Liber II Maccabaeorum, 15

1. Nicanor autem, ut comperit eos, qui cum Iuda erant, in locis esse iuxta Samariam, cogitavit requietionis die cum omni securitate eos aggredi.

1. When Nicanor heard that Judas and his men were in the region of Samaria, he made plans to attack them with complete safety on the day of rest.

2. Iudaeis vero, qui illum per necessitatem sequebantur, dicentibus: “Ne ita ferociter et barbare disperdas, sed honorem tribue praehonoratae diei cum sanctificatione ab eo, qui universa conspicit”,

2. And when the Jews who were compelled to follow him said, "Do not destroy so savagely and barbarously, but show respect for the day which he who sees all things has honored and hallowed above other days,"

3. ille infelix interrogavit, si est potens in caelo, qui imperavit agi diem sabbatorum.

3. the thrice-accursed wretch asked if there were a sovereign in heaven who had commanded the keeping of the sabbath day.

4. Et respondentibus illis: “Est Dominus vivus ipse in caelo potens, qui iussit colere septimam diem”;

4. And when they declared, "It is the living Lord himself, the Sovereign in heaven, who ordered us to observe the seventh day,"

5. at ille ait: “Et ego potens sum super terram, qui impero sumi arma et negotia regis impleri”. Tamen non obtinuit, ut nefarium consilium perficeret.

5. he replied, "And I am a sovereign also, on earth, and I command you to take up arms and finish the king's business." Nevertheless, he did not succeed in carrying out his abominable design.

6. Et Nicanor quidem cum summa superbia cervicem erigens cogitaverat commune trophaeum statuere de iis, qui cum Iuda erant.

6. This Nicanor in his utter boastfulness and arrogance had determined to erect a public monument of victory over Judas and his men.

7. Maccabaeus autem sine intermissione confidebat cum omni spe auxilium se consequi a Domino;

7. But Maccabeus did not cease to trust with all confidence that he would get help from the Lord.

8. et hortabatur suos, ne formidarent adventum nationum, sed in mente habentes adiutoria sibi facta de caelo et nunc sperarent ab Omnipotente sibi affuturam victoriam.

8. And he exhorted his men not to fear the attack of the Gentiles, but to keep in mind the former times when help had come to them from heaven, and now to look for the victory which the Almighty would give them.

9. Et allocutus eos de Lege et Prophetis, admonens eos etiam de certaminibus, quae perfecerant, promptiores constituit eos.

9. Encouraging them from the law and the prophets, and reminding them also of the struggles they had won, he made them the more eager.

10. Et, animis eorum excitatis, denuntiavit simul ostendens gentium fallaciam et iuramentorum praevaricationem.

10. And when he had aroused their courage, he gave his orders, at the same time pointing out the perfidy of the Gentiles and their violation of oaths.

11. Cum autem singulos illorum armavisset, non tam clipeorum et hastarum munitione quam per bonos sermones exhortatione, cumque somnium fide dignum exposuisset, supra modum universos laetificavit.

11. He armed each of them not so much with confidence in shields and spears as with the inspiration of brave words, and he cheered them all by relating a dream, a sort of vision, which was worthy of belief.

12. Erat autem huiuscemodi visus eius: Oniam, qui fuerat summus sacerdos, virum honestum et bonum, verecundum occursu, modestum moribus et eloquium digne proferentem et qui a puero omnes virtutes domesticas exercuerat, manus protendentem orare pro omni populo Iudaeorum.

12. What he saw was this: Onias, who had been high priest, a noble and good man, of modest bearing and gentle manner, one who spoke fittingly and had been trained from childhood in all that belongs to excellence, was praying with outstretched hands for the whole body of the Jews.

13. Post hoc sic apparuisse virum canitie et gloria praestantem et mirabilem quandam et magni decoris esse eminentiam circa illum.

13. Then likewise a man appeared, distinguished by his gray hair and dignity, and of marvelous majesty and authority.

14. Respondentem vero Oniam dixisse: “Hic est fratrum amator, qui multum orat pro populo et sancta civitate, Ieremias propheta Dei”.

14. And Onias spoke, saying, "This is a man who loves the brethren and prays much for the people and the holy city, Jeremiah, the prophet of God."

15. Protendentem autem Ieremiam dextram dedisse Iudae gladium aureum et, cum daret, dixisse haec:

15. Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and gave to Judas a golden sword, and as he gave it he addressed him thus:

16. “Accipe sanctum gladium munus a Deo, in quo confringes adversarios”.

16. "Take this holy sword, a gift from God, with which you will strike down your adversaries."

17. Exhortati itaque Iudae sermonibus bonis valde, et qui poterant ad virtutem incitare et animos iuvenum confortare, statuerunt castra non tendere, sed fortiter inferri et cum omni virtute confligentes de negotiis iudicare, eo quod civitas et sancta et templum periclitarentur.

17. Encouraged by the words of Judas, so noble and so effective in arousing valor and awaking manliness in the souls of the young, they determined not to carry on a campaign but to attack bravely, and to decide the matter, by fighting hand to hand with all courage, because the city and the sanctuary and the temple were in danger.

18. Erat enim timor pro uxoribus et filiis itemque pro fratribus et cognatis in minore parte iacens, maximus vero et primus pro sanctificato templo.

18. Their concern for wives and children, and also for brethren and relatives, lay upon them less heavily; their greatest and first fear was for the consecrated sanctuary.

19. Sed et eos, qui in civitate erant comprehensi, non minima sollicitudo habebat propter illum sub aperto concursum.

19. And those who had to remain in the city were in no little distress, being anxious over the encounter in the open country.

