Secondo libro dei Maccabei 9

BIBBIA TINTORI	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Intanto Antioco tornava ignominiosamente dalla 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 Entrato nella città detta Persepoli, tentò di spogliarne il tempio e di opprimere la città; ma dal popolo accorso alle armi furono sbaragliati i suoi, e Antioco dovette darsi vergognosamente alla fuga e tornare indietro.	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 Giunto a Ecbatana, seppe quanto era accaduto a Nicànore e a Timoteo.	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 Fuori di sè dal furore, pensò di sfogarsi sopra i Giudei degli oltraggi avuti da quelli che l'avevano messo in fuga, e quindi ordinò che si mettesse a tutta corsa il cocchio, e andava senza mai riposarsi, perseguitato dalla vendetta del cielo, avendo egli detto con tanta arroganza d'andare a Gerusalemme a ridurla in sepolcro dei Giudei.	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 Dio d'Israele, che tutto vede, lo percosse con piaga insanabile e invisibili: infatti, appena ebbe detto queste parole, fu preso da un terribile dolore di viscere, da un acerbo tormento d'intestini.	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 Ciò era molto giusto, avendo egli con molti inauditi tormenti straziate le viscere altrui. Ma non per questo cessò dai suoi malvagi disegni.	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 Che anzi pieno di superbia, spirando fiamme contro i Giudei, comandò di affrettare la corsa; ma nell'impeto della corsa furiosa egli cadde dal cocchio, e per la grave percossa gli si sconquassarono le membra.	7 And especially in the nights he went upon these expeditions, and the fame of his valour was spread abroad every where.
8 Egli che credeva di comandare anche ai flutti del mare, pieno di sovrumana superbia, e di pesare sulla bilancia le cime dei monti, precipitato a terra era portato sopra una lettiga, a far vedere nella propria persona 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 Infatti, dal corpo dell'empio scaturivano i vermi, e, mentre egli viveva tra gli strazi, gli cadevano a brani le carni, e il fetore che tramandava appestava l'esercito.	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 E colui che poco prima credeva di toccare le stelle, da nessuno poteva essere sopportato per l'insoffribile 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 Caduto quindi dalla sua smisurata superbia, cominciò a conoscere se stesso, avvertito dalla piaga divina e dai suoi dolori che crescevano di momento in momento.	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 egli stesso sopportare il suo fetore, così disse: «È giusto che l'uomo sia soggetto a Dio, e che non pretenda d'essere uguale a Dio il mortale ».	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 Ma questo scellerato pregava il Signore, dal quale non doveva ottenere misericordia.	13 And some of them being afraid, and distrusting the justice of God, fled away:
14 E quella città verso la quale s'incamminava con tanta fretta, per raderla al suolo e farne un sepolcro di ammucchiati cadaveri, ora desidera di renderla libera.	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 E quei Giudei dei quali aveva detto che non li stimava degni nemmeno di sepoltura, ma che li avrebbe dati a sbranare agli uccelli e alle fiere, e li avrebbe sterminati coi loro bambini, ora promette di renderli uguali agli Ateniesi.	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 E (promette) d'ornare di ricchissimi doni il tempio santo che prima aveva spogliato, e di moltiplicare i vasi sacri, e di somministrare dalle sue rendite le spese relative ai sacrifizi.	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 E di più che si sarebbe fatto Giudeo e sarebbe andato in ogni parte della terra a proclamare 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 non cessando i suoi dolori, per giusto giudizio di Dio piombato sopra di lui, disperato, scrisse ai Giudei, in forma di preghiera, una lettera in questi termini:	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, salute, sanità, felicità, il re e principe Antioco.	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 e i vostri figli siete sani, e tutte le cose vi vanno secondo i desideri, ne rendiamo moltissime grazie.	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 Or io, trovandomi ammalato, mi ricordo amorevolmente di voi, e sorpreso, nel tornar dalla Persia, da grave infermità, ho stimato necessario di provvedere alla comune utilità.	21 With these words they were greatly encouraged, and disposed even to die for the laws and their country.
22 Non dispero di me stesso, anzi ho molta speranza di scampare da questo male;	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 ma riflettendo che anche mio padre, quando condusse l'esercito nelle provincia superiori, dichiarò chi dovesse regnare dopo la sua morte,	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 un modo che, accadendo qualche sinistro, o annunziandosi qualche diffìcile affare, quelli delle diverse regioni, sapendo a chi era lasciato il supremo comando, non si turbassero;	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 considerando inoltre che ciascuno dei confinanti e i potenti vicini spiano le circostanze e aspettano gli eventi, ho designato come re il mio figlio Antioco, che più volte, nel ritornare verso i regni superiori, raccomandai a molti di voi, e scrissi a lui quanto segue.	25 And they took the money of them that came to buy them, and they pursued them on every side.
26 Pertanto vi prego e scongiuro a ricordare i (miei) benefizi pubblici e privati e a conservarvi tutti fedeli a me e al 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 infatti fiducia che egli userà con voi moderazione ed umanità, che metterà in pratica i miei propositi e che sarà tutto per voi ».	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 Così quell'omicida e bestemmiatore, percosso da orrenda piaga, come egli aveva trattati gli altri, in terra straniera, fuggiasco sui monti, finì con miserabile morte la vita,	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 Filippo, suo fratello di latte, trasportò il corpo di lui; ma temendo il figlio d'Antioco, se ne andò in Egitto, da Tolomeo Filometore.	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.