| 1 ιουδας δε ο και μακκαβαιος και οι συν αυτω παρεισπορευομενοι λεληθοτως εις τας κωμας προσεκαλουντο τους συγγενεις και τους μεμενηκοτας εν τω ιουδαισμω προσλαμβανομενοι συνηγαγον εις εξακισχιλιους | 1 But Judas, who was also called Maccabeus, and his companions secretly entered the villages and summoned their kinsmen and enlisted those who had continued in the Jewish faith, and so they gathered about six thousand men. |
| 2 και επεκαλουντο τον κυριον επιδειν τον υπο παντων καταπατουμενον λαον οικτιραι δε και τον ναον τον υπο των ασεβων ανθρωπων βεβηλωθεντα | 2 They besought the Lord to look upon the people who were oppressed by all, and to have pity on the temple which had been profaned by ungodly men, |
| 3 ελεησαι δε και την καταφθειρομενην πολιν και μελλουσαν ισοπεδον γινεσθαι και των καταβοωντων προς αυτον αιματων εισακουσαι | 3 and to have mercy on the city which was being destroyed and about to be leveled to the ground, and to hearken to the blood that cried out to him, |
| 4 μνησθηναι δε και της των αναμαρτητων νηπιων παρανομου απωλειας και περι των γενομενων εις το ονομα αυτου βλασφημιων και μισοπονηρησαι | 4 and to remember also the lawless destruction of the innocent babies and the blasphemies committed against his name, and to show his hatred of evil. |
| 5 γενομενος δε ο μακκαβαιος εν συστεματι ανυποστατος ηδη τοις εθνεσιν εγινετο της οργης του κυριου εις ελεον τραπεισης | 5 As soon as Maccabeus got his army organized, the Gentiles could not withstand him, for the wrath of the Lord had turned to mercy. |
| 6 πολεις δε και κωμας απροσδοκητως ερχομενος ενεπιμπρα και τους επικαιρους τοπους απολαμβανων ουκ ολιγους των πολεμιων τροπουμενος | 6 Coming without warning, he would set fire to towns and villages. He captured strategic positions and put to flight not a few of the enemy. |
| 7 μαλιστα τας νυκτας προς τας τοιαυτας επιβολας συνεργους ελαμβανεν και λαλια της ευανδριας αυτου διηχειτο πανταχη | 7 He found the nights most advantageous for such attacks. And talk of his valor spread everywhere. |
| 8 συνορων δε ο φιλιππος κατα μικρον εις προκοπην ερχομενον τον ανδρα πυκνοτερον δε εν ταις ευημεριαις προβαινοντα προς πτολεμαιον τον κοιλης συριας και φοινικης στρατηγον εγραψεν επιβοηθειν τοις του βασιλεως πραγμασιν | 8 When Philip saw that the man was gaining ground little by little, and that he was pushing ahead with more frequent successes, he wrote to Ptolemy, the governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, for aid to the king's government. |
| 9 ο δε ταχεως προχειρισαμενος νικανορα τον του πατροκλου των πρωτων φιλων απεστειλεν υποταξας παμφυλων εθνη ουκ ελαττους των δισμυριων το συμπαν της ιουδαιας εξαραι γενος συνεστησεν δε αυτω και γοργιαν ανδρα στρατηγον και εν πολεμικαις χρειαις πειραν εχοντα | 9 And Ptolemy promptly appointed Nicanor the son of Patroclus, one of the king's chief friends, and sent him, in command of no fewer than twenty thousand Gentiles of all nations, to wipe out the whole race of Judea. He associated with him Gorgias, a general and a man of experience in military service. |
| 10 διεστησατο δε ο νικανωρ τον φορον τω βασιλει τοις ρωμαιοις οντα ταλαντων δισχιλιων εκ της των ιουδαιων αιχμαλωσιας εκπληρωσειν | 10 Nicanor determined to make up for the king the tribute due to the Romans, two thousand talents, by selling the captured Jews into slavery. |
| 11 ευθεως δε εις τας παραθαλασσιους πολεις απεστειλεν προκαλουμενος επ' αγορασμον ιουδαιων σωματων υπισχνουμενος ενενηκοντα σωματα ταλαντου παραχωρησειν ου προσδεχομενος την παρα του παντοκρατορος μελλουσαν παρακολουθησειν επ' αυτω δικην | 11 And he immediately sent to the cities on the seacoast, inviting them to buy Jewish slaves and promising to hand over ninety slaves for a talent, not expecting the judgment from the Almighty that was about to overtake him. |
| 12 τω δε ιουδα προσεπεσεν περι της του νικανορος εφοδου και μεταδοντος τοις συν αυτω την παρουσιαν του στρατοπεδου | 12 Word came to Judas concerning Nicanor's invasion; and when he told his companions of the arrival of the army, |
| 13 οι δειλανδρουντες και απιστουντες την του θεου δικην διεδιδρασκον εαυτους και εξετοπιζον | 13 those who were cowardly and distrustful of God's justice ran off and got away. |
