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Lunedi, 13 maggio 2024 - Beata Vergine Maria di Fatima ( Letture di oggi)

ΜΑΚΚΑΒΑΙΩΝ Β´ - 2 Maccabei- Maccabees II 6


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LXXKING JAMES BIBLE
1 μετ' ου πολυν δε χρονον εξαπεστειλεν ο βασιλευς γεροντα αθηναιον αναγκαζειν τους ιουδαιους μεταβαινειν απο των πατριων νομων και τοις του θεου νομοις μη πολιτευεσθαι1 Not long after this the king sent an old man of Athens to compel the Jews to depart from the laws of their fathers, and not to live after the laws of God:
2 μολυναι δε και τον εν ιεροσολυμοις νεω και προσονομασαι διος ολυμπιου και τον εν γαριζιν καθως ετυγχανον οι τον τοπον οικουντες διος ξενιου2 And to pollute also the temple in Jerusalem, and to call it the temple of Jupiter Olympius; and that in Garizim, of Jupiter the Defender of strangers, as they did desire that dwelt in the place.
3 χαλεπη δε και τοις ολοις ην δυσχερης η επιτασις της κακιας3 The coming in of this mischief was sore and grievous to the people:
4 το μεν γαρ ιερον ασωτιας και κωμων υπο των εθνων επεπληρουτο ραθυμουντων μεθ' εταιρων και εν τοις ιεροις περιβολοις γυναιξι πλησιαζοντων ετι δε τα μη καθηκοντα ενδον εισφεροντων4 For the temple was filled with riot and revelling by the Gentiles, who dallied with harlots, and had to do with women within the circuit of the holy places, and besides that brought in things that were not lawful.
5 το δε θυσιαστηριον τοις αποδιεσταλμενοις απο των νομων αθεμιτοις επεπληρωτο5 The altar also was filled with profane things, which the law forbiddeth.
6 ην δ' ουτε σαββατιζειν ουτε πατρωους εορτας διαφυλαττειν ουτε απλως ιουδαιον ομολογειν ειναι6 Neither was it lawful for a man to keep sabbath days or ancient fasts, or to profess himself at all to be a Jew.
7 ηγοντο δε μετα πικρας αναγκης εις την κατα μηνα του βασιλεως γενεθλιον ημεραν επι σπλαγχνισμον γενομενης δε διονυσιων εορτης ηναγκαζοντο κισσους εχοντες πομπευειν τω διονυσω7 And in the day of the king's birth every month they were brought by bitter constraint to eat of the sacrifices; and when the fast of Bacchus was kept, the Jews were compelled to go in procession to Bacchus, carrying ivy.
8 ψηφισμα δε εξεπεσεν εις τας αστυγειτονας ελληνιδας πολεις πτολεμαιου υποθεμενου την αυτην αγωγην κατα των ιουδαιων αγειν και σπλαγχνιζειν8 Moreover there went out a decree to the neighbour cities of the heathen, by the suggestion of Ptolemee, against the Jews, that they should observe the same fashions, and be partakers of their sacrifices:
9 τους δε μη προαιρουμενους μεταβαινειν επι τα ελληνικα κατασφαζειν παρην ουν οραν την ενεστωσαν ταλαιπωριαν9 And whoso would not conform themselves to the manners of the Gentiles should be put to death. Then might a man have seen the present misery.
10 δυο γαρ γυναικες ανηχθησαν περιτετμηκυιαι τα τεκνα τουτων δε εκ των μαστων κρεμασαντες τα βρεφη και δημοσια περιαγαγοντες αυτας την πολιν κατα του τειχους εκρημνισαν10 For there were two women brought, who had circumcised their children; whom when they had openly led round about the city, the babes handing at their breasts, they cast them down headlong from the wall.
