Liber I Maccabaeorum, 16
1. et ascendit Johannis de Gazaris et nuntiavit Simoni patri suo quæ fecit Cendebeus
1. Then John came up from Gazara, and told Simon his father what Cendebeus had done against their people.
2. et vocavit Simon duos filios suos seniores Judam et Johannem et ait illis ego et fratres mei expugnavimus hostes Israël ab adulescentia usque in hunc diem et prosperatum est in manibus nostris liberare Israël aliquotiens
2. And Simon called his two eldest sons, Judas and John, and said to them: I and my brethren, and my father's house, have fought against the enemies of Israel from our youth even to this day: and things have prospered so well in our hands that we have delivered Israel oftentimes.
3. nunc autem senui sed estote loco meo et fratris mei et egressi pugnate pro gente nostra auxilium vero de cælo vobiscum sit
3. And now I am old, but be you instead of me, and my brethren, and go out, and fight for our nation: and the help from heaven be with you.
4. et elegit de regione viginti milia virorum belligeratorum et equites et profecti sunt ad Cendebeum et dormierunt in Modin
4. Then he chose out of the country twenty thousand fighting men, and horsemen, and they went forth against Cendebeus: and they rested in Modin.
5. et surrexerunt mane et abierunt in campum et ecce exercitus copiosus in obviam illis peditum et equitum et fluvius torrens erat inter medium ipsorum
5. And they arose in the morning, and went into the plain: and behold a very great army of footmen and horsemen came against them, and there was a running river between them.
6. et admovit castra contra faciem eorum ipse et populus ejus et vidit populum trepidantem ad transfretandum torrentem et transfretavit primus et viderunt eum viri et transierunt post eum
6. And he and his people pitched their camp over against them, and he saw that the people were afraid to go over the river, so he went over first: then the men seeing him, passed over after him.
7. et divisit populum et equites in medio peditum erat autem equitatus adversariorum copiosus nimis
7. And he divided the people, and set the horsemen in the midst of the footmen: but the horsemen of the enemies were very numerous.
8. et exclamaverunt sacris tubis et in fugam conversus est Cendebeus et castra ejus et ceciderunt ex eis multi vulnerati residui autem fugerunt in munitionem
8. And they sounded the holy trumpets: and Cendebeus and his army were put to flight: and there fell many of them wounded, and the rest fled into the strong hold.
9. tunc vulneratus est Judas frater Johannis Johannes autem insecutus est eos donec venit Cædronam quam ædificavit
9. At that time Judas John's brother was wounded: but John pursued after them, till he came to Cedron, which he had built:
10. et fugerunt usque ad turres quæ erant in agris Azoti et succendit eas igni et ceciderunt ex illis duo milia virorum et reversus est Judæam in pace
10. And they fled even to the towers that were in the fields of Azotus, and he burnt them with fire. And there fell of them two thousand men, and he returned into Judea in peace.
11. et Ptolomeus filius Abobi constitutus erat dux in campo Hiericho et habebat argentum et aurum multum
11. Now Ptolemee the son of Abobus was appointed captain in the plain of Jericho, and he had abundance of silver and gold,
12. erat enim gener summi sacerdotis
12. For he was son in law of the high priest.
13. et exaltatum est cor ejus et volebat obtinere regionem et cogitabat dolum adversus Simonem et filios ejus ut tolleret eos
13. And his heart was lifted up, and he designed to make himself master of the country, and he purposed treachery against Simon, and his sons, to destroy them.
14. Simon autem perambulans civitates quæ erant in regione et sollicitudinem gerens earum descendit Hiericho ipse et Matthathias filius ejus et Judas anno centesimo septuagesimo septimo mense undecimo hic mensis sabath
14. Now Simon, as he was going through the cities that were in the country of Judea, and taking care for the good ordering of them, went down to Jericho, he and Mathathias and Judas his sons, in the year one hundred and seventy-seven, the eleventh month: the same is the month Sabath.
15. et suscepit eos filius Abobi in munitiunculam quæ vocatur Doch cum dolo quam ædificavit et fecit eis convivium magnum et abscondit illic viros
15. And the son of Abobus received them deceitfully into a little fortress, that is called Doch which he had built: and he made them a great feast, and hid men there.
16. et cum inebriatus esset Simon et filii ejus surrexit Ptolomeus cum suis et sumpserunt arma sua et intraverunt in convivium et occiderunt eum et duos filios ejus et quosdam pueros ejus
16. And when Simon and his sons had drunk plentifully, Ptolemee and his men rose up and took their weapons, and entered into the banqueting place, and slew him, and his two sons, and some of his servants.
17. et fecit deceptionem magnam in Israël et reddidit mala pro bonis
17. And he committed a great treachery in Israel, and rendered evil for good.
18. et scripsit hæc Ptolomeus et misit regi ut mitteret ei exercitum in auxilium et traderet regionem et civitates eorum et tributa
18. And Ptolemee wrote these things and sent to the king that he should send him an army to aid him, and he would deliver him the country, and their cities, and tributes.
19. et misit alios in Gazaram tollere Johannem et tribunis misit epistulas ut venirent ad se et daret eis argentum et aurum et dona
19. And he sent others to Gazara to kill John: and to the tribunes he sent letters to come to him, and that he would give them silver, and gold, and gifts.
20. et alios misit occupare Hierusalem et montem templi
20. And he sent others to take Jerusalem, and the mountain of the temple.
21. et præcurrens quidam nuntiavit Johanni in Gazara quia periit pater ejus et fratres ejus et quia misit te quoque interfici
21. Now one running before, told John in Gazara, that his father and his brethren were slain, and that he hath sent men to kill thee also.
22. ut audivit autem vehementer expavit et conprehendit viros qui venerant perdere eum et occidit eos cognovit enim quia quærebant eum perdere
22. But when he heard it he was exceedingly afraid: and he apprehended the men that came to kill him, and he put them to death: for he knew that they sought to make him away.
23. et cetera sermonum Johannis et bellorum ejus et bonarum virtutum quibus fortiter gessit et ædificii murorum quos struxit et rerum gestarum ejus
23. And as concerning the rest of the acts of John, and his wars, and the worthy deeds, which he bravely achieved, and the building of the walls, which he made, and the things that he did:
24. ecce hæc scripta sunt in libro dierum sacerdotii ejus ex quo factus est princeps sacerdotum post patrem suum
24. Behold these are written in the book of the days of his priesthood, from the time he was made high priest after his father.
