II Macabeos, 10

1. Macabeo y los suyos, guiados por el Señor, recuperaron el Templo y la ciudad,

1. Now Maccabeus and his followers, the Lord leading them on, recovered the temple and the city;

2. destruyeron los altares levantados por los extranjeros en la plaza pública, así como los recintos sagrados.

2. and they tore down the altars which had been built in the public square by the foreigners, and also destroyed the sacred precincts.

3. Después de haber purificado el Templo, hicieron otro altar; tomando fuego de pedernal del que habían sacado chispas, tras dos años de intervalo ofrecieron sacrificios, el incienso y las lámparas, y colocaron los panes de la Presencia.

3. They purified the sanctuary, and made another altar of sacrifice; then, striking fire out of flint, they offered sacrifices, after a lapse of two years, and they burned incense and lighted lamps and set out the bread of the Presence.

4. Hecho esto, rogaron al Señor, postrados sobre el vientre, que no les permitiera volver a caer en tales desgracias, sino que, si alguna vez pecaban, les corrigiera con benignidad, y no los entregara a los gentiles blasfemos y bárbaros.

4. And when they had done this, they fell prostrate and besought the Lord that they might never again fall into such misfortunes, but that, if they should ever sin, they might be disciplined by him with forbearance and not be handed over to blasphemous and barbarous nations.

5. Aconteció que el mismo día en que el Templo había sido profanado por los extranjeros, es decir, el veinticinco del mismo mes que es Kisléu, tuvo lugar la purificación del Templo.

5. It happened that on the same day on which the sanctuary had been profaned by the foreigners, the purification of the sanctuary took place, that is, on the twenty-fifth day of the same month, which was Chislev.

6. Lo celebraron con alegría durante ocho días, como en la fiesta de las Tiendas, recordando cómo, poco tiempo antes, por la fiesta de las Tiendas, estaban cobijados como fieras en montañas y cavernas.

6. And they celebrated it for eight days with rejoicing, in the manner of the feast of booths, remembering how not long before, during the feast of booths, they had been wandering in the mountains and caves like wild animals.

7. Por ello, llevando tirsos, ramas hermosas y palmas, entonaban himnos hacia Aquél que había llevado a buen término la purificación de su lugar.

7. Therefore bearing ivy-wreathed wands and beautiful branches and also fronds of palm, they offered hymns of thanksgiving to him who had given success to the purifying of his own holy place.

8. Por público decreto y voto prescribieron que toda la nación de los judíos celebrara anualmente aquellos mismos días.

8. They decreed by public ordinance and vote that the whole nation of the Jews should observe these days every year.

9. Tales fueron las circunstancias de la muerte de Antíoco, apellidado Epífanes.

9. Such then was the end of Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes.

10. Vamos a exponer ahora lo referente a Antíoco Eupátor, hijo de aquel impío, resumiendo las desgracias debidas a las guerras.

10. Now we will tell what took place under Antiochus Eupator, who was the son of that ungodly man, and will give a brief summary of the principal calamities of the wars.

11. En efecto, una vez heredado el reino, puso al frente de sus asuntos a un tal Lisias, estratega supremo de Celesiria y Fenicia.

11. This man, when he succeeded to the kingdom, appointed one Lysias to have charge of the government and to be chief governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia.

12. Pues Tolomeo, el llamado Macrón, el primero en observar la justicia con los judíos, debido a la injusticia con que se les había tratado, procuraba resolver pacíficamente lo que a ellos concernía;

12. Ptolemy, who was called Macron, took the lead in showing justice to the Jews because of the wrong that had been done to them, and attempted to maintain peaceful relations with them.

13. acusado ante Eupátor a consecuencia de ello por los amigos del rey, oía continuamente que le llamaban traidor, por haber abandonado Chipre, que Filométor le había confiado, y por haberse pasado a Antíoco Epífanes. Al no poder honrar debidamente la dignidad de su cargo, envenenándose, dejó esta vida.

