1 Maccabees 8

NEW JERUSALEM	Peshitta
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 ܘܫܡܥ ܝܗܘܕܐ ܫܡܥܐ ܕܪ̈ܗܘܡܝܐ ܕܚܝܠܬܢܝܢ ܒܚܝܠܐ ܘܗܢܘܢ ܡܨܛܒܝܢ ܒܟܠ ܡܢ ܕܡܬܬܘܣܦ ܥܠܝܗܘܢ ܘܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܡܬܩܪܒܝܢ ܠܗܘܢ ܒܪܚܡܘܬܐ
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 ܘܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ ܚܝ̈ܠܬܢܝܢ ܘܐܫܬܥܝܘ ܠܗ ܩܘܪ̈ܒܢܝܗܘܢ ܘܢܨܚ̈ܢܐ ܕܥܒܕܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܒܓܠܝܐ ܘܕܟܒܫܘ ܐܢܘܢ ܘܕܐܝܬܝܘ ܐܢܘܢ ܠܡܕܐܬܐ
3 and of al they had done in the province of Spain to gain possession of the silver and gold mines there,	3 ܘܟܠ ܕܥܒܕܘ ܒܐܬܪܐ ܕܐܣܦܢܝܐ ܠܡܐܚܕ ܛܘܪ̈ܐ ܕܡܫܬܚܠ ܗܘܐ ܡܢܗܘܢ ܕܗܒܐ ܘܣܐܡܐ ܕܬܡܢ
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 ܘܐܚܕܘܗܝ ܠܐܬܪܐ ܒܡܠܟܐ ܕܟܘܠܗܘܢ ܘܕܢܓܝܪܘܬ ܪܘܚܗܘܢ ܘܐܬܪܐ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܗܘܐ ܪܚܝܩ ܛܒ ܘܠܡ̈ܠܟܐ ܕܐܬܘ ܥܠܝܗܘܢ ܡܢ ܣܘ̈ܦܝܗ ܕܐܪܥܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܕܬܒܪܘ ܐܢܘܢ ܘܡܚܘ ܐܢܘܢ ܡܚܘܬܐ ܪܒܬܐ ܘܫܪܟܗܘܢ ܝܗܒܝܢ ܠܗܘܢ ܡܕܐܬܐ ܟܠ ܫܢܐ
5 Philip, Perseus king of the Kittim, and others who had dared to make war on them, had been defeatedand reduced to subjection,	5 ܘܠܦܪܣܘܣ ܡܠܟܐ ܕܩܝ̈ܛܝܐ ܘܠܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܐܬܬܪܝܡܘ ܥܠܝܗܘܢ ܬܒܪܘ ܒܩܪܒܐ ܘܚܒܫܘ ܐܢܘܢ
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 ܘܠܐܢܛܝܟܘܣ ܡܠܟܐ ܪܒܐ ܕܐܣܝܐ ܕܐܙܠ ܥܠܝܗܘܢ ܠܩܪܒܐ ܕܐܝܬ ܗܘܘ ܥܡܗ ܡܐܐ ܘܥܣܪܝܢ ܦ̈ܝܠܝܢ ܘܬܠܬܝܢ ܐ̈ܠܦܝܢ ܦܪ̈ܫܐ ܘܚܝܠܐ ܕܣܓܝ ܛܒ ܘܐܬܬܒܪ ܡܢ ܩܕܡܝܗܘܢ
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 ܘܐܚܕܘܗܝ ܟܕ ܚܝ ܘܐܩܝܡ ܠܗܘܢ ܗܘ ܘܡ̈ܠܟܐ ܕܡܢ ܒܬܪܗ ܡܕܐܬܐ ܪܒܬܐ ܒܟܘܠ ܫܢܐ ܘܠܡܬܠ ܗܡܝܪ̈ܐ ܕܦܘܪܫܢܐ
8 of the Indian territory, with Media, Lydia, and some of their best provinces, which they took from himand gave to King Eumenes.	8 ܘܐܬܪܐ ܕܟܘܫ ܘܕܡܕܝ ܘܕܠܘܕ ܐܦܩܘ ܐܢܘܢ ܡܢ ܐܪ̈ܥܬܗܘܢ ܛܒ̈ܬܐ ܘܢܣܒܘ ܐ̈ܢܝܢ ܡܢܗܘܢ ܘܝܗܒ ܐ̈ܢܝܢ ܠܐܘܡܢܝܘܣ ܡܠܟܐ
9 Judas had also heard how, when the Greeks planned an expedition to destroy the Romans,	9 ܘܒܢ̈ܝ ܝܘܢ ܐܬܪܥܝܘ ܠܡܐܬܐ ܥܠܝܗܘܢ ܘܠܡܥܩܪ ܐܢܘܢ
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 ܘܐܫܬܡܥܬ ܠܗܘܢ ܡܠܬܐ ܘܫܕܪܘ ܥܠܝܗܘܢ ܪܒ ܚܝܠܐ ܚܕ ܘܐܩܪܒ ܥܡܗܘܢ ܘܢܦܠܘ ܡܢܗܘܢ ܚܪ̈ܝܒܐ ܣܓܝܐ̈ܐ ܘܫܒܩܘ ܢܝܫܝ̈ܗܘܢ ܘܒܢ̈ܝܗܘܢ ܘܕܒܪܘ ܐܢܘܢ ܘܫܥܒܕܘ ܐܢܘܢ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܝܘܡܢܐ
11 and how they had destroyed and subjugated al the other kingdoms and islands that resisted them.	11 ܘܠܫܪܟܐ ܕܡ̈ܠܟܘܬܐ ܘܓܙܪ̈ܬܐ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܒܙܒܢ ܩܡܘ ܠܘܩܒܠܗܘܢ ܚܒܠܘ ܐܢܘܢ ܘܫܥܒܕܘ ܐܢܘܢ
