My LORD’s BibleTestament of Joseph 1
Pseudonymously presented as Joseph's deathbed testament, one of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs; actual author unknown and date debated (proposals span the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD). Recalls his endurance and chastity under Potiphar's wife's advances and his forgiveness of the brothers who sold him into slavery.
2When he was about to die he called his sons and his brethren together, and said to them:--
Ἐν τῷ μέλλειν αὐτὸν ἀποθνήσκειν, καλέσας τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς. (10840)
5These my brethren hated me, but the Lord loved me:
Οἱ ἀδελφοί μου οὗτοι ἐμίσησάν με, Ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἠγάπησέ με· (3848)
6They wished to slay me, but the God of my fathers guarded me:
Αὐτοὶ ἤθελόν με ἀνελεῖν, Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων μου ἐφύλαξέν με· (5604)
7They let me down into a pit, and the Most High brought me up again.
Εἰς λάκκον με ἐχάλασάν, Καὶ ὁ ὕψιστος ἀνήγαγέν με. (3486)
8I was sold into slavery, and the Lord of all made me free:
Ἐπράθην εἰς δουλείαν, Καὶ ὁ πάντων δεσπότης ἠλευθέρωσέν με· (4944)
See also: Philemon 1:16
10I was beset with hunger, and the Lord Himself nourished me.
Ἐν λιμῷ συνεσχέθην, Καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος διέθρεψέ με. (5217)
11I was alone, and God comforted me:
Μόνος ἤμην, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς παρεκάλεσέ με· (1413)
12I was sick, and the Lord visited me.
Ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ ἤμην, καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐπεσκέψατό με· (2774)
13I was in prison, and my God showed favour unto me;
Ἐν φυλακῇ ἤμην, καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ ἐχαρίτωσέ με. (4695)
14In bonds, and He released me;
Ἐν δεσμοῖς καὶ ἔλυσέ με. (1300)
15Slandered, and He pleaded my cause;
Ἐν διαβολαῖς καὶ συνηγόρησέ μοι. (1578)
16Bitterly spoken against by the Egyptians, and He delivered me;
Ἐν λόγοις ἐνυπνίων πικροῖς καὶ ἐρρύσατό με. (3625)
17Envied by my fellow-slaves, and He exalted me.
Δοῦλος καὶ ὕψωσέ με. (2955)
19And I struggled against a shameless woman, urging me to transgress with her; but the God of Israel my father delivered me from the burning flame.
Καὶ ἠγωνισάμην πρὸς γυναῖκα ἀναιδῆ ἐπείγουσάν με παρανομεῖν μετ' αὐτῆς, ἀλλ' ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ πατρός μου ἐρρύσατό με ἐκ φλογὸς καιομένης. (9709)
20I was cast into prison, I was beaten, I was mocked; but the Lord granted me to find mercy, in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
Ἐφυλακίσθην, ἐτύφθην, ἐξεμυκτηρίσθην, καὶ ἔδωκέ με ὁ Κύριος εἰς οἰκτιρμοὺς ἐνώπιον τοῦ δεσμοφύλακος. (10310)
21For the Lord doth not forsake them that fear Him, neither in darkness, nor in bonds, nor in tribulations, nor in necessities.
Οὐ γὰρ ἐγκαταλείπει Κύριος τοὺς φοβουμένους αὐτόν, Οὐκ ἐν σκότει, ἢ δεσμοῖς, ἢ θλίψεσιν, ἢ ἀνάγκαις. (8445)
22For God is not put to shame as a man, nor as the son of man is he afraid, nor as one that is earth-born is He weak or affrighted.
Οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἐπαισχύνεται ὁ Θεός, Οὔτε ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου δειλιᾷ, Οὔτε ὡς γηγενὴς ἀσθενεῖ ᾖ πτοεῖται, (12041)
23But in all those things doth He give protection, and in divers ways doth He comfort, though for a little space He departeth to try the inclination of the soul.
Ἐν πᾶσι δὲ τούτοις προίσταται Καὶ ἐν διαφόροις τρόποις παρακαλεῖ. Ἐν βραχεῖ ἀφίσταται εἰς τὸ δοκιμάσαι τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ διαβούλιον. (11376)
24In ten temptations He showed me approved, and in all of them I endured; for endurance is a mighty charm, and patience giveth many good things.
