HOLY BIBLE: 2 Maccabees 8 (original) (raw)

16 συναγαγὼν δὲ ὁ Μακκαβαῖος τοὺς περὶ αὐτὸν ὄντας ἀριθμὸν ἑξακισχιλίους παρεκάλει μὴ καταπλαγῆναι τοῖς πολεμίοις μηδὲ εὐλαβεῖσθαι τὴν τῶν ἀδίκως παραγινομένων ἐ{P'} αὐτοὺς ἐθνῶν πολυπλήθειαν ἀγωνίσασθαι δὲ γενναίως 17 πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν λαβόντας τὴν ἀνόμως εἰς τὸν ἅγιον τόπον συντετελεσμένην ὑ{P'} αὐτῶν ὕβριν καὶ τὸν τῆς ἐμπεπαιγμένης πόλεως αἰκισμόν ἔτι δὲ τὴν τῆς προγονικῆς πολιτείας κατάλυσιν 18 οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὅπλοις πεποίθασιν ἅμα καὶ τόλμαις ἔφησεν ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ παντοκράτορι θεῷ δυναμένῳ καὶ τοὺς ἐρχομένους ἐ{F'} ἡμᾶς καὶ τὸν ὅλον κόσμον ἑνὶ νεύματι καταβαλεῖν πεποίθαμεν 19 προσαναλεξάμενος δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ τὰς ἐπὶ τῶν προγόνων γενομένας ἀντιλήμψεις καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ Σενναχηριμ ἑκατὸν ὀγδοήκοντα πέντε χιλιάδες ὡς ἀπώλοντο 20 καὶ τὴν ἐν τῇ Βαβυλωνίᾳ τὴν πρὸς τοὺς Γαλάτας παράταξιν γενομένην ὡς οἱ πάντες ἐπὶ τὴν χρείαν ἦλθον ὀκτακισχίλιοι σὺν Μακεδόσιν τετρακισχιλίοις τῶν Μακεδόνων ἀπορουμένων οἱ ὀκτακισχίλιοι τὰς δώδεκα μυριάδας ἀπώλεσαν διὰ τὴν γινομένην αὐτοῖς ἀ{P'} οὐρανοῦ βοήθειαν καὶ ὠφέλειαν πολλὴν ἔλαβον 21 ἐ{F'} οἷς εὐθαρσεῖς αὐτοὺς παραστήσας καὶ ἑτοίμους ὑπὲρ τῶν νόμων καὶ τῆς πατρίδος ἀποθνῄσκειν τετραμερές τι τὸ στράτευμα ἐποίησεν

16 As for Machabaeus, he called together the seven thousand[1] that followed him, and warned them they should make no terms with the enemy, nor be affrighted by a great rabble of men coming against them in so ill a cause. Courage! he said; 17 bethink you of the sanctuary their insults have outraged, of a city wronged and mocked, of immemorial traditions overthrown! 18 What gives them confidence? Weapons of war, and their own daring. Ours to trust in his omnipotence, who with a single nod both these our adversaries and the whole world besides can undo. 19 He put them in mind, moreover, of God’s signal mercy shewed to their forefathers; how Sennacherib’s army perished, a hundred and eighty-five thousand strong; 20 how they fought the Galatians at Babylon, with Macedonian allies whose heart failed them at the encounter, and six thousand Jews, alone but for heaven’s aid, made havoc of a hundred and twenty thousand men, much to the common advantage.[2] 21 With such words as these he put heart into them, till they were ready to die for law and country’s sake.

16 Convocatis autem Machabæus septem millibus qui cum ipso erant, rogabat ne hostibus reconciliarentur, neque metuerent inique venientium adversum se hostium multitudinem: sed fortiter contenderent, 17 ante oculos habentes contumeliam quæ loco sancto ab his injuste esset illata, itemque et ludibrio habitæ civitatis injuriam, adhuc etiam veterum instituta convulsa. 18 Nam illi quidem armis confidunt, ait, simul et audacia: nos autem in omnipotente Domino, qui potest et venientes adversum nos, et universum mundum, uno nutu delere, confidimus. 19 Admonuit autem eos et de auxiliis Dei, quæ facta sunt erga parentes: et quod sub Sennacherib centum octoginta quinque millia perierunt: 20 et de prælio quod eis adversus Galatas fuit in Babylonia, ut omnes, ubi ad rem ventum est, Macedonibus sociis hæsitantibus, ipsi sex millia soli peremerunt centum viginti millia, propter auxilium illis datum de cælo, et beneficia pro his plurima consecuti sunt. 21 His verbis constantes effecti sunt, et pro legibus et patria mori parati.

