1 Maccabees, 2

1. About then, Mattathias son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the line of Joarib, left Jerusalem and settled in Modein.

1. In those days Mattathias the son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, moved from Jerusalem and settled in Modein.

2. He had five sons, John known as Gaddi,

2. He had five sons, John surnamed Gaddi,

3. Simon called Thassi,

3. Simon called Thassi,

4. Judas called Maccabaeus,

4. Judas called Maccabeus,

5. Eleazar, called Avaran, and Jonathan called Apphus.

5. Eleazar called Avaran, and Jonathan called Apphus.

6. When he saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah and Jerusalem,

6. He saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah and Jerusalem,

7. he said, 'Alas that I should have been born to witness the ruin of my people and the ruin of the Holy City, and to sit by while she is delivered over to her enemies, and the sanctuary into the hand of foreigners.

7. and said, "Alas! Why was I born to see this, the ruin of my people, the ruin of the holy city, and to dwell there when it was given over to the enemy, the sanctuary given over to aliens?

8. 'Her Temple has become like someone of no repute,

8. Her temple has become like a man without honor;

9. the vessels that were her glory have been carried off as booty, her babies have been slaughtered in her streets, her young men by the enemy's sword.

9. her glorious vessels have been carried into captivity. Her babes have been killed in her streets, her youths by the sword of the foe.

10. Is there a nation that has not claimed a share of her royal prerogatives, that has not taken some of her spoils?

10. What nation has not inherited her palaces and has not seized her spoils?

11. All her ornaments have been snatched from her, her former freedom has become slavery.

11. All her adornment has been taken away; no longer free, she has become a slave.

12. See how the Holy Place, our beauty, our glory, is now laid waste, see how the gentiles have profaned it!

12. And behold, our holy place, our beauty, and our glory have been laid waste; the Gentiles have profaned it.

13. What have we left to live for?'

13. Why should we live any longer?"

14. Mattathias and his sons tore their garments, put on sackcloth, and observed deep mourning.

14. And Mattathias and his sons rent their clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned greatly.

15. The king's commissioners who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein for the sacrifices.

15. Then the king's officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the city of Modein to make them offer sacrifice.

16. Many Israelites gathered round them, but Mattathias and his sons drew apart.

16. Many from Israel came to them; and Mattathias and his sons were assembled.

17. The king's commissioners then addressed Mattathias as follows, 'You are a respected leader, a great man in this town; you have sons and brothers to support you.

17. Then the king's officers spoke to Mattathias as follows: "You are a leader, honored and great in this city, and supported by sons and brothers.

18. Be the first to step forward and conform to the king's decree, as all the nations have done, and the leaders of Judah and the survivors in Jerusalem; you and your sons shall be reckoned among the Friends of the King, you and your sons will be honoured with gold and silver and many presents.'

18. Now be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all the Gentiles and the men of Judah and those that are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons will be numbered among the friends of the king, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gifts."

19. Raising his voice, Mattathias retorted, 'Even if every nation living in the king's dominions obeys him, each forsaking its ancestral religion to conform to his decrees,

19. But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: "Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to do his commandments, departing each one from the religion of his fathers,

20. I, my sons and my brothers will still follow the covenant of our ancestors.

20. yet I and my sons and my brothers will live by the covenant of our fathers.

21. May Heaven preserve us from forsaking the Law and its observances.

21. Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances.

22. As for the king's orders, we will not follow them: we shall not swerve from our own religion either to right or to left.'

22. We will not obey the king's words by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left."

23. As he finished speaking, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein as the royal edict required.

23. When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice upon the altar in Modein, according to the king's command.

24. When Mattathias saw this, he was fired with zeal; stirred to the depth of his being, he gave vent to his legitimate anger, threw himself on the man and slaughtered him on the altar.

24. When Mattathias saw it, be burned with zeal and his heart was stirred. He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and killed him upon the altar.