Ἐν δέκα πειρασμοῖς δόκιμον ἀπέδειξέ με Καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτοῖς ἐμακροθύμησα. Ὅτι μέγα φάρμακόν ἐστιν ἡ μακροθυμία Καὶ πολλὰ ἀγαθὰ δίδωσιν ἡ ὑπομονή. (8118)
25How often did the Egyptian woman threaten me with death!
Ποσάκις ἡ Αἰγυπτία ἠπείλησέ μοι θανάτου; (2691)
26How often did she give me over to punishment, and then call me back and threaten me, and when I was unwilling to company with her, she said to me:
ποσάκις τιμωρίαις με παραδοῦσα ἀνεκαλέσατο καὶ ἠπείλησέ μοι καὶ μὴ θελόντός μου συνελθεῖν αὐτῇ ἔλεγέ μοι· (7093)
27Thou shalt be lord of me, and all that is in my house, if thou wilt give thyself unto me, and thou shalt be as our master.
Κυριεύσεις κἀμοὶ καὶ πάντων τῶν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου, ἐὰν ἐπιδῷς ἑαυτὸν εἰς ἐμέ, καὶ ἔσῃ ὡς δεσπότης ἡμῶν. (11773)
28But I remembered the words of my father, and going into my chamber, I wept and prayed unto the Lord.
Ἐγὼ δὲ ἐμνημόνευον λόγους πατρός μου, καὶ εἰσερχόμενος εἰς τὸ ταμιεῖον κλαίων προσηυχόμην Κυρίῳ. (9963)
29And I fasted in those seven years, and I appeared to the Egyptians as one living delicately, for they that fast for God's sake receive beauty of face.
Καὶ ἐνήστευον ἐν τοῖς ἑπτὰ ἔτεσιν ἐκείνοις, καὶ ἐφαινόμην τῷ Αἰγυπτίῳ ὡς ἐν τρυφῇ διάγων· ὅτι οἱ νηστεύοντες διὰ τὸν θεὸν τοῦ προσώπου τὴν χάριν λαμβάνουσιν. (16940)
31And I sought the Lord early, and I wept for the Egyptian woman of Memphis, for very unceasingly did she trouble me, for also at night she came to me under pretence of visiting me.
Ὠρθριζον δὲ πρὸς Κύριον καὶ ἔκλαιον περὶ Μεμφίας τῆς Αἰγυπτίας, ὅτι σφόδρα ἀδιαλείπτως ἠνόχλει μοι. καὶ γὰρ ἐν νυκτὶ εἰσήει πρός με λόγῳ ἐπισκέψεως. (13196)
32And because she had no male child she pretended to regard me as a son.
Καὶ ὅτι τέκνον ἄρρεν οὐκ ἦν αὐτῇ, καὶ προσεποιεῖτο ἔχειν με ὡς υἱόν. (5695)
33And for a time she embraced me as a son, and I knew it not; but later, she sought to draw me into fornication.
Καὶ ἕως χρόνου ὡς υἱόν με περιεπτύσσετο, ἐγὼ δὲ ἠγνόουν κἀκείνη δὲ ὕστερον εἰς πορνείαν με ἐφελκύσατο. (10529)
34And when I perceived it I sorrowed unto death; and when she had gone out, I came to myself, and lamented for her many days, because I recognized her guile and her deceit.
Καὶ νοήσας ἐγὼ ἐλυπήθην ἕως θανάτου· ἐξελθούσης δὲ αὐτῆς ἦλθον εἰς ἐμαυτόν, καὶ ἐπένθησα περὶ αὐτῆς ἡμέρας πολλάς, ὅτι ἔγνων τὸν δόλον αὐτῆς καὶ τὴν πλάνην. (12654)
35And I declared unto her the words of the Most High, if haply she would turn from her evil lust.
Καὶ ἔλεγον πρὸς αὐτὴν ῥήματα ὑψίστου, εἰ ἄρα ἐπιστρέψει ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς πονηρᾶς. (7896)
36Often, therefore, did she flatter me with words as a holy man, and guilefully in her talk praise my chastity before her husband, while desiring to ensnare me when we were alone.
