Liber II Maccabaeorum, 2

1. Invenitur autem in descriptio nibus quod Ieremias propheta iussit eos ignem accipere, qui transmigrabant, ut significatum est,

1. One finds in the records that Jeremiah the prophet ordered those who were being deported to take some of the fire, as has been told,

2. et ut mandavit propheta transmigratis dans illis legem, ne obliviscerentur praecepta Domini et ut non exerrarent mentibus videntes simulacra aurea et argentea et ornamenta eorum.

2. and that the prophet after giving them the law instructed those who were being deported not to forget the commandments of the Lord, nor to be led astray in their thoughts upon seeing the gold and silver statues and their adornment.

3. Et alia huiusmodi dicens hortabatur, ne legem amoverent a corde suo.

3. And with other similar words he exhorted them that the law should not depart from their hearts.

4. Erat autem in ipsa scriptura quomodo tabernaculum et arcam iussit propheta, divino responso ad se facto, comitari secum, usquequo exiit in montem, in quo Moyses ascendit et vidit Dei hereditatem.

4. It was also in the writing that the prophet, having received an oracle, ordered that the tent and the ark should follow with him, and that he went out to the mountain where Moses had gone up and had seen the inheritance of God.

5. Et veniens Ieremias invenit domum speluncae; et tabernaculum et arcam et altare incensi intulit illuc et ostium obstruxit.

5. And Jeremiah came and found a cave, and he brought there the tent and the ark and the altar of incense, and he sealed up the entrance.

6. Et accesserunt quidam ex his, qui simul sequebantur, ut notarent viam, et non potuerunt invenire.

6. Some of those who followed him came up to mark the way, but could not find it.

7. Ut autem cognovit Ieremias, culpans illos dixit quod ignotus erit locus, donec congreget Deus congregationem populi et misericordia fiat;

7. When Jeremiah learned of it, he rebuked them and declared: "The place shall be unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy.

8. et tunc Dominus ostendet haec, et apparebit maiestas Domini, et nubes erit, sicut et sub Moyse manifestabatur, sicut et Salomon petiit, ut locus sanctificaretur magnifice.

8. And then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord and the cloud will appear, as they were shown in the case of Moses, and as Solomon asked that the place should be specially consecrated."

9. Manifestabatur autem et ut sapientiam habens obtulit sacrificium dedicationis et consummationis templi.

9. It was also made clear that being possessed of wisdom Solomon offered sacrifice for the dedication and completion of the temple.

10. Sicut et Moyses orabat ad Dominum, et descendit ignis de caelo et consumpsit sacrificia, sic et Salomon oravit, et descendit ignis de caelo et consumpsit holocausta.

10. Just as Moses prayed to the Lord, and fire came down from heaven and devoured the sacrifices, so also Solomon prayed, and the fire came down and consumed the whole burnt offerings.

11. Et dixit Moyses: “Eo quod non sit comestum, quod erat pro peccato, consumptum est”.

11. And Moses said, "They were consumed because the sin offering had not been eaten."

12. Similiter et Salomon octo dies celebravit.

12. Likewise Solomon also kept the eight days.

13. Inferebantur autem in descriptionibus et commentariis secundum Nehemiam haec eadem, et ut construens bibliothecam congregavit libros de regibus et prophetis et libros David et epistulas regum de donariis.

13. The same things are reported in the records and in the memoirs of Nehemiah, and also that he founded a library and collected the books about the kings and prophets, and the writings of David, and letters of kings about votive offerings.

14. Similiter autem et Iudas ea, quae deciderant per bellum, quod nobis acciderat, congregavit omnia, et sunt apud nos.

14. In the same way Judas also collected all the books that had been lost on account of the war which had come upon us, and they are in our possession.

15. Si ergo desideratis haec, mittite, qui perferant vobis.

15. So if you have need of them, send people to get them for you.

16. Acturi itaque purificationem, scripsimus vobis; bene ergo facietis, si egeritis hos dies.

16. Since, therefore, we are about to celebrate the purification, we write to you. Will you therefore please keep the days?

