Testament of Naphtali 1

1THE copy of, the testament of Naphtali, which he ordained at the time of his death in the hundred and thirtieth year of his life.

Διαθήκη Νεφθαλεὶμ τοῦ ὀγδόου υἱοῦ Ἰακὼβ καὶ Βάλλας μηνὸς

2When his sons were gathered together in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, while still in good health, he made them a feast of food and wine.

᾿Αντίγραφον διαθήκης Νεφθαλεὶμ διέθετοδ ἂν καιρῷ ἐξόδου αὐτοῦ ἐν ἔτει Ἔ ἑκατοστῷ καὶ τριακοστῷδ τῆς αὐτοῦ. ζωῆς αὐτοῦϊ.

3And after he was awake in the morning, he said to them, I am dying; and they believed him not.

4And as he glorified the Lord, he grew strong and said that after yesterday's feast he should die.

Συνελθόντων᾽ τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοθῦ ἐν τῷ β΄ ἀν, ἑβδόμῳ μηνί, μιᾷ τοῦ μηνός ἐποίησε δεῖπνον αὐτοῖς αὶ

5And he began then to say: Hear, my children, ye sons of Naphtali, hear the words of your father.

Ἢ Καὶ τὸ πρωὶ μετὰ τὸ ἐξυπνισθῆναι αὐτὸν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς κώθωνα. αἰῶνας. ᾿Αμήν, Ἰακὼβ δ᾽ Βάλλας ἃ ἔζησεν ἔτη Βάλλαν β΄ περὶ ἀγαθότητος, ὃ. περὶ πλεονεξίας ὅτι ᾽ Αποθνήσκω καὶ οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν αὐτῷ.

6I was born from Bilhah, and because Rachel dealt craftly, and gave Bilhah in place of herself to Jacob, and she conceived and bare me upon Rachel's knees, therefore she called my name Naphtali.

Καὶ εὐλογῶν. Ἔ δοξάζων τὸν Κύριον ἐκραταιώθη καὶ εἶπεν ὅτι Μετὰ τὸ δεῖπνον τὸ χθὲς ἀπέθανεν ἡ σάρξ μου

7For Rachel loved me very much because I was born upon her lap; and when I was still young she was wont to kiss me, and say: May I have a brother of thine from mine own womb, like unto thee.

8Whence also Joseph was like unto me in all things, according to the prayers of Rachel.

ἘΤΉρξατο σεν. δὲξδ λέγειν. ᾿Ακούσατε, τέκνα μου, υἱοὶ Νεφθαλείμ, ἀκούσατε λόγους πατρός ὑμῶν.

9Now my mother was Bilhah, daughter of Rotheus the brother of Deborah, Rebecca's nurse, who was born on one and the self-same day with Rachel.

᾿Εγὼ ἐγεννήθην ἀπὸ Βάλλας ἀποθανεῖπανουργίᾳ ἐποίησε Ραχιήλ καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῆς Βάλλαν Ἐτῷ ᾧ Ἰακώβ καὶ Ἐσυλλαβοῦσα ἔτεκέ με ἐπὶ τῶν γονάτων τῆς τραχνήλϑο, Γκαὶδλ διὰ τοῦτο ἐπὶ τῶν τχὸ ὄνομά μουδϑ Νερθάχείις ἡ Ἠγάπησε Ραχὴλ ὅτι ἐπὶ γονάτων αὐτῆς ἐγεννήθην, καὶ ἔτι ἔτεκέ με. ἁπαλὸν ὄντα κατεφίλει λέγουσα μοι ἀδελφόν ὅ σου ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας μου κατά

10And Rotheus was of the family of Abraham, a Chaldean, God-fearing, free-born, and noble.

