II Macabeus, 12

1. Concluídos esses tratados, voltou Lísias para junto do rei e os judeus voltaram aos trabalhos dos campos.

1. When this agreement had been reached, Lysias returned to the king, and the Jews went about their farming.

2. No entanto, chefes militares locais, como Timóteo e Apolônio, filho de Geneu, bem como Jerônimo e Demofonte, e além destes, o cipriarca Nicanor, não lhes davam trégua nem os deixavam viver em paz.

2. But some of the governors in various places, Timothy and Apollonius the son of Gennaeus, as well as Hieronymus and Demophon, and in addition to these Nicanor the governor of Cyprus, would not let them live quietly and in peace.

3. Por outro lado, os habitantes de Jope praticaram a seguinte infâmia: convidaram os judeus que habitavam entre eles a subirem com suas mulheres e filhos para barcas que eles haviam preparado. Não davam a entender qualquer má intenção escondida,

3. And some men of Joppa did so ungodly a deed as this: they invited the Jews who lived among them to embark, with their wives and children, on boats which they had provided, as though there were no ill will to the Jews;

4. mas pareciam proceder, seguindo uma decisão votada pela cidade. Os judeus, pacíficos e sem suspeitarem, anuíram, mas quando chegaram ao alto-mar foram afogados em número de duzentos pelo menos.

4. and this was done by public vote of the city. And when they accepted, because they wished to live peaceably and suspected nothing, the men of Joppa took them out to sea and drowned them, not less than two hundred.

5. Mal soube Judas do crime praticado contra a gente de sua nação, convocou seus homens.

5. When Judas heard of the cruelty visited on his countrymen, he gave orders to his men

6. Depois de ter invocado a Deus, justo juiz, foi contra os carrascos de seus irmãos e, de noite, ateou fogo ao porto, incendiou as embarcações e passou a fio de espada os que ali se haviam refugiado.

6. and, calling upon God the righteous Judge, attacked the murderers of his brethren. He set fire to the harbor by night, and burned the boats, and massacred those who had taken refuge there.

7. Como a cidade mesma estivesse fechada, afastou-se, mas com a intenção de voltar e exterminar todos os habitantes de Jope.

7. Then, because the city's gates were closed, he withdrew, intending to come again and root out the whole community of Joppa.

8. Por outro lado, informado de que os habitantes de Jâmnia queriam tratar do mesmo modo os judeus que viviam com eles,

8. But learning that the men in Jamnia meant in the same way to wipe out the Jews who were living among them,

9. atacou-os naquela mesma noite e incendiou o porto e a esquadra. De Jerusalém, que dista duzentos e quarenta estádios, podia-se observar o clarão do fogo.

9. he attacked the people of Jamnia by night and set fire to the harbor and the fleet, so that the glow of the light was seen in Jerusalem, thirty miles distant.

10. Percorridos já nove estádios, no seu avanço contra Timóteo, lançaram-se sobre eles os árabes em número de pelo menos cinco mil a pé e quinhentos a cavalo.

10. When they had gone more than a mile from there, on their march against Timothy, not less than five thousand Arabs with five hundred horsemen attacked them.

11. Travou-se um combate violento, mas, com a ajuda de Deus, os soldados de Judas venceram-nos. Vencidos, os árabes lhe pediram paz: prometiam dar gado aos judeus e os auxiliariam de outras maneiras.

11. After a hard fight Judas and his men won the victory, by the help of God. The defeated nomads besought Judas to grant them pledges of friendship, promising to give him cattle and to help his people in all other ways.

12. Crendo que, na verdade, eles lhe poderiam ser úteis, Judas aceitou a paz com eles, e, concluída esta, regressaram às suas tendas.

12. Judas, thinking that they might really be useful in many ways, agreed to make peace with them; and after receiving his pledges they departed to their tents.

13. Em seguida, atacou Judas uma cidade forte, chamada Caspin, cercada de muralhas, habitada por uma mistura de povos.

13. He also attacked a certain city which was strongly fortified with earthworks and walls, and inhabited by all sorts of Gentiles. Its name was Caspin.

14. Confiados na firmeza de seus muros e na abundância de suas provisões, os sitiados mostraram-se excessivamente grosseiros contra as tropas de Judas, lançando-lhes injúrias, blasfêmias e palavras ímpias.

14. And those who were within, relying on the strength of the walls and on their supply of provisions, behaved most insolently toward Judas and his men, railing at them and even blaspheming and saying unholy things.

15. Judas juntamente com os seus invocaram o grande Senhor do mundo, que, no tempo de Josué, derribou os muros de Jericó sem aríetes nem máquinas de guerra; depois, investiram furiosamente contra a muralha.

15. But Judas and his men, calling upon the great Sovereign of the world, who without battering-rams or engines of war overthrew Jericho in the days of Joshua, rushed furiously upon the walls.

