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1 Maccabees 3

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1 καὶ ἀνέστη Ιουδας ὁ καλούμενος Μακκαβαῖος υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἀν{T'} αὐτοῦ 2 καὶ ἐβοήθουν αὐτῷ πάντες οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες ὅσοι ἐκολλήθησαν τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπολέμουν τὸν πόλεμον Ισραηλ με{T'} εὐφροσύνης 3 καὶ ἐπλάτυνεν δόξαν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐνεδύσατο θώρακα ὡς γίγας καὶ συνεζώσατο τὰ σκεύη τὰ πολεμικὰ αὐτοῦ καὶ πολέμους συνεστήσατο σκεπάζων παρεμβολὴν ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ 4 καὶ ὡμοιώθη λέοντι ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ καὶ ὡς σκύμνος ἐρευγόμενος εἰς θήραν 5 καὶ ἐδίωξεν ἀνόμους ἐξερευνῶν καὶ τοὺς ταράσσοντας τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐφλόγισεν 6 καὶ συνεστάλησαν ἄνομοι ἀπὸ τοῦ φόβου αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἐργάται τῆς ἀνομίας συνεταράχθησαν καὶ εὐοδώθη σωτηρία ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ 7 καὶ ἐπίκρανεν βασιλεῖς πολλοὺς καὶ εὔφρανεν τὸν Ιακωβ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτοῦ εἰς εὐλογίαν 8 καὶ διῆλθεν ἐν πόλεσιν Ιουδα καὶ ἐξωλέθρευσεν ἀσεβεῖς ἐξ αὐτῆς καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν ὀργὴν ἀπὸ Ισραηλ 9 καὶ ὠνομάσθη ἕως ἐσχάτου γῆς καὶ συνήγαγεν ἀπολλυμένους

1 And now his son Judas, that was called Machabaeus, came forward to succeed him; 2 nor any of Judas’ clan, nor any that had taken his father’s part, but lent him their aid still; right merrily they fought Israel’s battle. 3 Here was one that brought his race renown; as great a warrior as ever donned breastplate, or armed himself for the fight, or drew sword to save his camp from peril; 4 lion-hearted his deeds, not lion itself more relentless in pursuit. 5 Traitors he ever sought out and hunted down, ever with fire-brand the oppressors of his people dislodged, 6 till enemy was none but was daunted by the fear of him, traitor was none but fled in confusion, so well sped he the work of deliverance. 7 Great deeds, that kings rued bitterly, Jacob with exultation heard, posterity holds blessed evermore! 8 From city to city he went, ridding Juda of its law-breakers, averting the vengeance guilt of theirs had deserved; 9 no corner of earth but he was renowned there, for one that had been able to rally a doomed people.

1 Et surrexit Judas, qui vocabatur Machabæus, filius ejus, pro eo: 2 et adjuvabant eum omnes fratres ejus, et universi qui se conjunxerant patri ejus, et præliabantur prælium Israël cum lætitia. 3

Et dilatavit gloriam populo suo,
et induit se loricam sicut gigas,
et succinxit se arma bellica sua in præliis,
et protegebat castra gladio suo. 4
Similis factus est leoni in operibus suis,
et sicut catulus leonis rugiens in venatione. 5
Et persecutus est iniquos perscrutans eos:
et qui conturbabant populum suum, eos succendit flammis: 6
et repulsi sunt inimici ejus præ timore ejus,
et omnes operarii iniquitatis conturbati sunt:
et directa est salus in manu ejus. 7
Et exacerbabat reges multos,
et lætificabat Jacob in operibus suis,
et in sæculum memoria ejus in benedictione. 8
Et perambulavit civitates Juda,
et perdidit impios ex eis,
et avertit iram ab Israël. 9
Et nominatus est usque ad novissimum terræ,
et congregavit pereuntes.

10 καὶ συνήγαγεν Ἀπολλώνιος ἔθνη καὶ ἀπὸ Σαμαρείας δύναμιν μεγάλην τοῦ πολεμῆσαι πρὸς τὸν Ισραηλ 11 καὶ ἔγνω Ιουδας καὶ ἐξῆλθεν εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν καὶ ἔπεσον τραυματίαι πολλοί καὶ οἱ ἐπίλοιποι ἔφυγον 12 καὶ ἔλαβον τὰ σκῦλα αὐτῶν καὶ τὴν μάχαιραν Ἀπολλωνίου ἔλαβεν Ιουδας καὶ ἦν πολεμῶν ἐν αὐτῇ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας

10 How sped Apollonius, that mustered a great force, of Gentiles and Samaritans both, to fight against Israel? 11 No sooner Judas heard of it, than he met and routed and slew him; fell many and fled more, 12 leaving their spoils behind them. The sword of Apollonius Judas himself carried away; and this it was he evermore used in battle.

