1 Maccabees 1

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 After Alexander the Macedonian, Philip's son, who came from the land of Kittim, had defeated Darius, king of the Persians and Medes, he became king in his place, having first ruled in Greece.	1 Now it came to pass, after that Alexander the son of Philip the Macedonian, who first reigned in Greece, coming out of the land of Cethim, had overthrown Darius king of the Persians and Medes:
2 He fought many campaigns, captured fortresses, and put kings to death.	2 He fought many battles, and took the strong holds of all, and slew the kings of the earth:
3 He advanced to the ends of the earth, gathering plunder from many nations; the earth fell silent before him, and his heart became proud and arrogant.	3 And he went through even to the ends of the earth, and took the spoils of many nations: and the earth was quiet before him.
4 He collected a very strong army and conquered provinces, nations, and rulers, and they became his tributaries.	4 And he gathered a power, and a very strong army: and his heart was exalted and lifted up.
5 But after all this he took to his bed, realizing that he was going to die.	5 And he subdued countries of nations, and princes: and they became tributaries to him.
6 He therefore summoned his officers, the nobles, who had been brought up with him from his youth, to divide his kingdom among them while he was still alive.	6 And after these things, he fell down upon his bed, and knew that he should die.
7 Alexander had reigned twelve years when he died.	7 And he called his servants the nobles that were brought up with him from his youth: and he divided his kingdom among them, while he was yet alive.
8 So his officers took over his kingdom, each in his own territory,	8 And Alexander reigned twelve years, and he died.
9 and after his death they all put on royal crowns, and so did their sons after them for many years, causing much distress over the earth.	9 And his servants made themselves kings every one in his place:
10 There sprang from these a sinful offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus, once a hostage at Rome. He became king in the year one hundred and thirty-seven of the kingdom of the Greeks.	10 And they all put crowns upon themselves after his death, and their sons after them many years, and evils were multiplied in the earth.
11 In those days there appeared in Israel men who were breakers of the law, and they seduced many people, saying: "Let us go and make an alliance with the Gentiles all around us; since we separated from them, many evils have come upon us."	11 And there came out of them a wicked root, Antiochus the Illustrious, the son of king Antiochus, who had been a hostage at Rome: and he reigned in the hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
12 The proposal was agreeable;	12 In those days there went out of Israel wicked men, and they persuaded many, saying: Let us go, and make a covenant with the heathens that are round about us: for since we departed from them, many evils have befallen us.
13 some from among the people promptly went to the king, and he authorized them to introduce the way of living of the Gentiles.	13 And the word seemed good in their eyes.
14 Thereupon they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the Gentile custom.	14 And some of the people determined to do this, and went to the king: and he gave them license to do after the ordinances of the heathens.
15 They covered over the mark of their circumcision and abandoned the holy covenant; they allied themselves with the Gentiles and sold themselves to wrongdoing.	15 And they built a place of exercise in Jerusalem, according to the laws of the nations:
16 When his kingdom seemed secure, Antiochus proposed to become king of Egypt, so as to rule over both kingdoms.	16 And they made themselves prepuces, and departed from the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathens, and were sold to do evil.
17 He invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants, and with a large fleet,	17 And the kingdom was established before Antiochus, and he had a mind to reign over the land of Egypt, that he might reign over two kingdoms.
18 to make war on Ptolemy, king of Egypt. Ptolemy was frightened at his presence and fled, leaving many casualties.	18 And he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots and elephants, and horsemen, and a great number of ships:
19 The fortified cities in the land of Egypt were captured, and Antiochus plundered the land of Egypt.	19 And he made war against Ptolemee king of Egypt, but Ptolemee was afraid at his presence, and fled, and many were wounded unto death.
20 After Antiochus had defeated Egypt in the year one hundred and forty-three, he returned and went up to Israel and to Jerusalem with a strong force.	20 And he took the strong cities in the land of Egypt: and he took the spoils of the land of Egypt.