13. As a result he was accused before Eupator by the king's friends. He heard himself called a traitor at every turn, because he had abandoned Cyprus, which Philometor had entrusted to him, and had gone over to Antiochus Epiphanes. Unable to command the respect due his office, he took poison and ended his life.

14. Gorgias, hecho estratega de la región, mantenía tropas mercenarias y en toda ocasión hostigaba a los judíos.

14. When Gorgias became governor of the region, he maintained a force of mercenaries, and at every turn kept on warring against the Jews.

15. Al mismo tiempo los idumeos, dueños de fortalezas estratégicas, causaban molestias a los judíos, y acogiendo a los fugitivos de Jerusalén procuraban fomentar la guerra.

15. Besides this, the Idumeans, who had control of important strongholds, were harassing the Jews; they received those who were banished from Jerusalem, and endeavored to keep up the war.

16. Macabeo y sus compañeros, después de haber celebrado una rogativa y haber pedido a Dios que luchara junto a ellos, se lanzaron contra las fortalezas de los idumeos;

16. But Maccabeus and his men, after making solemn supplication and beseeching God to fight on their side, rushed to the strongholds of the Idumeans.

17. después de atacarlos con ímpetu, se apoderaron de las posiciones e hicieron retroceder a todos los que combatían sobre la muralla; daban muerte a cuantos caían en sus manos. Mataron por lo menos 20.000.

17. Attacking them vigorously, they gained possession of the places, and beat off all who fought upon the wall, and slew those whom they encountered, killing no fewer than twenty thousand.

18. No menos de 9.000 hombres se habían refugiado en dos torres muy bien fortificadas y abastecidas de cuanto era necesario para resistir un sitio.

18. When no less than nine thousand took refuge in two very strong towers well equipped to withstand a siege,

19. Macabeo dejó entonces a Simón y José, y además a Zaqueo y a los suyos, en número suficiente para asediarles, y él mismo partió hacia otros lugares de mayor urgencia.

19. Maccabeus left Simon and Joseph, and also Zacchaeus and his men, a force sufficient to besiege them; and he himself set off for places where he was more urgently needed.

20. Pero los hombres de Simón, ávidos de dinero, se dejaron sobornar por algunos de los que estaban en las torres; por 70.000 dracmas dejaron que algunos se escapasen.

20. But the men with Simon, who were money-hungry, were bribed by some of those who were in the towers, and on receiving seventy thousand drachmas let some of them slip away.

21. Cuando se dio a Macabeo la noticia de lo sucedido, reunió a los jefes del pueblo y acusó a aquellos hombres de haber vendido a sus hermanos por dinero al soltar enemigos contra ellos.

21. When word of what had happened came to Maccabeus, he gathered the leaders of the people, and accused these men of having sold their brethren for money by setting their enemies free to fight against them.

22. Hizo por tanto ejecutarles por traidores e inmediatamente se apoderó de las dos torres.

22. Then he slew these men who had turned traitor, and immediately captured the two towers.

23. Con atinada dirección y con las armas en las manos, mató en las dos fortalezas a más de 20.000 hombres.

23. Having success at arms in everything he undertook, he destroyed more than twenty thousand in the two strongholds.

24. Timoteo, que antes había sido vencido por los judíos, después de reclutar numerosas fuerzas extranjeras y de reunir no pocos caballos traídos de Asia, se presentó con la intención de conquistar Judea por las armas.

24. Now Timothy, who had been defeated by the Jews before, gathered a tremendous force of mercenaries and collected the cavalry from Asia in no small number. He came on, intending to take Judea by storm.

25. Ante su avance, los hombres de Macabeo, en rogativas a Dios, cubrieron de polvo su cabeza y ciñeron de sayal la cintura;

25. As he drew near, Maccabeus and his men sprinkled dust upon their heads and girded their loins with sackcloth, in supplication to God.

