1 Maccabees 2

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 About then, Mattathias son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the line of Joarib, left Jerusalem andsettled in Modein.	1 In those days arose Mathathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem, and he abode in the mountain of Modin.
2 He had five sons, John known as Gaddi,	2 And he had five sons: John who was surnamed Gaddis:
3 Simon cal ed Thassi,	3 And Simon, who was surnamed Thasi:
4 Judas cal ed Maccabaeus,	4 And Judas, who was called Machabeus:
5 Eleazar, cal ed Avaran, and Jonathan cal ed Apphus.	5 And Eleazar, who was surnamed Abaron: and Jonathan, who was surnamed Apphus.
6 When he saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah and Jerusalem,	6 These saw the evils that were done in the people of Juda, and in Jerusalem.
7 he said, 'Alas that I should have been born to witness the ruin of my people and the ruin of the HolyCity, and to sit by while she is delivered over to her enemies, and the sanctuary into the hand of foreigners.	7 And Mathathias said: Woe is me, wherefore was I born to see the ruin of my people, and the ruin of the holy city, and to dwell there, when it is given into the hands of the enemies?
8 'Her Temple has become like someone of no repute,	8 The holy places are come into the hands of strangers: her temple is become as a man without honour.
9 the vessels that were her glory have been carried off as booty, her babies have been slaughtered inher streets, her young men by the enemy's sword.	9 The vessels of her glory are carried away captive: her old men are murdered in the streets, and her young men are fallen by the sword of the enemies.
10 Is there a nation that has not claimed a share of her royal prerogatives, that has not taken some of herspoils?	10 What nation hath not inherited her kingdom, and gotten of her spoils?
11 Al her ornaments have been snatched from her, her former freedom has become slavery.	11 All her ornaments are taken away. She that was free is made a slave.
12 See how the Holy Place, our beauty, our glory, is now laid waste, see how the gentiles have profanedit!	12 And behold our sanctuary, and our beauty, and our glory is laid waste, and the Gentiles have defiled them.
13 What have we left to live for?'	13 To what end then should we live any longer?
14 Mattathias and his sons tore their garments, put on sackcloth, and observed deep mourning.	14 And Mathathias and his sons rent their garments, and they covered themselves with haircloth, and made great lamentation.
15 The king's commissioners who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein for thesacrifices.	15 And they that were sent from king Antiochus came thither, to compel them that were fled into the city of Modin, to sacrifice, and to burn incense, and to depart from the law of God.
16 Many Israelites gathered round them, but Mattathias and his sons drew apart.	16 And many of the people of Israel consented, and came to them: but Mathathias and his sons stood firm.
17 The king's commissioners then addressed Mattathias as fol ows, 'You are a respected leader, a greatman in this town; you have sons and brothers to support you.	17 And they that were sent from Antiochus, answering, said to Mathathias: Thou art a ruler, and an honourable, and great man in this city, and adorned with sons, and brethren.
18 Be the first to step forward and conform to the king's decree, as all the nations have done, and theleaders of Judah and the survivors in Jerusalem; you and your sons shal be reckoned among the Friends of theKing, you and your sons wil be honoured with gold and silver and many presents.'	18 Therefore come thou first, and obey the king's commandment, as all nations have done, and the men of Juda, and they that remain in Jerusalem: and thou, and thy sons, shall be in the number of the king's friends, and enriched with gold, and silver, and many presents.
19 Raising his voice, Mattathias retorted, 'Even if every nation living in the king's dominions obeys him,each forsaking its ancestral religion to conform to his decrees,	19 Then Mathathias answered, and said with a loud voice: Although all nations obey king Antiochus, so as to depart every man from the service of the law of his fathers, and consent to his commandments:
20 I, my sons and my brothers will stil fol ow the covenant of our ancestors.	20 I and my sons, and my brethren will obey the law of our fathers.
21 May Heaven preserve us from forsaking the Law and its observances.	21 God be merciful unto us: it is not profitable for us to forsake the law, and the justices of God:
22 As for the king's orders, we will not fol ow them: we shal not swerve from our own religion either toright or to left.'	22 We will not hearken to the words of king Antiochus, neither will we sacrifice, and transgress the commandments of our law, to go another way.
23 As he finished speaking, a Jew came forward in the sight of al to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modeinas the royal edict required.	23 Now as he left off speaking these words, there came a certain Jew in the sight of all to sacrifice to the idols upon the altar in the city of Modin, according to the king's commandment.