16. Uma vez senhores da cidade pela vontade de Deus, praticaram uma horrorosa carnificina, a ponto de um tanque vizinho, com a largura de dois estádios, parecer cheio de sangue que ali se derramou.

16. They took the city by the will of God, and slaughtered untold numbers, so that the adjoining lake, a quarter of a mile wide, appeared to be running over with blood.

17. Dali, após uma marcha de setecentos e cinquenta estádios, chegaram a Cáraca, onde habitavam os judeus chamados tubianos.

17. When they had gone ninety-five miles from there, they came to Charax, to the Jews who are called Toubiani.

18. Não encontraram ali, todavia, Timóteo. Ele tinha-se retirado sem ter conseguido nada, mas deixara num posto uma guarnição muito forte.

18. They did not find Timothy in that region, for he had by then departed from the region without accomplishing anything, though in one place he had left a very strong garrison.

19. Dositeu e Sosípatro, que comandavam tropas de Macabeu, foram atacar esse posto fortificado e mataram todos os homens que Timóteo ali havia colocado, isto é, mais de dez mil.

19. Dositheus and Sosipater, who were captains under Maccabeus, marched out and destroyed those whom Timothy had left in the stronghold, more than ten thousand men.

20. Macabeu dividiu então seu exército e confiou a cada um deles uma parte; em seguida, foi contra Timóteo, acompanhado de cento e vinte mil infantes e dois mil e quinhentos cavaleiros.

20. But Maccabeus arranged his army in divisions, set men in command of the divisions, and hastened after Timothy, who had with him a hundred and twenty thousand infantry and two thousand five hundred cavalry.

21. Logo que teve conhecimento da chegada de Judas, Timóteo conduziu as mulheres, as crianças e as bagagens para o lugar chamado Cárnion, porque era um lugar tornado inexpugnável pelos desfiladeiros e de acesso muito difícil.

21. When Timothy learned of the approach of Judas, he sent off the women and the children and also the baggage to a place called Carnaim; for that place was hard to besiege and difficult of access because of the narrowness of all the approaches.

22. Quando apareceu o primeiro exército de Judas, o terror apoderou-se logo dos inimigos, porque aquele que vê todas as coisas manifestou-se a seus olhos. Puseram-se imediatamente em fuga desordenada, ferindo-se constantemente uns aos outros e transpassando-se com as suas próprias espadas.

22. But when Judas' first division appeared, terror and fear came over the enemy at the manifestation to them of him who sees all things; and they rushed off in flight and were swept on, this way and that, so that often they were injured by their own men and pierced by the points of their swords.

23. Judas perseguiu encarniçadamente esses malfeitores, matando e massacrando até trinta mil homens.

23. And Judas pressed the pursuit with the utmost vigor, putting the sinners to the sword, and destroyed as many as thirty thousand men.

24. O próprio Timóteo caiu nas mãos dos soldados de Dositeu e de Sosípatro, aos quais pediu com grandes instâncias deixá-lo partir são e salvo, porque tinha em seu poder os pais e mesmo os irmãos da maior parte deles, que poderiam ser maltratados.

24. Timothy himself fell into the hands of Dositheus and Sosipater and their men. With great guile he besought them to let him go in safety, because he held the parents of most of them and the brothers of some and no consideration would be shown them.

25. Dava-lhes numerosas garantias e prometia libertar seus prisioneiros sem fazer-lhes mal; e, com isso, soltaram-no, para salvar seus irmãos.

25. And when with many words he had confirmed his solemn promise to restore them unharmed, they let him go, for the sake of saving their brethren.

26. Em seguida, Judas atacou Cárnion e o templo de Atargates e massacrou vinte e cinco mil homens.*

26. Then Judas marched against Carnaim and the temple of Atargatis, and slaughtered twenty-five thousand people.

27. Depois dessa perseguição e matança, conduziu suas tropas diante de Efron, cidade fortificada, onde habitava Lísias e gente de todas as nações. Jovens robustos, colocados em frente à muralha, defendiam-na valentemente, enquanto dentro havia grande provisão de máquinas de guerra e projéteis.

27. After the rout and destruction of these, he marched also against Ephron, a fortified city where Lysias dwelt with multitudes of people of all nationalities. Stalwart young men took their stand before the walls and made a vigorous defense; and great stores of war engines and missiles were there.

28. Os judeus invocaram o Soberano que tem o poder de aniquilar as forças dos inimigos, tornaram-se senhores da cidade e mataram ali vinte e cinco mil homens.

28. But the Jews called upon the Sovereign who with power shatters the might of his enemies, and they got the city into their hands, and killed as many as twenty-five thousand of those who were within it.

