2 Maccabees 6

KING JAMES BIBLE	BIBLIA
1 Not long after this the king sent an old man of Athens to compel the Jews to depart from the laws of their fathers, and not to live after the laws of God:	1 Poco tiempo después, el rey envió al ateniense Geronta para obligar a los judíos a que desertaran de las leyes de sus padres y a que dejaran de vivir según las leyes de su Dios;
2 And to pollute also the temple in Jerusalem, and to call it the temple of Jupiter Olympius; and that in Garizim, of Jupiter the Defender of strangers, as they did desire that dwelt in the place.	2 y además para contaminar el Templo de Jerusalén, dedicándolo a Zeus Olímpico, y el de Garizim, a Zeus Hospitalario, como lo habían pedido los habitantes del lugar.
3 The coming in of this mischief was sore and grievous to the people:	3 Este recrudecimiento del mal era para todos penoso e insoportable.
4 For the temple was filled with riot and revelling by the Gentiles, who dallied with harlots, and had to do with women within the circuit of the holy places, and besides that brought in things that were not lawful.	4 El Templo estaba lleno de desórdenes y orgías por parte de los paganos que holgaban con meretrices y que en los atrios sagrados andaban con mujeres, y hasta introducían allí cosas prohibidas.
5 The altar also was filled with profane things, which the law forbiddeth.	5 El altar estaba repleto de víctimas ilícitas, prohibidas por las leyes.
6 Neither was it lawful for a man to keep sabbath days or ancient fasts, or to profess himself at all to be a Jew.	6 No se podía ni celebrar el sábado, ni guardar las fiestas patrias, ni siquiera confesarse judío;
7 And in the day of the king's birth every month they were brought by bitter constraint to eat of the sacrifices; and when the fast of Bacchus was kept, the Jews were compelled to go in procession to Bacchus, carrying ivy.	7 antes bien eran obligados con amarga violencia a la celebración mensual del nacimiento del rey con un banquete sacrificial y, cuando llegaba la fiesta de Dióniso, eran forzados a formar parte de su cortejo, coronados de hiedra.
8 Moreover there went out a decree to the neighbour cities of the heathen, by the suggestion of Ptolemee, against the Jews, that they should observe the same fashions, and be partakers of their sacrifices:	8 Por instigación de los habitantes de Tolemaida salió un decreto para las vecinas ciudades griegas, obligándolas a que procedieran de la misma forma contra los judíos y a que les hicieran participar en los banquetes sacrificiales,
9 And whoso would not conform themselves to the manners of the Gentiles should be put to death. Then might a man have seen the present misery.	9 con orden de degollar a los que no adoptaran el cambio a las costumbres griegas. Podíase ya entrever la calamidad inminente.
10 For there were two women brought, who had circumcised their children; whom when they had openly led round about the city, the babes handing at their breasts, they cast them down headlong from the wall.	10 Dos mujeres fueron delatadas por haber circuncidado a sus hijos; las hicieron recorrer públicamente la ciudad con los niños colgados del pecho, y las precipitaron desde la muralla.
11 And others, that had run together into caves near by, to keep the sabbath day secretly, being discovered by Philip, were all burnt together, because they made a conscience to help themselves for the honour of the most sacred day.	11 Otros que se habían reunido en cuevas próximas para celebrar a escondidas el día séptimo, fueron denunciados a Filipo y quemados juntos, sin que quisieran hacer nada en su defensa, por respeto a la santidad del día.
12 Now I beseech those that read this book, that they be not discouraged for these calamities, but that they judge those punishments not to be for destruction, but for a chastening of our nation.	12 Ruego a los lectores de este libro que no se desconcierten por estas desgracias; piensen antes bien que estos castigos buscan no la destrucción, sino la educación de nuestra raza;
13 For it is a token of his great goodness, when wicked doers are not suffered any long time, but forthwith punished.	13 pues el no tolerar por mucho tiempo a los impíos, de modo que pronto caigan en castigos, es señal de gran benevolencia.
14 For not as with other nations, whom the Lord patiently forbeareth to punish, till they be come to the fulness of their sins, so dealeth he with us,	14 Pues con las demás naciones el Soberano, para castigarlas, aguarda pacientemente a que lleguen a colmar la medida de sus pecados; pero con nosotros ha decidido no proceder así,
15 Lest that, being come to the height of sin, afterwards he should take vengeance of us.	15 para que no tenga luego que castigarnos, al llegar nuestros pecados a la medida colmada.
16 And therefore he never withdraweth his mercy from us: and though he punish with adversity, yet doth he never forsake his people.	16 Por eso mismo nunca retira de nosotros su misericordia: cuando corrige con la desgracia, no está abandonando a su propio pueblo.
