2 Maccabees 6

NEW JERUSALEM	VULGATA
1 Shortly afterwards, the king sent Gerontes the Athenian to force the Jews to violate their ancestralcustoms and live no longer by the laws of God;	1 Sed non post multum temporis, misit rex senem quemdam Antiochenum, qui compelleret Judæos ut se transferrent a patriis et Dei legibus :
2 and to profane the Temple in Jerusalem and dedicate it to Olympian Zeus, and the one on MountGerizim to Zeus, Patron of Strangers, as the inhabitants of the latter place had requested.	2 contaminare etiam quod in Jerosolymis erat templum, et cognominare Jovis Olympii : et in Garizim, prout erant hi qui locum inhabitabant, Jovis hospitalis.
3 The advent of these evils was painful y hard for al the people to bear.	3 Pessima autem et universis gravis erat malorum incursio :
4 The Temple was fil ed with revel ing and debauchery by the gentiles, who took their pleasure withprostitutes and had intercourse with women in the sacred precincts, introducing other indecencies besides.	4 nam templum luxuria et comessationibus gentium erat plenum, et scortantium cum meretricibus : sacratisque ædibus mulieres se ultro ingerebant, intro ferentes ea quæ non licebat.
5 The altar of sacrifice was loaded with victims proscribed by the law as profane.	5 Altare etiam plenum erat illicitis, quæ legibus prohibebantur.
6 No one might either keep the Sabbath or observe the traditional feasts, or so much as admit to being aJew.	6 Neque autem sabbata custodiebantur, neque dies solemnes patrii servabantur, nec simpliciter Judæum se esse quisquam confitebatur.
7 People were driven by harsh compulsion to take part in the monthly ritual meal commemorating theking's birthday; and when a feast of Dionysus occurred, they were forced to wear ivy wreaths and walk in theDionysiac procession.	7 Ducebantur autem cum amara necessitate in die natalis regis ad sacrificia : et cum Liberi sacra celebrarentur, cogebantur hedera coronati Libero circuire.
8 A decree was issued at the instance of the people of Ptolemais for the neighbouring Greek cities,enforcing the same conduct on the Jews there, obliging them to share in the sacrificial meals,	8 Decretum autem exiit in proximas gentilium civitates, suggerentibus Ptolemæis, ut pari modo et ipsi adversus Judæos agerent, ut sacrificarent :
9 and ordering the execution of those who would not voluntarily conform to Greek customs. So it becameclear that disaster was imminent.	9 eos autem qui nollent transire ad instituta gentium, interficerent : erat ergo videre miseriam.
10 For example, two women were charged with having circumcised their children. They were paradedpublicly round the town, with their babies hung at their breasts, and then hurled over the city wal .	10 Duæ enim mulieres delatæ sunt natos suos circumcidisse : quas, infantibus ad ubera suspensis, cum publice per civitatem circumduxissent, per muros præcipitaverunt.
11 Other people, who had assembled in some near-by caves to keep the seventh day without attractingattention, were denounced to Philip, and were then al burnt to death together, since their consciences would notal ow them to defend themselves, out of respect for the holiness of the day.	11 Alii vero, ad proximas coëuntes speluncas, et latenter sabbati diem celebrantes, cum indicati essent Philippo, flammis succensi sunt, eo quod verebantur propter religionem et observantiam manu sibimet auxilium ferre.
12 Now, I urge anyone who may read this book not to be dismayed at these calamities, but to reflect thatsuch visitations are intended not to destroy our race but to discipline it.	12 Obsecro autem eos qui hunc librum lecturi sunt, ne abhorrescant propter adversos casus : sed reputent ea quæ acciderunt, non ad interitum, sed ad correptionem esse generis nostri.
13 Indeed, when evil-doers are not left for long to their own devices but incur swift retribution, it is a signof great benevolence.	13 Etenim multo tempore non sinere peccatoribus ex sententia agere, sed statim ultiones adhibere, magni beneficii est indicium.
14 In the case of other nations, the Master waits patiently for them to attain the ful measure of their sinsbefore he punishes them, but with us he has decided to deal differently,	14 Non enim, sicut in aliis nationibus, Dominus patienter exspectat, ut eas cum judicii dies advenerit, in plenitudine peccatorum puniat :
15 rather than have to punish us later, when our sins come to ful measure.	15 ita et in nobis statuit ut, peccatis nostris in finem devolutis, ita demum in nos vindicet.
16 And so he never entirely withdraws his mercy from us; he may discipline us by some disaster, but hedoes not desert his own people.	16 Propter quod numquam quidem a nobis misericordiam suam amovet : corripiens vero in adversis, populum suum non dereliquit.
