Concluding remarks from "Sefer Divrei HaYamim"

דִּבְרֵי סִיּוּם מִתּוֹךְ ״סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים״

And Shlomo consented to speak to the Emperor regarding the matter of faith, and he explained it thoroughly (וַיּוֹאֶל שְׁלֹמֹה לְדַבֵּר אֶל הַקֵּיסָר עַל דְּבַר הָאֱמוּנָה בָּאַר הֵיטֵב). And he went on his way while the Emperor was in Ratisbonne (וַיֵּלֶךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ בִּהְיוֹת הַקֵּיסָר בְּרָאטִישְׁבּוֹנָה), and he spoke with him (וַיְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ), and he strengthened the heart of the Emperor, but he did not listen to him due to shortness of breath (וַיְחַזֵּק לֵב הַקֵּיסָר וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֵלָיו מִקֹּצֶר רוּחַ). And he gave orders, and they placed him in a pit-him and the prince David his companion and his men (וַיְצַו וַיְשִׂימוּהוּ בַּבּוֹר, וְאֶת הַשַּׂר דָּוִד מֵרֵעֵהוּ וְאֶת אֲנָשָׁיו), and they remained there for some days (וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם יָמִים אֲחָדִים). And the Emperor, once the Turks had retreated and relief came (וַיַּרְא הַקֵּיסָר אַחֲרֵי שׁוּב הַתּוֹגַר מֵעָלָיו כִּי הָיְתָה הָרְוָחָה), departed from that place and returned to Italy (וַיִּסַּע מִן הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא וַיָּשָׁב לְאִיטַלְיָה). And he brought them in wagons as prisoners to Mantua, and placed them under guard (וַיְבִיאֵם אֲסוּרִים בַּעֲגָלוֹת לְמַאנטוּאָה וַיָּשֶׂם עֲלֵיהֶם מִשְׁמָר).

And the Emperor said to the sages: “Thus said the king-he has been found guilty of a capital crime” (וַיֹּאמֶר הַקֵּיסָר לַחֲכָמִים: כֵּן דִּבֶּר הַמֶּלֶךְ, וְנִמְצָא בּוֹ חֵטְא מִשְׁפַּט מָוֶת), and they said: “Take him out and let him be burned” (וַיֹּאמְרוּ: הוֹצִיאוּהוּ וְיִשָּׂרֵף). And it came to pass one day, they placed a bridle in his jaws and brought him outside (וַיְהִי הַיּוֹם וַיָּשִׂימוּ רֶסֶן בִּלְחָיָיו וַיּוֹצִיאֻהוּ הַחוּצָה), and the whole city was astir over him, and the fire burned before him (וַתֵּהֹם כָּל הָעִיר עָלָיו וְהָאֵשׁ לְפָנָיו בּוֹעֶרֶת). And one of the princes of the Emperor said: “Remove the bridle from between his teeth, for I have a word to say to him from the king” (וַיֹּאמֶר אֶחָד מִשָּׂרֵי הַקֵּיסָר: הָסִירוּ הָרֶסֶן מִבֵּין שִׁנָּיו כִּי דָּבָר לִי אֵלָיו מֵאֵת הַמֶּלֶךְ), and they did so (וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵּן).

