Primo libro dei Maccabei 1

BIBBIA CEI 2008	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Queste cose avvennero dopo che Alessandro il Macèdone, figlio di Filippo, uscito dalla regione dei Chittìm sconfisse Dario, re dei Persiani e dei Medi, e regnò al suo posto cominciando dalla Grecia.	1 Now it came to pass, after that Alexander the son of Philip the Macedonian, who first reigned in Greece, coming out of the land of Cethim, had overthrown Darius king of the Persians and Medes:
2 Egli intraprese molte guerre, si impadronì di fortezze e uccise i re della terra;	2 He fought many battles, and took the strong holds of all, and slew the kings of the earth:
3 arrivò sino ai confini della terra e raccolse le spoglie di molti popoli. La terra ammutolì davanti a lui; ma egli si esaltò e il suo cuore montò in superbia.	3 And he went through even to the ends of the earth, and took the spoils of many nations: and the earth was quiet before him.
4 Radunò forze ingenti e conquistò regioni, popoli e prìncipi, che divennero suoi tributari.	4 And he gathered a power, and a very strong army: and his heart was exalted and lifted up.
5 Dopo questo cadde ammalato e comprese che stava per morire.	5 And he subdued countries of nations, and princes: and they became tributaries to him.
6 Allora chiamò i suoi ufficiali più illustri, che erano stati educati con lui fin dalla giovinezza, e divise tra loro il suo regno mentre era ancora vivo.	6 And after these things, he fell down upon his bed, and knew that he should die.
7 Alessandro dunque aveva regnato dodici anni quando morì.	7 And he called his servants the nobles that were brought up with him from his youth: and he divided his kingdom among them, while he was yet alive.
8 I suoi ufficiali assunsero il potere, ognuno nella sua regione;	8 And Alexander reigned twelve years, and he died.
9 dopo la sua morte cinsero tutti il diadema e, dopo di loro, i loro figli per molti anni, moltiplicando i mali sulla terra.	9 And his servants made themselves kings every one in his place:
10 Uscì da loro una radice perversa, Antioco Epìfane, figlio del re Antioco, che era stato ostaggio a Roma, e cominciò a regnare nell’anno centotrentasette del regno dei Greci.	10 And they all put crowns upon themselves after his death, and their sons after them many years, and evils were multiplied in the earth.
11 In quei giorni uscirono da Israele uomini scellerati, che persuasero molti dicendo: «Andiamo e facciamo alleanza con le nazioni che ci stanno attorno, perché, da quando ci siamo separati da loro, ci sono capitati molti mali».	11 And there came out of them a wicked root, Antiochus the Illustrious, the son of king Antiochus, who had been a hostage at Rome: and he reigned in the hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
12 Parve buono ai loro occhi questo ragionamento.	12 In those days there went out of Israel wicked men, and they persuaded many, saying: Let us go, and make a covenant with the heathens that are round about us: for since we departed from them, many evils have befallen us.
13 Quindi alcuni del popolo presero l’iniziativa e andarono dal re, che diede loro facoltà d’introdurre le istituzioni delle nazioni.	13 And the word seemed good in their eyes.
14 Costruirono un ginnasio a Gerusalemme secondo le usanze delle nazioni,	14 And some of the people determined to do this, and went to the king: and he gave them license to do after the ordinances of the heathens.
15 cancellarono i segni della circoncisione e si allontanarono dalla santa alleanza. Si unirono alle nazioni e si vendettero per fare il male.	15 And they built a place of exercise in Jerusalem, according to the laws of the nations:
16 Quando il regno fu consolidato, Antioco volle conquistare l’Egitto per regnare sui due regni:	16 And they made themselves prepuces, and departed from the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathens, and were sold to do evil.
17 entrò in Egitto con un esercito imponente, con carri ed elefanti, con la cavalleria e una grande flotta,	17 And the kingdom was established before Antiochus, and he had a mind to reign over the land of Egypt, that he might reign over two kingdoms.
18 e venne a battaglia con Tolomeo, re d’Egitto. Tolomeo fu travolto davanti a lui e dovette fuggire, e molti caddero colpiti a morte.	18 And he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots and elephants, and horsemen, and a great number of ships:
19 Così espugnò le città fortificate dell’Egitto e fece bottino della terra d’Egitto.	19 And he made war against Ptolemee king of Egypt, but Ptolemee was afraid at his presence, and fled, and many were wounded unto death.
20 Antioco ritornò dopo aver sconfitto l’Egitto nell’anno centoquarantatré, mosse contro Israele e salì a Gerusalemme con un grande esercito.	20 And he took the strong cities in the land of Egypt: and he took the spoils of the land of Egypt.