24 When Mattathias saw this, he was fired with zeal; stirred to the depth of his being, he gave vent to hislegitimate anger, threw himself on the man and slaughtered him on the altar.	24 And Mathathias saw and was grieved, and his reins trembled, and his wrath was kindled according to the judgment of the law, and running upon him he slew him upon the altar:
25 At the same time he killed the king's commissioner who was there to enforce the sacrifice, and toredown the altar.	25 Moreover the man whom king Antiochus had sent, who compelled them to sacrifice, he slew at the same time, and pulled down the altar.
26 In his zeal for the Law he acted as Phinehas had against Zimri son of Salu.	26 And shewed zeal for the law, as Phinees did by Zamri the son of Salomi.
27 Then Mattathias went through the town, shouting at the top of his voice, 'Let everyone who has anyzeal for the Law and takes his stand on the covenant come out and follow me.'	27 And Mathathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying: Every one that hath zeal for the law, and maintaineth the testament, let him follow me.
28 Then he fled with his sons into the hills, leaving al their possessions behind in the town.	28 So he, and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that they had in the city.
29 Many people who were concerned for virtue and justice went down to the desert and stayed there,	29 Then many that sought after judgment, and justice, went down into the desert:
30 taking with them their sons, their wives and their cattle, so oppressive had their sufferings become.	30 And they abode there, they and their children, and their wives, and their cattle: because afflictions increased upon them.
31 Word was brought to the royal officials and forces stationed in Jerusalem, in the City of David, thatthose who had repudiated the king's edict had gone down to the hiding places in the desert.	31 And it was told to the king's men, and to the army that was in Jerusalem in the city of David, that certain men who had broken the king's commandment, were gone away into the secret places in the wilderness, and that many were gone after them.
32 A strong detachment went after them, and when it came up with them ranged itself against them inbattle formation, preparing to attack them on the Sabbath day,	32 And forthwith they went out towards them, and made war against them on the sabbath day,
33 and said, 'Enough of this! Come out and do as the king orders and you will be spared.'	33 And they said to them: Do you still resist? come forth, and do according to the edict of king Antiochus, and you shall live.
34 The others, however, replied, 'We refuse to come out, and we wil not obey the king's orders andprofane the Sabbath day.'	34 And they said: We will not come forth, neither will we obey the king's edict, to profane the sabbath day.
35 The royal forces at once went into action,	35 And they made haste to give them battle.
36 but the others offered no opposition; not a stone was thrown, there was no barricading of the hidingplaces.	36 But they answered them not, neither did they cast a stone at them, nor stopped up the secret places,
37 They only said, 'Let us all die innocent; let heaven and earth bear witness that you are massacring uswith no pretence of justice.'	37 Saying: Let us all die in our innocency: and heaven and earth shall be witnesses for us, that you put us to death wrongfully.
38 The attack was pressed home on the Sabbath itself, and they were slaughtered, with their wives andchildren and cattle, to the number of one thousand persons.	38 So they gave them battle on the sabbath: and they were slain with their wives, and their children, and their cattle, to the number of a thousand persons.
39 When the news reached Mattathias and his friends, they mourned them bitterly	39 And Mathathias and his friends heard of it, and they mourned for them exceedingly.
40 and said to one another, 'If we al do as our brothers have done, and refuse to fight the gentiles for ourlives and institutions, they wil only destroy us the sooner from the earth.'	40 And every man said to his neighbour: If we shall all do as our brethren have done, and not fight against the heathens for our lives, and our justifications: they will now quickly root us out of the earth.
41 So then and there they came to this decision, 'If anyone attacks us on the Sabbath day, whoever hemay be, we shall resist him; we must not al be kil ed, as our brothers were in the hiding places.'	41 And they determined in that day, saying: Whosoever shall come up against us to fight on the sabbath day, we will fight against him: and we will not all die, as our brethren that were slain in the secret places.
42 Soon they were joined by the Hasidaean party, stout fighting men of Israel, each one a volunteer onthe side of the Law.	42 Then was assembled to them the congregation of the Assideans, the stoutest of Israel, every one that had a good will for the law.
43 Al the refugees from the persecution ral ied to them, giving them added support.	43 And all they that fled from the evils, joined themselves to them, and were a support to them.
44 They organised themselves into an armed force, striking down the sinners in their anger, and therenegades in their fury, and those who escaped them fled to the gentiles for safety.	44 And they gathered an army, and slew the sinners in their wrath, and the wicked men in their indignation: and the rest fled to the nations for safety.