Πολλάκις οὖν ὡς ἁγίῳ ἀνδρὶ ἐν λόγοις ἐκολάκευέ με καὶ μετὰ δόλου διὰ ῥημάτων ἐπαίνει τὴν σωφροσύνην μου ἐνώπιον τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς, βουλομένη κατὰ μόνας ὑποσκελίσαι με. (15249)
37For she lauded me openly as chaste, and in secret she said unto me: Fear not my husband; for he is persuaded concerning thy chastity: for even should one tell him concerning us, he would not believe.
Ἐδόξαζε γάρ με ὡς σώφρονα φανερῶς, καὶ ἐν κρυφῇ ἔλεγέ μοι· Μὴ φοβηθῇς τὸν ἄνδρα μου· καὶ γὰρ πέπεισται περὶ τῆς σωφροσύνης σου· ὅτι κἂν τις αὐτῷ εἴπῃ περὶ ἡμῶν, οὐ πιστεύσει. (17956)
38Owing to all these things I lay upon the ground, and besought God that the Lord would deliver me from her deceit.
Ἐν τούτοις πᾶσιν ἐγὼ χαμοκοιτῶν ἐδεόμην τοῦ Θεοῦ ὅπως ῥύσεταί με ἐκ τῆς δολιότητος αὐτῆς. (10666)
39And when she had prevailed nothing thereby, she came again to me under the plea of instruction, that she might learn the word of God.
Ὡς δὲ οὐδὲν ἴσχυσεν ἐν τούτῳ, πάλιν ἐπὶ λόγῳ κατηχήσεως ἤρχετο πρός με τοῦ μαθεῖν λόγον Θεοῦ. (11409)
40And she said unto me: If thou willest that I should leave my idols, lie with me, and I will persuade my husband to depart from his idols, and we will walk in the law by thy Lord.
Καὶ ἔλεγέ μοι· Εἰ θέλῃς ἵνα καταλείψω τὰ εἴδωλα, συγγενοῦ μοι, κἀγὼ πείθω τὸν ἄνδρα μου ἀποστῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων, καὶ πορευσόμεθα ἐνώπιον Κυρίου σου. (15076)
41And I said unto her: The Lord willeth not. that those who reverence Him should be in uncleanness, nor doth He take pleasure in them that commit adultery, but in those that approach Him with a pure heart and undefiled lips.
Ἐγὼ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὴν ἔλεγον ὅτι οὐχὶ ἐν ἀκαθαρσίᾳ θέλει Κύριος τοὺς σεβομένους αὐτόν, οὔτε τοῖς μοιχεύουσιν εὐδοκεῖ, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐν καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ καὶ στόμασιν ἀμιάντοις αὐτῷ προσερχομένοις. (17113)
42But she heed her peace, longing to accomplish her evil desire.
Κἀκείνη ἀντεφιλονείκει πληρῶσαι θέλουσα τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν αὐτῆς. (4996)
43And I gave myself yet more to fasting and prayer, that the Lord might deliver me from her.
Ἐγὼ δὲ προσετίθουν νηστείαν καὶ προσευχήν, ὅπως ῥύσεται με ὁ Κύριος ἀπ' αὐτῆς. (8350)
44And again, at another time she said unto me: If thou wilt not commit adultery, I will kill my husband by poison; and take thee to be my husband.
Καὶ πάλιν ἐν ἑτέρῳ χρόνῳ λέγει μοι· Εἰ μοιχεῦσαι οὐ θέλεις, ἐγὼ ἀνελῶ τὸν ἄνδρα μου φαρμάκῳ καὶ λήψομαί σε εἰς ἄνδρα. (11048)
45I therefore, when I heard this, rent my garments, and said unto her:
Ἐγὼ οὖν, ὡς ἤκουσα τοῦτο, διέρρηξα τὰ ἱμάτιά μου, καὶ εἶπον αὐτῇ· (6583)
46Woman, reverence God, and do not this evil deed, lest thou be destroyed; for know indeed that I will declare this thy device unto all men.
Γύναι, αἰδέσθητι τὸν Θεόν, καὶ μὴ ποιήσῃς τὴν πρᾶξιν ταύτην τὴν πονηράν, ἵνα μὴ ἐξολοθρευθῇς· ἐπεὶ καίγε γίνωσκε ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐξαγγελῶ πᾶσιν τὴν ἐπίνοιάν σου ταύτην. (11756)
47She therefore, being afraid, besought that I would not declare this device.
