2 Maccabees 9

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 At about the same time, Antiochus was beating a disorderly retreat from Persia.	1 But Judas Machabeus, and they that were with him, went privately into the towns: and calling together their kinsmen and friends, and taking unto them such as continued in the Jews' religion, they assembled six thousand men.
2 He had entered the city cal ed Persepolis, planning to rob the temple and occupy the city; but thepopulation at once sprang to arms to defend themselves, with the result that Antiochus was routed by theinhabitants and forced to beat a humiliating retreat.	2 And they called upon the Lord that he would look upon his people that was trodden down by all, and would have pity on the temple, that was defiled by the wicked:
3 On his arrival in Ecbatana he learned what had happened to Nicanor and to Timotheus' forces.	3 That he would have pity also upon the city that was destroyed, that was ready to be made even with the ground, and would hear the voice of the blood that cried to him:
4 Flying into a passion, he resolved to make the Jews pay for the disgrace inflicted by those who hadrouted him, and with this in mind he ordered his charioteer to drive without stopping and get the journey over.But the sentence of Heaven was already hanging over him. In his pride, he had said, 'When I reach Jerusalem, Ishall turn it into a mass grave for the Jews.'	4 That he would remember also the most unjust deaths of innocent children, and the blasphemies offered to his name, and would shew his indignation on this occasion.
5 But the al -seeing Lord, the God of Israel, struck him with an incurable and unseen complaint. Thewords were hardly out of his mouth when he was seized with an incurable pain in his bowels and withexcruciating internal torture;	5 Now when Machabeus had gathered a multitude, he could not be withstood by the heathens: for the wrath of the Lord was turned into mercy.
6 and this was only right, since he had inflicted many barbaric tortures on the bowels of others.	6 So coming unawares upon the towns and cities, he set them on fire, and taking possession of the most commodious places, he made no small slaughter of the enemies
7 Even so, he in no way diminished his arrogance; stil bursting with pride, breathing fire in his wrathagainst the Jews, he was in the act of ordering an even keener pace when the chariot gave a sudden lurch andout he fel and, in this serious fal , was dragged along, every joint of his body wrenched out of place.	7 And especially in the nights he went upon these expeditions, and the fame of his valour was spread abroad every where.
8 He who only a little while before had thought in his superhuman boastfulness he could command thewaves of the sea, he who had imagined he could weigh mountain peaks in a balance, found himself flat on theground and then being carried in a litter, a visible demonstration to al of the power of God,	8 Then Philip, seeing that the man gained ground by little and little, and that things for the most part succeeded prosperously with him, wrote to Ptolemee the governor of Celesyria and Phenicia, to send aid to the king's affairs.
9 in that the very eyes of this godless man teemed with worms and his flesh rotted away while helingered on in agonising pain, and the stench of his decay sickened the whole army.	9 And he with all speed sent Nicanor the son of Patroclus, one of his special friends, giving him no fewer than twenty thousand armed men of different nations, to root out the whole race of the Jews, joining also with him Gorgias, a good soldier, and of great experience in matters of war.
10 A short while before, he had thought to grasp the stars of heaven; now no one could bring himself toact as his bearer, for the stench was intolerable.	10 And Nicanor purposed to raise for the king the tribute of two thousand talents, that was to be given to the Romans, by making so much money of the captive Jews:
11 Then and there, as a consequence, in his shattered state, he began to shed his excessive pride andcome to his senses under the divine lash, spasms of pain overtaking him.	11 Wherefore he sent immediately to the cities upon the sea coast, to invite men together to buy up the Jewish slaves, promising that they should have ninety slaves for one talent, not reflecting on the vengeance, which was to follow him from the Almighty.
12 His stench being unbearable even to himself, he exclaimed, 'It is right to submit to God; no mortalshould aspire to equality with the Godhead.'	12 Now when Judas found that Nicanor was coming, he imparted to the Jews that were with him, that the enemy was at hand.
13 The wretch began to pray to the Master, who would never take pity on him now, declaring	13 And some of them being afraid, and distrusting the justice of God, fled away:
14 that the holy city, towards which he had been speeding to rase it to the ground and turn it into a massgrave, should be declared free;	14 Others sold all that they had left, and withal besought the Lord, that he would deliver them from the wicked Nicanor, who had sold them before he came near them:
15 as for the Jews, whom he had considered as not even worth burying, so much carrion to be thrownout with their children for birds and beasts to prey on, he would give them al equal rights with the Athenians;	15 And if not for their sakes, yet for the covenant that he had made with their fathers, and for the sake of his holy and glorious name that was invoked upon them.
