1 Maccabees 1

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Alexander of Macedon son of Philip had come from the land of Kittim and defeated Darius king of thePersians and Medes, whom he succeeded as ruler, at first of Hel as.	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 undertook many campaigns, gained possession of many fortresses, and put the local kings todeath.	2 He fought many battles, and took the strong holds of all, and slew the kings of the earth:
3 So he advanced to the ends of the earth, plundering nation after nation; the earth grew silent beforehim, and his ambitious heart swel ed with pride.	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 assembled very powerful forces and subdued provinces, nations and princes, and they became histributaries.	4 And he gathered a power, and a very strong army: and his heart was exalted and lifted up.
5 But the time came when Alexander took to his bed, in the knowledge that he was dying.	5 And he subdued countries of nations, and princes: and they became tributaries to him.
6 He summoned his officers, noblemen who had been brought up with him from his youth, and dividedhis kingdom among them while he was stil 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 Each of his officers established himself in his own region.	8 And Alexander reigned twelve years, and he died.
9 Al assumed crowns after his death, they and their heirs after them for many years, bringing increasingevils on the world.	9 And his servants made themselves kings every one in his place:
10 From these there grew a wicked offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes son of King Antiochus; once ahostage in Rome, he became king in the 107th year 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 It was then that there emerged from Israel a set of renegades who led many people astray. 'Come,'they said, 'let us al y ourselves with the gentiles surrounding us, for since we separated ourselves from themmany misfortunes have overtaken 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 This proposal proved acceptable,	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 and a number of the people eagerly approached the king, who authorised them to practise thegentiles' observances.	13 And the word seemed good in their eyes.
14 So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, such as the gentiles have,	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 disguised their circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant, submitting to gentile rule as willingslaves of impiety.	15 And they built a place of exercise in Jerusalem, according to the laws of the nations:
16 Once Antiochus had seen his authority established, he determined to make himself king of Egypt andthe ruler of 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 in massive strength, with chariots and elephants (and cavalry) and 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 He engaged Ptolemy king of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned back and fled before his advance,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 of Egypt were captured, and Antiochus plundered the country.	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 his conquest of Egypt, in the year 143, Antiochus turned about and advanced on Israel andJerusalem in massive strength.	20 And he took the strong cities in the land of Egypt: and he took the spoils of the land of Egypt.
21 Insolently breaking into the sanctuary, he removed the golden altar and the lamp-stand for the lightwith all its fittings,	21 And after Antiochus had ravaged Egypt in the hundred and forty-third year, he returned and went up against Israel.
22 together with the table for the loaves of permanent offering, the libation vessels, the cups, the goldencensers, the veil, the crowns, and the golden decoration on the front of the Temple, which he stripped ofeverything.	22 And he went up to Jerusalem with a great multitude.
23 He made off with the silver and gold and precious vessels; he discovered the secret treasures andseized them	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 and, removing all these, he went back to his own country, having shed much blood and uttered wordsof extreme arrogance.	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 There was deep mourning for Israel throughout the country:	25 And he made a great slaughter of men, and spoke very proudly.
26 Rulers and elders groaned; girls and young men wasted away; the women's beauty suffered achange;	26 And there was great mourning in Israel, and in every place where they were.
27 every bridegroom took up a dirge, the bride sat grief-stricken on her marriage-bed.	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 The earth quaked because of its inhabitants and the whole House of Jacob was clothed 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 Mysarch through the cities of Judah. He came to Jerusalem with animpressive force,	29 And the land was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Jacob was covered with confusion.
30 and addressing them with what appeared to be peaceful words, he gained their confidence; thensuddenly he fell on the city, dealing it a terrible blow, and destroying many of the people of 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 pil aged the city and set it on fire, tore down its houses and encircling wal ,	31 And he spoke to them peaceable words in deceit: and they believed him.
32 took the women and children captive and commandeered the cattle.	32 And he fell upon the city suddenly, and struck it with a great slaughter, and destroyed much people in Israel.
33 They then rebuilt the City of David with a great strong wal and strong towers and made this theirCitadel.	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 brood of sinners, of renegades, who fortified themselves inside it,	34 And they took the women captive, and the children, and the cattle they possessed.
35 storing arms and provisions, and depositing there the loot they had collected from Jerusalem; theywere to prove a great trouble.	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 It became an ambush for the sanctuary, an evil adversary for 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 They shed innocent blood al round the sanctuary and defiled the sanctuary itself.	37 And laid them up there: and they became a great snare.
38 The citizens of Jerusalem fled because of them, she became a dwelling-place of strangers; estrangedfrom her own offspring, 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 became as forsaken as a desert, her feasts were turned into mourning, her Sabbathsinto a mockery, her honour into reproach.	39 And they shed innocent blood round about the sanctuary, and defiled the holy place.
40 Her dishonour now ful y matched her former glory, her greatness was turned into grief.	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 The king then issued a proclamation to his whole kingdom that al were to become a single people,each nation renouncing its particular customs.	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 Al the gentiles conformed to the king's decree,	42 Her dishonour was increased according to her glory, and her excellency was turned into mourning.
43 and many Israelites chose to accept his religion, sacrificing to idols and profaning 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 also sent edicts by messenger to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, directing them to adoptcustoms foreign to the country,	44 And all nations consented according to the word of king Antiochus.
45 banning burnt offerings, sacrifices and libations from the sanctuary, profaning Sabbaths and feasts,	45 And many of Israel consented to his service, and they sacrificed to idols, and profaned the sabbath.
46 defiling the sanctuary and everything holy,	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 building altars, shrines and temples for idols, sacrificing pigs and unclean beasts,	47 And should forbid holocausts and sacrifices, and atonements to be made in the temple of God.
48 leaving their sons uncircumcised, and prostituting themselves to al kinds of impurity and abomination,	48 And should prohibit the sabbath, and the festival days, to be celebrated.
49 so that they should forget the Law and revoke all observance of it.	49 And he commanded the holy places to be profaned, and the holy people of Israel.
50 Anyone not obeying the king's command was to 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 Writing in such terms to every part of his kingdom, the king appointed inspectors for the whole peopleand directed al the towns of Judah to offer sacrifice city by city.	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 -- that is, every apostate from the Law -- rallied to them and so committed evil inthe country,	52 And that whosoever would not do according to the word of king Antiochus should be put to death.
53 forcing Israel into hiding in any possible place of refuge.	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 Chislev in the year 145 the king built the appalling abomination on top of thealtar of burnt offering; and altars were built in the surrounding towns of Judah	54 And they commanded the cities of Juda to sacrifice.
55 and incense offered 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 books of the Law that came to light were torn up and burned.	56 And they drove away the people of Israel into lurking holes, and into the secret places of fugitives.
57 Whenever anyone was discovered possessing a copy of the covenant or practising the Law, theking's decree sentenced him to death.	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 Month after month they took harsh action against any offenders they discovered in the towns of Israel.	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, sacrifice was offered on the altar erected on top of the altar ofburnt offering.	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 according to the edict	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 their babies hung round their necks, and the members of their household and those who hadperformed the circumcision were executed with them.	61 Thus by their power did they deal with the people of Israel, that were found in the cities month after month.
62 Yet there were many in Israel who stood firm and found the courage to refuse unclean food.	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 chose death rather than contamination by such fare or profanation of the holy covenant, andthey were executed.	63 Now the women that circumcised their children, were slain according to the commandment of king Antiochus.
64 It was a truly dreadful retribution that visited Israel.	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.