2 Maccabees 6

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	Biblija Hrvatski
1 Not long after this the king sent an Athenian senator to force the Jews to abandon the customs of their ancestors and live no longer by the laws of God;	1 Nedugo potom posla kralj Atenjanina Geronta da Židove prisiljava da krše zakone otaca i da se više u svom životu ne ravnaju po Božjim zakonima;
2 also to profane the temple in Jerusalem and dedicate it to Olympian Zeus, and that on Mount Gerizim to Zeus the Hospitable, as the inhabitants of the place requested.	2 pa da oskvrne jeruzalemski Hram i pridijeli ga olimpskom Zeusu, a onaj na Gerizimu Zeusu Gostoljubivom, kako su to tražili stanovnici tog mjesta.
3 This intensified the evil in an intolerable and utterly disgusting way.	3 Narodu je bilo teško i nepodnosivo toliko zlo.
4 The Gentiles filled the temple with debauchery and revelry; they amused themselves with prostitutes and had intercourse with women even in the sacred court. They also brought into the temple things that were forbidden,	4 Pogani ispuniše Hram raspuštenošću i pijankama. Zabavljali su se s djevojčurama i u svetim se predvorjima upuštali sa ženama. Štoviše, u samu su unutrašnjost unosili koješta zabranjeno.
5 so that the altar was covered with abominable offerings prohibited by the laws.	5 Žrtvenik su natovarili nedopuštenim žrtvama koje su zakoni branili.
6 A man could not keep the sabbath or celebrate the traditional feasts, nor even admit that he was a Jew.	6 Čak nije bilo dopušteno svetkovati subotu, niti slaviti djedovske svetkovine otaca, niti se uopće itko smio priznavati Židovom.
7 Moreover, at the monthly celebration of the king's birthday the Jews had, from bitter necessity, to partake of the sacrifices, and when the festival of Dionysus was celebrated, they were compelled to march in his procession, wearing wreaths of ivy.	7 Naprotiv, silom su ih tjerali na mjesečne žrtvene gozbe u spomen kraljeva rođendana, a kad se slavio Dionizov blagdan, morali su ovjenčani bršljanom izići u Dionizovu povorku.
8 At the suggestion of the citizens of Ptolemais, a decree was issued ordering the neighboring Greek cities to act in the same way against the Jews: oblige them to partake of the sacrifices,	8 Na Ptolemejev poticaj izišla je naredba da se i u susjednim helenskim gradovima jednako postupa sa Židovima, pa da i oni sudjeluju u obrednim gozbama,
9 and put to death those who would not consent to adopt the customs of the Greeks. It was obvious, therefore, that disaster impended.	9 a da se ubiju oni koji ne prihvaćaju helenskih običaja. Bilo je očito kakva je nevolja nastala.
10 Thus, two women who were arrested for having circumcised their children were publicly paraded about the city with their babies hanging at their breasts and then thrown down from the top of the city wall.	10 Tako su bile izvedene pred sud dvije žene koje su obrezale svoju djecu. Objesili su im dojenčad o dojke te su ih javno vodili gradom, a onda strmoglavili sa zidina.
11 Others, who had assembled in nearby caves to observe the sabbath in secret, were betrayed to Philip and all burned to death. In their respect for the holiness of that day, they had scruples about defending themselves.	11 Drugi se sastajali u obližnjim špiljama da potajno svetkuju sedmi dan: prokazali su ih Filipu te ih zajedno spališe; iz poštovanja prema tome svetom danu, oni se nisu ni branili.
12 Now I beg those who read this book not to be disheartened by these misfortunes, but to consider that these chastisements were meant not for the ruin but for the correction of our nation.	12 One kojima će ova knjiga dopasti u ruke molim da zbog ovih nevolja ne klonu duhom; neka znaju da su se progonstva zbila ne na propast, nego na popravak našeg naroda.
13 It is, in fact, a sign of great kindness to punish sinners promptly instead of letting them go for long.	13 Znak je velike milosti kad se grešnici predugo ne puštaju nekažnjeni, nego ih namah stiže kazna.
14 Thus, in dealing with other nations, the Lord patiently waits until they reach the full measure of their sins before he punishes them; but with us he has decided to deal differently,	14 Dok u drugih naroda Gospod strpljivo čeka da ih kazni onda kad prevrše mjeru grijeha, dotle je s nama odlučio drukčije postupiti;
15 in order that he may not have to punish us more severely later, when our sins have reached their fullness.	15 ne čeka da nas kazni istom kad se već ispuni mjera naših grijeha.
16 He never withdraws his mercy from us. Although he disciplines us with misfortunes, he does not abandon his own people.	16 Zato nam on nikad ne uskraćuje svog milosrđa niti svoj narod ostavlja, iako ga kažnjava nevoljama.
