[This is part of a running series on the Didache. See the introductory post for more information — RWB]

Phrasing/Translation

Ἡ δὲ τοῦ θανάτου ὁδός ἐστιν αὕτη·
And the way of death is this:

πρῶτον πάντων πονηρά ἐστι καὶ κατάρας μεστή·
First of all, it is evil and full of cursing,
   φόνοι,
   murders,
   μοιχεῖαι,
   adulteries,
   ἐπιθυμίαι,
   lusts,
   πορνεῖαι,
   fornications,
   κλοπαί,
   thefts,
   εἰδωλολατρίαι,
   idolatries,
   μαγεῖαι,
   magical acts,
   φαρμακίαι,
   potion use,
   ἁρπαγαί,
   robberies,
   ψευδομαρτυρίαι,
   false witnessing,
   ὑποκρίσεις,
   hypocrisy,
   διπλοκαρδία,
   double-heartedness,
   δόλος,
   fraud,
   ὑπερηφανία,
   pride,
   κακία,
   malice,
   αὐθάδεια,
   stubbornness,
   πλεονεξία,
   greediness,
   αἰσχρολογία,
   obscenities,
   ζηλοτυπία,
   jealousy,
   θρασύτης,
   arrogance,
   ὕψος,
   haughtiness,
   ἀλαζονεία.
   boastfulness.

διῶκται ἀγαθῶν,
Persecutors of the good,
μισοῦντες ἀληθειαν,
haters of truth,
ἀγαπῶντες ψεῦδος,
lovers of falsehood,
οὐ γινώσκοντες μισθὸν δικαιοσύνης,
not knowing the reward of righteousness,
οὐ κολλώμενοι ἀγαθῷ
not cleaving to the good
   οὐδὲ κρίσει δικαίᾳ,
   nor the righteous judgment,
ἀγρυπνοῦντες οὐκ εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν,
not caring for the good,
   ἀλλ ̓ εἰς τὸ πονηρόν·
   but [caring for] the evil:

ὧν μακρὰν πραΰτης καὶ ὑπομονή,
From whom gentleness and patience are far removed,
μάταια ἀγαπῶντες,
lovers of vanity,
διώκοντες ἀνταπόδομα,
pursuers of reward,
οὐκ ἐλεοῦντες πτωχόν,
not having mercy for the poor,
οὐ πονοῦντες ἐπὶ καταπονουμένῳ,
not toiling for the one who is downtrodden,
οὐ γινώσκοντες τὸν ποιήσαντα αὐτούς,
not knowing who has made them,
φονεῖς τέκνων,
murderers of children,
φθορεῖς πλάσματος θεοῦ,
seducers of God's creatures,
ἀποστρεφόμενοι τὸν ἐνδεόμενον,
rejectors of the ones in need,
καταπονοῦντες τὸν θλιβόμενον,
oppressors of the afflicted,
πλουσίων παράκλητοι,
defenders of the rich,
πενήτων ἄνομοι κριταί,
lawless judges of the poor,
πανθαμάρτητοι·
people steeped in sin:

ῥυσθείητε, τέκνα, ἀπὸ τούτων ἁπάντων.
Be delivered, children, from all such as these.

Notes

Recall Did 1.1: "There are two says, one of life and one of death; there is great difference between the two ways". From 1.2 through the end of section 4, the first way — the way of life — was discussed. In this chapter the way of death is discussed. And it is done in, essentially, two lists. The first is a list of qualities that reflect actions, preferences and values of those who are following the way of death. The second is a list of sorts of people that are following the way of death. These people and the values they espouse are to be avoided. Irenaeus hints at this in his Proof of the Apostolic Preaching when he writes,

For the road of all those who see is a single upward path, lit by heavenly light; but the ways of those who see not are many and dark and divergent. The former road leads to the kingdom of heaven by uniting man with God, but the others bring down to death by severing man from God. Therefore must both you, and all those who look after the salvation of souls, make your way by faith, without deviation, with courage and determination, lest through lack of tenacity or perseverance you remain at a standstill in material passions, or even be led astray and turn aside from the straight path. (Irenaeus, Proof, paragraph 1)

The Didachist is making this same point. The way of life, discussed in §§1-4, is that which brings us closer to God. The way of death, discussed here, is that which leads us away from God. This is why the Didachist's closing plea in §5 is that the baptismal candidates be as far removed from those on the way of death as possible. The straight path, the path of life, is preferred.

As far as the qualities and sorts of people on these lists, not much can be said. Translating lists like this, particularly where there are similar items and qualities listed (and infrequently used words to boot) is a difficult slog that is never well rewarded. There is always semantic overlap so choice of translation is a bit of a pain. The thing to remember in these lists is that each item points toward painting the picture of the sorts of people and the kinds of actions that those who profess Christ are to avoid being influenced by.

Next we get into Did 6, which is a transition of sorts.