10 Et congregavit Apollonius gentes, et a Samaria virtutem multam et magnam ad bellandum contra Israël. 11 Et cognovit Judas, et exiit obviam illi: et percussit, et occidit illum: et ceciderunt vulnerati multi, et reliqui fugerunt. 12 Et accepit spolia eorum: et gladium Apollonii abstulit Judas, et erat pugnans in eo omnibus diebus.

13 καὶ ἤκουσεν Σήρων ὁ ἄρχων τῆς δυνάμεως Συρίας ὅτι ἤθροισεν Ιουδας ἄθροισμα καὶ ἐκκλησίαν πιστῶν με{T'} αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκπορευομένων εἰς πόλεμον 14 καὶ εἶπεν ποιήσω ἐμαυτῷ ὄνομα καὶ δοξασθήσομαι ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ καὶ πολεμήσω τὸν Ιουδαν καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ τοὺς ἐξουδενοῦντας τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως 15 καὶ προσέθετο καὶ ἀνέβη με{T'} αὐτοῦ παρεμβολὴ ἀσεβῶν ἰσχυρὰ βοηθῆσαι αὐτῷ ποιῆσαι τὴν ἐκδίκησιν ἐν υἱοῖς Ισραηλ 16 καὶ ἤγγισεν ἕως ἀναβάσεως Βαιθωρων καὶ ἐξῆλθεν Ιουδας εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτῷ ὀλιγοστός 17 ὡς δὲ εἶδον τὴν παρεμβολὴν ἐρχομένην εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτῶν εἶπον τῷ Ιουδα τί δυνησόμεθα ὀλιγοστοὶ ὄντες πολεμῆσαι πρὸς πλῆθος τοσοῦτο ἰσχυρόν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐκλελύμεθα ἀσιτοῦντες σήμερον 18 καὶ εἶπεν Ιουδας εὔκοπόν ἐστιν συγκλεισθῆναι πολλοὺς ἐν χερσὶν ὀλίγων καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν διαφορὰ ἐναντίον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ σῴζειν ἐν πολλοῖς ἢ ἐν ὀλίγοις 19 ὅτι οὐκ ἐν πλήθει δυνάμεως νίκη πολέμου ἐστίν ἀλ{L'} ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἡ ἰσχύς 20 αὐτοὶ ἔρχονται ἐ{F'} ἡμᾶς ἐν πλήθει ὕβρεως καὶ ἀνομίας τοῦ ἐξᾶραι ἡμᾶς καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας ἡμῶν καὶ τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν τοῦ σκυλεῦσαι ἡμᾶς 21 ἡμεῖς δὲ πολεμοῦμεν περὶ τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν καὶ τῶν νομίμων ἡμῶν 22 καὶ αὐτὸς συντρίψει αὐτοὺς πρὸ προσώπου ἡμῶν ὑμεῖς δὲ μὴ φοβεῖσθε ἀ{P'} αὐτῶν 23 ὡς δὲ ἐπαύσατο λαλῶν ἐνήλατο εἰς αὐτοὺς ἄφνω καὶ συνετρίβη Σήρων καὶ ἡ παρεμβολὴ αὐτοῦ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ 24 καὶ ἐδίωκον αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ καταβάσει Βαιθωρων ἕως τοῦ πεδίου καὶ ἔπεσον ἀ{P'} αὐτῶν εἰς ἄνδρας ὀκτακοσίους οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ ἔφυγον εἰς γῆν Φυλιστιιμ

