Deuxième livre des Macchabées 9

JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Vers ce temps-là, Antiochus était piteusement revenu des régions de la Perse.	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 En effet, une fois entré dans la ville qu'on appelle Persépolis, il s'était mis en devoir d'en pillerle temple et d'opprimer la ville. Aussi la foule, se soulevant, recourut-elle aux armes, et il arriva qu'Antiochus,mis en fuite par les habitants du pays, dut opérer une retraite humiliante.	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 Comme il se trouvait vers Ecbatane, il apprit ce qui était arrivé à Nikanor et aux gens deTimothée.	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 Transporté de fureur, il pensait faire payer aux Juifs l'injure de ceux qui l'avaient mis en fuiteet, pour ce motif, il ordonna au conducteur de pousser son char sans s'arrêter jusqu'au terme du voyage. Maisdéjà il était accompagné par la sentence du Ciel. Il avait dit en effet, dans son orgueil: "Arrivé à Jérusalem, jeferai de cette ville la fosse commune des Juifs."	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 Mais le Seigneur qui voit tout, le Dieu d'Israël, le frappa d'une plaie incurable et invincible. Apeine avait-il achevé sa phrase qu'une douleur d'entrailles sans remède le saisit et que des souffrances aiguës letorturaient au-dedans,	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 ce qui était pleine justice, puisqu'il avait infligé aux entrailles des autres des tourmentsnombreux et étranges.	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 Il ne rabattait pourtant rien de son arrogance; toujours rempli d'orgueil, il exhalait contre lesJuifs le feu de sa colère et commandait d'accélérer la marche, quand il tomba soudain du char qui roulait avecfracas, le corps entraîné dans une chute malheureuse, et tous les membres tordus.	7 And especially in the nights he went upon these expeditions, and the fame of his valour was spread abroad every where.
8 Lui qui tout à l'heure croyait, dans sa jactance surhumaine, commander aux flots de la mer, luiqui s'imaginait peser dans la balance la hauteur des montagnes, se voyait gisant à terre, puis transporté dans unelitière, faisant éclater aux yeux de tous la puissance de Dieu,	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 à telle enseigne que les yeux de l'impie fourmillaient de vers et que, lui vivant, ses chairs sedétachaient par lambeaux avec d'atroces douleurs, enfin que la puanteur de cette pourriture soulevait le coeur detoute l'armée.	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 Celui qui naguère semblait toucher aux astres du ciel, personne maintenant ne pouvaitl'escorter à cause de l'incommodité intolérable de cette odeur.	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 Là donc, il commença, tout brisé, à dépouiller cet excès d'orgueil et à prendre conscience desréalités sous le fouet divin, torturé par des crises douloureuses.	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 Comme lui-même ne pouvait supporter son infection, il avoua: "Il est juste de se soumettre àDieu, et, simple mortel, de ne pas penser à s'égaler à la divinité."	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 Mais les prières de cet être abject allaient vers un Maître qui ne devait plus avoir pitié de lui:	13 And some of them being afraid, and distrusting the justice of God, fled away:
14 il promettait de déclarer libre la ville sainte que naguère il gagnait en toute hâte pour la raseret la transformer en fosse commune,	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 de faire de tous les Juifs les égaux des Athéniens, eux qu'il jugeait indignes de la sépulture etbons à servir de pâture aux oiseaux de proie ou à être jetés aux bêtes avec leurs enfants,	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 d'orner des plus belles offrandes le saint Temple qu'il avait jadis dépouillé, de lui rendre audouble tous les vases sacrés et de subvenir de ses propres revenus aux frais des 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 et finalement de devenir lui-même Juif et de parcourir tous les lieux habités pour y proclamerla toute-puissance de Dieu.	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 Comme ses souffrances ne se calmaient d'aucune façon, car le jugement équitable de Dieupesait sur lui, et qu'il voyait son état désespéré, il écrivit aux Juifs la lettre transcrite ci-dessous, sous forme desupplique. Elle était ainsi libellée:	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 "Aux excellents Juifs, aux citoyens, Antiochus roi et stratège: salut, santé et bonheur parfaits!	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 Si vous vous portez bien ainsi que vos enfants, et que vos affaires aillent suivant vos désirs,nous en rendons de très grandes actions de grâces.	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 Pour moi, je suis étendu sans force sur un lit et je garde un affectueux souvenir de vous. Amon retour des régions de la Perse, atteint d'un mal fâcheux, j'estimai nécessaire de veiller à la sûreté de tous.	21 With these words they were greatly encouraged, and disposed even to die for the laws and their country.
22 Ce n'est pas que je désespère de mon état, ayant au contraire le ferme espoir d'échapper àcette maladie.	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 Mais, considérant que mon père, chaque fois qu'il portait les armes dans les pays d'en haut,désignait son futur successeur,	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 afin que, en cas d'un événement inattendu ou d'un bruit fâcheux, ceux qui étaient dans lesprovinces n'en pussent être troublés, sachant à qui il avait laissé la direction des affaires,	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 après avoir songé en outre que les souverains proches de nous et les voisins de notre royaumeépient les circonstances et attendent les éventualités, j'ai désigné comme roi mon fils Antiochus, que plus d'unefois, lorsque je parcourais les satrapies d'en haut, j'ai confié et recommandé à la plupart d'entre vous. Je lui aiécrit d'ailleurs la lettre transcrite ci-dessous.	25 And they took the money of them that came to buy them, and they pursued them on every side.
26 Je vous prie donc et vous conjure, vous souvenant des bienfaits que vous avez reçus de moien public et en particulier, de conserver chacun, pour mon fils également, les dispositions favorables que vouséprouvez pour moi.	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 Je suis en effet persuadé que, plein de douceur et d'humanité, il suivra scrupuleusement mesintentions et s'entendra bien avec vous."	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 Ainsi ce meurtrier, ce blasphémateur, en proie aux pires souffrances, semblables à celles qu'ilavait fait endurer aux autres, eut le sort lamentable de perdre la vie loin de son pays, en pleine montagne.	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 Philippe, son familier, ramena son corps, mais, craignant le fils d'Antiochus, il se retira enEgypte auprès de Ptolémée Philométor.	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.