1 Maccabees 8

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Now Judas had heard of the reputation of the Romans: how strong they were, and how wel disposedtowards any who made common cause with them, making a treaty of friendship with anyone who approachedthem.	1 Judas had heard of the reputation of the Romans. They were valiant fighters and acted amiably to all who took their side. They established a friendly alliance with all who applied to them.
2 (And, indeed, they were extremely powerful.) He had been told of their wars and of their prowessamong the Gauls, whom they had conquered and put under tribute;	2 He was also told of their battles and the brave deeds that they had performed against the Gauls, conquering them and forcing them to pay tribute.
3 and of al they had done in the province of Spain to gain possession of the silver and gold mines there,	3 They had gotten possession of the silver and gold mines in Spain,
4 making themselves masters of the whole country by their determination and perseverance, despite itsgreat distance from their own; of the kings who came from the ends of the earth to attack them, only to becrushed by them and overwhelmed with disaster, and of others who paid them annual tribute;	4 and by planning and persistence had conquered the whole country, although it was very remote from their own. They had crushed the kings who had come against them from the far corners of the earth and had inflicted on them severe defeat, and the rest paid tribute to them every year.
5 Philip, Perseus king of the Kittim, and others who had dared to make war on them, had been defeatedand reduced to subjection,	5 Philip and Perseus, king of the Macedonians, and the others who opposed them in battle had been overwhelmed and subjugated.
6 while Antiochus the Great, king of Asia, who had advanced to attack them with a hundred and twentyelephants, cavalry, chariots and a very large army, had also suffered defeat at their hands;	6 Antiochus the Great, king of Asia, who had fought against them with a hundred and twenty elephants and with cavalry and chariots and a very great army, had been defeated by them.
7 they had taken him alive and imposed on him and his successors, on agreed terms, the payment of anenormous tribute, the surrender of hostages, and the cession	7 They had taken him alive and obliged him and the kings who succeeded him to pay a heavy tribute, to give hostages and a section of
8 of the Indian territory, with Media, Lydia, and some of their best provinces, which they took from himand gave to King Eumenes.	8 Lycia, Mysia, and Lydia from among their best provinces. The Romans took these from him and gave them to King Eumenes.
9 Judas had also heard how, when the Greeks planned an expedition to destroy the Romans,	9 When the men of Greece had planned to come and destroy them,
10 the latter had got wind of it and, sending a single general against them, had fought a campaign inwhich they inflicted heavy casualties, carried their women and children away into captivity, pillaged their goods,subdued their country, tore down their fortresses and reduced them to a slavery lasting to the present day;	10 the Romans discovered it, and sent against the Greeks a single general who made war on them. Many were wounded and fell, and the Romans took their wives and children captive. They plundered them, took possession of their land, tore down their strongholds and reduced them to slavery even to this day.
11 and how they had destroyed and subjugated al the other kingdoms and islands that resisted them.	11 All the other kingdoms and islands that had ever opposed them they destroyed and enslaved;
12 But where their friends and those who relied on them were concerned, they had always stood by theirfriendship. They had subdued kings far and near, and al who heard their name went in terror of them.	12 with their friends, however, and those who relied on them, they maintained friendship. They had conquered kings both far and near, and all who heard of their fame were afraid of them.
13 One man, if they determined to help him and advance him to a throne, would certainly occupy it, whileanother, if they so determined, would find himself deposed; their influence was paramount.	13 In truth, those whom they desired to help to a kingdom became kings, and those whom they wished to depose they deposed; and they were greatly exalted.
14 In spite of al this, no single one of them had assumed a crown or put on the purple for his ownaggrandisement.	14 Yet with all this, none of them put on a crown or wore purple as a display of grandeur.
15 They had set up a senate, where three hundred and twenty councillors deliberated daily, constantlydebating how best to regulate public affairs.	15 They had made for themselves a senate house, and every day three hundred and twenty men took counsel, deliberating on all that concerned the people and their well-being.