| 14 οι δε τα περιλελειμμενα παντα επωλουν ομου δε τον κυριον ηξιουν ρυσασθαι τους υπο του δυσσεβους νικανορος πριν συντυχειν πεπραμενους | 14 Others sold all their remaining property, and at the same time besought the Lord to rescue those who had been sold by the ungodly Nicanor before he ever met them, |
| 15 και ει μη δι' αυτους αλλα δια τας προς τους πατερας αυτων διαθηκας και ενεκα της επ' αυτους επικλησεως του σεμνου και μεγαλοπρεπους ονοματος αυτου | 15 if not for their own sake, yet for the sake of the covenants made with their fathers, and because he had called them by his holy and glorious name. |
| 16 συναγαγων δε ο μακκαβαιος τους περι αυτον οντας αριθμον εξακισχιλιους παρεκαλει μη καταπλαγηναι τοις πολεμιοις μηδε ευλαβεισθαι την των αδικως παραγινομενων επ' αυτους εθνων πολυπληθειαν αγωνισασθαι δε γενναιως | 16 But Maccabeus gathered his men together, to the number six thousand, and exhorted them not to be frightened by the enemy and not to fear the great multitude of Gentiles who were wickedly coming against them, but to fight nobly, |
| 17 προ οφθαλμων λαβοντας την ανομως εις τον αγιον τοπον συντετελεσμενην υπ' αυτων υβριν και τον της εμπεπαιγμενης πολεως αικισμον ετι δε την της προγονικης πολιτειας καταλυσιν | 17 keeping before their eyes the lawless outrage which the Gentiles had committed against the holy place, and the torture of the derided city, and besides, the overthrow of their ancestral way of life. |
| 18 οι μεν γαρ οπλοις πεποιθασιν αμα και τολμαις εφησεν ημεις δε επι τω παντοκρατορι θεω δυναμενω και τους ερχομενους εφ' ημας και τον ολον κοσμον ενι νευματι καταβαλειν πεποιθαμεν | 18 "For they trust to arms and acts of daring," he said, "but we trust in the Almighty God, who is able with a single nod to strike down those who are coming against us and even the whole world." |
| 19 προσαναλεξαμενος δε αυτοις και τας επι των προγονων γενομενας αντιλημψεις και την επι σενναχηριμ εκατον ογδοηκοντα πεντε χιλιαδες ως απωλοντο | 19 Moreover, he told them of the times when help came to their ancestors; both the time of Sennacherib, when one hundred and eighty-five thousand perished, |
| 20 και την εν τη βαβυλωνια την προς τους γαλατας παραταξιν γενομενην ως οι παντες επι την χρειαν ηλθον οκτακισχιλιοι συν μακεδοσιν τετρακισχιλιοις των μακεδονων απορουμενων οι οκτακισχιλιοι τας δωδεκα μυριαδας απωλεσαν δια την γινομενην αυτοις απ' ουρανου βοηθειαν και ωφελειαν πολλην ελαβον | 20 and the time of the battle with the Galatians that took place in Babylonia, when eight thousand in all went into the affair, with four thousand Macedonians; and when the Macedonians were hard pressed, the eight thousand, by the help that came to them from heaven, destroyed one hundred and twenty thousand and took much booty. |
| 21 εφ' οις ευθαρσεις αυτους παραστησας και ετοιμους υπερ των νομων και της πατριδος αποθνησκειν τετραμερες τι το στρατευμα εποιησεν | 21 With these words he filled them with good courage and made them ready to die for their laws and their country; then he divided his army into four parts. |
| 22 ταξας και τους αδελφους αυτου προηγουμενους εκατερας ταξεως σιμωνα και ιωσηπον και ιωναθην υποταξας εκαστω χιλιους προς τοις πεντακοσιοις | 22 He appointed his brothers also, Simon and Joseph and Jonathan, each to command a division, putting fifteen hundred men under each. |
| 23 ετι δε και ελεαζαρον παραναγνους την ιεραν βιβλον και δους συνθημα θεου βοηθειας της πρωτης σπειρας αυτος προηγουμενος συνεβαλε τω νικανορι | 23 Besides, he appointed Eleazar to read aloud from the holy book, and gave the watchword, "God's help"; then, leading the first division himself, he joined battle with Nicanor. |
| 24 γενομενου δε αυτοις του παντοκρατορος συμμαχου κατεσφαξαν των πολεμιων υπερ τους ενακισχιλιους τραυματιας δε και τοις μελεσιν αναπειρους το πλειον μερος της του νικανορος στρατιας εποιησαν παντας δε φυγειν ηναγκασαν | 24 With the Almighty as their ally, they slew more than nine thousand of the enemy, and wounded and disabled most of Nicanor's army, and forced them all to flee. |
