1 Maccabees 14

DOUAI-RHEIMS	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 In the year one hundred and seventy-two, king Demetrius assembled has army, and went into Media to get him succours to fight against Tryphon.	1 In the year one hundred and seventy-two, King Demetrius assembled his army and marched into Media to obtain help so that he could fight Trypho.
2 And Arsaces the king of Persia and Media heard that Demetrius was entered within his borders, and he sent one of his princes to take him alive, and bring him to him.	2 When Arsaces, king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius had invaded his territory, he sent one of his generals to take him alive.
3 And he went and defeated the army of Demetrius: and took him, and brought him to Arsaces, and he put him into custody.	3 The general went forth and defeated the army of Demetrius; he captured him and brought him to Arsaces, who put him in prison.
4 And all the land of Juda was at rest all the days of Simon, and he sought the good of his nation: and his power, and his glory pleased them well all his days.	4 The land was at rest all the days of Simon, who sought the good of his nation. His people were delighted with his power and his magnificence throughout his reign.
5 And with all his glory he took Joppe for a haven, and made an entrance to the isles of the sea.	5 As his crowning glory he captured the port of Joppa and made it a gateway to the isles of the sea.
6 And he enlarged the bounds of his nation, and made himself master of the country.	6 He enlarged the borders of his nation and gained control of the country.
7 And he gathered together a great number of captives, and had the dominion of Gazara, and of Bethsura, and of the castle: and took away all uncleanness out of it and there was none that resisted him.	7 He took many enemies prisoners of war and made himself master of Gazara, Beth-zur, and the citadel. He cleansed the citadel of its impurities; there was no one to withstand him.
8 And every man tilled his land with peace: and the land of Juda yielded her increase, and the trees of the fields their fruit.	8 The people cultivated their land in peace; the land yielded its produce and the trees of the field their fruit.
9 The ancient men sat all in the streets, and treated together of the good things of the land, and the young men put on them glory, and the robes of war.	9 Old men sat in the squares, all talking about the good times, while the young men wore the glorious apparel of war.
10 And he provided victuals for the cities, and he appointed that they should be furnished with ammunition, so that the fame of his glory was renowned even to the end of the earth.	10 He supplied the cities with food and equipped them with means of defense, till his glorious name reached the ends of the earth.
11 He made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great joy.	11 He brought peace to the land, and Israel was filled with happiness.
12 And every man sat under his vine, and under his fig tree: and there was none to make them afraid.	12 Every man sat under his vine and his fig tree, with no one to disturb him.
13 There was none left in the land to fight against them: kings were discomfited in those days.	13 No one was left to attack them in their land; the kings in those days were crushed.
14 And he strengthened all those of his people that were brought low, and he sought the law, and took away every unjust and wicked man.	14 He strengthened all the lowly among his people and was zealous for the law; he suppressed all the lawless and the wicked.
15 He glorified the sanctuary, and multiplied the vessels of the holy places.	15 He made the temple splendid and enriched its equipment.
16 And it was heard at Rome, and as far as Sparta, that Jonathan was dead: and they were very sorry.	16 When people heard in Rome and even in Sparta that Jonathan had died, they were deeply grieved.
17 But when they heard that Simon his brother was made high priest in his place, and was possessed of all the country, and the cities therein:	17 But when the Romans heard that his brother Simon had been made high priest in his place and was master of the country and the cities,
18 They wrote to him in tables of brass, to renew the friendship and alliance which they had made with Judas, and with Jonathan his brethren.	18 they sent him inscribed tablets of bronze to renew with him the friendship and alliance that they had established with his brothers Judas and Jonathan.
19 And they were read before the assembly in Jerusalem. And this is the copy of the letters that the Spartans sent.	19 These were read before the assembly in Jerusalem.
20 The princes and the cities of the Spartans to Simon the high priest, and to the ancients, and the priests, and the rest of the people of the Jews their brethren, greeting.	20 This is a copy of the letter that the Spartans sent: "The rulers and the citizens of Sparta send greetings to Simon the high priest, the elders, the priests, and the rest of the Jewish people, our brothers.