21 He insolently invaded the sanctuary and took away the golden altar, the lampstand for the light with all its fixtures,	21 And after Antiochus had ravaged Egypt in the hundred and forty-third year, he returned and went up against Israel.
22 the offering table, the cups and the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, and the golden ornament on the facade of the temple. He stripped off everything,	22 And he went up to Jerusalem with a great multitude.
23 and took away the gold and silver and the precious vessels; he also took all the hidden treasures he could find.	23 And he proudly entered into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof, and the table of proposition, and the pouring vessels, and the vials, and the little mortars of gold, and the veil, and the crowns, and the golden ornament that was before the temple: and he broke them all in pieces.
24 Taking all this, he went back to his own country, after he had spoken with great arrogance and shed much blood.	24 And he took the silver and gold, and the precious vessels: and he took the hidden treasures which he found: and when he had taken all away he departed into his own country.
25 And there was great mourning for Israel, in every place where they dwelt,	25 And he made a great slaughter of men, and spoke very proudly.
26 and the rulers and the elders groaned. Virgins and young men languished, and the beauty of the women was disfigured.	26 And there was great mourning in Israel, and in every place where they were.
27 Every bridegroom took up lamentation, she who sat in the bridal chamber mourned,	27 And the princes, and the ancients mourned, and the virgins and the young men were made feeble, and the beauty of the women was changed.
28 And the land was shaken on account of its inhabitants, and all the house of Jacob was covered with shame.	28 Every bridegroom took up lamentation: and the bride that set in the marriage bed, mourned:
29 Two years later, the king sent the Mysian commander to the cities of Judah, and he came to Jerusalem with a strong force.	29 And the land was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Jacob was covered with confusion.
30 He spoke to them deceitfully in peaceful terms, and won their trust. Then he attacked the city suddenly, in a great onslaught, and destroyed many of the people in Israel.	30 And after two full years the king sent the chief collector of his tributes to the cities of Juda, and he came to Jerusalem with a great multitude.
31 He plundered the city and set fire to it, demolished its houses and its surrounding walls,	31 And he spoke to them peaceable words in deceit: and they believed him.
32 took captive the women and children, and seized the cattle.	32 And he fell upon the city suddenly, and struck it with a great slaughter, and destroyed much people in Israel.
33 Then they built up the City of David with a high, massive wall and strong towers, and it became their citadel.	33 And he took the spoils of the city, and burnt it with fire, and threw down the houses thereof, and the walls thereof round about:
34 There they installed a sinful race, perverse men, who fortified themselves inside it,	34 And they took the women captive, and the children, and the cattle they possessed.
35 storing up weapons and provisions, and depositing there the plunder they had collected from Jerusalem. And they became a great threat.	35 And they built the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with strong towers, and made it a fortress for them:
36 The citadel became an ambush against the sanctuary, and a wicked adversary to Israel at all times.	36 And they placed there a sinful nation, wicked men, and they fortified themselves therein: and they stored up armour, and victuals, and gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem;
37 And they shed innocent blood around the sanctuary; they defiled the sanctuary.	37 And laid them up there: and they became a great snare.
38 Because of them the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled away, and she became the abode of strangers. She became a stranger to her own offspring, and her children forsook her.	38 And this was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil devil in Israel.
39 Her sanctuary was as desolate as a wilderness; her feasts were turned into mourning, Her sabbaths to shame, her honor to contempt.	39 And they shed innocent blood round about the sanctuary, and defiled the holy place.
40 Her dishonor was as great as her glory had been, and her exalation was turned into mourning.	40 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled away by reason of them, and the city was made the habitation to strangers, and she became a stranger to her own seed, and her children forsook her.
41 Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people,	41 Her sanctuary was desolate like a wilderness, her festival days were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into reproach, her honours were brought to nothing.
42 each abandoning his particular customs. All the Gentiles conformed to the command of the king,	42 Her dishonour was increased according to her glory, and her excellency was turned into mourning.
