Primo libro dei Maccabei 3

NOVA VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Et surrexit Iudas, qui vocaba tur Maccabaeus, filius eius pro eo.	1 Then his son Judas, who was called Maccabeus, took his place.
2 Etadiuvabant eum omnes fratres eius et universi, qui se coniunxerant patri eius;et proeliabantur proelium Israel cum laetitia.	2 All his brothers and all who had joined his father supported him, and they carried on Israel's war joyfully.
3 Et dilatavit gloriam populo suoet induit se loricam sicut gigas et succinxit se arma bellica sua et proeliaconstituit protegens castra gladio.	3 He spread abroad the glory of his people, and put on his breastplate like a giant. He armed himself with weapons of war; he planned battles and protected the camp with his sword.
4 Similis factus est leoni in operibus suiset sicut catulus leonis rugiens in venationem;	4 In his actions he was like a lion, like a young lion roaring for prey.
5 et persecutus est iniquosperscrutans et eos, qui conturbabant populum suum, succendit.	5 He pursued the wicked, hunting them out, and those who troubled his people he destroyed by fire.
6 Et subducti suntiniqui prae timore eius, et omnes operarii iniquitatis conturbati sunt; etprosperata est salus in manu eius.	6 The lawbreakers were cowed by fear of him, and all evildoers were dismayed. By his hand redemption was happily achieved,
7 Et exacerbabat reges multos; etlaetificabat Iacob in operibus suis, et in saeculum memoria eius inbenedictionem.	7 and he afflicted many kings; He made Jacob glad by his deeds, and his memory is blessed forever.
8 Et perambulavit in civitatibus Iudae et disperdidit impios exea et avertit iram ab Israel;	8 He went about the cities of Judah destroying the impious there. He turned away wrath from Israel
9 et nominatus est usque ad ultimum terrae etcongregavit pereuntes.	9 and was renowned to the ends of the earth; he gathered together those who were perishing.
10 Et congregavit Apollonius gentes et a Samaria virtutem magnam ad bellandumcontra Israel.	10 Then Apollonius gathered the Gentiles, together with a large army from Samaria, to fight against Israel.
11 Et cognovit Iudas et exiit obviam illi; et percussit eum etoccidit, et ceciderunt vulnerati multi, et reliqui fugerunt.	11 When Judas learned of it, he went out to meet him and defeated and killed him. Many fell wounded, and the rest fled.
12 Et acceperuntspolia eorum, et gladium Apollonii accepit Iudas; et erat pugnans in eo omnibusdiebus.	12 Their possessions were seized and the sword of Apollonius was taken by Judas, who fought with it the rest of his life.
13 Et audivit Seron, princeps exercitus Syriae, quod congregavit Iudascongregationem et convocationem fidelium secum et egredientium in proelium,	13 But Seron, commander of the Syrian army, heard that Judas had gathered many about him, an assembly of faithful men ready for war.
14 et ait: “ Faciam mihi nomen et glorificabor in regno et debellabo Iudam eteos, qui cum ipso sunt, qui spernunt verbum regis ”.	14 So he said, "I will make a name for myself and win glory in the kingdom by defeating Judas and his followers, who have despised the king's command."
15 Et accessit, etascendit cum eo exercitus impiorum fortis auxiliari ei, ut faceret vindictam infilios Israel.	15 And again a large company of renegades advanced with him to help him take revenge on the Israelites.
16 Et appropinquavit usque ad ascensum Bethoron, et exivit Iudasobviam illi cum paucis.	16 When he reached the ascent of Beth-horon, Judas went out to meet him with a few men.
17 Ut autem viderunt exercitum venientem sibi obviamdixerunt Iudae: “ Quomodo poterimus pauci pugnare contra multitudinem tantam,fortem, et nos fatigati sumus ieiunio hodie? ”.	17 But when they saw the army coming against them, they said to Judas: "How can we, few as we are, fight such a mighty host as this? Besides, we are weak today from fasting."
18 Et ait Iudas: “ Facileest concludi multos in manibus paucorum; et non est differentia in conspectucaeli liberare in multis aut in paucis,	18 But Judas said: "It is easy for many to be overcome by a few; in the sight of Heaven there is no difference between deliverance by many or by few;
19 quoniam non in multitudine exercitusvictoria belli, sed de caelo fortitudo est.	19 for victory in war does not depend upon the size of the army, but on strength that comes from Heaven.
20 Ipsi veniunt ad nos inmultitudine contumeliae et iniquitatis, ut disperdant nos et uxores nostras etfilios nostros et ut spolient nos;	20 With great presumption and lawlessness they come against us to destroy us and our wives and children and to despoil us;
21 nos vero pugnamus pro animabus nostris etpro legitimis nostris,	21 but we are fighting for our lives and our laws.
