Primo libro dei Maccabei 4

NOVA VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Et assumpsit Gorgias quinque milia virorum et mille equites electos, etmoverunt castra nocte,	1 Gorgias took with him five thousand foot and a thousand picked cavalry, and the force moved off bynight
2 ut applicarent ad castra Iudaeorum et percuterent eossubito; et, qui erant ex arce, erant illis duces.	2 with the object of attacking the Jewish position and dealing them an unexpected blow; the men fromthe Citadel were there to guide him.
3 Et audivit Iudas et surrexitipse et potentes percutere exercitum regis, qui erat in Emmaus,	3 Judas got wind of it and himself moved off with his fighters to strike at the royal army at Emmaus,
4 dum adhucdispersus esset exercitus a castris.	4 while its fighting troops were stil dispersed outside the camp.
5 Et venit Gorgias in castra Iudae noctu etneminem invenit; et quaerebat eos in montibus, quoniam dixit: “ Fugiunt hi anobis ”.	5 Hence, when Gorgias reached Judas' camp, he found no one and began looking for the Jews in themountains. 'For', he said, 'we have got them on the run.'
6 Et simul ut dies factus est, apparuit Iudas in campo cum tribusmilibus virorum, tantum quod tegumenta et gladios non habebant ut volebant.	6 First light found Judas in the plain with three thousand men, although these lacked the armour andswords they would have wished.
7 Etviderunt castra gentium valida et loricatos et equitatus in circuitu eorum, ethi docti ad proelium.	7 They could now see the gentile encampment with its strong fortifications and cavalry surrounding it,clearly people who understood warfare.
8 Et ait Iudas viris, qui secum erant: “ Ne timueritismultitudinem eorum et impetum eorum ne formidetis;	8 Judas said to his men, 'Do not be afraid of their numbers, and do not flinch at their attack.
9 mementote qualiter salvifacti sunt patres nostri in mari Rubro, cum sequeretur eos pharao cum exercitu.	9 Remember how our ancestors were delivered at the Red Sea when Pharaoh was pursuing them inforce.
10 Et nunc clamemus in caelum, si miserebitur nostri et memor erit testamentipatrum nostrorum et conteret exercitum istum ante faciem nostram hodie;	10 And now let us cal on Heaven: if he cares for us, he wil remember his covenant with our ancestorsand will destroy this army confronting us today;
11 etscient omnes gentes quia est, qui redimat et liberet Israel ”.	11 then all the nations wil know for certain that there is One who ransoms and saves Israel.'
12 Et levaverunt alienigenae oculos suos et viderunt eos venientes ex adverso	12 The foreigners looked up and, seeing the Jews advancing against them,
13 et exierunt de castris in proelium. Et tuba cecinerunt hi, qui erant cum Iuda,	13 came out of the camp to join battle. Judas' men sounded the trumpet
14 et commiserunt bellum; et contritae sunt gentes et fugerunt in campum.	14 and engaged them. The gentiles were defeated and fled towards the plain
15 Novissimi autem omnes ceciderunt in gladio, et persecuti sunt eos usque Gazeronet usque in campos Idumaeae et Azoti et Iamniae; et ceciderunt ex illis usque adtria milia virorum.	15 and al the stragglers fel by the sword. The pursuit continued as far as Gezer and the plains ofIdumaea, Azotus and Jamnia, and the enemy lost about three thousand men.
16 Et reversus est Iudas et exercitus eius a persecutioneeorum;	16 Breaking off the pursuit, Judas returned with his men
17 dixitque ad populum: “ Non concupiscatis spolia, quia bellum contranos est,	17 and said to the people, 'Never mind the booty, for we have another battle ahead of us.
18 et Gorgias et exercitus eius prope nos in monte, sed state nunccontra inimicos nostros et expugnate eos et post haec accipite spoliaconfidenter ”.	18 Gorgias and his troops are still near us in the mountains. First stand up to our enemies and fight them,and then you can safely collect the booty.'
19 Et, adhuc loquente Iuda haec, apparuit pars quaedamprospiciens de monte.	19 The words were hardly out of Judas' mouth, when a detachment came into view, peering down fromthe mountain.
20 Et vidit quod in fugam conversi sunt sui, etsuccenderunt castra; fumus enim, qui videbatur, declarabat, quod factum est.	20 Observing that their own troops had been routed and that the camp had been fired -- since the smoke,which they could see, attested the fact-
21 Quibus illi conspectis, timuerunt valde; aspicientes vero et Iudae exercitum incampo paratum ad proelium	21 they were panic-stricken at the sight; and when, furthermore, they saw Judas' troops drawn up forbattle on the plain,
22 fugerunt omnes in terram alienigenarum.	22 they al fled into Philistine territory.