13 And next it was Seron, captain of the armies in Syria, heard what a great retinue and faithful following Judas had; 14 and nothing would serve, but he must win renown and high favour at court by crushing Judas, and all other his companions that defied the king’s edict. 15 So he made all ready, and marched in with a strong muster of the ungodly at his heels, to be even with the men of Israel. 16 As far as Bethoron pass they reached, and there Judas met them with his company, no better than a handful. 17 These, when they saw such a host facing them, were for counsels of prudence; What, they said to Judas, should we offer battle to foes so many and so strong, faint as we be from a day of hungry marching? 18 Nay, said Judas, nothing forbids great numbers should be at the mercy of small; what matter makes it to the God of heaven, few be his soldiers or many when he grants deliverance? 19 Armed might avails not to win the day; victory is from above. 20 What though they come to meet us in the proud confidence of superior strength, and think it an easy matter to slay us, slay our wives and children, plunder our goods? 21 Life and loyalty at stake, we will offer battle none the less; 22 and he, the Lord, will crush them to earth at our coming; never be afraid. 23 And with that, all unawares, he fell upon Seron and his army, that were crushed, sure enough, by his onslaught; 24 all down the pass of Bethoron he gave them chase, down into the plain, and eight hundred of them had fallen before ever they took refuge in the country of the Philistines.

13 Et audivit Seron princeps exercitus Syriæ, quod congregavit Judas congregationem fidelium, et ecclesiam secum, 14 et ait: Faciam mihi nomen, et glorificabor in regno, et debellabo Judam, et eos qui cum ipso sunt, qui spernebant verbum regis. 15 Et præparavit se: et ascenderunt cum eo castra impiorum fortes auxiliarii ut facerent vindictam in filios Israël. 16 Et appropinquaverunt usque ad Bethoron: et exivit Judas obviam illi cum paucis. 17 Ut autem viderunt exercitum venientem sibi obviam, dixerunt Judæ: Quomodo poterimus pauci pugnare contra multitudinem tantam, et tam fortem, et nos fatigati sumus jejunio hodie? 18 Et ait Judas: Facile est concludi multos in manus paucorum: et non est differentia in conspectu Dei cæli liberare in multis, et in paucis: 19 quoniam non in multitudine exercitus victoria belli, sed de cælo fortitudo est. 20 Ipsi veniunt ad nos in multitudine contumaci, et superbia, ut disperdant nos, et uxores nostras, et filios nostros, et ut spolient nos: 21 nos vero pugnabimus pro animabus nostris, et legibus nostris: 22 et ipse Dominus conteret eos ante faciem nostram: vos autem ne timueritis eos. 23 Ut cessavit autem loqui, insiluit in eos subito: et contritus est Seron et exercitus ejus in conspectu ipsius: 24 et persecutus est eum in descensu Bethoron usque in campum, et ceciderunt ex eis octingenti viri, reliqui autem fugerunt in terram Philisthiim.

25 καὶ ἤρξατο ὁ φόβος Ιουδου καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ πτόη ἐπέπιπτεν ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη τὰ κύκλῳ αὐτῶν 26 καὶ ἤγγισεν ἕως τοῦ βασιλέως τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν παρατάξεων Ιουδου ἐξηγεῖτο τὰ ἔθνη 27 ὡς δὲ ἤκουσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἀντίοχος τοὺς λόγους τούτους ὠργίσθη θυμῷ καὶ ἀπέστειλεν καὶ συνήγαγεν τὰς δυνάμεις πάσας τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ παρεμβολὴν ἰσχυρὰν σφόδρα 28 καὶ ἤνοιξεν τὸ γαζοφυλάκιον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔδωκεν ὀψώνια ταῖς δυνάμεσιν εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν καὶ ἐνετείλατο αὐτοῖς εἶναι ἑτοίμους εἰς πᾶσαν χρείαν 29 καὶ εἶδεν ὅτι ἐξέλιπεν τὸ ἀργύριον ἐκ τῶν θησαυρῶν καὶ οἱ φόροι τῆς χώρας ὀλίγοι χάριν τῆς διχοστασίας καὶ πληγῆς ἧς κατεσκεύασεν ἐν τῇ γῇ τοῦ ἆραι τὰ νόμιμα ἃ ἦσαν ἀ{F'} ἡμερῶν τῶν πρώτων 30 καὶ εὐλαβήθη μὴ οὐκ ἔχῃ ὡς ἅπαξ καὶ δὶς εἰς τὰς δαπάνας καὶ τὰ δόματα ἃ ἐδίδου ἔμπροσθεν δαψιλῇ χειρὶ καὶ ἐπερίσσευσεν ὑπὲρ τοὺς βασιλεῖς τοὺς ἔμπροσθεν

25 By this, the neighbouring peoples had begun to take alarm, so formidable did Judas and his brethren appear to them, 26 and the renown of him reached the king’s court; all the world was talking of Judas and his victories. 27 An angry man was king Antiochus when the news came to him; he sent word round, and had all his army summoned together, a brave array, be sure of it. 28 The treasury must be opened, to provide the troops with a whole year’s pay, and keep them in readiness for every need. 29 Why, what was this? So heavily had Juda suffered, so great the discord he had aroused by the abolishing of its ancient usages, that scant revenue had come in from it, and the treasury was in default! 30 Whence, now, to defray the cost of that largesse he had made so often, and with so lavish a hand? Never was king before him could rival his munificence.

