Reason yet unconquered.'

But the tyrant, although fiercely exasperated by his brethren, felt pity for the boy, and seeing him there already bound he had him brought near, and sought to persuade him, saying: 'Thou seest the end of the folly of thy brethren; for through their disobedience they have been racked to death. Thou, too, if thou dost not obey, wilt thyself also be miserably tortured and put to death before thy time; but if thou dost obey thou shalt be my friend, and thou shalt be advanced to high office in the business of the kingdom.'

But the tyrant, although fiercely exasperated by his brethren, felt pity for the boy, and seeing him there already bound he had him brought near, and sought to persuade him, saying: 'Thou seest the end of the folly of thy brethren; for through their disobedience they have been racked to death. Thou, too, if thou dost not obey, wilt thyself also be miserably tortured and put to death before thy time; but if thou dost obey thou shalt be my friend, and thou shalt be advanced to high office in the business of the kingdom.'

But the mother, speaking in the Hebrew tongue, as I shall tell later on, encouraged the boy, and he said to the guards, 'Loose me, that I may speak to the king and to all his friends with him.'

But while they have fulfilled their righteousness towards God in their noble deaths, thou shalt miserably cry "Woe is met" for thy unjust slaying of the champions of virtue.'

But in this cam it was not so; on the contrary by their Reason, which was commended in the sight of God, they rose superior to their passions.

But though nature, companionship, and their virtuous disposition increased the ardour of their brotherly love, nevertheless the surviving sons through their religion supported the sight of their brethren, who were on the rack, being tortured to death; nay more, they even encouraged them to face the agony, so as not only to despise their own tortures, but also to conquer their passion of brotherly affection for their brethren. 34 O Reasoning minds, more kingly than kings, than freemen more free, of the harmony of the seven brethren, holy and well attuned to the keynote of piety!

But though nature, companionship, and their virtuous disposition increased the ardour of their brotherly love, nevertheless the surviving sons through their religion supported the sight of their brethren, who were on the rack, being tortured to death; nay more, they even encouraged them to face the agony, so as not only to despise their own tortures, but also to conquer their passion of brotherly affection for their brethren. 34 O Reasoning minds, more kingly than kings, than freemen more free, of the harmony of the seven brethren, holy and well attuned to the keynote of piety!

None of the seven youths turned coward, none shrunk in the face of death, but all hastened to the death by torture as if running the road to immortality.

We now shudder when we hear of the suffering of those youths; but they, not only seeing it with their eyes, nor merely hearing the spoken, imminent threat, but actually feeling the pang, endured it through; and that in the torture by fire, than which what greater agony can be found?

We now shudder when we hear of the suffering of those youths; but they, not only seeing it with their eyes, nor merely hearing the spoken, imminent threat, but actually feeling the pang, endured it through; and that in the torture by fire, than which what greater agony can be found?

But consider how manifold are the yearnings of a mother's heart, so that her feeling for her offspring becomes the centre of her whole world; and indeed,

But she, the mother of those young men, with a soul like Abraham, was not moved from her purpose by her affection for her children.

But, of all mothers, she of the seven sons abounded in love beyond the rest, seeing that, having in seven child-bearings felt maternal tenderness for the fruit of her womb, and having been constrained because of the many pangs in which she bore each to a close affection, she nevertheless through the fear of God rejected the present safety of her children.

But nevertheless, though she had so many temptations to yield to her maternal instincts, in no single instance did the dreadful variety of tortures have power to alter her Reason; but the mother urged each son separately, and all together, to die for their religion.

But nevertheless, though she had so many temptations to yield to her maternal instincts, in no single instance did the dreadful variety of tortures have power to alter her Reason; but the mother urged each son separately, and all together, to die for their religion.

But Inspired Reason lent her heart a man's strength under her passion of suffering, and exalted her to make no account of the present yearnings of mother-love.

And although she saw the destruction of her seven children and the many and varied forms of their torments, the noble mother willingly surrendered them through faith in God. 20 For she beheld in her own mind, even as it had been cunning advocates in a council-chamber, nature, and parenthood, and mother-love, and her children on the rack, and it was as if she, the mother, having the choice between two votes in the case of her children, one for their death and one to save them alive, thereupon regarded not the saving of her seven sons for a little time, but, as a true daughter of Abraham, called to mind his God-fearing courage.

I have proved, accordingly, that not only have men triumphed over their sufferings, but that a woman also has despised the most dreadful tortures.

But by her religion-guided Reason the mother quenched her passions, many and strong as they were.

