Primo libro dei Maccabei 7

NOVA VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Anno centesimo quinquagesimo primo exiit Demetrius Seleuci filius a Roma;et ascendit cum paucis viris in civitatem maritimam et regnavit illic.	1 In the year 151, Demetrius son of Seleucus left Rome and arrived with a few men at a town on thecoast, where he inaugurated his reign.
2 Etfactum est, ut ingressus est domum regni patrum suorum, comprehendit exercitusAntiochum et Lysiam, ut adduceret eos ad eum.	2 It so happened that, as he was entering the royal residence of his ancestors, the army capturedAntiochus and Lysias, and intended to bring them to him.
3 Et res ei innotuit, et ait: “Nolite mihi ostendere facies eorum ”.	3 On hearing this, he said, 'Keep them out of my sight.'
4 Et occidit eos exercitus, et seditDemetrius super sedem regni sui.	4 The army put them to death, and Demetrius ascended his throne.
5 Et venerunt ad eum viri iniqui et impii exIsrael, et Alcimus dux erat eorum, qui volebat fieri sacerdos;	5 Next, al those Israelites without law or piety, led by Alcimus, whose ambition was to become highpriest,
6 et accusaveruntpopulum apud regem dicentes: “ Perdidit Iudas et fratres eius omnes amicostuos et nos dispersit de terra nostra;	6 approached the king and denounced our people to him. 'Judas and his brothers', they said, 'have kil edal your friends, and he has driven us out of our country.
7 nunc ergo mitte virum, cui credis, uteat et videat exterminium omne, quod fecit nobis et regioni regis, et puniat eoset omnes adiutores eorum ”.	7 Send someone now whom you can trust; let him go and see the wholesale ruin Judas has brought onus and on the king's dominions, and let him punish the wretches and al who assist them.'
8 Et elegit rex ex amicis suis Bacchidem, qui dominabatur trans flumen, magnumin regno et fidelem regi. Et misit eum	8 The king chose Bacchides, one of the Friends of the King, governor of Transeuphrates, an importantpersonage in the kingdom and loyal to the king.
9 et Alcimum impium et constituit eisacerdotium et mandavit ei facere ultionem in filios Israel.	9 He sent him with the godless Alcimus, whom he confirmed in the high priesthood, with orders to exactretribution from the Israelites.
10 Et surrexeruntet venerunt cum exercitu magno in terram Iudae; et misit nuntios ad Iudam et adfratres eius verbis pacificis in dolo.	10 So they set out with a large force and, on reaching Judaea, sent emissaries to Judas and his brotherswith proposals peaceable yet treacherous.
11 Et non intenderunt sermonibus eorum;viderunt enim quia venerunt cum exercitu magno.	11 The latter, however, did not put any faith in their words, aware that they had come with a large force.
12 Et convenerunt ad Alcimum etBacchidem congregatio scribarum requirere iusta;	12 Nevertheless, a commission of scribes presented themselves before Alcimus and Bacchides, to suefor just terms.
13 et primi Asidaei erant infiliis Israel et exquirebant ab eis pacem.	13 The first among the Israelites to ask them for peace terms were the Hasidaeans,
14 Dixerunt enim: “ Homo sacerdosde semine Aaron venit et non decipiet nos ”.	14 who reasoned thus, 'This is a priest of Aaron's line who has come with the armed forces; he wil notwrong us.'
15 Et locutus est cum eis verbapacifica et iuravit illis dicens: “ Non inferemus vobis malum neque amicisvestris ”.	15 He did in fact discuss peace terms with them and gave them his oath, 'We shal not attempt to injureyou or your friends.'
16 Et crediderunt ei. Et comprehendit ex eis sexaginta viros etoccidit eos in una die, secundum verbum quod scripsit:	16 They believed him, but he arrested sixty of them and put them to death on one day, fulfil ing the wordsof scripture:
17 “ Carnes sanctorum tuorum et sanguinem ipsorum effuderunt in circuituIerusalem, et non erat qui sepeliret ”.	17 They have scattered the bodies of your faithful, and shed their blood all round Jerusalem, leaving noone to bury them!
