4 Maccabees 9:1-3

Revised Standard Version

9 “Why do you delay, O tyrant? For we are ready to die rather than transgress our ancestral commandments; ² we are obviously putting our forefathers to shame unless we should practice ready obedience to the law and to Moses^[a] our counselor. ³ Tyrant and counselor of lawlessness, in your hatred for us do not pity us more than we pity ourselves.^[b]