4 Maccabees 5:7-9

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

⁷for I respect your age and your gray hairs. Although you have had them for so long a time, it does not seem to me that you are a philosopher when you observe the religion of the Jews.^(A) ⁸When nature has granted it to us, why should you abhor eating the very excellent meat of this animal? ⁹It is senseless not to enjoy delicious things that are not shameful and wrong to spurn the gifts of nature.