4 Maccabees 2 – search, read, and compare multiple versions of the Bible

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World English Bible Classic
[1] Is it any wonder? If the lusts of the soul, after participation with what is beautiful, are frustrated, [2] on this ground, therefore, the temperate Joseph is praised in that by reasoning, he subdued, on reflection, the indulgence of the senses. [3] For, although young, and ripe for sexual intercourse, he nullified by reasoning the stimulus of his emotions. [4] It isn’t merely the stimulus of sensual indulgence, but that of every desire, that reasoning is able to master. [5] For instance, the law says, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.” [6] Now, then, since it is the law which has forbidden us to desire, I shall much the more easily persuade you, that reasoning is able to govern our lusts, just as it does the affections which are impediments to justice. [7] Since in what way is a solitary eater, a glutton, and a drunkard reclaimed, unless it is clear that reasoning is lord of the emotions? [8] Therefore, a man who regulates his course by the law, even if he is a lover of money, immediately puts pressure on his own disposition by lending to the needy without interest, and cancelling the debt on the seventh year. [9] If a man is greedy, he is ruled by the law acting through reasoning, so that he doesn’t glean his harvest crops or vintage. In reference to other points we may perceive that it is reasoning that conquers his emotions. [10] For the law conquers even affection toward parents, not surrendering virtue on their account. [11] It prevails over love for one’s wife, rebuking her when she breaks the law. [12] It lords it over the love of parents toward their children, for they punish them for vice. It domineers over the intimacy of friends, reproving them when wicked. [13] Don’t think it is a strange assertion that reasoning can on behalf of the law conquer even enmity. [14] It doesn’t allow cutting down the fruit trees of an enemy, but preserves them from the destroyers, and collects their fallen ruins. [15] Reason appears to be master of the more violent emotions, like love of empire, empty boasting, and slander. [16] For the temperate understanding repels all these malignant emotions, as it does wrath; for it masters even this. [17] Thus Moses, when angered against Dathan and Abiram, did nothing to them in wrath, but regulated his anger by reasoning. [18] For the temperate mind is able, as I said, to be superior to the emotions, and to correct some and destroy others. [19] For why else did our most wise father Jacob blame Simeon and Levi for having irrationally slain the whole race of the Shechemites, saying, “Cursed be their anger!”