top Hermas: Vision 4

Vision 4 Chapter 1
1 Ἣν εἶδον, ἀδελφοί, μετὰ ἡμέρας εἴκοσι τῆς πρότερας ὁράσεως τῆς γενομένης, εἰς τύπον τῆς θλίψεως τῆς ἐπερχομένης. The fourth vision which I saw, brothers, twenty days after the former vision which came unto me, for a type of the impending tribulation.
2 ὑπῆγον εἰς ἀγρὸν τῇ ὁδῷ τῇ καμπανῇ. ἀπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ τῆς δημοσίας ἐστὶν ὡσεὶ στάδια δέκα· ῥᾳδίως δὲ ὁδεύεται ὁ τόπος. I was going into the country by the Companion Way. From the high road, it is about ten stades; and the place is easy for traveling.
3 μόνος οὖν περιπατῶν ἀξιῶ τὸν κύριον, ἵνα τὰς ἀποκαλύψεις καὶ τὰ ὁράματα, ἅ μοι ἔδειξεν διὰ τῆς ἁγίας ἐκκλησίας αὐτοῦ, τελειώσῃ, ἵνα με ἰσχυροποιήσῃ καὶ δῷ τὴν μετάνοιαν τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ τοῖς ἐσκανδαλισμένοις, ἵνα δοξασθῇ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ τὸ μέγα καὶ ἔνδοξον, ὅτι με ἄξιον ἡγήσατο τοῦ δεῖξαί μοι τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ. While then I am walking alone, I entreat the Lord that He will accomplish the revelations and the visions which He showed me through His holy Church, that He may strengthen me and may give repentance to His servants which have stumbled, that His great and glorious Name may be glorified, for that He held me worthy that He should show me His marvels.
4 καὶ δοξάζοντός μου καὶ εὐχαριστοῦντος αὐτῷ, ὡς ἦχος φωνῆς μοι ἀπεκρίθη· Μὴ διψυχήσεις, Ἑρμᾶ. ἐν ἐμαυτῷ ἠρξάμην διαλογίζεσθαι καὶ λέγειν· Ἐγὼ τί ἔχω διψυχῆσαι, οὕτω τεθεμελιωμένος ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ ἰδὼν ἔνδοξα πράγματα; And as I gave glory and thanksgiving to Him, there answered me as it were the sound of a voice, "Be not of doubtful mind, Hermas." I began to question in myself and to say, "How can I be of doubtful mind, seeing that I am so firmly founded by the Lord, and have seen glorious things?"
5 καὶ προσέβην μικρόν, ἀδελφοί, καὶ ἰδού, βλέπω κονιορτὸν ὡς εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, καὶ ἠρξάμην λέγειν ἐν ἐμαυτῷ· Μήποτε κτήνη ἔρχονται καὶ κονιορτὸν ἐγείρουσιν; οὕτω δὲ ἦν ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ ὡς ἀπὸ σταδίου. And I went on a little, brothers, and behold, I see a cloud of dust rising as it were to heaven, and I began to say within myself, "Can it be that cattle are coming, and raising a cloud of dust?" for it was just about a stade from me.
6 γινομένου μείζονος καὶ μείζονος κονιορτοῦ ὑπενόησα εἶναί τι θεῖον· μικρὸν ἐξέλαμψεν ὁ ἥλιος, καί ἰδού βλέπω θηρίον μέγιστον ὡσεὶ κῆτός τι, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ ἀκρίδες πύριναι ἐξεπορεύοντο ἦν δὲ τὸ θηρίον τῷ μήκει ὡσεὶ ποδῶν ρ', τὴν δὲ κεφαλὴν εἶχεν ὡσεὶ κεράμου. As the cloud of dust waxed greater and greater, I suspected that it was something supernatural. Then the sun shone out a little, and behold, I see a huge beast like some sea-monster, and from its mouth fiery locusts issued forth. And the beast was about a hundred feet in length, and its head was as it were of pottery.
7 καὶ ἠρξάμην κλαίειν καὶ ἐρωτᾶν τὸν κύριον, ἵνα με λυτρώσηται ἐξ αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐπανεμνήσθην τοῦ ῥήματος οὗ ἀκηκόειν· Μὴ διψυχήσεις, Ἑρμᾶ. And I began to weep, and to entreat the Lord that He would rescue me from it. And I remembered the word which I had heard, "Be not of doubtful mind, Hermas."
8 ἐνδυσάμενος οὖν, ἀδελφοί, τὴν πίστιν τοῦ κυρίου καὶ μνησθεὶς ὧν ἐδίδαξέν με μεγαλείων, θαρσήσας εἰς τὸ θηρίον ἐμαυτὸν ἔδωκα. οὕτω δὲ ἤρχετο τὸ θηρίον ῥοίζῳ, ὥστε δύνασθαι αὐτὸ πόλιν λυμᾶναι. Having therefore, brothers, put on the faith of the Lord and called to mind the mighty works that He had taught me, I took courage and gave myself up to the beast. Now the beast was coming on with such a rush, that it might have ruined a city.