21 The ambassadors that were sent to our people, have told us of your glory, and honour, and joy: and we rejoice at their coming.	21 The envoys you sent to our people have informed us of your glory and fame, and we were happy that they came.
22 And we registered what was said by them in the councils of the people in this manner: Numenius the son of Antiochus, and Antipater the son of Jason, ambassadors of the Jews, came to us to renew the former friendship with us.	22 In accordance with what they said we have recorded the following in the public decrees: Since Numenius, son of Antiochus, and Antipater, son of Jason, envoys of the Jews, have come to us to renew their friendship with us,
23 And it pleased the people to receive the men honourably, and to put a copy of their words in the public records, to be a memorial to the people of the Spartans. And we have written a copy of them to Simon the high priest.	23 the people have voted to receive the men with honor, and to deposit a copy of their words in the public archives, so that the people of Sparta may have a record of them. A copy of this decree has been made for Simon the high priest."
24 And after this Simon sent Numenius to Rome, with a great shield of gold the weight of a thousand pounds, to confirm the league with them. And when the people of Rome had heard	24 After this, Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a great gold shield weighing a thousand minas, to confirm the alliance with the Romans.
25 These words, they said: What thanks shall we give to Simon, and his sons?	25 When the people heard of these things, they said, "How can we thank Simon and his sons?
26 For he hath restored his brethren, and hath driven away in fight the enemies of Israel from them: and they decreed him liberty, and registered it in tables of brass, and set it upon pillars in mount Sion.	26 He and his brothers and his father's house have stood firm and repulsed Israel's enemies. They have thus preserved its liberty." So they made an inscription on bronze tablets, which they affixed to pillars on Mount Zion.
27 And this is a copy of the writing: The eighteenth day of the month Elul, in the year one hundred and seventy-two, being the third year under Simon the high priest at Asaramel,	27 The following is a copy of the inscription: "On the eighteenth day of Elul, in the year one hundred and seventy-two, that is, the third year under Simon the high priest in Asaramel,
28 In a great assembly of the priests, and of the people, and the princes of the nation, and the ancients of the country, these things were notified: Forasmuch as there have often been wars in our country,	28 in a great assembly of priests, people, rulers of the nation, and elders of the country, the following proclamation was made:
29 And Simon the son of Mathathias of the children of Jarib, and his brethren have put themselves in danger, and have resisted the enemies of their nation, for the maintenance of their holy places, and the law: and have raised their nation to great glory.	29 "'Since there have often been wars in our country, Simon, son of the priest Mattathias, descendant of Joarib, and his brothers have put themselves in danger and resisted the enemies of their nation, so that their sanctuary and law might be maintained, and they have thus brought great glory to their nation.
30 And Jonathan gathered together his nation, and was made their high priest, and he was laid to his people.	30 After Jonathan had rallied his nation and become their high priest, he was gathered to his kinsmen.
31 And their enemies desired to tread down and destroy their country, and to stretch forth their hands against their holy places.	31 When the enemies of the Jews sought to invade and devastate their country and to lay hands on their temple,
32 Then Simon resisted and fought for his nation, and laid out much of his money, and armed the valiant men of his nation, and gave them wages:	32 Simon rose up and fought for his nation, spending large sums of his own money to equip the men of his nation's armed forces and giving them their pay.
33 And he fortified the cities of Judea, and Bethsura that lieth in the borders of Judea, where the armour of the enemies was before: and he placed there a garrison of Jews.	33 He fortified the cities of Judea, especially the frontier city of Beth-zur, where he stationed a garrison of Jewish soldiers, and where previously the enemy's arms had been stored.
34 And he fortified Joppe which lieth by the sea: and Gazara, which bordereth upon Azotus, wherein the enemies dwelt before, and he placed Jews here: and furnished them with all things convenient for their reparation.	34 He also fortified Joppa by the sea and Gazara on the border of Azotus, a place previously occupied by the enemy; these cities he resettled with Jews, and furnished them with all that was necessary for their restoration.
