Secondo libro dei Maccabei 9

LA SACRA BIBBIA	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Verso quello stesso tempo, capitò che Antioco tornasse ingloriosamente dalle regioni della Persia.	1 But Judas Machabeus, and they that were with him, went privately into the towns: and calling together their kinsmen and friends, and taking unto them such as continued in the Jews' religion, they assembled six thousand men.
2 Infatti si era recato nella città chiamata Persepoli e aveva tentato di spogliarne il tempio e di opprimere la stessa città; per la qual cosa la folla eccitata era corsa alle armi e così era accaduto che Antioco, dagli abitanti del paese, fosse stato costretto a far marcia indietro vergognosamente.	2 And they called upon the Lord that he would look upon his people that was trodden down by all, and would have pity on the temple, that was defiled by the wicked:
3 Giunto presso Ecbàtana, gli giunse notizia di quanto era accaduto a Nicànore e agli uomini di Timoteo.	3 That he would have pity also upon the city that was destroyed, that was ready to be made even with the ground, and would hear the voice of the blood that cried to him:
4 Eccitato dal furore, pensava di far pesare sui Giudei anche l'ingiuria di coloro che l'avevano messo in fuga. Perciò ordinò all'auriga di compiere il viaggio spingendo avanti senza posa, mentre in verità il giudizio del cielo gli stava sopra, poiché nella sua superbia aveva detto: "Appena vi sarò giunto, farò di Gerusalemme il cimitero dei Giudei".	4 That he would remember also the most unjust deaths of innocent children, and the blasphemies offered to his name, and would shew his indignation on this occasion.
5 Ma il Signore che tutto vede, il Dio d'Israele, lo colpì con una piaga incurabile e invisibile. Infatti, appena ebbe pronunziato tali parole, lo colse un atroce dolore di viscere con crudeli tormenti di ventre.	5 Now when Machabeus had gathered a multitude, he could not be withstood by the heathens: for the wrath of the Lord was turned into mercy.
6 Era perfettamente giusto, poiché egli aveva tormentato le viscere di altri con numerose e strane torture.	6 So coming unawares upon the towns and cities, he set them on fire, and taking possession of the most commodious places, he made no small slaughter of the enemies
7 Tuttavia non desistette affatto dalla sua ferocia; ché, anzi, ripieno ancora più di arroganza e spirando fuoco d'ira contro i Giudei, comandò di accelerare la corsa. Gli capitò, perciò, di cadere dal carro trascinato con impeto e di rovinarsi tutte le membra del corpo, contuse nella violenta caduta.	7 And especially in the nights he went upon these expeditions, and the fame of his valour was spread abroad every where.
8 Colui che fino ad allora aveva creduto, nella sua arroganza da superuomo, di comandare ai flutti del mare e s'immaginava di pesare sulla bilancia le cime dei monti, stramazzato a terra, veniva ora portato in lettiga, dimostrando chiaramente a tutti la potenza di Dio.	8 Then Philip, seeing that the man gained ground by little and little, and that things for the most part succeeded prosperously with him, wrote to Ptolemee the governor of Celesyria and Phenicia, to send aid to the king's affairs.
9 Dal corpo di quell'empio, infatti, pullulavano vermi e, ancora vivente, le carni gli si staccavano tra spasimi e dolori, mentre a causa della putredine l'intero esercito era oppresso dal suo fetore.	9 And he with all speed sent Nicanor the son of Patroclus, one of his special friends, giving him no fewer than twenty thousand armed men of different nations, to root out the whole race of the Jews, joining also with him Gorgias, a good soldier, and of great experience in matters of war.
10 Così colui che poco prima credeva di toccare gli astri del cielo, ora nessuno poteva sopportarlo a causa della pesantezza insopportabile del fetore.	10 And Nicanor purposed to raise for the king the tribute of two thousand talents, that was to be given to the Romans, by making so much money of the captive Jews:
11 In quel momento, dunque, coperto di ferite, cominciò a deporre gran parte della sua superbia e a tornare alla ragione, sotto l'influsso del flagello divino, tormentato ad ogni istante da dolori.	11 Wherefore he sent immediately to the cities upon the sea coast, to invite men together to buy up the Jewish slaves, promising that they should have ninety slaves for one talent, not reflecting on the vengeance, which was to follow him from the Almighty.
12 Non potendo neppure lui sopportare il suo fetore, disse: "E' giusto sottostare a Dio e non pretendere d'eguagliarsi alla divinità, quando si è mortali".	12 Now when Judas found that Nicanor was coming, he imparted to the Jews that were with him, that the enemy was at hand.
13 Quindi quello scellerato cominciò a far voti a quel Sovrano che non doveva più usargli misericordia, dicendo	13 And some of them being afraid, and distrusting the justice of God, fled away:
14 che avrebbe dichiarata libera quella santa città verso la quale si era diretto in fretta per spianarla al suolo e per farne un cimitero;	14 Others sold all that they had left, and withal besought the Lord, that he would deliver them from the wicked Nicanor, who had sold them before he came near them:
15 che avrebbe reso simili agli Ateniesi tutti i Giudei, che egli aveva giudicato degni neppure della sepoltura, ma piuttosto di essere gettati, insieme ai loro bambini, in pasto alle fiere;	15 And if not for their sakes, yet for the covenant that he had made with their fathers, and for the sake of his holy and glorious name that was invoked upon them.
