Testament of Naphtali 2

1FOR in the fortieth year of my life, I saw a vision on the Mount of Olives, on the east of Jerusalem, that the sun and the moon were standing still.

Ἐν γὰρ τῷ τεσσαρακοστῷ ἔτει τῆς ζωῆς μου, εἶδον ὅραμα ἐν τῷ ὄρει τοῦ Ἐλαιῶνος κατὰ ἀνατολὰς Ἱερουσαλήμ, ὅτι ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη ἔστηκαν. (12967)

2And behold Isaac, the father of my father, said to us; Run and lay hold of them, each one according to his strength; and to him that seizeth them will the sun and moon belong.

Καὶ ἰδοὺ Ἰσαὰκ ὁ πατὴρ τοῦ πατρός μου ἔλεγεν ἡμῖν· Προσδραμόντες κρατήσατε ἕκαστος κατὰ δύναμιν, καὶ τοῦ πιάσαντος ἔσται ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη. (10328)

3And we all of us ran together, and Levi laid hold of the sun, and Judah outstripped the others and seized the moon, and they were both of them lifted up with them.

Καὶ ἐδράμομεν πάντες ὁμοῦ καὶ ὁ Λευὶ ἐκράτησε τὸν ἥλιον καὶ ὁ Ἰούδας φθάσας ἐπίασε τὴν σελήνην, καὶ ὑψώθησαν ἀμφότεροι σὺν αὐτοῖς. (10968)

4And when Levi became as a sun, lo, a certain young man gave to him twelve branches of palm; and Judah was bright as the moon, and under their feet were twelve rays.

Καὶ ὄντος τοῦ Λευὶ ὡς ὁ ἥλιος, ἰδοὺ νέος τις ἐπιδίδωσιν αὐτῷ βαΐα φοινίκων δώδεκα, καὶ Ἰούδας ἐγένετο λαμπρὸς ὡς ἡ σελήνη, καὶ ἦσαν ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτῶν δώδεκα ἀκτῖνες. (17795)

5And the two, Levi and Judah, ran, and laid hold of them.

Καὶ προσδραμόντες οἱ δύο ὅτε Λευὶ καὶ Ἰούδας ἐκράτησαν αὐτούς. (5397)

6And lo, a bull upon the earth, with two great horns, and an eagle's wings upon its back; and we wished to seize him, but could not.

Καὶ ἰδοὺ ταῦρος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔχων δύο κέρατα μεγάλα, καὶ πτέρυγας ἀετοῦ ἐπὶ νώτου αὐτοῦ· καὶ θέλοντες ἡμεῖς πιάσαι αὐτόν, οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν. (12776)

7But Joseph came, and seized him, and ascended up with him on high.

ἐλθὼν δὲ Ἰωσὴφ κατέλαβεν αὐτόν, καὶ συνανῆλθεν αὐτῷ εἰς τὸ ὕψος. (7946)

8And I saw, for I was there, and behold a holy writing appeared to us, saying: Assyrians, Medes, Persians, Chaldeans, Syrians, shall possess in captivity the twelve tribes of Israel.

Καὶ εἶδον ὅτι ἤμην παρεκεῖ, καὶ ἰδοὺ γραφὴ ἁγία ὤφθη ἡμῖν, λέγουσα· Ἀσσύριοι, Μῆδοι, Πέρσαι, Χαλδαῖοι, Σύροι, κληρονομήσουσιν αἰχμαλωσίαν τὰ δώδεκα σκήπτρα τοῦ Ἰσραήλ. (13210)

9And again, after seven days, I saw our father Jacob standing by the sea of Jamnia, and we were with him.

Καὶ πάλιν μετὰ ἡμέρας ἑπτὰ εἶδον ὅτι ὁ πατήρ μου Ἰακὼβ ἵστατο ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ Ἀμνείας, καὶ ἡμεῖς σὺν αὐτῷ. (8154)

10And behold, there came a ship sailing by, without sailors or pilot; and there was written upon the ship, The Ship of Jacob.

Καὶ ἰδοὺ πλοῖον ἤρχετο ἁρμενίζον ἐκτὸς ναυτῶν καὶ κυβερνητῶν· ἐπεγέγραπτο δὲ τῷ πλοίῳ ὅτι πλοῖον Ἰακώβ. (10477)

11And our father said to us: Come, let us embark on our ship.

Καὶ λέγει ἡμῖν ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν. Δεῦτε ἀνέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πλοῖον ἡμῶν. (5146)

12And when he had gone on board, there arose a vehement storm, and a mighty tempest of wind; and our father, who was holding the helm, departed from us.

Ὡς δὲ εἰσήλθομεν γίνεται χειμὼν σφοδρός, καὶ λαῖλαψ ἀνέμου μέγας, καὶ ἀφίσταται ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν ἀφ' ἡμῶν, ὁ κρατῶν τοὺς αὐχένας. (13860)

13And we, being tost with the tempest, were borne along over the sea; and the ship was filled with water, and was pounded by mighty waves, until it was broken up.

Καὶ ἡμεῖς χειμαζόμενοι ἐπὶ τὸ πέλαγος· ἐφερόμεθα, καὶ ἐπληρώθη τὸ πλοῖον ὑδάτων, ἐν τρικυμίαις περιρησσόμενον, ὥστε καὶ συντρίβεσθαι αὐτό. (11625)

14And Joseph fled away upon a little boat, and we were all divided upon nine planks, and Levi and Judah were together.

Ὁ δὲ Ἰωσὴφ ἐπὶ ἀκατίῳ ἐπορεύθη· ἡμεῖς δὲ διεχωρίσθημεν ἐπὶ σανίδων ἐννέα. Λευὶ δὲ καὶ Ἰούδας ἦσαν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό. (9600)

15And we were all scattered unto the ends of the earth.