And he said to him: “The Emperor has sent me to say to you: Behold, if you turn from your ways, you shall be forgiven and live before him (וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו: הַקֵּיסָר שְׁלָחַנִי אֵלֶיךָ לֵאמֹר: הֲלֹא אִם תָּשׁוּב מִדַּרְכֶּיךָ שֵׂאת וֶחְיֵה, וּתְחִיֶּה לְפָנָיו). And if not, evil is decreed upon you to the end” (וְאִם אַיִן – כָּלְתָה אֵלֶיךָ הָרָעָה). And he did not rise nor tremble from him (וְלֹא קָם וְלֹא זָע מִמֶּנּוּ), and he answered and said, like a holy one, like an angel of God (וַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמַר כְּקָדוֹשׁ כְּמַלְאַךְ אֱלֹהִים): “For when I walked in that faith, my heart was bitter and anguished (״עַל אֲשֶׁר הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי בַּדָּת הַהִיא לִבִּי מַר וְזֹעֵף), and now do as is good in your eyes (וְעַתָּה כַּטּוֹב בְּעֵינֵיכֶם תַּעֲשׂוּ), and let my soul return to its Father’s house in its youth (וְנַפְשִׁי תָּשׁוּב אֶל בֵּית אָבִיהָ כִּנְעוּרֶיהָ), for better was it then than now” (כִּי טוֹב לָהּ אָז מֵעַתָּה״). And they were filled with wrath against him and threw him upon the wood that was on the fire (וַיִּמָּלְאוּ עָלָיו חֵמָה וַיַּשְׁלִיכוּהוּ עַל הָעֵצִים אֲשֶׁר עַל הָאֵשׁ), and they offered him as a burnt offering to Hashem, wholly consumed (וַיַּקְרִיבוּהוּ עוֹלָה לַה׳ כָּלִיל תִּקְטָר).

And Hashem smelled the pleasing fragrance, and He gathered his pure soul (וַיָּרַח ה׳ אֶת רֵיחַ הַנִּיחוֹחַ וַיֶּאֱסֹף נִשְׁמָתוֹ הַטְּהוֹרָה), and she was with Him as a nursling, rejoicing before Him at all times (וַתְּהִי אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן מְשַׂחֶקֶת לְפָנָיו בְּכָל עֵת). And his attendants were released from the prison house and went on their way (וְאֶת מְשָׁרְתָיו הוֹצִיאוּ מִבֵּית כֶּלֶא וַיֵּלְכוּ לְדַרְכָּם), none remained in their ruin but the prince Reuveni, his companion (לֹא נִשְׁאַר בְּשַׁחִיתוּתָם כִּי אִם הַשַּׂר הָרְאוּבֵנִי מֵרֵעֵהוּ), and they set a guard upon him (וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלָיו מִשְׁמָר). And the emperor went to Bologna (וַיֵּלֶךְ הַקֵּיסָר אֶל בּוֹלוֹנְיָא), and brought him along in wagons, bound in chains (וַיּוֹלִיכֵהוּ אִתּוֹ בַּעֲגָלוֹת אָסוּר בְּרַהֲטִים), and they took him to Spain (וַיּוֹלִיכֻהוּ אֶל סְפָרַד), and he remained there many days (וַיֵּשֶׁב שָׁם יָמִים רַבִּים), and he died in the prison house (וַיָּמָת בְּבֵית הַסֹּהַר).

And many in Italy in those days believed (וַיַּאֲמִינוּ רַבִּים בְּאִיטַלְיָא בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם) that Rabbi Shlomo Molcho had been saved (כִּי נִצַּל רַבִּי שְׁלֹמֹה מוֹלְכוֹ) from the hand of those who sought his soul to destroy it (מִיַּד מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשׁוֹ לְסָפוֹתָהּ), through his wisdom (בְּחָכְמָתוֹ), and that fire had no power over his body (וְדְלָא שָׁלִיט נוּרָא בְּגַשְׁמֵיהּ). And there were those who testified and swore (וְיֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר הֵעִיד וְנִשְׁבַּע) before congregation and assembly (בִּפְנֵי קָהָל וְעֵדָה), that he stood in his house after the burning for eight days (שֶׁעָמַד בְּבֵיתוֹ אַחַר הַשְּׂרֵפָה שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים), and from there he went on his way, and he was seen no more (וּמִשָּׁם הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ וְלֹא רְאֻהוּ עוֹד). God knows (אֵל אֱלֹהִים יוֹדֵעַ), and who will give me the power to write his true words (וּמִי יִתֵּן וְאוּכַל לִכְתּוֹב הַכֵּנִים דְּבָרָיו), if not, let it be truly and honestly upon the record (אִם אֵין – בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְתָמִים עַל סֵפֶר).