16 the holy Temple which he had once plundered he would now adorn with the finest offerings; he wouldrestore al the sacred vessels many times over; he would defray from his personal revenue the expensesincurred for the sacrifices;	16 But Machabeus calling together seven thousand that were with him, exhorted them not to be reconciled to the enemies, nor to fear the multitude of the enemies who came wrongfully against them, but to fight manfully:
17 and, to crown al , he would himself turn Jew and visit every inhabited place, proclaiming the power ofGod.	17 Setting before their eyes the injury they had unjustly done the holy place, and also the injury they had done to the city, which had been shamefully abused, besides their destroying the ordinances of the fathers.
18 Finding no respite at al from his suffering, God's just sentence having overtaken him, he abandonedal hope for himself and wrote the Jews the letter transcribed below, which takes the form of an appeal in theseterms:	18 For, said he, they trust in their weapons, and in their boldness: but we trust in the Almighty Lord, who at a beck can utterly destroy both them that come against us, and the whole world.
19 'To the excel ent Jews, to the citizens, Antiochus, king and commander-in-chief, sends heartygreetings, wishing them al health and prosperity.	19 Moreover he put them in mind also of the helps their fathers had received from God: and how under Sennacherib a hundred and eighty-five thousand had been destroyed.
20 'If you and your children are wel and your affairs as you would wish, we are profoundly thankful.	20 And of the battle that they had fought against the Galatians in Babylonia, how they, being in all but six thousand, when it came to the point, and Macedonians their companions were a stand, slew a hundred and twenty thousand, because of the help they had from heaven, and for this they received many favours.
21 For my part, I cherish affectionate memories of you. 'On my return from the country of Persia I felseriously il , and thought it necessary to make provision for the common security of al .	21 With these words they were greatly encouraged, and disposed even to die for the laws and their country.
22 Not that I despair of my condition, for I have great hope of shaking off the malady,	22 So he appointed his brethren cap over each division of his army, Simon, and Joseph, and Jonathan, giving to one fifteen hundred men.
23 but considering how my father, whenever he was making an expedition into the uplands, woulddesignate his successor	23 And after the holy Book had been read to them by Esdras, and he had given them for a watchword, The help of God: himself leading the first band, he joined battle with Nicanor:
24 so that, in case of any unforeseen event or disquieting rumour, the people of the provinces mightknow to whom he had left the conduct of affairs, and thus remain undisturbed;	24 And the Almighty being their helper, they slew above nine thousand men: and having wounded and disabled the greater part of Nicanor's army, they obliged them to fly.
25 furthermore, being wel aware that the sovereigns on our frontiers and the neighbours of our realm arewatching for opportunities and waiting to see what wil happen, I have designated as king my son Antiochus,whom I have more than once entrusted and commended to most of you when I was setting out for the uplandsatrapies; a transcript of my letter to him is appended hereto.	25 And they took the money of them that came to buy them, and they pursued them on every side.
26 I therefore urge and require you, being mindful of the benefits both public and personal received fromme, that you each persist in those sentiments of goodwil that you harbour towards me.	26 But they came back for want of time: for it was the day before the sabbath: and therefore they did not continue the pursuit.
27 I am confident that he wil pursue my own policy with benevolence and humanity, and wil proveaccommodating to your interests.'	27 But when they had gathered together their arms and their spoils, they kept the sabbath: blessing the Lord who had delivered them that day, distilling the beginning of mercy upon them.
28 And so this murderer and blasphemer, having endured sufferings as terrible as those which he hadmade others endure, met his pitiable fate, and ended his life in the mountains far from his home.	28 Then after the sabbath they divided the spoils to the feeble and the orphans, and the widows: and the rest they took for themselves and their servants.
29 His comrade Philip brought back his body, and then, fearing Antiochus' son, withdrew to Egypt, to thecourt of Ptolemy Philometor.	29 When this was done, and they had all made a common supplication, they besought the merciful Lord to be reconciled to his servants unto the end.
	30 Moreover they slew above twenty thousand of them that were with Timotheus and Bacchides who fought them, and they made themselves masters of the high strong holds: and they divided amongst them many spoils, giving equal portions to the feeble, the fatherless and the widows, yea and the aged also.
	31 And when they had carefully gathered together their arms, they laid them all up in convenient places, and the residue of their spoils they carried to Jerusalem :
	32 They slew also Philarches who was with Timotheus, a wicked man, who had many ways afflicted the Jews.
	33 And when they kept the feast of the victory at Jerusalem, they burnt Callisthenes, that had set fire to the holy gates, who had taken refuge in a certain house, rendering to him a worthy reward for his impieties:
	34 But as for that most wicked man Nicanor, who had brought a thousand merchants to the sale of the Jews,
	35 Being through the help of the Lord brought down by them, of whom he had made no account, laying; aside his garment of glory, fleeing through the midland country, he came alone to Antioch, being rendered very unhappy by the destruction of his army.
	36 And he that had promised to levy the tribute for the Romans by the means of the captives of Jerusalem, now professed that the Jews had God for their protector, and therefore they could not be hurt, because they followed the laws appointed by him.