29. Dali partiram eles para alcançar a cidade de Citópolis, a seiscentos estádios de Jerusalém.

29. Setting out from there, they hastened to Scythopolis, which is seventy-five miles from Jerusalem.

30. Todavia, os judeus que habitavam ali atestaram que os citopolitanos haviam usado de benevolência para com eles e os haviam tratado com deferência no tempo da perseguição.

30. But when the Jews who dwelt there bore witness to the good will which the people of Scythopolis had shown them and their kind treatment of them in times of misfortune,

31. Judas e os seus agradeceram, pois, a estes e os exortaram a perseverar nessas disposições para com os de sua raça. Em seguida, entraram em Jerusalém, porque a festa das Semanas se aproximava.

31. they thanked them and exhorted them to be well disposed to their race in the future also. Then they went up to Jerusalem, as the feast of weeks was close at hand.

32. Passada a festa de Pentecostes, foram contra Górgias, chefe militar da Idumeia.

32. After the feast called Pentecost, they hastened against Gorgias, the governor of Idumea.

33. Este saiu-lhes ao encontro com três mil infantes e quatrocentos cavaleiros.

33. And he came out with three thousand infantry and four hundred cavalry.

34. Travou-se uma batalha na qual pereceram alguns judeus.

34. When they joined battle, it happened that a few of the Jews fell.

35. Do­siteu, um dos cavaleiros de Baquenor, muito corajoso, apoderou-se de Górgias e retendo-o pela clâmide, arrastava-o à força, a fim de capturar vivo o maldito, quando se precipitou sobre ele um cavaleiro da Trácia, que lhe decepou um ombro. E Górgias fugiu para Marisa.

35. But a certain Dositheus, one of Bacenor's men, who was on horseback and was a strong man, caught hold of Gorgias, and grasping his cloak was dragging him off by main strength, wishing to take the accursed man alive, when one of the Thracian horsemen bore down upon him and cut off his arm; so Gorgias escaped and reached Marisa.

36. No entanto, as tropas de Esdrin, que combatiam há muito tempo, achavam-se fatigadas. Então, Judas suplicou ao Senhor que se mostrasse seu aliado e os guiasse no combate.

36. As Esdris and his men had been fighting for a long time and were weary, Judas called upon the Lord to show himself their ally and leader in the battle.

37. E, começando a entoar cantos na língua pátria e lançando o grito de guerra, atirou-se subitamente sobre os soldados de Górgias e obrigou-os à retirada.

37. In the language of their fathers he raised the battle cry, with hymns; then he charged against Gorgias' men when they were not expecting it, and put them to flight.

38. Depois disso, reunindo seu exército, Judas alcançou a cidade de Odolam e, chegando o sétimo dia da semana, purificaram-se segundo o costume e celebraram ali o sábado.

38. Then Judas assembled his army and went to the city of Adullam. As the seventh day was coming on, they purified themselves according to the custom, and they kept the sabbath there.

39. No dia seguinte, Judas e seus companheiros foram tirar os corpos dos mortos, como era necessário, para depô-los na sepultura ao lado de seus pais.

39. On the next day, as by that time it had become necessary, Judas and his men went to take up the bodies of the fallen and to bring them back to lie with their kinsmen in the sepulchres of their fathers.

40. Ora, sob a túnica de cada um encontraram objetos consagrados aos ídolos de Jâmnia, proibidos aos judeus pela Lei: todos, pois, reconheceram que fora esta a causa de sua morte.

40. Then under the tunic of every one of the dead they found sacred tokens of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear. And it became clear to all that this was why these men had fallen.

41. Bendisseram, pois, a mão do justo juiz, o Senhor, que faz aparecer as coisas ocultas,

41. So they all blessed the ways of the Lord, the righteous Judge, who reveals the things that are hidden;

42. e puseram-se em oração, para implorar-lhe o perdão completo do pecado cometido. O nobre Judas falou à multidão, exortando-a a evitar qualquer transgressão, ao ver diante dos olhos o mal que havia sucedido aos que foram mortos por causa dos pecados.

42. and they turned to prayer, beseeching that the sin which had been committed might be wholly blotted out. And the noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened because of the sin of those who had fallen.

43. Em seguida, organizou uma coleta, enviando a Jerusalém cerca de dez mil dracmas para que se oferecesse um sacrifício pelos pecados. Belo e santo modo de agir, decorrente de sua crença na ressurreição!

43. He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. In doing this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection.

44. Pois, se ele não julgasse que os mortos ressuscitariam, teria sido vão e supérfluo rezar por eles.

44. For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead.

45. Mas, se ele acreditava que uma belíssima recompensa aguarda os que morrem piedosamente,

45. But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.

46. era esse um bom e religioso pensamento. Eis por que ele pediu um sacrifício expiatório para que os mortos fossem livres de suas faltas.

46.