2 Maccabees, 9

1. At the same time, Antiochus returned in dishonor from Persia.

1. U isto se vrijeme Antioh sramotno vraæao iz perzijskih krajeva.

2. For he had entered into the city called Persepolis, and attempted to rob the temple, and to oppress the city, but the multitude, rushing to arms, turned them to flight, and so it happened that Antiochus, after fleeing, returned in disgrace.

2. Bio je provalio u grad Perzepolis i pokušao opljaèkati hram i zaposjesti grad. Ali se puèanstvo podiglo i pograbilo oružje, tako da se Antioh, jer su ga stanovnici te zemlje natjerali u bijeg, morao sramotno povlaèiti.

3. And when he had arrived near Ecbatana, he realized what had happened to Nicanor and Timothy.

3. Kad je došao do Ekbatane, saznao je što se dogodilo s Nikanorom i s Timotejevima.

4. And so, rising up in anger, he thought to turn back upon the Jews the injury done by those who had put him to flight. And, therefore, he ordered his chariot to be driven without stopping along the way, for the judgment of heaven was urging him on, because he had spoken so arrogantly about how he would come to Jerusalem and make it into a mass grave for the Jews.

4. Sav izvan sebe od jarosti, smišljao je kako da se i za uvredu onih koji su ga natjerali u bijeg iskali na Židovima. Zato je upravljaèu kola zapovjedio da njegova bojna kola tjera bez prestanka, sve dok ne stignu. Ali se veæ nad njim nadvila kazna s Neba, jer je ovako oholo govorio: "Naèinit æu od Jeruzalema, kad onamo doðem, židovsko groblje."

5. But the Lord God of Israel, who oversees all things, struck him with an incurable and invisible plague. For, as soon as he had finished these words, a dire pain in his abdomen seized him, with bitter internal torments.

5. Ali Svevid, Gospodin Bog Izraelov, udari ga neizljeèivom i nevidljivom bolešæu. Èim je izgovorio onu rijeè, spopade ga u crijevima nesnosna bol i strašne muke u utrobi.

6. And, indeed, it sprung forth justly, since he had tormented the internal organs of others with many strange and new tortures, yet he in no way ceased from his malice.

6. Tako je bilo baš i pravo, jer on je utrobama drugih zadao mnoge i neèuvene muke.

7. But, beyond this, being filled with arrogance, breathing fire with his soul against the Jews, and instructing the task to be accelerated, it happened that, as he was rushing on forcefully, he fell from the chariot, and his limbs were afflicted with a serious bruising of the body.

7. On se ipak svoga divljaštva nije okanio, nego nadut od oholosti i rigajuæi plamen gnjeva na Židove, zapovjedi da se ubrza vožnja. Tada ispade iz kola u trku, koja su odštropotala dalje, a on u nesretnu padu poišèaši sve udove na tijelu.

8. And he, being filled with arrogance beyond human means, seemed to himself to command even the waves of the sea and to weigh even the heights of the mountains in a balance. But now, humbled to the ground, he was carried on a stretcher, calling himself as a witness to the manifest virtue of God.

8. On, koji je u svome nadljudskom razmetanju mislio da je kadar zapovijedati morskim valovima, on koji je umišljao da može mjeriti gorske vrhove, sad se našao zgruhan na tlu, odakle su ga zatim digli na nosila. Tako se svima oèitovala na njemu Božja sila,

9. So then, worms swarmed from his impious body, and, as he lived on in pain, his flesh fell away, and then his odorous stench oppressed the army.

9. jer su crvi povrvjeli iz bezbožnikova tijela i sa živog mu tijela, u ljutim bolima, otpadalo meso te je smrad te gnjileži izazivao gaðenje u svoj vojsci.

10. And him who, a little before, thought that he could touch the stars of heaven, no one could endure to carry, because of the intolerable stench.

10. Malo prije mišljaše da dohvaæa nebeske zvijezde, a sada ga više nitko, zbog nepodnošljiva smrada, nije mogao pratiti.

11. And so, from then on, being led away from his heavy arrogance by the admonishment of a divine plague, he began to come to an understanding of himself, with his pains increasing through every moment.

11. Istom sada, sav skršen bolima, poèe popuštati u svojoj velikoj oholosti i pod Božjim bièem stao je dolaziti k pameti, jer su mu se od èasa do èasa poveæavale boli.

12. And, when he could not even bear his own stench, he spoke in this way: “It is just to be subject to God, and a mortal should not consider himself equal to God.”

12. Kad više ni sam nije mogao podnositi vlastitog smrada, priznade: "Pravo je pokoravati se Bogu i neka se smrtnik s Bogom ne izjednaèuje!"

13. Then this wicked one prayed to the Lord, from whom, subsequently, there might be no mercy.

13. Ali taj se zloèinac molio Gospodaru u koga više nije bilo smilovanja.

14. And the city, to which he was going in haste to pull it down to the ground and to make it a mass grave, he now wanted to make free.

