Secondo libro dei Maccabei 6

NOVA VULGATA	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Sed non post multum temporis misit rex senem quendam Athe niensem, quicompelleret Iudaeos, ut se transferrent a patriis legibus et Dei legibus neuterentur;	1 But not long after the king sent a certain old man of Antioch, to compel the Jews to depart from the laws of their fathers and of God:
2 contaminare etiam, quod in Hierosolymis erat, templum etcognominare Iovis Olympii, et in Garizim, prout erant hi, qui locuminhabitabant, Iovis Hospitalis.	2 And to defile the temple that was in Jerusalem, and to call it the temple of Jupiter Olympius: and that in Gazarim of Jupiter Hospitalis, according as they were that inhabited the place.
3 Pessima autem et universis gravis erat malorumincursio.	3 And very bad was this invasion of evils and grievous to all.
4 Nam templum luxuria et comissationibus gentium erat plenum,scortantium cum meretricibus et in sacratis porticibus mulieribus adhaerentium,insuper et intro inferentium ea, quae non licebat;	4 For the temple was full of the riot and revellings of the Gentiles: and of men lying with lewd women. And women thrust themselves of their accord into the holy places, and brought in things that were not lawful.
5 altare etiam plenum eratillicitis, quae legibus prohibebantur.	5 The altar also was filled with unlawful things, which were forbidden by the laws.
6 Neque autem sabbata custodiebantur,neque dies sollemnes patrii servabantur, nec simpliciter Iudaeum se essequisquam confitebatur.	6 And neither were the sabbaths kept, nor the solemn days of the fathers observed, neither did any man plainly profess himself to be a Jew.
7 Ducebantur autem cum amara necessitate per singulosmenses in die natalis regis ad sacrificium et, cum Liberi sacra celebrarentur,cogebantur hedera coronati pompam Libero celebrare.	7 But they were led by bitter constraint on the king's birthday to the sacrifices: and when the feast of Bacchus was kept, they wore compelled to go about crowned with ivy in honour of Bacchus.
8 Decretum autem exiit inproximas Graecorum civitates, suggerente Ptolemaeo, ut pari modo et ipsiadversus Iudaeos agerent, ut sacrificarent;	8 And there went out a decree into the neighbouring cities of the Gentiles, by the suggestion of the Ptolemeans, that they also should act in like manner against the Jews, to oblige them to sacrifice:
9 eos autem, qui nollent transire adinstituta Graecorum, interficerent; erat ergo videre instantem miseriam.	9 And whosoever would not conform themselves to the ways of the Gentiles, should be put to death: then was misery to be seen.
10 Duaeenim mulieres delatae sunt natos suos circumcidisse; quas infantibus ad uberasuspensis, cum publice per civitatem circumduxissent, per murospraecipitaverunt.	10 For two women were accused to have circumcised their children: whom, when they had openly led about through the city with the infants hanging at their breasts, they threw down headlong from the walls.
11 Alii vero ad proximas coeuntes speluncas, ut latenterseptimam diem celebrarent, cum indicati essent Philippo, flammis succensi sunt,eo quod verebantur propter religionem sibimet auxilium ferre pro claritatesanctissimi diei.	11 And others that had met together in caves that were near, and were keeping the sabbath day privately, being discovered by Philip, were burnt with fire, because they made a conscience to help themselves with their hands, by reason of the religious observance of the day.
12 Obsecro autem eos, qui hunc librum lecturi sunt, ne abhorrescant propteradversos casus, sed reputent illas poenas non ad interitum, sed ad correptionemesse generis nostri.	12 Now I beseech those that shall read this book, that they be not shocked at these calamities, but that they consider the things that happened, not as being for the destruction, but for the correction of our nation.
13 Etenim multo tempore non sinere eos, qui gerunt impie,sed statim ultiones adhibere, magni beneficii est indicium.	13 For it is a token of great goodness when sinners are not suffered to go on in their ways for a long time, but are presently punished.
14 Non enim, sicutet in aliis nationibus, Dominus patienter ferens exspectat, ut eas, cumpervenerint in plenitudinem peccatorum, puniat, ita et in nobis statuit esse,	14 For, not as with other nations (whom the Lord patiently expecteth, that when the day of judgment shall come, he may punish them in the fulness of their sins:)
15 ne, peccatis nostris in finem devolutis, demum in nos vindicet;	15 Doth he also deal with us, so as to suffer our sins to come to their height, and then take vengeance on us.
16 propter quodnumquam quidem a nobis misericordiam suam amovet, corripiens vero per aerumnaspopulum suum non derelinquit.	16 And therefore he never withdraweth his mercy from us: but though he chastise his people with adversity, he forsaketh them not.
