Secondo libro dei Maccabei 9

BIBBIA CEI 1974	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Avvenne in quel periodo il ritorno ignominioso di Antioco dalle regioni della 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 Infatti egli era giunto nella città chiamata Persepoli e si era accinto a depredare il tempio e ad impadronirsi della piazza, ma i cittadini ricorsero in massa alle armi e lo ricacciarono; perciò Antioco, messo in fuga dagli abitanti, dovette ritirarsi vergognosamente.	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 Mentre si trovava presso Ecbàtana, gli giunsero le notizie su ciò che era accaduto a Nicànore e agli uomini di Timòteo.	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 Montato in gran furore, pensava di sfogarsi sui Giudei anche per lo smacco inflittogli da coloro che lo avevano messo in fuga. Perciò diede ordine al cocchiere di compiere il viaggio spingendo i cavalli senza sosta; ma incombeva ormai su di lui il giudizio del Cielo. Così diceva nella sua superbia: "Farò di Gerusalemme un cimitero di Giudei, appena vi sarò giunto".	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 Ma il Signore che tutto vede, il Dio d'Israele, lo colpì con piaga insanabile e invisibile. Aveva appena terminato quella frase, quando lo colpì un insopportabile dolore alle viscere e terribili spasimi intestinali,	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 ben meritati da colui che aveva straziato le viscere altrui con molti e strani generi di 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
7 Ma egli non desisteva affatto dalla sua alterigia, anzi pieno ancora di superbia spirava il fuoco della sua collera contro i Giudei e comandava di accelerare la corsa. Ma gli accadde di cadere dal carro in corsa tumultuosa e per la grave caduta di riportare contusioni in tutte le membra del corpo.	7 And especially in the nights he went upon these expeditions, and the fame of his valour was spread abroad every where.
8 Colui che poco prima pensava di comandare ai flutti del mare, arrogandosi di essere un superuomo e di pesare sulla bilancia le cime dei monti, ora gettato a terra doveva farsi portare in lettiga, rendendo a tutti manifesta la potenza di Dio,	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 a tal punto che nel corpo di quell'empio si formavano i vermi e, mentre era ancora vivo, le sue carni fra spasimi e dolori cadevano a brandelli e l'esercito era tutto nauseato dal fetore e dal marciume di lui.	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 Colui che poco prima credeva di toccare gli astri del cielo, ora nessuno poteva sopportarlo per l'intollerabile intensità del fetore.	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 Allora finalmente, malconcio a quel modo, incominciò ad abbassare il colmo della sua superbia e ad avviarsi al ravvedimento per effetto del divino flagello, mentre ad ogni istante era lacerato dai dolori.	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 Non potendo più sopportare il suo proprio fetore, disse: "È giusto sottomettersi a Dio e non pensare di essere uguale a Dio quando si è mortali!".	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 Quell'empio si mise a pregare quel Signore che ormai non avrebbe più avuto misericordia di lui, e diceva	13 And some of them being afraid, and distrusting the justice of God, fled away:
14 che avrebbe dichiarato libera la città santa, che prima si affrettava a raggiungere per raderla al suolo e farne un cimitero;	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 che avrebbe reso pari agli Ateniesi tutti i Giudei che prima aveva stabilito di non degnare neppure della sepoltura, ma di gettare in pasto alle fiere insieme con i loro bambini;	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 che avrebbe adornato con magnifici doni votivi il sacro tempio, che prima aveva saccheggiato, e avrebbe restituito in maggior numero tutti gli arredi sacri e avrebbe provveduto con le proprie entrate ai contributi fissati per i sacrifici;	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 inoltre che si sarebbe fatto Giudeo e si sarebbe recato in ogni luogo abitato per annunciare la potenza di Dio.	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 Ma poiché i dolori non diminuivano per nulla - era arrivato infatti su di lui il giusto giudizio di Dio - e disperando ormai di sé, scrisse ai Giudei la lettera che riportiamo qui sotto, nello stile di una supplica, così concepita:	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 "Ai Giudei, ottimi cittadini, il re e condottiero Antioco augura magnifica salute, benessere e prosperità.	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 Se voi state bene e i figli e le vostre cose procedono secondo il vostro pensiero, io, riponendo le mie speranze nel Cielo,	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 mi ricordo con tenerezza del vostro onore e della vostra benevolenza. Ritornando dalle province della Persia e trovandomi colpito da una malattia insopportabile, ho creduto necessario pensare alla comune sicurezza di tutti.	21 With these words they were greatly encouraged, and disposed even to die for the laws and their country.
22 Pur non disperando del mio stato, ma avendo molta fiducia di poter scampare dalla malattia,	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 considerando d'altra parte che anche mio padre, quando aveva intrapreso spedizioni nelle province settentrionali, aveva indicato il successore,	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 perché se accadesse qualche cosa di inaspettato o si diffondesse la notizia di qualche grave incidente, gli abitanti del paese, sapendo in mano a chi era stato lasciato il governo, non si agitassero;	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 e oltre a questo constatando che i sovrani vicini e confinanti con il nostro regno spiano il momento opportuno e attendono gli eventi, ho designato come re mio figlio Antioco, che già più volte, quando intraprendevo i viaggi nei distretti settentrionali, ho raccomandato e affidato a moltissimi di voi. A lui indirizzo la lettera qui unita.	25 And they took the money of them that came to buy them, and they pursued them on every side.
26 Vi prego dunque e vi scongiuro di ricordarvi dei benefici ricevuti pubblicamente o privatamente e prego ciascuno di conservare la vostra benevolenza verso di me e mio figlio.	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 Ho fiducia che egli si comporterà con voi con moderazione e umanità, secondo le mie direttive".	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 Quest'omicida e bestemmiatore dunque, soffrendo crudeli tormenti, come li aveva fatti subire agli altri, finì così la sua vita in terra straniera, in una zona montuosa, con una sorte misera.	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 Curò il trasporto della salma Filippo, cresciuto insieme a lui, il quale poi, diffidando del figlio di Antioco, si recò in Egitto presso Tolomeo Filomètore.	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.