1 Maccabees 13

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 When Simon heard that Trypho was gathering a large army to invade and ravage the land of Judah,	1 Now Simon heard that Tryphon was gathering together a very great army, to invade the land of Juda, and to destroy it.
2 and saw that the people were in dread and terror, he went up to Jerusalem. There he assembled the people	2 And seeing that the people was in dread, and in fear, he went up to Jerusalem, and assembled the people:
3 and exhorted them in these words: "You know what I, my brothers, and my father's house have done for the laws and the sanctuary; what battles and disasters we have been through.	3 And exhorted them, saying: You know what great battles I and my brethren, and the house of my father, have fought for the laws, and the sanctuary, and the distresses that we have seen:
4 It was for the sake of these, for the sake of Israel, that all my brothers have perished, and I alone am left.	4 By reason whereof all my brethren have lost their lives for Israel's sake, and I am left alone.
5 Far be it from me, then, to save my own life in any time of distress, for I am not better than my brothers.	5 And now far be it from me to spare my life in any time of trouble: for I am not better than my brethren.
6 Rather will I avenge my nation and the sanctuary, as well as your wives and children, for all the nations out of hatred have united to destroy us."	6 I will avenge then my nation and the sanctuary, and our children, and wives: for all the heathens are gathered together to destroy us out of mere malice.
7 As the people heard these words, their spirit was rekindled.	7 And the spirit of the people was enkindled as soon as they heard these words.
8 They shouted in reply: "You are our leader in place of your brothers Judas and Jonathan.	8 And they answered with a loud voice, saying: Thou art our leader in the place of Judas, and Jonathan thy brother.
9 Fight our battles, and we will do everything that you tell us."	9 Fight thou our battles, and we will do whatsoever thou shalt say to us.
10 So Simon mustered all the men able to fight, and quickly completing the walls of Jerusalem, fortified it on every side.	10 So gathering together all the men of war, he made haste to finish all the walls of Jerusalem, and he fortified it round about.
11 He sent Jonathan, son of Absalom, to Joppa with a large force; Jonathan drove out the occupants and remained there.	11 And he sent Jonathan the son of Absalom, and with him a new army into Joppe, and he cast out them that were in it, and himself remained there.
12 Then Trypho moved from Ptolemais with a large army to invade the land of Judah, bringing Jonathan with him as a prisoner.	12 And Tryphon removed from Ptolemais with a great army, to invade the land of Juda, and Jonathan was with him in custody.
13 But Simon pitched his camp at Adida, facing the plain.	13 But Simon pitched in Addus, over against the plain.
14 When Trypho learned that Simon had succeeded his brother Jonathan, and that he intended to fight him, he sent envoys to him with this message:	14 And when Tryphon understood that Simon was risen up in the place of his brother Jonathan, and that he meant to join battle with him, he sent messengers to him,
15 "We have detained your brother Jonathan on account of the money that he owed the royal treasury in connection with the offices that he held.	15 Saying: We have detained thy brother Jonathan for the money that he owed in the king's account, by reason of the affairs which he had the management of.
16 Therefore, if you send us a hundred talents of silver, and two of his sons as hostages to guarantee that when he is set free he will not revolt against us, we will release him."	16 But now send a hundred talents of silver, and his two sons for hostages, that when he is set at liberty he may not revolt from us, and we will release him.
17 Although Simon knew that they were speaking deceitfully to him, he gave orders to get the money and the boys, for fear of provoking much hostility among the people, who might say	17 Now Simon knew that he spoke deceitfully to him, nevertheless he ordered the money, and the children to be sent: lest he should bring upon himself a great hatred of the people of Israel, who might have said:
18 that Jonathan perished because Simon would not send Trypho the money and the boys.	18 Because he sent not the money, and the children, therefore is he lost.
19 So he sent the boys and the hundred talents; but Trypho broke his promise and would not let Jonathan go.	19 So he sent the children, and the hundred talents: and he lied, and did not let Jonathan go.