17. Deus autem, qui liberavit universum populum suum et reddidit hereditatem omnibus et regnum et sacerdotium et sanctificationem,

17. It is God who has saved all his people, and has returned the inheritance to all, and the kingship and priesthood and consecration,

18. sicut promisit in lege. Speramus enim in Deo quod cito nostri miserebitur et congregabit de sub caelo in locum sanctum; eripuit enim nos de magnis periculis et locum purgavit.

18. as he promised through the law. For we have hope in God that he will soon have mercy upon us and will gather us from everywhere under heaven into his holy place, for he has rescued us from great evils and has purified the place.

19. De Iuda vero Maccabaeo et fratribus eius et de templi magni purificatione et de arae dedicatione,

19. The story of Judas Maccabeus and his brothers, and the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar,

20. sed et de proeliis, quae pertinent ad Antiochum Epiphanem et filium eius Eupatorem,

20. and further the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes and his son Eupator,

21. et de illuminationibus, quae de caelo factae sunt ad eos, qui generose pro Iudaismo fortiter fecerunt, ita ut universam regionem, cum pauci essent, vindicarent et barbaram multitudinem fugarent

21. and the appearances which came from heaven to those who strove zealously on behalf of Judaism, so that though few in number they seized the whole land and pursued the barbarian hordes,

22. et famosissimum in toto orbe templum recuperarent et civitatem liberarent et leges, quae futurum erat ut abolerentur, restituerentur, Domino cum omni clementia propitio facto illis,

22. and recovered the temple famous throughout the world and freed the city and restored the laws that were about to be abolished, while the Lord with great kindness became gracious to them --

23. quae omnia ab Iasone Cyrenaeo quinque libris declarata sunt, tentavimus nos uno volumine breviare.

23. all this, which has been set forth by Jason of Cyrene in five volumes, we shall attempt to condense into a single book.

24. Considerantes enim multitudinem numerorum et difficultatem, quae adest volentibus aggredi narrationes historiarum propter multitudinem rerum,

24. For considering the flood of numbers involved and the difficulty there is for those who wish to enter upon the narratives of history because of the mass of material,

25. curavimus volentibus quidem legere, ut esset animi oblectatio, studiosis vero, ut facilius possint memoriae commendare, omnibus autem legentibus utilitas conferatur.

25. we have aimed to please those who wish to read, to make it easy for those who are inclined to memorize, and to profit all readers.

26. Et nobis quidem ipsis, qui hoc opus breviandi causa suscepimus, non facilem laborem, immo vero negotium plenum vigiliarum et sudoris assumpsimus.

26. For us who have undertaken the toil of abbreviating, it is no light matter but calls for sweat and loss of sleep,

27. Sicut praeparanti convivium et quaerenti aliorum utilitatem non facile est, tamen propter multorum gratiam libenter laborem sustinebimus,

27. just as it is not easy for one who prepares a banquet and seeks the benefit of others. However, to secure the gratitude of many we will gladly endure the uncomfortable toil,

28. accurate quidem de singulis elaborare auctori concedentes, ipsi autem persequi datam formam brevitati studentes.

28. leaving the responsibility for exact details to the compiler, while devoting our effort to arriving at the outlines of the condensation.

29. Sicut enim novae domus architecto de universa structura curandum est, ei vero, qui inurere et pingere curat, quae apta sunt ad ornatum exquirenda sunt, ita aestimo et in nobis.

29. For as the master builder of a new house must be concerned with the whole construction, while the one who undertakes its painting and decoration has to consider only what is suitable for its adornment, such in my judgment is the case with us.

30. Inire quidem et deambulacrum facere verborum et curiosius partes singulas quasque disquirere historiae congruit auctori;

30. It is the duty of the original historian to occupy the ground and to discuss matters from every side and to take trouble with details,

31. brevitatem vero dictionis sectari et exsecutionem rerum vitare brevianti concedendum est.

31. but the one who recasts the narrative should be allowed to strive for brevity of expression and to forego exhaustive treatment.

32. Hinc ergo narrationem incipiemus, praedictis tantulo subiuncto; stultum etenim est ante historiam efffluere, ipsam autem historiam concidere.

32. At this point therefore let us begin our narrative, adding only so much to what has already been said; for it is foolish to lengthen the preface while cutting short the history itself.