Secondo libro dei Maccabei 8

BIBBIA RICCIOTTI	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 - Ma Giuda Maccabeo, e quelli che eran con lui, entrarono di nascosto nei castelli, e radunando pareati ed amici, e prendendo seco quelli rimasti fedeli al giudaismo, trassero a sè da seimila uomini.	1 Then Judas Maccabeus, and they that were with him, went privily into the towns, and called their kinsfolks together, and took unto them all such as continued in the Jews' religion, and assembled about six thousand men.
2 Ed invocavano il Signore, che guardasse benignamente il popolo conculcato da tutti, avesse misericordia del tempio contaminato dagli empii,	2 And they called upon the Lord, that he would look upon the people that was trodden down of all; and also pity the temple profaned of ungodly men;
3 si commovesse allo sterminio della città prossima ad essere spianata al suolo, ed ascoltasse la voce del sangue che a lui gridava;	3 And that he would have compassion upon the city, sore defaced, and ready to be made even with the ground; and hear the blood that cried unto him,
4 ricordasse anche la scellerata uccisione di innocenti fanciulli, e le bestemmie proferite contro il suo nome, e le punisse.	4 And remember the wicked slaughter of harmless infants, and the blasphemies committed against his name; and that he would shew his hatred against the wicked.
5 Il Maccabeo dunque, radunate le sue forze, divenne invincibile agli stranieri, perchè lo sdegno del Signore [contro il suo popolo] s'era cambiato in misericordia.	5 Now when Maccabeis had his company about him, he could not be withstood by the heathen: for the wrath of the Lord was turned into mercy.
6 Piombando all0improvviso su castelli e città, vi dava fuoco; ed occupando le posizioni più adatte, faceva non poca strage dei nemici.	6 Therefore he came at unawares, and burnt up towns and cities, and got into his hands the most commodious places, and overcame and put to flight no small number of his enemies.
7 Massimamente, si dava di notte a tali scorrerie, e la fama del suo valore si spargeva per tutto.	7 But specially took he advantage of the night for such privy attempts, insomuch that the fruit of his holiness was spread every where.
8 Filippo dunque, vedendo che quegli s'avvantaggiava sempre più, e che le cose gli riuscivano quasi sempre seconde, scrisse a Tolomeo duce della Celesiria e Fenicia, che venisse in aiuto alla causa del re.	8 So when Philip saw that this man increased by little and little, and that things prospered with him still more and more, he wrote unto Ptolemeus, the governor of Celosyria and Phenice, to yield more aid to the king's affairs.
9 Quegli mandò subito Nicanore di Patroclo, de' grandi di corte, avendogli dati non meno di ventimila uomini armati di diverse nazioni, acciò disperdesse l'intera razza del Giudei, ed aggiuntogli Gorgia uomo d'armi espertissimo nelle cose di guerra.	9 Then forthwith choosing Nicanor the son of Patroclus, one of his special friends, he sent him with no fewer than twenty thousand of all nations under him, to root out the whole generation of the Jews; and with him he joined also Gorgias a captain, who in matters of war had great experience.
10 Nicanore poi si propose di supplire al tributo che il re doveva ai Romani con duemila talenti ricavati dal Giudei fatti prigionieri;	10 So Nicanor undertook to make so much money of the captive Jews, as should defray the tribute of two thousand talents, which the king was to pay to the Romans.
11 perciò, mandò subito alle città di mare, invitando a comprare schiavi giudei, promettendo di darne novanta per ogni talento, senza pensar al castigo che gli sovrastava da parte dell'onnipotente.	11 Wherefore immediately he sent to the cities upon the sea coast, proclaiming a sale of the captive Jews, and promising that they should have fourscore and ten bodies for one talent, not expecting the vengeance that was to follow upon him from the Almighty God.