26. y, postrándose delante del Altar, a su pie, pedían a Dios que, mostrándose propicio con ellos, se hiciera enemigo de sus enemigos y adversario de sus adversarios, como declara la Ley.

26. Falling upon the steps before the altar, they besought him to be gracious to them and to be an enemy to their enemies and an adversary to their adversaries, as the law declares.

27. Al acabar la plegaria, tomaron las armas y avanzaron un buen trecho fuera de la ciudad; cuando estaban cerca de sus enemigos, se detuvieron.

27. And rising from their prayer they took up their arms and advanced a considerable distance from the city; and when they came near to the enemy they halted.

28. A poco de difundirse la claridad del sol naciente, ambos bandos se lanzaron al combate; los unos tenían como garantía del éxito y de la victoria, además de su valor, el recurso al Señor; los otros combatían con la furia como guía de sus luchas.

28. Just as dawn was breaking, the two armies joined battle, the one having as pledge of success and victory not only their valor but their reliance upon the Lord, while the other made rage their leader in the fight.

29. En lo recio de la batalla, aparecieron desde el cielo ante los adversarios cinco hombres majestuosos montados en caballos con frenos de oro, que se pusieron al frente de los judíos;

29. When the battle became fierce, there appeared to the enemy from heaven five resplendent men on horses with golden bridles, and they were leading the Jews.

30. colocaron a Macabeo en medio de ellos y, cubriéndole con sus armaduras, le hacían invulnerable; arrojaban sobre los adversarios saetas y rayos, por lo que heridos de ceguera se dispersaban en completo desorden.

30. Surrounding Maccabeus and protecting him with their own armor and weapons, they kept him from being wounded. And they showered arrows and thunderbolts upon the enemy, so that, confused and blinded, they were thrown into disorder and cut to pieces.

31. 20.500 infantes fueron muertos y seiscientos jinetes.

31. Twenty thousand five hundred were slaughtered, besides six hundred horsemen.

32. El mismo Timoteo se refugió en una fortaleza, muy bien guardada, llamada Gázara, cuyo estratega era Quereas.

32. Timothy himself fled to a stronghold called Gazara, especially well garrisoned, where Chaereas was commander.

33. Las tropas de Macabeo, alborozadas, asediaron la ciudadela durante cuatro días.

33. Then Maccabeus and his men were glad, and they besieged the fort for four days.

34. Los de dentro, confiados en lo seguro de la posición, blasfemaban sin cesar y proferían palabras impías.

34. The men within, relying on the strength of the place, blasphemed terribly and hurled out wicked words.

35. Amanecido el quinto día, veinte jóvenes de las tropas de Macabeo, encendidos en furor a causa de las blasfemias, se lanzaron valientemente contra la muralla y con fiera bravura herían a cuantos se ponían delante.

35. But at dawn of the fifth day, twenty young men in the army of Maccabeus, fired with anger because of the blasphemies, bravely stormed the wall and with savage fury cut down every one they met.

36. Otros, subieron igualmente por el lado opuesto contra los de dentro, prendieron fuego a las torres y, encendiendo hogueras, quemaron vivos a los blasfemos. Aquéllos, entretanto, rompián las puertas, y tras abrir paso al resto del ejército, se apoderaron de la ciudad.

36. Others who came up in the same way wheeled around against the defenders and set fire to the towers; they kindled fires and burned the blasphemers alive. Others broke open the gates and let in the rest of the force, and they occupied the city.

37. Mataron a Timoteo, que estaba escondido en una cisterna, así como a su hermano Quereas y a Apolófanes.

37. They killed Timothy, who was hidden in a cistern, and his brother Chaereas, and Apollophanes.

38. Al término de estas proezas, con himnos y alabanzas bendecían al Señor que hacía grandes beneficios a Israel y a ellos les daba la victoria.

38. When they had accomplished these things, with hymns and thanksgivings they blessed the Lord who shows great kindness to Israel and gives them the victory.