22 et ipse Dominus conteret eos ante faciem nostram; vosautem ne timueritis eos ”.	22 He himself will crush them before us; so do not be afraid of them."
23 Ut cessavit autem loqui, insiluit in eos subito;et contritus est Seron et exercitus eius in conspectu ipsius.	23 When he finished speaking, he rushed suddenly upon Seron and his army, who were crushed before him.
24 Etpersequebantur eum in descensu Bethoron usque ad campum, et ceciderunt ex eisoctingenti viri; reliqui autem fugerunt in terram Philisthim.	24 He pursued Seron down the descent of Beth-horon into the plain. About eight hundred of their men fell, and the rest fled to the country of the Philistines.
25 Et coepit timorIudae ac fratrum eius, et formido cecidit super gentes in circuitu eorum;	25 Then Judas and his brothers began to be feared, and dread fell upon the Gentiles about them.
26 etpervenit ad regem nomen eius, et de proeliis Iudae narrabant omnes gentes.	26 His fame reached the king, and all the Gentiles talked about the battles of Judas.
27 Ut audivit autem Antiochus sermones istos, iratus est animo; et misit etcongregavit exercitum universi regni sui, castra fortia valde.	27 When Antiochus heard about these events, he was angry; so he ordered a muster of all the forces of his kingdom, a very strong army.
28 Et aperuitaerarium suum et dedit stipendia exercitui in annum et mandavit illis, ut essentparati ad omnia.	28 He opened his treasure chests, gave his soldiers a year's pay, and commanded them to be prepared for anything.
29 Et vidit quod defecit pecunia de thesauris suis, et tributaregionis modica propter dissensionem et plagam, quam fecit in terra, ut tolleretlegitima, quae erant a primis diebus;	29 He then found that this exhausted the money in his treasury; moreover the income from the province was small, because of the dissension and distress he had brought upon the land by abolishing the laws which had been in effect from of old.
30 et timuit, ne non haberet ut semel etbis in sumptus et donaria, quae dederat antea larga manu, et abundaverat superreges, qui ante eum fuerant.	30 He feared that, as had happened more than once, he would not have enough for his expenses and for the gifts that he had previously given with a more liberal hand than the preceding kings.
31 Et consternatus erat animo valde et cogitavitire in Persidem et accipere tributa regionum et congregare argentum multum.	31 Greatly perplexed, he decided to go to Persia and levy tribute on those provinces, and so raise a large sum of money.
32 Et reliquit Lysiam hominem nobilem de genere regali super negotia regia aflumine Euphrate usque ad fines Aegypti	32 He left Lysias, a nobleman of royal blood, in charge of the king's affairs from the Euphrates River to the frontier of Egypt,
33 et ut nutriret Antiochum filium suum,donec rediret.	33 and commissioned him to take care of his son Antiochus until his own return.
34 Et tradidit ei dimidium exercitum et elephantos et mandavit eide omnibus, quae volebat, et de inhabitantibus Iudaeam et Ierusalem,	34 He entrusted to him half of the army, and the elephants, and gave him instructions concerning everything he wanted done. As for the inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem,
35 utmitteret ad eos exercitum ad conterendam et exstirpandam virtutem Israel etreliquias Ierusalem et auferendam memoriam eorum de loco,	35 Lysias was to send an army against them to crush and destroy the power of Israel and the remnant of Jerusalem and efface their memory from the land.
36 et ut constituerethabitatores filios alienigenas in omnibus finibus eorum et sorte distribueretterram eorum.	36 He was to settle foreigners in all their territory and distribute their land by lot.
37 Et rex assumpsit dimidium exercitum residuum et exivit abAntiochia de civitate regni sui anno centesimo et quadragesimo septimo ettransfretavit Euphratem flumen et perambulabat superiores regiones.	37 The king took the remaining half of the army and set out from Antioch, his capital, in the year one hundred and forty-seven; he crossed the Euphrates River and advanced inland.
38 Et elegitLysias Ptolemaeum filium Dorymeni et Nicanorem et Gorgiam viros potentes examicis regis	38 Lysias chose Ptolemy, son of Dorymenes, and Nicanor and Gorgias, capable men among the King's Friends,
39 et misit cum eis quadraginta milia virorum et septem miliaequitum, ut venirent in terram Iudae et disperderent eam secundum verbum regis.	39 and with them he sent forty thousand men and seven thousand cavalry to invade the land of Judah and ravage it according to the king's orders.
40 Et processerunt cum universa virtute sua; et venerunt et applicaverunt propeEmmaus in terra campestri.	40 Setting out with all their forces, they came and pitched their camp near Emmaus in the plain.
