II Macabeus, 8
1. Judas, chamado Macabeu, e seus companheiros penetravam secretamente nas aldeias e convocavam seus parentes. Arrastando consigo todos os que se haviam mantido fiéis ao judaísmo, formaram um grupo de aproximadamente seis mil homens.
1. But Judas Machabeus, and they that were with him, went privately into the towns: and calling together their kinsmen and friends, and taking unto them such as continued in the Jews' religion, they assembled six thousand men.
2. Suplicavam ao Senhor que olhasse para o povo, desdenhado por todos; que se compadecesse do templo profanado pelos ímpios;
2. And they called upon the Lord that he would look upon his people that was trodden down by all, and would have pity on the temple, that was defiled by the wicked:
3. que tivesse compaixão da cidade devastada, perto de ser reduzida ao nível do solo; que escutasse a voz do sangue derramado que a ele clamava;
3. That he would have pity also upon the city that was destroyed, that was ready to be made even with the ground, and would hear the voice of the blood that cried to him:
4. que se lembrasse da desumana carnificina de crianças inocentes e que vingasse também as blasfêmias proferidas contra seu nome.
4. That he would remember also the most unjust deaths of innocent children, and the blasphemies offered to his name, and would shew his indignation on this occasion.
5. Judas tornou-se o chefe da tropa e os gentios viram-se incapazes de resistir-lhe porque a cólera de Deus tinha-se convertido em misericórdia.
5. Now when Machabeus had gathered a multitude, he could not be withstood by the heathens: for the wrath of the Lord was turned into mercy.
6. Atacava de improviso as cidades e aldeias e as incendiava. Ocupava as posições favoráveis, de onde afugentava não poucos de seus inimigos.
6. So coming unawares upon the towns and cities, he set them on fire, and taking possession of the most commodious places, he made no small slaughter of the enemies ·
7. Era principalmente à noite que ele empreendia essas expedições. A fama de seu valor espalhava-se por toda a parte.
7. And especially in the nights he went upon these expeditions, and the fame of his valour was spread abroad every where.
8. Vendo Judas progredir dia a dia e alcançar sempre frequentes vitórias, Filipe escreveu ao governador da Celessíria e da Fenícia, Ptolomeu, e pediu-lhe auxílio para defender os interesses do rei.*
8. Then Philip, seeing that the man gained ground by little and little, and that things for the most part succeeded prosperously with him, wrote to Ptolemee the governor of Celesyria and Phenicia, to send aid to the king's affairs.
9. Imediatamente, Ptolomeu designou Nicanor, um dos primeiros amigos do rei e filho de Pátroclo, e o enviou à frente de uns vinte mil homens de todas as nações, para exterminar toda a raça judia. Agregou a ele Górgias, general perito em assuntos de guerra.
9. And he with all speed sent Nicanor the son of Patroclus, one of his special friends, giving him no fewer than twenty thousand armed men of different nations, to root out the whole race of the Jews, joining also with him Gorgias, a good soldier, and of great experience in matters of war.
10. Nicanor esperava obter, com a venda dos judeus que fossem aprisionados, os dois mil talentos que o rei devia como tributo aos romanos.
10. And Nicanor purposed to raise for the king the tribute of two thousand talents, that was to be given to the Romans, by making so much money of the captive Jews:
11. Enviou sem perda de tempo, às cidades da costa, o convite para que viessem comprar judeus, prometendo entregar noventa escravos por um talento. Mas não suspeitava então de que o castigo do Todo-poderoso iria cair sobre ele.
11. Wherefore he sent immediately to the cities upon the sea coast, to invite men together to buy up the Jewish slaves, promising that they should have ninety slaves for one talent, not reflecting on the vengeance, which was to follow him from the Almighty.
12. A notícia do avanço de Nicanor chegou a Judas, o qual informou aos seus da chegada dos inimigos.
12. Now when Judas found that Nicanor was coming, he imparted to the Jews that were with him, that the enemy was at hand.
