2 Maccabees 15

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Nicanor heard that Judas and his men were in the neighbourhood of Samaria, so he decided to attackthem, at no risk to himself, on the day of rest.	1 When Nicanor learned that Judas and his companions were in the territory of Samaria, he decided to attack them in all safety on the day of rest.
2 Those Jews who had been compel ed to follow him, said, 'Do not massacre them in such a savage,barbarous way. Respect the day on which the All-seeing has conferred a special holiness.'	2 The Jews who were forced to follow him pleaded, "Do not massacre them in that way, like a savage barbarian, but show respect for the day which the All-seeing has exalted with holiness above all other days."
3 At this the triple-dyed scoundrel asked if there were in heaven a sovereign who had ordered thekeeping of the Sabbath day.	3 At this the thrice-sinful wretch asked if there was a ruler in heaven who prescribed the keeping of the sabbath day.
4 When they answered, 'The living Lord himself, the Heavenly Sovereign, has ordered the observanceof the seventh day,'	4 When they replied that there was indeed such a ruler in heaven, the living LORD himself, who commanded the observance of the sabbath day,
5 he retorted, 'And I, as sovereign on earth, order you to take up arms and do the king's business.' Foral that, he did not manage to carry out his wicked plan.	5 he said, "I, on my part, am ruler on earth, and my orders are that you take up arms and carry out the king's business." Nevertheless he did not succeed in carrying out his cruel plan.
6 While Nicanor, in his unlimited boastfulness and pride, was planning to erect a general trophy with thespoils taken from Judas and his men,	6 In his utter boastfulness and arrogance Nicanor had determined to erect a public monument of victory over Judas and his men.
7 Maccabaeus remained firm in his confident conviction that the Lord would stand by him.	7 But Maccabeus remained confident, fully convinced that he would receive help from the LORD.
8 He urged his men not to be dismayed by the foreigners' attacks but, keeping in mind the help that hadcome to them from Heaven in the past, to be confident that this time too victory would be theirs with the help ofthe Almighty.	8 He urged his men not to fear the enemy, but mindful of the help they had received from Heaven in the past, to expect that now, too, victory would be given them by the Almighty.
9 He put fresh heart into them by citing the Law and the Prophets and, by stirring up memories of thebattles they had already won, he fil ed them with new enthusiasm.	9 By encouraging them with words from the law and the prophets, and by reminding them of the battles they had already won, he filled them with fresh enthusiasm.
10 Having thus aroused their courage, he ended his exhortation by demonstrating the treachery of theforeigners and how they had violated their oaths.	10 Having stirred up their courage, he gave his orders and pointed out at the same time the perfidy of the Gentiles and their violation of oaths.
11 Having armed each one of them not so much with the safety given by shield and lance as with thatconfidence which springs from noble language, he encouraged them al by describing to them a convincingdream -- a vision, as it were.	11 When he had armed each of them, not so much with the safety of shield and spear as with the encouragement of noble words, he cheered them all by relating a dream, a kind of vision, worthy of belief.
12 What he had seen was this: Onias, the former high priest, that paragon of men, modest of bearingand gentle of manners, suitably eloquent and trained from boyhood in the practice of every virtue -- Onias wasstretching out his hands and praying for the whole Jewish community.	12 What he saw was this: Onias, the former high priest, a good and virtuous man, modest in appearance, gentle in manners, distinguished in speech, and trained from childhood in every virtuous practice, was praying with outstretched arms for the whole Jewish community.
13 Next, there appeared a man equal y remarkable for his great age and dignity and invested with amarvel ous and impressive air of majesty.	13 Then in the same way another man appeared, distinguished by his white hair and dignity, and with an air about him of extraordinary, majestic authority.
14 Onias began to speak: 'This is a man', he said, 'who loves his brothers and prays much for thepeople and the holy city-Jeremiah, the prophet of God.'	14 Onias then said of him, "This is God's prophet Jeremiah, who loves his brethren and fervently prays for his people and their holy city."
15 Jeremiah then stretched out his right hand and presented Judas with a golden sword, saying as hegave it,	15 Stretching out his right hand, Jeremiah presented a gold sword to Judas. As he gave it to him he said,
16 'Take this holy sword as a gift from God; with it you wil shatter the enemy.'	16 "Accept this holy sword as a gift from God; with it you shall crush your adversaries."
17 Encouraged by the noble words of Judas, which had the power to inspire valour and give the youngthe spirit of mature men, they decided not to entrench themselves in a camp, but bravely to take the offensiveand, in hand-to-hand fighting, to commit the result to the fortune of war, since the city, their holy religion and theTemple were in danger.	17 Encouraged by Judas' noble words, which had power to instill valor and stir young hearts to courage, the Jews determined not to delay, but to charge gallantly and decide the issue by hand-to-hand combat with the utmost courage, since their city and its temple with the sacred vessels were in danger.
18 Their concern for their wives and children, their brothers and relatives, had shrunk to minuteimportance; their chief and greatest fear was for the consecrated Temple.	18 They were not so much concerned about their wives and children or their brothers and kinsmen; their first and foremost fear was for the consecrated sanctuary.
19 Those left behind in the city felt a similar anxiety, alarmed as they were about the forthcomingencounter in the open country.	19 Those who remained in the city suffered a like agony, anxious as they were about the battle in the open country.