Ὅθεν καὶ ὅμοιός μου ᾿ ἦν Γκατὰ πάντα ᾿Ιωσὴφ κατὰ τὰς Ῥαχιήλ. μηρῶν. ἴδοιμι ἀδελφόν. εὐχάς. μήτηρ ἘἜΒάλλα ὑπῆρχεδι θυγάτηρ ἀδελφοῦ Δεβόρρας τῆς τροφοῦ Ρεβέκκας Ἢ. ἥτις ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ ἐτέχθη ἐν καὶ Ῥαχιήλ,. Ὁ δὲ Ῥουθαῖος δ᾽ ἐκ τοῦ γένους ἦν ᾿Αβραάμ, Χαλδαῖος, θεοσεβής, ἐλεύθερος καὶ εὐγενής. αἰχμαλωτισθεὶς ἠγοράσθη ὑπὸ Λαβάν καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ Εὐνὰν τὴν παιδίσκην αὐτοῦ δ᾽ εἰς γυναῖκα, ἥτις ἔτεκε θυγατέρα, καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς Ζέλφαν ἐπ᾿ ὀνόματι τῆς πόλεως ἐν ἣ αἰχμαλωτίσθη μετὰ τοῦτο ἔτεκεν τὴν Βάλλαν λέγων ΤΚαινοποιός μου ἡ θυγάτηρ’ μου ἡ θυγάκοῦφος τηρῖ γὰρ τεχθεῖσα ἐπιλαβομένη τοῦ μαζοῦ ἔσπευδεν θηλάζειν

11And he was taken captive and was bought by Laban; and he gave him Euna his handmaid to wife, and she bore a daughter, and called her name Zilpah, after the name of the village in which he had been taken captive.

12And next she bore Bilhah, saying: My daughter hastens after what is new, for immediately that she was born she seized the breast and hastened to suck it.

Ἐ᾿ Ἐγὼ ἥμην κοῦφος τοῖς ποσὶν ἡδ ἔλαφος ἀποστοὅταξέ με ὁ πατήρ μου πᾶσαν ἀγγελίαν, ἀγγεὡσεὶϊ ἔλαφόν με ηὐλόγησεν.

13And I was swift on my feet like the deer, and my father Jacob appointed me for all messages, and as a deer did he give me his blessing.

Καθὼς γὰρ ὁ λίαν. ὦ καὶ πάλιν ὅτεκεν αὐτῷ τὴν ἐξ ἧς ἐγεννήθην ἐγώ, καινος σπουδος μου ἡ θςἁ Ξεκαινοσπουδασμὸς ἡ μου. Βάλλαν, λέγων καινόσπουδός μου ἡ ὀ τεχθεὶς καὶ ἐπιλαβομένη τοῦ μαζοῦ μητρὸς αὐτῆς καὶ ἔσπενδε θηλάζειν. ὃ τὸ σκεῦος πόσον χωρεῖ, καὶ πρὸς φέρει τὸν κτίσις χῃλόν, οὕτω καὶ ὁ Κύριος πρὸς ὁμοίωσιν τοῦ πνεύματος ποιεῖλδ τὸ σῶμα, καὶ πρὸς τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ τὸ ἄρχεται. πνεῦμα ἐπιτίθησιν

14For as the potter knoweth the vessel, how much it is to contain, and bringeth clay accordingly, so also doth the Lord make the body after the likeness of the spirit, and according to the capacity of the body doth He implant the spirit.

Καὶϊδ οὐκ Ἐἔστιν ἐνλεῖπον Ἐὲν ἐκ τοῦ ἑνὸς Ἐτρίτον τριχός ᾽ Ἐσταθμῷ γὰρ καὶ μέτρῳ πλέσμα, καὶ κανόνι πᾶσα ἴὴ Ἔκτίσις ἐγένετο,

15And the one does not fall short of the other by a third part of a hair; for by weight, and measure, and rule was all the creation made.

16And as the potter knoweth the use of each vessel, what it is meet for, so also doth the Lord know the body, how far it will persist in goodness, and when it beginneth in evil.

Καὶ καθὼς οἶδεν ὁ κεραμεὺς ἑνὸς ἑκάστου τὴν χρῆσιν ἵ ὡς Ἶ οὕτω καὶ ὁ Κύριος οἷδε τὸ σῶμα, ἕως τίνος διαρκέσει ἐν ἀγαθῷ, καὶ πότε ἔρχεται κακῷ

17For there is no inclination or thought which the Lord knoweth not, for He created every man after His own image.

Ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι καὶ ὡς ὁ πλάσμα καὶ πᾶσα ἔννοια ἣν ἔγνω Κύριος νοῦς ἄνθρωπον ἔκτισεν κατ᾽ εἰκόνα ἑαυτοῦ. Ὡς ἡ οὕτω ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ

18For as a man's strength, so also in his work; as his eye, so also in his sleep; as his soul, so also in his word either in the law of the Lord or in the law of Beliar.

19And as there is a division between light and darkness, between seeing and hearing, so also is there a division between man and man, and between woman and woman; and it is not to be said that the one is like the other either in face or in mind.

