Secondo libro dei Maccabei 14

NOVA VULGATA	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Sed post triennii tempus co gnoverunt, qui cum Iuda erant, DemetriumSeleuci per portum apud Tripolim adnavigantem cum multitudine valida et navibus,	1 In the year one hundred and fortynine, Judas understood that Antiochus Eupator was coming with a multitude against Judea,
2 tenuisse regionem, sublato Antiocho et procuratore eius Lysia.	2 And with him Lysias the regent, who had charge over the affairs of the realm, having with him a hundred and ten thousand footmen, five thousand horsemen, twenty-two elephants, and three hundred chariots armed with hooks.
3 Alcimus autemquidam, qui summus sacerdos fuerat, sed voluntarie coinquinatus temporibusseditionis, considerans nullo modo sibi esse salutem neque accessum ultra adsanctum altare,	3 Menelaus also joined himself with them: and with great deceitfulness besought Antiochus, not for the welfare of his country, but in hopes that he should be appointed chief ruler.
4 venit ad regem Demetrium, centesimo quinquagesimo primo anno,offerens ei coronam auream et palmam, super haec et thallos, qui templi essevidebantur; et ipsa quidem die siluit.	4 But the King of kings stirred up the mind of Antiochus against the sinner, and upon Lysias suggesting that he was the cause of all the evils, he commanded (as the custom is with them) that he should be apprehended and put to death in the same place.
5 Tempus autem opportunum dementiae suaenactus, convocatus a Demetrio ad consilium et interrogatus quo proposito etconsilio Iudaei niterentur,	5 Now there was in that place a tower fifty cubits high, having a heap of ashes on every side: this had a prospect steep down.
6 ad haec respondit: “ Ipsi, qui dicuntur Asidaei,Iudaeorum, quibus praeest Iudas Maccabaeus, bella nutriunt et seditiones moventnec patiuntur regnum esse quietum.	6 From thence he commanded the sacrilegious wretch to be thrown down into the ashes, all men thrusting him forward unto death.
7 Unde ego defraudatus parentum gloria, dicoautem summo sacerdotio, huc nunc veni,	7 And by such a law it happened that Menelaus the transgressor of the law was put to death: not having so much as burial in the earth.
8 primo quidem de his, quae pertinent adregem, mera fide sentiens, secundo autem etiam civibus meis consulens; namillorum praedictorum inconsiderantia universum genus nostrum non modice laborat.	8 And indeed very justly, for insomuch as he had committed many sins against the altar of God, the fire and ashes of which were holy: he was condemned to die in ashes.
9 Sed his singulis, tu rex, cognitis, et regioni et obsesso generi nostro,secundum quam habes omnibus obviam humanitatem, prospice;
10 nam, quamdiusuperest Iudas, impossibile est pacem esse negotiis ”.	10 taste of the hardiness of the Jews, attempted to take the strong places by policy:
11 Talibus autem ab hoc dictis, velocius ceteri amici hostiliter se habentesadversus Iudam inflammaverunt Demetrium.	11 But the king, with his mind full of rage, came on to shew himself worse to the Jews than his father was.
12 Qui statim assumens Nicanorem, quifuit praepositus elephantorum, et ducem ostendens Iudaeae misit,	12 Which, when Judas understood, he commanded the people to call upon the Lord day and night, that as he had always done, so now also he would help them:
13 datismandatis, ut ipsum quidem Iudam occideret; eos vero, qui cum illo erant,dispergeret et constitueret Alcimum maximi templi summum sacerdotem.	13 Because they were afraid to be deprived of the law, and of their country, and of the holy temple: and that he would not suffer the people, that had of late taken breath for a little while, to be again in subjection to blasphemous nations.
14 Tuncgentes, quae de Iudaea fugerant Iudam, gregatim se Nicanori miscebant, miseriaset clades Iudaeorum prosperitates rerum suarum existimantes fore.	14 So when they had all done this together, and had craved mercy of the Lord with weeping and fasting, lying prostrate on the ground for three days continually, Judas exhorted them to make themselves ready.
15 Audito itaque Nicanoris adventu et conventu nationum, conspersi terrarogabant eum, qui populum suum constituit usque in aeternum quique suamportionem signis evidentibus protegit.	15 But he with the ancients determined, before the king should bring his army into Judea, and make himself master of the city, to go out, and to commit the event of the thing to the judgment of the Lord.
16 Imperante autem duce, statim indeprofectus congreditur eis ad castellum Dessau.	16 So committing all to God, the creator of the world, and having exhorted his people to fight manfully, and to stand up even to death for the laws, the temple, the city, their country, and citizens: he placed his army about Modin.
17 Simon vero frater Iudaecommiserat cum Nicanore, sed lente ob repentinum adversariorum silentium victusevaserat.	17 And having given his company for a watchword, The victory of God, with most valiant chosen young men, he set upon the king's quarter by night, and slew four thousand men in the camp, and the greatest of the elephants, with them that had been upon him,
18 Nicanor tamen audiens quam virtutem haberent, qui cum Iuda erant, et animimagnitudinem pro patriae certaminibus, sanguine iudicium facere metuebat.	18 And having filled the camp of the enemies with exceeding greet fear and tumult, they went off with good success.
19 Quam ob rem misit Posidonium et Theodotum et Matthathiam, ut darent dextrasatque acciperent.	19 Now this was done at the break of day, by the protection and help of the Lord.