14. Obeæavao je da æe Sveti grad, kamo se žurio da ga sravni sa zemljom i pretvori u groblje, proglasiti slobodnim;

15. And the Jews, whom he had said he certainly did not consider worthy even to be buried, but would deliver them to be torn apart by birds and wild beasts, and would exterminate them with their little ones, he now promised to make equal with the Athenians.

15. da æe s Atenjanima izjednaèiti sve Židove, koje inaèe nije smatrao dostojnima ni ukopa, nego vrijednima da se s njihovom djecom bace za hranu pticama grabilicama i divljim zvijerima;

16. And even the holy temple, which before he had plundered, he would adorn with the best gifts, and increase the holy vessels, and pay out from his revenues the charges pertaining to the sacrifices.

16. da æe najljepšim darovima ukrasiti sveti Hram, koji je prije oplijenio, i da æe mu mnogostruko vratiti sve sveto posuðe, a troškove žrtvovanja podmirivati od svojih dohodaka;

17. Beyond these things, he would even become a Jew himself, and would travel through every place on earth and declare the power of God.

17. i napokon da æe i sam postati Židov i da æe krstariti cijelim svijetom i naviještati Božju svemoæ.

18. But, when his pains did not cease, (for the just judgment of God had overwhelmed him,) in despair he wrote to the Jews, in the manner of a supplication, a letter composed in this way:

18. Ali kako mu boli nisu ništa popuštale, jer se na nj oborio pravedan sud Božji, u beznadnu stanju napisao je Židovima ovo pismo u kojem moli oproštenje. Ono glasi ovako:

19. “To the very good citizens of the Jews, Antiochus, king and ruler, wishes much health, and welfare, and happiness.

19. "Odliènim graðanima Židovima kralj i upravitelj Antioh šalje pozdrav želeæi im zdravlje i dobru sreæu!

20. If you and your sons are faring well, and if everything is according to your will, we give very great thanks.

20. Ako ste dobro vi i vaša djeca, ako vam poslovi idu od ruke, pun nade u Nebo

21. And so, fixed in infirmity, yet kindly remembering you, I am returning from the places of Persia, and, having been seized by a serious infirmity, I considered it necessary to have a concern for the common good,

21. rado se spominjem vašeg štovanja i vaše blagonaklonosti prema meni. Na povratku iz perzijskih krajeva, pošto sam zapao u nepodnošljivu bolest, smatram potrebnim da se pobrinem za opæe dobro.

22. not despairing in myself, but having a great hope to escape the infirmity.

22. Ne oèajavam zbog svog stanja nego se èvrsto nadam da æu se iz bolesti izvuæi.

23. Moreover, considering that my father also, during the time that he led an army into the upper regions, revealed who would take up the leadership after him,

23. Ipak, i moj je otac, kad je s vojskom polazio u gornje krajeve, odredio sebi nasljednika,

24. so that, if anything contrary should occur, or any if difficulties should be reported, those who were in the regions, knowing to whom the whole matter had been bequeathed, would not be disturbed.

24. da se, bude li neoèekivanih dogaðaja ili nepovoljnih glasova, državljani ne uzbunjuju, znajuæi kome je on prepustio upravu poslovima.

25. In addition to these things, considering that whichever are the nearest powers and neighbors lie in ambush for the right time and await the right event, I have designated my son, Antiochus, as king, whom I frequently commended to many of you while traveling in the upper provinces. And I have written to him what I have added below.

25. Osim toga, znam kako obližnji vladaoci i susjedi našeg kraljevstva vrebaju priliku i èekaju da se što dogodi. Zato sam za kralja odredio svoga sina Antioha, koga sam veæ više puta, polazeæi u gornje krajeve, mnogima od vas povjerio i preporuèio. I njemu sam, uostalom, napisao priloženo pismo.

26. And so, I beg you and petition you, that remembering the public and private benefits, each one will continue to be faithful to me and to my son.

26. Zato vas molim i zaklinjem da se sjetite dobroèinstava koje sam vam svima pojedinaèno uèinio te da svoju dosadašnju blagonaklonost prema meni saèuvate i prema mome sinu.

27. For I trust that he will behave with moderation and humanity, and that, following my intentions, he will be impartial to you.”

27. Zaista sam uvjeren da æe on savjesno slijediti moje nakane i blago i èovjekoljubivo postupati s vama."

28. And so the murderer and blasphemer, having been struck very badly, just as he himself had treated others, passed from this life in a miserable death on a journey among the mountains.

28. Tako je taj ubojica i hulitelj, poslije najužasnijih muka, kakve je znao zadavati drugima, najjadnije, u tuðoj zemlji, u pustim planinama završio život.

29. But Philip, who was nurtured with him, carried away his body, and, fearing the son of Antiochus, went into Egypt to Ptolemy Philometor.

29. Njegovo je tijelo uzeo sa sobom Filip, njegov prijatelj od djetinjstva, koji se u strahu od njegova sina Antioha uputio u Egipat Ptolemeju Filometoru.