1 Maccabees 2

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 In those days Mattathias, son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the family of Joarib, left Jerusalem and settled in Modein.	1 In those days arose Mathathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem, and he abode in the mountain of Modin.
2 He had five sons: John, who was called Gaddi;	2 And he had five sons: John who was surnamed Gaddis:
3 Simon, who was called Thassi;	3 And Simon, who was surnamed Thasi:
4 Judas, who was called Maccabeus;	4 And Judas, who was called Machabeus:
5 Eleazar, who was called Avaran; and Jonathan, who was called Apphus.	5 And Eleazar, who was surnamed Abaron: and Jonathan, who was surnamed Apphus.
6 When he saw the sacrileges that were being committed in Judah and in Jerusalem,	6 These saw the evils that were done in the people of Juda, and in Jerusalem.
7 he said: "Woe is me! Why was I born to see the ruin of my people and the ruin of the holy city, and to sit idle while it is given into the hands of enemies, and the sanctuary into the hands of strangers?	7 And Mathathias said: Woe is me, wherefore was I born to see the ruin of my people, and the ruin of the holy city, and to dwell there, when it is given into the hands of the enemies?
8 "Her temple has become like a man disgraced,	8 The holy places are come into the hands of strangers: her temple is become as a man without honour.
9 her glorious ornaments have been carried off as spoils, Her infants have been murdered in her streets, her young men by the sword of the enemy.	9 The vessels of her glory are carried away captive: her old men are murdered in the streets, and her young men are fallen by the sword of the enemies.
10 What nation has not taken its share of her realm, and laid its hand on her possessions?	10 What nation hath not inherited her kingdom, and gotten of her spoils?
11 All her adornment has been taken away. From being free, she has become a slave.	11 All her ornaments are taken away. She that was free is made a slave.
12 We see our sanctuary and our beauty and our glory laid waste, And the Gentiles have defiled them!	12 And behold our sanctuary, and our beauty, and our glory is laid waste, and the Gentiles have defiled them.
13 Why are we still alive?"	13 To what end then should we live any longer?
14 Then Mattathias and his sons tore their garments, put on sackcloth, and mourned bitterly.	14 And Mathathias and his sons rent their garments, and they covered themselves with haircloth, and made great lamentation.
15 The officers of the king in charge of enforcing the apostasy came to the city of Modein to organize the sacrifices.	15 And they that were sent from king Antiochus came thither, to compel them that were fled into the city of Modin, to sacrifice, and to burn incense, and to depart from the law of God.
16 Many of Israel joined them, but Mattathias and his sons gathered in a group apart.	16 And many of the people of Israel consented, and came to them: but Mathathias and his sons stood firm.
17 Then the officers of the king addressed Mattathias: "You are a leader, an honorable and great man in this city, supported by sons and kinsmen.	17 And they that were sent from Antiochus, answering, said to Mathathias: Thou art a ruler, and an honourable, and great man in this city, and adorned with sons, and brethren.
18 Come now, be the first to obey the king's command, as all the Gentiles and the men of Judah and those who are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons shall be numbered among the King's Friends, and shall be enriched with silver and gold and many gifts."	18 Therefore come thou first, and obey the king's commandment, as all nations have done, and the men of Juda, and they that remain in Jerusalem: and thou, and thy sons, shall be in the number of the king's friends, and enriched with gold, and silver, and many presents.
19 But Mattathias answered in a loud voice: "Although all the Gentiles in the king's realm obey him, so that each forsakes the religion of his fathers and consents to the king's orders,	19 Then Mathathias answered, and said with a loud voice: Although all nations obey king Antiochus, so as to depart every man from the service of the law of his fathers, and consent to his commandments:
20 yet I and my sons and my kinsmen will keep to the covenant of our fathers.	20 I and my sons, and my brethren will obey the law of our fathers.
21 God forbid that we should forsake the law and the commandments.	21 God be merciful unto us: it is not profitable for us to forsake the law, and the justices of God:
22 We will not obey the words of the king nor depart from our religion in the slightest degree."	22 We will not hearken to the words of king Antiochus, neither will we sacrifice, and transgress the commandments of our law, to go another way.
23 As he finished saying these words, a certain Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein according to the king's order.	23 Now as he left off speaking these words, there came a certain Jew in the sight of all to sacrifice to the idols upon the altar in the city of Modin, according to the king's commandment.
