Primo libro dei Maccabei 5

BIBBIA RICCIOTTI	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 - Or quando i gentili all'intorno seppero che era stato riedificato come prima l’altare ed il santuario, s’adirarono grandemente ;	1 Now it came to pass, when the nations round about heard that the altar and the sanctuary were built up as before, that they were exceeding angry.
2 e pensando di sterminare quelli della razza d’Israele ch’erano fra loro, si dettero ad ucciderli e perseguitarli.	2 And they thought to destroy the generation of Jacob that were among them, and they began to kill some of the people, and to persecute them.
3 Ma Giuda assalì i figli d'Esaù nell'Idumea, e quelli che erano in Acrabatane, perchè erano infesti agl'Israeliti, e ne fece gran strage.	3 Then Judas fought against the children of Esau in Idumea, and them that were in Acrabathane: because they beset the Israelites around about, and he made a great slaughter of them.
4 Si ricordò anche della malizia di que’ di Bean, che erano pel popolo un laccio ed un pericolo tendendogli insidie nella via.	4 And he remembered the malice of the children of Bean: who were a snare and a stumblingblock to the people, by lying in wait for them in the way.
5 Li costrinse a chiudersi nelle torri e ve li assalì, li votò a morte, e dette alle fiamme le loro torri con tutti quelli che v'erano dentro.	5 And they were shut up by him in towers, and he set upon them, and devoted them to utter destruction, and burnt their towers with fire, and all that were in them.
6 Passò poi agli Ammoniti, e vi trovò un esercito forte e numeroso, con a capo Timoteo.	6 Then he passed over to the children of Ammon, where he found a mighty power, and much people, and Timotheus was their captain:
7 Li combattè in molte battaglie, li sconfisse e li annientò.	7 And he fought many battles with them, and they were discomfited in their sight, and he smote them:
8 Prese la città di Gazer e le sue dipendenze, e poi tornò in Giudea.	8 And he took the city of Gazer and her towns, and returned into Judea.
9 Ed i Gentili della terra di Galaad fecero lega contro gl’ Israeliti ch’erano entro i confini, per sterminarli. Ma questi si rifugiarono nella fortezza di Dateman,	9 And the Gentiles that were in Galaad, assembled themselves together against the Israelites that were in their quarters to destroy them: and they fled into the fortress of Datheman.
10 e mandarono a Giuda ed a’ suoi fratelli delle lettere che dicevano: « Le genti che ci circondano han fatto lega contro di noi per sterminarci,	10 And they sent letters to Judas and his brethren, saying, The heathens that are round about are gathered together against us, to destroy us:
11 e si preparano a venire, ed espugnar la fortezza dove ci siam rifugiati; Timoteo è il condottiero del loro esercito.	11 And they are preparing to come, and to take the fortress into which we are fled: and Timotheus is the captain of their host.
12 Vieni dunque a liberarci dalle loro mani, perchè gran numero de’ nostri sono caduti.	12 Now therefore come, and deliver us out of their hands, for many of us are slain.
13 Tutt’i nostri fratelli che erano nella regione di Tubin son stati uccisi, portate via prigioniere le loro mogli, coi figli e gli averi, e vi son morti quasi mille uomini».	13 And all our brethren that were in the places of Tubin, are killed: and they have carried away their wives, and their children, captives, and taken their spoils, and they have slain there almost a thousand men.
14 Queste lettere non eran finite di leggere, quando arrivarono dalla Galilea altri messi con le vesti strappate, portando notizie dello stesso genere,	14 And while they were yet reading these letters, behold there came other messengers out Galilee with their garments rent, who related according to these words:
15 dicendo che quei di Tolemaide, di Tiro e di Sidone s’erano uniti contro di loro, e [concludendo]: « Tutta la Galilea è piena di stranieri che voglion distruggerci ».	15 Saying, that they of Ptolemais, and of Tyre, and of Sidon, were assembled against them, and all Galilee is filled with strangers, in order to consume us.
16 Quando Giuda ed il popolo udirono queste parole, tennero una grande assemblea per deliberare il da farsi a pro di que’fratelli che erano nella tribolazione e stavan per esser soppressi.	16 Now when Judas and all the people heard these words, a great assembly met together to consider what they should do for their brethren that were in trouble, and were assaulted by them.
17 E Giuda disse a Simone suo fratello: «Prenditi degli uomini scelti e va a liberare i tuoi fratelli in Galilea; io ed il mio fratello Gionata andremo nel paese di Galaad ».	17 And Judas said to Simon his brother: Choose thee men, and go, and deliver they brethren in Galilee: and I, and my brother Jonathan will go into the country of Galaad.