? [20] For if reasoning didn’t possess the power of subduing angry affections, he would not have said this. [21] For at the time when God created man, he implanted within him his emotions and moral nature. [22] At that time he enthroned the mind above all as the holy leader, through the medium of the senses. [23] He gave a law to this mind, by living according to which it will maintain a temperate, just, good, and courageous reign. [24] How, then, a man may say, if reasoning is master of the emotions, has it no control over forgetfulness and ignorance?
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Septuaginta
[1] Καὶ G2532 τί G5101 θαυμαστόν, G2298 εἰ G1487 αἱ G3588 τῆς G3588 ψυχῆς G5590 ἐπιθυμίαι G1939 πρὸς G4314 τὴν G3588 τοῦ G3588 κάλλους μετουσίαν ἀκυροῦνται; G208 [2] Ταύτῃ G3778 γοῦν ὁ G3588 σώφρων G4998 Ιωσηφ G2501 ἐπαινεῖται, G1867 ὅτι G3754 διανοίᾳ G1271 περιεκράτησεν τῆς G3588 ἡδυπαθείας. [3] Νέος G3501 γὰρ G1063 ὢν G5607 καὶ G2532 ἀκμάζων G187 πρὸς G4314 συνουσιασμὸν ἠκύρωσε G208 τῷ G3588 λογισμῷ G3053 τὸν G3588 τῶν G3588 παθῶν G3806 οἶστρον. [4] Καὶ G2532 οὐ G3756 μόνον G3440 δὲ G1161 τὴν G3588 τῆς G3588 ἡδυπαθείας οἰστρηλασίαν ὁ G3588 λογισμὸς G3053 ἐπικρατεῖν φαίνεται, G5316 ἀλλὰ G235 καὶ G2532 πάσης G3956 ἐπιθυμίας. G1939 [5] Λέγει G3004 γοῦν ὁ G3588 νόμος G3551 Οὐκ G3756 ἐπιθυμήσεις G1937 τὴν G3588 γυναῖκα G1135 τοῦ G3588 πλησίον G4139 σου G4675 οὐδὲ G3761 ὅσα G3745 τῷ G3588 πλησίον G4139 σού G4675 ἐστιν. G2076 [6] Καίτοι G2543 ὅτε G3753 μὴ G3361 ἐπιθυμεῖν G1937 εἴρηκεν G2046 ἡμᾶς G2248 ὁ G3588 νόμος, G3551 πολὺ G4183 πλέον G4119 πείσαιμ G3982 ἂν G302 ὑμᾶς G5209 ὅτι G3754 τῶν G3588 ἐπιθυμιῶν G1939 κρατεῖν G2902 δύναται G1410 ὁ G3588 λογισμός. G3053 Ὥσπερ G5618 καὶ G2532 τῶν G3588 κωλυτικῶν τῆς G3588 δικαιοσύνης G1343 παθῶν· G3806 [7] ἐπεὶ G1893 τίνα G5101 τις G5100 τρόπον G5158 μονοφάγος ὢν G5607 τὸ G3588 ἦθος G2239 καὶ G2532 γαστρίμαργος ἢ G2228 καὶ G2532 μέθυσος G3183 μεταπαιδεύεται, εἰ G1487 μὴ G3361 δῆλον G1212 ὅτι G3754 κύριός G2962 ἐστιν G2076 τῶν G3588 παθῶν G3806 ὁ G3588 λογισμός; G3053 [8] Αὐτίκα γοῦν τῷ G3588 νόμῳ G3551 πολιτευόμενος, G4176 κἂν G2579 φιλάργυρός G5366 τις G5100 ᾖ, G5600 βιάζεται G971 τὸν G3588 αὑτοῦ G846 τρόπον G5158 τοῖς G3588 δεομένοις G1189 δανείζων G1155 χωρὶς G5565 τόκων G5110 καὶ G2532 τὸ G3588 δάνειον G1156 τῶν G3588 ἑβδομάδων ἐνστασῶν G1764 χρεοκοπούμενος· [9] κἂν G2579 φειδωλός τις G5100 ᾖ, G5600 ὑπὸ G5259 τοῦ G3588 νόμου G3551 κρατεῖται G2902 διὰ G1223 τὸν G3588 λογισμὸν G3053 μήτε G3383 ἐπικαρπολογούμενος τοὺς G3588 ἀμητοὺς μήτε G3383 ἐπιρρωγολογούμενος τοὺς G3588 ἀμπελῶνας. G290 Καὶ G2532 ἐπὶ G1909 τῶν G3588 ἑτέρων G2087 δὲ G1161 ἔστιν G2076 ἐπιγνῶναι G1921 τοῦτο, G5124 ὅτι G3754 τῶν G3588 παθῶν G3806 ἐστιν G2076 ὁ G3588 λογισμὸς G3053 κρατῶν· G2904 [10] ὁ G3588 γὰρ G1063 νόμος G3551 καὶ G2532 τῆς G3588 πρὸς G4314 γονεῖς G1118 εὐνοίας G2133 κρατεῖ G2902 μὴ G3361 καταπροδιδοὺς τὴν