Pastor de Hermas 88

1As virgens me disseram: “O Pastor não vem aqui hoje.” “Que devo fazer, então?” disse eu. Responderam: “Espera-o até que venha; e se vier conversará contigo, e se não vier ficarás aqui conosco até que venha.” Disse-lhes: “Esperá-lo-ei até que seja tarde; e se não chegar, irei para casa e voltarei cedo pela manhã.” E responderam e me disseram: “Foste confiado a nós; não podes partir de nós.” “Onde, então,” disse eu, “devo ficar?” “Dormirás conosco,” responderam, “como irmão, e não como marido: pois és nosso irmão, e para o tempo futuro pretendemos permanecer contigo, pois te amamos extremamente!” Mas tive vergonha de ficar com elas.

1The virgins said to me, “The Shepherd does not come here to-day.” “What, then,” said I, “am I to do?” They replied, “Wait for him until he comes; and if he comes he will converse with you, and if he does not come you will remain here with us until he does come.” I said to them, “I will wait for him until it is late; and if he does not arrive, I will go away into the house, and come back early in the morning.” And they answered and said to me, “You were entrusted to us; you cannot go away from us.” “Where, then,” I said, “am I to remain?” “You will sleep with us,” they replied, “as a brother, and not as a husband: for you are our brother, and for the time to come we intend to abide with you, for we love you exceedingly!” But I was ashamed to remain with them.

2E aquela que parecia ser a primeira entre elas começou a beijar-me. [E as outras, vendo-a beijar-me, começaram também a beijar-me], e a conduzir-me ao redor da torre e a brincar comigo. E eu também me tornei como um jovem e comecei a brincar com elas: pois algumas formavam um coro, e outras dançavam, e outras cantavam; e eu, guardando silêncio, andava com elas ao redor da torre e me alegrava com elas. E quando se fez tarde, quis ir para casa; e não me deixaram, mas me detiveram.

2And she who seemed to be the first among them began to kiss me. [And the others seeing her kissing me, began also to kiss me], and to lead me round the tower, and to play with me. And I, too, became like a young man, and began to play with them: for some of them formed a chorus, and others danced, and others sang; and I, keeping silence, walked with them around the tower, and was merry with them. And when it grew late I wished to go into the house; and they would not let me, but detained me.

3Assim fiquei com elas durante a noite e dormi ao lado da torre. Ora, as virgens estenderam as suas túnicas de linho no chão e me fizeram deitar no meio delas; e nada fizeram senão orar; e eu, sem cessar, orava com elas, e não menos que elas. E as virgens se alegraram porque eu assim orava. E fiquei ali com as virgens até o dia seguinte, à segunda hora. Então o Pastor voltou e disse às virgens: “Fizestes-lhe alguma ofensa?” “Pergunta-lhe,” disseram.

3So I remained with them during the night, and slept beside the tower. Now the virgins spread their linen tunics on the ground, and made me lie down in the midst of them; and they did nothing at all but pray; and I without ceasing prayed with them, and not less than they. And the virgins rejoiced because I thus prayed. And I remained there with the virgins until the next day at the second hour. Then the Shepherd returned, and said to the virgins, “Did you offer him any insult?” “Ask him,” they said.

4Disse-lhe: “Senhor, deleitei-me por ter ficado com elas.” “De que,” perguntou, “ceaste?” “Ceei, senhor,” respondi, “das palavras do Senhor a noite toda.” “Receberam-te bem?” indagou. “Sim, senhor,” respondi. “Agora,” disse, “que desejas ouvir primeiro?” “Desejo ouvir na ordem,” disse eu, “em que me mostraste desde o princípio.

4I said to him, “Sir, I was delighted that I remained with them.” “On what,” he asked, “did you sup?” “I supped, sir,” I replied, “on the words of the Lord the whole night.” “Did they receive you well?” he inquired. “Yes, sir,” I answered. “Now,” he said, “what do you wish to hear first?” “I wish to hear in the order,” I said, “in which you showed me from the beginning.

5Rogo-te, senhor, que, assim como eu te perguntar, assim também me dês a explicação.” “Como desejas,” respondeu, “assim também te explicarei e nada absolutamente te ocultarei.”

5I beg of you, sir, that as I shall ask you, so also you will give me the explanation.” “As you wish,” he replied, “so also will I explain to you, and will conceal nothing at all from you.”