24 When Mattathias saw him, he was filled with zeal; his heart was moved and his just fury was aroused; he sprang forward and killed him upon the altar.	24 And Mathathias saw and was grieved, and his reins trembled, and his wrath was kindled according to the judgment of the law, and running upon him he slew him upon the altar:
25 At the same time, he also killed the messenger of the king who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar.	25 Moreover the man whom king Antiochus had sent, who compelled them to sacrifice, he slew at the same time, and pulled down the altar.
26 Thus he showed his zeal for the law, just as Phinehas did with Zimri, son of Salu.	26 And shewed zeal for the law, as Phinees did by Zamri the son of Salomi.
27 Then Mattathias went through the city shouting, "Let everyone who is zealous for the law and who stands by the covenant follow after me!"	27 And Mathathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying: Every one that hath zeal for the law, and maintaineth the testament, let him follow me.
28 Thereupon he fled to the mountains with his sons, leaving behind in the city all their possessions.	28 So he, and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that they had in the city.
29 Many who sought to live according to righteousness and religious custom went out into the desert to settle there,	29 Then many that sought after judgment, and justice, went down into the desert:
30 they and their sons, their wives and their cattle, because misfortunes pressed so hard on them.	30 And they abode there, they and their children, and their wives, and their cattle: because afflictions increased upon them.
31 It was reported to the officers and soldiers of the king who were in the City of David, in Jerusalem, that certain men who had flouted the king's order had gone out to the hiding places in the desert.	31 And it was told to the king's men, and to the army that was in Jerusalem in the city of David, that certain men who had broken the king's commandment, were gone away into the secret places in the wilderness, and that many were gone after them.
32 Many hurried out after them, and having caught up with them, camped opposite and prepared to attack them on the sabbath.	32 And forthwith they went out towards them, and made war against them on the sabbath day,
33 "Enough of this!" the pursuers said to them. "Come out and obey the king's command, and your lives will be spared."	33 And they said to them: Do you still resist? come forth, and do according to the edict of king Antiochus, and you shall live.
34 But they replied, "We will not come out, nor will we obey the king's command to profane the sabbath."	34 And they said: We will not come forth, neither will we obey the king's edict, to profane the sabbath day.
35 Then the enemy attacked them at once;	35 And they made haste to give them battle.
36 but they did not retaliate; they neither threw stones, nor blocked up their own hiding places.	36 But they answered them not, neither did they cast a stone at them, nor stopped up the secret places,
37 They said, "Let us all die without reproach; heaven and earth are our witnesses that you destroy us unjustly."	37 Saying: Let us all die in our innocency: and heaven and earth shall be witnesses for us, that you put us to death wrongfully.
38 So the officers and soldiers attacked them on the sabbath, and they died with their wives, their children and their cattle, to the number of a thousand persons.	38 So they gave them battle on the sabbath: and they were slain with their wives, and their children, and their cattle, to the number of a thousand persons.
39 When Mattathias and his friends heard of it, they mourned deeply for them.	39 And Mathathias and his friends heard of it, and they mourned for them exceedingly.
40 "If we all do as our kinsmen have done," they said to one another, "and do not fight against the Gentiles for our lives and our traditions, they will soon destroy us from the earth."	40 And every man said to his neighbour: If we shall all do as our brethren have done, and not fight against the heathens for our lives, and our justifications: they will now quickly root us out of the earth.
41 On that day they came to this decision: "Let us fight against anyone who attacks us on the sabbath, so that we may not all die as our kinsmen died in the hiding places."	41 And they determined in that day, saying: Whosoever shall come up against us to fight on the sabbath day, we will fight against him: and we will not all die, as our brethren that were slain in the secret places.
42 Then they were joined by a group of Hasideans, valiant Israelites, all of them devout followers of the law.	42 Then was assembled to them the congregation of the Assideans, the stoutest of Israel, every one that had a good will for the law.
43 And all those who were fleeing from the disaster joined them and supported them.	43 And all they that fled from the evils, joined themselves to them, and were a support to them.
44 They gathered an army and struck down sinners in their anger and lawbreakers in their wrath, and the survivors fled to the Gentiles for safety.	44 And they gathered an army, and slew the sinners in their wrath, and the wicked men in their indignation: and the rest fled to the nations for safety.