Φοβηθεῖσα οὖν ἐκείνη ἠξίου με ἵνα μὴ ἐξαγγείλω τὴν ἐπίνοιαν ταύτην. (4735)
48And she departed soothing me with gifts, and sending to me every delight of the sons of men.
Καὶ ἀνεχώρησεν, ἐπιθάλπουσά με δώροις καὶ ἀπολαύσεσι πάσαις. (5485)
49And afterwards she sent me food mingled with enchantments.
Καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο ἀποστέλλει μοι βρῶμα ἐν γοητείᾳ πεφυρμένον. (5063)
50And when the eunuch who brought it came, I looked up and beheld a terrible man giving me with the dish a sword, and I perceived that her scheme was to beguile me.
Ὡς δὲ ἦλθεν ὁ εὐνοῦχος ὁ κομίζων αὐτό, ἀνέβλεψα καὶ εἶδον φοβερὸν ἄνδρα ἐπιδιδόντα μοι μετὰ τοῦ τρυβλίου μάχαιραν· καὶ συνῆκα ὅτι περιέργεια ἐστὶν εἰς ἀποπλάνησίν μου. (13895)
51And when he had gone out I wept, nor did I taste that or any other of her food.
Καὶ ἐξελθόντος αὐτοῦ ἔκλαιον, μὴ γευσάμενος μήτε ἐκείνου μήτε ἄλλου τῶν ἐδεσμάτων αὐτῆς. (8470)
52So then after one day she came to me and observed the food, and said unto me: Why is it that thou hast not eaten of the food?
Μετὰ δὲ μίαν ἡμέραν ἐλθοῦσα πρός με καὶ ἐπιγνοῦσα τὸ βρῶμα λέγει μοι· Τί τοῦτο ὅτι οὐκ ἔφαγες τοῦ βρώματος; (9523)
53And I said unto her: It is because thou hast filled it with deadly enchantments; and how saidst thou: I come not near to idols but to the Lord alone.
Καὶ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτήν· Ὅτι ἐπλήρωσας αὐτὸ γοητείας θανάτου· καὶ πῶς εἶπας ὅτι Οὐ προσεγγίζω τοῖς εἰδώλοις ἀλλὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ μόνῳ; (14154)
54Now therefore know that the God of my father hath revealed unto me by His angel thy wickedness, and I have kept it to convict thee, if haply thou mayst see and repent.
Νῦν οὖν γνῶθι ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ πατρός μου δι' ἀγγέλου αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψέ μοι τὴν κακίαν σου, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἐφύλαξα αὐτὸ εἰς ἔλεγχόν σου, εἴπως ἄρα ἰδοῦσα μετανοήσεις. (16989)
55But that thou mayst learn that the wickedness of the ungodly hath no power over them that worship God with chastity behold I will take of it and eat before thee.
Ἵνα δὲ μάθῃς, ὅτι τῶν ἐν σωφροσύνῃ θεοσεβούντων οὐ κατισχύσει κακία τῶν ἀσεβούντων. Ἰδοὺ λαβὼν ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἐνώπιόν σου ἐσθίω. (16860)
56And having so said, I prayed thus: The God of my fathers and the angel of Abraham, be with me; and ate.
Καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐπευξάμενος οὕτως· Ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων μου καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος Ἀβραὰμ ἔσται μετ' ἐμοῦ, ἔφαγον. (10715)
57And when she saw this she fell upon her face at my feet, weeping; and I raised her up and admonished her.
Ἡ δὲ ἰδοῦσα τοῦτο ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς εἰς τοὺς πόδας μου κλαίουσα· καὶ ἀναστήσας αὐτὴν ἐνουθέτησα. (10222)
58And she promised to do this iniquity no more.
Ἡ δὲ συνέθετό μοι τοῦ μηκέτι ποιῆσαι τὴν ἀσέβειαν ταύτην. (4399)
59But her heart was still set upon evil, and she looked around how to ensnare me, and sighing deeply she became downcast, though she was not sick.
Ἔτι δὲ ἡ καρδία αὐτῆς ἔκειτο εἰς τὸ κακὸν καὶ περιεβλέπετο ποίῳ τρόπῳ με παγιδεύσαι· στενάζουσα δὲ συντόμως συνέπιπτε μὴ ἀσθενοῦσα. (11742)
60And when her husband saw her, he said unto her: Why is thy countenance fallen?
Ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὴν ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς λέγει πρὸς αὐτήν· Τί συνέπεσε τὸ πρόσωπόν σου; (7777)
61And she said unto him: I have a pain at my heart, and the groanings of my spirit oppress me; and so he comforted her who was not sick.
ἡ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶπεν, ὅτι πόνον καρδίας ἐγὼ ἀλγῶ, καὶ οἱ τοῦ πνεύματος στεναγμοὶ συνέχουσί με. Ὁ δὲ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτὴν ἐν λόγοις. (10938)
62Then, accordingly seizing an opportunity, she rushed unto me while her husband was yet without, and said unto me: I will hang myself, or cast myself over a cliff, if thou wilt not lie with me.
Τότε οὖν εὐκαιρίαν λαβοῦσα εἰσεπήδησε πρός με, ἔτι ἔξω ὄντος τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς, καὶ λέγει μοι· Ἄγχομαι, ἢ εἰς κρημνὸν ῥίπτω ἐμαυτήν, ἐὰν μὴ συγγενῇ μετ' ἐμοῦ. (12707)
63And when I saw the spirit of Beliar was troubling her, I prayed unto the Lord, and said unto her:
Ἐγὼ δὲ νοήσας ὅτι τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ Βελίαρ ἐνοχλεῖ αὐτήν, προσευξάμενος τῷ Κυρίῳ, εἶπον πρὸς αὐτήν. (10254)
64Why, wretched woman, art thou troubled and disturbed, blinded through sins?
Ἵνα τί, ἀθλία, ταράσσῃ καὶ θορυβῇ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις τυφλώττουσα; (5871)
65Remember that if thou kill thyself, Asteho, the concubine of thy husband, thy rival, will beat thy children, and thou wilt destroy thy memorial from off the earth.
μνήσθητι ὅτι ἐὰν ἀνέλῃς σεαυτήν, ἡ Ἀστηθὼ ἡ παλλακὴ τοῦ ἀνδρός σου, ἡ ἀντίζηλός σου κονδυλίσει τὰ τέκνα σου, καὶ ἀπολέσεις τὸ μνημόσυνόν σου ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς. (12708)
66And she said unto me: Lo, then thou lovest me; let this suffice me: only strive for my life and my children, and I expect that I shall enjoy my desire also.
Καὶ λέγει πρὸς με· Ἰδοὺ οὖν ἀγαπᾷς με· τοῦτό μοι ἀρκείτω· μόνον ἀντιποιήσαι τῆς ζωῆς μου καὶ τῶν τέκνων μου, καὶ ἔχω προσδοκίαν ἀπολαῦσαι καὶ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας μου. (15017)
67But she knew not that because of my lord I spake thus, and not because of her.
Οὐκ ἔγνω δὲ αὐτὴ ὅτι διὰ τὸν Κύριόν μου εἶπον οὕτως ἐγώ, καὶ οὐχὶ δι' αὐτήν. (8718)
68For if a man hath fallen before the passion of a wicked desire and become enslaved by it, even as she, whatever good thing he may hear with regard to that passion, he receiveth it with a view to his wicked desire.
Ἐὰν γάρ τις ὑποπέσῃ πάθει ἐπιθυμίας καὶ δουλωθῇ αὐτῷ ὡς κἀκείνη, κἂν ἀγαθόν τι ἀκούσῃ εἰς ἐκεῖνο τὸ πάθος ἐκλαμβάνει αὐτὸ πρὸς τὴν πονηρὰν ἐπιθυμίαν. (11366)
69I declare, therefore, unto you, my children, that it was about the sixth hour when she departed from me; and I knelt before the Lord all day, and all the night; and about dawn I rose up, weeping the while and praying for a release from her.
Λέγω οὖν, τέκνα μου, ὅτι ὥρα ἦν ὡσεὶ ἕκτη ὅτε ἐξῆλθεν ἀπ' ἐμοῦ. Καὶ κλίνας γόνυ πρὸς Κύριον ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν καὶ ὅλην τὴν νύκτα, πρὸς ὄρθρον ἀνέστην, δακρύων καὶ αἰτῶν λύτρωσιν ἐξ αὐτῆς. (16966)
70At last, then, she laid hold of my garments, forcibly dragging me to have connexion with her.
