Liber I Maccabaeorum, 4
1. et adsumpsit Gorgias quinque milia virorum et mille equites electos et moverunt castra nocte
1. Then Gorgias took five thousand men, and a thousand of the best horsemen: and they removed out of the camp by night.
2. ut adplicarent ad castra Judæorum et percuterent eos subito et filii qui erant ex arce erant illi duces
2. That they might come upon the camp of the Jews, and strike them suddenly: and the men that were of the castle were their guides.
3. et audivit Judas et surrexit ipse et potentes percutere virtutem exercituum regis quæ erat in Ammaum
3. And Judas heard of it, and rose up, he and the valiant men, to attack the king's forces that were in Emmaus.
4. adhuc enim dispersus erat exercitus a castris
4. For as yet the army was dispersed from the camp.
5. et venit Gorgias in castra Judæ noctu et neminem invenit et quærebant eos in montibus quoniam dixit fugiunt hii a nobis
5. And Gorgias came by night into the camp of Judas, and found no man, and he sought them in the mountains: for he said: These men flee from us.
6. et cum dies factus esset apparuit Judas in campo cum tribus milibus virorum tantum quia tegumenta et gladios non habebant
6. And when it was day, Judas shewed himself in the plain with three thousand men only, who neither had armour nor swords.
7. et viderunt castra gentium valida et loricatos et equitatus in circuitu eorum et hii docti prœlium
7. And they saw the camp of the Gentiles that it was strong, and the men in breastplates, and the horsemen round about them, and these were trained up to war.
8. et ait Judas viris qui secum erant ne timueritis multitudinem eorum et impetum eorum ne formidetis
8. And Judas said to the men that were with him: Fear ye not their multitude, neither be ye afraid of their assault.
9. mementote qualiter salvi facti sunt patres nostri in mari Rubro cum sequeretur eos Pharao cum exercitu
9. Remember in what manner our fathers were saved in the Red Sea, when Pharao pursued them with a great army.
10. et nunc clamemus in cælum et miserebitur nostri et testamenti patrum nostrorum et conteret exercitum istum ante faciem nostram hodie
10. And now let us cry to heaven: and the Lord will have mercy on us, and will remember the covenant of our fathers, and will destroy this army before our face this day:
11. et scient omnes gentes quia est qui redimat et liberet Israël
11. And all nations shall know that there is one that redeemeth and delivereth Israel.
12. et levaverunt alienigenæ oculos suos et viderunt eos venientes ex adverso
12. And the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming against them.
13. et exierunt de castris in prœlium et tuba cecinerunt hii qui fuerant cum Juda
13. And they went out of the camp to battle, and they that were with Judas sounded the trumpet.
14. et congressi sunt et contritæ sunt gentes et fugerunt in campum
14. And they joined battle: and the Gentiles were routed, and fled into the plain.
15. novissimi autem ceciderunt gladio et persecuti sunt eos usque Gesoron et usque in campos Idumeæ et Azoti et Jamniæ et ceciderunt ex illis ad tria milia virorum
15. But all the hindmost of them fell by the sword, and they pursued them as far as Gezeron, and even to the plains of Idumea, and of Azotus, and of Jamnia: and there fell of them to the number of three thousand men.
16. et reversus est Judas et exercitus ejus sequens eum
16. And Judas returned again with his army that followed him,
17. et dixit ad populum non concupiscatis spolia quia bellum contra nos est
17. And he said to the people: Be not greedy of the spoils: for there is war before us:
18. et Gorgias et exercitus ejus in monte prope nos sed state contra inimicos nostros et expugnate eos et post hoc sumetis spolia
18. And Gorgias and his army are near us in the mountain: but stand ye now against our enemies, and overthrow them, and you shall take the spoils afterwards with safety.
19. et adhuc loquente Juda hæc apparuit pars quædam prospiciens de monte
19. And as Judas was speaking these words, behold part of them appeared looking forth from the mountain.
20. et vidit quod in fugam conversi sunt et succensa sunt castra fumus enim qui videbatur declarabat quod factum est
20. And Gorgias saw that his men were put to flight, ad that they had set fire to the camp: for the smoke that was seen declared what was done.
21. quibus illi conspectis timuerunt valde aspicientes simul et Judam et exercitum in campo paratum ad prœlium
21. And when they had seen this, they were seized with great fear, seeing at the same time Judas and his army in the plain ready to fight.
