Liber I Maccabaeorum, 3
1. et surrexit Judas qui vocabatur Macchabeus filius ejus pro eo
1. Then his son Judas, called Machabeus, rose up in his stead.
2. et adiuvabant eum omnes fratres ejus et universi qui se coniunxerant patri ejus et prœliabantur prœlium Israël cum lætitia
2. And all his brethren helped him, and all they that had joined themselves to his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel.
3. et dilatavit gloriam populo suo et induit se loricam sicut gigans et succinxit se arma bellica sua in prœliis et protegebat castra gladio suo
3. And he got his people great honour, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and girt his warlike armour about him in battles, and protected the camp with his sword.
4. similis factus est leoni in operibus suis et sicut catulus leonis rugiens in venatione
4. In his acts he was like a lion, and like a lion's whelp roaring for his prey.
5. et persecutus est iniquos perscrutans eos et qui conturbabant populum suum succendit flammis
5. And he pursued the wicked and sought them out, and them that troubled his people he burnt with fire:
6. et repulsi sunt inimici præ timore ejus et omnes operarii iniquitatis conturbati sunt et directa est salus in manu ejus
6. And his enemies were driven away for fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled: and salvation prospered in his hand.
7. et exacerbabat reges multos et lætificabat Jacob in operibus suis et in sæculum memoria ejus in benedictione
7. And he grieved many kings, and made Jacob glad with his works, and his memory is blessed for ever.
8. et perambulavit civitates Juda et perdidit impios ex eis et avertit iram ab Israël
8. And he went through the cities of Juda, and destroyed the wicked out of them, and turned away wrath from Israel.
9. et nominatus est usque ad novissimum terræ et congregavit pereuntes
9. And he was renowned even to the utmost part of the earth, and he gathered them that were perishing.
10. et congregavit Apollonius gentes et a Samaria virtutem multam et magnam ad bellandum contra Israël
10. And Apollonius gathered together the Gentiles, and a numerous and great army from Samaria, to make war against Israel.
11. et cognovit Judas et exiit obviam illi et percussit et occidit illum et ceciderunt vulnerati multi et reliqui fugerunt
11. And Judas understood it, and went forth to meet him: and he overthrew him, and killed him: and many fell down slain, the rest fled away.
12. et accepit spolia eorum et gladium Apollonii abstulit Judas et erat pugnans in eo omnibus diebus
12. And he took their spoils, and Judas took the sword of Apollonius, and fought with it all his lifetime.
13. et audivit Seron princeps exercitus Syriæ quod congregavit Judas congregationem et ecclesiam fidelium secum
13. And Seron captain of the army of Syria heard that Judas had assembled a company of the faithful, and a congregation with him,
14. et ait faciam mihi nomen et glorificabor in regno et debellabo Judam et eos qui cum ipso sunt qui spernebant verbum regis
14. And he said: I will get me a name, and will be glorified in the kingdom, and will overthrow Judas, and those that are with him, that have despised the edict of the king.
15. et præparavit se et ascenderunt cum eo castra impiorum fortes auxiliarii ut facerent vindictam in filios Israël
15. And he made himself ready: and the host of the wicked went up with him, strong succours, to be revenged of the children of Israel.
16. et adpropinquaverunt usque Bethoron et exivit Judas obviam illi cum paucis
16. And they approached even as far as Bethoron: and Judas went forth to meet him, with a small company.
17. ut viderunt autem exercitum venientem sibi obviam dixerunt Judæ quomodo poterimus pauci pugnare ad multitudinem tantam tam fortem et nos fatigati sumus jejunio hodie
17. But when they saw the army coming to meet them, they said to Judas: How shall we, being few, be able to fight against so great a multitude and so strong, and we are ready to faint with fasting today?
18. et ait Judas facile est concludi multos in manus paucorum et non est differentia in conspectu Dei cæli liberare in multis et in paucis
18. And Judas said: It is an easy matter for many to be shut up in the hands of a few: and there is no difference in the sight of the God of heaven to deliver with a great multitude, or with a small company:
19. quia non in multitudine exercitus victoria belli sed de cælo fortitudo est
19. For the success of war is not in the multitude of the army, but strength cometh from heaven.
20. ipsi veniunt ad nos in multitudine contumaci et superba ut disperdant nos et uxores nostras et filios nostros et ut spolient nos
20. They come against us with an insolent multitude, and with pride, to destroy us, and our wives, and our children, and to take our spoils.