41 Et audierunt mercatores regionis nomen eorum etacceperunt argentum et aurum multum valde et compedes et venerunt in castra, utacciperent filios Israel in servos, et additi sunt ad eos exercitus Syriae etterrae alienigenarum.	41 When the merchants of the country heard of their fame, they came to the camp, bringing fetters and a large sum of silver and gold, to buy the Israelites as slaves. A force from Idumea and from Philistia joined with them.
42 Et vidit Iudas et fratres eius quia multiplicata sunt mala, et exercitusapplicabant ad fines eorum, et cognoverunt verba regis, quae mandavit facerepopulo in interitum et consummationem.	42 Judas and his brothers saw that the situation had become critical now that armies were encamped within their territory; they knew of the orders which the king had given to destroy and utterly wipe out the people.
43 Et dixerunt unusquisque ad proximumsuum: “ Erigamus deiectionem populi nostri et pugnemus pro populo nostro etsanctis nostris ”.	43 So they said to one another, "Let us restore our people from their ruined estate, and fight for our people and our sanctuary!"
44 Et congregatus est conventus, ut essent parati inproelium et ut orarent et peterent misericordiam et miserationes.	44 The assembly gathered together to prepare for battle and to pray and implore mercy and compassion.
45 EtIerusalem non habitabatur sicut desertum; non erat qui ingrederetur etegrederetur de natis eius, et sanctum conculcabatur, et filii alienigenarumerant in arce; ibi erat habitatio gentibus. Et ablata est voluptas a Iacob, etdefecit tibia et cithara.	45 Jerusalem was uninhabited, like a desert; not one of her children entered or came out. The sanctuary was trampled on, and foreigners were in the citadel; it was a habitation of Gentiles. Joy had disappeared from Jacob, and the flute and the harp were silent.
46 Et congregati sunt et venerunt in Maspha contra Ierusalem, quia in Masphaerat antea locus orationis Israeli;	46 Thus they assembled and went to Mizpah near Jerusalem, because there was formerly at Mizpah a place of prayer for Israel.
47 et ieiunaverunt illa die et induerunt seciliciis et cinerem imposuerunt capiti suo et disciderunt vestimenta sua	47 That day they fasted and wore sackcloth; they sprinkled ashes on their heads and tore their clothes.
48 etexpanderunt librum Legis, de quibus scrutabantur gentes similitudinessimulacrorum suorum;	48 They unrolled the scroll of the law, to learn about the things for which the Gentiles consulted the images of their idols.
49 et attulerunt ornamenta sacerdotalia et primitias etdecimas et suscitaverunt nazaraeos, qui impleverunt dies,	49 They brought with them the priestly vestments, the first fruits, and the tithes; and they brought forward the nazirites who had completed the time of their vows.
50 et clamaverunt vocein caelum dicentes: “ Quid faciemus istis et quo eos ducemus?	50 And they cried aloud to Heaven: "What shall we do with these men, and where shall we take them?
51 Et sancta tuaconculcata sunt et contaminata, et sacerdotes tui in luctu et humiliatione;	51 For your sanctuary has been trampled on and profaned, and your priests are in mourning and humiliation.
52 et ecce nationes convenerunt adversum nos, ut nos disperdant: tu scis, quaecogitant in nos.	52 Now the Gentiles are gathered together against us to destroy us. You know what they plot against us.
53 Quomodo poterimus subsistere ante faciem eorum, nisi tuadiuves nos?”.	53 How shall we be able to resist them unless you help us?"
54 Et tubis bucinaverunt et clamaverunt voce magna.	54 Then they blew the trumpets and cried out loudly.
55 Et posthaec constituit Iudas duces populi, tribunos et centuriones et pentacontarchoset decuriones	55 After this Judas appointed officers among the people, over thousands, over hundreds, over fifties, and over tens.
56 et dixit his, qui aedificabant domos et sponsabant uxores etplantabant vineas, et formidolosis, ut redirent unusquisque in domum suamsecundum legem.	56 He proclaimed that those who were building houses, or were just married, or were planting vineyards, and those who were afraid, could each return to his home, according to the law.
57 Et moverunt castra et collocaverunt ad austrum Emmaum.	57 Then the army moved off, and they camped to the south of Emmaus.
58 Etait Iudas: “ Accingimini et estote filii potentes et estote parati in mane, utpugnetis adversus nationes has, quae convenerunt adversus nos disperdere nos etsancta nostra;	58 Judas said: "Arm yourselves and be brave; in the morning be ready to fight these Gentiles who have assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary.
59 quoniam melius est nos mori in bello quam respicere malagentis nostrae et sanctorum.	59 It is better for us to die in battle than to witness the ruin of our nation and our sanctuary. Whatever Heaven wills, he will do."
60 Sicut autem fuerit voluntas in caelo, sic faciet”.