16 They entrusted their government to one man for a year at a time, with absolute power over their wholeempire, and this man was obeyed by al without envy or jealousy.	16 They entrusted their government to one man every year, to rule over their entire country, and they all obeyed that one, and there was no envy or jealousy among them.
17 Having chosen Eupolemus son of John, of the family of Accos, and Jason son of Eleazar, Judas sentthem to Rome to make a treaty of friendship and al iance with these people,	17 So Judas chose Eupolemus, son of John, son of Accos, and Jason, son of Eleazar, and sent them to Rome to establish an alliance of friendship with them.
18 in the hope of being rid of the yoke, for they could see that Greek rule was reducing Israel to slavery.	18 He did this to get rid of the yoke, for it was obvious that the kingdom of the Greeks was subjecting Israel to slavery.
19 The envoys made the lengthy journey to Rome and presented themselves before the Senate withtheir formal proposal:	19 After making a very long journey to Rome, the envoys entered the senate and spoke as follows:
20 'Judas Maccabaeus and his brothers, with the Jewish people, have sent us to you to conclude a treatyof al iance and peace with you, and to enrol ourselves as your al ies and friends.'	20 "Judas, called Maccabeus, and his brothers, with the Jewish people, have sent us to you to make a peaceful alliance with you, and to enroll ourselves among your allies and friends."
21 The proposal met with the approval of the senators.	21 The proposal pleased the Romans,
22 Here is a copy of the rescript which they engraved on bronze tablets and sent to Jerusalem to be keptthere by the Jews as a record of peace and al iance:	22 and this is a copy of the reply they inscribed on bronze tablets and sent to Jerusalem, to remain there with the Jews as a record of peace and alliance:
23 'Good fortune attend the Romans and the Jewish nation by sea and land for ever; may sword orenemy be far from them!	23 "May it be well with the Romans and the Jewish nation at sea and on land forever; may sword and enemy be far from them.
24 'If war comes first to Rome or any of her al ies throughout her dominions,	24 But if war is first made on Rome, or any of its allies in any of their dominions,
25 the Jewish nation wil take action as her al y, as occasion may require, and do it wholeheartedly.	25 the Jewish nation will help them wholeheartedly, as the occasion shall demand;
26 They wil not give or supply to the enemy any grain, arms, money or ships: thus has Rome decided,and they are to honour their obligations without guarantees.	26 and to those who wage war they shall not give nor provide grain, arms, money, or ships; this is Rome's decision. They shall fulfill their obligations without receiving any recompense.
27 In the same way, if war comes first to the Jewish nation, the Romans wil support them energetical yas occasion may offer,	27 In the same way, if war is made first on the Jewish nation, the Romans will help them willingly, as the occasion shall demand,
28 and the aggressor wil not be furnished with grain, arms, money or ships: such is the Roman decision,and they wil honour these obligations without treachery.	28 and to those who are attacking them there shall not be given grain, arms, money, or ships; this is Rome's decision. They shall fulfill their obligations without deception.
29 Such are the articles under which the Romans have concluded their treaty with the Jewish people.	29 On these terms the Romans have made an agreement with the Jewish people.
30 If, later, either party should decide to make any addition or deletion, they wil be free to do so, and anysuch addition or deletion wil be binding.	30 But if both parties hereafter decide to add or take away anything, they shall do as they choose, and whatever they shall add or take away shall be valid.
31 'As regards the wrongs done to them by King Demetrius, we have written to him in these terms: Whyhave you made your yoke lie heavy on our friends and al ies the Jews?	31 "Moreover, concerning the wrongs that King Demetrius has done to them, we have written to him thus: 'Why have you made your yoke heavy upon our friends and allies the Jews?
32 If they appeal against you again, we shal uphold their rights and make war on you by sea and land.'	32 If they complain about you again, we will do them justice and make war on you by land and sea.'"