21. nos vero pugnabimus pro animabus nostris et legibus nostris
21. But we will fight for our lives and our laws:
22. et ipse Dominus conteret eos ante faciem nostram vos autem ne timueritis eos
22. And the Lord himself will overthrow them before our face: but as for you, fear them not.
23. ut cessavit autem loquens insiluit in eos subito et contritus est Seron et exercitus ejus in conspectu ipsius
23. And as soon as he had made an end of speaking, he rushed suddenly upon them: and Seron and his host were overthrown before him:
24. et persequebatur eum in descensu Bethoron usque in campum et ceciderunt ex eis octingenti viri reliqui autem fugerunt in terram Philisthim
24. And he pursued him by the descent of Bethoron even to the plain, and there fell of them eight hundred men, and the rest fled into the land of the Philistines.
25. et cecidit timor Judæ ac fratrum ejus et formido super omnes gentes in circuitu eorum
25. And the fear of Judas and of his brethren, and the dread of them fell upon all the nations round about them.
26. et pervenit ad regem nomen ejus et de prœliis Judæ narrabant omnes gentes
26. And his fame came to the king, and all nations told of the battles of Judas.
27. ut audivit autem Antiochus sermones istos iratus est animo et misit et congregavit exercitum universi regni sui castra fortia valde
27. Now when king Antiochus heard these words, he was angry in his mind: and he sent and gathered the forces of all his kingdom, an exceeding strong army.
28. et aperuit ærarium suum et dedit stipendia exercitui in annum et mandavit illis ut essent parati ad omnia
28. And he opened his treasury, and gave out pay to the army for a year: and he commanded them, that they should be ready for all things.
29. et vidit quod defecit pecunia de thesauris et tributa regionis modica propter dissensionem et plagam quam fecit in terra ut tolleret legitima quæ erant a primis diebus
29. And he perceived that the money of his treasures failed, and that the tributes of the country were small because of the dissension, and the evil that he had brought upon the land, that he might take away the laws of old times:
30. et timuit ne non haberet et semel et bis in sumptus et donativa quæ dederat ante larga manu et abundaverat super reges qui ante eum fuerant
30. And he feared that he should not have as formerly enough, for charges and gifts, which he had given before with a liberal hand: for he had abounded more than the kings that had been before him.
31. consternatus erat animo valde et cogitavit ire in Persidem et accipere tributa regionum et congregare argentum multum
31. And he was greatly perplexed in mind, and purposed to go into Persia, and to take tributes of the countries, and to gather much money.
32. et reliquit Lysiam hominem nobilem de genere regali super negotia regia a flumine Eufraten usque ad flumen Ægypti
32. And he left Lysias, a nobleman of the blood royal, to oversee the affairs of the kingdom, from the river Euphrates even to the river of Egypt:
33. et ut nutriret Antiochum filium suum donec rediret
33. And to bring up his son Antiochus, till he came again.
34. et tradidit ei medium exercitum et elefantos et mandavit ei de omnibus quæ volebat et de inhabitantibus Judæam et Hierusalem
34. And he delivered to him half the army, and the elephants: and he gave him charge concerning all that he would have done, and concerning the inhabitants of Judea, and Jerusalem:
35. ut mitteret ad eos exercitum ad conterendam et extirpandam virtutem Israël et reliquias Hierusalem et auferendam memoriam de loco
35. And that he should send an army against them, to destroy and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away the memory of them from that place:
36. et ut constitueret habitatores filios alienigenas in omnibus finibus eorum et sorte distribueret terram eorum
36. And that he should settle strangers to dwell in all their coasts, and divide their land by lot.
37. et rex adsumpsit partem exercitus residui et exivit ab Antiochia civitate regni sui anno centesimo et quadragesimo et septimo et transfretavit Eufraten flumen et perambulabat superiores regiones
37. So the king took the half of the army that remained, and went forth from Antioch the chief city of his kingdom, in the hundred and forty-seventh year: and he passed over the river Euphrates, and went through the higher countries.
38. et elegit Lysias Ptolomeum filium Dorimini et Nicanorem et Gorgiam viros potentes ex amicis regis
38. Then Lysias chose Ptolemee the son of Dorymenus, and Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king's friends.
39. et misit cum eis quadraginta milia virorum et septem milia equitum ut venirent in terram Juda et disperderent eam secundum verbum regis
39. And he sent with them forty thousand men, and seven thousand horsemen: to go into the land of Juda, and to destroy it according to the king's orders.
