2 Maccabees, 6

1. But not much time later, the king sent a certain elder of Antioch, who compelled the Jews to transfer themselves from the laws of God and of their fathers,

1. Nedugo potom posla kralj Atenjanina Geronta da Židove prisiljava da krše zakone otaca i da se više u svom životu ne ravnaju po Božjim zakonima;

2. and also to contaminate the temple that was in Jerusalem, and to name it ‘Jupiter of Olympus,’ and in Garizim, ‘Jupiter of Hospitality,’ exactly like those who inhabited the place.

2. pa da oskvrne jeruzalemski Hram i pridijeli ga Olimpskom Zeusu, a onaj na Gerizimu Zeusu Gostoljubivom, kako su to tražili stanovnici tog mjesta.

3. Yet the worst and most grievous thing of all was the onrush of evils.

3. Narodu je bilo teško i nepodnosivo toliko zlo.

4. For the temple was full of the luxuries and carousings of the Gentiles, and of consorting with promiscuous women. And the women hurried themselves unreservedly into the sacred buildings, bringing in things that were not lawful.

4. Pogani ispuniše Hram raspuštenošæu i pijankama. Zabavljali su se s djevojèurama i u svetim se predvorjima upuštali sa ženama. Štoviše, u samu su unutrašnjost unosili koješta zabranjeno.

5. And even the altar was filled with illicit things, which were prohibited by the laws.

5. Žrtvenik su natovarili nedopuštenim žrtvama koje su zakoni branili.

6. And also the sabbaths were not kept, and the solemn days of the fathers were not observed, neither did anyone simply confess himself to be a Jew.

6. Èak nije bilo dopušteno svetkovati subotu, niti slaviti djedovske svetkovine otaca, niti se uopæe itko smio priznavati Židovom.

7. And so, they were led by bitter necessity, on the birthday of the king, to the sacrifices. And, when the holy things of Liber were celebrated, they were forced to go around crowned with the ivy of Liber.

7. Naprotiv, silom su ih tjerali na mjeseène žrtvene gozbe u spomen kraljeva roðendana, a kad se slavio Dionizov blagdan, morali su ovjenèani bršljanom iziæi u Dionizovu povorku.

8. Then a decree went out to the neighboring cities of the Gentiles, suggested by the Ptolemeans, that they too should act in a similar manner against the Jews, to oblige them to sacrifice,

8. Na Ptolemejev poticaj izišla je naredba da se i u susjednim helenskim gradovima jednako postupa sa Židovima, pa da i oni sudjeluju u obrednim gozbama,

9. and that those who were not willing to conform to the institutions of the Gentiles should be executed. Therefore, there was misery to be seen.

9. a da se ubiju oni koji ne prihvaæaju helenskih obièaja. Bilo je oèito kakva je nevolja nastala.

10. For two women were denounced for having had their boys circumcised. These, with the infants suspended at their breasts, when they had publicly led them around the city, they cast down from the walls.

10. Tako su bile izvedene pred sud dvije žene koje su obrezale svoju djecu. Objesili su im dojenèad o dojke te su ih javno vodili gradom, a onda strmoglavili sa zidina.

11. Truly, others, meeting together in nearby caves and celebrating the Sabbath day secretly, when they had been discovered by Philip, were burned with fire, because they showed reverence to the observances of religion, deciding to help themselves by their own hand.

11. Drugi se sastajali u obližnjim spiljama da potajno svetkuju sedmi dan: prokazali su ih Filipu te ih zajedno spališe; iz poštovanja prema tome svetom danu, oni se nisu ni branili.

12. So then, I beg those who will read this Book, let them not be repelled by these adverse events, but let them consider that these things happened, not for the destruction, but for the correction, of our people.

12. One kojima æe ova knjiga dopasti u ruke molim da zbog ovih nevolja ne klonu duhom; neka znaju da su se progonstva zbila ne na propast nego na popravak našeg naroda.

13. For it is also an indication of great benefits that sinners are not permitted to continue in their ways for a long time, but are promptly brought to punishment.

13. Znak je velike milosti kad se grešnici predugo ne puštaju nekažnjeni, nego ih namah stiže kazna.

14. For, as it is with other nations, (whom the Lord patiently awaits, so that, when the day of Judgment will arrive, he may punish them according to the plentitude of their sins,)

14. Dok u drugih naroda Gospod strpljivo èeka da ih kazni onda kad prevrše mjeru grijeha, dotle je s nama odluèio drukèije postupiti;

15. not so does he also deal with us, as if to put off our sins until the end, so as to punish us for them eventually.

15. ne èeka da nas kazni istom kad se veæ ispuni mjera naših grijeha.

16. Because of this, he certainly would never take away his mercy from us. Yet truly, chastising his people in adversity, he does not abandon them.

16. Zato nam on nikad ne uskraæuje svog milosrða niti svoj narod ostavlja, iako ga kažnjava nevoljama.

17. But these few things have been spoken by us as a reminder to the reader. For now we have arrived at the narration.

17. Neka je to dovoljno za opomenu. Nakon ovih nekoliko rijeèi nastavit æemo kazivanje.

18. And so, Eleazar, one of the chief scribes, a man advanced in years and of stately countenance, was compelled to open his mouth wide to consume the flesh of swine.