18 Lasciò a capo del popolo Giuseppe figlio di Zaccaria, ed Azaria col rimanente esercito a guardia della Giudea.	18 And he left Joseph the son of Zacharias, and Azarias captains of the people with the remnant of the army in Judea to keep it:
19 E dette loro questo ordine: « Governate il popolo e non attaccate battaglia con le nazioni sinché non siamo tornati ».	19 And he commanded them, saying: Take ye the charge of this people: but make no war against the heathens, till we return.
20 Furon assegnati a Simone tremila uomini acciò andasse nella Galilea; ed ottomila a Giuda per la terra di Galaad.	20 Now three thousand men were alloted to Simon, to go into Gallilee: and eight thousand to Judas to go into the land of Galaad.
21 Andò dunque Simone in Galilea e venne più volte in battaglia coi gentili che furono da lui sgominati e li inseguì sino alla porta	21 And Simon went into Galilee, and fought many battles with the heathens: and the heathens were discomfited before his face, and he pursued them even to the gate of Ptolemais.
22 di Tolemaide. Caddero, di loro, quasi tremila uomini, e Simone ne prese le spoglie.	22 And there fell of the heathens almost three thousand men, and he took the spoils of them,
23 Poi raccolse [i Giudei] che erano in Galilea ed in Arbata, con le mogli ed i figli e quanto possedevano, e li condusse in Giudea con grande letizia.	23 And he took with him those that were in Galilee and in Arbatis with their wives, and children, and all that they had, and he brought them into Judea with great joy.
24 Giuda Maccabeo e Gionata suo fratello passarono il Giordano, e per tre giorni camminarono per il deserto.	24 And Judas Machabeus, and Jonathan his brother passed over the Jordan, and went three days' journey through the desert.
25 Vennero incontro a loro i Nabutei che li accolsero da amici, e narraron loro tutto quel ch’era accaduto a’ loro fratelli nella Galaadltide,	25 And the Nabutheans met them, and received them in a peaceable manner, and told them all that happened to their brethren in the land of Galaad,
26 e come molti n’erano chiusi in Barasa, Bosor, Alimis, Casfor, Maget e Carnaim, tutte città grandi e forti.	26 And that many of them were shut up in Barasa, and in Bosor, and in Alima, and in Casphor, and in Mageth, and in Carnaim: all these strong and great cities.
27 Ma anche nelle altre città della Galaaditide [dicevano] vi son prigionieri; e per domani hanno stabilito [i pagani] d’assalire queste città, e di prendere e sterminare in un sol giorno quelli [che vi sono racchiusi].	27 Yea, and that they were kept shut up in the rest of the cities of Galaad, and that they had appointed to bring their army on the morrow near to these cities, and to take them and to destroy them all in one day.
28 Allora Giuda col suo esercito piegò subito pel deserto di Bosor, s’impadroni della città, vi passò a fil di spada tutt' i maschi, prendendone tutte le spoglie, e la dette alle fiamme.	28 Then Judas and his army suddenly turned their march into the desert, to Bosor, and took the city: and he slew every male by the edge of the sword, and took all their spoils, and burnt it with fire.
29 La notte poi partirono di lì, verso la fortezza [di Dateman].	29 And they removed from thence by night, and went till they came to the fortress.
30 Ed all’alba, alzando gli occhi, videro una moltitudine innumerevole di gente, che portavano scale e macchine per impadronirsi della fortezza e di quelli che v’erano.	30 And it came to pass that early in the morning, when they lifted up their eyes, behold there were people without number, carrying ladders and engines to take the fortress, and assault them.
31 Vide Giuda che l’assalto era cominciato, ed il rumore della battaglia saliva al cielo come suono di trombe, e grandi grida s’alzavano dalla città.	31 And Judas saw that the fight was begun, and the cry of the battle went up to heaven like a trumpet, and a great cry out of the city:
32 Disse al suo esercito: «Combattete oggi pei vostri fratelli ».	32 And he said to his host: Fight ye to day for your brethren.
33 E mosse in tre schiere alle spalle di quelli, dando flato alle trombe, e gridando in orazione.	33 And he came with three companies behind them, and they sounded their trumpets, and cried out in prayer.
34 Quando le truppe di Timoteo conobbero che era il Maccabeo, fuggirono dinanzi a lui, e' ne fu fatta grande strage, e ne caddero in quel giorno quasi ottomila.	34 And the host of Timotheus understood that it was Machabeus, and they fled away before his face: and they made a great slaughter of them: and there fell of them in that day almost eight thousand men.