13. Num relance, os que tinham medo ou não tinham confiança na justiça de Deus, fugiram e dispersaram-se.
13. And some of them being afraid, and distrusting the justice of God, fled away:
14. Os outros venderam seus pertences, suplicando ao Senhor que os livrasse do ímpio Nicanor, que os havia vendido antes mesmo de tê-los em mãos.
14. Others sold all that they had left, and withal besought the Lord, that he would deliver them from the wicked Nicanor, who had sold them before he came near them:
15. Se não por causa deles, que o fizesse ao menos em consideração às alianças estabelecidas com seus pais e porque seu santo e sublime nome tinha sido invocado sobre eles.
15. And if not for their sakes, yet for the covenant that he had made with their fathers, and for the sake of his holy and glorious name that was invoked upon them.
16. Macabeu reuniu então ao redor de si seus homens, em número de seis mil, exortou-os a não se deixarem intimidar pelos inimigos, nem temerem essa massa de gentios que vinha injustamente contra eles, e que combatessem com valentia;
16. But Machabeus calling together seven thousand that were with him, exhorted them not to be reconciled to the enemies, nor to fear the multitude of the enemies who came wrongfully against them, but to fight manfully:
17. que pensassem na indigna profanação infligida por eles ao templo, na humilhação imposta à cidade devastada e na ruína das tradições de seus antepassados.
17. Setting before their eyes the injury they had unjustly done the holy place, and also the injury they had done to the city, which had been shamefully abused, besides their destroying the ordinances of the fathers.
18. “Eles confiam – dizia ele – nas suas armas e na sua audácia, mas nós colocamos nossa segurança no Deus Todo-poderoso, que pode, com um só leve aceno, desbaratar tanto os que nos atacam como o universo inteiro!”
18. For, said he, they trust in their weapons, and in their boldness: but we trust in the Almighty Lord, who at a beck can utterly destroy both them that come against us, and the whole world.
19. Lembrou-lhes no passado o caso da proteção divina como, por exemplo, do exército de Senaquerib, haviam perecido cento e oitenta mil homens.
19. Moreover he put them in mind also of the helps their fathers had received from God: and how under Sennacherib a hundred and eighty-five thousand had been destroyed.
20. E, na batalha contra os gálatas, na Babilônia, oito mil judeus tiveram de lutar ao lado de quatro mil macedônios. Como estes se achavam numa situação crítica, os oito mil judeus massacraram cento e vinte mil inimigos, por causa do socorro que lhes foi dado do céu, e ainda recolheram um vasto despojo.
20. And of the battle that they had fought against the Galatians in Babylonia, how they, being in all but six thousand, when it came to the point, and Macedonians their companions were a stand, slew a hundred and twenty thousand, because of the help they had from heaven, and for this they received many favours.
21. Após ter reconfortado seus companheiros e tê-los incitado a morrer pelas leis e pela pátria, dividiu o exército em quatro divisões.
21. With these words they were greatly encouraged, and disposed even to die for the laws and their country.
22. Pôs à frente destes seus irmãos Simão, José e Jônatas, como também Eleazar, cada qual chefiando mil e quinhentos homens.*
22. So he appointed his brethren cap over each division of his army, Simon, and Joseph, and Jonathan, giving to one fifteen hundred men.
23. Apenas terminada a leitura do Livro santo e dada a senha: “Socorro de Deus”, ele mesmo pôs-se à frente do primeiro corpo e travou a batalha contra Nicanor.
23. And after the holy Book had been read to them by Esdras, and he had given them for a watchword, The help of God: himself leading the first band, he joined battle with Nicanor:
24. O Todo-poderoso combateu ao lado deles. Massacraram mais de nove mil inimigos, feriram e mutilaram a maior parte dos soldados de Nicanor e os puseram em fuga.
24. And the Almighty being their helper, they slew above nine thousand men: and having wounded and disabled the greater part of Nicanor's army, they obliged them to fly.