12 Giuda poi, quando lo seppe, avvertì i suoi della venuta di Nicanore.	12 Now when word was brought unto Judas of Nicanor's coming, and he had imparted unto those that were with him that the army was at hand,
13 D'essi, alcuni impauriti, non fiduciosi della giustizia di Dio, si dettero alla fuga;	13 They that were fearful, and distrusted the justice of God, fled, and conveyed themselves away.
14 altri poi vendevano quel che era a loro rimasto, ed insieme pregavano il Signore a liberarli da quell'empio Nicanore, che li aveva messi in vendita prima ancora di vederli in viso;	14 Others sold all that they had left, and withal besought the Lord to deliver them, sold by the wicked Nicanor before they met together:
15 che se non per amor di loro, [li esaudisse] almeno per il patto che aveva conchiuso coi loro padri, e per l'invocazione del santo e magnifico nome suo sopra di loro.	15 And if not for their own sakes, yet for the covenants he had made with their fathers, and for his holy and glorious name's sake, by which they were called.
16 Radunati dunque i settemila che eran con lui, il Maccabeo li scongiurava a non patteggiar coi nemici, nè temer la moltitudine de' medesimi che empiamente li assaliva; ma combattessero da forti,	16 So Maccabeus called his men together unto the number of six thousand, and exhorted them not to be stricken with terror of the enemy, nor to fear the great multitude of the heathen, who came wrongly against them; but to fight manfully,
17 tenendo presente la profanazione da quelli iniquamente recata al luogo santo, e l'ingiuria e l’obbrobrio fatto alla città, ed anche l’abolizione delle leggi degli avi.	17 And to set before their eyes the injury that they had unjustly done to the holy place, and the cruel handling of the city, whereof they made a mockery, and also the taking away of the government of their forefathers:
18 «Perchè costoro» disse «confidano nell'armi, e nel loro ardire; ma noi confidiamo in quell’onnipotente Signore, che può con un sol cenno distruggere i nostri assalitori ed il mondo tutto. »	18 For they, said he, trust in their weapons and boldness; but our confidence is in the Almighty who at a beck can cast down both them that come against us, and also all the world.
19 Ricordò loro i soccorsi da Dio dati ai loro avi ; e come, sotto Sennacherib, perirono centottantacinquemila [nemici] ;	19 Moreover, he recounted unto them what helps their forefathers had found, and how they were delivered, when under Sennacherib an hundred fourscore and five thousand perished.
20 e la battaglia che ebbero contro i Galati, in Babilonia, ove, quando si venne alle mani, i Macedoni loro alleati stando per cedere, essi soli, seimila in tutto, ne uccisero centomila con l'aiuto dato loro dal cielo, e ne ritrassero grandi benefizi.	20 And he told them of the battle that they had in Babylon with the Galatians, how they came but eight thousand in all to the business, with four thousand Macedonians, and that the Macedonians being perplexed, the eight thousand destroyed an hundred and twenty thousand because of the help that they had from heaven, and so received a great booty.
21 A queste parole, si animarono, pronti a morire per le leggi e la patria.	21 Thus when he had made them bold with these words, and ready to die for the law and the country, he divided his army into four parts;
22 Allora [Giuda] mise a capo di ciascuna divisione i suoi fratelli Simone, Giuseppe e Gionata, dando a ciascuno millecinquecento uomini.	22 And joined with himself his own brethren, leaders of each band, to wit Simon, and Joseph, and Jonathan, giving each one fifteen hundred men.
23 Dopo, ciò letto ancora da Esdra il libro santo, e data per parola d'ordine «Iddio ci aiuta », egli stesso, il duce, con la prima schiera, attaccò Nicanore.	23 Also he appointed Eleazar to read the holy book: and when he had given them this watchword, The help of God; himself leading the first band,
24 E con l'aiuto dell' Onnipotente, uccisero più di novemila uomini, e misero in fuga la maggior parte dell'esercito di Nicanore indebolita per le ferite.	24 And by the help of the Almighty they slew above nine thousand of their enemies, and wounded and maimed the most part of Nicanor's host, and so put all to flight;
25 Ed impossessatisi del danaro di quelli che eran venuti per comprarli, li inseguirono senza tregua ;	25 And took their money that came to buy them, and pursued them far: but lacking time they returned:
26 ma poi dovettero tornar indietro, pressati dall'ora, perchè era la vigilia del sabato; per questo non proseguirono nelT inseguimento.	26 For it was the day before the sabbath, and therefore they would no longer pursue them.
