1 Maccabees 12

NEW JERUSALEM	NOVA VULGATA
1 When Jonathan saw that circumstances were working in his favour, he sent a select mission to Rometo confirm and renew his treaty of friendship with the Romans.	1 Et vidit Ionathas quia tem pus eum adiuvat; et elegit vi ros et misitRomam statuere et renovare cum eis amicitiam;
2 He also sent letters to the same effect to the Spartans and to other places.	2 et ad Spartiatas et ad alia locamisit epistulas secundum eadem.
3 The envoys made their way to Rome, entered the Senate and said, 'Jonathan the high priest and theJewish nation have sent us to renew your treaty of friendship and al iance with them as before.'	3 Et abierunt Romam et intraverunt curiam etdixerunt: “Ionathas summus sacerdos et gens Iudaeorum miserunt nos renovareamicitiam et societatem secundum pristinum”.
4 The Senate gave them letters to the authorities of each place, to procure their safe conduct toJudaea.	4 Et dederunt illis epistulas adipsos per loca, ut deducerent eos in terram Iudae cum pace.
5 The fol owing is the copy of the letter Jonathan wrote to the Spartans:	5 Et hoc estexemplum epistularum, quas scripsit Ionathas Spartiatis:
6 'Jonathan the high priest, the senate of the nation, the priests and the rest of the Jewish people to theSpartans their brothers, greetings.	6 “ Ionathas summussacerdos et seniores gentis et sacerdotes et reliquus populus IudaeorumSpartiatis fratribus salutem.
7 'In the past, a letter was sent to Onias, the high priest, from Areios, one of your kings, stating that youare indeed our brothers, as the copy subjoined attests.	7 Iampridem missae erant epistulae ad Oniam summumsacerdotem ab Ario, qui regnabat apud vos, quoniam estis fratres nostri, sicutrescriptum continet, quod subiectum est.
8 Onias received the envoy with honour, and accepted the letter, in which a clear declaration was made of friendship and al iance.	8 Et suscepit Onias virum, qui missusfuerat, cum honore; et accepit epistulas, in quibus significabatur de societateet amicitia.
9 For our part, though we have no need of these, having the consolation of the holy books in ourpossession,	9 Nos igitur, cum nullo horum indigeremus, exhortationem habentessanctos libros, qui sunt in manibus nostris,
10 we venture to send to renew our fraternal friendship with you, so that we may not become strangersto you, a long time having elapsed since you last wrote to us.	10 tentavimus mittere ad vosrenovare fraternitatem et amicitiam, ne forte alieni efficiamur a vobis; multaenim tempora transierunt, ex quo misistis ad nos.
11 We, for our part, on every occasion, at our festivals and on other appointed days, unfailinglyremember you in the sacrifices we offer and in our prayers, as it is right and fitting to remember brothers.	11 Nos ergo in omni temporesine intermissione in diebus sollemnibus et ceteris, quibus oportet, memoressumus vestri in sacrificiis, quae offerimus, et in obsecrationibus, sicut fasest et decet meminisse fratrum.
12 We rejoice in your renown.	12 Laetamur itaque de gloria vestra.
13 'We ourselves, however, have had many trials and many wars, the neighbouring kings making waron us.	13 Nosautem circumdederunt multae tribulationes et multa proelia; et impugnaverunt nosreges, qui sunt in circuitu nostro.
14 We were unwil ing to trouble you or our other al ies and friends during these wars,	14 Noluimus ergo vobis molesti esse etceteris sociis et amicis nostris in his proeliis;
15 since we have the support of Heaven to help us, thanks to which we have been delivered from ourenemies, and they are the ones who have been brought low.	15 habemus enim de caeloauxilium, quod nos adiuvat, et liberati sumus nos ab inimicis nostris, ethumiliati sunt inimici nostri.
16 We have therefore chosen Numenius son of Antiochus, and Antipater son of Jason, and sent themto the Romans to renew our former treaty of friendship and alliance,	16 Elegimus itaque Numenium Antiochi filium etAntipatrem Iasonis filium et misimus ad Romanos renovare cum eis amicitiam etsocietatem pristinam;
17 and we have ordered them also to visit you, to greet you and deliver you this letter of oursconcerning the renewal of our brotherhood;	17 mandavimus itaque eis, ut veniant etiam ad vos etsalutent vos et reddant vobis epistulas nostras de innovatione et fraternitatenostra.
18 we shal be grateful for an answer to it.'	18 Et nunc bene facietis respondentes nobis ad haec ”.