22 τάξας καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ προηγουμένους ἑκατέρας τάξεως Σιμωνα καὶ Ιωσηπον καὶ Ιωναθην ὑποτάξας ἑκάστῳ χιλίους πρὸς τοῖς πεντακοσίοις 23 ἔτι δὲ καὶ Ελεαζαρον παραναγνοὺς τὴν ἱερὰν βίβλον καὶ δοὺς σύνθημα θεοῦ βοηθείας τῆς πρώτης σπείρας αὐτὸς προηγούμενος συνέβαλε τῷ Νικάνορι 24 γενομένου δὲ αὐτοῖς τοῦ παντοκράτορος συμμάχου κατέσφαξαν τῶν πολεμίων ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἐνακισχιλίους τραυματίας δὲ καὶ τοῖς μέλεσιν ἀναπείρους τὸ πλεῖον μέρος τῆς τοῦ Νικάνορος στρατιᾶς ἐποίησαν πάντας δὲ φυγεῖν ἠνάγκασαν 25 τὰ δὲ χρήματα τῶν παραγεγονότων ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγορασμὸν αὐτῶν ἔλαβον συνδιώξαντες δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐ{F'} ἱκανὸν ἀνέλυσαν ὑπὸ τῆς ὥρας συγκλειόμενοι 26 ἦν γὰρ ἡ πρὸ τοῦ σαββάτου δ{I'} ἣν αἰτίαν οὐκ ἐμακροτόνησαν κατατρέχοντες αὐτούς 27 ὁπλολογήσαντες δὲ αὐτοὺς καὶ τὰ σκῦλα ἐκδύσαντες τῶν πολεμίων περὶ τὸ σάββατον ἐγίνοντο περισσῶς εὐλογοῦντες καὶ ἐξομολογούμενοι τῷ κυρίῳ τῷ διασώσαντι εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν ταύτην ἀρχὴν ἐλέους τάξαντος αὐτοῖς 28 μετὰ δὲ τὸ σάββατον τοῖς ᾐκισμένοις καὶ ταῖς χήραις καὶ ὀρφανοῖς μερίσαντες ἀπὸ τῶν σκύλων τὰ λοιπὰ αὐτοὶ καὶ τὰ παιδία διεμερίσαντο 29 ταῦτα δὲ διαπραξάμενοι καὶ κοινὴν ἱκετείαν ποιησάμενοι τὸν ἐλεήμονα κύριον ἠξίουν εἰς τέλος καταλλαγῆναι τοῖς αὑτοῦ δούλοις

22 And now he put the several commands of his army in charge of his brethren, Simon, Joseph and Jonathan, entrusting one thousand five hundred men to each; 23 Esdras[3] was bidden read aloud from the sacred writings, and the watchword was given, God’s Aid. And with that, out went Judas at the head of his army, and engaged the enemy. 24 Such help the Almighty gave them, they cut down more than nine thousand men; and the rest of Nicanor’s disabled forces must needs take to their heels. 25 All the money that had been paid for their enslaving fell into Jewish hands, and they gave the enemy chase far and wide, 26 only time hindering them; the sabbath was coming on, and pursue further they might not. 27 Arms and spoils of the fallen they gathered in, and so fell to keeping the sabbath, blessing the Lord for the deliverance he had sent that day, the first refreshing dew of his mercy. 28 The sabbath day over, they gave a share of the spoils to crippled folk, orphans and widows; they and theirs should have the rest. 29 And when this was done, they made public intercession, beseeching the Lord, that was so merciful, to be reconciled with his servants for good and all.

22 Constituit itaque fratres suos duces utrique ordini, Simonem, et Josephum, et Jonathan, subjectis unicuique millenis et quingentenis. 23 Ad hoc etiam ab Esdra lecto illis sancto libro, et dato signo adjutorii Dei, in prima acie ipse dux commisit cum Nicanore. 24 Et facto sibi adjutore Omnipotente, interfecerunt super novem millia hominum: majorem autem partem exercitus Nicanoris vulneribus debilem factam fugere compulerunt. 25 Pecuniis vero eorum, qui ad emptionem ipsorum venerant, sublatis, ipsos usquequaque persecuti sunt: 26 sed reversi sunt hora conclusi, nam erat ante sabbatum: quam ob causam non perseveraverunt insequentes. 27 Arma autem ipsorum, et spolia congregantes, sabbatum agebant, benedicentes Dominum, qui liberavit eos in isto die, misericordiæ initium stillans in eos. 28 Post sabbatum vero debilibus, et orphanis, et viduis diviserunt spolia: et residua ipsi cum suis habuere. 29 His itaque gestis, et communiter ab omnibus facta obsecratione, misericordem Dominum postulabant ut in finem servis suis reconciliaretur.