25 Et cecidit timor Judæ ac fratrum ejus, et formido super omnes gentes in circuitu eorum: 26 et pervenit ad regem nomen ejus, et de præliis Judæ narrabant omnes gentes. 27 Ut audivit autem rex Antiochus sermones istos, iratus est animo: et misit, et congregavit exercitum universi regni sui, castra fortia valde: 28 et aperuit ærarium suum, et dedit stipendia exercitui in annum: et mandavit illis ut essent parati ad omnia. 29 Et vidit quod defecit pecunia de thesauris suis, et tributa regionis modica propter dissensionem et plagam quam fecit in terra, ut tolleret legitima, quæ erant a primis diebus: 30 et timuit ne non haberet ut semel et bis, in sumptus et donaria, quæ dederat ante larga manu: et abundaverat super reges qui ante eum fuerant.

31 καὶ ἠπορεῖτο τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ σφόδρα καὶ ἐβουλεύσατο τοῦ πορευθῆναι εἰς τὴν Περσίδα καὶ λαβεῖν τοὺς φόρους τῶν χωρῶν καὶ συναγαγεῖν ἀργύριον πολύ 32 καὶ κατέλιπεν Λυσίαν ἄνθρωπον ἔνδοξον καὶ ἀπὸ γένους τῆς βασιλείας ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων τοῦ βασιλέως ἀπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ Εὐφράτου καὶ ἕως ὁρίων Αἰγύπτου 33 καὶ τρέφειν Ἀντίοχον τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἕως τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι αὐτόν 34 καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτῷ τὰς ἡμίσεις τῶν δυνάμεων καὶ τοὺς ἐλέφαντας καὶ ἐνετείλατο αὐτῷ περὶ πάντων ὧν ἠβούλετο καὶ περὶ τῶν κατοικούντων τὴν Ιουδαίαν καὶ Ιερουσαλημ 35 ἀποστεῖλαι ἐ{P'} αὐτοὺς δύναμιν τοῦ ἐκτρῖψαι καὶ ἐξᾶραι τὴν ἰσχὺν Ισραηλ καὶ τὸ κατάλειμμα Ιερουσαλημ καὶ ἆραι τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου 36 καὶ κατοικίσαι υἱοὺς ἀλλογενεῖς ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῶν καὶ κατακληροδοτῆσαι τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν 37 καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς παρέλαβεν τὰς ἡμίσεις τῶν δυνάμεων τὰς καταλειφθείσας καὶ ἀπῆρεν ἀπὸ Ἀντιοχείας ἀπὸ πόλεως βασιλείας αὐτοῦ ἔτους ἑβδόμου καὶ τεσσαρακοστοῦ καὶ ἑκατοστοῦ καὶ διεπέρασεν τὸν Εὐφράτην ποταμὸν καὶ διεπορεύετο τὰς ἐπάνω χώρας

31 Here was the king in great confusion of mind; and his thought was, to march into Persia and take toll of those countries; great store of money he might there amass. 32 He left Lysias behind, that was a man of high rank and royal blood; he was to administer all the business of the kingdom, from Euphrates down to the Brook of Egypt, 33 and have charge of the young prince Antiochus, until the king’s return. 34 Half his army he entrusted to Lysias, and the elephants besides; and he signified all that he would have done, concerning Juda and Jerusalem particularly. 35 A force must be sent to overpower all that fought for Israel, or were yet left in Jerusalem, and make a clean riddance of them; no trace of these must be left; 36 all through the country settlers must be brought in from abroad, and the lands allotted between them. 37 With that, the king left his capital of Antioch, taking the remainder of his army with him; it was the hundred and forty-seventh year of the empire. Soon he was across Euphrates river, and on the march through the high countries.