18 Et incubuit timor eorum et tremor in omnem populum, quia dixerunt: “ Nonest in eis veritas et iudicium; transgressi sunt enim constitutum etiusiurandum, quod iuraverunt ”.	18 At this, fear and dread gripped the whole people. 'There is no truth or virtue in them,' they said, 'theyhave broken their agreement and their sworn oath.'
19 Et movit Bacchides ab Ierusalem etapplicuit in Bethzaith; et misit et comprehendit multos ex eis, qui ad serefugerant, et quosdam de populo mactavit in puteum magnum.	19 Bacchides then left Jerusalem and encamped at Beth-Zeth, and from there sent and arrested many ofthe men who had deserted him and a few of our people too; he had them kil ed and thrown down the great wel .
20 Et commisitregionem Alcimo et reliquit cum eo auxilium in adiutorium ipsi; et abiitBacchides ad regem.	20 He then put Alcimus in charge of the province, leaving an army with him to support him; Bacchideshimself returned to the king.
21 Et contendebat Alcimus pro principatu sacerdotii sui;	21 Alcimus continued his struggle to become high priest,
22 et convenerunt adeum omnes, qui perturbabant populum suum, et obtinuerunt terram Iudae etfecerunt plagam magnam in Israel.	22 and al who were disturbing the peace of their own people ral ied to him, and, having won control ofJudaea, did much harm in Israel.
23 Et vidit Iudas omnem malitiam, quam fecitAlcimus et, qui cum eo erant, filiis Israel multo plus quam gentes;	23 Seeing that al the wrongs done to the Israelites by Alcimus and his supporters exceeded what thegentiles had done,
24 et exiitin omnes fines Iudaeae in circuitu et fecit vindictam in viros desertores, etcessaverunt ultra exire in regionem.	24 Judas went right round the whole territory of Judaea to take vengeance on those who had desertedhim and to prevent their free movement about the country.
25 Ut vidit autem Alcimus quod praevaluitIudas et, qui cum eo erant, et cognovit quia non potest sustinere eos; etregressus est ad regem et accusavit eos criminibus.	25 When Alcimus saw how strong Judas and his supporters had grown and realised that he waspowerless to resist them, he went back to the king, to whom he made malicious accusations against them.
26 Et misit rex Nicanorem unum ex principibus suis nobilioribus, qui oderat etinimicitias exercebat contra Israel; et mandavit ei evertere populum.	26 The king sent Nicanor, one of his generals ranking as Il ustrious and a bitter enemy of Israel, withorders to exterminate the people.
27 Etvenit Nicanor in Ierusalem cum exercitu magno et misit ad Iudam et ad fratreseius verbis pacificis cum dolo	27 Reaching Jerusalem with a large force, Nicanor sent a friendly, yet treacherous, message to Judasand his brothers, as follows:
28 dicens: “ Non sit pugna inter me et vos;veniam cum viris paucis, ut videam facies vestras cum pace ”.	28 'Let us have no fighting between you and me; I shall come with a smal escort for a peaceful meetingwith you.'
29 Et venit adIudam, et salutaverunt se invicem pacifice, et hostes parati erant rapere Iudam.	29 He met Judas and they exchanged friendly greetings; the enemy, however, had made preparations toabduct Judas.
30 Et innotuit sermo Iudae quoniam cum dolo venerat ad eum, et conterritus estab eo et amplius noluit videre faciem eius.	30 When Judas became aware of Nicanor's treacherous purpose in coming to see him, he took fright andrefused any further meeting.
31 Et cognovit Nicanor quoniamdenudatum est consilium eius et exivit obviam Iudae in pugnam iuxtaChapharsalama;	31 Nicanor then realised that his plan had been discovered, and took the field against Judas, to givebattle near Caphar-Salama.
32 et ceciderunt de Nicanoris exercitu fere quingenti viri, etfugerunt in civitatem David.	32 About five hundred of Nicanor's men fell; the rest took refuge in the City of David.
33 Et post haec verba ascendit Nicanor in montemSion; et exierunt quidam ex sacerdotibus de sanctis et quidam ex senioribuspopuli salutare eum pacifice et demonstrare ei holocaustum, quod offerebatur prorege.	33 After these events Nicanor went up to Mount Zion. Some of the priests came out of the Holy Placewith some elders, to give him a friendly welcome and show him the burnt offering being presented for the king.