30 καὶ τοῖς περὶ Τιμόθεον καὶ Βακχίδην συνερίσαντες ὑπὲρ τοὺς δισμυρίους αὐτῶν ἀνεῖλον καὶ ὀχυρωμάτων ὑψηλῶν εὖ μάλα ἐγκρατεῖς ἐγένοντο καὶ λάφυρα πλείονα ἐμερίσαντο ἰσομοίρους αὑτοῖς καὶ τοῖς ᾐκισμένοις καὶ ὀρφανοῖς καὶ χήραις ἔτι δὲ καὶ πρεσβυτέροις ποιήσαντες 31 ὁπλολογήσαντες δὲ αὑτοὺς ἐπιμελῶς πάντα συνέθηκαν εἰς τοὺς ἐπικαίρους τόπους τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ τῶν σκύλων ἤνεγκαν εἰς Ιεροσόλυμα 32 τὸν δὲ φυλάρχην τῶν περὶ Τιμόθεον ἀνεῖλον ἀνοσιώτατον ἄνδρα καὶ πολλὰ τοὺς Ιουδαίους ἐπιλελυπηκότα 33 ἐπινίκια δὲ ἄγοντες ἐν τῇ πατρίδι τοὺς ἐμπρήσαντας τοὺς ἱεροὺς πυλῶνας καὶ Καλλισθένην ὑφῆψαν εἰς ἓν οἰκίδιον πεφευγότα καὶ τὸν ἄξιον τῆς δυσσεβείας ἐκομίσατο μισθόν 34 ὁ δὲ τρισαλιτήριος Νικάνωρ ὁ τοὺς χιλίους ἐμπόρους ἐπὶ τὴν πρᾶσιν τῶν Ιουδαίων ἀγαγὼν 35 ταπεινωθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν κα{T'} αὐτὸν νομιζομένων ἐλαχίστων εἶναι τῇ τοῦ κυρίου βοηθείᾳ τὴν δοξικὴν ἀποθέμενος ἐσθῆτα διὰ τῆς μεσογείου δραπέτου τρόπον ἔρημον ἑαυτὸν ποιήσας ἧκεν εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν ὑπὲρ ἅπαν εὐημερηκὼς ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ στρατοῦ διαφθορᾷ 36 καὶ ὁ τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις ἀναδεξάμενος φόρον ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν ἐν Ιεροσολύμοις αἰχμαλωσίας κατορθώσασθαι κατήγγελλεν ὑπέρμαχον ἔχειν τοὺς Ιουδαίους καὶ διὰ τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον ἀτρώτους εἶναι τοὺς Ιουδαίους διὰ τὸ ἀκολουθεῖν τοῖς ὑ{P'} αὐτοῦ προτεταγμένοις νόμοις

30 Other invaders they slew, twenty thousand of them and more, under Bacchides and Timotheus; and when they seized their high fortresses, and had spoil to divide in plenty, once more cripples and orphans and widows, and the aged folk too, must have a share to match their own. 31 Weapons of war they gathered with all care, and bestowed where they were most needed; it was the rest of the spoil they carried back to Jerusalem. 32 At this time they slew Philarches, that had been of Timotheus’ company, a man stained with crime, and many ways a persecutor of the Jewish people. 33 There was Callisthenes, too, that had burnt down the gates of the sanctuary; when all Jerusalem was rejoicing over the victory, he took refuge within doors, and they burnt the place down about his ears; he too was served right for his godless doings. 34 As for Nicanor, that was the arch-villain of all, and would have sold the Jews to a thousand slave-dealers, 35 the very men whose lives he held so cheap had now, by divine aid, humbled him to the dust. Robe of office he must lay by, and slink by country ways all unattended to Antioch. A fine homecoming, this, with the loss of a whole army! 36 Where were the Jewish captives that should have paid off the tribute to Rome? He was fain to confess, now, that the Jews had God himself for their protector, and, would they but keep his laws, there was no conquering them!

30 Et ex his qui cum Timotheo et Bacchide erant contra se contendentes, super viginti millia interfecerunt, et munitiones excelsas obtinuerunt: et plures prædas diviserunt, æquam portionem debilibus, pupillis, et viduis, sed et senioribus facientes. 31 Et cum arma eorum diligenter collegissent, omnia composuerunt in locis opportunis: residua vero spolia Jerosolymam detulerunt: 32 et Philarchen, qui cum Timotheo erat, interfecerunt, virum scelestum, qui in multis Judæos afflixerat. 33 Et cum epinicia agerent Jerosolymis, eum qui sacras januas incenderat, id est, Callisthenem, cum in quoddam domicilium refugisset, incenderunt, digna ei mercede pro impietatibus suis reddita. 34 Facinorosissimus autem Nicanor, qui mille negotiantes ad Judæorum venditionem adduxerat, 35 humiliatus auxilio Domini ab his quos nullos existimaverat, deposita veste gloriæ, per mediterranea fugiens, solus venit Antiochiam, summam infelicitatem de interitu sui exercitus consecutus. 36 Et qui promiserat Romanis se tributum restituere de captivitate Jerosolymorum, prædicabat nunc protectorem Deum habere Judæos, et ob ipsum invulnerabiles esse, eo quod sequerentur leges ab ipso constitutas.

[1] This seems to be a slip in the Latin version; the Greek has ‘six thousand’ here, as in verse 1 above.

[2] No other record of this engagement has been preserved to us.

[3] For ‘Esdras’ the Greek text has ‘Eleazar’, meaning presumably Judas’ brother. If the Latin reading is right, Esdras must be some person not elsewhere mentioned.

Knox Translation Copyright © 2013 Westminster Diocese
Nihil Obstat. Father Anton Cowan, Censor.
Imprimatur. +Most Rev. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. 8th January 2012.
Re-typeset and published in 2012 by Baronius Press Ltd