40. et processerunt ut irent cum universa virtute sua et venerunt et adplicuerunt Ammaum in terra campestri
40. So they went forth with all their power, and came, and pitched near Emmaus in the plain country.
41. et audierunt mercatores regionum nomen eorum et acceperunt argentum et aurum multum valde et pueros et venerunt in castra ut acciperent filios Israël in servos et additi sunt ad eos exercitus Syriæ et terræ alienigenarum
41. And the merchants of the countries heard the fame of them: and they took silver and gold in abundance, and servants: and they came into the camp, to buy the children of Israel for slaves: and there were joined to them the forces of Syria, and of the land of the strangers.
42. et vidit Judas et fratres ejus quia multiplicata sunt mala et exercitus adplicabat ad fines eorum et cognoverunt verba regis quæ mandavit populo facere in interitum et consummationem
42. And Judas and his brethren saw that evils were multiplied, and that the armies approached to their borders: and they knew the orders the king had given to destroy the people and utterly abolish them.
43. et dixerunt unusquisque ad proximum suum erigamus dejectionem populi nostri et pugnemus pro populo nostro et sanctis nostris
43. And they said every man to his neighbour: Let us raise up the low condition of our people, and let us fight for our people, and our sanctuary.
44. et congregatus est conventus ut essent parati in prœlium et ut orarent et peterent misericordiam et miserationes
44. And the assembly was gathered that they might be ready for battle: and that they might pray, and ask mercy and compassion.
45. et Hierusalem non habitabatur sed erat sicut desertum non erat qui ingrederetur et egrederetur de natis ejus et sanctum conculcabatur et filii alienigenarum erant in arce ibi erat habitatio gentium et ablata est voluptas ab Jacob et defecit ibi tibia et cithara
45. Now Jerusalem was not inhabited, but was like a desert: there was none of her children that went in or out: and the sanctuary was trodden down: and the children of strangers were in the castle, there was the habitation of the Gentiles: and joy was taken away from Jacob, and the pipe and harp ceased there.
46. et congregati sunt et venerunt in Masefat contra Hierusalem quia locus orationis erat in Masefat ante Israël
46. And they assembled together, and came to Maspha over against Jerusalem: for in Maspha was a place of prayer heretofore in Israel.
47. et jejunaverunt illa die et induerunt se ciliciis et cinere in capite suo et destituerunt vestimenta sua
47. And they fasted that day, and put on haircloth, and put ashes upon their heads: and they rent their garments:
48. et expanderunt librum legis de quibus scrutabantur gentes similitudinem simulacrorum suorum
48. And they laid open the books of the law, in which the Gentiles searched for the likeness of their idols:
49. et adtulerunt ornamenta sacerdotalia et primitias et decimas et suscitaverunt nazoreos qui impleverant dies
49. And they brought the priestly ornaments, and the firstfruits and tithes, and stirred up the Nazarites that had fulfilled their days:
50. et clamaverunt voce magna in cælum dicentes quid faciemus istis et quo eos ducemus
50. And they cried with a loud voice toward heaven, saying: What shall we do with these, and whither shall we carry them?
51. et sancta tua conculcata sunt et contaminata sunt et sacerdotes tui in luctu et humilitate
51. For thy holies are trodden down, and are profaned, and thy priests are in mourning, and are brought low.
52. et ecce nationes convenerunt adversum nos ut nos disperdant tu scis quæ cogitant in nos
52. And behold the nations are come together against us to destroy us: thou knowest what they intend against us.
53. quomodo poterimus subsistere ante facies illorum nisi tu adiuves nos
53. How shall we be able to stand before their face, unless thou, O God, help us?
54. et tubis exclamaverunt voce magna
54. Then they sounded with trumpets, and cried out with a loud voice.
55. et post hoc constituit Judas duces populi tribunos et centuriones et pentecontarcos et decuriones
55. And after this Judas appointed captains over the people, over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.
56. et dixit his qui ædificabant domos et sponsabant uxores et plantabant vineas et formidolosis ut redirent unusquisque in domum suam secundum legem
56. And he said to them that were building houses, or had betrothed wives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful, that they should return every man to his house, according to the law.
57. et moverunt castra et conlocaverunt ad austrum Ammaum
57. So they removed the camp, and pitched on the south side of Emmaus.
58. et ait Judas accingimini et estote filii potentes et estote parati in mane ut pugnetis adversus nationes has quæ convenerunt disperdere nos et sancta nostra
58. And Judas said: Gird yourselves, and be valiant men, and be ready against the morning, that you may fight with these nations that are assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary.
59. quoniam melius est nos mori in bello quam videre mala gentis nostræ et sanctorum
59. For it is better for us to die in battle, than to see the evils of our nation, and of the holies:
60. sicut autem fuerit voluntas in cælo sic fiat
60. Nevertheless as it shall be the will of God in heaven so be it done.
