2 Maccabees, 6

1. Not long after this the king sent an old man of Athens to compel the Jews to depart from the laws of their fathers, and not to live after the laws of God:

1. After a while, the king sent an older Athenian to force the Jews to abandon their ancestral laws and no longer live according to the laws of God.

2. And to pollute also the temple in Jerusalem, and to call it the temple of Jupiter Olympius; and that in Garizim, of Jupiter the Defender of strangers, as they did desire that dwelt in the place.

2. And to have them also profane the temple in Jerusalem and dedicate it to the Olympian god. In the same way, he wanted them to dedicate the temple in Mount Gerizim to the hospitable god, according to the wishes of the inhabitants of the place.

3. The coming in of this mischief was sore and grievous to the people:

3. This worsened the evil and made it difficult and unbearable for all.

4. For the temple was filled with riot and revelling by the Gentiles, who dallied with harlots, and had to do with women within the circuit of the holy places, and besides that brought in things that were not lawful.

4. The Temple was profaned by the orgies of the pagans who went there to have a good time with prostitutes, and had intercourse in the sacred enclosures. And besides, they brought into the Temple things not permitted by the Law;

5. The altar also was filled with profane things, which the law forbiddeth.

5. the altar was laden with unclean victims prohibited by the law.

6. Neither was it lawful for a man to keep sabbath days or ancient fasts, or to profess himself at all to be a Jew.

6. It was no longer allowed to celebrate the sabbath or observe the customs of our fathers, or even to declare oneself a Jew.

7. And in the day of the king's birth every month they were brought by bitter constraint to eat of the sacrifices; and when the fast of Bacchus was kept, the Jews were compelled to go in procession to Bacchus, carrying ivy.

7. But, on the contrary, they were led by bitter necessity to celebrate the king's birthday with a monthly sacrifice. And when the feast of Dionysus came, they were also forced to follow the Dionysus procession and wear floral wreaths.

8. Moreover there went out a decree to the neighbour cities of the heathen, by the suggestion of Ptolemee, against the Jews, that they should observe the same fashions, and be partakers of their sacrifices:

8. At the suggestion of the inhabit-ants of Ptolemy, a decree was sent to the neighboring Greek cities ordering them to treat the Jews who lived there in the same way and oblige them to participate in the sacrifices.

9. And whoso would not conform themselves to the manners of the Gentiles should be put to death. Then might a man have seen the present misery.

9. Those who would not adopt the Greek customs were to be killed. So it was easy to foresee the fatal outcome.

10. For there were two women brought, who had circumcised their children; whom when they had openly led round about the city, the babes handing at their breasts, they cast them down headlong from the wall.

10. Two women were charged of having performed the rite of circumcision on their sons. They publicly paraded the women throughout the city with their babies hung at their breasts. Then they hurled them down from the city wall.

11. And others, that had run together into caves near by, to keep the sabbath day secretly, being discovered by Philip, were all burnt together, because they made a conscience to help themselves for the honour of the most sacred day.

11. Others who had assembled in nearby caves to celebrate the sabbath were denounced to Philip and they allowed themselves to be burned. Because of the holiness of the sabbath day, they had scruples about defending themselves.

12. Now I beseech those that read this book, that they be not discouraged for these calamities, but that they judge those punishments not to be for destruction, but for a chastening of our nation.

12. I now ask the readers of this book not to be shocked by these calamities. Bear in mind that this did not happen for the destruction of our race, but rather for our education.

13. For it is a token of his great goodness, when wicked doers are not suffered any long time, but forthwith punished.

13. God is showing his kindness when he does not let sinners continue on their way for a long time, but punishes them at once.

14. For not as with other nations, whom the Lord patiently forbeareth to punish, till they be come to the fulness of their sins, so dealeth he with us,

14. As for the other nations, the patient Lord doesn't punish them until they reach the full measure of their sins. But he deals with us in a different manner:

15. Lest that, being come to the height of sin, afterwards he should take vengeance of us.

15. he does not wait until we have reached the full measure in order to punish us.

16. And therefore he never withdraweth his mercy from us: and though he punish with adversity, yet doth he never forsake his people.