17 Let this be said simply by way of reminder; we must return to our story without more ado.	17 Sed hæc nobis ad commonitionem legentium dicta sint paucis. Jam enim veniendum est ad narrationem.
18 Eleazar, one of the foremost teachers of the Law, a man already advanced in years and of most nobleappearance, had his mouth forced open, to make him eat a piece of pork.	18 Igitur Eleazarus, unus de primoribus scribarum, vir ætate provectus, et vultu decorus, aperto ore hians compellebatur carnem porcinam manducare.
19 But he, resolving to die with honour rather than to live disgraced, walked of his own accord to thetorture of the wheel,	19 At ille gloriosissimam mortem magis quam odibilem vitam complectens, voluntarie præibat ad supplicium.
20 having spat the stuff out, as befits those with the courage to reject what is not lawful to taste, ratherthan live.	20 Intuens autem quemadmodum oporteret accedere, patienter sustinens, destinavit non admittere illicita propter vitæ amorem.
21 The people supervising the ritual meal, forbidden by the Law, because of the length of time for whichthey had known him, took him aside and privately urged him to have meat brought of a kind he could properlyuse, prepared by himself, and only pretend to eat the portions of sacrificial meat as prescribed by the king;	21 Hi autem qui astabant, iniqua miseratione commoti propter antiquam viri amicitiam, tollentes eum secreto rogabant afferri carnes quibus vesci ei licebat, ut simularetur manducasse sicut rex imperaverat de sacrificii carnibus,
22 this action would enable him to escape death, by availing himself of an act of kindness prompted bytheir long friendship.	22 ut hoc facto, a morte liberaretur : et propter veterem viri amicitiam, hanc in eo faciebant humanitatem.
23 But having taken a noble decision worthy of his years and the dignity of his great age and the wel -earned distinction of his grey hairs, worthy too of his impeccable conduct from boyhood, and above al of theholy legislation established by God himself, he answered accordingly, telling them to send him at once to Hades.	23 At ille cogitare cœpit ætatis ac senectutis suæ eminentiam dignam, et ingenitæ nobilitatis canitiem, atque a puero optimæ conversationis actus : et secundum sanctæ et a Deo conditæ legis constituta, respondit cito, dicens præmitti se velle in infernum.
24 'Pretence', he said, 'does not befit our time of life; many young people would suppose that Eleazar atthe age of ninety had conformed to the foreigners' way of life	24 Non enim ætati nostræ dignum est, inquit, fingere : ut multi adolescentium, arbitrantes Eleazarum nonaginta annorum transisse ad vitam alienigenarum,
25 and, because I had played this part for the sake of a paltry brief spel of life, might themselves be ledastray on my account; I should only bring defilement and disgrace on my old age.	25 et ipsi propter meam simulationem, et propter modicum corruptibilis vitæ tempus decipiantur, et per hoc maculam atque execrationem meæ senectuti conquiram.
26 Even though for the moment I avoid execution by man, I can never, living or dead, elude the grasp ofthe Almighty.	26 Nam etsi in præsenti tempore suppliciis hominum eripiar, sed manum Omnipotentis nec vivus, nec defunctus, effugiam.
27 Therefore if I am man enough to quit this life here and now, I shal prove myself worthy of my old age,	27 Quam ob rem fortiter vita excedendo, senectute quidem dignus apparebo :
28 and I shal have left the young a noble example of how to make a good death, eagerly andgenerously, for the venerable and holy laws.' So saying, he walked straight to the wheel,	28 adolescentibus autem exemplum forte relinquam, si prompto animo ac fortiter pro gravissimis ac sanctissimis legibus honesta morte perfungar. His dictis, confestim ad supplicium trahebatur.
29 while those who were escorting him, recently so wel disposed towards him, turned against him afterthis declaration, which they regarded as sheer madness.	29 Hi autem qui eum ducebant, et paulo ante fuerant mitiores, in iram conversi sunt propter sermones ab eo dictos, quos illi per arrogantiam prolatos arbitrabantur.
30 He for his part, just before he died under the blows, gave a sigh and said, 'The Lord whose knowledgeis holy sees clearly that, though I might have escaped death, from awe of him I gladly endure these agonies ofbody under the lash, and that in my soul I am glad to suffer.'	30 Sed cum plagis perimeretur, ingemuit, et dixit : Domine, qui habes sanctam scientiam, manifeste tu scis quia cum a morte possem liberari, duros corporis sustineo dolores : secundum animam vero propter timorem tuum libenter hæc patior.
31 This was how he died, leaving his death as an example of nobility and a record of virtue not only forthe young but for the greater part of the nation.	31 Et iste quidem hoc modo vita decessit, non solum juvenibus, sed et universæ genti memoriam mortis suæ ad exemplum virtutis et fortitudinis derelinquens.