20 Everyone now awaited the coming issue. The enemy had already concentrated their forces andstood formed up in order of battle, with the elephants drawn up in a strategic position and the cavalry disposedon the wings.	20 Everyone now awaited the decisive moment. The enemy were already drawing near with their troops drawn up in battle line, their elephants placed in strategic positions, and their cavalry stationed on the flanks.
21 Maccabaeus took note of these masses confronting him, the glittering array of armour and the fierceaspect of the elephants; then, raising his hands to heaven, he called on the Lord who works miracles, in theknowledge that it is not by force of arms but as he sees fit to decide, that victory is granted by him to such asdeserve it.	21 Maccabeus, contemplating the hosts before him, their elaborate equipment, and the fierceness of their elephants, stretched out his hands toward heaven and called upon the LORD who works miracles; for he knew that it is not through arms but through the LORD'S decision that victory is won by those who deserve it.
22 His prayer was worded thus: 'You, Master, sent your angel in the days of Hezekiah king of Judaea,and he destroyed no less than one hundred and eighty-five thousand of Sennacherib's army;	22 He prayed to him thus: "You, O LORD, sent your angel in the days of King Hezekiah of Judea, and he slew a hundred and eighty-five thousand men of Sennacherib's army.
23 now, once again, Sovereign of heaven, send a good angel before us to spread terror and dismay.	23 Sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel now to spread fear and dread before us.
24 May these men be struck down by the might of your arm, since they have come with blasphemy ontheir lips to attack your holy people.' And on these words he finished.	24 By the might of your arm may those be struck down who have blasphemously come against your holy people!" With this he ended his prayer.
25 Nicanor and his men advanced to the sound of trumpets and war songs,	25 Nicanor and his men advanced to the sound of trumpets and battle songs.
26 but the men of Judas closed with the enemy uttering invocations and prayers.	26 But Judas and his men met the army with supplication and prayers.
27 Fighting with their hands and praying to God in their hearts, they cut down at least thirty-fivethousand men and were greatly cheered by this manifestation of God.	27 Fighting with their hands and praying to God with their hearts, they laid low at least thirty-five thousand, and rejoiced greatly over this manifestation of God's power.
28 When the engagement was over and they were withdrawing in triumph, they recognised Nicanor,lying dead in ful armour.	28 When the battle was over and they were joyfully departing, they discovered Nicanor lying there in all his armor;
29 With shouting and confusion all around, they blessed the sovereign Master in their ancestral tongue.	29 so they raised tumultuous shouts in their native tongue in praise of the divine Sovereign.
30 He who, as protagonist, had devoted himself, body and soul, to his fel ow-citizens, and hadpreserved the love he felt even in youth for those of his own race, gave orders for Nicanor's head to be cut off,with his arm up to the shoulder, and taken to Jerusalem.	30 Then Judas, who was ever in body and soul the chief defender of his fellow citizens, and had maintained from youth his affection for his countrymen, ordered Nicanor's head and whole right arm to be cut off and taken to Jerusalem.
31 When he arrived there himself, he cal ed his countrymen together, stationed the priests in front of thealtar and then sent for the people from the Citadel.	31 When he arrived there, he assembled his countrymen, stationed the priests before the altar, and sent for those in the citadel.
32 He showed them the head of the abominable Nicanor, and the hand which this infamous man hadstretched out so insolently against the holy House of the Almighty.	32 He showed them the vile Nicanor's head and the wretched blasphemer's arm that had been boastfully stretched out against the holy dwelling of the Almighty.
33 Then, cutting out godless Nicanor's tongue, he gave orders for it to be fed piecemeal to the birds,and for the salary of his folly to be hung up in front of the Temple.	33 He cut out the tongue of the godless Nicanor, saying he would feed it piecemeal to the birds and would hang up the other wages of his folly opposite the temple.
34 At this, everyone sent blessings heavenwards to the glorious Lord, saying, 'Blessed be he who haspreserved his holy place from pol ution!'	34 At this, everyone looked toward heaven and praised the Lord who manifests his divine power, saying, "Blessed be he who has kept his own Place undefiled!"
35 He hung Nicanor's head from the Citadel, a clear and evident sign to al of the help of the Lord.	35 Judas hung up Nicanor's head on the wall of the citadel, a clear and evident proof to all of the Lord's help.
36 They al decreed by public vote never to let that day go by unobserved, but to celebrate thethirteenth day of the twelfth month, cal ed Adar in Aramaic, the eve of what is called the Day of Mordecai.	36 By public vote it was unanimously decreed never to let this day pass unobserved, but to celebrate it on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, called Adar in Aramaic, the eve of Mordecai's Day.
37 So ends the episode of Nicanor, and as, since then, the city has remained in the possession of theHebrews, I shal bring my own work to an end here too.	37 Since Nicanor's doings ended in this way, with the city remaining in possession of the Hebrews from that time on, I will bring my own story to an end here too.
38 If it is wel composed and to the point, that is just what I wanted. If it is worthless and mediocre, thatis al I could manage.	38 If it is well written and to the point, that is what I wanted; if it is poorly done and mediocre, that is the best I could do.
39 Just as it is injurious to drink wine by itself, or again water alone, whereas wine mixed with water ispleasant and produces a delightful sense of wel -being, so skil in presenting the incidents is what delights theunderstanding of those who read the book. And here I close.	39 Just as it is harmful to drink wine alone or water alone, whereas mixing wine with water makes a more pleasant drink that increases delight, so a skillfully composed story delights the ears of those who read the work. Let this, then, be the end.