20. Et, cum iam omnes exspectarent iudicium futurum, hostesque iam committerent, atque exercitus esset ordinatus, et bestiae opportuno in loco constitutae, et equitatus dispositus,

20. When all were now looking forward to the coming decision, and the enemy was already close at hand with their army drawn up for battle, the elephants strategically stationed and the cavalry deployed on the flanks,

21. considerans Maccabaeus adventum multitudinis et apparatum varium armorum et ferocitatem bestiarum, extendens manus in caelum prodigia facientem Dominum invocavit, sciens quoniam non est per arma, sed prout ab ipso iudicatum fuerit dignis tribuit victoriam.

21. Maccabeus, perceiving the hosts that were before him and the varied supply of arms and the savagery of the elephants, stretched out his hands toward heaven and called upon the Lord who works wonders; for he knew that it is not by arms, but as the Lord decides, that he gains the victory for those who deserve it.

22. Dixit autem invocans hoc modo: “Tu, Domine, qui misisti angelum tuum sub Ezechia rege Iudaeae, et interfecit de castris Sennacherib ad centum octoginta quinque milia,

22. And he called upon him in these words: "O Lord, thou didst send thy angel in the time of Hezekiah king of Judea, and he slew fully a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of Sennacherib.

23. et nunc, Dominator caelorum, mitte angelum bonum ante nos in timorem et tremorem;

23. So now, O Sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel to carry terror and trembling before us.

24. magnitudine brachii tui exterreantur, qui cum blasphemia veniunt adversus sanctum populum tuum”. Et hic quidem in his finem fecit.

24. By the might of thy arm may these blasphemers who come against thy holy people be struck down." With these words he ended his prayer.

25. Qui autem cum Nicanore erant, cum tubis et canticis admovebant;

25. Nicanor and his men advanced with trumpets and battle songs;

26. hi vero qui erant cum Iuda, cum invocatione et orationibus congressi sunt cum hostibus.

26. and Judas and his men met the enemy in battle with invocation to God and prayers.

27. Et manibus quidem pugnantes, sed Dominum cordibus orantes, prostraverunt non minus triginta quinque milia, praesentia Dei magnifice delectati.

27. So, fighting with their hands and praying to God in their hearts, they laid low no less than thirty-five thousand men, and were greatly gladdened by God's manifestation.

28. Cumque cessassent ab opere et cum gaudio redirent, cognoverunt Nicanorem proruisse cum armis suis;

28. When the action was over and they were returning with joy, they recognized Nicanor, lying dead, in full armor.

29. facto itaque clamore et tumultu, patria voce omnipotentem Dominum benedicebant.

29. Then there was shouting and tumult, and they blessed the Sovereign Lord in the language of their fathers.

30. Et praecepit ille, qui per omnia corpore et animo primus fuerat in certamine pro civibus, qui iuventutis benevolentiam in suam gentem conservaverat, caput Nicanoris abscindi et manum cum umero, ac Hierosolymam perferri.

30. And the man who was ever in body and soul the defender of his fellow citizens, the man who maintained his youthful good will toward his countrymen, ordered them to cut off Nicanor's head and arm and carry them to Jerusalem.

31. Quo cum pervenisset, convocatis contribulibus et sacerdotibus, ante altare stans accersiit eos, qui in arce erant;

31. And when he arrived there and had called his countrymen together and stationed the priests before the altar, he sent for those who were in the citadel.

32. et, ostenso capite iniqui Nicanoris et manu nefarii, quam extendens contra domum sanctam omnipotentis Dei magnifice gloriatus est,

32. He showed them the vile Nicanor's head and that profane man's arm, which had been boastfully stretched out against the holy house of the Almighty;

33. linguam etiam impii Nicanoris praecisam dixit particulatim avibus daturum, pretia autem dementiae contra templum suspendere.

33. and he cut out the tongue of the ungodly Nicanor and said that he would give it piecemeal to the birds and hang up these rewards of his folly opposite the sanctuary.

34. Omnes igitur in caelum benedixerunt manifestum Dominum dicentes: “Benedictus, qui locum suum incontaminatum servavit!”.

34. And they all, looking to heaven, blessed the Lord who had manifested himself, saying, "Blessed is he who has kept his own place undefiled."

35. Alligavit autem Nicanoris caput de summa arce evidens omnibus et manifestum signum auxilii Domini.

35. And he hung Nicanor's head from the citadel, a clear and conspicuous sign to every one of the help of the Lord.

36. Itaque omnes communi consilio decreverunt nullo modo diem istum absque celebritate praeterire, habere autem celebrem tertiam decimam diem, mensis duodecimi — Adar dicitur voce Syriaca — pridie Mardochaei diei.

36. And they all decreed by public vote never to let this day go unobserved, but to celebrate the thirteenth day of the twelfth month -- which is called Adar in the Syrian language -- the day before Mordecai's day.

37. Igitur his erga Nicanorem sic gestis, et ex illis temporibus ab Hebraeis civitate possessa, ego quoque hic faciam finem sermonis.

37. This, then, is how matters turned out with Nicanor. And from that time the city has been in the possession of the Hebrews. So I too will here end my story.

38. Et, si quidem bene et apte compositioni, hoc et ipse volebam; sin autem exigue et modice, hoc est, quod assequi poteram.

38. If it is well told and to the point, that is what I myself desired; if it is poorly done and mediocre, that was the best I could do.

39. Sicut enim vinum solummodo bibere, similiter autem rursus et aquam, contrarium est, quemadmodum autem vinum aquae contemperatum iam et delectabilem gratiam perficit, huiusmodi etiam structura sermonis delectat aures eorum, quibus contingat compositionem legere. Hic autem erit finis.

39. For just as it is harmful to drink wine alone, or, again, to drink water alone, while wine mixed with water is sweet and delicious and enhances one's enjoyment, so also the style of the story delights the ears of those who read the work. And here will be the end.