Testament of Simeon 1

Pseudonymously presented as Simeon'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, reflecting unresolved scholarly disagreement over Jewish versus Christian origin). Simeon confesses his jealousy of Joseph and warns his sons against the destructive power of envy.

1THE copy of the words of Simeon, the things which he spake to his sons before he died, in the hundred and twentieth year of his life, at which time Joseph, his brother, died.

Ἀντίγραφον λόγων Συμεών, ἃ ἐλάλησε τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ, πρὸ τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν αὐτὸν ἐν ἑκατοστῷ εἰκοστῷ ἔτει τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ ἐν ᾧ χρόνῳ ἀπέθανεν Ἰωσὴφ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ. (20786)

2For when Simeon was sick, his sons came to visit him. and he strengthened himself and sat up and kissed them, and said:--

Ἀρρωστοῦντος τοῦ Συμεὼν ἦλθον ἐπισκέψασθαι αὐτὸν οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐνισχύσας ἐκάθισε, καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτοὺς καὶ εἶπεν. (13485)

3Hearken, my children, to Simeon your father and I will declare unto you what things I have in my heart.

Ἀκούσατε, τέκνα μου, Συμεὼν τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν καὶ ἀναγγελῶ ὑμῖν ὅσα ἔχω ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου. (10298)

4I was born of Jacob as my father's second son; and my mother Leah called me Simeon, because the Lord had heard her prayer.

Ἐγὼ ἐγεννήθην ἐξ Ἰακὼβ υἱὸς δεύτερος τῷ πατρί μου, καὶ Λία ἡ μήτηρ μου ἐκάλεσέ με Συμεῶνα, ὅτι ἤκουσε Κύριος τῆς δεήσεως αὐτῆς. (13134)

5Moreover, I became strong exceedingly; I shrank from no achievement nor was I afraid of ought. For my heart was hard, and my liver was immovable, and my bowels without compassion.

Δυνατὸς γὰρ ἐγενόμην σφόδρα οὐκ ἐδειλίασα πρᾶξιν οὐδὲ ἐφοβήθην ἀπὸ παντὸς πράγματος. Ἡ γὰρ καρδία μου ἦν σκληρά, καὶ τὰ ἡπατά μου ἀκίνητα καὶ τὰ σπλάγχνα μου ἀσυμπαθῆ. (11413)

6Because valour also has been given from the Most High to men in soul and body.

Ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἡ ἀνδρεία ἀπὸ ὑψίστου δίδοται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐν ψυχαῖς καὶ σώμασιν. (8150)

7For in the time of my youth I was jealous in many things of Joseph, because my father loved him beyond all.

Ἐν γὰρ τῷ καιρῷ τῆς νεότητός μου πολλὰ ἐζήλωσα τὸν Ἰωσήφ, ὅτι ἠγάπα αὐτὸν ὁ πατήρ μου παρὰ πάντας. (10588)

8And I set my mind against him to destroy him because the prince of deceit sent forth the spirit of jealousy and blinded my mind, so that I regarded him not as a brother, nor did I spare even Jacob my father.

καὶ ἐστήριξα ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὰ ἡπατά μου ὥστε ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν, ὅτι ὁ ἄρχων τῆς πλάνης καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ ζήλου ἐτύφλωσέ μου τὸν νοῦν, μὴ προσέχειν αὐτῷ ὡς ἀδελφῷ, μηδὲ φείσασθαι τῷ πατρί μου Ἰακώβ. (22915)

9But his God and the God of his fathers sent forth His angel, and delivered him out of my hands.

Ἀλλ' ὁ θεὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ἀπέστειλε τὸν ἄγγελον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐρρύσατο αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν μου. (13022)

10For when I went to Shechem to bring ointment for the flocks, and Reuben to Dothan, where were our necessaries and all our stores, Judah my brother sold him to the Ishmaelites.

Ὡς γὰρ ἐγὼ ἐπορεύθην ἐν Σικίμοις ἐνέγκαι ἄλειμμα τοῖς ποιμνίοις καὶ Ῥουβίμ εἰς Δοθαείμ, ὅπου τὰ ἐγχρήζοντα ἡμῖν καὶ πᾶσα ἡ ἀπόθεσις ἦν, Ἰούδας ὁ ἀδελφός μου ἐπώλησεν αὐτὸν τοῖς Ἰσμαηλίταις. (14193)