2 Maccabees 9

DOUAI-RHEIMS	BIBBIA RICCIOTTI
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.	1 - In quel medesimo tempo, Antioco tornava vergognosamente dalla Persia.
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:	2 Era entrato nella cosiddetta Persepoli, tentando di spogliare il tempio e opprimere la città; ma essendo corsa alle armi la popolazione, fu messo in fuga, e così avvenne che, dopo quella sconfitta Antioco se ne tornava ignominiosamente.
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:	3 Giunto presso Ecbatana, seppe che cosa era accaduto a Nicanore e Timoteo.
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.	4 Montato per questo In furore, pensava di far ricadere sui Giudei l’obbrobrio ricevuto da quelli che l’avevano messo in fuga; perciò dette ordine di far accelerare il suo cocchio viaggiando senza posa, incalzato dal giudizio del cielo per aver detto con tanta superbia che verrebbe a Gerusalemme, e ne farebbe tutto un sepolcro di Giudei.
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.	5 Ma il Signore Dio di Israele, che tutto vede, lo percosse d’insanabile invisibile plaga. Infatti, com’ebbe pronunziate quelle parole, lo prese un acerbo dolore delle viscere con intimi crudeli tormenti;
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	6 e ciò con molta giustizia, avendo egli con molti e nuovi supplizi torturate le viscere altrui; nè però in alcun modo rinunziava alla sua malignità.
7 And especially in the nights he went upon these expeditions, and the fame of his valour was spread abroad every where.	7 Che anzi, pieno di superbia, spirando nell’anima fuoco contro i Giudei, e dando ordine d’affrettar la corsa, avvenne che andando cosi impetuosamente cadde dal cocchio, e per la grave percossa gli si sconquassarono le membra.
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.	8 E quegli che s’immaginava di comandare anche ai flutti del mare, e di pesare su una stadera i monti più alti, ora umiliato sino a terra veniva condotto in una portantina, testimoniando in se medesimo la manifesta potenza di Dio.
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.	9 Poiché dal corpo di quell’empio scaturivano i vermi, le carni di lui vivente fra i dolori cadevano a pezzi, ed il fetido suo odore dava noia a’suoi soldati;
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:	10 quegli che poco prima si pensava di toccar con mano le stelle del cielo, nessuno ora poteva sopportarlo» per l'intollerabile fetore.
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.	11 Allora, smontato dalla sua grande superbia, ammonito dal divino castigo, cominciò a riconoscersi, mentre i suol dolori aumentavano ad ogni istante.
12 Now when Judas found that Nicanor was coming, he imparted to the Jews that were with him, that the enemy was at hand.	12 non potendo nemmen egli reggere al proprio fetore, disse: « È giusto essere sottoposti a Dio, e che un mortale non si faccia eguale a Dio ».
13 And some of them being afraid, and distrusting the justice of God, fled away:	13 Quello scellerato adunque pregava il Signore, dal quale però non stava per ricevere misericordia.
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:	14 La città alla quale con tanta fretta s’indirizzava per raderla al suolo e farne un sepolcro d’ammucchiati cadaveri, ora si propone di dichiararla libera.
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.	15 I Giudei, dei quali aveva detto che non li reputerebbe nemmeno degni di sepoltura, ma li abbandonerebbe in pasto agli uccelli ed alle fiere» e li sterminerebbe sino al bambini lattanti, ora promette di metterli alla pari con gli Ateniesi.
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:	16 E il tempio santo, già da lui depredato, lo arricchirà di doni preziosi, ne moltiplicherà i sacri arredi, e provvederà con le sue proprie rendite alle spese concernenti i sacrifizi.
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.	17 Ed oltre a ciò, si farà Giudeo egli stesso, ed andrà per tutto il mondo a far nota la potenza di Dio.
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.	18 Ma non cessando i suoi dolori, perchè l’aveva arrivato il giusto giudizio di Dio, privo ormai di speranza, scrisse ai Giudei, a modo di preghiera una lettera in questi termini:
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.	19 « Ai Giudei ottimi cittadini, il re e principe Antioco augura molta salute, e star bene, ed esser felici.
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.	20 Se voi ed i vostri figliuoli state bene, e tutto va a seconda dei vostri deslderii ne rendiamo [a Dio] somme grazie.
21 With these words they were greatly encouraged, and disposed even to die for the laws and their country.	21 io mi trovo infermo, ma serbo di voi grata memoria; colto da grave infermità nel mio ritorno dalle regioni della Persia, ho creduto necessario di provvedere al comun bene.
22 So he appointed his brethren cap over each division of his army, Simon, and Joseph, and Jonathan, giving to one fifteen hundred men.	22 Non dispero di me medesimo; anzi ho molta speranza di scampare dal male.
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:	23 Ma ho considerato che anche il padre mio, quando conduceva il suo esercito nelle province superiori, designò chi prenderebbe il principato dopo di lui;
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.	24 affinchè, se qualche disavventura accadesse, o si sapesse di qualunque difficoltà, non sopravvenissero turbamenti nelle province, sapendosi già a chi sarebbe affidata la somma delle cose.
25 And they took the money of them that came to buy them, and they pursued them on every side.	25 Considerando inoltre che gli altri principi ed i vicini stanno in agguato ed aspettano l’occasione, ho designato per re il figlio mio Antioco, il quale spesso, venendo io nelle province superiori, ho raccomandato a molti di voi ; e gli ho scritto quanto segue.
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.	26 vi prego dunque e vi chieggo che vi ricordiate in pubblico ed In privato dei miei benefizi, sì che ciascuno serbi fede a me ed al figlio mio. Ed io confido ch’egli si condurrà con moderazione e clemenza, seconderà le mie vedute, e vi sarà favorevole ».
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.	27 Cosi quell’omicida e bestemmiatore fu severisslmamente colpito, e come aveva egli trattato gli altri, finì la vita con una miserabile morte, fuggiasco, sui monti.
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.	28 Filippo suo coetaneo ne trasportò il cadavere; ma temendo il figlio d’Antloco, andò in Egitto, presso Tolomeo Filometore.
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.