23 Et Iudasreversus est ad spolia castrorum; et acceperunt aurum multum et argentum ethyacinthum et purpuram marinam et opes magnas.	23 Judas then turned back to plunder the camp, and a large sum in gold and silver, with violet and sea-purple stuffs, and many other valuables were carried off.
24 Et conversi hymnum canebant etbenedicebant in caelum: “ Quoniam bonum, quoniam in saeculum misericordia eius”.	24 On their return, the Jews chanted praises to Heaven, singing, 'He is kind and his love is everlasting!'
25 Et facta est salus magna in Israel in die illa.	25 That day had seen a remarkable deliverance in Israel.
26 Quicumque autem alienigenarum evaserunt, venerunt et nuntiaverunt Lysiaeuniversa, quae acciderant;	26 Those of the foreigners who had escaped came and gave Lysias an account of all that had happened.
27 quibus ille auditis, consternatus est et animodeficiebat, quod non, qualia voluit, talia contigerant in Israel, et, qualiamandaverat ei rex, evenerant.	27 The news shocked and dismayed him, for affairs in Israel had not gone as he intended, and the resultwas quite the opposite to what the king had ordered.
28 Et sequenti anno congregavit virorum electorum sexaginta milia et equitumquinque milia, ut debellaret eos.	28 The next year he mobilised sixty thousand picked troops and five thousand cavalry with the intentionof finishing off the Jews.
29 Et venerunt in Idumaeam et castra posueruntin Bethsuris; et occurrit illis Iudas cum decem milibus viris.	29 They advanced into Idumaea and made their base at Beth-Zur, where Judas met them with tenthousand men.
30 Et viditexercitum fortem et oravit et dixit: “ Benedictus es, Salvator Israel, quicontrivisti impetum potentis in manu servi tui David et tradidisti castraalienigenarum in manu Ionathae filii Saul et armigeri eius.	30 When he saw their military strength he offered this prayer, 'Blessed are you, Saviour of Israel, whoshattered the mighty warrior's attack at the hand of your servant David, and delivered the Philistine camp into thehands of Jonathan son of Saul, and his armour-bearer.
31 Concludeexercitum istum in manu populi tui Israel, et confundantur in exercitu suo etequitibus suis.	31 Crush this expedition in the same way at the hands of your people Israel; let their troops and cavalrybring them nothing but shame.
32 Da illis formidinem et tabefac audaciam virtutis eorum, etcommoveantur contritione sua;	32 Sow panic in their ranks, confound the confidence they put in their numbers and send them reeling indefeat.
33 deice illos gladio diligentium te, etcollaudent te omnes, qui noverunt nomen tuum, in hymnis ”.	33 Overthrow them by the sword of those who love you, and all who acknowledge your name wil singyour praises.'
34 Et commiserunt invicem proelium, et ceciderunt de exercitu Lysiae quinquemilia virorum et prociderunt ex adverso eorum.	34 The two forces engaged, and five thousand men of Lysias' troops fel in hand-to-hand fighting.
35 Videns autem Lysias factameversionem exercitus sui, Iudae vero audaciam et quemadmodum parati sunt autvivere aut mori fortiter, abiit Antiochiam et colligebat externos, ut multonumero rursus venirent in Iudaeam.	35 Seeing the rout of his army and the courage of Judas' troops and their readiness to live or die nobly,Lysias withdrew to Antioch, where he recruited mercenaries for a further invasion of Judaea in even greaterstrength.
36 Dixit autem Iudas et fratres eius: “Ecce contriti sunt inimici nostri; ascendamus mundare sancta et renovare ”.	36 Judas and his brothers then said, 'Now that our enemies have been defeated, let us go up to purifythe sanctuary and dedicate it.'
37 Et congregatus est omnis exercitus, et ascenderunt in montem Sion.	37 So they marshal ed the whole army, and went up to Mount Zion.
38 Etviderunt sanctificationem desertam et altare profanatum et portas exustas et inatriis virgulta nata, sicut in saltu vel in uno ex montibus, et pastophoriadiruta.	38 There they found the sanctuary deserted, the altar desecrated, the gates burnt down, and vegetationgrowing in the courts as it might in a wood or on some mountain, while the storerooms were in ruins.
39 Et sciderunt vestimenta sua et planxerunt planctu magno etimposuerunt cinerem	39 They tore their garments and mourned bitterly, putting dust on their heads.
40 et ceciderunt in faciem super terram et exclamaverunttubis signorum et clamaverunt in caelum.	40 They prostrated themselves on the ground, and when the trumpets gave the signal they cried aloud toHeaven.
41 Tunc ordinavit Iudas viros, utpugnarent adversus eos, qui erant in arce, donec mundaret sancta.	41 Judas then ordered his men to keep the Citadel garrison engaged until he had purified the sanctuary.