9 ἔρχομαι ἐγγὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸ τηλικοῦτο κῆτος ἐκτείνει ἑαυτὸ χαμαὶ καὶ οὐδὲν εἰ μὴ τὴν γλῶσσαν προέβαλλεν καὶ ὅλως οὐκ ἐκινήθη, μέχρις ὅτε παρῆλθον αὐτό· I come near it, and, huge monster as it was, it stretches itself on the ground, and merely put forth its tongue, and stirred not at all until I had passed by it.
10 εἶχεν δὲ τὸ θηρίον ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς χρώματα τέσσαρα· μέλαν, εἶτα πυροειδὲς καὶ αἱματῶδες, εἶτα χρυσοῦν, εἶτα λευκόν. And the beast had on its head four colors; black then fire and blood color, then gold, then white.

Vision 4 Chapter 2
1 Μετὰ δὲ τὸ παρελθεῖν με τὸ θηρίον καὶ προελθεῖν ὡσεὶ πόδας λ', ἰδοὺ ὑπαντᾷ μοι παρθένος κεκοσμημένη ὡς ἐκ νυμφῶνος ἐκπορευομένη, ὅλη ἐν λευκοῖς καὶ ὑποδήμασιν λευκοῖς, κατακεκαλυμμένη ἕως τοῦ μετώπου, ἐν μίτρᾳ δὲ ἦν ἡ κατακάλυψις αὐτῆς· εἶχεν δὲ τὰς τρίχας αὐτῆς λευκάς. Now after I had passed the beast, and had gone forward about thirty feet, behold, there meets me a virgin arrayed as if she were going forth from a bridal-chamber all in white and with white sandals, veiled up to her forehead, and her head-covering consisted of a turban, and her hair was white.
2 ἔγνων ἐγὼ ἐκ τῶν προτέρων ὁραμάτων, ὅτι ἡ Ἐκκλησία ἐστίν, καὶ ἱλαρώτερος ἐγενόμην. ἀσπάζεταί με λέγουσα· Χαῖρε σύ, ἄνθρωπε· καὶ ἐγὼ αὐτὴν ἀντησπασάμην· Κυρία, χαῖρε· I knew from the former Visions that it was the Church, and I became more cheerful. She salutes me, saying, "Good morrow, my good man"; and I saluted her in turn, "Lady, good morrow."
3 ἀποκριθεῖσά μοι λέγει· Οὐδέν σοί ἀπήντησεν; λέγω αὐτῇ· Κυρία, τηλικοῦτο θηρίον, δυνάμενον λαοὺς διαφθεῖραι· ἀλλὰ τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ κυρίου καὶ τῇ πολυσπλαγχνίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἐξέφυγον αὐτό. She answered and said unto me, "Did nothing meet you? "I say unto her, Lady, such a huge beast, that could have destroyed whole peoples: but, by the power of the Lord and by His great mercy, I escaped it."
4 Καλῶς ἐξέφυγες, φησίν, ὅτι τὴν μέριμνάν σου ἐπὶ τὸν θεὸν ἐπέριψας καὶ τὴν καρδίαν σου ἤνοιξας πρὸς τὸν κύριον, πιστεύσας ὅτι δι᾿ οὐδενὸς δύνῃ σωθῆναι εἰ μὴ διὰ τοῦ μεγάλου καὶ ἐνδόξου ὀνόματος διὰ τοῦτο ὁ κύριος ἀπέστειλεν τὸν ἄγγελον αὐτοῦ τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν θηρίων ὄντα, οὗ τὸ ὄνομά ἐστιν Θεγρί, καὶ ἐνέφραξεν τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μή σὲ λυμάνῃ. μεγάλην θλῖψιν ἐκπέφευγας διὰ τὴν πίστιν σου καὶ ὅτι τηλικοῦτο θηρίον ἰδὼν οὐκ ἐδιψύχησας· "You did escape it well," says she, "because you did cast your care upon God, and did open your heart to the Lord, believing that you can be saved by nothing else but by His great and glorious Name. Therefore the Lord sent His angel, which is over the beasts, whose name is Segri, and shut his mouth that it might not hurt you. You had escaped a great tribulation by reason of your faith, and because, though you saw so huge a beast, you did not doubt in your mind.
5 ὕπαγε οὖν καὶ ἐξήγησαι τοῖς ἐκλεκτοῖς τοῦ κυρίου τὰ μεγαλεῖα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰπὲ αὐτοῖς, ὅτι τὸ θηρίον τοῦτο τύπος ἐστὶν θλίψεως τῆς μελλούσης τῆς μεγάλης· ἐὰν οὖν προετοιμάσησθε καὶ μετανοήσητε ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας ὑμῶν πρὸς τὸν κύριον, δυνήσεσθε ἐκφυγεῖν αὐτήν, ἐὰν ἡ καρδία ὑμῶν γένηται καθαρὰ καὶ ἄμωμος καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς τῆς ζωῆς ἡμέρας ὑμῶν δουλεύσητε τῷ κυρίῳ ἀμέμπτως. ἐπιρίψατε τὰς μερίμνας ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον, καὶ αὐτὸς κατορθώσει αὐτάς. Go therefore, and declare to the elect of the Lord His mighty works, and tell them who this beast is a type of the great tribulation which is to come. If therefore you prepare yourselves beforehand, and repent (and turn) unto the Lord with your whole heart, you shall be able to escape it, if your heart be made pure and without blemish, and if for the remaining days of your life you serve the Lord blamelessly. Cast your cares upon the Lord and He will set them straight.