34 Et irridens sprevit eos et polluit eos et locutus est superbe	34 But he ridiculed them, laughed at them, defiled them and used insolent language, swearing in hisrage,
35 etiuravit cum ira dicens: “ Nisi traditus fuerit Iudas et exercitus eius inmanus meas continuo, et erit, si regressus fuero in pace, succendam domum istam”. Et exiit cum ira magna.	35 'Unless Judas is handed over to me this time with his army, as soon as I am safely back, I promiseyou, I shal burn this building down!'
36 Et intraverunt sacerdotes et steterunt antefaciem altaris et templi et flentes dixerunt:	36 Then he went off in a fury. At this, the priests went in again, and stood weeping in front of the altarand the Temple, saying,
37 “ Tu elegisti domum istam adinvocandum nomen tuum super eam, ut esset domus orationis et obsecrationispopulo tuo;	37 'You have chosen this house to be cal ed by your name, to be a house of prayer and petition for yourpeople.
38 fac vindictam in homine isto et exercitu eius, et cadant ingladio. Memento blasphemias eorum et ne dederis eis mansionem ”.	38 Take vengeance on this man and on his army, and let them fal by the sword; remember theirblasphemies and give them no respite.'
39 Et exiit Nicanor ab Ierusalem et applicuit ad Bethoron; et occurrit illiexercitus Syriae.	39 Nicanor left Jerusalem and encamped at Beth-Horon, where he was joined by an army from Syria.
40 Et Iudas applicuit in Hadasa cum tribus milibus viris. Etoravit Iudas et dixit:	40 Judas, meanwhile, camped at Adasa with three thousand men, and offered this prayer,
41 “ Qui missi erant a rege, cum male locuti sunt;exiit angelus et percussit in eis centum octoginta quinque milia.	41 'When the king's envoys blasphemed, your angel went out and struck down one hundred and eighty-five thousand of his men.
42 Sic contereexercitum istum in conspectu nostro hodie, et sciant ceteri quia male locutusest super sancta tua, et iudica illum secundum malitiam illius ”.	42 In the same way let us see you crush this army today, so that everyone else may know that this manhas spoken blasphemously against your sanctuary: pass judgement on him as his wickedness deserves!'
43 Etcommiserunt exercitus proelium tertia decima die mensis Adar; et contrita suntcastra Nicanoris, et cecidit ipse primus in proelio.	43 The armies met in battle on the thirteenth of the month Adar, and Nicanor's army was crushed, hehimself being the first to fal in the battle.
44 Ut autem vidit exercituseius quia cecidit Nicanor, proiecerunt arma et fugerunt.	44 When Nicanor's soldiers saw him fal , they threw down their arms and fled.
45 Et persecuti sunteos viam unius diei ab Hadasa usquequo veniatur in Gazara et tubis cecineruntpost eos cum significationibus.	45 The Jews pursued them a day's journey, from Adasa to the approaches of Gezer; they sounded theirtrumpets in warning as they fol owed them,
46 Et exierunt de omnibus castellis Iudaeae incircuitu et ventilabant eos et conversi sunt ad eos; et ceciderunt omnes gladio,et non est relictus ex eis nec unus.	46 and people came out of al the surrounding Judaean vil ages to encircle the fugitives, who then turnedback on their own men. Al fel by the sword, not one being left alive.
47 Et acceperunt spolia eorum et praedam etcaput Nicanoris amputaverunt et dexteram eius, quam extenderat superbe, etattulerunt et suspenderunt contra Ierusalem.	47 Having col ected the spoils and booty, they cut off Nicanor's head and the right hand he had stretchedout in a display of insolence; these were taken and displayed within sight of Jerusalem.
48 Et laetatus est populus valde;et egerunt diem illam in laetitia magna	48 The people were overjoyed and kept that day as a great holiday:
49 et constituerunt agere omnibus annisdiem istam tertia decima die Adar.	49 indeed they decided to celebrate it annual y on the thirteenth of Adar.
50 Et siluit terra Iudae dies paucos.	50 For a short while Judaea enjoyed peace.