22. et fugerunt omnes in campo alienigenarum
22. So they all fled away into the land of the strangers.
23. et Judas reversus est ad spolia castrorum et acceperunt aurum multum et argentum et hyacinthum et purpuram marinam et opes magnas
23. And Judas returned to take the spoils of the camp, and they got much gold, and silver, and blue silk, and purple of the sea, and great riches.
24. et conversi hymnum canebant et benedicebant in cælum quoniam bonum est quoniam in sæculum misericordia ejus
24. And returning home they sung a hymn, and blessed God in heaven, because he is good, because his mercy endureth for ever.
25. et facta est salus magna in Israël in illa die
25. So Israel had a great deliverance that day.
26. quicumque autem alienigenarum evaserunt venerunt et nuntiaverunt Lysiæ universa quæ acciderant
26. And such of the strangers as escaped, went and told Lysias all that had happened.
27. quibus auditis ille consternatus est animo deficiebat quod non qualia voluit talia contigerunt in Israël et qualia mandavit rex
27. And when he heard these things, he was amazed and discouraged: because things had not succeeded in Israel according to his mind, and as the king had commanded.
28. et sequenti anno congregavit electorum virorum sexaginta milia et equitum quinque milia ut debellaret eos
28. So the year following Lysias gathered together threescore thousand chosen men, and five thousand horsemen, that he might subdue them.
29. et venerunt in Judæam et castra posuerunt in Bethoron et occurrit illis Judas cum decem milibus viris
29. And they came into Judea, and pitched their tents in Bethoron, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.
30. et viderunt exercitum fortem et oravit et dixit benedictus es salvator Israël qui contrivisti impetum potentis in manu servi tui David et tradidisti castra alienigenarum in manus Jonathæ filii Saul et armigeri ejus
30. And they saw that the army was strong, and he prayed, and said: Blessed art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst break the violence of the mighty by the hand of thy servant David, and didst deliver up the camp of the strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul and of his armourbearer.
31. conclude exercitum istum in manu populi tui Israël et confundantur in exercitu suo et equitibus
31. Shut up this army in the hands of thy people Israel, and let them be confounded in their host and their horsemen.
32. da illis formidinem et tabefac audaciam virtutis eorum et commoveantur contritione sua
32. Strike them with fear, and cause the boldness of their strength to languish, and let them quake at their own destruction.
33. deice eos gladio diligentium te et conlaudent te omnes qui noverunt nomen tuum in hymnis
33. Cast them down with the sword of them that love thee: and let all that know thy name, praise thee with hymns.
34. et commiserunt et ceciderunt de exercitu Lysiæ quinque milia virorum
34. And they joined battle: and there fell of the army of Lysias five thousand men.
35. videns autem Lysias suorum fugam et Judæorum audaciam et quod parati sunt aut vivere aut mori fortiter abiit Antiochiam et elegit milites ut multiplicatus rursus veniret in Judæam
35. And when Lysias saw that his men were put to flight, and how bold the Jews were, and that they were ready either to live, or to die manfully, he went to Antioch, and chose soldiers, that they might come again into Judea with greater numbers.
36. dixit autem Judas et fratres ejus ecce contriti sunt inimici nostri ascendamus nunc mundare sancta et renovare
36. Then Judas, and his brethren said: Behold our enemies are discomfited: let us go up now to cleanse the holy places and to repair them.
37. et congregatus est omnis exercitus et ascenderunt in montem Sion
37. And all the army assembled together, and they went up into mount Sion.
38. et viderunt sanctificationem desertam et altare profanatum et portas exustas et in atriis virgulta nata sicut in saltu vel montibus et pastoforia diruta
38. And they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burnt, and shrubs growing up in the courts as in a forest, or on the mountains, and the chambers joining to the temple thrown down.
39. sciderunt vestimenta sua et planxerunt planctu magno et inposuerunt cinerem
39. And they rent their garments, and made great lamentation, and put ashes on their heads:
40. et ceciderunt in faciem super terram et exclamaverunt tubis signorum et clamaverunt in cælum
40. And they fell face down to the ground on their faces, and they sounded with the trumpets of alarm, and they cried towards heaven.