19 The following is the copy of the letter sent to Onias:	19 Et hoc est rescriptum epistularum, quas miserunt Oniae:
20 'Areios king of the Spartans, to Onias the high priest, greetings.	20 “ Arius rexSpartiatarum Oniae sacerdoti magno salutem.
21 'It has been discovered in records regarding the Spartans and Jews that they are brothers, and ofthe race of Abraham.	21 Inventum est in scriptura deSpartiatis et Iudaeis quoniam sunt fratres et quod sunt de genere Abraham.
22 Now that this has come to our knowledge, we shall be obliged if you wil send us news of yourwelfare.	22 Etnunc, ex quo haec cognovimus, bene facietis scribentes nobis de pace vestra.
23 Our own message to you is this: your flocks and your possessions are ours, and ours are yours, andwe are instructing our envoys to give you a message to this effect.'	23 Sed et nos rescribimus vobis. Pecora vestra et possessiones vestrae nostraesunt; et, quae nostra, vestra sunt. Mandamus itaque, ut annuntient vobissecundum haec ”.
24 Jonathan learned that Demetrius' generals had returned with a larger army than before to make waron him.	24 Et audivit Ionathas quoniam regressi sunt principes Demetrii cum exercitumulto supra quam prius pugnare adversus eum.
25 He therefore left Jerusalem and went to engage them in the area of Hamath, not giving them thetime to invade his own territory.	25 Et exiit ab Ierusalem etoccurrit eis in Amathitem regionem; non enim dedit eis spatium, ut ingrederenturregionem eius.
26 He sent spies into their camp, who told him on their return that the enemy were taking up positionsfor a night attack on the Jews.	26 Et misit speculatores in castra eorum, et reversirenuntiaverunt ei quod ita constituunt supervenire illis nocte.
27 At sunset, Jonathan ordered his men to keep watch with their weapons at hand, in readiness to fightat any time during the night, and posted advance guards al round the camp.	27 Cumoccidisset autem sol, praecepit Ionathas suis vigilare et esse in armis paratosad pugnam tota nocte; et emisit custodes per circuitum castrorum.
28 On learning that Jonathan and his men were ready to fight, the enemy took fright and, with quakinghearts, lit fires in their bivouac and decamped.	28 Etaudierunt adversarii quod paratus est Ionathas cum suis in bellum, et timueruntet formidaverunt in corde suo et accenderunt focos in castris suis.
29 Jonathan and his men, watching the glow of the fires, were unaware of their withdrawal untilmorning,	29 Ionathasautem et, qui cum eo erant, non cognoverunt usque mane; videbant enim luminariaardentia.
30 and although Jonathan pursued them, he failed to overtake them, for they had already crossed theriver Eleutherus.	30 Et insecutus est eos Ionathas et non comprehendit eos; transierantenim flumen Eleutherum.
31 So Jonathan wheeled round on the Arabs cal ed Zabadaeans, beat them and plundered them;	31 Et divertit Ionathas ad Arabas, qui vocanturZabadaei, et percussit eos et accepit spolia eorum.
32 then, breaking camp, he went to Damascus, thus crossing the whole province.	32 Et iunxit et venitDamascum et perambulabat omnem regionem illam.
33 Simon, meanwhile, had also set out and had penetrated as far as Ascalon and the neighbouringtowns. He then turned on Joppa and moved quickly to occupy it,	33 Simon autem exiit et venitusque ad Ascalonem et ad proxima praesidia et declinavit in Ioppen et occupaviteam;
34 for he had heard of their intention to hand over this strong point to the supporters of Demetrius; hestationed a garrison there to hold it.	34 audivit enim quod vellent praesidium tradere partibus Demetrii, etposuit ibi custodes, ut custodirent eam.
35 Jonathan, on his return, cal ed a meeting of the elders of the people and decided with them to buildfortresses in Judaea	35 Et reversus est Ionathas et convocavit seniores populi et cogitavit cum eisaedificare praesidia in Iudaea
36 and to heighten the walls of Jerusalem and erect a high barrier between the Citadel and the city, tocut the former off from the city and isolate it, to prevent the occupants from buying or sel ing.	36 et altius extollere muros Ierusalem etexaltare altitudinem magnam inter medium arcis et civitatis, ut separaret eam acivitate, ut esset ipsa singulariter, ut neque emant neque vendant.
37 Rebuilding the city was a co-operative effort: part of the wall over the eastern ravine had fal en down;he restored the quarter called Chaphenatha.	37 Etconvenerunt, ut aedificarent civitatem; et cecidit de muro, qui erat supertorrentem a subsolano, et reparavit eum, qui vocatur Chaphenatha.
