Liber I Maccabaeorum, 4

1. Et assumpsit Gorgias quinque milia virorum et mille equites electos, et moverunt castra nocte,

1. Now Gorgias took five thousand infantry and a thousand picked cavalry, and this division moved out by night

2. ut applicarent ad castra Iudaeorum et percuterent eos subito; et, qui erant ex arce, erant illis duces.

2. to fall upon the camp of the Jews and attack them suddenly. Men from the citadel were his guides.

3. Et audivit Iudas et surrexit ipse et potentes percutere exercitum regis, qui erat in Emmaus,

3. But Judas heard of it, and he and his mighty men moved out to attack the king's force in Emmaus

4. dum adhuc dispersus esset exercitus a castris.

4. while the division was still absent from the camp.

5. Et venit Gorgias in castra Iudae noctu et neminem invenit; et quaerebat eos in montibus, quoniam dixit: “Fugiunt hi a nobis”.

5. When Gorgias entered the camp of Judas by night, he found no one there, so he looked for them in the hills, because he said, "These men are fleeing from us."

6. Et simul ut dies factus est, apparuit Iudas in campo cum tribus milibus virorum, tantum quod tegumenta et gladios non habebant ut volebant.

6. At daybreak Judas appeared in the plain with three thousand men, but they did not have armor and swords such as they desired.

7. Et viderunt castra gentium valida et loricatos et equitatus in circuitu eorum, et hi docti ad proelium.

7. And they saw the camp of the Gentiles, strong and fortified, with cavalry round about it; and these men were trained in war.

8. Et ait Iudas viris, qui secum erant: “Ne timueritis multitudinem eorum et impetum eorum ne formidetis;

8. But Judas said to the men who were with him, "Do not fear their numbers or be afraid when they charge.

9. mementote qualiter salvi facti sunt patres nostri in mari Rubro, cum sequeretur eos pharao cum exercitu.

9. Remember how our fathers were saved at the Red Sea, when Pharaoh with his forces pursued them.

10. Et nunc clamemus in caelum, si miserebitur nostri et memor erit testamenti patrum nostrorum et conteret exercitum istum ante faciem nostram hodie;

10. And now let us cry to Heaven, to see whether he will favor us and remember his covenant with our fathers and crush this army before us today.

11. et scient omnes gentes quia est, qui redimat et liberet Israel”.

11. Then all the Gentiles will know that there is one who redeems and saves Israel."

12. Et levaverunt alienigenae oculos suos et viderunt eos venientes ex adverso

12. When the foreigners looked up and saw them coming against them,

13. et exierunt de castris in proelium. Et tuba cecinerunt hi, qui erant cum Iuda,

13. they went forth from their camp to battle. Then the men with Judas blew their trumpets

14. et commiserunt bellum; et contritae sunt gentes et fugerunt in campum.

14. and engaged in battle. The Gentiles were crushed and fled into the plain,

15. Novissimi autem omnes ceciderunt in gladio, et persecuti sunt eos usque Gazeron et usque in campos Idumaeae et Azoti et Iamniae; et ceciderunt ex illis usque ad tria milia virorum.

15. and all those in the rear fell by the sword. They pursued them to Gazara, and to the plains of Idumea, and to Azotus and Jamnia; and three thousand of them fell.

16. Et reversus est Iudas et exercitus eius a persecutione eorum;

16. Then Judas and his force turned back from pursuing them,

17. dixitque ad populum: “Non concupiscatis spolia, quia bellum contra nos est,

17. and he said to the people, "Do not be greedy for plunder, for there is a battle before us;

18. et Gorgias et exercitus eius prope nos in monte, sed state nunc contra inimicos nostros et expugnate eos et post haec accipite spolia confidenter”.

18. Gorgias and his force are near us in the hills. But stand now against our enemies and fight them, and afterward seize the plunder boldly."

19. Et, adhuc loquente Iuda haec, apparuit pars quaedam prospiciens de monte.

19. Just as Judas was finishing this speech, a detachment appeared, coming out of the hills.

20. Et vidit quod in fugam conversi sunt sui, et succenderunt castra; fumus enim, qui videbatur, declarabat, quod factum est.

20. They saw that their army had been put to flight, and that the Jews were burning the camp, for the smoke that was seen showed what had happened.

21. Quibus illi conspectis, timuerunt valde; aspicientes vero et Iudae exercitum in campo paratum ad proelium

21. When they perceived this they were greatly frightened, and when they also saw the army of Judas drawn up in the plain for battle,

22. fugerunt omnes in terram alienigenarum.