43 and many Israelites were in favor of his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath.	43 And king Antiochus wrote to all his kingdom, that all the people should be one: and every one should leave his own law.
44 The king sent messengers with letters to Jerusalem and to the cities of Judah, ordering them to follow customs foreign to their land;	44 And all nations consented according to the word of king Antiochus.
45 to prohibit holocausts, sacrifices, and libations in the sanctuary, to profane the sabbaths and feast days,	45 And many of Israel consented to his service, and they sacrificed to idols, and profaned the sabbath.
46 to desecrate the sanctuary and the sacred ministers,	46 And the king sent letters by the hands of messengers to Jerusalem, and to all the cities of Juda: that they should follow the law of the nations of the earth,
47 to build pagan altars and temples and shrines, to sacrifice swine and unclean animals,	47 And should forbid holocausts and sacrifices, and atonements to be made in the temple of God.
48 to leave their sons uncircumcised, and to let themselves be defiled with every kind of impurity and abomination,	48 And should prohibit the sabbath, and the festival days, to be celebrated.
49 so that they might forget the law and change all their observances.	49 And he commanded the holy places to be profaned, and the holy people of Israel.
50 Whoever refused to act according to the command of the king should be put to death.	50 And he commanded altars to be built, and temples, and idols, and swine's flesh to be immolated, and unclean beasts.
51 Such were the orders he published throughout his kingdom. He appointed inspectors over all the people, and he ordered the cities of Judah to offer sacrifices, each city in turn.	51 And that they should leave their children uncircumcised, and let their souls be defiled with all uncleannesses, and abominations, to the end that they should forget the law, and should change all the justifications of God.
52 Many of the people, those who abandoned the law, joined them and committed evil in the land.	52 And that whosoever would not do according to the word of king Antiochus should be put to death.
53 Israel was driven into hiding, wherever places of refuge could be found.	53 According to all these words he wrote to his whole kingdom, and he appointed rulers over the people that should force them to do these things.
54 On the fifteenth day of the month Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, the king erected the horrible abomination upon the altar of holocausts, and in the surrounding cities of Judah they built pagan altars.	54 And they commanded the cities of Juda to sacrifice.
55 They also burnt incense at the doors of houses and in the streets.	55 Then many of the people were gathered to them that had forsaken the law of the Lord: and they committed evils in the land:
56 Any scrolls of the law which they found they tore up and burnt.	56 And they drove away the people of Israel into lurking holes, and into the secret places of fugitives.
57 Whoever was found with a scroll of the covenant, and whoever observed the law, was condemned to death by royal decree.	57 On the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred and forty-fifth year, king Antiochus set up the abominable idol of desolation upon the altar of God, and they built altars throughout all the cities of Juda round about:
58 So they used their power against Israel, against those who were caught, each month, in the cities.	58 And they burnt incense, and sacrificed at the doors of the houses, and in the streets.
59 On the twenty-fifth day of each month they sacrificed on the altar erected over the altar of holocausts.	59 And they cut in pieces, and burnt with fire the books of the law of God:
60 Women who had had their children circumcised were put to death, in keeping with the decree,	60 And every one with whom the books of the testament of the Lord were found, and whosoever observed the law of the Lord, they put to death, according to the edict of the king.
61 with the babies hung from their necks; their families also and those who had circumcised them were killed.	61 Thus by their power did they deal with the people of Israel, that were found in the cities month after month.
62 But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean;	62 And on the five and twentieth day of the month they sacrificed upon the altar of the idol that was over against the altar of God.
63 they preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Terrible affliction was upon Israel.	63 Now the women that circumcised their children, were slain according to the commandment of king Antiochus.
	64 And they hanged the children about their necks in all their houses: and those that had circumcised them, they put to death.
	65 And many of the people of Israel determined with themselves, that they would not eat unclean things: and they chose rather to die than to be defiled with unclean meats.
	66 And they would not break the holy law of God, and they were put to death:
	67 And there was very great wrath upon the people.