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 ܥܡ ܪ̈ܚܡܝܗܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܘܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܡܬܢܝܚܝܢ ܥܠܝܗܘܢ ܪܚܡܘܬܐ ܘܐܚܕܘ ܡ̈ܠܟܐ ܕܩܪܝܒܝܢ ܘܕܪܚܝܩܝܢ ܘܟܘܠ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܫܡܥܘ ܗܘܘ ܫܡܥܗܘܢ ܕܚܠܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܡܢܗܘܢ
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 ܘܠܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܨܒܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܡܥܕܪܘ ܘܠܡܡܠܟܘ ܡܡܠܟܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܘܠܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܨܒܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܡܥܒܪܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܘܐܬܬܪܝܡܘ ܛܒ
14 In spite of al this, no single one of them had assumed a crown or put on the purple for his ownaggrandisement.	14 ܘܒܟܠܗܝܢ ܗܠܝܢ ܠܐ ܩܛܪ ܚܕ ܡܢܗܘܢ ܬܓܐ ܘܠܐ ܠܒܫܘ ܐܪ̈ܓܘܢܐ ܐܝܟ ܕܢܬܥܟܪ ܒܗ
15 They had set up a senate, where three hundred and twenty councillors deliberated daily, constantlydebating how best to regulate public affairs.	15 ܘܒܝܬ ܒܘܠܐ ܥܒܕܘ ܠܗܘܢ ܘܟܠ ܝܘܡ ܡܬܡܠܟܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܬܠܬܡܐܐ ܘܡܬܪܥܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܒܟܠܙܒܢ ܥܠ ܟܢ̈ܫܐ ܕܠܐ ܢܚܣܪ ܠܗܘܢ ܡܢܕܥܡ
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 ܘܡܗܝܡܢܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܓܒܪܐ ܚܕ ܕܢܗܘܐ ܠܗܘܢ ܪܫܐ ܟܘܠ ܫܢܐ ܘܫܠܝܛܝܢ ܒܟܠܗ ܐܪܥܗܘܢ ܘܟܠܗܘܢ ܡܫܬܡܥܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܚܕ ܘܠܝܬ ܚܣܡܐ ܘܛܢܢܐ ܒܝܢܬܗܘܢ
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 ܘܓܒܐ ܝܗܘܕܐ ܠܐܘܦܠܡܘܣ ܒܪ ܝܘܚܢܢ ܒܪ ܥܟܘ ܘܠܐܝܣܘܢ ܒܪ ܐܠܝܥܙܪ ܘܫܕܪ ܐܢܘܢ ܠܪܗܘܡܝ ܠܡܩܡܘ ܠܗܘܢ ܪܚܡܘܬܐ ܘܥܕܪܐ
18 in the hope of being rid of the yoke, for they could see that Greek rule was reducing Israel to slavery.	18 ܘܠܡܥܒܪܘ ܢܝܪܐ ܡܢܗܘܢ ܡܛܠ ܕܚܙܘ ܡܠܟܘܬܐ ܕܝܘ̈ܢܝܐ ܡܫܥܒܕܐ ܗܘܬ ܠܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܒܫܘܥܒܕܐ
19 The envoys made the lengthy journey to Rome and presented themselves before the Senate withtheir formal proposal:	19 ܘܐܙܠܘ ܠܪܗܘܡܝ ܘܐܘܪܚܐ ܣܓܝܐܐ ܗܘܬ ܛܒ ܘܥܠܘ ܠܒܝܬ ܒܘܠܐ ܘܥܢܘ ܘܐܡܪܘ