35 And the people seeing the acts of Simon, and to what glory he meant to bring his nation, made him their prince, and high priest, because he had done all these things, and for the justice, and faith, which he kept to his nation, and for that he sought by all means to advance his people.	35 When the Jewish people saw Simon's loyalty and the glory he planned to bring to his nation, they made him their leader and high priest because of all he had accomplished and the loyalty and justice he had shown his nation. In every way he sought to exalt his people.
36 And in his days things prospered in his hands, so that the heathens were taken away out of their country, and they also that were in the city of David in Jerusalem in the castle, out of which they issued forth, and profaned all places round about the sanctuary, and did much evil to its purity.	36 "'In his time and under his guidance they succeeded in driving the Gentiles out of their country, especially those in the City of David in Jerusalem, who had built for themselves a citadel from which they used to sally forth to defile the environs of the temple and inflict grave injury on its purity.
37 And he placed therein Jews for the defence of the country, and of the city, and he raised up the walls of Jerusalem.	37 In this citadel he stationed Jewish soldiers, and he strengthened its fortifications for the defense of the land and the city, while he also raised the wall of Jerusalem to a greater height.
38 And king Demetrius confirmed him in the high priesthood.	38 Consequently, King Demetrius confirmed him in the high priesthood,
39 According to these things he made him his friend, and glorified him with great glory.	39 made him one of his Friends, and conferred the highest honors on him.
40 For he had heard that the Romans had called the Jews their friends, and confederates, and brethren, and that they had received Simon's ambassadors with honour:	40 He had indeed heard that the Romans had addressed the Jews as friends, allies, and brothers and that they had received Simon's envoys with honor.
41 And that the Jews, and their priests, had consented that he should be their prince, and high priest for ever, till there should arise a faithful prophet:	41 "'The Jewish people and their priest have, therefore, made the following decisions. Simon shall be their permanent leader and high priest until a true prophet arises.
42 And that he should be chief over them, and that he should have the charge of the sanctuary, and that he should appoint rulers over their works, and over the country, and over the armour, and over the strong holds.	42 He shall act as governor general over them, and shall have charge of the temple, to make regulations concerning its functions and concerning the country, its weapons and strongholds,
43 And that he should have care of the holy places: and that he should be obeyed by all, and that all the writings in the country should be made in his name: and that he should be clothed with purple, and gold:	43 he shall be obeyed by all. All contracts made in the country shall be dated by his name. He shall have the right to wear royal purple and gold ornaments.
44 And that it should not be lawful for any of the people, or of the priests, to disannul any of these things, or to gainsay his words, or to call together an assembly in the country without him: or to be clothed with purple, or to wear a buckle of gold:	44 It shall not be lawful for any of the people or priests to nullify any of these decisions, or to contradict the orders given by him, or to convene an assembly in the country without his consent, to be clothed in royal purple or wear an official gold brooch.
45 And whosoever shall do otherwise, or shall make void any of these things shall be punished.	45 Whoever acts otherwise or violates any of these prescriptions shall be liable to punishment.
46 And it pleased all the people to establish Simon, and to do according to these words.	46 "'All the people approved of granting Simon the right to act in accord with these decisions,
47 And Simon accepted thereof, and was well pleased to execute the office of the high priesthood, and to be captain, and prince of the nation of the Jews, and of the priests, and to be chief over all.	47 and Simon accepted and agreed to act as high priest, governor general, and ethnarch of the Jewish people and priests and to exercise supreme authority over all.'"
48 And they commanded that this writing should be put in tables of brass, and that they should be set up within the compass of the sanctuary, in a conspicuous place:	48 It was decreed that this inscription should be engraved on bronze tablets, to be set up in a conspicuous place in the precincts of the temple,
49 And that a copy thereof should be put in the treasury, that Simon and his sons may have it.	49 and that copies of it should be deposited in the treasury, where they would be available to Simon and his sons.