35 Poi andò Giuda verso Masfa, l’espugnò e la prese; v’uccise tutt' i maschi, la mise a sacco, e l’incendiò.	35 And Judas turned aside to Maspha, and assaulted, and took it, and he slew every male thereof, and took the spoils thereof, and burnt it with fire.
36 Di lì proseguì, e prese Casbon, Maget, Bosor, e le altre città della Galaaditide.	36 From thence he marched, and took Casbon, and Mageth, and Bosor, and the rest of the cities of Galaad.
37 Dopo questi avvenimenti, Timoteo radunò un altro esercito, e s’attendò in faccia a Rafon, di là dal torrente.	37 But after this Timotheus gathered another army, and camped over against Raphon beyond the torrent.
38 Giuda mandò ad osservar quell’esercito, e tornarono a dirgli: « Son con lui tutte le nazioni dei dintorni, esercito innumerevole;	38 And Judas sent men to view the army: and they brought him word, saying: All the nations, that are round about us, are assembled unto him an army exceeding great:
39 hanno condotto seco In aiuto gli Arabi, cd hanno piantato il campo di là dal torrente, pronti alla battaglia con te ». Giuda si mosse incontro a loro.	39 And they have hired the Arabians to help them, and they have pitched their tents beyond the torrent, ready to come to fight against thee. And Judas went to meet them.
40 E Timoteo disse ai capi del suo esercito: « Quando Giuda ed il suo esercito saranno giunti al torrente, se passerà egli pel primo non potremo reggere, e sarà invincibile;	40 And Timotheus said to the captains of his army: When Judas and his army come near the torrent of water, if he pass over unto us first, we shall not be able to withstand him: for he will certainly prevail over us.
41 ma se esiterà a passare, e pianterà il campo di là del fiume, passiamo noi incontro a loro, e li vinceremo ».	41 But if he be afraid to pass over, and camp on the other side of the river, we will pass over to them and shall prevail against him.
42 Quando Giuda fu vicino al fiume, fermò gli scribi del popolo lungo il torrente, e dette loro quest'ordine: « Non permettete che nessuno resti indietro; ma vengano tutti alla battaglia ».	42 Now when Judas came near the torrent of water, he set the scribes of the people by the torrent, and commanded them, saying: Suffer no man to stay behind: but let all come to the battle.
43 E passò egli pel primo, e tutto il popolo dietro a lui; e tutti quelli delle nazioni furono sbaragliati innanzi a loro, gettaron via le armi, e fuggirono nel recinto del tempio ch’era in Carnaim.	43 And he passed over to them first, and all the people after him, and all the heathens were discomfited before them, and they threw away their weapons, and fled to the temple that was in Carnaim.
44 Ma Giuda occupò questa città, e bruciò il tempio con tutti quelli che v’erano dentro: Carnaim fu espugnata, e non potò reggersi contro di lui.	44 And he took that city, and the temple he burnt with fire, with all things that were therein: and Carnaim was subdued, and could not stand against the face of Judas.
45 Allora Giuda riunì tutti gli Israeliti che erano nella terra di Galaad, dal più piccolo al più grande, con le mogli ed i figli, che formavano un esercito innumerevole, per tornare nella terra di Giuda.	45 And Judas gathered together all the Israelites that were in the land of Galaad, from the least even to the greatest, and their wives, and children, and an army exceeding great, to come into the land of Juda.
46 Giunsero dunque ad Efron. Era questa una città grande, situata all'ingresso [della regione], ben fortificata, e non si poteva girarla nè a destra nè a sinistra, ma bisognava passarvi per mezzo.	46 And they came as far as Ephron: now this was a great city situate in the way, strongly fortified, and there was no means to turn from it on the right hand or on the left, but the way was through the midst of it.
47 Quelli che erano nella città vi si chiusero, ed ostruirono con pietre le porte. Giuda parlamentò con loro parole di pace,	47 And they that were in the city, shut themselves in, and stopped up the gates with stones: and Judas sent to them with peaceable words,
48 dicendo: «Lasciateci passare per la vostra terra, per andare nella nostra; nessuno vi farà del male, e non faremo che traversare ». Ma quelli non vollero aprire.	48 Saying: Let us pass through your land, to go into our country: and no man shall hurt you: we will only pass through on foot. But they would not open to them.
49 Allora fece bandire ai suol che ciascuno si fermasse dove era.	49 Then Judas commanded proclamation to be made in the camp, that they should make an assault every man in the place where he was.