But the holy and God-fearing mother wailed not with this lamentation over any one of them, neither besought she any to escape death, nor lamented over them as dying men; but, as though she had a soul of adamant and were bringing forth the number of her sons, for a second time, into immortal life, she besought rather and entreated of them that they should die for religion's sake.

But the holy and God-fearing mother wailed not with this lamentation over any one of them, neither besought she any to escape death, nor lamented over them as dying men; but, as though she had a soul of adamant and were bringing forth the number of her sons, for a second time, into immortal life, she besought rather and entreated of them that they should die for religion's sake.

But the first in the fight was Eleazar, and the mother of the seven sons played her part, and the brethren fought.

And righteousness won the victor and gave the crown to her athletes. Who but wondered at the athletes of the true Law?

And these men, therefore, having sanctified themselves for God's sake, not only have received this honour, but also the honour that through them the enemy had no more power over our people, and the tyrant suffered punishment, and our country was purified, they having as it were become a ransom for our nation's sin; and through the blood of these righteous men and the propitiation of their death, the divine Providence delivered Israel that before was evil entreated.

O Israelites, children born of the seed of Abraham, obey this Law, and be righteous in all ways, recognizing that Inspired Reason is lord over the passions, and over pains, not only from within, but from without ourselves; by which means those men, delivering up their bodies to the torture for righteousness' sake, not only won the admiration of mankind, but were deemed worthy of a divine inheritance.

O Israelites, children born of the seed of Abraham, obey this Law, and be righteous in all ways, recognizing that Inspired Reason is lord over the passions, and over pains, not only from within, but from without ourselves; by which means those men, delivering up their bodies to the torture for righteousness' sake, not only won the admiration of mankind, but were deemed worthy of a divine inheritance.

No seducer of the desert, no deceiver in the field, corrupted me; nor did the false, beguiling Serpent sully the purity of my maidenhood; I lived with my husband all the days of my youth; but when these my sons were grown up, their father died.

But the sons of Abraham, with their victorious mother, are gathered together unto the place of their ancestors, having received pure and immortal souls from God, to whom be glory for ever and ever.

For it is not like a withered crown which buddeth not: but thou livest upon my head, and thou hast blossomed upon my head.

Thou hast given us thy fellowship: it was not that thou wast in need of us: but that we are in need of thee:

And my inebriation was not one without knowledge, but I forsook vanity and turned to the Most High my God,

But everything is filled with fruit; glory be to thee, O God, the delight of Paradise for ever. Hallelujah.

And its course knows no limit. Never doth it fail, but it stands sure, and it knows not descent nor the way of it.

And He made the sun for the day that it may be bright, but night brings darkness over the face of the land;

And brake in pieces the bars of iron; but my iron melted and dissolved before me;

But put on the grace of the Lord without stint; and come into His Paradise and make thee a garland from its tree,

Joy is of the saints! and who shall put it on, but they alone?

But those who saw it went after the letter that they might know where it would alight, and who should read it and who should hear it.

But a wheel received it and came over it:

But I was despised and rejected in the eye of many: and I was in their eyes like lead,

But I was carrying water in my right hand, and their bitterness I endured by my sweetness;

But I endured and held my peace and was silent, as if not, moved by them.

But I stood unshaken like a firm rock which is beaten by the waves and endures.

But there stood a perfect virgin who was proclaiming and calling and saying,

I am your judge; and they who have put me on shall not be injured: but they shall possess the new world that is incorrupt:

The likeness of what is below is that which is above; for everything is above: what is below is nothing but the imagination of those that are without knowledge.

For Error flees away from it, and meets it not: but the Truth proceeds in the right path, and

And the waves were lifted up on this side and on that, but the footsteps of our Lord Messiah stand firm and are not obliterated and are not defaced.

For the former tribes were forced by their kings to commit sin, but these two of themselves have been forcing and compelling their kings to commit sin.

But one thing I will say in Your presence, O Lord.

This building now built in your midst is not that which is revealed with Me, that which prepared beforehand here from the time when I took counsel to make Paradise, and showed Adam before he sinned, but when he transgressed the commandment it was removed from him, as also Paradise.

And you shall see with your eyes That the enemy will not overthrow Zion, Nor shall they burn Jerusalem, But be the ministers of the Judge for the time.

But do you go and do whatsoever I have said unto you.

But do you remain here amid the desolation of Zion, and I will show to you after these days 'what will befall at the end of days.'

And he, indeed, departed with the people, but I, Baruch, returned and sat before the gates of the temple, and I lamented with the following lamentation over Zion and said:

But as for us who live, woe unto us, Because we see the afflictions of Zion, And what has befallen Jerusalem.