21 Entrò con arroganza nel santuario e ne asportò l’altare d’oro e il candelabro dei lumi con tutti i suoi arredi,	21 And after Antiochus had ravaged Egypt in the hundred and forty-third year, he returned and went up against Israel.
22 la tavola dell’offerta e i vasi per le libagioni, le coppe e gli incensieri d’oro, il velo, le corone e i fregi d’oro della facciata del tempio e lo spogliò tutto;	22 And he went up to Jerusalem with a great multitude.
23 s’impadronì dell’argento e dell’oro e d’ogni oggetto pregiato e asportò i tesori nascosti che riuscì a trovare.	23 And he proudly entered into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof, and the table of proposition, and the pouring vessels, and the vials, and the little mortars of gold, and the veil, and the crowns, and the golden ornament that was before the temple: and he broke them all in pieces.
24 Poi, raccolta ogni cosa, fece ritorno nella sua terra, dopo aver fatto una strage e aver parlato con grande arroganza.	24 And he took the silver and gold, and the precious vessels: and he took the hidden treasures which he found: and when he had taken all away he departed into his own country.
25 Allora vi fu lutto grande per gli Israeliti in ogni loro regione.	25 And he made a great slaughter of men, and spoke very proudly.
26 Gemettero i capi e gli anziani, le vergini e i giovani persero vigore e la bellezza delle donne svanì.	26 And there was great mourning in Israel, and in every place where they were.
27 Ogni sposo levò il suo lamento e la sposa nel talamo fu in lutto.	27 And the princes, and the ancients mourned, and the virgins and the young men were made feeble, and the beauty of the women was changed.
28 Tremò la terra per i suoi abitanti e tutta la casa di Giacobbe si vestì di vergogna.	28 Every bridegroom took up lamentation: and the bride that set in the marriage bed, mourned:
29 Due anni dopo, il re mandò alle città di Giuda un sovrintendente ai tributi. Egli venne a Gerusalemme con un grande esercito	29 And the land was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Jacob was covered with confusion.
30 e rivolse loro con perfidia parole di pace ed essi gli prestarono fede. Ma all’improvviso piombò sulla città, le inflisse colpi crudeli e mise a morte molta gente in Israele.	30 And after two full years the king sent the chief collector of his tributes to the cities of Juda, and he came to Jerusalem with a great multitude.
31 Mise a sacco la città, la diede alle fiamme e distrusse le sue abitazioni e le mura di cinta.	31 And he spoke to them peaceable words in deceit: and they believed him.
32 Trassero in schiavitù le donne e i bambini e s’impossessarono del bestiame.	32 And he fell upon the city suddenly, and struck it with a great slaughter, and destroyed much people in Israel.
33 Poi costruirono attorno alla Città di Davide un muro grande e massiccio, con torri solidissime, e divenne per loro una cittadella.	33 And he took the spoils of the city, and burnt it with fire, and threw down the houses thereof, and the walls thereof round about:
34 Vi stabilirono una razza perversa, uomini scellerati, che vi si fortificarono,	34 And they took the women captive, and the children, and the cattle they possessed.
35 vi collocarono armi e vettovaglie e, radunato il bottino di Gerusalemme, ve lo depositarono e divennero un grande tranello.	35 And they built the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with strong towers, and made it a fortress for them:
36 Fu un’insidia per il santuario e un avversario maligno per Israele in ogni momento.	36 And they placed there a sinful nation, wicked men, and they fortified themselves therein: and they stored up armour, and victuals, and gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem;
37 Versarono sangue innocente intorno al santuario e profanarono il luogo santo.	37 And laid them up there: and they became a great snare.
38 Fuggirono gli abitanti di Gerusalemme a causa loro e la città divenne abitazione di stranieri; divenne straniera alla sua gente e i suoi figli l’abbandonarono.	38 And this was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil devil in Israel.
39 Il suo santuario fu desolato come il deserto, le sue feste si mutarono in lutto, i suoi sabati in vergogna, il suo onore in disprezzo.	39 And they shed innocent blood round about the sanctuary, and defiled the holy place.
40 Pari alla sua gloria fu il suo disonore e il suo splendore si cambiò in lutto.	40 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled away by reason of them, and the city was made the habitation to strangers, and she became a stranger to her own seed, and her children forsook her.
41 Poi il re prescrisse in tutto il suo regno che tutti formassero un solo popolo	41 Her sanctuary was desolate like a wilderness, her festival days were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into reproach, her honours were brought to nothing.
42 e ciascuno abbandonasse le proprie usanze. Tutti i popoli si adeguarono agli ordini del re.	42 Her dishonour was increased according to her glory, and her excellency was turned into mourning.