20 Et, cum diu de his consilium ageretur, et ipse dux admultitudinem rettulisset, et paribus suffragiis pareret sententia, sponsionibuspacis annuerunt.	20 But the king having taken
21 Itaque diem constituerunt, qua secreto convenirent eodem, etprocessit utrimque currus, posuerunt sellas;	21 And he marched with his army to Bethsura, which was a strong hold of the Jews: but he was repulsed, he failed, he rest his men.
22 disposuit Iudas armatos paratoslocis opportunis, ne forte ab hostibus repente mali aliquid fieret; congruumcolloquium fecerunt.	22 Now Judas sent necessaries to them that were within.
23 Morabatur Nicanor Hierosolymis nihilque inique agebatgregesque turbarum, quae congregatae fuerant, dimisit.	23 But Rhodocus, one of the Jews' army, disclosed the secrets to the enemies, so he was sought out, and taken up, and put in prison.
24 Habebat autem Iudamsemper in conspectu, ex animo erat viro inclinatus.	24 Again the king treated with them that were in Bethsura: gave his right hand: took theirs: and went away.
25 Rogavit eum ducere uxoremfiliosque procreare. Nuptias fecit, quiete egit, communiter vivebat.	25 He fought with Jucias: and was overcome. And when he understood that Philip, who had been left over the affairs, had rebelled at Antioch, he was in a consternation of mind, and entreating the Jews, and yielding to them, he swore to all things that seemed reasonable, and, being reconciled, offered sacrifices, honoured the temple, and left gifts.
26 Alcimus autem, videns mutuam illorum benevolentiam et factas conventiones,accipiens venit ad Demetrium et dicebat Nicanorem aliena sentire a rebus; Iudamenim regni insidiatorem socium sibi designavit.	26 He embraced Machabeus, and made him governor and prince from Ptolemais unto the Cerrenians.
27 Itaque rex exasperatus etpessimi huius criminationibus irritatus, scripsit Nicanori dicens graviterquidem se ferre de conventionibus, iubere tamen Maccabaeum citius vinctummittere Antiochiam.	27 But when he was come to Ptolemais, the men of that city were much displeased with the conditions of the peace, being angry for fear they should break the covenant.
28 Quibus cognitis, Nicanor confusus erat et aegre ferebat,si ea, quae convenerant, irrita faceret, nulla a viro facta iniuria;	28 Then Lysias went up to the judgment seat, and set forth the reason, and appeased the people, and returned to Antioch: and thus matters went with regard to the king's coming and his return.
29 sed,quia regi resisti non poterat, opportunitatem observabat, ut artificio illudperficeret.
30 At Maccabaeus videns secum austerius agere Nicanorem et consuetumoccursum ferocius exhibentem, intellegens non ex optimo esse austeritatem, nonpaucis suorum congregatis, occultavit se a Nicanore.
31 Quod cum ille cognovitfortiter se a viro astutia praeventum, venit ad maximum et sanctum templum etsacerdotibus solitas hostias offerentibus iussit sibi tradi virum.
32 Quibus cumiuramento dicentibus nescire se ubi esset, qui quaerebatur, extendens dexteramad templum
33 iuravit haec: “ Nisi Iudam mihi vinctum tradideritis, istud Deifanum in planitiem deducam et altare effodiam et templum hic Libero illustreerigam ”.
34 Et, his dictis, abiit. Sacerdotes autem protendentes manus incaelum invocabant eum, qui semper propugnator fuit gentis nostrae, haecdicentes:
35 “ Tu, Domine universorum, qui nullius indiges, voluisti templumhabitationis tuae fieri in nobis;
36 et nunc, Sancte, omnis sanctificationisDomine, conserva in aeternum impollutam domum istam, quae nuper mundata est ”.
37 Razis autem quidam de senioribus ab Hierosolymis delatus est Nicanori, viramator civitatis et valde bene audiens, qui pro affectu pater Iudaeorumappellabatur.
38 Hic enim pristinis temporibus seditionis iudicium pertuleratIudaismi corpusque et animam pro Iudaismo tradiderat cum omni perseverantia.
39 Volens autem Nicanor manifestare odium, quod habebat in Iudaeos, misit militessupra quingentos, ut eum comprehenderent;
40 putabat enim, si illum cepisset, secladem istis illaturum.
41 Turbis autem turrim iam occupaturis et atrii ianuaevim facientibus atque iubentibus ignem admovere et portas incendi, ipse undiquecomprehensus supposuit sibi gladium
42 volens nobiliter mori potius quamsubditus fieri peccatoribus et nobilitate sua indignis iniuriis affici.
43 Sed,cum per contentionis festinationem non certo ictu plagam dedisset, et turbaeintra ostia irrumperent, recurrens audacter ad murum praecipitavit semetipsumviriliter in turbas;
44 quibus velociter locum dantibus intervallo facto, venitper medium spatium vacuum.
45 Et, cum adhuc spiraret, accensus animis surrexitet, cum sanguis ad modum fontis deflueret, et gravissima essent vulnera, cursuturbas pertransiens et stans supra quandam petram praeruptam,
46 prorsusexsanguis iam effectus, proferens intestina et sumens utrisque manibus proiecitsuper turbas et invocans Dominatorem vitae ac spiritus, ut haec ipsi iterumredderet, ita vita defunctus est.