| 25 τα δε χρηματα των παραγεγονοτων επι τον αγορασμον αυτων ελαβον συνδιωξαντες δε αυτους εφ' ικανον ανελυσαν υπο της ωρας συγκλειομενοι | 25 They captured the money of those who had come to buy them as slaves. After pursuing them for some distance, they were obliged to return because the hour was late. |
| 26 ην γαρ η προ του σαββατου δι' ην αιτιαν ουκ εμακροτονησαν κατατρεχοντες αυτους | 26 For it was the day before the sabbath, and for that reason they did not continue their pursuit. |
| 27 οπλολογησαντες δε αυτους και τα σκυλα εκδυσαντες των πολεμιων περι το σαββατον εγινοντο περισσως ευλογουντες και εξομολογουμενοι τω κυριω τω διασωσαντι εις την ημεραν ταυτην αρχην ελεους ταξαντος αυτοις | 27 And when they had collected the arms of the enemy and stripped them of their spoils, they kept the sabbath, giving great praise and thanks to the Lord, who had preserved them for that day and allotted it to them as the beginning of mercy. |
| 28 μετα δε το σαββατον τοις ηκισμενοις και ταις χηραις και ορφανοις μερισαντες απο των σκυλων τα λοιπα αυτοι και τα παιδια διεμερισαντο | 28 After the sabbath they gave some of the spoils to those who had been tortured and to the widows and orphans, and distributed the rest among themselves and their children. |
| 29 ταυτα δε διαπραξαμενοι και κοινην ικετειαν ποιησαμενοι τον ελεημονα κυριον ηξιουν εις τελος καταλλαγηναι τοις αυτου δουλοις | 29 When they had done this, they made common supplication and besought the merciful Lord to be wholly reconciled with his servants. |
| 30 και τοις περι τιμοθεον και βακχιδην συνερισαντες υπερ τους δισμυριους αυτων ανειλον και οχυρωματων υψηλων ευ μαλα εγκρατεις εγενοντο και λαφυρα πλειονα εμερισαντο ισομοιρους αυτοις και τοις ηκισμενοις και ορφανοις και χηραις ετι δε και πρεσβυτεροις ποιησαντες | 30 In encounters with the forces of Timothy and Bacchides they killed more than twenty thousand of them and got possession of some exceedingly high strongholds, and they divided very much plunder, giving to those who had been tortured and to the orphans and widows, and also to the aged, shares equal to their own. |
| 31 οπλολογησαντες δε αυτους επιμελως παντα συνεθηκαν εις τους επικαιρους τοπους τα δε λοιπα των σκυλων ηνεγκαν εις ιεροσολυμα | 31 Collecting the arms of the enemy, they stored them all carefully in strategic places, and carried the rest of the spoils to Jerusalem. |
| 32 τον δε φυλαρχην των περι τιμοθεον ανειλον ανοσιωτατον ανδρα και πολλα τους ιουδαιους επιλελυπηκοτα | 32 They killed the commander of Timothy's forces, a most unholy man, and one who had greatly troubled the Jews. |
| 33 επινικια δε αγοντες εν τη πατριδι τους εμπρησαντας τους ιερους πυλωνας και καλλισθενην υφηψαν εις εν οικιδιον πεφευγοτα και τον αξιον της δυσσεβειας εκομισατο μισθον | 33 While they were celebrating the victory in the city of their fathers, they burned those who had set fire to the sacred gates, Callisthenes and some others, who had fled into one little house; so these received the proper recompense for their impiety. |
| 34 ο δε τρισαλιτηριος νικανωρ ο τους χιλιους εμπορους επι την πρασιν των ιουδαιων αγαγων | 34 The thrice-accursed Nicanor, who had brought the thousand merchants to buy the Jews, |
| 35 ταπεινωθεις υπο των κατ' αυτον νομιζομενων ελαχιστων ειναι τη του κυριου βοηθεια την δοξικην αποθεμενος εσθητα δια της μεσογειου δραπετου τροπον ερημον εαυτον ποιησας ηκεν εις αντιοχειαν υπερ απαν ευημερηκως επι τη του στρατου διαφθορα | 35 having been humbled with the help of the Lord by opponents whom he regarded as of the least account, took off his splendid uniform and made his way alone like a runaway slave across the country till he reached Antioch, having succeeded chiefly in the destruction of his own army! |
| 36 και ο τοις ρωμαιοις αναδεξαμενος φορον απο της των εν ιεροσολυμοις αιχμαλωσιας κατορθωσασθαι κατηγγελλεν υπερμαχον εχειν τους ιουδαιους και δια τον τροπον τουτον ατρωτους ειναι τους ιουδαιους δια το ακολουθειν τοις υπ' αυτου προτεταγμενοις νομοις | 36 Thus he who had undertaken to secure tribute for the Romans by the capture of the people of Jerusalem proclaimed that the Jews had a Defender, and that therefore the Jews were invulnerable, because they followed the laws ordained by him. |
