1 Maccabees 16

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 John then went up from Gezer and reported to his father Simon what Cendebaeus was busy doing.	1 Then John came up from Gazara, and told Simon his father what Cendebeus had done against their people.
2 At this, Simon summoned his two elder sons, Judas and John, and said to them, 'My brothers and I,and my father's House, have fought the enemies of Israel from our youth until today, and many a time we havebeen successful in rescuing Israel.	2 And Simon called his two eldest sons, Judas and John, and said to them: I and my brethren, and my father's house, have fought against the enemies of Israel from our youth even to this day: and things have prospered so well in our hands that we have delivered Israel oftentimes.
3 But now I am an old man, while you, by the mercy of Heaven, are the right age; take the place of mybrother and myself, go out and fight for our nation, and may Heaven's aid be with you.'	3 And now I am old, but be you instead of me, and my brethren, and go out, and fight for our nation: and the help from heaven be with you.
4 He then selected twenty thousand of the country's fighting men and cavalry, and these marchedagainst Cendebaeus, spending the night at Modein.	4 Then he chose out of the country twenty thousand fighting men, and horsemen, and they went forth against Cendebeus: and they rested in Modin.
5 Making an early start, they marched into the plain, to find a large army opposing them, both infantryand cavalry; there was, however, a stream-bed in between.	5 And they arose in the morning, and went into the plain: and behold a very great army of footmen and horsemen came against them, and there was a running river between them.
6 John drew up facing them, he and his army and, seeing that the men were afraid to cross the stream-bed, crossed over first himself. When his men saw this, they too crossed after him.	6 And he and his people pitched their camp over against them, and he saw that the people were afraid to go over the river, so he went over first: then the men seeing him, passed over after him.
7 He divided his army into two, with the cavalry in the centre and the infantry on either flank, as the opposing cavalry was very numerous.	7 And he divided the people, and set the horsemen in the midst of the footmen: but the horsemen of the enemies were very numerous.
8 The trumpets rang out; Cendebaeus and his army were put to flight, many of them fal ing mortal ywounded and the rest of them fleeing to the fortress.	8 And they sounded the holy trumpets: and Cendebeus and his army were put to flight: and there fell many of them wounded, and the rest fled into the strong hold.
9 Then it was that Judas, John's brother, was wounded, but John pursued them until Cendebaeusreached Kedron, which he had rebuilt.	9 At that time Judas John's brother was wounded: but John pursued after them, till he came to Cedron, which he had built:
10 Their flight took them as far as the towers in the countryside of Azotus, and John burnt these down.The enemy losses amounted to ten thousand men; John returned safely to Judaea.	10 And they fled even to the towers that were in the fields of Azotus, and he burnt them with fire. And there fell of them two thousand men, and he returned into Judea in peace.
11 Ptolemy son of Abubos had been appointed general in command of the Plain of Jericho; he owned agreat deal of silver and gold,	11 Now Ptolemee the son of Abobus was appointed captain in the plain of Jericho, and he had abundance of silver and gold,
12 and was the high priest's son-in-law.	12 For he was son in law of the high priest.
13 His ambition was fired; he hoped to make himself master of the whole country and thereforetreacherously began to plot the destruction of Simon and his sons.	13 And his heart was lifted up, and he designed to make himself master of the country, and he purposed treachery against Simon, and his sons, to destroy them.
14 Simon, who was inspecting the towns up and down the country and attending to their administration,had come down to Jericho with his sons Mattathias and Judas, in the year 172, in the eleventh month, the monthof Shebat.	14 Now Simon, as he was going through the cities that were in the country of Judea, and taking care for the good ordering of them, went down to Jericho, he and Mathathias and Judas his sons, in the year one hundred and seventy-seven, the eleventh month: the same is the month Sabath.
15 The son of Abubos lured them into a smal fortress cal ed Dok, which he had built, where he offeredthem a great banquet, having previously hidden men in the place.	15 And the son of Abobus received them deceitfully into a little fortress, that is called Doch which he had built: and he made them a great feast, and hid men there.
16 When Simon and his sons were drunk, Ptolemy and his men reached for their weapons, rushed onSimon in the banqueting hall and killed him with his two sons and some of his servants.	16 And when Simon and his sons had drunk plentifully, Ptolemee and his men rose up and took their weapons, and entered into the banqueting place, and slew him, and his two sons, and some of his servants.
17 He thus committed a great act of treachery and rendered evil for good.	17 And he committed a great treachery in Israel, and rendered evil for good.
18 Ptolemy wrote a report of the affair and sent it to the king, in the expectation of being sentreinforcements and of having the cities and the province made over to him.	18 And Ptolemee wrote these things and sent to the king that he should send him an army to aid him, and he would deliver him the country, and their cities, and tributes.
19 He also sent people to Gezer to murder John, and sent written orders to the military commanders tocome to him so that he could give them silver, gold and presents;	19 And he sent others to Gazara to kill John: and to the tribunes he sent letters to come to him, and that he would give them silver, and gold, and gifts.
20 and he also sent others to seize control of Jerusalem and the Temple mount.	20 And he sent others to take Jerusalem, and the mountain of the temple.
21 But someone had been too quick for him and had already informed John in Gezer that his father andbrothers had perished, adding, 'He is sending someone to kil you too!'	21 Now one running before, told John in Gazara, that his father and his brethren were slain, and that he hath sent men to kill thee also.
22 Overcome as John was by the news, he arrested the men who had come to kil him and put them todeath, being forewarned of their murderous design.	22 But when he heard it he was exceedingly afraid: and he apprehended the men that came to kill him, and he put them to death: for he knew that they sought to make him away.
23 The rest of John's acts, the battles he fought and the exploits he performed, the city wal s he built,and all his other achievements,	23 And as concerning the rest of the acts of John, and his wars, and the worthy deeds, which he bravely achieved, and the building of the walls, which he made, and the things that he did:
24 from the day he succeeded his father as high priest, are recorded in the annals of his pontificate.	24 Behold these are written in the book of the days of his priesthood, from the time he was made high priest after his father.