11 ετεροι δε πλησιον συνδραμοντες εις τα σπηλαια λεληθοτως αγειν την εβδομαδα μηνυθεντες τω φιλιππω συνεφλογισθησαν δια το ευλαβως εχειν βοηθησαι εαυτοις κατα την δοξαν της σεμνοτατης ημερας11 And others, that had run together into caves near by, to keep the sabbath day secretly, being discovered by Philip, were all burnt together, because they made a conscience to help themselves for the honour of the most sacred day.
12 παρακαλω ουν τους εντυγχανοντας τηδε τη βιβλω μη συστελλεσθαι δια τας συμφορας λογιζεσθαι δε τας τιμωριας μη προς ολεθρον αλλα προς παιδειαν του γενους ημων ειναι12 Now I beseech those that read this book, that they be not discouraged for these calamities, but that they judge those punishments not to be for destruction, but for a chastening of our nation.
13 και γαρ το μη πολυν χρονον εασθαι τους δυσσεβουντας αλλ' ευθεως περιπιπτειν επιτιμοις μεγαλης ευεργεσιας σημειον εστιν13 For it is a token of his great goodness, when wicked doers are not suffered any long time, but forthwith punished.
14 ου γαρ καθαπερ και επι των αλλων εθνων αναμενει μακροθυμων ο δεσποτης μεχρι του καταντησαντας αυτους προς εκπληρωσιν αμαρτιων κολασαι ουτως και εφ' ημων εκρινεν ειναι14 For not as with other nations, whom the Lord patiently forbeareth to punish, till they be come to the fulness of their sins, so dealeth he with us,
15 ινα μη προς τελος αφικομενων ημων των αμαρτιων υστερον ημας εκδικα15 Lest that, being come to the height of sin, afterwards he should take vengeance of us.
16 διοπερ ουδεποτε μεν τον ελεον αφ' ημων αφιστησιν παιδευων δε μετα συμφορας ουκ εγκαταλειπει τον εαυτου λαον16 And therefore he never withdraweth his mercy from us: and though he punish with adversity, yet doth he never forsake his people.
17 πλην εως υπομνησεως ταυθ' ημιν ειρησθω δι' ολιγων δ' ελευστεον επι την διηγησιν17 But let this that we at spoken be for a warning unto us. And now will we come to the declaring of the matter in a few words.
18 ελεαζαρος τις των πρωτευοντων γραμματεων ανηρ ηδη προβεβηκως την ηλικιαν και την προσοψιν του προσωπου καλλιστος αναχανων ηναγκαζετο φαγειν υειον κρεας18 Eleazar, one of the principal scribes, an aged man, and of a well favoured countenance, was constrained to open his mouth, and to eat swine's flesh.
19 ο δε τον μετ' ευκλειας θανατον μαλλον η τον μετα μυσους βιον αναδεξαμενος αυθαιρετως επι το τυμπανον προσηγεν19 But he, choosing rather to die gloriously, than to live stained with such an abomination, spit it forth, and came of his own accord to the torment,
20 προπτυσας δε καθ' ον εδει τροπον προσερχεσθαι τους υπομενοντας αμυνασθαι ων ου θεμις γευσασθαι δια την προς το ζην φιλοστοργιαν20 As it behoved them to come, that are resolute to stand out against such things, as are not lawful for love of life to be tasted.
21 οι δε προς τω παρανομω σπλαγχνισμω τεταγμενοι δια την εκ των παλαιων χρονων προς τον ανδρα γνωσιν απολαβοντες αυτον κατ' ιδιαν παρεκαλουν ενεγκαντα κρεα οις καθηκον αυτω χρασθαι δι' αυτου παρασκευασθεντα υποκριθηναι δε ως εσθιοντα τα υπο του βασιλεως προστεταγμενα των απο της θυσιας κρεων21 But they that had the charge of that wicked feast, for the old acquaintance they had with the man, taking him aside, besought him to bring flesh of his own provision, such as was lawful for him to use, and make as if he did eat of the flesh taken from the sacrifice commanded by the king;
22 ινα τουτο πραξας απολυθη του θανατου και δια την αρχαιαν προς αυτους φιλιαν τυχη φιλανθρωπιας22 That in so doing he might be delivered from death, and for the old friendship with them find favour.
