Liber II Maccabaeorum, 8

1. Judas vero Macchabeus et qui cum illo erant introibant latenter in castella et convocantes cognatos et eos qui permanserant in judaismo adsumentes eduxerunt ad sex milia viros

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. et invocabant Dominum ut respiceret in populum qui ab omnibus calcabatur misereretur templo quod contaminabatur ab impiis

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. misereretur etiam exterminio civitatis quæ esset ilico conplananda et vocem sanguinis ad se clamantis audiret

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. memoraretur quoque iniquissimas mortes innocentium parvulorum et blasphemias nomini suo inlatas et indignaretur super his

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. at Macchabeus congregata multitudine intolerabilis gentibus efficiebatur ira enim Domini in misericordiam conversa est

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. et superveniens castellis et civitatibus inprovisus succendebat eas et oportuna loca occupans non paucas hostium strages dabat

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. maxime autem noctibus ad hujuscemodi excursus ferebatur et fama virtutis ejus ubique diffundebatur

7. And especially in the nights he went upon these expeditions, and the fame of his valour was spread abroad every where.

8. videns autem Philippus paulatim virum ad profectum venire ac frequentius res ei prospere cedere ad Ptolomeum ducem Cœlesyriæ et Fœnicis scripsit ut auxilium ferret regis negotiis

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. at ille velociter misit Nicanorem Patrocli de primoribus amicum datis ei permixtis gentibus armatis non minus viginti milibus ut universum Judæorum genus deleret adiuncto ei Gorgia viro militari

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. constituit autem Nicanor regi ut tributum Romanis quod erat dandum duo milia talentum de captivitate Judæorum suppleret

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. statimque ad maritimas misit civitates convocans ad cœmptionem judæorum mancipiorum promittens se nonaginta mancipia talento distracturum non respiciens ad vindictam quæ eum ab Omnipotente esset consecutura

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. Judas autem ubi conperit indicavit his qui secum erant Judæis Nicanoris adventum

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. ex quibus quidam formidantes et non credentes Dei justitiæ in fugam vertebantur

13. And some of them being afraid, and distrusting the justice of God, fled away:

14. alii vero si quid eis supererat vendebant simulque Dominum deprecabantur ut eriperet eos ab impio Nicanore qui eos priusquam in comminus veniret vendiderat

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. si non propter eos propter testamentum quod erat ad patres eorum et propter invocationem sancti et magnifici nominis ejus super ipsos

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. convocatis autem Macchabeus septem milibus qui cum ipso erant rogabat ne hostibus reconciliarentur neque metuerent inique venientium adversum se hostium multitudinem sed fortiter contenderent

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. ante oculos habentes contumeliam quæ in locum sanctum ab his iniuste esset inlata itemque et ludibria habitæ civitatis iniuriam adhuc etiam veterum instituta convulsa

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. nam illi quidem armis confidunt ait simul et audacia nos autem in omnipotente Domino qui potest venientes adversus nos et universum mundum uno nutu delere confidimus

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. admonuit autem eos et de auxiliis Dei quæ facta sunt erga parentes et sub Sennacherim centum octoginta quinque milia ut perierunt

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. et de prœlio quod eis adversus Galatas fuit in Babylonia ut omnes ubi ad rem ventum est Macedonibus sociis hæsitantibus ipsi sex milia soli peremerunt centum viginti milia propter auxilium illis datum e cælo et beneficia pro his plurima consecuti sunt

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. his verbis constantes effecti sunt et pro legibus et patria mori parati

21. With these words they were greatly encouraged, and disposed even to die for the laws and their country.

22. constituit itaque fratres suos duces utrique ordini Simonem et Josepphum et Jonathan subiectis unicuique millenis et quingentenis

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. ad hoc etiam ab Ezra lecto illis sancto libro et dato signo adiutorio Dei in prima acie ipse dux commisit cum Nicanore

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. et facto sibi adiutore Omnipotente interfecerunt super novem milia hominum majorem autem partem exercitus Nicanoris vulneribus debilem factam fugere conpulerunt

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. pecuniis vero eorum qui ad emptionem ipsorum venerant sublatis ipsos usquequaque persecuti sunt

25. And they took the money of them that came to buy them, and they pursued them on every side.

26. sed reverterunt hora conclusi nam erat ante sabbatum quam ob causam non perseveraverunt insequentes

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. arma autem ipsorum et spolia congregantes sabbatum agebant benedicentes Dominum qui liberavit eos in isto die misericordiæ initium stillans in eos

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. post sabbatum vero debilibus et orfanis et viduis diviserunt spolia et residua ipsi cum suis habuere

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. his ita gestis et communiter ab omnibus facta obsecratione misericordem Dominum postulabant ut in finem servis suis reconciliaretur

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. et ex his qui cum Timotheo et Bacchide erant contra se contendentes super viginti milia interfecerunt et munitiones excelsas obtinuerunt et plures prædas diviserunt æquam portionem debilibus pupillis et viduis sed et senioribus facientes

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. et cum arma eorum collegissent diligenter omnia conposuerunt in locis oportunis residua vero spolia Hierosolymam detulerunt

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. et phylarchen qui cum Timotheo erat interfecerunt virum scelestum qui in multis Judæos adflixerat

32. They slew also Philarches who was with Timotheus, a wicked man, who had many ways afflicted the Jews.

33. et cum epicinia agerent in Hierosolymis eos qui sacras januas incenderant id est Callistenen cum in quodam domicilio refugisset incenderunt digna ei mercede pro impietatibus suis reddita

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. facinorosissimus autem Nicanor qui mille negotiantes ad Judæorum venditionem adduxerat

34. But as for that most wicked man Nicanor, who had brought a thousand merchants to the sale of the Jews,

35. humiliatus auxilio Domini ab his quos nullos existimaverat deposita veste gloriæ per mediterranea fugiens solus venit Antiochiam summam infelicitatem de interitu sui exercitus consecutus

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. et qui promiserat Romanis se tributum restituere de captivitate Hierosolymorum prædicabat nunc protectorem Deum habere Judæos et ob ipsum invulnerabiles esse eo quod sequerentur leges ab ipso constitutas

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.