20 Next he began to invade and ravage the country. His troops went around by the road that leads to Adora, but Simon and his army moved along opposite him everywhere he went.	20 And after this Tryphon entered within the country, to destroy it: and they went about by the way that leadeth to Ador: and Simon and his army marched to every place whithersoever they went.
21 The men in the citadel sent messengers to Trypho, urging him to come to them by way of the desert, and to send them provisions.	21 And they that were in the castle, sent messengers to Tryphon, that he should make haste to come through the desert, and sent them victuals.
22 Although Trypho got all his cavalry ready to go, there was a heavy fall of snow that night, and he could not go. So he left for Gilead.	22 And Tryphon made ready all his horsemen to come that night: but there fell a very great snow, and he came not into the country of Galaad.
23 When he was approaching Baskama, he had Jonathan killed and buried there.	23 And when he approached to Bascama, he slew Jonathan and his sons there.
24 Then Trypho returned to his own country.	24 And Tryphon returned, and went into his own country.
25 Simon sent for the remains of his brother Jonathan, and buried him in Modein, the city of his fathers.	25 And Simon sent, and took the bones of Jonathan his brother, and buried them in Modin, in the city of his fathers.
26 All Israel bewailed him with solemn lamentation, mourning over him for many days.	26 And all Israel bewailed him with great lamentation: and they mourned for him many days.
27 Then Simon erected over the tomb of his father and his brothers a monument of stones, polished front and back, and raised high enough to be seen at a distance.	27 And Simon built over the sepulchre of his father and of his brethren, a building lofty to the sight, of polished stone behind and before:
28 He set up seven pyramids facing one another for his father and his mother and his four brothers.	28 And he set up seven pyramids one against another for his father and his mother, and his four brethren:
29 For the pyramids he devised a setting of big columns, on which he carved suits of armor as a perpetual memorial, and next to the armor he placed carved ships, which could be seen by all who sailed the sea.	29 And round about these he set great pillars: and upon the pillars arms for a perpetual memory: and by the arms ships carved, which might be seen by all that sailed on the sea.
30 This tomb which he built at Modein is there to the present day.	30 This is the sepulchre that he made in Modin even unto this day.
31 Trypho dealt treacherously with the young King Antiochus. He killed him	31 But Tryphon when he was upon a journey with the young king Antiochus, treacherously slew him.
32 and assumed the kingship in his place, putting on the crown of Asia. Thus he brought much evil on the land.	32 And he reigned in his place, and put on the crown of Asia: and brought great evils upon the land.
33 Simon, on his part, built up the strongholds of Judea, strengthening their fortifications with high towers, thick walls, and gates with bars, and he stored up provisions in the fortresses.	33 And Simon built up the strong holds of Judea, fortifying them with high towers, and great walls, and gates, and bars: and he stored up victuals in the fortresses.
34 Simon also sent chosen men to King Demetrius with the request that he grant the land a release from taxation, for all that Trypho did was to plunder the land.	34 And Simon chose men and sent to king Demetrius, to the end that he should grant an immunity to the land: for all that Tryphon did was to spoil.
35 In reply, King Demetrius sent him the following letter:	35 And king Demetrius in answer to this request, wrote a letter in this manner:
36 "King Demetrius sends greetings to Simon the high priest, the friend of kings, and to the elders and the Jewish people.	36 King Demetrius to Simon the high priest, and friend of kings, and to the ancients, and to the nation of the Jews, greeting.
37 We have received the gold crown and the palm branch that you sent. We are willing to be on most peaceful terms with you and to write to our official to grant you release from tribute.	37 The golden crown, and the palm, which you sent, we have received: and we are ready to make a firm peace with you, and to write to the king's chief officers to release you the things that we have released.
38 Whatever we have guaranteed to you remains in force, and the strongholds that you have built shall remain yours.	38 For all that we have decreed in your favour, shall stand in force. The strong holds that you have built, shall be your own.