45 Mattathias and his friends went about and tore down the pagan altars;	45 And Mathathias and his friends went round about, and they threw down the altars:
46 they also enforced circumcision for any uncircumcised boys whom they found in the territory of Israel.	46 And they circumcised all the children whom they found in the confines of Israel that were uncircumcised: and they did valiantly.
47 They put to flight the arrogant, and the work prospered in their hands.	47 And they pursued after the children of pride, and the work prospered in their hands:
48 They saved the law from the hands of the Gentiles and of the kings and did not let the sinner triumph.	48 And they recovered the law out of the hands of the nations, and out of the hands of the kings: and they yielded not the horn to the sinner.
49 When the time came for Mattathias to die, he said to his sons: "Arrogance and scorn have now grown strong; it is a time of disaster and violent anger.	49 Now the days drew near that Mathathias should die, and he said to his sons: Now hath pride and chastisement gotten strength, and the time of destruction, and the wrath of indignation:
50 Therefore, my sons, be zealous for the law and give your lives for the covenant of our fathers.	50 Now therefore, O my sons, be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers.
51 "Remember the deeds that our fathers did in their times, and you shall win great glory and an everlasting name.	51 And call to remembrance the works of the fathers, which they have done in their generations: and you shall receive great glory, and an everlasting name.
52 Was not Abraham found faithful in trial, and it was reputed to him as uprightness?	52 Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was reputed to him unto justice?
53 Joseph, when in distress, kept the commandment, and he became master of Egypt.	53 Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and he was made lord of Egypt.
54 Phinehas our father, for his burning zeal, received the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.	54 Phinees our father, by being fervent in the zeal of God, received the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.
55 Joshua, for executing his commission, became a judge in Israel.	55 Jesus, whilst he fulfilled the word, was made ruler in Israel.
56 Caleb, for bearing witness before the assembly, received an inheritance in the land.	56 Caleb, for bearing witness before the congregation, received an inheritance.
57 David, for his piety, received as a heritage a throne of everlasting royalty.	57 David by his mercy obtained the throne of an everlasting kingdom.
58 Elijah, for his burning zeal for the law, was taken up to heaven.	58 Elias, while he was full of zeal for the law, was taken up into heaven.
59 Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael, for their faith, were saved from the fire.	59 Ananias and Azarias and Misael by believing, were delivered out of the flame.
60 Daniel, for his innocence, was delivered from the jaws of lions.	60 Daniel in his innocency was delivered out of the mouth of the lions.
61 And so, consider this from generation to generation, that none who hope in him shall fail in strength.	61 And thus consider through all generations: that none that trust in him fail in strength.
62 Do not fear the words of a sinful man, for his glory ends in corruption and worms.	62 And fear not the words of a sinful man, for his glory is dung, and worms:
63 Today he is exalted, and tomorrow he is not to be found, because he has returned to his dust, and his schemes have perished.	63 To day he is lifted up, and to morrow he shall not be found, because he is returned into his earth; and his thought is come to nothing.
64 Children! be courageous and strong in keeping the law, for by it you shall be glorified.	64 You therefore, my sons, take courage, and behave manfully in the law: for by it you shall be glorious.
65 "Here is your brother Simeon who I know is a wise man; listen to him always, and he will be a father to you.	65 And behold, I know that your brother Simon is a man of counsel: give ear to him always, and he shall be a father to you.
66 And Judas Maccabeus, a warrior from his youth, shall be the leader of your army and direct the war against the nations.	66 And Judas Machabeus who is valiant and strong from his youth up, let him be the leader of your army, and he shall manage the war of the people.
67 You shall also gather about you all who observe the law, and you shall avenge the wrongs of your people.	67 And you shall take to you all that observe the law: and revenge ye the wrong of your people.
68 Pay back the Gentiles what they deserve, and observe the precepts of the law."	68 Render to the Gentiles their reward, and take heed to the precepts of the law.
69 Then he blessed them, and he was united with his fathers.	69 And he blessed them, and was joined to his fathers.
70 He died in the year one hundred and forty-six, and was buried in the tombs of his fathers in Modein, and all Israel mourned him greatly.	70 And he died in the hundred and forty-sixth year: and he was buried by his sons in the sepulchres of his fathers in Modin, and all Israel mourned for him with great mourning.