25. At the same time he killed the king's commissioner who was there to enforce the sacrifice, and tore down the altar.

25. At the same time he killed the king's officer who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar.

26. In his zeal for the Law he acted as Phinehas had against Zimri son of Salu.

26. Thus he burned with zeal for the law, as Phinehas did against Zimri the son of Salu.

27. Then Mattathias went through the town, shouting at the top of his voice, 'Let everyone who has any zeal for the Law and takes his stand on the covenant come out and follow me.'

27. Then Mattathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying: "Let every one who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out with me!"

28. Then he fled with his sons into the hills, leaving all their possessions behind in the town.

28. And he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the city.

29. Many people who were concerned for virtue and justice went down to the desert and stayed there,

29. Then many who were seeking righteousness and justice went down to the wilderness to dwell there,

30. taking with them their sons, their wives and their cattle, so oppressive had their sufferings become.

30. they, their sons, their wives, and their cattle, because evils pressed heavily upon them.

31. Word was brought to the royal officials and forces stationed in Jerusalem, in the City of David, that those who had repudiated the king's edict had gone down to the hiding places in the desert.

31. And it was reported to the king's officers, and to the troops in Jerusalem the city of David, that men who had rejected the king's command had gone down to the hiding places in the wilderness.

32. A strong detachment went after them, and when it came up with them ranged itself against them in battle formation, preparing to attack them on the Sabbath day,

32. Many pursued them, and overtook them; they encamped opposite them and prepared for battle against them on the sabbath day.

33. and said, 'Enough of this! Come out and do as the king orders and you will be spared.'

33. And they said to them, "Enough of this! Come out and do what the king commands, and you will live."

34. The others, however, replied, 'We refuse to come out, and we will not obey the king's orders and profane the Sabbath day.'

34. But they said, "We will not come out, nor will we do what the king commands and so profane the sabbath day."

35. The royal forces at once went into action,

35. Then the enemy hastened to attack them.

36. but the others offered no opposition; not a stone was thrown, there was no barricading of the hiding places.

36. But they did not answer them or hurl a stone at them or block up their hiding places,

37. They only said, 'Let us all die innocent; let heaven and earth bear witness that you are massacring us with no pretence of justice.'

37. for they said, "Let us all die in our innocence; heaven and earth testify for us that you are killing us unjustly."

38. The attack was pressed home on the Sabbath itself, and they were slaughtered, with their wives and children and cattle, to the number of one thousand persons.

38. So they attacked them on the sabbath, and they died, with their wives and children and cattle, to the number of a thousand persons.

39. When the news reached Mattathias and his friends, they mourned them bitterly

39. When Mattathias and his friends learned of it, they mourned for them deeply.

40. and said to one another, 'If we all do as our brothers have done, and refuse to fight the gentiles for our lives and institutions, they will only destroy us the sooner from the earth.'

40. And each said to his neighbor: "If we all do as our brethren have done and refuse to fight with the Gentiles for our lives and for our ordinances, they will quickly destroy us from the earth."

41. So then and there they came to this decision, 'If anyone attacks us on the Sabbath day, whoever he may be, we shall resist him; we must not all be killed, as our brothers were in the hiding places.'

41. So they made this decision that day: "Let us fight against every man who comes to attack us on the sabbath day; let us not all die as our brethren died in their hiding places."

42. Soon they were joined by the Hasidaean party, stout fighting men of Israel, each one a volunteer on the side of the Law.

42. Then there united with them a company of Hasideans, mighty warriors of Israel, every one who offered himself willingly for the law.

43. All the refugees from the persecution rallied to them, giving them added support.

43. And all who became fugitives to escape their troubles joined them and reinforced them.

44. They organised themselves into an armed force, striking down the sinners in their anger, and the renegades in their fury, and those who escaped them fled to the gentiles for safety.

44. They organized an army, and struck down sinners in their anger and lawless men in their wrath; the survivors fled to the Gentiles for safety.

45. Mattathias and his friends made a tour, overthrowing the altars

45. And Mattathias and his friends went about and tore down the altars;

46. and forcibly circumcising all the boys they found uncircumcised in the territories of Israel.