18. Eleazara, jednog od prvaka meðu pismoznancima, èovjeka veæ poodmakle dobi ali otmjene vanjštine, nagovorili su, silom mu otvarajuæi usta, da jede svinjetinu.

19. Yet he, embracing a most glorious death as greater than a detestable life, went forward voluntarily to the torments.

19. Ali je on više volio slavnu smrt nego sramotan život, pa sam dragovoljno pristupi muèilištu.

20. And so, thinking over the manner by which he ought to approach it, enduring patiently, he was determined not to permit, due to a love for life, any unlawful things.

20. Ali prije ispljunu ono što mu je bilo u ustima, kako treba da postupi svaki onaj koji se odluèno èuva onoga što nije dopušteno okusiti ni po cijenu ljubavi prema životu.

21. Yet those who stood near, being moved by an iniquitous pity because of long friendship with the man, taking him aside privately, asked that flesh be brought which was lawful for him to eat, so that he could pretend to have eaten, just as the king had commanded, from the flesh of the sacrifice.

21. Oni koji su predsjedavali tome bezbožnom obrednom obroku, kako su odavna poznavali tog èovjeka, uzeše ga nasamo nagovarati da sa sobom donese mesa koje smije uživati i koje je sam pripravio. Neka se samo pretvara da po kraljevoj zapovijedi jede od žrtvenog mesa.

22. So then, by doing this, he might be freed from death. And it was because of their old friendship with the man that they performed this kindness for him.

22. Uèini li tako, izbavit æe se od smrti njihovim èovjekoljubljem, na koje ih obvezuje staro prijateljstvo.

23. But he began to consider the eminent dignity of his stage of life and old age, and the natural honor of gray hair, as well as his exemplary words and deeds from childhood. And he responded quickly, according also to the ordinances of the sacred law preserved by God, saying, that he would first be sent to the underworld.

23. Ali on stvori plemenitu odluku, dostojnu svoje dobi i ugleda svoje èasne starosti i sijede glave i besprijekorna života sve od djetinjstva, a još veæma dostojnu svetih zakona koje je postavio sam Bog: bez oklijevanja izjavi neka ga samo pošalju u Podzemlje.

24. “For it is not worthy for those of our age,” he said, “to deceive, so that many adolescents might think that Eleazar, at ninety years, had converted to the life of the foreigners.

24. "Ne dolikuje našoj dobi pretvarati se, pa da mnogi mladiæi pomisle kako je Eleazar sa devedeset godina prešao na tuðinske obièaje.

25. And so, they, because of my pretense and for the sake of a brief time of a corruptible life, would be misled, and, through this stain and desecration, I would defile my last years.

25. Zbog svog pretvaranja da spasim ono malo prolaznog života, mogli bi i sami zastraniti, a ja bih tako na svoju starost navukao ljagu i sramotu.

26. But if, in the present time, I were rescued from the torments of men, I would then not escape the hand of the Almighty, neither in life, nor in death.

26. Jer, sve kad bih sada i umakao ljudskoj kazni, ni živ ni mrtav neæu izbjeæi rukama Svemoguæega.

27. For this reason, by departing life with fortitude, I will show myself to be clearly worthy of my long life.

27. A sada, junaèki se odrièuæi života, pokazat æu se dostojnim svoje starosti

28. And so, I will bequeath an example of fortitude to youths, if, with a ready soul and constancy, I carry out an honest death, for the sake of the most serious and most holy laws.” And having said this, he was immediately dragged away to execution.

28. i mladiæima ostaviti plemenit primjer kako se za èasne i svete zakone valja spremno i velikodušno izložiti smrti." Nakon tih rijeèi odmah pristupi muèilištu.

29. But those who led him, and who were more mild a little before, were turned to anger because of the words spoken by him, which they considered to have been brought forth by way of arrogance.

29. Oni koji su ga vodili, promijeniše dotadašnju naklonost u mržnju: njegove rijeèi èinile im se ludošæu.

30. But when he was ready to perish by the scourges, he groaned, and he said: “O Lord, who holds all holy knowledge, you clearly understand that, although I could be freed from death, I suffer grievous pains in body. Truly, according to the soul, I willingly endure these things, because of your fear.”

30. Kad je veæ pod udarcima umirao, uzdahnu i reèe: "Gospodin, koji posjeduje sveto znanje, dobro zna da sam se mogao izbaviti od smrti, ali da na svom tijelu podnosim teške muke bièevanja jer u duši radosno sve to podnosim u strahopoštovanju prema njemu."

31. And the way in which this man passed from this life, bequeathed, not only to youths, but also to the entire people, the memory of his death as an example of virtue and fortitude.

31. I tako je on preminuo i svojom smræu ostavio ne samo mladeži nego i veæini naroda primjer hrabrosti i spomenik kreposti.