16. Therefore he never withdraws his mercy from us, and does not abandon his people, even when he punishes us with some adversity.

17. But let this that we at spoken be for a warning unto us. And now will we come to the declaring of the matter in a few words.

17. After reminding our readers of these truths, let us continue the story.

18. Eleazar, one of the principal scribes, an aged man, and of a well favoured countenance, was constrained to open his mouth, and to eat swine's flesh.

18. Eleazar, one of the prominent teachers of the Law, already old and of noble appearance, was forced to open his mouth to eat the flesh of a pig.

19. But he, choosing rather to die gloriously, than to live stained with such an abomination, spit it forth, and came of his own accord to the torment,

19. But he preferred to die honorably than to live in disgrace, and voluntarily came to the place where they beat him to death. He spit out bravely the piece of meat,

20. As it behoved them to come, that are resolute to stand out against such things, as are not lawful for love of life to be tasted.

20. as should be done by those who do not want to do things prohibited by the Law, even to save their life.

21. But they that had the charge of that wicked feast, for the old acquaintance they had with the man, taking him aside, besought him to bring flesh of his own provision, such as was lawful for him to use, and make as if he did eat of the flesh taken from the sacrifice commanded by the king;

21. Those in charge of this impious banquet took him aside, since they had known him for a long time, and tried to convince him to pretend to be eating the meat, but in reality, to eat something allowed by the Law and prepared by himself.

22. That in so doing he might be delivered from death, and for the old friendship with them find favour.

22. In this way, he could escape death, and be treated with humanity for the sake of their long-time friendship.

23. But he began to consider discreetly, and as became his age, and the excellency of his ancient years, and the honour of his gray head, whereon was come, and his most honest education from a child, or rather the holy law made and given by God: therefore he answered accordingly, and willed them straightways to send him to the grave.

23. But he preferred to make a noble decision worthy of his age, of his noble years, of his shining white hair, and of the irreproachable life he had led from childhood. Above all, showing respect for the holy laws established by God, he answered that he would rather be sent to the place of the dead. And he added,

24. For it becometh not our age, said he, in any wise to dissemble, whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar, being fourscore years old and ten, were now gone to a strange religion;

24. "It would be unworthy to pretend at our age, and to lead many young people to suppose that I, at ninety years, have gone over to the pagan customs.

25. And so they through mine hypocrisy, and desire to live a little time and a moment longer, should be deceived by me, and I get a stain to mine old age, and make it abominable.

25. If I led them astray for the sake of this short life I would bring disgrace to my old age.

26. For though for the present time I should be delivered from the punishment of men: yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty, neither alive, nor dead.

26. Even if I could now be saved from men, I cannot - whether living or dead - escape from the hands of the Almighty.

27. Wherefore now, manfully changing this life, I will shew myself such an one as mine age requireth,

27. I prefer to bravely sacrifice my life now, as befits my old age.

28. And leave a notable example to such as be young to die willingly and courageously for the honourable and holy laws. And when he had said these words, immediately he went to the torment:

28. So I shall leave an excellent example to the young, dying voluntarily and valiantly for the sacred and holy laws." Having said this, he gave himself over to death.

29. They that led him changing the good will they bare him a little before into hatred, because the foresaid speeches proceeded, as they thought, from a desperate mind.

29. Those who escorted him considered his words foolishness, so their previous gentleness turned into harshness.

30. But when he was ready to die with stripes, he groaned, and said, It is manifest unto the Lord, that hath the holy knowledge, that whereas I might have been delivered from death, I now endure sore pains in body by being beaten: but in soul am well content to suffer these things, because I fear him.

30. When he was almost at the point of death, he said groaning, "The Holy Lord, who sees all, knows that though I could have saved myself from death, I now endure terrible sufferings in my body. But in my soul, I suffer gladly because of the respect I have for him."

31. And thus this man died, leaving his death for an example of a noble courage, and a memorial of virtue, not only unto young men, but unto all his nation.

31. In his death, he left a noble example and a memorial of virtue and strength, not only to the young but to the whole nation.