Καὶ διεσπάρημεν πάντες εἰς τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς. (2892)

16Then Levi, girt about with sackcloth, prayed for us all unto the Lord.

Ὁ δὲ Λευὶ περιβαλλόμενος σάκκον ἐδέετο τοῦ Κυρίου. (3737)

17And when the storm ceased, the ship reached the land as it were in peace.

Ὡς δὲ ἐπαύσατο ὁ χειμών, ἔφθασε τὸ σκάφος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὥσπερ ἐν εἰρήνῃ. (7957)

18And, lo, our father came, and we all rejoiced with one accord.

Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἦλθεν ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν καὶ πάντες ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἠγαλλιασάμεθα. (3834)

19These two dreams I told to my father; and he said to me: These things must be fulfilled in their season, after that Israel hath endured many things.

Ταῦτα τὰ δύο ἐνύπνια εἶπον τῷ πατρί μου καὶ εἶπέ μοι· Δεῖ ταῦτα πληρωθῆναι κατὰ τοὺς καιροὺς αὐτῶν, πολλὰ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ὑπομείναντος. (13307)

20Then my father saith unto me: I believe God that Joseph liveth, for I see always that the Lord numbereth him with you.

Τότε λέγει μοι ὁ πατήρ μου· Πιστεύω τῷ θεῷ ὅτι ζῇ Ἰωσήφ· ὁρῶ γὰρ πάντοτε ὅτι Κύριος ἀριθμεῖ αὐτὸν μεθ' ἡμῶν. (12547)

21And he said, weeping: Ah me, my son Joseph, thou livest, though I behold thee not, and thou seest not Jacob that begat thee.

Καὶ κλαίων ἔλεγε· Οἴμοι, τέκνον μου Ἰωσήφ, ζῇς, καὶ οὐ βλέπω σε, καὶ σὺ οὐχ ὁρᾷς Ἰακὼβ τὸν γεννήσαντά σε. (9749)

22He caused me also, therefore, to weep by these words, and I burned in my heart to declare that Joseph had been sold, but I feared my brethren.

Ἐποίησε οὖν καὶ ἐμὲ δακρῦσαι ἐν τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἐκαιόμην τοῖς σπλάγχνοις μου ἀναγγεῖλαι ὅτι πέπραται Ἰωσήφ· ἀλλ' ἐφοβούμην τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου. (13923)

23And lo! my children, I have shown unto you the last times, how everything shall come to pass in Israel.

Καὶ ἰδού, τέκνα μου, ὑπέδειξα ὑμῖν καιροὺς ἐσχάτους ὅτι πάντα γενήσεται ἐν Ἰσραήλ. (6841)

24Do ye also, therefore, charge your children that they be united to Levi and to Judah; for through them shall salvation arise unto Israel, and in them shall Jacob be blessed.

Καὶ ὑμεῖς οὖν, ἐντείλασθε τοῖς τέκνοις ὑμῶν ἵνα ἑνοῦνται τῷ Λευὶ καὶ τῷ Ἰούδα. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦ Ἰούδα ἀνατελεῖ ἡ σωτηρία τῷ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ εὐλογηθήσεται Ἰακώβ. (16575)

25For through their tribes shall God appear dwelling among men on earth, to save the race of Israel, and to gather together the righteous from amongst the Gentiles.

Διὰ τοῦ σκήπτρου αὐτοῦ ὀφθήσεται ὁ Θεὸς κατοικῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τοῦ σῶσαι τὸ γένος τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ἐπισυνάξει δικαίους ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν. (15505)

26If ye work that which is good, my children, both men and angels shall bless you; and God shall be glorified among the Gentiles through you, and the devil shall flee from you, and the wild beasts shall fear you, and the Lord shall love you, and the angels shall cleave to you.

Ἐὰν οὖν καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐργάσησθε τὸ καλόν, εὐλογήσουσιν ὑμᾶς οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς δοξασθήσεται ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν δι' ὑμῶν, καὶ ὁ διάβολος φεύξεται ἀφ' ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰ θηρία φοβηθήσονται ὑμᾶς, καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἀγαπήσει ὑμᾶς, καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι ἀνθέξονται ὑμῶν. (19193)

27As a man who has trained a child well is kept in kindly remembrance; so also for a good work there is a good remembrance before God.

Ὡς ἄν τις τέκνον ἐκθρέψῃ καλῶς μνείαν ἔχει καλήν, οὕτως καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ καλοῦ ἔργου μνήμη παρὰ Θεοῦ ἀγαθή. (9438)

28But him that doeth not that which is good, both angels and men shall curse, and God shall be dishonoured among the Gentiles through him, and the devil shall make him as his own peculiar instrument, and every wild beast shall master him, and the Lord shall hate him.

Τὸν δὲ μὴ ποιοῦντα τὸ καλόν, καταράσονται αὐτὸν καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἀδοξήσει ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν δι' αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ διάβολος οἰκειοῦται αὐτὸν ὡς ἴδιον σκεῦος, καὶ πᾶν θηρίον κατακυριεύσει αὐτῷ καὶ ὁ Κύριος μισήσει αὐτόν. (18051)

29For the commandments of the law are twofold, and through prudence must they be fulfilled.

Καὶ γὰρ αἱ ἐντολαὶ τοῦ νόμου διπλαῖ εἰσιν καὶ μετὰ τέχνης πληροῦνται. (5011)

30For there is a season for a man to embrace his wife, and a season to abstain therefrom for his prayer.

Καιρὸς γὰρ συνουσίας γυναικὸς καὶ καιρὸς ἐγκρατείας εἰς προσευχὴν αὐτοῦ. (6766)