38 Simon, meanwhile, rebuilt Adida in the lowlands, fortifying it, and erecting gates with bolts.	38 Et Simonaedificavit Adida in Sephela et munivit eam et imposuit portas et seras.
39 Trypho's ambition was to become king of Asia, assume the crown, and overpower King Antiochus.	39 Et quaesivit Tryphon regnare Asiae et imponere sibi diadema et extenderemanum in Antiochum regem.
40 He was apprehensive that Jonathan might not al ow him to do this, and might even make war onhim, so he set out and came to Beth-Shean, in the hopes of finding some pretext for having him arrested and putto death.	40 Et veritus est, ne forte non permitteret eumIonathas et ne forte pugnaret adversus eum, et quaerebat comprehendere eum etoccidere et exsurgens abiit in Bethsan.
41 Jonathan went out to intercept him, with forty thousand picked men in battle order, and arrived atBeth-Shean.	41 Et exivit Ionathas obviam illi cumquadraginta milibus virorum electorum in proelium et venit Bethsan.
42 When Trypho saw him there with a large force, he hesitated to make any move against him.	42 Et viditTryphon quia venit cum exercitu multo et extendere in eum manus timuit
43 He even received him with honour, commended him to al his friends, gave him presents andordered his friends and his troops to obey him as they would himself.	43 etexcepit eum cum honore et commendavit eum omnibus amicis suis et dedit ei muneraet praecepit exercitibus suis, ut oboedirent ei sicut sibi.
44 He said to Jonathan, 'Why have you given all these people so much trouble, when there is no threatof war between us?	44 Et dixitIonathae: “ Ut quid vexasti universum populum, cum bellum nobis non sit?
45 Send them back home; pick yourself a few men as your bodyguard, and come with me to Ptolemais,which I am going to hand over to you, with the other fortresses and the remaining troops and al the officials;after which, I shal take the road for home. This was my purpose in coming here.'	45 Etnunc remitte eos in domos suas. Elige autem tibi viros paucos, qui tecum sint,et veni mecum Ptolemaidam, et tradam eam tibi et reliqua praesidia et reliquumexercitum et universos praepositos negotiis et conversus abibo; propterea enimveni ”.
46 Jonathan trusted him and did as he said; he dismissed his forces, who went back to Judaea.	46 Et credidit ei et fecit, sicut dixit, et dimisit exercitum, etabierunt in terram Iudae.
47 With him he retained three thousand men, of whom he left two thousand in Galilee, while a thousandaccompanied him.	47 Retinuit autem secum tria milia virorum, ex quibusremisit in Galilaeam duo milia; mille autem venerunt cum eo.
48 But as soon as Jonathan had entered Ptolemais, the people of Ptolemais closed the gates, seizedhim, and put al those who had entered with him to the sword.	48 Ut autemintravit Ptolemaidam Ionathas, clauserunt portas Ptolemenses et comprehenderunteum; et omnes, qui cum eo intraverant, gladio interfecerunt.
49 Trypho sent troops and cavalry into Galilee and the Great Plain to destroy all Jonathan's supporters.	49 Et misit Tryphonexercitum et equites in Galilaeam et in campum magnum, ut perderent omnes sociosIonathae.
50 These, concluding that he had been taken and had perished with his companions, encouraged oneanother, marching with closed ranks and ready to give battle,	50 At illi, cum cognovissent quia comprehensus est Ionathas et periit,et omnes, qui cum eo erant, hortati sunt semetipsos et ibant conglobati paratiin proelium.
51 and when their pursuers saw that they would fight for their lives, they turned back.	51 Et videntes hi, qui insecuti fuerant, quia pro anima res estillis, reversi sunt;
52 Al reached Judaea safe and sound, and there they lamented Jonathan and his companions, beingvery frightened indeed; al Israel was plunged into mourning.	52 illi autem venerunt omnes cum pace in terram Iudae etplanxerunt Ionathan et eos, qui cum ipso fuerant, et timuerunt valde; et luxitIsrael luctu magno.
53 The surrounding nations were al now looking for ways of destroying them: 'They have no leader,'they said, 'no ally; we have only to attack them now, and we shall blot out their very memory from all peoples.'	53 Et quaesierunt omnes gentes, quae erant in circuitueorum, conterere eos; dixerunt enim:
	54 “Non habent principem et adiuvantem;nunc ergo expugnemus illos et tollamus de hominibus memoriam eorum ”.