45 Mattathias and his friends made a tour, overthrowing the altars	45 And Mathathias and his friends went round about, and they threw down the altars:
46 and forcibly circumcising al the boys they found uncircumcised in the territories of Israel.	46 And they circumcised all the children whom they found in the confines of Israel that were uncircumcised: and they did valiantly.
47 They hunted down the upstarts and managed their campaign to good effect.	47 And they pursued after the children of pride, and the work prospered in their hands:
48 They wrested the Law out of the control of the gentiles and the kings and reduced the sinners toimpotence.	48 And they recovered the law out of the hands of the nations, and out of the hands of the kings: and they yielded not the horn to the sinner.
49 As the days of Mattathias were drawing to a close, he said to his sons, 'Arrogance and outrage arenow in the ascendant; it is a period of turmoil and bitter hatred.	49 Now the days drew near that Mathathias should die, and he said to his sons: Now hath pride and chastisement gotten strength, and the time of destruction, and the wrath of indignation:
50 This is the time, my children, for you to have a burning zeal for the Law and to give your lives for thecovenant of our ancestors.	50 Now therefore, O my sons, be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers.
51 Remember the deeds performed by our ancestors, each in his generation, and you wil win greathonour and everlasting renown.	51 And call to remembrance the works of the fathers, which they have done in their generations: and you shall receive great glory, and an everlasting name.
52 Was not Abraham tested and found faithful, was that not considered as justifying him?	52 Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was reputed to him unto justice?
53 Joseph in the time of his distress maintained the Law, and so became lord of Egypt.	53 Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and he was made lord of Egypt.
54 Phinehas, our father, in return for his burning zeal, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood.	54 Phinees our father, by being fervent in the zeal of God, received the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.
55 Joshua, for carrying out his task, became judge of Israel.	55 Jesus, whilst he fulfilled the word, was made ruler in Israel.
56 Caleb, for his testimony before the assembled people, received an inheritance in the land.	56 Caleb, for bearing witness before the congregation, received an inheritance.
57 David for his generous heart inherited the throne of an everlasting kingdom.	57 David by his mercy obtained the throne of an everlasting kingdom.
58 Elijah for his consuming fervour for the Law was caught up to heaven itself.	58 Elias, while he was full of zeal for the law, was taken up into heaven.
59 Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael, for their fidelity, were saved from the flame.	59 Ananias and Azarias and Misael by believing, were delivered out of the flame.
60 Daniel for his singleness of heart was rescued from the lion's jaws.	60 Daniel in his innocency was delivered out of the mouth of the lions.
61 Know then that, generation after generation, no one who hopes in him will be overcome.	61 And thus consider through all generations: that none that trust in him fail in strength.
62 Do not fear the threats of the sinner, al his brave show must come to the dunghill and the worms.	62 And fear not the words of a sinful man, for his glory is dung, and worms:
63 Exalted today, tomorrow he is nowhere to be found, for he has returned to the dust he came from andhis scheming is brought to nothing.	63 To day he is lifted up, and to morrow he shall not be found, because he is returned into his earth; and his thought is come to nothing.
64 My children, be resolute and courageous for the Law, for it wil bring you glory.	64 You therefore, my sons, take courage, and behave manfully in the law: for by it you shall be glorious.
65 'Here is your brother Simeon, I know he is a man of sound judgement. Listen to him al your lives; lethim take your father's place.	65 And behold, I know that your brother Simon is a man of counsel: give ear to him always, and he shall be a father to you.
66 Judas Maccabaeus, strong and brave from his youth, let him be your general and conduct the waragainst the gentiles.	66 And Judas Machabeus who is valiant and strong from his youth up, let him be the leader of your army, and he shall manage the war of the people.
67 The rest of you are to enrol in your ranks al those who keep the Law, and to assure the vengeance ofyour people.	67 And you shall take to you all that observe the law: and revenge ye the wrong of your people.
68 Pay back the gentiles to the ful , and hold fast to the ordinance of the Law.'	68 Render to the Gentiles their reward, and take heed to the precepts of the law.
69 Then he blessed them and was joined to his ancestors.	69 And he blessed them, and was joined to his fathers.
70 He died in the year 146 and was buried in his ancestral tomb at Modein, and al Israel mourned himdeeply.	70 And he died in the hundred and forty-sixth year: and he was buried by his sons in the sepulchres of his fathers in Modin, and all Israel mourned for him with great mourning.