25. Apoderaram-se também do dinheiro dos que tinham vindo para comprá-los, e perseguiram por muito tempo os vencidos, mas tiveram que desistir, impedidos pelo tempo,
25. And they took the money of them that came to buy them, and they pursued them on every side.
26. porque era véspera de sábado, e isso os impedia de prosseguir.
26. But they came back for want of time: for it was the day before the sabbath: and therefore they did not continue the pursuit.
27. Ajuntaram as armas, recolheram os despojos dos inimigos e chegaram assim ao sábado, bendizendo o Senhor à porfia, e glorificando-o por havê-los livrado nesse dia, prenunciando a alvorada de sua misericórdia.
27. But when they had gathered together their arms and their spoils, they kept the sabbath: blessing the Lord who had delivered them that day, distilling the beginning of mercy upon them.
28. Passado o sábado, eles reservaram uma parte dos espólios para os que haviam sofrido com a perseguição, as viúvas e os órfãos. Dividiram o resto entre eles e seus filhos.
28. Then after the sabbath they divided the spoils to the feeble and the orphans, and the widows: and the rest they took for themselves and their servants.
29. Feito isso, rezaram ao Senhor em comum, suplicando misericórdia e reconciliação completa com seus servos.
29. When this was done, and they had all made a common supplication, they besought the merciful Lord to be reconciled to his servants unto the end.
30. Nos diferentes combates com os soldados de Timóteo e de Báquides, eles mataram mais de vinte mil e tornaram-se senhores absolutos de algumas fortalezas em pontos elevados. A abundante presa dividiram-na em duas partes iguais: uma para si mesmos, outra para os perseguidos, as mulheres, os órfãos e também os anciãos.
30. Moreover they slew above twenty thousand of them that were with Timotheus and Bacchides who fought them, and they made themselves masters of the high strong holds: and they divided amongst them many spoils, giving equal portions to the feeble, the fatherless and the widows, yea and the aged also.
31. As armas que eles haviam recolhido foram colocadas diligentemente em lugares seguros e levaram a Jerusalém o resto dos despojos.
31. And when they had carefully gathered together their arms, they laid them all up in convenient places, and the residue of their spoils they carried to Jerusalem :
32. Mataram o chefe dos guardas de Timóteo, um dos homens mais perversos, que havia feito muito mal aos judeus.
32. They slew also Philarches who was with Timotheus, a wicked man, who had many ways afflicted the Jews.
33. Quando celebraram a festa da vitória em Jerusalém, queimaram, dentro de uma pequena casa onde se haviam refugiado, Calístenes e os que haviam incendiado as portas do templo, infligindo-lhes assim o justo castigo de seu sacrilégio.
33. And when they kept the feast of the victory at Jerusalem, they burnt Callisthenes, that had set fire to the holy gates, who had taken refuge in a certain house, rendering to him a worthy reward for his impieties:
34. O tríplice celerado Nicanor – que fizera vir mil negociantes, para vender-lhes os judeus –
34. But as for that most wicked man Nicanor, who had brought a thousand merchants to the sale of the Jews,
35. humilhado, graças a Deus, por aqueles que ele desprezava profundamente, despojou-se da vestidura de honra, e, atravessando o interior do país sozinho, como um fugitivo, chegou a Antioquia, feliz por ainda ter podido escapar ao desastre de seu exército.
35. Being through the help of the Lord brought down by them, of whom he had made no account, laying; aside his garment of glory, fleeing through the midland country, he came alone to Antioch, being rendered very unhappy by the destruction of his army.
36. E ele, que tinha prometido pagar o tributo aos romanos com o dinheiro que tiraria da venda dos cativos de Jerusalém, publicou que os judeus possuíam um protetor e que se tornavam invulneráveis quando observavam as leis estabelecidas por esse defensor.
36. And he that had promised to levy the tribute for the Romans by the means of the captives of Jerusalem, now professed that the Jews had God for their protector, and therefore they could not be hurt, because they followed the laws appointed by him.
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