16 che avrebbe ornato con le più belle offerte votive il santo tempio da lui in precedenza spogliato; che avrebbe restituito in abbondanza tutti i vasi sacri e provveduto a sue spese alle somme occorrenti per i sacrifici;	16 But Machabeus calling together seven thousand that were with him, exhorted them not to be reconciled to the enemies, nor to fear the multitude of the enemies who came wrongfully against them, but to fight manfully:
17 e inoltre che si sarebbe fatto giudeo e si sarebbe recato in ogni luogo abitato per annunciare la potenza di Dio.	17 Setting before their eyes the injury they had unjustly done the holy place, and also the injury they had done to the city, which had been shamefully abused, besides their destroying the ordinances of the fathers.
18 Siccome poi le sofferenze non cessavano affatto, poiché il giusto giudizio di Dio si era riversato su di lui, disperando di se stesso, scrisse ai Giudei la lettera sottotrascritta, avente la forma di una supplica, così concepita:	18 For, said he, they trust in their weapons, and in their boldness: but we trust in the Almighty Lord, who at a beck can utterly destroy both them that come against us, and the whole world.
19 "Ai nobili cittadini Giudei, il re e stratega Antioco: salute, sanità e felicità perfetta!	19 Moreover he put them in mind also of the helps their fathers had received from God: and how under Sennacherib a hundred and eighty-five thousand had been destroyed.
20 Se voi state bene con i vostri figli e se i vostri affari vi vanno bene secondo l'attesa, io, che ripongo la mia speranza nel cielo,	20 And of the battle that they had fought against the Galatians in Babylonia, how they, being in all but six thousand, when it came to the point, and Macedonians their companions were a stand, slew a hundred and twenty thousand, because of the help they had from heaven, and for this they received many favours.
21 ricordo con affetto il vostro onore e la vostra benevolenza. Ritornato dalle regioni della Persia e caduto in una sgradevole malattia, ho creduto necessario preoccuparmi della comune sicurezza di tutti.	21 With these words they were greatly encouraged, and disposed even to die for the laws and their country.
22 Non è che disperi di me stesso, avendo, al contrario, molta speranza di sfuggire a questa infermità.	22 So he appointed his brethren cap over each division of his army, Simon, and Joseph, and Jonathan, giving to one fifteen hundred men.
23 Ma considerando che anche mio padre, tutte le volte che faceva delle spedizioni nelle regioni settentrionali, designava il successore	23 And after the holy Book had been read to them by Esdras, and he had given them for a watchword, The help of God: himself leading the first band, he joined battle with Nicanor:
24 affinché, se fosse accaduto qualcosa di inatteso o fosse annunziato qualcosa di spiacevole, gli abitanti del paese non si agitassero, ben sapendo come erano stati lasciati gli affari	24 And the Almighty being their helper, they slew above nine thousand men: and having wounded and disabled the greater part of Nicanor's army, they obliged them to fly.
25 e riflettendo inoltre come i sovrani limitrofi e vicini al regno spiano i momenti e attendono gli eventi, ho designato come re mio figlio Antioco, che spesso, quando salivo verso le satrapie settentrionali, affidai e raccomandai alla maggioranza di voi. Ho scritto anche a lui la lettera sottotrascritta.	25 And they took the money of them that came to buy them, and they pursued them on every side.
26 Vi raccomando, dunque, e vi prego affinché, memori dei miei benefici, in comune e in privato ciascuno di voi conservi verso di me e di mio figlio la consueta benevolenza.	26 But they came back for want of time: for it was the day before the sabbath: and therefore they did not continue the pursuit.
27 Sono persuaso, infatti, che egli, eseguendo questa mia deliberazione, si comporterà con voi con bontà e con amore".	27 But when they had gathered together their arms and their spoils, they kept the sabbath: blessing the Lord who had delivered them that day, distilling the beginning of mercy upon them.
28 Or dunque, quell'omicida e bestemmiatore, soffrendo le pene più orribili, allo stesso modo in cui aveva trattato gli altri, così finì la sua vita in modo miserabile in terra straniera, sulle montagne.	28 Then after the sabbath they divided the spoils to the feeble and the orphans, and the widows: and the rest they took for themselves and their servants.
29 Poi il suo compagno d'infanzia, Filippo, ne trasportò via il corpo; ma temendo il figlio di Antioco, si ritirò in Egitto presso Tolomeo Filometore.	29 When this was done, and they had all made a common supplication, they besought the merciful Lord to be reconciled to his servants unto the end.
	30 Moreover they slew above twenty thousand of them that were with Timotheus and Bacchides who fought them, and they made themselves masters of the high strong holds: and they divided amongst them many spoils, giving equal portions to the feeble, the fatherless and the widows, yea and the aged also.
	31 And when they had carefully gathered together their arms, they laid them all up in convenient places, and the residue of their spoils they carried to Jerusalem :
	32 They slew also Philarches who was with Timotheus, a wicked man, who had many ways afflicted the Jews.
	33 And when they kept the feast of the victory at Jerusalem, they burnt Callisthenes, that had set fire to the holy gates, who had taken refuge in a certain house, rendering to him a worthy reward for his impieties:
	34 But as for that most wicked man Nicanor, who had brought a thousand merchants to the sale of the Jews,
	35 Being through the help of the Lord brought down by them, of whom he had made no account, laying; aside his garment of glory, fleeing through the midland country, he came alone to Antioch, being rendered very unhappy by the destruction of his army.
	36 And he that had promised to levy the tribute for the Romans by the means of the captives of Jerusalem, now professed that the Jews had God for their protector, and therefore they could not be hurt, because they followed the laws appointed by him.