Τέλος ἐπελαμβάνετό μου τῶν ἱματίων, μετὰ βίας ἐφελκομένη με εἰς συνουσίαν. (6998)
71When, therefore, I saw that in her madness she was holding fast to my garment, I left it behind, and fled away naked.
Ὡς οὖν εἶδον ὅτι μαινομένη κρατεῖ μου τὸν χιτῶνα, καταλείψας αὐτὸν καὶ ἐκτιναξάμενος ἔφυγον γυμνός. (10163)
See also: Genesis 39:12
72And holding fast to the garment she falsely accused me, and when her husband came he cast me into prison in his house; and on the morrow he scourged me and sent me into Pharaoh's prison.
Ἐκείνη δὲ κρατήσασα τοῦτον ἐσυκοφάντησέ με· καὶ ἐλθὼν ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς ἔβαλέ με εἰς φυλακὴν ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ οἴκῳ, καὶ τῇ ἑξῆς μαστιγώσας ἐξέπεμψέ με εἰς τὴν τοῦ Φαραὼ εἰρκτήν. (17083)
73And when I was in bonds, the Egyptian woman was oppressed with grief, and she came and heard how I gave thanks unto the Lord and sang praises in the abode of darkness, and with glad voice rejoiced, glorifying my God that I was delivered from the lustful desire of the Egyptian woman.
Καὶ ὡς ἤμην ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς, ἡ Αἰγυπτία συνείχετο ἀπὸ τῆς λύπης. ἐλθοῦσα δὲ ἐπηκροᾶτό μου πῶς ηὐχαρίστουν τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ ὕμνουν ἐν οἴκῳ τοῦ σκότους, καὶ ἔχαιρον ἐν ἱλαρᾷ φωνῇ δοξάζων τὸν Θεόν μου, ὅτι διὰ προφάσεως ἀπηλλάγην τῆς Αἰγυπτίας. (26247)
74And often hath she sent unto me saying: Consent to fulfil my desire, and I will release thee from thy bonds, and I will free thee from the darkness.
Πολλάκις δὲ ἔπεμψε πρός με λέγουσα· Εὐδόκησον πληρῶσαι τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν μου, καὶ λύω σε ἐκ τῶν δεσμῶν, καὶ ἀπαλλάξω σε ἐκ τοῦ σκότους. (13052)
75And not even in thought did I incline unto her.
Ἐγὼ δὲ οὐδὲ ἕως ἐννοίας ἐξέκλινα πρὸς αὐτήν· (4077)
76For God loveth him who in a den of wickedness combines fasting with chastity, rather than the man who in kings' chambers combines luxury with license.
ὁ γὰρ θεὸς ἀγαπᾷ μᾶλλον τὸν ἐν λάκκῳ σκότους πιστὸν ἐν σωφροσύνῃ, ἢ τὸν ἐν ταμείοις βασιλέα τρυφῶντα μετ' ἀκολασίας. (11161)
77And if a man liveth in chastity, and desireth also glory, and the Most High knoweth that it is expedient for him, He bestoweth this also upon me.
Εἰ δὲ ἐν σωφροσύνῃ διάγων θέλει καὶ δόξαν καὶ οἶδεν ὁ ὕψιστος ὅτι συμφέρει, παρέχει αὐτῷ καὶ ταῦτα ὡς κἀμοί. (11786)
78How often, though she were sick, did she come down to me at unlooked for times, and listened to my voice as I prayed!
Ποσάκις καίπερ ἀσθενοῦσα κατῄει πρός με ἐν ἀωρίᾳ, καὶ ἤκουσε τῆς φωνῆς μου προσευχομένου, (8939)
79And when I heard her groanings I held my peace.
καὶ ἐγὼ συνίων τοὺς στεναγμοὺς ἐσιώπων. (6533)
80For when I was in her house she was wont to bare her arms, and breasts, and legs, that I might lie with her; for she was very beautiful, splendidly adorned in order to beguile me.
Καὶ γὰρ ὄντος μου ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτῆς ἐγύμνου τοὺς βραχίονας αὐτῆς καὶ τὰς κνήμας, ἵνα συμπέσω εἰς αὐτήν. ἦν γὰρ καὶ ὡραία πάνυ μάλιστα κοσμουμένη πρὸς ἀπάτην μου. (16312)
81And the Lord guarded me from her devices.
Καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐφύλαξέ με ἀπὸ τῶν ἐγχειρημάτων αὐτῆς. (6079)