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 ܝܗܘܕܐ ܕܗܘ ܡܩܒܝܐ ܘܐܚ̈ܘܗܝ ܘܟܢܫܐ ܕܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ ܫܕܪܘܢ ܠܘܬܟܘܢ ܕܢܩܝܡ ܥܡܟܘܢ ܥܘܕܪܢܐ ܘܫܠܡܐ ܘܕܬܗܘܘܢ ܠܢ ܥܕܪ̈ܐ ܘܪ̈ܚܡܐ
21 The proposal met with the approval of the senators.	21 ܘܫܦܪܬ ܡܠܬܐ ܒܥܝܢܝ̈ܗܘܢ
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 ܘܗܢܐ ܦܚܡܐ ܕܐܓܪܬܐ ܕܟܬܒܘ ܠܗܘܢ ܥܠ ܠܘܚ̈ܐ ܕܢܚܫܐ ܘܫܕܪܘ ܠܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܕܢܗܘܐ ܠܘܬܗܘܢ ܬܡܢ ܕܘܟܪܢܐ ܘܫܠܡܐ ܘܥܘܕܪܢܐ
23 'Good fortune attend the Romans and the Jewish nation by sea and land for ever; may sword orenemy be far from them!	23 ܕܛܒ ܢܗܘܐ ܠܪ̈ܗܘܡܝܐ ܘܠܥܡܐ ܕܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ ܒܝܡܐ ܘܒܝܒܫܐ ܠܥܠܡ ܘܪܘܡܚܐ ܘܣܝܦܐ ܢܬܪܚܩ ܡܢܗܘܢ
24 'If war comes first to Rome or any of her al ies throughout her dominions,	24 ܐܢܕܝܢ ܢܩܘܡ ܩܪܒܐ ܩܕܡܐܝܬ ܥܠ ܪ̈ܗܘܡܝܐ ܐܘ ܠܟܠ ܡܥܕܪ̈ܢܝܗܘܢ ܒܟܠ ܒܝܬ ܫܘܠܛܢܗܘܢ
25 the Jewish nation wil take action as her al y, as occasion may require, and do it wholeheartedly.	25 ܢܥܕܪ ܥܡܐ ܕܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ ܐܝܟ ܙܒܢܐ ܕܡܦܣ ܠܗܘܢ ܒܠܒܐ ܫܠܡܐ
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 ܘܠܡܥܕܪ̈ܢܐ ܠܐ ܢܬܠܘܢ ܠܗܘܢ ܘܠܐ ܢܡܠܘܢ ܠܗܘܢ ܚ̈ܛܐ ܘܙܝܢܐ ܘܟܣܦܐ ܘܐ̈ܠܦܐ ܐܝܟ ܕܫܦܪ ܠܪܗܘܡܝ ܘܢܛܪܘܢ ܡܛܪ̈ܬܗܘܢ ܟܕ ܡܕܡ ܠܐ ܢܣܒܘܢ
27 In the same way, if war comes first to the Jewish nation, the Romans wil support them energetical yas occasion may offer,	27 ܐܝܟ ܗܠܝܢ ܕܝܢ ܐܦ ܠܥܡܐ ܕܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ ܢܓܕܫ ܩܪܒܐ ܢܥܕܪܘܢ ܪ̈ܗܘܡܝܐ ܡܢ ܟܠܗ ܢܦܫܗܘܢ ܐܝܟ ܙܒܢܐ ܕܡܦܣ ܠܗܘܢ
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 ܘܠܡܥܕܪ̈ܢܐ ܠܐ ܢܬܝܗܒ ܙܝܢܐ ܘܚ̈ܛܐ ܘܟܣܦܐ ܘܐ̈ܠܦܐ ܐܝܟ ܕܫܦܪ ܠܪܗܘܡܝ ܘܢܛܪܘܢ ܢܛܘܪ̈ܬܗܘܢ ܘܠܐ ܒܢܟܠܐ
29 Such are the articles under which the Romans have concluded their treaty with the Jewish people.	29 ܘܐܝܟ ܡ̈ܠܐ ܗܠܝܢ ܗܟܢܐ ܐܡܪܘ ܪ̈ܗܘܡܝܐ ܠܥܡܐ ܕܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ
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 ܐܢܕܝܢ ܡܢ ܒܬܪ ܡ̈ܠܐ ܗܠܝܢ ܢܨܛܒܘܢ ܗܠܝܢ ܐܘ ܗܠܝܢ ܠܡܘܣܦܘ ܐܘ ܠܡܒܨܪ ܢܥܒܕܘܢ ܡܢ ܬܪ̈ܥܝܬܗܘܢ ܘܐܢ ܢܘܣܦܘܢ ܢܗܘܐ ܫܪܝܪ ܘܐܢ ܢܒܨܪܘܢ ܢܗܘܐ ܫܪܝܪ
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 ܘܥܠ ܒܝ̈ܫܬܐ ܕܡܠܟܐ ܕܡܛܪܝܘܣ ܓܪܡ ܠܟܘܢ ܟܬܒܢ ܗܟܢܐ ܘܐܡܪ̈ܢ ܠܗ ܠܡܢܐ ܐܘܩܪܬ ܢܝܪܟ ܥܠ ܪ̈ܚܡܝܢ ܘܡܥܕܪ̈ܢܝܢ ܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ
32 If they appeal against you again, we shal uphold their rights and make war on you by sea and land.'	32 ܐܢ ܗܘ ܕܝܢ ܕܬܘܒ ܢܩܒܠܘܢ ܥܠܝܟ ܢܥܒܕ ܠܗܘܢ ܬܒܥܬܐ ܘܢܩܪܒ ܥܡܟ ܒܝܡܐ ܘܒܝܒܫܐ