39 We remit any oversights and defaults incurred up to now, as well as the crown tax that you owe. Any other tax that may have been collected in Jerusalem shall no longer be collected there.	39 And as for any oversight or fault committed unto this day, we forgive it, and the crown which you owed: and if any other thing were taxed in Jerusalem, now let it not be taxed.
40 If any of you are qualified for enrollment in our service, let them be enrolled. Let there be peace between us."	40 And if any of you be fit to be enrolled among ours, let them be enrolled, and let there be peace between us.
41 Thus in the year one hundred and seventy, the yoke of the Gentiles was removed from Israel,	41 In the year one hundred and seventy the yoke of the Gentiles was taken off from Israel.
42 and the people began to write in their records and contracts, "In the first year of Simon, high priest, governor, and leader of the Jews."	42 And the people of Israel began to write in the instruments, and public records, The first year under Simon the high priest, the great captain and prince of the Jews.
43 In those days Simon besieged Gazara and surrounded it with troops. He made a siege machine, pushed it up against the city, and attacked and captured one of the towers.	43 In those days Simon besieged Gaza, and camped round about it, and he made engines, and set them to the city, and he struck one tower, and took it.
44 The men who had been on the siege machine jumped down into the city and caused a great tumult there.	44 And they that were within the engine leaped into the city: and there was a great uproar in the city.
45 The men of the city, joined by their wives and children, went up on the wall, with their garments rent, and cried out in loud voices, begging Simon to grant them peace.	45 And they that were in the city went up with their wives and children upon the wall, with their garments rent, and they cried with a loud voice, beseeching Simon to grant them peace.
46 "Do not treat us according to our evil deeds," they said, "but according to your mercy."	46 And they said: Deal not with us according to our evil deeds, but according to thy mercy.
47 So Simon came to terms with them and did not destroy them. He made them leave the city, however, and he purified the houses in which there were idols. Then he entered the city with hymns and songs of praise.	47 And Simon being moved, did not destroy them: but yet he cast them out of the city, and cleansed the houses wherein there had been idols, and then he entered into it with hymns, blessing the Lord.
48 After removing from it everything that was impure, he settled there men who observed the law. He improved its fortifications and built himself a residence.	48 And having cast out of it all uncleanness, he placed in it men that should observe the law: and he fortified it, and made it his habitation.
49 The men in the citadel in Jerusalem were prevented from going out into the country and back for the purchase of food; they suffered greatly from hunger, and many of them died of starvation.	49 But they that were in the castle of Jerusalem were hindered from going out and coming into the country, and from buying and selling: and they were straitened with hunger, and many of them perished through famine.
50 They finally cried out to Simon for peace, and he gave them peace. He expelled them from the citadel and cleansed it of impurities.	50 And they cried to Simon form peace, and he granted it to them: and he cast them out from thence, and cleansed the castle from uncleannesses.
51 On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the year one hundred and seventy-one, the Jews entered the citadel with shouts of jubilation, waving of palm branches, the music of harps and cymbals and lyres, and the singing of hymns and canticles, because a great enemy of Israel had been destroyed.	51 And they entered into it the three and twentieth day of the second month, in the year one hundred and seventy-one, with thanksgiving, and branches of palm trees, and harps, and cymbals, and psalteries, and hymns, and canticles, because the great enemy was destroyed out of Israel.
52 Simon decreed that this day should be celebrated every year with rejoicing. He also strengthened the fortifications of the temple hill alongside the citadel, and he and his companions dwelt there.	52 And he ordained that these days should be kept every year with gladness.
53 Seeing that his son John was now a grown man, Simon made him commander of all his soldiers, with his residence in Gazara.	53 And he fortified the mountain of the temple that was near the castle, and he dwelt there himself, and they that were with him.
	54 And Simon saw that John his son was a valiant man for war: and he made him captain of all the forces: and he dwelt in Gazara.