22. they all fled into the land of the Philistines.

23. Et Iudas reversus est ad spolia castrorum; et acceperunt aurum multum et argentum et hyacinthum et purpuram marinam et opes magnas.

23. Then Judas returned to plunder the camp, and they seized much gold and silver, and cloth dyed blue and sea purple, and great riches.

24. Et conversi hymnum canebant et benedicebant in caelum: “Quoniam bonum, quoniam in saeculum misericordia eius”.

24. On their return they sang hymns and praises to Heaven, for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever.

25. Et facta est salus magna in Israel in die illa.

25. Thus Israel had a great deliverance that day.

26. Quicumque autem alienigenarum evaserunt, venerunt et nuntiaverunt Lysiae universa, quae acciderant;

26. Those of the foreigners who escaped went and reported to Lysias all that had happened.

27. quibus ille auditis, consternatus est et animo deficiebat, quod non, qualia voluit, talia contigerant in Israel, et, qualia mandaverat ei rex, evenerant.

27. When he heard it, he was perplexed and discouraged, for things had not happened to Israel as he had intended, nor had they turned out as the king had commanded him.

28. Et sequenti anno congregavit virorum electorum sexaginta milia et equitum quinque milia, ut debellaret eos.

28. But the next year he mustered sixty thousand picked infantrymen and five thousand cavalry to subdue them.

29. Et venerunt in Idumaeam et castra posuerunt in Bethsuris; et occurrit illis Iudas cum decem milibus viris.

29. They came into Idumea and encamped at Beth-zur, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.

30. Et vidit exercitum fortem et oravit et dixit: “Benedictus es, Salvator Israel, qui contrivisti impetum potentis in manu servi tui David et tradidisti castra alienigenarum in manu Ionathae filii Saul et armigeri eius.

30. When he saw that the army was strong, he prayed, saying, "Blessed art thou, O Savior of Israel, who didst crush the attack of the mighty warrior by the hand of thy servant David, and didst give the camp of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan, the son of Saul, and of the man who carried his armor.

31. Conclude exercitum istum in manu populi tui Israel, et confundantur in exercitu suo et equitibus suis.

31. So do thou hem in this army by the hand of thy people Israel, and let them be ashamed of their troops and their cavalry.

32. Da illis formidinem et tabefac audaciam virtutis eorum, et commoveantur contritione sua;

32. Fill them with cowardice; melt the boldness of their strength; let them tremble in their destruction.

33. deice illos gladio diligentium te, et collaudent te omnes, qui noverunt nomen tuum, in hymnis”.

33. Strike them down with the sword of those who love thee, and let all who know thy name praise thee with hymns."

34. Et commiserunt invicem proelium, et ceciderunt de exercitu Lysiae quinque milia virorum et prociderunt ex adverso eorum.

34. Then both sides attacked, and there fell of the army of Lysias five thousand men; they fell in action.

35. Videns autem Lysias factam eversionem exercitus sui, Iudae vero audaciam et quemadmodum parati sunt aut vivere aut mori fortiter, abiit Antiochiam et colligebat externos, ut multo numero rursus venirent in Iudaeam.

35. And when Lysias saw the rout of his troops and observed the boldness which inspired those of Judas, and how ready they were either to live or to die nobly, he departed to Antioch and enlisted mercenaries, to invade Judea again with an even larger army.

36. Dixit autem Iudas et fratres eius: “Ecce contriti sunt inimici nostri; ascendamus mundare sancta et renovare”.

36. Then said Judas and his brothers, "Behold, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it."

37. Et congregatus est omnis exercitus, et ascenderunt in montem Sion.

37. So all the army assembled and they went up to Mount Zion.

38. Et viderunt sanctificationem desertam et altare profanatum et portas exustas et in atriis virgulta nata, sicut in saltu vel in uno ex montibus, et pastophoria diruta.

38. And they saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, and the gates burned. In the courts they saw bushes sprung up as in a thicket, or as on one of the mountains. They saw also the chambers of the priests in ruins.

39. Et sciderunt vestimenta sua et planxerunt planctu magno et imposuerunt cinerem

39. Then they rent their clothes, and mourned with great lamentation, and sprinkled themselves with ashes.

40. et ceciderunt in faciem super terram et exclamaverunt tubis signorum et clamaverunt in caelum.