50 Poi i più valorosi dettero l’assalto, che durò tutto il giorno e tutta la notte, e la città cadde nelle mani di Giuda.	50 And the men of the army drew near, and he assaulted that city all the day, and all the night, and the city was delivered into his hands:
51 Fece passare a fll di spada tutti i maschi, distrusse la città, la saccheggiò, e la traversò tutta passando sopra i cadaveri.	51 And they slew every male with the edge of the sword, and he razed the city, and took the spoils thereof, and passed through all the city over them that were slain.
52 Poi passarono il Giordano, nella gran pianura che è di faccia a Betsan.	52 Then they passed over the Jordan to the great plain that is over against Bethsan.
53 Giuda stava alla retroguardia per tenere uniti i rimasti addietro, ed incoraggiava il popolo per tutto il viaggio, sinché giunsero nella terra di Giuda.	53 And Judas gathered together the hindmost, and he exhorted the people all the way through, till they came into the land of Juda.
54 E salirono al monte Sion con giubilo e gaudio, ed offersero olocausti, perchè nessuno di loro era perito mentre tornavano indisturbati.	54 And they went up to mount Sion with joy and gladness, and offered holocausts, because not one of them was slain, till they had returned in peace.
55 Ma mentre Giuda e Gionata erano nella terra di Galaad e Simone suo fratello in Galilea di fronte a Tolemaide,	55 Now in the days that Judas and Jonathan were in the land of Galaad, and Simon his brother in Galilee before Ptolemais,
56 Giuseppe figlio di Zaccaria, con Azaria capo dell’esercito, seppe le felici imprese e le battaglie ivi compiute,	56 Joseph the son of Zacharias, and Azarias captain of the soldiers, heard of the good success, and the battles that were fought.
57 e disse: «Facciamoci anche noi un nome, ed andiamo a combattere contro le genti thè ci circondano ».	57 And he said: Let us also get us a name, and let us go fight against the Gentiles that are round about us.
58 E ne dette l’ordine a quelli del suo esercito, e si diressero verso Jamnia.	58 And he gave charge to them that were in his army, and they went towards Jamnia.
59 Ma Gorgia con le sue schiere uscì dalla città contro di loro a battaglia,	59 And Gorgias and his men went out of the city, to give them battle.
60 e Giuseppe ed Azaria furon messi in fuga sino a?confini della Giudea; caddero in quel giorno, del popolo d’Israele, da' duemila uomini, e in una fuga grande pel popolo;	60 And Joseph and Azarias were put to flight, and were pursued unto the borders of Judea: and there fell, on that day, of the people of Israel about two thousand men, and there was a great overthrow of the people:
61 perchè, credendo di poter fare da bravi, non dettero ascolto a Giuda ed a' suoi fratelli.	61 Because they did not hearken to Judas, and his brethren, thinking that they should do manfully.
62 Non erano però della razza di quel forti, per mano dei quali fu fatto salvo Israele.	62 But they were not of the seed of those men by whom salvation was brought to Israel.
63 Ed i soldati di Giuda divennero famosi in Israele, e fra tutte le nazioni dove arrivava il loro nome;	63 And the men of Juda were magnified exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and of all the nations where their name was heard.
64 e la gente accorreva a loro per acclamarli.	64 And people assembled to them with joyful acclamations.
65 Indi, Giuda ed i suoi fratelli si mossero, e debellarono i figli di Esau nella terra posta a mezzogiorno; ed espugnò Hebron e le sue dipendenze, e distrusse col fuoco le mura e le torri che la circondavano.	65 Then Judas and his brethren went forth and attacked the children of Esau, in the land toward the south, and he took Chebron, and her towns: and he burnt the walls thereof and the towers all round it.
66 Poi levò il campo, per andar nella terra degli stranieri, percorrendo Samaria.	66 And he removed his camp to go into the land of the aliens, and he went through Samaria.
67 In quel tempo caddero del sacerdoti in battaglia, mentre volevan fare da valorosi, e sconsigliatamente eran usciti a combattere.	67 In that day some priests fell in battle, while desiring to do manfully they went out unadvisedly to fight.
68 Giuda piegò verso Azoto, nella terra degli stranieri; distrusse i loro altari, bruciò i simulacri de' loro dèi, saccheggiò le città, e poi ritornò nella Giudea.	68 And Judas turned to Azotus into the land of the strangers, and he threw down their altars, and he burnt the statues of their gods with fire: and he took the spoils of the cities, and returned into the land of Juda.