Testament of Joseph 2

1YE see, therefore, my children, how great things patience worketh, and prayer with fasting.

Ὁρᾶτε οὖν, τέκνα μου, πόσα κατεργάζεται ἡ ὑπομονὴ καὶ ἡ προσευχὴ μετὰ νηστείας. (6334)

2So ye too, if ye follow after chastity and purity with patience and prayer, with fasting in humility of heart, the Lord will dwell among you because He loveth chastity.

Οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς, ἐὰν τὴν σωφροσύνην καὶ τὴν ἁγνείαν μεταδιώκητε ἐν ὑπομονῇ καὶ προσευχῇ μετὰ νηστείας ἐν ταπεινώσει καρδίας, ὁ Κύριος κατοικήσει ἐν ὑμῖν, ὅτι ἀγαπᾷ τὴν σωφροσύνην. (17760)

3And wheresoever the Most High dwelleth, even though envy, or slavery, or slander befalleth a man, the Lord who dwelleth in him, for the sake of his chastity not only delivereth him from evil, but also exalteth him even as me.

Ὅπου δὲ κατοικεῖ ὁ ὕψιστος, κἂν φθόνος τις περιπέσῃ, κἂν δουλία, κἂν συκοφαντία, ὁ Κύριος κατοικῶν ἐπ' αὐτὸν διὰ τὴν σωφροσύνην οὐ μόνον ἐκ τῶν κακῶν ῥύεται αὐτόν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑψοῖ καὶ δοξάζει αὐτὸν ὡς κἀμέ. (20791)

4For in every way the man is lifted up, whether in deed, or in word, or in thought.

Πάντας γὰρ ἀνθρώπους ἢ ἐν ἔργῳ ἢ ἐν λόγῳ, ἢ ἐν διανοίᾳ συνέρχεται. (6263)

5My brethren knew how my father loved me, and yet I did not exalt myself in my mind: although I was a child, I had the fear of God in my heart; for I knew that all things would pass away.

Γινώσκουσιν οἱ ἀδελφοί μου πῶς ἠγάπησέ με ὁ πατήρ μου, καὶ οὐχὶ ὑψούμην ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ μου, καίπερ νήπιος ὑπάρχων, εἶχον τὸν φόβον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου· ᾔδειν γὰρ ὅτι πάντα παρελεύσεται. (18225)

6And I did not raise myself against them with evil intent, but I honoured my brethren; and out of respect for them, even when I was being sold, I refrained from telling the Ishmaelites that I was a son of Jacob, a great man and a mighty.

Καὶ οὐκ ἐπήρθην ἐν κακῷ ἀλλ' ἐτίμουν τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου, καὶ διὰ τὸν φόβον αὐτῶν καὶ πιπρασκόμενος ἐσιώπουν εἰπεῖν τοῖς Ἰσμαϊλίταις ὅτι υἱός εἰμι Ἰακὼβ ἀνδρὸς μεγάλου καὶ δικαίου. (15614)

7Do ye also, my children, have the fear of God in all your works before your eyes, and honour your brethren.

Καὶ ὑμεῖς οὖν, τέκνα μου, ἔχετε ἐν πάσῃ πράξει ὑμῶν πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ὑμῶν τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ φόβον, καὶ τιμᾶτε τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ὑμῶν· (14460)

8For every one who doeth the law of the Lord shall be loved by Him.

πᾶς γὰρ ὁ ποιῶν νόμον Κυρίου ἀγαπηθήσεται ὑπ' αὐτοῦ. (5022)

9And when I came to the Indocolpitae with the Ishmaelites, they asked me, saying:

Ἐρχόμενος δὲ μετὰ τῶν Ἰσμαϊλιτῶν ἐπηρώτων με λέγοντες (6947)

10Art thou a slave? And I said that I was a home-born slave, that I might not put my brethren to shame.

Δοῦλος εἶ; Κἀγὼ εἶπον ὅτι δοῦλός εἰμι ἐξ οἴκου, ἵνα μὴ αἰσχύνω τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου. (8542)

11And the eldest of them said unto me: Thou art not a slave, for even thy appearance doth make it manifest.

Λέγει δέ μοι ὁ μείζων αὐτῶν· Οὐκ εἶ δοῦλος, ὅτι καὶ ἡ ὄψις σου δηλοῖ. (6185)

12But I said that I was their slave.

Ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω αὐτοῖς ὅτι δοῦλος αὐτῶν ὑπάρχω. (7322)

13Now when we came into Egypt they strove concerning me, which of them should buy me and take me.

Ὡς δὲ εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἐφθάσαμεν ἐμάχοντο περὶ ἐμοῦ τὸ τίς προδοὺς χρυσίου λάβῃ με. (8465)

14Therefore it seemed good to all that I should remain in Egypt with the merchant of their trade, until they should return bringing merchandise.

