4 Maccabees 2
2
4 Maccabees 2
Compatibility of the Law with Reason
1And why is it amazing that the desires of the soul for the enjoyment of beauty are rendered powerless? 2It is for this reason, certainly, that the temperate Joseph is praised, because by mental effort#2.2 Another ancient authority adds in reasoning he overcame the prospect of pleasure. 3#Gen 39.7–12For when he was young and in his prime for intercourse, by reason he nullified the frenzy#2.3 Gk he swatted the gadfly of the passions. 4Reason is proved to rule not only over the frenzied urge of sexual desire but also over every desire.#2.4 Or all covetousness 5#Ex 20.17Thus the law says, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or anything that is your neighbor’s.” 6In fact, since the law has told us not to covet, I could prove to you all the more that reason is able to control desires.
Just so it is with the passions that hinder one from justice. 7#Titus 2.12Otherwise how could it be that someone who is habitually a solitary eater, a glutton, or even a drunkard can learn a better way, unless reason is clearly lord of the passions? 8#Lev 25.36, 40Thus, as soon as one adopts a way of life in accordance with the law, even though a lover of money, one is forced to act contrary to natural ways and to lend without interest to those who plead for assistance and to cancel the debt when the seventh year arrives. 9#Deut 15.9; 23.20If one is greedy, one is ruled by the law through reason so that one neither gleans the harvest nor gathers the last grapes from the vineyard.
In other matters we can recognize that reason rules the passions. 10For the law prevails even over affection for parents, so that virtue is not abandoned for their sakes. 11It overrules love for one’s wife so that one rebukes her when she breaks the law. 12It overrules love for children so that one punishes them for misdeeds. 13It is sovereign over the relationship of friends so that one rebukes friends when they act wickedly. 14#Ex 23.4; Deut 20.19Do not consider it paradoxical when reason, through the law, can prevail even over enmity. The fruit trees of the enemy are not cut down, but one preserves the property of enemies from marauders and helps raise up what has fallen.#2.14 Or the beasts that have fallen
15It is evident that reason rules even#2.15 Other ancient authorities read through the more violent passions: lust for power, vanity, boasting, arrogance, and malice. 16For the temperate mind repels all these malicious passions, just as it repels anger—for it is sovereign over even this. 17#Num 16.23–30When Moses was angry with Dathan and Abiram, he did nothing against them in anger but controlled his anger by reason. 18For, as I have said, the temperate mind is able to get the better of the passions, to correct some and to render others powerless. 19#Gen 34.30; 49.7Why else did Jacob, our most wise father, censure the households of Simeon and Levi for their irrational slaughter of the entire tribe of the Shechemites, saying, “Cursed be their anger”? 20For if reason could not control anger, he would not have spoken thus. 21Now when God fashioned humans, he planted in them passions and inclinations, 22but at the same time he enthroned the mind among the senses as a sacred governor over them all. 23To the mind he gave the law, and one who lives subject to this will rule a kingdom that is temperate, just, good, and courageous.
24 #
4 Macc 1.5
How is it then, one might say, that if reason is master of the passions, it does not control forgetfulness and ignorance?
ទើបបានជ្រើសរើសហើយ៖
4 Maccabees 2: NRSVUE
គំនូសចំណាំ
ចែករំលែក
ចម្លង
ចង់ឱ្យគំនូសពណ៌ដែលបានរក្សាទុករបស់អ្នក មាននៅលើគ្រប់ឧបករណ៍ទាំងអស់មែនទេ? ចុះឈ្មោះប្រើ ឬចុះឈ្មោះចូល
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, copyright © 2021 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
4 Maccabees 2
2
4 Maccabees 2
Compatibility of the Law with Reason
1And why is it amazing that the desires of the soul for the enjoyment of beauty are rendered powerless? 2It is for this reason, certainly, that the temperate Joseph is praised, because by mental effort#2.2 Another ancient authority adds in reasoning he overcame the prospect of pleasure. 3#Gen 39.7–12For when he was young and in his prime for intercourse, by reason he nullified the frenzy#2.3 Gk he swatted the gadfly of the passions. 4Reason is proved to rule not only over the frenzied urge of sexual desire but also over every desire.#2.4 Or all covetousness 5#Ex 20.17Thus the law says, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or anything that is your neighbor’s.” 6In fact, since the law has told us not to covet, I could prove to you all the more that reason is able to control desires.
Just so it is with the passions that hinder one from justice. 7#Titus 2.12Otherwise how could it be that someone who is habitually a solitary eater, a glutton, or even a drunkard can learn a better way, unless reason is clearly lord of the passions? 8#Lev 25.36, 40Thus, as soon as one adopts a way of life in accordance with the law, even though a lover of money, one is forced to act contrary to natural ways and to lend without interest to those who plead for assistance and to cancel the debt when the seventh year arrives. 9#Deut 15.9; 23.20If one is greedy, one is ruled by the law through reason so that one neither gleans the harvest nor gathers the last grapes from the vineyard.
In other matters we can recognize that reason rules the passions. 10For the law prevails even over affection for parents, so that virtue is not abandoned for their sakes. 11It overrules love for one’s wife so that one rebukes her when she breaks the law. 12It overrules love for children so that one punishes them for misdeeds. 13It is sovereign over the relationship of friends so that one rebukes friends when they act wickedly. 14#Ex 23.4; Deut 20.19Do not consider it paradoxical when reason, through the law, can prevail even over enmity. The fruit trees of the enemy are not cut down, but one preserves the property of enemies from marauders and helps raise up what has fallen.#2.14 Or the beasts that have fallen
15It is evident that reason rules even#2.15 Other ancient authorities read through the more violent passions: lust for power, vanity, boasting, arrogance, and malice. 16For the temperate mind repels all these malicious passions, just as it repels anger—for it is sovereign over even this. 17#Num 16.23–30When Moses was angry with Dathan and Abiram, he did nothing against them in anger but controlled his anger by reason. 18For, as I have said, the temperate mind is able to get the better of the passions, to correct some and to render others powerless. 19#Gen 34.30; 49.7Why else did Jacob, our most wise father, censure the households of Simeon and Levi for their irrational slaughter of the entire tribe of the Shechemites, saying, “Cursed be their anger”? 20For if reason could not control anger, he would not have spoken thus. 21Now when God fashioned humans, he planted in them passions and inclinations, 22but at the same time he enthroned the mind among the senses as a sacred governor over them all. 23To the mind he gave the law, and one who lives subject to this will rule a kingdom that is temperate, just, good, and courageous.
24 #
4 Macc 1.5
How is it then, one might say, that if reason is master of the passions, it does not control forgetfulness and ignorance?
ទើបបានជ្រើសរើសហើយ៖
:
គំនូសចំណាំ
ចែករំលែក
ចម្លង
ចង់ឱ្យគំនូសពណ៌ដែលបានរក្សាទុករបស់អ្នក មាននៅលើគ្រប់ឧបករណ៍ទាំងអស់មែនទេ? ចុះឈ្មោះប្រើ ឬចុះឈ្មោះចូល
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, copyright © 2021 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.