17 Let these words suffice for recalling this truth. Without further ado we must go on with our story.	17 Neka je to dovoljno za opomenu. Nakon ovih nekoliko riječi nastavit ćemo kazivanje.
18 Eleazar, one of the foremost scribes, a man of advanced age and noble appearance, was being forced to open his mouth to eat pork.	18 Eleazara, jednog od prvaka među pismoznancima, čovjeka već poodmakle dobi ali otmjene vanjštine, nagovorili su, silom mu otvarajući usta, da jede svinjetinu.
19 But preferring a glorious death to a life of defilement, he spat out the meat, and went forward of his own accord to the instrument of torture,	19 Ali je on više volio slavnu smrt nego sramotan život, pa sâm dragovoljno pristupi mučilištu.
20 as men ought to do who have the courage to reject the food which it is unlawful to taste even for love of life.	20 Ali prije ispljunu ono što mu je bilo u ustima, kako treba da postupi svaki onaj koji se odlučno čuva onoga što nije dopušteno okusiti ni po cijenu ljubavi prema životu.
21 Those in charge of that unlawful ritual meal took the man aside privately, because of their long acquaintance with him, and urged him to bring meat of his own providing, such as he could legitimately eat, and to pretend to be eating some of the meat of the sacrifice prescribed by the king;	21 Oni koji su predsjedavali tome bezbožnom obrednom obroku, kako su odavna poznavali tog čovjeka, uzeše ga nasamo nagovarati da sa sobom donese mesa koje smije uživati i koje je sam pripravio. Neka se samo pretvara da po kraljevoj zapovijedi jede od žrtvenog mesa.
22 in this way he would escape the death penalty, and be treated kindly because of their old friendship with him.	22 Učini li tako, izbavit će se od smrti njihovim čovjekoljubljem, na koje ih obvezuje staro prijateljstvo.
23 But he made up his mind in a noble manner, worthy of his years, the dignity of his advanced age, the merited distinction of his gray hair, and of the admirable life he had lived from childhood; and so he declared that above all he would be loyal to the holy laws given by God. He told them to send him at once to the abode of the dead, explaining:	23 Ali on stvori plemenitu odluku, dostojnu svoje dobi i ugleda svoje časne starosti i sijede glave i besprijekorna života sve od djetinjstva, a još većma dostojnu svetih zakona koje je postavio sam Bog: bez oklijevanja izjavi neka ga samo pošalju u podzemlje.
24 "At our age it would be unbecoming to make such a pretense; many young men would think the ninety-year-old Eleazar had gone over to an alien religion.	24 »Ne dolikuje našoj dobi pretvarati se, pa da mnogi mladići pomisle kako je Eleazar sa devedeset godina prešao na tuđinske običaje.
25 Should I thus dissimulate for the sake of a brief moment of life, they would be led astray by me, while I would bring shame and dishonor on my old age.	25 Zbog svog pretvaranja da spasim ono malo prolaznog života, mogli bi i sami zastraniti, a ja bih tako na svoju starost navukao ljagu i sramotu.
26 Even if, for the time being, I avoid the punishment of men, I shall never, whether alive or dead, escape the hands of the Almighty.	26 Jer, sve kad bih sada i umakao ljudskoj kazni, ni živ ni mrtav neću izbjeći rukama Svemogućega.
27 Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now, I will prove myself worthy of my old age,	27 A sada, junački se odričući života, pokazat ću se dostojnim svoje starosti
28 and I will leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and generously for the revered and holy laws." He spoke thus, and went immediately to the instrument of torture.	28 i mladićima ostaviti plemenit primjer kako se za časne i svete zakone valja spremno i velikodušno izložiti smrti.« Nakon tih riječi odmah pristupi mučilištu.
29 Those who shortly before had been kindly disposed, now became hostile toward him because what he had said seemed to them utter madness.	29 Oni koji su ga vodili, promijeniše dotadašnju naklonost u mržnju: njegove riječi činile im se ludošću.
30 When he was about to die under the blows, he groaned and said: "The Lord in his holy knowledge knows full well that, although I could have escaped death, I am not only enduring terrible pain in my body from this scourging, but also suffering it with joy in my soul because of my devotion to him."	30 Kad je već pod udarcima umirao, uzdahnu i reče: »Gospodin, koji posjeduje sveto znanje, dobro zna da sam se mogao izbaviti od smrti, ali da na svom tijelu podnosim teške muke bičevanja jer u duši radosno sve to podnosim u strahopoštovanju prema njemu.«
31 This is how he died, leaving in his death a model of courage and an unforgettable example of virtue not only for the young but for the whole nation.	31 I tako je on preminuo i svojom smrću ostavio ne samo mladeži nego i većini naroda primjer hrabrosti i spomenik kreposti.