Διὸ πᾶσιν ἔδοξεν τοῦ εἶναι με εἰς Αἴγυπτον πρὸς τὸν μετάβολον τῆς ἐμπορίας αὐτῶν, ἕως ὅτου ἐπιστρέψουσιν φέροντες ἐμπορίαν. (12203)

15And the Lord gave me favour in the eyes of the merchant, and he entrusted unto me his house.

Ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἔδωκέ μοι χάριν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς τοῦ μεταβόλου καὶ ἐπίστευσέ μοι τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ. (8434)

16And God blessed him by my means, and increased him in gold and silver and in household servants.

Καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτὸν ὁ Θεὸς ἐν χειρί μου, καὶ ἐπλήθυνεν αὐτὸν ἐν χρυσίῳ καὶ ἀργυρίῳ καὶ ἔργῳ. (9305)

17And I was with him three months and five days.

Καὶ ἤμην μετ' αὐτοῦ μῆνας τρεῖς. (2567)

18And about that time the Memphian woman, the wife of Pentephris came down in a chariot, with great pomp, because she had heard from her eunuchs concerning me.

Κατ' ἐκεῖνον δὲ τὸν καιρὸν κατῄει Μέμφις ἐν λαμπήνῃ ἡ γυνὴ τοῦ Πεντεφρὶ μετὰ δόξης πολλῆς, ὅτι ἤκουσε περὶ ἐμοῦ παρὰ τῶν εὐνούχων αὐτῆς. (12426)

19And she told her husband that the merchant had become rich by means of a young Hebrew, and they say that he had assuredly been stolen out of the land of Canaan.

Καὶ λέγει τῷ ἀνδρὶ αὐτῆς, ὅτι ἐπλούτησεν ὁ μετάβολος ἐν χερσὶν τινος νέου Ἑβραίου, λέγουσι δὲ ὅτι καὶ κλοπῇ ἔκλεψαν αὐτὸν ἐκ γῆς Χαναάν. (11254)

20Now, therefore, render justice unto him, and take away the youth to thy house; so shall the God of the Hebrews bless thee, for grace from heaven is upon him.

Νῦν οὖν ποίησον μετ' αὐτοῦ κρίσιν, καὶ ἀφελοῦ τὸν νεανίαν εἰς τὸν οἶκον ἡμῶν, καὶ εὐλογῆσαί σε ἔχει ὁ Θεὸς τῶν Ἑβραίων, ὅτι χάρις ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐστι πρὸς αὐτόν. (15809)

21And Pentephris was persuaded by her words, and commanded the merchant to be brought, and said unto him:

Ὁ δὲ Πεντεφρὶς πεισθεὶς τοῖς λόγοις αὐτῆς ἐκέλευσεν ἐλθεῖν τὸν μετάβολον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· (7122)

22What is this that I hear concerning thee, that thou stealest persons out of the land of Canaan, and sellest them for slaves?

Τί τοῦτο ὃ ἀκούω περὶ σου, ὅτι κλέπτεις ψυχὰς ἐκ γῆς Χαναὰν, καὶ εἰς παῖδας μεταπωλεῖς; (9559)

23But the merchant fell at his feet, and besought him, saying: I beseech thee, my lord, I know not what thou sayest.

Ὁ δὲ μετάβολος πεσὼν εἰς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ ἐδέετο λέγων· Δέομαί σου, κύριε, οὐκ οἶδα ὃ λέγεις. (8153)

24And Pentephris said unto him: Whence, then, is the Hebrew slave?

Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Πεντεφρῆς· Πόθεν οὖν ἐστιν ὁ παῖς ὁ Ἑβραῖος; (5021)

25And he said: The Ishmaelites entrusted him unto me until they should return.

καὶ εἶπεν· Οἱ Ἰσμαϊλῖται παρέθεντό μοι αὐτόν, ἕως ὅτου ἐπιστρέψωσιν. (6739)

26But he believed him not, but commanded him to be stripped and beaten.

Ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἐπίστευσεν αὐτῷ, ἀλλ' ἐκέλευσεν γυμνὸν τύπτεσθαι. (6024)

27And when he persisted in this statement, Pentephris said: Let the youth be brought.

Ἐπιμένοντος δὲ αὐτοῦ τούτοις τοῖς λόγοις, λέγει ὁ Πεντεφρῆς· Ἐναχθήτω οὖν ὁ νεανίσκος. (8713)

28And when I was brought in, I did obeisance to Pentephris for he was third in rank of the officers of Pharaoh.

