1
Some of the spearbearers said that when she herself was about to be seized for the purpose of being put to death, she threw herself on the pile, rather than let them touch her body.
2
O you mother, who together with seven children destroyed the violence of the tyrant, and rendered void his wicked intentions, and exhibited the nobleness of faith!
3
For you, like a house bravely built on the pillar of your children, bore the shock of tortures without swaying.
4
Cheer up, therefore, O set-apart-minded mother! Hold the firm hope of your steadfastness with Elohim.
5
Not so gracious does the moon appear with the stars in heaven, as you are established as honourable before Elohim, and fixed in the sky with your sons whom you illuminated with covenantal Way to the stars.
6
For your bearing of children was after the manner of a child of Avraham.
7
If it were lawful for us to paint as on a tablet the covenantal Way of your story, the spectators wouldn’t shudder at seeing the mother of seven children enduring for the sake of covenantal Way various tortures even to death.
8
It would have been a worthwhile thing to have inscribed on the tomb itself these words as a memorial to those of the people,
9
“Here an aged kohen, an aged woman, and seven sons, are buried through the violence of a tyrant, who wished to destroy the society of the Ivrim.
10
These also avenged their people, looking to Elohim, and enduring torments to death.”
11
For it was truly a contest before Elohim which was carried through by them.
12
For at that time uprightness presided over the contest, approving the victory through endurance, namely, immortality, eternal life.
13
Elazar was the first to contend. The mother of the seven children entered the contest, and the kindred contended.
14
The tyrant was the antagonist; and the world and living men were the spectators.
15
Reverence for Elohim conquered, and crowned her own athletes.
16
Who didn’t admire those champions of true legislation? Who were not amazed?
17
The tyrant himself, and all his council, admired their endurance,
18
through which, they also now stand beside the throne of Elohim and live a blessed life.
19
For Mosheh says, “All the saints are under your hands.”
20
These, therefore, having been set apart through Elohim, have been honoured not only with this honour, but that also by the fact that because of them, the enemy didn’t overcome our people.
21
That tyrant was punished and their land purified.
22
For they became the ransom to the sin of the people. The providential rule of Elohim saved Yis’rael (Israel), which was afflicted before, by the blood of those covenant-faithful ones and the death that appeased wrath.
23
For the tyrant Antiyokhos, looking to their courageous uprightness and to their endurance in torture, proclaimed that endurance as an example to his soldiers.
24
They proved to be to him noble and brave for land battles and for sieges; and he conquered and stormed the towns of all his enemies.