2 Maccabees 2

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 'It is on record that the prophet Jeremiah ordered the deportees to take the fire, as we have described,	1 You will find in the records, not only that Jeremiah the prophet ordered the deportees to take some of the aforementioned fire with them,
2 and how, having given them the Law, the prophet warned the deportees never to forget the Lord'sprecepts, nor to let their thoughts be tempted by the sight of gold and silver statues or the finery adorning them.	2 but also that the prophet, in giving them the law, admonished them not to forget the commandments of the Lord or be led astray in their thoughts, when seeing the gold and silver idols and their ornaments.
3 Among other similar admonitions, he urged them not to let the Law depart from their hearts.	3 With other similar words he urged them not to let the law depart from their hearts.
4 'The same document also describes how the prophet, warned by an oracle, gave orders for the tentand the ark to go with him, when he set out for the mountain which Moses had climbed to survey God's heritage.	4 The same document also tells how the prophet, following a divine revelation, ordered that the tent and the ark should accompany him and how he went off to the mountain which Moses climbed to see God's inheritance.
5 On his arrival, Jeremiah found a cave-dwel ing, into which he put the tent, the ark and the altar ofincense, afterwards blocking up the entrance.	5 When Jeremiah arrived there, he found a room in a cave in which he put the tent, the ark, and the altar of incense; then he blocked up the entrance.
6 Some of his companions went back later to mark out the path but were unable to find it.	6 Some of those who followed him came up intending to mark the path, but they could not find it.
7 When Jeremiah learned this, he reproached them, "The place is to remain unknown", he said, "untilGod gathers his people together again and shows them his mercy.	7 When Jeremiah heard of this, he reproved them: "The place is to remain unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows them mercy.
8 Then the Lord wil bring these things once more to light, and the glory of the Lord will be seen, and sowil the cloud, as it was revealed in the time of Moses and when Solomon prayed that the holy place might begloriously hal owed."	8 Then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord will be seen in the cloud, just as it appeared in the time of Moses and when Solomon prayed that the Place might be gloriously sanctified."
9 'It was also recorded how Solomon in his wisdom offered the sacrifice of the dedication and completionof the sanctuary.	9 It is also related how Solomon in his wisdom offered a sacrifice at the dedication and the completion of the temple.
10 As Moses had prayed to the Lord and fire had come down from heaven and burned up the sacrifice,so Solomon also prayed, and the fire from above consumed the burnt offerings.	10 Just as Moses prayed to the Lord and fire descended from the sky and consumed the sacrifices, so Solomon also prayed and fire came down and burned up the holocausts.
11 Moses had said, "Because the sacrifice for sin had not been eaten, it was burnt instead."	11 Moses had said, "Because it had not been eaten, the sin offering was burned up."
12 Solomon similarly observed the eight-day festival.	12 Solomon also celebrated the feast in the same way for eight days.
13 'In addition to the above, it was also recorded, both in these writings and in the Memoirs of Nehemiah, how Nehemiah founded a library and made a col ection of the books dealing with the kings and the prophets, thewritings of David and the letters of the kings on the subject of offerings.	13 Besides these things, it is also told in the records and in Nehemiah's Memoirs how he collected the books about the kings, the writings of the prophets and of David, and the royal letters about sacred offerings.
14 Similarly, Judas made a complete col ection of the books dispersed in the late war, and these we stillhave.	14 In like manner Judas also collected for us the books that had been scattered because of the war, and we now have them in our possession.
15 If you need any of them, send someone to fetch them.	15 If you need them, send messengers to get them for you.
16 'Since we are about to celebrate the purification, we now write, requesting you to observe the samedays.	16 As we are about to celebrate the feast of the purification of the temple, we are writing to you requesting you also to please celebrate the feast.
17 God, who has saved his whole people, conferring heritage, kingdom, priesthood and sanctification onal of us,	17 It is God who has saved all his people and has restored to all of them their heritage, the kingdom, the priesthood, and the sacred rites,
18 as he has promised in the Law, will surely, as our hope is in him, be swift to show us mercy andgather us together from everywhere under heaven to the holy place, since he has rescued us from great evilsand has purified it.'	18 as he promised through the law. We trust in God, that he will soon have mercy on us and gather us together from everywhere under the heavens to his holy Place, for he has rescued us from great perils and has purified his Place.
19 The story of Judas Maccabaeus and his brothers, the purification of the great Temple, the dedicationof the altar,	19 This is the story of Judas Maccabeus and his brothers, of the purification of the great temple, the dedication of the altar,
20 together with the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes and his son Eupator,	20 the campaigns against Antiochus Epiphanes and his son Eupator,
21 and the celestial manifestations that came to hearten the brave champions of Judaism, so that, fewthough they were, they pil aged the whole country, routed the barbarian hordes,	21 and of the heavenly manifestations accorded to the heroes who fought bravely for Judaism, so that, few as they were, they seized the whole land, put to flight the barbarian hordes,
22 recovered the sanctuary renowned the whole world over, liberated the city and re-established the lawsby then all but abolished, the Lord showing his favour by al his gracious help to them-	22 regained possession of the world-famous temple, liberated the city, and reestablished the laws that were in danger of being abolished, while the Lord favored them with all his generous assistance.
23 al this, already related in five books by Jason of Cyrene, we shall attempt to condense into a singlework.	23 All this, which Jason of Cyrene set forth in detail in five volumes, we will try to condense into a single book.
24 Considering the spate of figures and the difficulty encountered, because of the mass of material, bythose who wish to immerse themselves in historical records,	24 In view of the flood of statistics, and the difficulties encountered by those who wish to plunge into historical narratives where the material is abundant,
25 we have aimed at providing diversion for those who merely want something to read, a saving of labourfor those who enjoy committing things to memory, and profit for each and al .	25 we have aimed to please those who prefer simple reading, as well as to make it easy for the studious who wish to commit things to memory, and to be helpful to all.
26 For us who have undertaken the drudgery of this abridgement, it has been no easy task but a matterof sweat and midnight oil,	26 For us who have taken upon ourselves the labor of making this digest, the task, far from being easy, is one of sweat and of sleepless nights,
27 comparable to the exacting task of someone organising a banquet, whose aim is to satisfy a variety oftastes. Nevertheless, for the sake of rendering a general service, we remain glad to endure this drudgery,	27 just as the preparation of a festive banquet is no light matter for one who thus seeks to give enjoyment to others. Similarly, to win the gratitude of many we will gladly endure these inconveniences,
28 leaving accuracy of detail to the historian, and concentrating our effort on tracing the outlines in thiscondensed version.	28 while we leave the responsibility for exact details to the original author, and confine our efforts to giving only a summary outline.
29 Just as the architect of a new house is responsible for the construction as a whole, while the manundertaking the ceramic painting has to take into consideration only the decorative requirements, so, I think, it iswith us.	29 As the architect of a new house must give his attention to the whole structure, while the man who undertakes the decoration and the frescoes has only to concern himself with what is needed for ornamentation, so I think it is with us.
30 To make the subject his own, to explore its by-ways, to be meticulous about details, is the business ofthe original historian,	30 To enter into questions and examine them thoroughly from all sides is the task of the professional historian;
31 but the person making the adaptation must be al owed to aim at conciseness of expression and toforgo any exhaustive treatment of his subject.	31 but the man who is making an adaptation should be allowed to aim at brevity of expression and to omit detailed treatment of the matter.
32 So now let us begin our narrative, without adding any more to what has been said above; there wouldbe no sense in expanding the preface to the history and curtailing the history itself.	32 Here, then, we shall begin our account without further ado; it would be nonsense to write a long preface to a story and then abbreviate the story itself.