14
At the racking and roasting of each one of them, the observant mother was prevented by religion from changing.
15
She beheld her children's flesh dissolving around the fire; and their extremities quivering on the ground, and the flesh of their heads dropped forwards down to their beards, like masks.
16
O thou mother, who wast tried at this time with bitterer pangs than those of parturition!
17
O thou only woman who hast brought forth perfect holiness!
18
Thy first-born, expiring, turned thee not; nor the second, looking miserable in his torments; nor the third, breathing out his soul.
The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.