But now, lo! the grief is infinite, And the lamentation measureless, For lo! you are prospered And Zion desolate.

But I will say this as I think. And I will speak against you, O land, which art prospering.

On this account he had aforetime no mercy on His own sons, But afflicted them as His enemies, because they sinned,

But now, you peoples and nations, you are guilty Because you have always trodden down the earth, And used the creation unrighteously.

And now I know that those who have sinned are many, and they have lived in prosperity,' and departed from the world, but the few nations will be left in those times, to whom those words shall he said which you did say.

But again I will speak in Your presence:

What have they profited who had knowledge before you and have not walked in vanity as the rest of the nations, and have not said to the dead: "Give us life," but always feared you, and have not left Your ways?

But who, O LORD, my Lord, will comprehend Your judgment, Or who will search out the profoundness of Your way? Or who will think out the weight of Your path?

But as for us-woe to us, who also are now shamefully entreated, and at that time look forward (only) to evils.

But you know accurately what you have done by means of Your servants; for we are not able to understand that which is good as you art, our Creator.

But again I will speak in Your presence, O LORD, my Lord.

And you did say that you wouldst make for Your world man as the administrator of Your works, that it might be known that he was by no means made on account of the world, but the world on account of him.

And now I see that as for the world which was made on account of us, lo! it abides; but we, on account of whom it was made, depart.'

And the Lord answered and said unto me: 'You are rightly astonished regarding the departure of man, but you have not judged well regarding the evils which befall those who sin.

But now, because he transgressed wittingly, yea, just on this ground that he knows (about it), he shall be tormented.

For what did it profit Adam that he lived nine hundred and thirty years and transgressed that which he was commanded? Therefore the multitude of time that he lived did not profit him, but brought death and cut off the years of those who were born from him. wherein did Moses suffer loss in that he lived only one hundred and twenty years, and, inasmuch he was subject to Him who formed him, brought the law to the seed of Jacob, and lighted a lamp for the nation of Israel?'

And I answered and said: 'He that lighted has taken from the light, and there are but few that have imitated him. But those many whom he has lighted have taken from the darkness of Adam and have not rejoiced in the light of the lamp.'

And I answered and said: 'He that lighted has taken from the light, and there are but few that have imitated him. But those many whom he has lighted have taken from the darkness of Adam and have not rejoiced in the light of the lamp.'

For he knew that his time was but short, But that heaven and earth endure always.

For he knew that his time was but short, But that heaven and earth endure always.

But after his death they sinned and transgressed, Though they knew that they had the law reproving (them), And the light in which nothing could err, Also the spheres which testify, and Me.

Now regarding everything that is, it is I that judge, but do not you take counsel in your soul regarding these things, nor afflict thyself because of those which have been.

But regarding everything that comes from you do you inform me, and regarding everything about which I ask you, do you enlighten me.

He who travels by a road but does not complete it, or who departs by sea but does not arrive at the port, can he be comforted?

He who travels by a road but does not complete it, or who departs by sea but does not arrive at the port, can he be comforted?

Or he who promises to give a present to another, but does not fulfill it, is it not robbery?

Or he who sows the earth, but does not reap its fruit in its season, does he not lose everything?

And I answered and said: 'But, behold! O Lord, no one knowsthe number of those things which have passed nor yet of those things which are to come.

For I know indeed that which has befallen us, but what will happen to our enemies I know not, and when you will visit Your works.'

And I answered and said: 'It is good for a man to come and behold, but it is better that he should not come lest he fall.

[But I will say this also:

But if; O Lord, those things shall assuredly come to pass which you have foretold to me, so do you show this also unto me if indeed I have found grace in Your sight.

But the souls of the wicked, when they behold all these things, shall then waste away the more.

Forget not Zion, But hold in remembrance the anguish of Jerusalem.

'But as for you, if you prepare your hearts, so as to sow in them the fruits of the law, it shall protect you in that time in which the Mighty One is to shake the whole creation.

But that building will not remain, but will again after a time be rooted out, and will remain desolate until the time.

But that building will not remain, but will again after a time be rooted out, and will remain desolate until the time.

And I answered and said unto the people: 'Far be it from me to forsake you or to withdraw from you, but I will only go unto the Holy of Holies to inquire of the Mighty One concerning you and concerning Zion, if in some respect I should receive more illumination: and after these things I will return to you.

But now our glorying has been made into dust, And the desire of our soul into sand.'

But now your time has sped and your hour is come.

But others again I have seen who have forsaken their vanity, and fled for refuge beneath Your wings.