46. they forcibly circumcised all the uncircumcised boys that they found within the borders of Israel.

47. They hunted down the upstarts and managed their campaign to good effect.

47. They hunted down the arrogant men, and the work prospered in their hands.

48. They wrested the Law out of the control of the gentiles and the kings and reduced the sinners to impotence.

48. They rescued the law out of the hands of the Gentiles and kings, and they never let the sinner gain the upper hand.

49. As the days of Mattathias were drawing to a close, he said to his sons, 'Arrogance and outrage are now in the ascendant; it is a period of turmoil and bitter hatred.

49. Now the days drew near for Mattathias to die, and he said to his sons: "Arrogance and reproach have now become strong; it is a time of ruin and furious anger.

50. This is the time, my children, for you to have a burning zeal for the Law and to give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors.

50. Now, my children, show zeal for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of our fathers.

51. Remember the deeds performed by our ancestors, each in his generation, and you will win great honour and everlasting renown.

51. "Remember the deeds of the fathers, which they did in their generations; and receive great honor and an everlasting name.

52. Was not Abraham tested and found faithful, was that not considered as justifying him?

52. Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness?

53. Joseph in the time of his distress maintained the Law, and so became lord of Egypt.

53. Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and became lord of Egypt.

54. Phinehas, our father, in return for his burning zeal, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood.

54. Phinehas our father, because he was deeply zealous, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood.

55. Joshua, for carrying out his task, became judge of Israel.

55. Joshua, because he fulfilled the command, became a judge in Israel.

56. Caleb, for his testimony before the assembled people, received an inheritance in the land.

56. Caleb, because he testified in the assembly, received an inheritance in the land.

57. David for his generous heart inherited the throne of an everlasting kingdom.

57. David, because he was merciful, inherited the throne of the kingdom for ever.

58. Elijah for his consuming fervour for the Law was caught up to heaven itself.

58. Elijah because of great zeal for the law was taken up into heaven.

59. Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael, for their fidelity, were saved from the flame.

59. Hannaniah, Azariah, and Mishael believed and were saved from the flame.

60. Daniel for his singleness of heart was rescued from the lion's jaws.

60. Daniel because of his innocence was delivered from the mouth of the lions.

61. Know then that, generation after generation, no one who hopes in him will be overcome.

61. "And so observe, from generation to generation, that none who put their trust in him will lack strength.

62. Do not fear the threats of the sinner, all his brave show must come to the dunghill and the worms.

62. Do not fear the words of a sinner, for his splendor will turn into dung and worms.

63. Exalted today, tomorrow he is nowhere to be found, for he has returned to the dust he came from and his scheming is brought to nothing.

63. Today he will be exalted, but tomorrow he will not be found, because he has returned to the dust, and his plans will perish.

64. My children, be resolute and courageous for the Law, for it will bring you glory.

64. My children, be courageous and grow strong in the law, for by it you will gain honor.

65. 'Here is your brother Simeon, I know he is a man of sound judgement. Listen to him all your lives; let him take your father's place.

65. "Now behold, I know that Simeon your brother is wise in counsel; always listen to him; he shall be your father.

66. Judas Maccabaeus, strong and brave from his youth, let him be your general and conduct the war against the gentiles.

66. Judas Maccabeus has been a mighty warrior from his youth; he shall command the army for you and fight the battle against the peoples.

67. The rest of you are to enrol in your ranks all those who keep the Law, and to assure the vengeance of your people.

67. You shall rally about you all who observe the law, and avenge the wrong done to your people.

68. Pay back the gentiles to the full, and hold fast to the ordinance of the Law.'

68. Pay back the Gentiles in full, and heed what the law commands."

69. Then he blessed them and was joined to his ancestors.

69. Then he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers.

70. He died in the year 146 and was buried in his ancestral tomb at Modein, and all Israel mourned him deeply.

70. He died in the one hundred and forty-sixth year and was buried in the tomb of his fathers at Modein. And all Israel mourned for him with great lamentation.