Table Of Content

THE TESTAMENT OF S I M E O N CHAPTER 1 9 For when I went to Shechem to 1 The copy of the words of Simeon, bring ointment for the flocks, and the things which he spake to his Reuben to Dothan, where were our sons before he died, in the hundred necessaries and all our stores, Judah and twentieth year of his life, at my brother sold him to the Ishmael- which time Joseph, his brother, died. ites. 2 For when Simeon was sick, his 10 And when Reuben heard these sons came to visit him, and he things he was grieved, for he wished strengthened himself and sat up and to restore him to his father, kissed them, and said: 11 But on hearing this I was ex- ceedingly wroth against Judah in CHAPTER 2 that he let him go away alive, and 1 Hearken, my children, to Simeon for five months I continued wrathful your father, And I will declare unto against him. you what things I have in my heart. 12 But the Lord restrained me, and 2 I was born of Jacob as my father's withheld from me the power of my second son; And my mother Leah hands; for my right hand was half called me Simeon, Because the Lord withered for seven days. had heard her prayer. 13 And I knew, my children, that 3 Moreover, I became strong ex- because of Joseph this had befallen ceedingly; I shrank from no achieve- me, and I repented and wept; and I ment, nor was I afraid of ought. besought the Lord God that my hand 4 For my heart was hard, and my might be restored, and that I might liver was immovable, and my bowel hold aloof from all pollution and without compassion. envy, and from all folly. 5 Because valour also hath been 14 For I knew that I had devised an given from the Most High to men in evil thing before the Lord and Jacob soul and body. my father, on account of Joseph my 6 For in the time of my youth I was brother, in that I envied him. jealous in many things of Joseph, because my father loved him beyond CHAPTER 3 all. 1 And now, my children, hearken 7 And I set my mind against him to unto me and beware of the spirit of destroy him, because the prince of deceit and of envy. deceit sent forth the spirit of jeal- 2 For envy ruleth over the whole ousy and blinded my mind, so that I mind of a man, and suffereth him regarded him not as a brother, nor neither to eat nor to drink, nor to do did I spare even Jacob my father. any good thing. 8 But his God and the God of his 3 But it ever suggesteth (to him) to fathers sent forth His angel, and de- destroy him that he envieth; and so livered him out of my hands. long as he that is envied flourisheth, 1 S IMEON he that envieth fadeth away. 8 For this maketh savage the soul 4 Two years therefore I afflicted my and destroyeth the body; it causes soul with fasting in the fear of the anger and war in the mind, and stir- Lord, and I learnt that deliverance reth up unto deeds of blood, and from envy cometh by the fear of leadeth the mind into frenzy, and God. causeth tumult to the soul and trem- 5 For if a man flee to the Lord, the bling to the body. evil spirit runneth away from him, 9 For even in sleep some malicious and his mind is lightened. jealousy, deluding him, gnaweth, 6 And henceforward he sympathis- and with wicked spirits disturbeth eth with him whom he envied and his soul, and causeth the body to be agreeth with those who love him, troubled, and waketh the mind from and so ceaseth from his envy. sleep in confusion; and as a wicked and poisonous spirit, so appeareth it CHAPTER 4 to men. 1 And my father asked concerning me, because he saw that I was sad; CHAPTER 5 and I said unto him, I am pained in 1 Therefore was Joseph comely in my liver. appearance, and goodly to look 2 For I mourned more than they all, upon, because no wickedness dwelt because I was guilty of the selling in him; for some of the trouble of of Joseph. the spirit the face manifesteth. 3 And when we went down into 2 And now, my children, Make your Egypt, and he bound me as a spy, I hearts good before the Lord, And knew that I was suffering justly, and your ways straight before men, And I grieved not. ye shall find grace before the Lord 4 Now Joseph was a good man, and and men. had the Spirit of God within him: 3 Beware, therefore, of fornication, being compassionate and pitiful, he For fornication is mother of all bore no malice against me; but loved evils, Separating from God, and me even as the rest of his brethren. bringing near to Beliar. 5 Beware, therefore, my children, 4 I have seen it inscribed in the of all jealousy and envy, and walk in writing of Enoch that your sons singleness of heart, that God may shall be corrupted in fornication, give you also grace and glory, and and shall do harm to the sons of blessing upon your heads, even as Levi with the sword. ye saw in Joseph's case. 5 But they shall not be able to 6 All his days he reproached us not withstand Levi; for he shall wage concerning this thing, but loved us the war of the Lord, and shall con- as his own soul, and beyond his own quer all your hosts. sons glorified us, and gave us 6 And they shall be few in number, riches, and cattle and fruits. divided in Levi and Judah, and there 7 Do ye also, my children, love shall be none of you for sovereignty, each one his brother with a good even as also our father prophesied in heart, and the spirit of envy will his blessings. withdraw from you. 2 S IMEON CHAPTER 6 tiles and the race of Israel. 1 Behold I have told you all things, 3 Therefore I give, you these com- that I may be acquitted of your sin. mands that ye also may command 2 Now, if ye remove from you your your children, that they may observe envy and all stiff-neckedness, as a them throughout their generations. rose shall my bones flourish in Is- rael, and as a lily my flesh in Jacob, CHAPTER 8 and my odour shall be as the odour 1 And when Simeon had made an of Libanus; and as cedars shall holy end of commanding his sons, he ones be multiplied from me for ever, slept with his fathers, being an hun- and their branches shall stretch afar dred and twenty years old. off. 2 And they laid him in a wooden 3 Then shall perish the seed of coffin, to take up his bones to Canaan, and a remnant shall not be Hebron. And they took them up unto Amalek, and all the Cappado- secretly during a war of the Egyp- cians shall perish, and all the tians. Hittites shall be utterly destroyed. 3 For the bones of Joseph the Egyp- 4 Then shall fail the land of Ham, tians guarded in the tombs of the and all the people shall perish. Then Kings. shall all the earth rest from trouble, 4 For the sorcerers told them, that and all the world under heaven from on the departure of the bones of war. Joseph there should be throughout 5 Then shall a sign be glorified all the land darkness and gloom, and greatly unto Israel, for the Lord God an exceeding great plague to the appearing on earth shall come [as Egyptians, so that even with a lamp man], and saving through him man. a man should not recognise his 6 Then shall all the spirits of deceit brother. be given to be trodden under foot, And men shall rule over wicked CHAPTER 9 spirits. 1 And the sons of Simeon bewailed 7 Then shall I arise in joy, and will their father. bless the Most High because of His 2 And they were in Egypt until the marvellous works, because God hath day of their departure by the hand of taken a body and eaten with men Moses. and saved men. CHAPTER 7 1 And now, my children, obey Levi and Judah, and be not lifted up against these two tribes, for from them shall arise unto you the salva- tion of God. 2 For the Lord shall raise up from Levi as it were a High-priest, and from Judah as it were a King, God and man, He shall save all the Gen- 3