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But the great-souled and noble man, an Eleazar in very truth, was no more moved in his mind than if he were being tormented in a dream; yea, the old man keeping his eyes steadfastly raised to heaven suffered his flesh to be tom by the scourges till he was bathed in blood and his sides became a mass of wounds; and even when he fell to the ground because his body could no longer support the pain he still kept his Reason erect and inflexible.

And Eleazar, as if their counsel did but add to his tortures, cried loudly: 'No. May we sons of Abraham never have so evil a thought as with faint heart to counterfeit a part unseemly to us.

Shame were it if we should live on a little longer, during that little being mocked of all men for cowardice, and while despised by the tyrant as unmanly should fail to defend the Divine Law unto the death. 13 Therefore, O sons of Abraham, do ye die nobly for righteousness' sake; but as for you, O minions of the tyrant, why pause ye in your work?'

Beyond question, then, the Inspired Reason is master over the passions; for if his passions or sufferings had prevailed over his Reason we should have credited them with this evidence of their superior power.

Assuredly, then, if an old man despised the torments unto death for righteousness' sake it must be admitted that the Inspired Reason is able to guide the passions.

For when the tyrant found himself notably defeated in his first attempt, and impotent to compel an old man to eat unclean meat, then truly in violent rage he ordered the guards to bring others of the young men of the Hebrews, and if they would eat unclean meat to release them after eating it, but if they refused, to torture them yet more savagely.

For when the tyrant found himself notably defeated in his first attempt, and impotent to compel an old man to eat unclean meat, then truly in violent rage he ordered the guards to bring others of the young men of the Hebrews, and if they would eat unclean meat to release them after eating it, but if they refused, to torture them yet more savagely.

And when the tyrant saw them there, standing as if they were a festal choir with their mother in the midst, he took notice of them, and struck by their noble and distinguished bearing he smiled at them, and calling them nearer said:

Be assured then that you shall be given positions of importance and authority in my service if you will reject the ancestral law of your polity.

Share in the Hellenic life, and walk in a new way, and take some pleasure in your youth; for if you drive me to anger with your disobedience you will compel me to resort to terrible penalties and put every single one of you to death by torture.

Will you not consider with yourselves this thing, that if you disobey me there is nothing before you but death in torments?'

Let us take pity on our own youth and have compassion on our mother's age; and let us lay to heart that if we disobey we shall die.

And even the divine justice will have mercy on us, if compelled by necessity we yield to the king in fear. Why should we cast away from us this dear life and rob ourselves of this sweet world?

For we should be putting our ancestors also to shame, if we did not walk in obedience to the Law and take Moses as our counsellor.

Thou wouldst terrify us with thy threats of death under torture, as if a little while ago thou hadst learned nothing from Eleazar.

But if the old men of the Hebrews endured the tortures for righteousness' sake, yea, until they died, more befittingly will we young men die despising the torments of thy compulsion, over which he our aged teacher also triumphed.

Make trial therefore, O tyrant. And if thou takest our lives for the sake of righteousness, think not that thou hurtest us with thy tortures.

And with his bodily frame already in dissolution this great-souled youth, like a true son of Abraham, groaned not at all; but as if he were suffering a change by fire to incorruption, he nobly endured the torment, saying:

Therefore if ye have any engine of torment, apply it to this body of mine; for my soul ye cannot reach, not if ye would.'

Therefore if ye have any engine of torment, apply it to this body of mine; for my soul ye cannot reach, not if ye would.'

But he said, 'Even if thou dost remove my organ of speech, God is a hearer also of the speechless.

But these things are worthy of honours not of tortures, if thou didst understand human aspirations and hadst hope of salvation before God.

'I am not so old in years as my brethren, but I am as old in mind. For we were born and reared for the same purpose and are equally bound also to die for the same cause; so if thou chooseth to torture us for not eating unclean meat, torture.'

But the tyrant, although fiercely exasperated by his brethren, felt pity for the boy, and seeing him there already bound he had him brought near, and sought to persuade him, saying: 'Thou seest the end of the folly of thy brethren; for through their disobedience they have been racked to death. Thou, too, if thou dost not obey, wilt thyself also be miserably tortured and put to death before thy time; but if thou dost obey thou shalt be my friend, and thou shalt be advanced to high office in the business of the kingdom.'

