you were away, how did you know that the children have died? Nevertheless tell me, were the seven consumed, the golden pillars of my male offspring, like ears of corn? Were the three virginal, equally bright lamps of my daughters extinguished? Was the nest of ten rational fledglings destroyed? Has the house become a grave, the table a tomb, the mixing-bowl a press? You have become for me a messenger of great calamity. But yet I rejoice greatly, that the seven colts were not unyoked, nor from the seven colts the three heifers; as they lived, so they died, neither in their life were they separated, nor in death were they divided. Great evils have befallen me. Having lost all my substance, I was a little grieved while my children survived, as having no inheritance to leave to them; but when I also offered the children as a gift to the Giver, I am no longer sad, having fulfilled in deed the sacrifice of Abraham. But to God be glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.

ἔξω διῆγες, πῶς ἔγνως ὅτι τὰ παιδία τετελευτήκασιν; Ὅμως λέγε μοι, ἐχωνεύθησαν οἱ ἑπτά, οἱ τῆς ἐμῆς ἀρρενογονίας ἰσοστάχυες χρύσεοι στύλοι; Ἀπεσβέσθησαν τῶν θυγατέρων μου αἱ παρθενικαὶ ἰσοφαεῖς τρεῖς λαμπάδες; Κατεστράφη τῶν λογικῶν νεοττῶν ἡ δεκάστρουθος νοσσιά; Γέγονεν ὁ οἶκος τάφος, ἡ τράπεζα τύμβος, ὁ κρατὴρ ἐκπιαστήρ; Μεγάλης μοι συμφορᾶς γέγονας μηνυτής. Ἀλλ' ὅμως σφόδρα χαίρω, ὅτι οὐκ ἀπεζεύχθησαν οἱ ἑπτὰ πῶλοι οὐδὲ τῶν ἑπτὰ πώλων αἱ τρεῖς δαμάλεις· ὡς ἔζησαν, καὶ ἀπέθανον, οὔτε ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτῶν ἐχωρίσθησαν, οὔτε ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ διεμερίσθησαν. Μεγάλα μοι κακὰ συμβέβηκεν. Πᾶσαν τὴν ὕπαρξιν ζημιωθεὶς μικρὸν ἐλυπούμην τῶν τέκνων περιόντων, ὡς μὴ ἔχων τινὰ κληρονομίαν αὐτοῖς καταλεῖψαι· ὡς δὲ καὶ τὰ τέκνα τῷ δοτῆρι δῶρον προσήνεγκα, οὐκέτι στυγνάζω ἔργῳ τὴν τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ θυσίαν πληρώσας. Τῷ δὲ θεῷ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.