41. tunc ordinavit Judas viros ut pugnarent adversus eos qui erant in arce donec emundarent sancta
41. Then Judas appointed men to fight against them that were in the castle, till they had cleansed the holy places.
42. et elegit sacerdotes sine macula voluntatem habentes in lege Dei
42. And he chose priests without blemish, whose will was set upon the law of God:
43. et mundaverunt sancta et tulerunt lapides contaminationis in locum inmundum
43. And they cleansed the holy places, and took away the stones that had been defiled into an unclean place.
44. et cogitavit de altare holocaustorum quod profanatum erat quid de eo faceret
44. And he considered about the altar of holocausts that had been profaned, what he should do with it.
45. et incidit illi consilium bonum ut destrueret illud ne forte esset illis in obprobrium quia contaminaverunt illud gentes et demoliti sunt illud
45. And a good counsel came into their minds, to pull it down: lest it should be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it; so they threw it down.
46. et reposuerunt lapides in monte domus in loco apto quoadusque veniret propheta et responderet de eis
46. And they laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place, till there should come a prophet, and give answer concerning them.
47. et acceperunt lapides integros secundum legem et ædificaverunt altare novum secundum illud quod fuit prius
47. Then they took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar according to the former:
48. et ædificaverunt sancta et quæ intra domum intrinsecus et ædem et atria sanctificaverunt
48. And they built up the holy places, and the things that were within the temple: and they sanctified the temple, and the courts.
49. et fecerunt vasa sancta nova et intulerunt candelabrum et altare incensorum et mensam in templum
49. And they made new holy vessels, and brought in the candlestick, and the altar of incense, and the table into the temple.
50. et incensum posuerunt super altare et accenderunt lucernas quæ super candelabrum erant et lucebant in templo
50. And they put incense upon the altar, and lighted up the lamps that were upon the candlestick, and they gave light in the temple.
51. et posuerunt super mensam panes et adpenderunt vela et consummaverunt omnia opera quæ fecerunt
51. And they set the loaves upon the table, and hung up the veils, and finished all the works that they had begun to make.
52. et ante matutinum surrexerunt quinta et vicesima mensis noni hic mensis casleu centesimi quadragesimi octavi anni
52. And they arose before the morning on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month (which is the month of Casleu) in the hundred and forty-eighth year.
53. et obtulerunt sacrificium secundum legem super altare holocaustorum novum quod fecerunt
53. And they offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of holocausts which they had made.
54. secundum tempus et secundum diem in qua contaminaverunt illud gentes in ipsa renovatum est in canticis et citharis et cinyris et cymbalis
54. According to the time, and according to the day wherein the heathens had defiled it, in the same was it dedicated anew with canticles, and harps, and lutes, and cymbals.
55. et cecidit omnis populus et adoraverunt et benedixerunt in cælum ei qui prosperavit eis
55. And all the people fell upon their faces, and adored, and blessed up to heaven, him that had prospered them.
56. et fecerunt dedicationem altaris diebus octo et obtulerunt holocausta cum lætitia et salutaria laudis
56. And they kept the dedication of the altar eight days, and they offered holocausts with joy, and sacrifices of salvation, and of praise.
57. et ornaverunt faciem templi coronis aureis et scutulis et dedicaverunt portas et pastoforia et inposuerunt eis januas
57. And they adorned the front of the temple with crowns of gold, and escutcheons, and they renewed the gates, and the chambers, and hanged doors upon them.
58. et facta est lætitia in populo magna valde et aversum est obprobrium gentium
58. And there was exceeding great joy among the people, and the reproach of the Gentiles was turned away.
59. et statuit Judas et fratres ejus et universa ecclesia Israël ut agatur dies dedicationis altaris in temporibus suis ab anno in annum per dies octo a quinta et vicesima mensis casleu cum lætitia et gaudio
59. And Judas, and his brethren, and all the church of Israel decreed, that the day of the dedication of the altar should be kept in its season from year to year for eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month of Casleu, with joy and gladness.
60. et ædificaverunt in tempore illo montem Sion et per circuitum muros altos et turres firmas nequando venirent gentes et conculcarent eam sicut antea fecerunt
60. They built up also at that time mount Sion, with high walls, and strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles should at any time come, and tread it down as they did before.
61. et conlocavit illic exercitum ut servarent eam et munivit eam ad custodiendam Bethsuram ut haberet populus munitionem contra faciem Idumeæ
61. And he placed a garrison there to keep it, and he fortified it to secure Bethsura, that the people might have a defence against Idumea.