G3588 ἀρετὴν G703 δι’ G1223 αὐτοὺς G846 [11] καὶ G2532 τῆς G3588 πρὸς G4314 γαμετὴν φιλίας G5373 ἐπικρατεῖ διὰ G1223 τὴν G3588 παρανομίαν G3892 αὐτὴν G846 ἀπελέγχων [12] καὶ G2532 τῆς G3588 τέκνων G5043 φιλίας G5373 κυριεύει G2961 διὰ G1223 κακίαν G2549 αὐτὰ G846 κολάζων G2849 [13] καὶ G2532 τῆς G3588 φίλων G5384 συνηθείας G4914 δεσπόζει διὰ G1223 πονηρίαν G4189 αὐτοὺς G846 ἐξελέγχων. G1827 [14] Καὶ G2532 μὴ G3361 νομίσητε G3543 παράδοξον G3861 εἶναι, G1511 ὅπου G3699 καὶ G2532 ἔχθρας G2189 ἐπικρατεῖν ὁ G3588 λογισμὸς G3053 δύναται G1410 διὰ G1223 τὸν G3588 νόμον G3551 μήτε G3383 δενδροτομῶν τὰ G3588 ἥμερα τῶν G3588 πολεμίων φυτά, τὰ G3588 δὲ G1161 τῶν G3588 ἐχθρῶν G2190 τοῖς G3588 ἀπολέσασι G622 διασῴζων G1295 καὶ G2532 τὰ G3588 πεπτωκότα G4098 συνεγείρων. G4891 [15] Καὶ G2532 τῶν G3588 βιαιοτέρων G972 δὲ G1161 παθῶν G3806 κρατεῖν G2902 ὁ G3588 λογισμὸς G3053 φαίνεται, G5316 φιλαρχίας καὶ G2532 κενοδοξίας G2754 καὶ G2532 ἀλαζονείας G212 καὶ G2532 μεγαλαυχίας καὶ G2532 βασκανίας· [16] πάντα G3956 γὰρ G1063 ταῦτα G5023 τὰ G3588 κακοήθη πάθη G3806 ὁ G3588 σώφρων G4998 νοῦς G3563 ἀπωθεῖται, G683 ὥσπερ G5618 καὶ G2532 τὸν G3588 θυμόν· G2372 καὶ G2532 γὰρ G1063 τούτου G5127 δεσπόζει. [17] Θυμούμενός G2373 γέ G1065 τοι Μωϋσῆς G3475 κατὰ G2596 Δαθαν καὶ G2532 Αβιρων οὐ G3756 θυμῷ G2372 τι G5100 κατ’ G2596 αὐτῶν G846 ἐποίησεν, G4160 ἀλλὰ G235 λογισμῷ G3053 τὸν G3588 θυμὸν G2372 διῄτησεν. [18] Δυνατὸς G1415 γὰρ G1063 ὁ G3588 σώφρων G4998 νοῦς, G3563 ὡς G5613 ἔφην, G5346 κατὰ G2596 τῶν G3588 παθῶν G3806 ἀριστεῦσαι καὶ G2532 τὰ G3588 μὲν G3303 αὐτῶν G846 μεταθεῖναι, G3346 τὰ G3588 δὲ G1161 καὶ G2532 ἀκυρῶσαι. G208 [19] Ἐπεὶ G1893 διὰ G1223 τί G5101 ὁ G3588 πάνσοφος ἡμῶν G2257 πατὴρ G3962 Ιακωβ G2384 τοὺς G3588 περὶ G4012 Συμεων G4826 καὶ G2532 Λευιν G3018 αἰτιᾶται μὴ G3361 λογισμῷ G3053 τοὺς G3588 Σικιμίτας ἐθνηδὸν ἀποσφάξαντας λέγων G3004 Ἐπικατάρατος G1944 ὁ G3588 θυμὸς G2372 αὐτῶν; G846 [20] Εἰ G1487 μὴ G3361 γὰρ G1063 ἐδύνατο G1410 τοῦ G3588 θυμοῦ G2372 ὁ G3588 λογισμὸς G3053 κρατεῖν, G2902 οὐκ G3756 ἂν G302 εἶπεν G2036 οὕτως. G3779 [21] Ὁπηνίκα γὰρ G1063 ὁ G3588 θεὸς G2316 τὸν G3588 ἄνθρωπον G444 κατεσκεύασεν, G2680 τὰ G3588 πάθη G3806 αὐτοῦ G846 καὶ G2532 τὰ G3588 ἤθη G2239 περιεφύτευσεν· [22] ἡνίκα G2259 δὲ G1161 ἐπὶ G1909 πάντων G3956 τὸν G3588 ἱερὸν G2413 ἡγεμόνα G2232 νοῦν G3563 διὰ G1223 τῶν G3588 αἰσθητηρίων G145 ἐνεθρόνισεν, [23] καὶ G2532 τούτῳ G5129 νόμον G3551 ἔδωκεν, G1325 καθ’ G2596 ὃν G3739 πολιτευόμενος G4176 βασιλεύσει G936 βασιλείαν G932 σώφρονά G4998 τε G5037 καὶ G2532 δικαίαν G1342 καὶ G2532 ἀγαθὴν G18 καὶ G2532 ἀνδρείαν. [24] Πῶς G4459 οὖν, G3767 εἴποι G2036 τις G5100 ἄν, G302 εἰ G1487 τῶν G3588 παθῶν G3806 δεσπότης G1203 ἐστὶν G2076 ὁ G3588 λογισμός, G3053 λήθης G3024 καὶ G2532 ἀγνοίας G52 οὐ G3756 κρατεῖ; G2902
Septuaginta, in place of Byzantine Greek New Testament