Testament of Zebulun 1

Pseudonymously presented as Zebulun'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). Zebulun recalls his own compassion during the plot against Joseph and urges his sons toward mercy and compassion.

1THE copy of the words of Zebulun, which he enjoined on his sons before he died in the hundred and fourteenth year of his life, two years after the death of Joseph.

Ἀντίγραφον λόγων Ζαβουλών, ὧν διέθετο τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ, πρὶν ἢ ἀποθανεῖν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ ἑκατοστῷ τετάρτῳ καὶ δεκάτῳ ἔτει τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ, μετὰ οὖν δύο ἔτη τοῦ θανάτου Ἰωσήφ. (22041)

2And he said to them: Hearken to me, ye sons of Zebulun attend to the words of your father.

Εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἀκούσατέ μου, υἱοὶ Ζαβουλών, προσέχετε ῥήμασιν τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν. (9073)

3I, Zebulun, was born a good gift to my parents.

Ἐγὼ Ζαβουλὼν δόσις ἀγαθὴ γέγονα τοῖς γονεῦσί μου· (4634)

4For when I was born my father was increased very exceedingly, both in flocks and herds, when with the straked rods he had his portion.

ἐν γὰρ τῷ τεχθῆναί με, ηὐξήνθη ὁ πατήρ μου σφόδρα καὶ τὰ πρόβατα καὶ τὰ βουκόλια, ὅτε ἐν ταῖς ποικίλαις ῥάβδοις εἶχον τὸν κλῆρον. (9787)

5I am not conscious that I have sinned all my days, save in thought.

Οὐκ ἔγνων δὲ ὅτι ἥμαρτον ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις μου παρεκτὸς ἐννοίας. (4958)

6Nor yet do I remember that I have done any iniquity, except the sin of ignorance which I committed against Joseph; for I covenanted with my brethren not to tell my father what had been done.

Οὐ μνήσκομαι ὅτι παρανομίαν ἐποίησα, πλὴν τὴν ἄγνοιαν ἣν ἐποίησα ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰωσήφ, ὅτι ἐβεβαίωσα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου μὴ εἰπεῖν τῷ πατρί μου τὸ γενόμενον. (11930)

7But I wept in secret many days on account of Joseph, for I feared my brethren, because they had all agreed that if any one should declare the secret, he should be slain.

Ἀλλ᾿ ἔκλαιον ἐν κρυφῇ ἡμέρας πολλὰς διὰ τὸν Ἰωσήφ· ἐφοβούμην γὰρ τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου, ὅτι συνέθεντο πάντες ὅστις ἐξείπῃ τὸ μυστήριον ἀναιρεθῆναι αὐτόν. (13654)

8But when they wished to kill him, I adjured them much with tears not to be guilty of this sin.

Πλὴν ὅτε ἐβούλοντο ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν, ἐγὼ μετὰ δακρύων προσεκάλουν αὐτοὺς μὴ ποιῆσαι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ταύτην. (9785)

9For Simeon and Gad came against Joseph to kill him, and he said unto them with tears: Pity me, my brethren, have mercy upon the bowels of Jacob our father: lay not upon me your hands to shed innocent blood, for I have not sinned against you.

Ἦλθον γὰρ ὁ Συμεὼν καὶ ὁ Δὰν καὶ ὁ Γὰδ ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ τοῦ ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν, καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς μετὰ δακρύων. Ἐλεήσατέ με ἀδελφοί μου, οἰκτειρήσατε σπλάγχνα Ἰακὼβ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν. Μὴ ἐπαγάγετε τὰς χεῖρας ὑμῶν τοῦ ἐκχέαι αἷμα ἀθῷον, ὅτι οὐχ ἥμαρτον εἰς ὑμᾶς. (24108)

10And if indeed I have sinned, with chastening chastise me, my brethren, but lay not upon me your hand, for the sake of Jacob our father,

Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἥμαρτον, ἐν παιδείᾳ παιδεύσατέ με, ἀδελφοί μου, τὴν δὲ χεῖρα ὑμῶν μὴ ἐνέγκατε ἐν φόνῳ ἀδελφοῦ ὑμῶν διὰ Ἰακὼβ τὸν πατέρα ὑμῶν. (12601)

11And as he spoke these words, wailing as he did so, I was unable to bear his lamentations, and began to weep, and my liver was poured out, and all the substance of my bowels was loosened.

Ὡς δὲ ἔλεγεν ὀδυρόμενος τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα, μὴ φέρων ἐγὼ τῶν οἰμωγῶν ἠρξάμην κλαίειν, καὶ τὰ ἥπατά μου ἐξεχύθησαν, καὶ πᾶσα ἡ ὑπόστασις τῶν σπλάγχνων μου ἐχαυνοῦτο. (19218)

12And I wept with Joseph and my heart sounded, and the joints of my body trembled, and I was not able to stand.

Ἔκλαιον δὲ σὺν τῷ Ἰωσὴφ καὶ ἐβόμβει ἡ καρδία μου, καὶ οἱ ἁρμοὶ τοῦ σώματός μου ἔτρεμον, καὶ οὐκ ἠδυνάμην στῆναι. (9726)

13And when Joseph saw me weeping with him, and them coming against him to slay him, he fled behind me, beseeching them.

Ἰδὼν δὲ Ἰωσὴφ συνκλαίοντά με αὐτῷ, κἀκείνους ἐπερχομένους ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν, κατέφυγεν ὀπισθέν μου, δεόμενος τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν βοηθείας. (13188)

14But meanwhile Reuben arose and said: Come, my brethren, let us not slay him, but let us cast him into one of these dry pits, which our fathers digged and found no water.

Ἐν δὲ τῷ μεταξὺ ἀναστὰς Ῥουβὴμ εἶπεν· Δεῦτε ἀδελφοί μου, μὴ ἀποκτείνωμεν αὐτὸν ἀλλὰ ῥίψωμεν αὐτὸν εἰς ἕνα τῶν ξηρῶν λάκκων τούτων, ὧν ὤρυξαν οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν, καὶ οὐχ εὗρον ὕδωρ. (22465)