1 Maccabees 14

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 In the year 172, King Demetrius assembled his forces and marched into Media to raise help for thefight against Trypho.	1 In the year one hundred and seventy-two, King Demetrius assembled his army and marched into Media to obtain help so that he could fight Trypho.
2 When Arsaces king of Persia and Media heard that Demetrius had entered his territory, he sent one ofhis generals to capture him alive.	2 When Arsaces, king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius had invaded his territory, he sent one of his generals to take him alive.
3 The general defeated the army of Demetrius, seized him and brought him to Arsaces, who imprisonedhim.	3 The general went forth and defeated the army of Demetrius; he captured him and brought him to Arsaces, who put him in prison.
4 The country was at peace throughout the days of Simon. He sought the good of his nation and theywere wel pleased with his authority, as with his magnificence, throughout his life.	4 The land was at rest all the days of Simon, who sought the good of his nation. His people were delighted with his power and his magnificence throughout his reign.
5 To crown his titles to glory, he took Joppa and made it a harbour, gaining access to the MediterraneanIsles.	5 As his crowning glory he captured the port of Joppa and made it a gateway to the isles of the sea.
6 He enlarged the frontiers of his nation, keeping his mastery over the homeland,	6 He enlarged the borders of his nation and gained control of the country.
7 resettling a host of captives. He conquered Gezer, Beth-Zur and the Citadel, ridding them of everyimpurity, and no one could resist him.	7 He took many enemies prisoners of war and made himself master of Gazara, Beth-zur, and the citadel. He cleansed the citadel of its impurities; there was no one to withstand him.
8 The people farmed their land in peace; the land gave its produce, the trees of the plain their fruit.	8 The people cultivated their land in peace; the land yielded its produce and the trees of the field their fruit.
9 The elders sat at ease in the squares, all their talk was of their prosperity; the young men woresplendid armour.	9 Old men sat in the squares, all talking about the good times, while the young men wore the glorious apparel of war.
10 He kept the towns supplied with provisions and furnished with fortifications, until his fame resoundedto the ends of the earth.	10 He supplied the cities with food and equipped them with means of defense, till his glorious name reached the ends of the earth.
11 He established peace in the land, and Israel knew great joy.	11 He brought peace to the land, and Israel was filled with happiness.
12 Each man sat under his own vine and his own fig tree, and there was no one to make them afraid.	12 Every man sat under his vine and his fig tree, with no one to disturb him.
13 No enemy was left in the land to fight them, the very kings of those times had been crushed.	13 No one was left to attack them in their land; the kings in those days were crushed.
14 He encouraged the afflicted members of his people, suppressing every wicked man and renegade.He strove to observe the Law,	14 He strengthened all the lowly among his people and was zealous for the law; he suppressed all the lawless and the wicked.
15 and gave new splendour to the Temple, enriching it with many sacred vessels.	15 He made the temple splendid and enriched its equipment.
16 When it became known in Rome and as far as Sparta that Jonathan was dead, people were deeplygrieved.	16 When people heard in Rome and even in Sparta that Jonathan had died, they were deeply grieved.
17 But as soon as they heard that his brother Simon had succeeded him as high priest and was masterof the country and the cities in it,	17 But when the Romans heard that his brother Simon had been made high priest in his place and was master of the country and the cities,
18 they wrote to him on bronze tablets to renew the treaty of friendship and al iance which they hadmade with his brothers, Judas and Jonathan,	18 they sent him inscribed tablets of bronze to renew with him the friendship and alliance that they had established with his brothers Judas and Jonathan.
19 and the document was read out before the assembly in Jerusalem.	19 These were read before the assembly in Jerusalem.
20 This is the copy of the letter sent by the Spartans: 'The rulers and the city of Sparta, to Simon thehigh priest and to the elders and priests and the rest of the people of the Jews, greetings.	20 This is a copy of the letter that the Spartans sent: "The rulers and the citizens of Sparta send greetings to Simon the high priest, the elders, the priests, and the rest of the Jewish people, our brothers.