17 But let this that we at spoken be for a warning unto us. And now will we come to the declaring of the matter in a few words.	17 Quede esto dicho a modo de recuerdo. Después de estas pocas palabras, prosigamos la narración.
18 Eleazar, one of the principal scribes, an aged man, and of a well favoured countenance, was constrained to open his mouth, and to eat swine's flesh.	18 A Eleazar, uno de los principales escribas, varón de ya avanzada edad y de muy noble aspecto, le forzaban a abrir la boca y a comer carne de puerco.
19 But he, choosing rather to die gloriously, than to live stained with such an abomination, spit it forth, and came of his own accord to the torment,	19 Pero él, prefiriendo una muerte honrosa a una vida infame, marchaba voluntariamente al suplicio del apaleamiento,
20 As it behoved them to come, that are resolute to stand out against such things, as are not lawful for love of life to be tasted.	20 después de escupir todo, que es como deben proceder los que tienen valentía rechazar los alimentos que no es lícito probar ni por amor a la vida.
21 But they that had the charge of that wicked feast, for the old acquaintance they had with the man, taking him aside, besought him to bring flesh of his own provision, such as was lawful for him to use, and make as if he did eat of the flesh taken from the sacrifice commanded by the king;	21 Los que estaban encargados del banquete sacrificial contrario a la Ley, tomándole aparte en razón del conocimiento que de antiguo tenían con este hombre, le invitaban a traer carne preparada por él mismo, y que le fuera lícita; a simular como si comiera la mandada por el rey, tomada del sacrificio,
22 That in so doing he might be delivered from death, and for the old friendship with them find favour.	22 para que, obrando así, se librara de la muerte, y por su antigua amistad hacia ellos alcanzara benevolencia.
23 But he began to consider discreetly, and as became his age, and the excellency of his ancient years, and the honour of his gray head, whereon was come, and his most honest education from a child, or rather the holy law made and given by God: therefore he answered accordingly, and willed them straightways to send him to the grave.	23 Pero él, tomando una noble resolución digna de su edad, de la prestancia de su ancianidad, de sus experimentadas y ejemplares canas, de su inmejorable proceder desde niño y, sobre todo, de la legislación santa dada por Dios, se mostró consecuente consigo diciendo que se le mandara pronto al Hades.
24 For it becometh not our age, said he, in any wise to dissemble, whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar, being fourscore years old and ten, were now gone to a strange religion;	24 «Porque a nuestra edad no es digno fingir, no sea que muchos jóvenes creyendo que Eleazar, a sus noventa años, se ha pasado a las costumbres paganas,
25 And so they through mine hypocrisy, and desire to live a little time and a moment longer, should be deceived by me, and I get a stain to mine old age, and make it abominable.	25 también ellos por mi simulación y por mi apego a este breve resto de vida, se desvíen por mi culpa y yo atraiga mancha y deshonra a mi vejez.
26 For though for the present time I should be delivered from the punishment of men: yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty, neither alive, nor dead.	26 Pues aunque me libre al presente del castigo de los hombres, sin embargo ni vivo ni muerto podré escapar de las manos del Todopoderoso.
27 Wherefore now, manfully changing this life, I will shew myself such an one as mine age requireth,	27 Por eso, al abandonar ahora valientemente la vida, me mostraré digno de mi ancianidad,
28 And leave a notable example to such as be young to die willingly and courageously for the honourable and holy laws. And when he had said these words, immediately he went to the torment:	28 dejando a los jóvenes un ejemplo noble al morir generosamente con ánimo y nobleza por las leyes venerables y santas». Habiendo dicho esto, se fue enseguida al suplicio del apaleamiento.
29 They that led him changing the good will they bare him a little before into hatred, because the foresaid speeches proceeded, as they thought, from a desperate mind.	29 Los que le llevaban cambiaron su suavidad de poco antes en dureza, después de oír las referidas palabras que ellos consideraban una locura;
30 But when he was ready to die with stripes, he groaned, and said, It is manifest unto the Lord, that hath the holy knowledge, that whereas I might have been delivered from death, I now endure sore pains in body by being beaten: but in soul am well content to suffer these things, because I fear him.	30 él, por su parte, a punto ya de morir por los golpes, dijo entre suspiros: «El Señor, que posee la ciencia santa, sabe bien que, pudiendo librarme de la muerte, soporto flagelado en mi cuerpo recios dolores, pero en mi alma los sufro con gusto por temor de él».
31 And thus this man died, leaving his death for an example of a noble courage, and a memorial of virtue, not only unto young men, but unto all his nation.	31 De este modo llegó a su tránsito. (No sólo a los jóvenes, sino también a la gran mayoría de la nación, Eleazar dejó su muerte como ejemplo de nobleza y recuerdo de virtud.)