Secondo libro dei Maccabei 1

NOVA VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Fratribus, qui sunt per Aegyp tum, Iudaeis salutem dicunt fratres, quisunt in Hierosolymis Iudaei et qui in regione Iudaeae, pacem bonam.	1 The Jews in Jerusalem and in the land of Judea send greetings to their brethren, the Jews in Egypt, and wish them true peace!
2 Etbenefaciat vobis Deus et meminerit testamenti sui, quod locutus est ad Abrahamet Isaac et Iacob servorum suorum fidelium;	2 May God bless you and remember his covenant with his faithful servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
3 et det vobis cor omnibus, utcolatis eum et faciatis eius voluntatem corde magno et animo volenti;	3 May he give to all of you a heart to worship him and to do his will readily and generously.
4 etadaperiat cor vestrum in lege sua et in praeceptis suis et faciat pacem;	4 May he open your heart to his law and his commandments and grant you peace.
5 etexaudiat orationes vestras et reconcilietur vobis nec vos deserat in temporemalo.	5 May he hear your prayers, and be reconciled to you, and never forsake you in time of adversity.
6 Et nunc hic sumus orantes pro vobis.	6 Even now we are praying for you here.
7 Regnante Demetrio, anno centesimosexagesimo nono, nos Iudaei scripsimus vobis in tribulatione et impetu, quisupervenit nobis in istis annis, ex quo recessit Iason et, qui cum eo erant, asancta terra et a regno	7 In the reign of Demetrius, the year one hundred and sixty-nine, we Jews wrote to you during the trouble and violence that overtook us in those years after Jason and his followers had revolted against the holy land and the kingdom,
8 et portam succenderunt et effuderunt sanguineminnocentem; et oravimus ad Dominum et exauditi sumus et obtulimus sacrificia etsimilaginem et accendimus lucernas et proposuimus panes.	8 setting fire to the gatehouse and shedding innocent blood. But we prayed to the Lord, and our prayer was heard; we offered sacrifices and fine flour; we lighted the lamps and set out the loaves of bread.
9 Et nunc utfrequentetis dies Scenopegiae mensis Casleu,	9 We are now reminding you to celebrate the feast of Booths in the month of Chislev.
10 anno centesimo octogesimooctavo. Qui sunt Hierosolymis et in Iudaea, senatusque et Iudas Aristobulo magistroPtolemaei regis, qui est de genere christorum sacerdotum, et his, qui in Aegyptosunt, Iudaeis salutem et sanitatem.	10 Dated in the year one hundred and eighty-eight. The people of Jerusalem and Judea, the senate, and Judas send greetings and good wishes to Aristobulus, counselor of King Ptolemy and member of the family of the anointed priests, and to the Jews in Egypt.
11 De magnis periculis a Deo liberatimagnifice gratias agimus ipsi, utpote qui adversus regem dimicavimus;	11 Since we have been saved by God from grave dangers, we give him great thanks for having fought on our side against the king;
12 ipseenim effervere fecit eos, qui pugnaverunt contra sanctam civitatem.	12 it was he who drove out those who fought against the holy city.
13 Nam cumin Perside esset dux ipse et qui cum ipso videbatur esse intolerabilisexercitus, concisi sunt in templo Naneae, fraude utentibus sacerdotibus Naneae.	13 When their leader arrived in Persia with his seemingly irresistible army, they were cut to pieces in the temple of the goddess Nanea through a deceitful stratagem employed by Nanea's priests.
14 Etenim quasi cum ea habitaturus venit ad locum Antiochus et, qui cum ipsoerant, amici, ut acciperet pecunias multas dotis nomine.	14 On the pretext of marrying the goddess, Antiochus with his Friends had come to the place to get its great treasures by way of dowry.
15 Cumque proposuissenteas sacerdotes Naneae, et ipse cum paucis ingressus esset intra ambitum fani,clauserunt templum; cum intrasset Antiochus,	15 When the priests of the Nanaeon had displayed the treasures, Antiochus with a few attendants came to the temple precincts. As soon as he entered the temple, the priests locked the doors.
16 aperto occulto aditu laquearis,mittentes lapides percusserunt ducem et diviserunt membratim et, capitibusamputatis, foras proiecerunt.	16 Then they opened a hidden trapdoor in the ceiling, hurled stones at the leader and his companions and struck them down. They dismembered the bodies, cut off their heads and tossed them to the people outside.
17 Per omnia benedictus Deus, qui tradidi	17 Forever blessed be our God, who has thus punished the wicked!
18 Facturi igitur quinta et vicesima die mensis Casleu purificationem templi,necessarium duximus significare vobis, ut et vos quoque agatis diem Scenopegiaeet ignis, qui datus est, quando Nehemias, aedificato templo et altari, obtulitsacrificia.	18 We shall be celebrating the purification of the temple on the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev, so we thought it right to inform you, that you too may celebrate the feast of Booths and of the fire that appeared when Nehemiah, the rebuilder of the temple and the altar, offered sacrifices.