21 'The ambassadors whom you sent to our people have informed us of your glory and prosperity, andwe are delighted with their visit.	21 The envoys you sent to our people have informed us of your glory and fame, and we were happy that they came.
22 We have recorded their declarations in the minutes of our public assemblies, as fol ows, "Numeniusson of Antiochus, and Antipater son of Jason, ambassadors of the Jews, came to us to renew their friendshipwith us.	22 In accordance with what they said we have recorded the following in the public decrees: Since Numenius, son of Antiochus, and Antipater, son of Jason, envoys of the Jews, have come to us to renew their friendship with us,
23 And it was the people's pleasure to receive these personages with honour and to deposit a copy oftheir statements in the public archives, so that the people of Sparta might preserve a record of them. A copy wasalso made for Simon the high priest." '	23 the people have voted to receive the men with honor, and to deposit a copy of their words in the public archives, so that the people of Sparta may have a record of them. A copy of this decree has been made for Simon the high priest."
24 After this, Simon sent Numenius to Rome as the bearer of a large golden shield weighing a thousandmina, to confirm the alliance with them.	24 After this, Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a great gold shield weighing a thousand minas, to confirm the alliance with the Romans.
25 When these events were reported to our people, they said, 'What mark of appreciation shal we giveto Simon and his sons?	25 When the people heard of these things, they said, "How can we thank Simon and his sons?
26 He stood firm, he and his brothers and his father's house: he fought off the enemies of Israel andsecured its freedom.' So they recorded an inscription on bronze tablets and set it up on pil ars on Mount Zion.	26 He and his brothers and his father's house have stood firm and repulsed Israel's enemies. They have thus preserved its liberty." So they made an inscription on bronze tablets, which they affixed to pillars on Mount Zion.
27 This is a copy of the text: 'The eighteenth of Elul, in the year 172, being the third year of Simon,eminent high priest:	27 The following is a copy of the inscription: "On the eighteenth day of Elul, in the year one hundred and seventy-two, that is, the third year under Simon the high priest in Asaramel,
28 'In Asaramel, in the Grand Assembly of priests and people, of princes of the nation and of elders ofthe country: 'We are acquainted with the matters fol owing:	28 in a great assembly of priests, people, rulers of the nation, and elders of the country, the following proclamation was made:
29 'When there was almost incessant fighting in the country Simon, son of Mattathias, a priest of theline of Joarib, and his brothers courted danger and withstood their nation's enemies to safeguard the integrity oftheir sanctuary and of the Law, and so brought their nation great glory;	29 "'Since there have often been wars in our country, Simon, son of the priest Mattathias, descendant of Joarib, and his brothers have put themselves in danger and resisted the enemies of their nation, so that their sanctuary and law might be maintained, and they have thus brought great glory to their nation.
30 'For when, Jonathan having ral ied his nation and become its high priest and having then beengathered to his ancestors,	30 After Jonathan had rallied his nation and become their high priest, he was gathered to his kinsmen.
31 the enemy planned to invade the country, intending to devastate their territory and to lay hands ontheir sanctuary,	31 When the enemies of the Jews sought to invade and devastate their country and to lay hands on their temple,
32 Simon next came forward to fight for his nation: spending much of his personal wealth on arming hisnation's fighting men and on providing their pay;	32 Simon rose up and fought for his nation, spending large sums of his own money to equip the men of his nation's armed forces and giving them their pay.
33 fortifying the towns of Judaea, as wel as Beth-Zur on the Judaean frontier where the enemy arsenalhad formerly been, and stationing in it a garrison of Jewish soldiers;	33 He fortified the cities of Judea, especially the frontier city of Beth-zur, where he stationed a garrison of Jewish soldiers, and where previously the enemy's arms had been stored.
34 fortifying Joppa on the coast, and Gezer on the borders of Azotus, a place formerly inhabited by theenemy, founding a Jewish colony there, and providing the settlers with everything they needed to set them ontheir feet;	34 He also fortified Joppa by the sea and Gazara on the border of Azotus, a place previously occupied by the enemy; these cities he resettled with Jews, and furnished them with all that was necessary for their restoration.