43 Anche molti Israeliti accettarono il suo culto, sacrificarono agli idoli e profanarono il sabato.	43 And king Antiochus wrote to all his kingdom, that all the people should be one: and every one should leave his own law.
44 Il re spedì ancora decreti per mezzo di messaggeri a Gerusalemme e alle città di Giuda, ordinando di seguire usanze straniere al loro paese,	44 And all nations consented according to the word of king Antiochus.
45 di far cessare nel tempio olocausti, sacrifici e libagioni, di profanare sabati e feste	45 And many of Israel consented to his service, and they sacrificed to idols, and profaned the sabbath.
46 e di contaminare il santuario e quanto è sacro,	46 And the king sent letters by the hands of messengers to Jerusalem, and to all the cities of Juda: that they should follow the law of the nations of the earth,
47 di costruire altari, recinti sacri ed edicole e sacrificare carni suine e animali immondi,	47 And should forbid holocausts and sacrifices, and atonements to be made in the temple of God.
48 di lasciare che i propri figli, non circoncisi, si contaminassero con ogni impurità e profanazione,	48 And should prohibit the sabbath, and the festival days, to be celebrated.
49 così da dimenticare la legge e mutare ogni istituzione,	49 And he commanded the holy places to be profaned, and the holy people of Israel.
50 pena la morte a chiunque non avesse agito secondo gli ordini del re.	50 And he commanded altars to be built, and temples, and idols, and swine's flesh to be immolated, and unclean beasts.
51 In questi termini scrisse a tutto il regno, stabilì ispettori su tutto il popolo e intimò alle città di Giuda di sacrificare città per città.	51 And that they should leave their children uncircumcised, and let their souls be defiled with all uncleannesses, and abominations, to the end that they should forget the law, and should change all the justifications of God.
52 Molti del popolo si unirono a loro, quanti avevano abbandonato la legge, commisero il male nel paese	52 And that whosoever would not do according to the word of king Antiochus should be put to death.
53 e costrinsero Israele a nascondersi in ogni possibile rifugio.	53 According to all these words he wrote to his whole kingdom, and he appointed rulers over the people that should force them to do these things.
54 Nell’anno centoquarantacinque, il quindici di Chisleu, il re innalzò sull’altare un abominio di devastazione. Anche nelle vicine città di Giuda eressero altari	54 And they commanded the cities of Juda to sacrifice.
55 e bruciarono incenso sulle porte delle case e nelle piazze.	55 Then many of the people were gathered to them that had forsaken the law of the Lord: and they committed evils in the land:
56 Stracciavano i libri della legge che riuscivano a trovare e li gettavano nel fuoco.	56 And they drove away the people of Israel into lurking holes, and into the secret places of fugitives.
57 Se presso qualcuno veniva trovato il libro dell’alleanza e se qualcuno obbediva alla legge, la sentenza del re lo condannava a morte.	57 On the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred and forty-fifth year, king Antiochus set up the abominable idol of desolation upon the altar of God, and they built altars throughout all the cities of Juda round about:
58 Trattavano con prepotenza quegli Israeliti che ogni mese venivano scoperti nella città,	58 And they burnt incense, and sacrificed at the doors of the houses, and in the streets.
59 e specialmente al venticinque del mese, quando sacrificavano sull’ara che era sopra l’altare dei sacrifici.	59 And they cut in pieces, and burnt with fire the books of the law of God:
60 Mettevano a morte, secondo gli ordini, le donne che avevano fatto circoncidere i loro figli,	60 And every one with whom the books of the testament of the Lord were found, and whosoever observed the law of the Lord, they put to death, according to the edict of the king.
61 con i bambini appesi al collo e con i familiari e quelli che li avevano circoncisi.	61 Thus by their power did they deal with the people of Israel, that were found in the cities month after month.
62 Tuttavia molti in Israele si fecero forza e animo a vicenda per non mangiare cibi impuri	62 And on the five and twentieth day of the month they sacrificed upon the altar of the idol that was over against the altar of God.
63 e preferirono morire pur di non contaminarsi con quei cibi e non disonorare la santa alleanza, e per questo appunto morirono.	63 Now the women that circumcised their children, were slain according to the commandment of king Antiochus.
64 Grandissima fu l’ira sopra Israele.	64 And they hanged the children about their necks in all their houses: and those that had circumcised them, they put to death.
	65 And many of the people of Israel determined with themselves, that they would not eat unclean things: and they chose rather to die than to be defiled with unclean meats.
	66 And they would not break the holy law of God, and they were put to death:
	67 And there was very great wrath upon the people.