17 Sed haec nobis ad commonitionem dicta sint;paucis autem veniendum est ad narrationem.	17 But let this suffice in a few words for a warning to the readers. And now we must come to the narration.
18 Eleazarus quidam, unus de primoribus scribarum, vir iam aetate provectus etaspectu faciei decorus, aperto ore compellebatur carnem porcinam manducare.	18 Eleazar one of the chief of the scribes, a man advanced in years, and of a comely countenance, was pressed to open his mouth to eat swine's flesh.
19 At ille magis cum illustri fama mortem quam cum exsecratione vitam complectens,voluntarie praeibat ad supplicium,	19 But he, choosing rather a most glorious death than a hateful life, went forward voluntarily to the torment.
20 exspuens autem, quemadmodum oportetaccedere eos, qui sustinent non admittere illa, quae non est fas gustare,propter nimium vivendi amorem.	20 And considering in what manner he was come to ii;, patiently bearing, he determined not to do any unlawful things for the love of life.
21 Hi autem, qui iniquo sacrificio praepositierant, propter antiquam cum viro amicitiam tollentes eum secreto rogabant, utafferret carnes, quibus uti ei liceret quaeque ab ipso paratae essent, etfingeret se eas manducare, quas rex imperaverat de sacrificii carnibus,	21 But they that stood by, being moved with wicked pity, for the old friendship they had with the man, taking him aside, desired that flesh might be brought, which it was lawful for him to eat, that he might make as if he had eaten, as the king had commanded of the flesh of the sacrifice:
22 uthoc facto a morte liberaretur et propter veterem cum illis amicitiamconsequeretur humanitatem.	22 That by so doing he might be delivered from death: and for the sake of their old friendship with the man they did him this courtesy.
23 At ille, consilio decoro inito ac digno aetate etsenectutis eminentia et acquisita nobilique canitie atque optima a puero vitaedisciplina, magis autem sancta et a Deo condita legislatione, consequentersententiam ostendit: cito, dicens, dimitterent ad inferos.	23 But he began to consider the dignity of his age, and his ancient years, and the inbred honour of his grey head, and his good life and conversation from a child: and he answered without delay, according to the ordinances of the holy law made by God, saying, that he would rather be sent into the other world.
24 “ Non enimaetati nostrae dignum est fingere, ut multi adulescentium arbitrantes Eleazarumnonaginta annorum transisse ad morem alienigenarum	24 For it doth not become our age, said he, to dissemble: whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar, at the age of fourscore and ten years, was gone over to the life of the heathens:
25 et ipsi propter meamsimulationem et propter modicum et pusillum vitae tempus decipiantur propter me,et exsecrationem atque maculam meae senectuti conquiram.	25 And so they, through my dissimulation, and for a little time of a corruptible life, should be deceived, end hereby I should bring a stain and a curse upon my old age.
26 Nam etsi inpraesenti tempore evasero eam, quae ex hominibus est, poenam, manus tamenOmnipotentis nec vivus nec defunctus effugiam.	26 For though, for the present time, I should be delivered from the punishments of men, yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead.
27 Quam ob rem viriliter nuncvita excedendo, senectute quidem dignus apparebo;	27 Wherefore by departing manfully out of this life, I shall shew myself worthy of my old age:
28 adulescentibus autemexemplum forte reliquero, ut prompto animo ac fortiter pro sacris ac sanctislegibus honesta morte perfungantur ”. Et cum haec dixisset, confestim adsupplicium venit;	28 And I shall leave an example of fortitude to young men, if with a ready mind and constancy I suffer an honourable death, for the most venerable and most holy laws. And having spoken thus, he was forthwith carried to execution.
29 ipsis autem, qui eum ducebant, illam, quam paulo antehabuerant erga eum benevolentiam, in iram convertentibus, propterea quodsermones dicti, sicut ipsi arbitrabantur, essent amentia.	29 And they that led him, and had been a little before more mild, were changed to wrath for the words he had spoken, which they thought were uttered out of arrogancy.
30 Cumque coepissetplagis mori, ingemiscens dixit: “ Domino, qui habet sanctam scientiam,manifestum est quia cum a morte possem liberari, duros secundum corpus sustineodolores flagellatus, secundum animam vero propter ipsius timorem libenter haecpatior ”.	30 But when he was now ready to die with the stripes, he groaned, and said: O Lord, who hast the holy knowledge, thou knowest manifestly that whereas I might be delivered from death, I suffer grevious pains in body: but in soul am well content to suffer these things because I fear thee.
31 Et iste quidem hoc modo vita decessit, non solum iuvenibus, sedet plurimis ex gente mortem suam ad exemplum fortitudinis et memoriam virtutisrelinquens.	31 Thus did this man die, leaving not only to young men, but also to the whole nation, the memory of his death for an example of virtue and fortitude.