6 πιστεύσατε τῷ κυρίῳ, οἱ δίψυχοι, ὅτι πάντα δύναται καὶ ἀποστρέφει τὴν ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ ἀφ᾿ ὑμῶν καὶ ἐξαποστέλλει μάστιγας ὑμῖν τοῖς διψύχοις. οὐαὶ τοῖς ἀκούσασιν τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα καὶ παρακούσασιν· αἱρετώτερον ἦν αὐτοῖς τὸ μὴ γεννηθῆναι. Trust you in the Lord, you men of doubtful mind, for He can do all things, yes, He both turns away His wrath from you, and again He sends forth His plagues upon you that are of doubtful mind. Woe to them who hear these words and are disobedient; it were better for them who they had not been born."

Vision 4 Chapter 3
1 Ἠρώτησα αὐτὴν περὶ τῶν τεσσάρων χρωμάτων ὧν εἶχεν τὸ θηρίον εἰς τὴν κεφαλήν. ἡ δὲ ἀποκριθεῖσά μοι λέγει· Πάλιν περίεργος εἶ περὶ τοιούτων πραγμάτων. Ναί, φημί, κυρία· γνώρισόν μοι τί ἐστιν ταῦτα. I asked her concerning the four colors, which the beast had upon its head. Then she answered me and said, "Again you are curious about such matters." "Yes, lady," said I, "make known unto me what these things are."
2 Ἄκουε, φησίν· τὸ μὲν μέλαν οὗτος ὁ κόσμος ἐστίν, ἐν ᾧ κατοικεῖτε· "Listen," said she; "the black is this world in which you dwell;
3 τὸ δὲ πυροειδὲς καὶ αἱματῶδες, ὅτι δεῖ τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον δι᾿ αἵματος καὶ πυρὸς ἀπόλλυσθαι· and the fire and blood color shows that this world must perish by blood and fire;
4 τὸ δὲ χρυσοῦν μέρος ὑμεῖς ἐστε οἱ ἐκφυγόντες τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον. ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ χρυσίον δοκιμάζεται διὰ τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ εὔχρηστον γίνεται, οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς δοκιμάζεσθε οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν αὐτοῖς. οἱ οὖν μείναντες καὶ πυρωθέντες ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν καθαρισθήσεσθε. ὥσπερ τὸ χρυσίον ἀποβάλλει τὴν σκωρίαν αὐτοῦ, οὕτω καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀποβαλεῖτε πᾶσαν λύπην καὶ στενοχωρίαν, καὶ καθαρισθήσεσθε καὶ χρήσιμοι ἔσεσθε εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου. and the golden part are you that has escaped from this world. For as the gold is tested by the fire and is made useful, so you also [that dwell in it] are being tested in yourselves. You then that abide and pass through the fire will be purified by it. For as the old loses its dross. so You also shall cast away all sorrow and tribulation, and shall be purified, and shall be useful for the building of the tower.
5 τὸ δὲ λευκὸν μέρος ὁ αἰὼν ὁ ἐπερχόμενός ἐστιν, ἐν ᾧ κατοικήσουσιν οἱ ἐκλεκτοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ· ὅτι ἄσπιλοι καὶ καθαροὶ ἔσονται οἱ ἐκλελεγμένοι ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. But the white portion is the coming age, in which the elect of God shall dwell; because the elect of God shall be without spot and pure unto life eternal.
6 σὺ οὖν μὴ διαλίπῃς λαλῶν εἰς τὰ ὦτα τῶν ἁγίων. ἔχετε καὶ τὸν τύπον τῆς θλίψεως τῆς ἐρχομένης μεγάλης. ἐὰν δὲ ὑμεῖς θελήσητε, οὐδὲν ἔσται. μνημονεύετε τὰ προγεγραμμένα. Why cease not you to speak in the ears of the saints. You have now the symbolism also of the tribulation which is coming in power. But if you be willing, it shall be nought. Remember you the things that are written beforehand."
7 ταῦτα εἴπασα ἀπῆλθεν, καὶ οὐκ εἶδον, ποίῳ τόπῳ ἀπῆλθεν· νέφος γὰρ ἐγένετο· κἀγὼ ἐπεστράφην εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω φοβηθείς, δοκῶν ὅτι τὸ θηρίον ἔρχεται. With these words she departed, and I saw not in what direction she departed; for a noise was made: and I turned back in fear, thinking that the beast was coming.