40. They fell face down on the ground, and sounded the signal on the trumpets, and cried out to Heaven.

41. Tunc ordinavit Iudas viros, ut pugnarent adversus eos, qui erant in arce, donec mundaret sancta.

41. Then Judas detailed men to fight against those in the citadel until he had cleansed the sanctuary.

42. Et elegit sacerdotes sine macula voluntatem habentes in lege;

42. He chose blameless priests devoted to the law,

43. et mundaverunt sancta et tulerunt lapides contaminationis in locum immundum.

43. and they cleansed the sanctuary and removed the defiled stones to an unclean place.

44. Et cogitaverunt de altari holocaustorum, quod profanatum erat, quid de eo facerent.

44. They deliberated what to do about the altar of burnt offering, which had been profaned.

45. Et incidit illis consilium bonum, ut destruerent illud, ne umquam illis esset in opprobrium, quia contaminaverunt illud gentes; et demoliti sunt altare

45. And they thought it best to tear it down, lest it bring reproach upon them, for the Gentiles had defiled it. So they tore down the altar,

46. et reposuerunt lapides in monte domus in loco apto, quoadusque veniret propheta, ut responderet de eis.

46. and stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple hill until there should come a prophet to tell what to do with them.

47. Et acceperunt lapides integros secundum legem et aedificaverunt altare novum secundum illud, quod fuit prius.

47. Then they took unhewn stones, as the law directs, and built a new altar like the former one.

48. Et aedificaverunt sancta et, quae intra domum erant, et atria sanctificaverunt.

48. They also rebuilt the sanctuary and the interior of the temple, and consecrated the courts.

49. Et fecerunt vasa sancta nova et intulerunt candelabrum et altare incensorum et mensam in templum.

49. They made new holy vessels, and brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple.

50. Et incenderunt super altare et accenderunt lucernas, quae super candelabrum erant et lucebant in templo,

50. Then they burned incense on the altar and lighted the lamps on the lampstand, and these gave light in the temple.

51. et posuerunt super mensam panes et appenderunt vela et consummaverunt omnia opera, quae fecerant.

51. They placed the bread on the table and hung up the curtains. Thus they finished all the work they had undertaken.

52. Et ante lucem surrexerunt quinta et vicesima die mensis noni — hic est mensis Casleu — centesimi quadragesimi octavi anni

52. Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-eighth year,

53. et obtulerunt sacrificium secundum legem super altare holocaustorum novum, quod fecerunt;

53. they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt offering which they had built.

54. secundum tempus et secundum diem, in qua contaminaverunt illud gentes, in ipsa renovatum est in canticis et citharis et cinyris et cymbalis.

54. At the very season and on the very day that the Gentiles had profaned it, it was dedicated with songs and harps and lutes and cymbals.

55. Et cecidit omnis populus in faciem, et adoraverunt et benedixerunt in caelum eum, qui prosperavit eis;

55. All the people fell on their faces and worshiped and blessed Heaven, who had prospered them.

56. et fecerunt dedicationem altaris diebus octo et obtulerunt holocausta cum laetitia et sacrificaverunt sacrificium salutaris et laudis

56. So they celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days, and offered burnt offerings with gladness; they offered a sacrifice of deliverance and praise.

57. et ornaverunt faciem templi coronis aureis et scutulis et dedicaverunt portas et pastophoria et imposuerunt eis ianuas.

57. They decorated the front of the temple with golden crowns and small shields; they restored the gates and the chambers for the priests, and furnished them with doors.

58. Et facta est laetitia in populo magna valde, et aversum est opprobrium gentium.

58. There was very great gladness among the people, and the reproach of the Gentiles was removed.

59. Et statuit Iudas et fratres eius et universa ecclesia Israel, ut agantur dies dedicationis altaris in temporibus suis ab anno in annum per dies octo, a quinta et vicesima die mensis Casleu, cum laetitia et gaudio.

59. Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of dedication of the altar should be observed with gladness and joy for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev.

60. Et aedificaverunt in tempore illo montem Sion per circuitum muros altos et turres firmas, ne quando venirent gentes et conculcarent ea, sicut antea fecerunt.

60. At that time they fortified Mount Zion with high walls and strong towers round about, to keep the Gentiles from coming and trampling them down as they had done before.

61. Et collocavit illic exercitum, ut servarent eum, et munivit eum ad custodiendam Bethsuram, ut haberet populus munitionem contra faciem Idumaeae.

61. And he stationed a garrison there to hold it. He also fortified Beth-zur, so that the people might have a stronghold that faced Idumea.