27 Raccolte poi le armi e le spoglie di loro, celebrarono il sabato benedicendo il Signore che in quel giorno li aveva liberati, piovendo su loro il principio della sua misericordia.	27 So when they had gathered their armour together, and spoiled their enemies, they occupied themselves about the sabbath, yielding exceeding praise and thanks to the Lord, who had preserved them unto that day, which was the beginning of mercy distilling upon them.
28 Dopo il sabato poi, fecero parte delle spoglie ai mutilati, agli orfani, alle vedove; ed essi coi loro presero il rimanente.	28 And after the sabbath, when they had given part of the spoils to the maimed, and the widows, and orphans, the residue they divided among themselves and their servants.
29 Compiute queste cose, fecero tutti insieme una supplicazione, pregando il misericordioso Signore che conducesse a termine la sua riconciliazione co’ servi suoi.	29 When this was done, and they had made a common supplication, they besought the merciful Lord to be reconciled with his servants for ever.
30 Di poi, di quelli condotti contro di loro da Timoteo e Bacchide, ne uccisero oltre a ventimila; occuparono fortezze importantissime, e si spartirono molte prede, facendone giusta porzione ai mutilati, al pupilli, alle vedove, ed anche ai seniori, ai e raccolte diligentemente le armi dei nemici, le ammassarono in luoghi adattati, c trasportarono a Gerusalemme le rimanenti spoglie.	30 Moreover of those that were with Timotheus and Bacchides, who fought against them, they slew above twenty thousand, and very easily got high and strong holds, and divided among themselves many spoils more, and made the maimed, orphans, widows, yea, and the aged also, equal in spoils with themselves.
31 E misero a morte Filarche, uomo scellerato che era con Timoteo, ed aveva fatto molto male a’ Giudei.	31 And when they had gathered their armour together, they laid them up all carefully in convenient places, and the remnant of the spoils they brought to Jerusalem.
32 Celebrando poi la vittoria in Gerusalemme, a colui che aveva incendiato le porte del tempio, chiamato Callistene, e s’era rifugiato in una certa casa, dettero fuoco, rendendogli cosi degna mercede per le sue empietà.	32 They slew also Philarches, that wicked person, who was with Timotheus, and had annoyed the Jews many ways.
33 Lo scelleratissimo Nicanore poi, che aveva condotti seco mille mercanti per vender loro i Giudei,	33 Furthermore at such time as they kept the feast for the victory in their country they burnt Callisthenes, that had set fire upon the holy gates, who had fled into a little house; and so he received a reward meet for his wickedness.
34 umiliato con l’aiuto di Dio da quelli ch’egli reputava un niente, deposta la ricca veste, fuggendo solo per le vie traverse, venne ad Antiochia in somma afflizione per la perdita del suo esercito.	34 As for that most ungracious Nicanor, who had brought a thousand merchants to buy the Jews,
35 Ed egli che aveva promesso ai Romani di pagar loro il tributo con la vendita de' prigionieri di Gerusalemme, andava ora predicando che i Giudei avevano Dio per protettore, e per ciò erano Invulnerabili perchè seguivano le leggi da lui stabilite.	35 He was through the help of the Lord brought down by them, of whom he made least account; and putting off his glorious apparel, and discharging his company, he came like a fugitive servant through the midland unto Antioch having very great dishonour, for that his host was destroyed.
	36 Thus he, that took upon him to make good to the Romans their tribute by means of captives in Jerusalem, told abroad, that the Jews had God to fight for them, and therefore they could not be hurt, because they followed the laws that he gave them.