ὡς ὀφθαλμὸς καὶ ἡ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ ὕπνος αὐτοῦ ὧς ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ, τέχνη αὐτοῦ καὶ ὡς ἡ προαίρεσις αὐτοῦ, οὕτω καὶ ἡ ἡ πρᾶξις αὐτοῦ ὡς ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ, οὕτω καὶ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, ἕτερα τινὰ πολλὰ φυσιόγνωμιά. ὁ οἶδεν. ἢ, ἔργα ὑμῶν ἐν τάξει ἀγαθὸν ἐν φόβῳ θεοῦ, καὶ μηδὲν ἄτακτον ποιεῖτε ἐν καταφρονήσει οὕτως ὃ καὶ ὁ λόγος ἂν νόμῳ Κυρίου, ἣ ἐν νόμῳ ἔργοις. τοῦ Βελίαρ.

20For God made all things good in their order, the five senses in the head, and He joined on the neck to the head, adding to it the hair also for comeliness and glory, then the heart for understanding, the belly for excrement, and the stomach for grinding, the windpipe for taking in the breath, the liver for wrath, the gall for bitterness, the spleen for laughter, the reins for prudence, the muscles of the loins for power, the lungs for drawing in, the loins for strength, and so forth.

Καὶ ρῦϑ κεχώρισται ἀνάμεσον τοῦ φωτὸς καὶ ἀνάμεσον τοῦ σκότους ὁράσεώς τε καὶ ἀκοῆς οὕτως δ᾽ κεχώρισται ἀνάμεσον ἀνδρὸς καὶ ἀνδρός, καὶ ἀνά γυναικὸς καὶ γυγαικός καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν ὅτι Ἐν τῷ σκότου-. ἑνὶ τοῖς προσώποις ἡττόμενον ἦν μι ὅμοιος εἷς

21So then, my children, let all your works be done in order with good intent in the fear of God, and do nothing disorderly in scorn or out of its due season.

ἘΠάντα ἐν τάξει νὸν νοΐ. ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς καλά τὰς πέντε αἰσθήσεις ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ δέδιε τῇ κεφαλῇ Ἐπροσθϑεὶς αὐτῇ καὶ φρόνησιν, κοιλίαν Τδιάκρισιν Ἐ στόμαχον εἷς γυ προσώποις ἧττον ἐποίησεν ἣ ἔλαττον. τῷ ἑνὶ ἑνὶ ἣ προσώποις ἣ νοὶ ὅμοιος, ἡπαρϑ χολὴν πρὸ Β-αὦ, πλευρὰν τὸ καθεύδειν ἀκοῦὀσφὺν εἰς ἐσχύν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. δύναται.

22For if thou bid the eye to hear, it cannot; so neither while ye are in darkness can ye do the works of light.

23Be ye, therefore, not eager to corrupt your doings through covetousness or with vain words to beguile your souls; because if ye keep silence in purity of heart, ye shall understand how to hold fast the will of God, and to cast away the will of Beliar.

Οὕτως Ἐξστωσαν, τέκνα μου, πάντα τὰ ἔργα ὑμῶν ἐν τάξει εἷς ἀγαθόν ἐν φόβῳ Θεοῦ, καὶ μηδὲν ἄτακτον ποιήσητεϊβϑ ἐν καταφρονήσει, μηδὲ ἔξωϑθ ποιεῖν.

24Sun and moon and stars, change not their order; so do ye also change not the law of God in the disorderliness of your doings.

ἘΌτι ἐὰν εἴπῃς τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ, Ἄκουε, οὐ δυνήσεται πλευρὰν πλευράς εἰς θήκην. Ξξ εἰς τὸ τιθέναι ὀσφῦς. ἀγαθά, διὰ τοῦτο τέκνα μου, ἔστω πώντα τὰ ἔργα ὑμῶν ἐν τάξει

25The Gentiles went astray, and forsook the Lord, and charged their order, and obeyed stocks and stones, spirits of deceit.

Μὴ οὖν πλεονεξίᾳ διαφθεῖρᾳι σκοπῶπράξεις ὑμῶν, ἣ ἐν Ἐλόγοις κενοῖς ἀπατᾶν τὰς ψυχᾶς ὑμῶν, ὅτιδ σιωπῶντες ἐν Ἐκαθαρότητι καρδίας συνήσετεδ τὸ θέλημα διαβόλου. τοῦ Θεοῦ κρατεῖν καὶ ἀπορρίπτειν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Βελίαρ ἀλ-

26But ye shall not be so, my children, recognizing in the firmament, in the earth, and in the sea, and in all created things, the Lord who made all things, that ye become not as Sodom, which changed the order of nature.