23 ο δε λογισμον αστειον αναλαβων και αξιον της ηλικιας και της του γηρως υπεροχης και της επικτητου και επιφανους πολιας και της εκ παιδος καλλιστης αναστροφης μαλλον δε της αγιας και θεοκτιστου νομοθεσιας ακολουθως απεφηνατο ταχεως λεγων προπεμπειν εις τον αδην23 But he began to consider discreetly, and as became his age, and the excellency of his ancient years, and the honour of his gray head, whereon was come, and his most honest education from a child, or rather the holy law made and given by God: therefore he answered accordingly, and willed them straightways to send him to the grave.
24 ου γαρ της ημετερας ηλικιας αξιον εστιν υποκριθηναι ινα πολλοι των νεων υπολαβοντες ελεαζαρον τον ενενηκονταετη μεταβεβηκεναι εις αλλοφυλισμον24 For it becometh not our age, said he, in any wise to dissemble, whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar, being fourscore years old and ten, were now gone to a strange religion;
25 και αυτοι δια την εμην υποκρισιν και δια το μικρον και ακαριαιον ζην πλανηθωσιν δι' εμε και μυσος και κηλιδα του γηρως κατακτησωμαι25 And so they through mine hypocrisy, and desire to live a little time and a moment longer, should be deceived by me, and I get a stain to mine old age, and make it abominable.
26 ει γαρ και επι του παροντος εξελουμαι την εξ ανθρωπων τιμωριαν αλλα τας του παντοκρατορος χειρας ουτε ζων ουτε αποθανων εκφευξομαι26 For though for the present time I should be delivered from the punishment of men: yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty, neither alive, nor dead.
27 διοπερ ανδρειως μεν νυν διαλλαξας τον βιον του μεν γηρως αξιος φανησομαι27 Wherefore now, manfully changing this life, I will shew myself such an one as mine age requireth,
28 τοις δε νεοις υποδειγμα γενναιον καταλελοιπως εις το προθυμως και γενναιως υπερ των σεμνων και αγιων νομων απευθανατιζειν τοσαυτα δε ειπων επι το τυμπανον ευθεως ηλθεν28 And leave a notable example to such as be young to die willingly and courageously for the honourable and holy laws. And when he had said these words, immediately he went to the torment:
29 των δε αγοντων προς αυτον την μικρω προτερον ευμενειαν εις δυσμενειαν μεταβαλοντων δια το τους προειρημενους λογους ως αυτοι διελαμβανον απονοιαν ειναι29 They that led him changing the good will they bare him a little before into hatred, because the foresaid speeches proceeded, as they thought, from a desperate mind.
30 μελλων δε ταις πληγαις τελευταν αναστεναξας ειπεν τω κυριω τω την αγιαν γνωσιν εχοντι φανερον εστιν οτι δυναμενος απολυθηναι του θανατου σκληρας υποφερω κατα το σωμα αλγηδονας μαστιγουμενος κατα ψυχην δε ηδεως δια τον αυτου φοβον ταυτα πασχω30 But when he was ready to die with stripes, he groaned, and said, It is manifest unto the Lord, that hath the holy knowledge, that whereas I might have been delivered from death, I now endure sore pains in body by being beaten: but in soul am well content to suffer these things, because I fear him.
31 και ουτος ουν τουτον τον τροπον μετηλλαξεν ου μονον τοις νεοις αλλα και τοις πλειστοις του εθνους τον εαυτου θανατον υποδειγμα γενναιοτητος και μνημοσυνον αρετης καταλιπων31 And thus this man died, leaving his death for an example of a noble courage, and a memorial of virtue, not only unto young men, but unto all his nation.