42 Et elegit sacerdotes sine macula voluntatem habentes in lege;	42 Next, he selected priests who were blameless and zealous for the Law
43 etmundaverunt sancta et tulerunt lapides contaminationis in locum immundum.	43 to purify the sanctuary and remove the stones of the 'Pollution' to some unclean place.
44 Etcogitaverunt de altari holocaustorum, quod profanatum erat, quid de eo facerent.	44 They discussed what should be done about the altar of burnt offering which had been profaned,
45 Et incidit illis consilium bonum, ut destruerent illud, ne umquam illis essetin opprobrium, quia contaminaverunt illud gentes; et demoliti sunt altare	45 and very properly decided to pul it down, rather than later be embarrassed about it since it had beendefiled by the gentiles. They therefore demolished it
46 etreposuerunt lapides in monte domus in loco apto, quoadusque veniret propheta, utresponderet de eis.	46 and deposited the stones in a suitable place on the hil of the Dwel ing to await the appearance of aprophet who should give a ruling about them.
47 Et acceperunt lapides integros secundum legem etaedificaverunt altare novum secundum illud, quod fuit prius.	47 They took unhewn stones, as the Law prescribed, and built a new altar on the lines of the old one.
48 Etaedificaverunt sancta et, quae intra domum erant, et atria sanctificaverunt.	48 They restored the Holy Place and the interior of the Dwel ing, and purified the courts.
49 Et fecerunt vasa sancta nova et intulerunt candelabrum et altare incensorum etmensam in templum.	49 They made new sacred vessels, and brought the lamp-stand, the altar of incense, and the table intothe Temple.
50 Et incenderunt super altare et accenderunt lucernas, quaesuper candelabrum erant et lucebant in templo,	50 They burned incense on the altar and lit the lamps on the lamp-stand, and these shone inside theTemple.
51 et posuerunt super mensampanes et appenderunt vela et consummaverunt omnia opera, quae fecerant.	51 They placed the loaves on the table and hung the curtains and completed al the tasks they hadundertaken.
52 Etante lucem surrexerunt quinta et vicesima die mensis noni — hic est mensisCasleu — centesimi quadragesimi octavi anni	52 On the twenty-fifth of the ninth month, Chislev, in the year 148 they rose at dawn
53 et obtulerunt sacrificiumsecundum legem super altare holocaustorum novum, quod fecerunt;	53 and offered a lawful sacrifice on the new altar of burnt offering which they had made.
54 secundumtempus et secundum diem, in qua contaminaverunt illud gentes, in ipsa renovatumest in canticis et citharis et cinyris et cymbalis.	54 The altar was dedicated, to the sound of hymns, zithers, lyres and cymbals, at the same time of yearand on the same day on which the gentiles had original y profaned it.
55 Et cecidit omnis populusin faciem, et adoraverunt et benedixerunt in caelum eum, qui prosperavit eis;	55 The whole people fel prostrate in adoration and then praised Heaven who had granted them success.
56 et fecerunt dedicationem altaris diebus octo et obtulerunt holocausta cumlaetitia et sacrificaverunt sacrificium salutaris et laudis	56 For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar, joyful y offering burnt offerings, communionand thanksgiving sacrifices.
57 et ornaveruntfaciem templi coronis aureis et scutulis et dedicaverunt portas et pastophoriaet imposuerunt eis ianuas.	57 They ornamented the front of the Temple with crowns and bosses of gold, renovated the gates andstorerooms, providing the latter with doors.
58 Et facta est laetitia in populo magna valde, etaversum est opprobrium gentium.	58 There was no end to the rejoicing among the people, since the disgrace inflicted by the gentiles hadbeen effaced.
59 Et statuit Iudas et fratres eius et universa ecclesia Israel, ut agantur diesdedicationis altaris in temporibus suis ab anno in annum per dies octo, a quintaet vicesima die mensis Casleu, cum laetitia et gaudio.	59 Judas, with his brothers and the whole assembly of Israel, made it a law that the days of thededication of the altar should be celebrated yearly at the proper season, for eight days beginning on the twenty-fifth of the month of Chislev, with rejoicing and gladness.
60 Et aedificaverunt intempore illo montem Sion per circuitum muros altos et turres firmas, ne quandovenirent gentes et conculcarent ea, sicut antea fecerunt.	60 They then proceeded to build high wal s with strong towers round Mount Zion, to prevent the gentilesfrom coming and riding roughshod over it as in the past.
61 Et collocavit illicexercitum, ut servarent eum, et munivit eum ad custodiendam Bethsuram, uthaberet populus munitionem contra faciem Idumaeae.	61 Judas stationed a garrison there to guard it; he also fortified Beth-Zur, so that the people would havea fortress confronting Idumaea.