But the tyrant, although fiercely exasperated by his brethren, felt pity for the boy, and seeing him there already bound he had him brought near, and sought to persuade him, saying: 'Thou seest the end of the folly of thy brethren; for through their disobedience they have been racked to death. Thou, too, if thou dost not obey, wilt thyself also be miserably tortured and put to death before thy time; but if thou dost obey thou shalt be my friend, and thou shalt be advanced to high office in the business of the kingdom.'

If therefore the seven brethren despised the tortures even to the death, it is universally proved that the Inspired Reason is supreme lord over the passions.

For if they had yielded to their passions or sufferings and eaten unclean meat we should have said that they had been conquered thereby.

None of the seven youths turned coward, none shrunk in the face of death, but all hastened to the death by torture as if running the road to immortality.

For as hands and feet move in harmony with the promptings of the soul, so those holy youths, as if prompted by the immortal soul of religion, went in harmony to death for its sake.

And think it not wonderful if with those men Reason triumphed over the tortures, when even a woman's soul despised a yet greater diversity of pains; for the mother of the seven youths endured the torments inflicted on each several one of her children.

And then, if they be unable to drive him away, they flutter around the nestlings in a passion of love, calling to them in their own speech, and they give succour to their young ones in whatever fashion they can.

And although she saw the destruction of her seven children and the many and varied forms of their torments, the noble mother willingly surrendered them through faith in God. 20 For she beheld in her own mind, even as it had been cunning advocates in a council-chamber, nature, and parenthood, and mother-love, and her children on the rack, and it was as if she, the mother, having the choice between two votes in the case of her children, one for their death and one to save them alive, thereupon regarded not the saving of her seven sons for a little time, but, as a true daughter of Abraham, called to mind his God-fearing courage.

Thus then, if one both a woman and advanced in years, and the mother of seven sons, endured the sight of her children being tortured to death, the Inspired Reason must confessedly be supreme ruler over the passions.

For it would be shameful if, while this aged man endured the agony for religion's sake, you that are young men shrank before the pain.

For I should not have known how to love the Lord, if He had not loved me.

And He is as a garland on my head and I shall not be moved; even if everything should be shaken, I stand firm;

And if all things visible should perish, I shall not die; because the Lord is with me and I am with Him. Hallelujah.

And because she was not sufficiently prepared, and she had not sought a midwife (for He brought her to bear) she brought forth, as if she were a man, of her own will;

But I endured and held my peace and was silent, as if not, moved by them.

I went up to the light of truth as if into a chariot:

If I have found grace in Your sight, first take my spirit that I may go to my fathers and not behold the destruction of my mother.

What, therefore, will there be after these things? for if you destroy Your city, and deliver up Your land to those that hate us, how shall the name of Israel be again remembered?

Moreover, I, Baruch, say this against you, Babylon: 'If you had prospered, And Zion had dwelt in her glory, Yet the grief to us had been great That you should be equal to Zion.

So that, if ever those prosperous cities say:

And if they say at that time:

And if others did evil, it was due to Zion that on account of the works of those who wrought good works she should be forgiven, and should not be overwhelmed on account of the works of those who wrought unrighteousness.

Because if a man be prospered in his beginnings and shamefully entreated in his old age, he forgets all the prosperity that he had.

And again, if a man is shamefully entreated in his beginnings, and at his end is prospered, he remembers not again his evil entreatment.

And if in time many have sinned, yet others not a few have been righteous.

For if there were this life only, which belongs to all men, nothing could be more bitter than this.

For if a consummation had not been prepared for all, in vain would have been their beginning.

Or a woman who has conceived, if she bring forth untimely, does she not assuredly slay her infant?

Or he who builds a house, if he does not roof it and complete it, can it be called a house? Tell Me that first.'

But if; O Lord, those things shall assuredly come to pass which you have foretold to me, so do you show this also unto me if indeed I have found grace in Your sight.

But if; O Lord, those things shall assuredly come to pass which you have foretold to me, so do you show this also unto me if indeed I have found grace in Your sight.

'But as for you, if you prepare your hearts, so as to sow in them the fruits of the law, it shall protect you in that time in which the Mighty One is to shake the whole creation.

And now if you also forsake us, it were good for us all to die before you, and then that you should withdraw from us.'