27In like manner the Watchers also changed the order of their nature, whom the Lord cursed at the flood, on whose account He made the earth without inhabitants and fruitless.

Ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη καὶ ἀστέρες οὐ Τκαλύψουσι τὴν τάξιν αὐτῶν καὶ ὑμεῖς μὴ ἀλλοιώσητε νόμον ἐπηκοΘεοϑὶϊ ἐν ἀταξίᾳ τῶν πράξεων ὑμῶν

28These things I say unto you, my children, for I have read in the writing of Enoch that ye yourselves also shall depart from the Lord, walking according to all the lawlessness of the Gentiles, and ye shall do according to all the wickedness of Sodom.

ἜἜθνη πλανηθέντα ἀφέντα Κύριον ἠλλοίωσαν τὴν τάξιν αὐτῶν, καὶ καὶ ὑπήκουσαν ξύλοις καὶ λίθοις πνεύμασι πλάνης. ξύλοις ἐξακοὙμεῖς δὲ οὕτωςδ, τέκνα μου, γινώσκοντες ἐν τῷ Ἢ λουθήσαντες. γῆς καὶ θαλάσσης καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων τὸν Κύριον δημιουργήσαντα καὶ ποιήσαντα, στερέωμα οὐρανοῦ καὶ θαλάσσης καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς δημιουργήμασιν ὅτι στερεώματι, ἐν γῇ καὶ θαλάττῃ, καὶ ὁ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐνήλλα. δημιουργήμασι ἘΚύριον τὸν ποιήσαντα πάνταδϑ, ἵνα μὴ γένησθε ἢ ὡς Σόδομα, ἥτις ἐνήλλαξε᾽ἡ τάξιν φύσεως αὐτῆς ὅ, αὐτῶν.

29And the Lord shall bring captivity upon you, and there shall ye serve your enemies, and ye shall be bowed down with every affliction and tribulation, until the Lord have consumed you all.

Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ οἱ ᾿Εγρήγοροι ἐνήλλαξαν τάξιν φύσεως αὐτῶν, κατηράσατο Κύριος ἐπὶ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ, δι’ οὖς Ἐἀπὸ κατοικησίας καὶ ἄκαρπον τάξας τὴν γῆν ἀοίκητον δάσ,Α, λέγω ὑμῖν, τέκνα μου, ὅτι ἔγνων ἐν τῇ γραφῇ Ἐνώχ, ὅτι ὑμεῖς ἀποστήσεσθε ἀπὸ Κυρίου Ἷ, κατὰ πορευόμενοι κατὰ πᾶσαν ἀνομίαν ἐθνῶν, καὶ ποιήσετε πᾶσαν πᾶσαν. πονηρίαν. Σοδόμων ἢ.

30And after ye have become diminished and made few, ye return and acknowledge the Lord your God; and He shall bring you back into your land, according to His abundant mercy.

31And it shall be, that after that they come into the land of their fathers, they shall again forget the Lord and become ungodly.

Καὶ ἐπάξει Κύριος ὑμῖν λωσίαν, καὶ δουλεύσετε ἐχθροῖς ὑμῶν, καὶ πάσῃ κακώσει καὶ θλίψει Ἷ συναναστραφήσεσθεϊδ, ἕως ἀναλώσει Κύριος πάντας ὑμᾶς.

32And the Lord shall scatter them upon the face of all the earth, until the compassion of the Lord shall come, a man working righteousness and working mercy unto all them that are afar off, and to them that are near.

Καὶ μεν ανθ ρέει σεσθε. ἐτιστρέψετε. καὶ ἐπιγνώσεσθε Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ὑμῶν καὶ ἐπιστρέψει ὑμᾶς τὴν γῆν ὑμῶν κατὰ τὸ πολὺ αὐτοῦ ἔλεος, ἔσται ὅταν ἐξέλθωσιν εἰς τὴν γῆν τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν, πάλιν ἐπιλη τον ῦ Κυρίου καὶ ἀσεβήσουσιν Ἦ. ὰ τὸ Καὶ διασπερεῖ αὐτοὺς Κύριος ἐπὶ πρόσωπον πάσης τῆς γῆς, ἄχρις οὗ ἔλθῃ σπλάγχνον καὶ σμι-. καὶ τοὺς ἐγγύς.