35 'In consequence of which, the people, aware of Simon's loyalty and of the glory which he wasdetermined to win for his nation, have made him their ethnarch and high priest, for all his services and for theintegrity and loyalty which he has shown towards his nation, and for having by every means sought to enhancehis people's power;	35 When the Jewish people saw Simon's loyalty and the glory he planned to bring to his nation, they made him their leader and high priest because of all he had accomplished and the loyalty and justice he had shown his nation. In every way he sought to exalt his people.
36 'It has fal en to him in his time to expel the foreigners from his country, including those in the City ofDavid in Jerusalem, who had converted it into a citadel for their own use, from which they would sal y out todefile the surroundings of the sanctuary and to violate its sacred character;	36 "'In his time and under his guidance they succeeded in driving the Gentiles out of their country, especially those in the City of David in Jerusalem, who had built for themselves a citadel from which they used to sally forth to defile the environs of the temple and inflict grave injury on its purity.
37 to station Jewish soldiers there instead for the security of the country and the city; and to heightenthe wal s of Jerusalem;	37 In this citadel he stationed Jewish soldiers, and he strengthened its fortifications for the defense of the land and the city, while he also raised the wall of Jerusalem to a greater height.
38 'And since King Demetrius has heard that the Romans call the Jews their friends, al ies and brothers,	38 Consequently, King Demetrius confirmed him in the high priesthood,
39 and that they have given an honourable reception to Simon's ambassadors, and, furthermore,	39 made him one of his Friends, and conferred the highest honors on him.
40 that the Jews and priests are happy that Simon should, pending the advent of a genuine prophet, betheir ethnarch and high priest for life	40 He had indeed heard that the Romans had addressed the Jews as friends, allies, and brothers and that they had received Simon's envoys with honor.
41 therefore he has confirmed him in the high-priestly office, has raised him to the rank of Friend andhas showered great honours on him, also confirming him as their commander-in-chief,	41 "'The Jewish people and their priest have, therefore, made the following decisions. Simon shall be their permanent leader and high priest until a true prophet arises.
42 with the right to appoint officials to oversee the fabric of the sanctuary and to administer the country,munitions and fortresses;	42 He shall act as governor general over them, and shall have charge of the temple, to make regulations concerning its functions and concerning the country, its weapons and strongholds,
43 he is to have personal charge of the sanctuary, and to be obeyed by al ; al official documents in thecountry must be drawn up in his name; and he may assume the purple and may wear golden ornaments;	43 he shall be obeyed by all. All contracts made in the country shall be dated by his name. He shall have the right to wear royal purple and gold ornaments.
44 'Furthermore, it is against the law for any member of the public or of the priesthood to contraveneany of these enactments or to contest his decisions, or to convene a meeting anywhere in the country without hispermission, or to assume the purple or wear the golden brooch;	44 It shall not be lawful for any of the people or priests to nullify any of these decisions, or to contradict the orders given by him, or to convene an assembly in the country without his consent, to be clothed in royal purple or wear an official gold brooch.
45 and anyone acting contrary to, or rejecting any article of, these enactments is liable to punishment;	45 Whoever acts otherwise or violates any of these prescriptions shall be liable to punishment.
46 'And since the people have unanimously agreed to grant Simon the right to act as aforesaid, and	46 "'All the people approved of granting Simon the right to act in accord with these decisions,
47 since Simon, for his part, has given his assent, and has consented to assume the high-priestly officeand to be commander-in-chief and ethnarch of the Jews and their priests, and to preside over al :	47 and Simon accepted and agreed to act as high priest, governor general, and ethnarch of the Jewish people and priests and to exercise supreme authority over all.'"
48 'So, be it now enacted: that this record be inscribed on bronze tablets and be erected at someconspicuous place within the precincts of the Temple,	48 It was decreed that this inscription should be engraved on bronze tablets, to be set up in a conspicuous place in the precincts of the temple,
49 and that copies be deposited in the Treasury for Simon and his descendants.'	49 and that copies of it should be deposited in the treasury, where they would be available to Simon and his sons.