And I answered and said unto the people: 'Far be it from me to forsake you or to withdraw from you, but I will only go unto the Holy of Holies to inquire of the Mighty One concerning you and concerning Zion, if in some respect I should receive more illumination: and after these things I will return to you.

For if you endure and persevere in His fear, And do not forget His law, The times shall change over you for good. And you shall see the consolation of Zion.

For if you teach them, you will quicken them.'

For if you do these things, Good tidings shall come unto you.

For if my members were mouths, And the hairs of my head voices, Even so I could not give you the reward of praise, Nor laud you as is befitting, Nor could I recount Your praise, Nor tell the glory of Your beauty.

For if owing to the report which you have only heard of judgment you are so moved, What (wilt you be) when you shall see it manifestly with your eyes?

And if with the expectation wherewith you do expect the day of the Mighty One you are so overcome, What (wilt you be) when you shall come to its advent?

And, if at the word of the announcement of the torment of those who have done foolishly you are so wholly distraught, How much more when the event will reveal marvelous things?

And if you have heard tidings of the good and evil things which are then coming and are grieved, What (wilt you be) when you shall behold what the majesty will reveal, Which shall convict these and cause those to rejoice.'

Because, if assuredly you did not have compassion on man, Those who are under Your right hand, They could not come to those things, But those who are in the numbers named can be called.

But if, indeed, we who exist know wherefore we have come, And submit ourselves to Him who brought us out of Egypt, We shall come again and remember those things which have passed, And shall rejoice regarding that which has been.

But if now we know not wherefore we have come, And recognize not the principate of Him who brought us up out of Egypt, We shall come again and seek after those things which have been now, And be grieved with pain because of those things which have befallen.'

If, therefore, you direct your ways aright, Ye also shall not depart as your brethren departed, But they shall come to you.

If therefore you have respect to the law, And are intent upon wisdom, A lamp will not be wanting, And a shepherd will not fail, And a fountain will not dry up.

Therefore, if you consider that ye have now suffered those things for your good, that you may not finally be condemned and tormented, then you will receive eternal hope; if above all you destroy from your heart vain error, on account of which you departed hence.

Therefore, if you consider that ye have now suffered those things for your good, that you may not finally be condemned and tormented, then you will receive eternal hope; if above all you destroy from your heart vain error, on account of which you departed hence.

For if you so do these things, He will continually remember you, He who always promised on our behalf to those who were more excellent than we, that He will never forget or forsake us, but with much mercy will gather together again those who were dispersed.

Remember that formerly Moses assuredly called heaven and earth to witness against you and said: 'If you transgress the law you shall be dispersed, but if you keep it you shall be kept.'

Remember that formerly Moses assuredly called heaven and earth to witness against you and said: 'If you transgress the law you shall be dispersed, but if you keep it you shall be kept.'

Lo! I also say unto you after you have suffered, that if you obey those things which have been said unto you, you will receive from the Mighty One whatever has been laid up and reserved for you.

For if He judge us not according to the multitude of His mercies, woe unto all us who are born.

For if I hunger, unto Thee will I cry, O God; And Thou wilt give to me.

And if they hunger, unto Thee do they lift up their face.

Kings and rulers and peoples Thou dost nourish, O God; And who is the help of the poor and needy, if not Thou, O Lord

Man's goodness is (bestowed) grudgingly and . . .; And if he repeat (it) without murmuring, even that is marvelous.

If a man abound over much, he sinneth.

For, if Thou sendest pestilence, Thou Thyself givest it charge concerning us; For Thou art merciful, And wilt not be angry to the point of consuming us.

Murmuring, and impatience in affliction, remove far from me, When, if I sin, Thou chastenest me that I may return (unto Thee).

For if Thou givest not strength, Who can endure chastisement with poverty

If the righteous endureth in all these (trials), he shall receive mercy from the Lord.

But if, with shameless soul, they heed me not

Will send wrath if ye do not placate God

For, if this water bidden of God shall come,

If yet firm land appeared. But with tired wing,

He sent the dove once more, to learn if yet

So that if anyone beheld a trace

Nor judge by outward show; if wickedly

One's life in death is proven; if one did

For if thou kill an enemy thy hand

Which he enjoined to do; and if, perchance,

Or, if men's notice he escape, he shall

If haply he show mercy. For he is

Will he again restrain, if in your hearts