31 Et consternatus erat animo valde, et cogitavit ire in Persidem, et accipere tributa regionum, et congregare argentum multum. 32 Et reliquit Lysiam hominem nobilem de genere regali, super negotia regia, a flumine Euphrate usque ad flumen Ægypti, 33 et ut nutriret Antiochum filium suum, donec rediret. 34 Et tradidit ei medium exercitum, et elephantos: et mandavit ei de omnibus quæ volebat, et de inhabitantibus Judæam, et Jerusalem: 35 et ut mitteret ad eos exercitum ad conterendam et extirpandam virtutem Israël, et reliquias Jerusalem, et auferendam memoriam eorum de loco: 36 et ut constitueret habitatores filios alienigenas in omnibus finibus eorum, et sorte distribueret terram eorum. 37 Et rex assumpsit partem exercitus residui, et exivit ab Antiochia civitate regni sui anno centesimo et quadragesimo septimo: et transfretavit Euphraten flumen, et perambulabat superiores regiones.

38 καὶ ἐπέλεξεν Λυσίας Πτολεμαῖον τὸν Δορυμένους καὶ Νικάνορα καὶ Γοργίαν ἄνδρας δυνατοὺς τῶν φίλων τοῦ βασιλέως 39 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν με{T'} αὐτῶν τεσσαράκοντα χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἑπτακισχιλίαν ἵππον τοῦ ἐλθεῖν εἰς γῆν Ιουδα καὶ καταφθεῖραι αὐτὴν κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως 40 καὶ ἀπῆρεν σὺν πάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει αὐτῶν καὶ ἦλθον καὶ παρενέβαλον πλησίον Αμμαους ἐν τῇ γῇ τῇ πεδινῇ 41 καὶ ἤκουσαν οἱ ἔμποροι τῆς χώρας τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῶν καὶ ἔλαβον ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον πολὺ σφόδρα καὶ πέδας καὶ ἦλθον εἰς τὴν παρεμβολὴν τοῦ λαβεῖν τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ εἰς παῖδας καὶ προσετέθησαν πρὸς αὐτοὺς δύναμις Συρίας καὶ γῆς ἀλλοφύλων

38 Three generals Lysias appointed for the task; Ptolemy son of Dorymenes, Nicanor and Gorgias, nobles all that were high in the royal favour; 39 with forty thousand foot and seven thousand horse they were to march on Juda and make an end of it, as the king had ordered. 40 So out they went, with all this army at their back, marched in, and pitched their tents near Emmaus, down in the valley. 41 Be sure the traders all about were apprised of their coming, and made their way into the camp with great sums of silver and gold, and a retinue of servants besides, thinking to buy Israelite slaves; levies, too, from Syria and Philistia made common cause with the invader.

38 Et elegit Lysias Ptolemæum filium Dorymini, et Nicanorem, et Gorgiam, viros potentes ex amicis regis: 39 et misit cum eis quadraginta millia virorum, et septem millia equitum, ut venirent in terram Juda, et disperderent eam secundum verbum regis. 40 Et processerunt cum universa virtute sua, et venerunt, et applicuerunt Emmaum in terra campestri. 41 Et audierunt mercatores regionum nomen eorum: et acceperunt argentum, et aurum multum valde, et pueros, et venerunt in castra ut acciperent filios Israël in servos, et additi sunt ad eos exercitus Syriæ, et terræ alienigenarum.

42 καὶ εἶδεν Ιουδας καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ ὅτι ἐπληθύνθη τὰ κακὰ καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις παρεμβάλλουσιν ἐν τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπέγνωσαν τοὺς λόγους τοῦ βασιλέως οὓς ἐνετείλατο ποιῆσαι τῷ λαῷ εἰς ἀπώλειαν καὶ συντέλειαν 43 καὶ εἶπαν ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ ἀναστήσωμεν τὴν καθαίρεσιν τοῦ λαοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ πολεμήσωμεν περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ τῶν ἁγίων 44 καὶ ἠθροίσθη ἡ συναγωγὴ τοῦ εἶναι ἑτοίμους εἰς πόλεμον καὶ τοῦ προσεύξασθαι καὶ αἰτῆσαι ἔλεος καὶ οἰκτιρμούς 45 καὶ Ιερουσαλημ ἦν ἀοίκητος ὡς ἔρημος οὐκ ἦν ὁ εἰσπορευόμενος καὶ ἐκπορευόμενος ἐκ τῶν γενημάτων αὐτῆς καὶ τὸ ἁγίασμα καταπατούμενον καὶ υἱοὶ ἀλλογενῶν ἐν τῇ ἄκρᾳ κατάλυμα τοῖς ἔθνεσιν καὶ ἐξήρθη τέρψις ἐξ Ιακωβ καὶ ἐξέλιπεν αὐλὸς καὶ κινύρα 46 καὶ συνήχθησαν καὶ ἤλθοσαν εἰς Μασσηφα κατέναντι Ιερουσαλημ ὅτι τόπος προσευχῆς ἦν ἐν Μασσηφα τὸ πρότερον τῷ Ισραηλ 47 καὶ ἐνήστευσαν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ καὶ περιεβάλοντο σάκκους καὶ σποδὸν ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτῶν καὶ διέρρηξαν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν

42 Judas, then, and his brethren found that matters had gone from bad to worse; here were the enemy encamped within their frontiers; they heard, besides, what orders the king had given for the destruction and taking away of their people. 43 And the word went round among them, Now to restore the lost fortunes of our race; now to do battle for people of ours, sanctuary of ours! 44 So a general assembly was called; they must make ready for the fight, and pray besides, to win mercy and pardon. 45 Not at Jerusalem; Jerusalem lay there, no city but a desert waste, nor any of her sons came and went; her sanctuary defiled, her citadel garrisoned by the alien, she was but a haunt of the Gentiles. Sad days for the men of Jacob; pipe nor harp sounded there now. 46 At Maspha, then, they gathered, looking across towards Jerusalem; time was when Maspha, too, had its place of prayer. 47 All that day they fasted, and wore sackcloth, and covered their heads with ashes, and tore their garments about them.

42 Et vidit Judas et fratres ejus, quia multiplicata sunt mala, et exercitus applicabant ad fines eorum: et cognoverunt verba regis, quæ mandavit populo facere in interitum et consummationem: 43 et dixerunt unusquisque ad proximum suum: Erigamus dejectionem populi nostri, et pugnemus pro populo nostro, et sanctis nostris. 44 Et congregatus est conventus ut essent parati in prælium, et ut orarent et peterent misericordiam et miserationes. 45 Et Jerusalem non habitabatur, sed erat sicut desertum: non erat qui ingrederetur et egrederetur de natis ejus. Et sanctum conculcabatur: et filii alienigenarum erant in arce; ibi erat habitatio gentium: et ablata est voluptas a Jacob, et defecit ibi tibia et cithara. 46 Et congregati sunt, et venerunt in Maspha contra Jerusalem, quia locus orationis erat in Maspha ante in Israël. 47 Et jejunaverunt illa die, et induerunt se ciliciis, et cinerem imposuerunt capiti suo, et disciderunt vestimenta sua:

48 καὶ ἐξεπέτασαν τὸ βιβλίον τοῦ νόμου περὶ ὧν ἐξηρεύνων τὰ ἔθνη τὰ ὁμοιώματα τῶν εἰδώλων αὐτῶν 49 καὶ ἤνεγκαν τὰ ἱμάτια τῆς ἱερωσύνης καὶ τὰ πρωτογενήματα καὶ τὰς δεκάτας καὶ ἤγειραν τοὺς ναζιραίους οἳ ἐπλήρωσαν τὰς ἡμέρας 50 καὶ ἐβόησαν φωνῇ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν λέγοντες τί ποιήσωμεν τούτοις καὶ ποῦ αὐτοὺς ἀπαγάγωμεν 51 καὶ τὰ ἅγιά σου καταπεπάτηνται καὶ βεβήλωνται καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς σου ἐν πένθει καὶ ταπεινώσει 52 καὶ ἰδοὺ τὰ ἔθνη συνῆκται ἐ{F'} ἡμᾶς τοῦ ἐξᾶραι ἡμᾶς σὺ οἶδας ἃ λογίζονται ἐ{F'} ἡμᾶς 53 πῶς δυνησόμεθα ὑποστῆναι κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν ἐὰν μὴ σὺ βοηθήσῃς ἡμῖν 54 καὶ ἐσάλπισαν ταῖς σάλπιγξιν καὶ ἐβόησαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ

48 What sights were these? Here, lying open, was a copy of the law, such as the heathen were ever making search for, … the counterpart of their own images.[1] 49 Here they had brought priestly vestments, and offering of first-fruits and tithes; here Nazirites were gathered, ripe and ready for the payment of their vows. 50 And a loud cry rose to heaven, What shall we do for these, thy votaries? Whither escort them now? 51 Sanctuary of thine is all profanation and defilement, priesthood of thine all misery and despair. 52 And now, see where the heathen muster their armies to destroy us! Needs not we should tell thee, how murderous their intent. 53 Lord, but for thy aid, how shall we resist their onslaught? 54 Loudly their voices, and loud the trumpets rang.

