IV Maccabees 9:1-9

1 Why delayest thou, O tyrant? for we are readier to die than to transgress the injunctions of our fathers.

2 And we should be disgracing our fathers if we did not obey the law, and take knowledge for our guide.

3 O tyrant, counsellor of law-breaking, do not, hating us as thou dost, pity us more than we pity ourselves.

4 For we account escape to be worse than death.

5 And you think to scare us, by threatening us with death by tortures, as though thou hadst learned nothing by the death of Eleazar.

6 But if aged men of the Hebrews have died in the cause of religion after enduring torture, more rightly should we younger men die, scorning your cruel tortures, which our aged instructor overcame.

7 Make the attempt, then, O tyrant; and if thou puttest us to death for our religion, think not that thou harmest us by torturing us.

8 For we through this ill-treatment and endurance shall bear off the rewards of virtue.

9 But thou, for the wicked and despotic slaughter of us, shalt, from the Divine vengeance, endure eternal torture by fire.