19 Nam cum in Persidem ducerentur patres nostri, sacerdotes, quitunc cultores Dei erant, acceptum ignem de altari occulte absconderunt in cavoputei situm habentis siccum, in quo contutati sunt eum, ita ut omnibus ignotusesset locus.	19 When our fathers were being exiled to Persia, devout priests of the time took some of the fire from the altar and hid it secretly in the hollow of a dry cistern, making sure that the place would be unknown to anyone.
20 Cum autem praeterissent anni multi, et placuit Deo, utmitteretur Nehemias a rege Persidis, nepotes sacerdotum illorum, quiabsconderant, misit ad ignem.	20 Many years later, when it so pleased God, Nehemiah, commissioned by the king of Persia, sent the descendants of the priests who had hidden the fire to look for it.
21 Sicut narraverunt nobis, non invenerunt ignemsed aquam crassam. Et iussit eos haurire et afferre. Utque imposita suntsacrificia, iussit sacerdotes Nehemias aspergere aqua et ligna et, quae erantsuperposita.	21 When they informed us that they could not find any fire, but only muddy water, he ordered them to scoop some out and bring it. After the material for the sacrifices had been prepared, Nehemiah ordered the priests to sprinkle with the water the wood and what lay on it.
22 Utque hoc factum est, et tempus transiit, et sol refulsit, quiprius erat in nubilo, accensus est ignis magnus, ita ut omnes mirarentur.	22 When this was done and in time the sun, which had been clouded over, began to shine, a great fire blazed up, so that everyone marveled.
23 Orationem autem faciebant sacerdotes, dum consummaretur sacrificium: etsacerdotes et omnes, Ionatha inchoante, ceteris autem respondentibus utNehemias.	23 While the sacrifice was being burned, the priests recited a prayer, and all present joined in with them, Jonathan leading and the rest responding with Nehemiah.
24 Erat autem oratio hunc habens modum: “ Domine, Domine Deus, omnium creator,terribilis et fortis, iustus et misericors, qui solus es rex et bonus,	24 The prayer was as follows: "Lord, Lord God, creator of all things, awesome and strong, just and merciful, the only king and benefactor,
25 soluspraestans, solus iustus et omnipotens et aeternus; qui liberas Israel de omnimalo, qui fecisti patres electos et sanctificasti eos,	25 who alone are gracious, just, almighty, and eternal, Israel's savior from all evil, who chose our forefathers and sanctified them:
26 accipe sacrificium prouniverso populo tuo Israel et custodi partem tuam et sanctifica.	26 accept this sacrifice on behalf of all your people Israel and guard and sanctify your heritage.
27 Congregadispersionem nostram, libera eos, qui serviunt gentibus, et contemptos etabominatos respice, ut sciant gentes quia tu es Deus noster.	27 Gather together our scattered people, free those who are the slaves of the Gentiles, look kindly on those who are despised and detested, and let the Gentiles know that you are our God.
28 Affligeopprimentes nos et contumeliam facientes in superbia.	28 Punish those who tyrannize over us and arrogantly mistreat us.
29 Constitue populum tuumin loco sancto tuo, sicut dixit Moyses ”.	29 Plant your people in your holy place, as Moses promised."
30 Sacerdotes autem psallebanthymnos.	30 Then the priests began to sing hymns.
31 Cum autem consumptum esset sacrificium, ex residua aqua Nehemiasiussit lapides maiores perfundi	31 After the sacrifice was burned, Nehemiah ordered the rest of the liquid to be poured upon large stones.
32 quod ut factum est, flamma accensa est, sed alumine, quod refulsit ex altari, consumpta est.	32 As soon as this was done, a flame blazed up, but its light was lost in the brilliance cast from a light on the altar.
33 Ut vero manifestata est res,et renuntiatum est regi Persarum quod in loco, in quo ignem absconderant hi, quitranslati fuerant, sacerdotes, aqua apparuit, de qua Nehemias et, qui cum eoerant, purificaverunt ea, quae essent sacrificii,	33 When the event became known and the king of the Persians was told that, in the very place where the exiled priests had hidden the fire, a liquid was found with which Nehemiah and his people had burned the sacrifices,
34 circumsaepiens autem rex etrem diligenter examinans, templum fecit.	34 the king, after verifying the fact, fenced the place off and declared it sacred.
35 Et quibus gratificabatur rex, multadona accipiebat et tribuebat.	35 To those on whom the king wished to bestow favors he distributed the large revenues he received there.
36 Appellaverunt autem, qui cum Nehemia erant,hunc locum Nephthar, quod interpretatur Purificatio; vocatur autem apud pluresNephthai.	36 Nehemiah and his companions called the liquid nephthar, meaning purification, but most people named it naphtha.