48 et expanderunt libros legis, de quibus scrutabantur gentes similitudinem simulacrorum suorum: 49 et attulerunt ornamenta sacerdotalia, et primitias, et decimas: et suscitaverunt Nazaræos, qui impleverant dies, 50 et clamaverunt voce magna in cælum, dicentes: Quid faciemus istis, et quo eos ducemus? 51 et sancta tua conculcata sunt, et contaminata sunt, et sacerdotes tui facti sunt in luctum, et in humilitatem: 52 et ecce nationes convenerunt adversum nos ut nos disperdant: tu scis quæ cogitant in nos. 53 Quomodo poterimus subsistere ante faciem eorum, nisi tu, Deus, adjuves nos? 54 Et tubis exclamaverunt voce magna.

55 καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο κατέστησεν Ιουδας ἡγουμένους τοῦ λαοῦ χιλιάρχους καὶ ἑκατοντάρχους καὶ πεντηκοντάρχους καὶ δεκαδάρχους 56 καὶ εἶπεν τοῖς οἰκοδομοῦσιν οἰκίας καὶ μνηστευομένοις γυναῖκας καὶ φυτεύουσιν ἀμπελῶνας καὶ δειλοῖς ἀποστρέφειν ἕκαστον εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὸν νόμον 57 καὶ ἀπῆρεν ἡ παρεμβολή καὶ παρενέβαλον κατὰ νότον Αμμαους 58 καὶ εἶπεν Ιουδας περιζώσασθε καὶ γίνεσθε εἰς υἱοὺς δυνατοὺς καὶ γίνεσθε ἕτοιμοι εἰς πρωὶ τοῦ πολεμῆσαι ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν τούτοις τοῖς ἐπισυνηγμένοις ἐ{F'} ἡμᾶς ἐξᾶραι ἡμᾶς καὶ τὰ ἅγια ἡμῶν 59 ὅτι κρεῖσσον ἡμᾶς ἀποθανεῖν ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ ἢ ἐπιδεῖν ἐπὶ τὰ κακὰ τοῦ ἔθνους ἡμῶν καὶ τῶν ἁγίων 60 ὡς {D'} ἂν ᾖ θέλημα ἐν οὐρανῷ οὕτως ποιήσει

55 Thereupon Judas chose out who should be their leaders, one with a thousand, one with a hundred, one with fifty, one with ten men to follow him; 56 he sent home, too, all such as the law holds exempt; all that had but just built house, or married wife, or planted vineyard, and whoever had no stomach to the fight.[2] 57 Then they moved camp, and pitched their tents southward of Emmaus. 58 Now for girded loins, cried Judas, and brave hearts! By to-morrow’s light, you must engage yonder heathen, sworn enemies to us, and to the ground we hold sacred. 59 Better die in battle, than live to see our race and our sanctuary overpowered. 60 Be it what it may, heaven’s will be done!

55 Et post hæc constituit Judas duces populi, tribunos, et centuriones, et pentacontarchos, et decuriones. 56 Et dixit his, qui ædificabant domos, et sponsabant uxores, et plantabant vineas, et formidolosis, ut redirent unusquisque in domum suam secundum legem. 57 Et moverunt castra, et collocaverunt ad austrum Emmaum. 58 Et ait Judas: Accingimini, et estote filii potentes, et estote parati in mane, ut pugnetis adversus nationes has quæ convenerunt adversus nos disperdere nos, et sancta nostra: 59 quoniam melius est nos mori in bello, quam videre mala gentis nostræ, et sanctorum. 60 Sicut autem fuerit voluntas in cælo, sic fiat.

[1] As the sentence stands, it can only mean that heathen pursuivants had confiscated the scriptures, as being objects of veneration to the Jews no less than idols were to themselves. But it seems possible that the text is deficient.

[2] See Deut. 20.5-8.

Knox Translation Copyright © 2013 Westminster Diocese
Nihil Obstat. Father Anton Cowan, Censor.
Imprimatur. +Most Rev. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. 8th January 2012.
Re-typeset and published in 2012 by Baronius Press Ltd