Καὶ εἰσαχθεὶς προσεκύνησα τῷ Πεντεφρῇ, τρίτος γὰρ ἦν ἐν ἀξιώματι παρὰ τῶν Φαραὼ ἀρχόντων. (11477)

29And he took me apart from him, and said unto me: Art thou a slave or free?

Καὶ διαχωρίσας με ἀπ' αὐτοῦ λέγει μοι· Δοῦλος εἶ ἢ ἐλεύθερος; (5048)

30And I said: A slave.

ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπον· Δοῦλος. (1806)

31And he said: Whose?

Καὶ λέγει· Τίνος; (714)

32And I said: The Ishmaelites'.

καὶ λέγω· Τῶν Ἰσμαηλιτῶν. (3468)

33And he said: How didst thou become their slave?

Ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Πῶς αὐτῶν ἐγένου δοῦλος; (4117)

34And I said: They bought me out of the land of Canaan.

καὶ εἶπον· Ὅτι ἐκ γῆς Χαναὰν ἐπριάσαντό με. (2427)

35And he said unto me: Truly thou liest; and straightway he commanded me to be stripped and beaten.

Εἶπε δὲ πρός με· Ὄντως ψεύδῃ. Καὶ εὐθὺς ἐκέλευσε κἀμὲ γυμνὸν τύπτεσθαι. (6840)

36Now, the Memphian woman was looking through a window at me while I was being beaten, for her house was near, and she sent unto him saying:

Ἡ δὲ Μέμφις ἑώρα διὰ τῶν θυρίδων τυπτόμενόν με, πλησίον γὰρ ἦν ὁ οἶκος αὐτῆς, καὶ ἀπέστειλε πρὸς αὐτόν, λέγουσα· (10272)

37Thy judgement is unjust; for thou dost punish a free man who hath been stolen, as though he were a transgressor.

Ἄδικος ἡ κρίσις σου, ὅτι τὸν κλαπέντα ἐλεύθερον τιμωρεῖς, ὡς ἀδικήσαντα. (6544)

38And when I made no change in my statement, though I was beaten, he ordered me to be imprisoned, until, he said, the owners of the boy should come.

Ὡς δὲ ἐγὼ οὐκ ἤλλαξα τὸν λόγον μου τυπτόμενος, ἐκέλευσε φυλαχθῆναί με, ἕως οὗ ἔλθωσιν οἱ κύριοι τοῦ παιδός. (11833)

39And the woman said unto her husband: Wherefore dost thou detain the captive and wellborn lad in bonds, who ought rather to be set at liberty, and be waited upon?

Ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ἔλεγε πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς· Τί συνέχεις τὸν αἰχμάλωτον καὶ εὐγενῆ παῖδα ἐν δεσμοῖς, ὃν ἔδει μᾶλλον ἄνετον εἶναι καὶ ὑπηρετεῖσθαι. (9821)

40For she wished to see me out of a desire of sin, but I was ignorant concerning all these things.

Ἤθελε γὰρ ὁρᾶν με ἐν πόθῳ ἁμαρτίας· ἐγὼ δὲ ἠγνόουν ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις. (5258)

41And he said to her: It is not the custom of the Egyptians to take that which belongeth to others before proof is given.

Εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτήν· Οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις πρὸ ἀποδείξεως ἀφαιρεῖσθαι τὰ ἀλλότρια. (8302)

42This, therefore, he said concerning the merchant; but as for the lad, he must be imprisoned.

Ταῦτα οὖν εἶπε περὶ τοῦ μεταβόλου. Ὁ δὲ παῖς ὀφείλει ἐγκατάκλειστος εἶναι. (5746)

43Now after four and twenty days came the Ishmaelites; for they had heard that Jacob my father was mourning much concerning me.

Μετὰ δὲ ἡμέρας εἰκοσιτέσσαρας ἦλθον οἱ Ἰσμαηλῖται· ἦσαν γὰρ ἀκούσαντες ὅτι Ἰακὼβ ὁ πατήρ μου πολλὰ πενθεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἐλθόντες λέγουσι πρός με. (9773)

44And they came and said unto me: How is it that thou saidst that thou wast a slave? and lo, we have learnt that thou art the son of a mighty man in the land of Canaan, and thy father still mourneth for thee in sackcloth and ashes.

Τί ὅτι εἶπας σεαυτὸν δοῦλον εἶναι; καὶ ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς ἐγνώκαμεν ὅτι υἱὸς εἶ ἀνδρὸς μεγάλου ἐν γῇ Χαναάν, καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ἔτι πενθεῖ περί σου ἐν σάκκῳ καὶ σποδῷ. (12162)

45When I heard this my bowels were dissolved and my heart melted, and I desired greatly to weep, but I restrained myself that I should not put my brethren to shame.

Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ἐγὼ διελύθη τὰ σπλάγχνα μου, καὶ ἡ καρδία μου ἐτάκη, καὶ ἤθελον δακρῦσαι πάνυ, ἀλλ' ἐπέσχον ἐμαυτόν, ἵνα μὴ αἰσχύνω τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου, (14230)

46And I said unto them, I know not, I am a slave.

καὶ εἶπον αὐτοῖς· Ἐγὼ οὐκ οἶδα· δοῦλός εἰμι. (3449)

47Then, therefore, they took counsel to sell me, that I should not be found in their hands.

Τότε οὖν ἐβουλεύσαντο πωλῆσαί με, ἵνα μὴ εὑρεθῶ ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν. (8412)

48For they feared my father, lest he should come and execute upon them a grievous vengeance.

Ἐφόβουντο γὰρ τὸν πατέρα μου, ἵνα μὴ ἐλθὼν ἐν αὐτοῖς ποιήσει ἐκδίκησιν κινδύνου. (6741)

49For they had heard that he was mighty with God and with men.

ἤκουον γὰρ ὅτι μέγας ἐστὶ παρὰ Θεῷ καὶ ἀνθρώποις. (4213)

50Then said the merchant unto them: Release me from the judgement of Pentiphri.

Τότε λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ μετάβολος· Λύσατέ με ἀπὸ τῆς κρίσεως τοῦ Πεντεφρί. (7292)

51And they came and requested me, saying: Say that thou wast bought by us with money, and he will set us free.

Ἐκεῖνοι δὲ προσελθόντες ᾔτουν με λέγοντες· Εἶπε ὅτι ἐν ἀργυρίῳ ἠγοράσθης ἡμῖν, κἀκεῖνος ἀπολῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἔχει. (7527)

52Now the Memphian woman said to her husband: Buy the youth; for I hear, said she, that they are selling him.

Ἡ δὲ Μέμφις εἶπε τῷ ἀνδρὶ αὐτῆς· Ἀγόρασον τὸν νεανίαν, ἀκούω γάρ, φησίν, ὅτι πωλοῦσιν αὐτόν. (9172)

53And straightway she sent a eunuch to the Ishmaelites, and asked them to sell me.

Εὐθέως δὲ ἀπέστειλε εὐνοῦχον ἐν τοῖς Ἰσμαϊλίταις, αἰτουσά με εἰς διάπρασιν. (6854)

54But since the eunuch would not agree to buy me at their price he returned, having made trial of them, and he made known to his mistress that they asked a large price for their slave.

Ὁ δὲ εὐνοῦχος μὴ θελήσας ἀγοράσαι με ἀνεχώρησεν πειράσας αὐτούς, καὶ δηλοῖ τῇ δεσποίνῃ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι πολλὴν τιμὴν αἰτοῦσιν τοῦ παιδός. (11884)

55And she sent another eunuch, saying: Even though they demand two minas, give them, do not spare the gold; only buy the boy, and bring him to me.

Ἡ δὲ ἀπέστειλεν εὐνοῦχον ἕτερον, λέγουσα· Ἐὰν καὶ δύο μνᾶς ζητοῦσι παρέχετε· μὴ φείσασθε χρυσίου μόνον πριασάμενος τὸν παῖδα ἄγαγε πρός με. (11349)

56The eunuch therefore went and gave them eighty pieces of gold, and he received me; but to the Egyptian woman he said I have given a hundred.

Ἐλθὼν οὖν ὁ εὐνοῦχος καὶ δοὺς αὐτοῖς ὀγδοήκοντα χρυσοῦς ἀνελάβετό με· τῇ δὲ Αἰγυπτίᾳ εἶπεν ὅτι δέδωκα ἑκατόν. (10972)

57And though I knew this I held my peace, lest the eunuch should be put to shame.

Ἐγὼ δὲ εἰδὼς ἐσιώπησα ἵνα μὴ αἰσχυνθῇ ὁ εὐνοῦχος. (6392)

58Ye see, therefore, my children, what great things I endured that I should not put my brethren to shame.

Ὁρᾶτε οὖν, τέκνα μου, πόσα ὑπέμεινα ἵνα μὴ αἰσχύνω τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου. (7684)

59Do ye also, therefore, love one another, and with long-suffering hide ye one another's faults.

Καὶ ὑμεῖς οὖν ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους, καὶ ἐν μακροθυμίᾳ συγκρύπτετε ἀλλήλων τὰ ἐλαττώματα. (7984)

60For God delighteth in the unity of brethren, and in the purpose of a heart that takes pleasure in love.

Τέρπεται γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ἐπὶ ὁμονοίᾳ ἀδελφῶν καὶ ἐπὶ προαιρέσει καρδίας ἀγαθῆς εὐδοκοῦσιν εἰς ἀγαθόν. (5898)