Secondo libro dei Maccabei 7

NOVA VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Contigit autem et septem fra tres una cum matre apprehen sos compelli arege attingere contra fas carnes porcinas, flagris et nervis cruciatos.	1 It also happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested and tortured with whips and scourges by the king, to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.
2 Unusautem ex illis exstans prior locutor sic ait: “ Quid es quaesiturus, et quidvis discere a nobis? Parati sumus mori magis quam patrias leges praevaricari ”.	2 One of the brothers, speaking for the others, said: "What do you expect to achieve by questioning us? We are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors."
3 Iratus itaque rex iussit sartagines et ollas succendi.	3 At that the king, in a fury, gave orders to have pans and caldrons heated.
4 Quibus statimsuccensis, iussit ei, qui prior illorum fuerat locutus, amputari linguam et,cute capitis abstracta, summas quoque manus et pedes ei praescindi, ceteris eiusfratribus et matre inspicientibus.	4 While they were being quickly heated, he commanded his executioners to cut out the tongue of the one who had spoken for the others, to scalp him and cut off his hands and feet, while the rest of his brothers and his mother looked on.
5 Et cum iam per omnia inutilis factus esset,iussit eum igne admoveri adhuc spirantem et torreri in sartagine. Cum autemvapor sartaginis diu diffunderetur, ceteri una cum matre invicem se hortabanturmori fortiter ita dicentes:	5 When he was completely maimed but still breathing, the king ordered them to carry him to the fire and fry him. As a cloud of smoke spread from the pan, the brothers and their mother encouraged one another to die bravely, saying such words as these:
6 “ Dominus Deus aspicit et veritate in nobisconsolatur, quemadmodum per personam contestantis cantici declaravit Moyses: “Etin servis suis consolabitur” ”.	6 "The Lord God is looking on, and he truly has compassion on us, as Moses declared in his canticle, when he protested openly with the words, 'And he will have pity on his servants.'"
7 Mortuo itaque illo primo hoc modo,sequentem deducebant ad illudendum; et cute capitis eius cum capillis abstracta,interrogabant, si manducaret prius quam toto corpore per membra singulapuniretur.	7 When the first brother had died in this manner, they brought the second to be made sport of. After tearing off the skin and hair of his head, they asked him, "Will you eat the pork rather than have your body tortured limb by limb?"
8 At ille respondens patria voce dixit: “ Non faciam ”. Propterquod et iste, sequenti loco, tormenta suscepit sicut primus.	8 Answering in the language of his forefathers, he said, "Never!" So he too in turn suffered the same tortures as the first.
9 Et in ultimospiritu constitutus, sic ait: “ Tu quidem, scelestissime, de praesenti vitanos perdis; sed rex mundi defunctos nos pro suis legibus in aeternam vitaeresurrectionem suscitabit ”.	9 At the point of death he said: "You accursed fiend, you are depriving us of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever. It is for his laws that we are dying."
10 Post hunc tertius illudebatur; et linguampostulatus cito protulit et manus constanter extendit	10 After him the third suffered their cruel sport. He put out his tongue at once when told to do so, and bravely held out his hands,
11 et fortiter ait: “ Ecaelo ista possideo et propter illius leges haec ipsa despicio et ab ipso rursusme ea recepturum spero ”,	11 as he spoke these noble words: "It was from Heaven that I received these; for the sake of his laws I disdain them; from him I hope to receive them again."
12 ita ut rex et, qui cum ipso erant, mirarenturadulescentis animum, quomodo pro nihilo duceret cruciatus.	12 Even the king and his attendants marveled at the young man's courage, because he regarded his sufferings as nothing.
13 Et hoc itadefuncto, quartum vexabant similiter torquentes;	13 After he had died, they tortured and maltreated the fourth brother in the same way.
14 et, cum iam esset ad mortem,sic ait: “ Potius est ab hominibus morti datos spem exspectare a Deo, iterumab ipso resuscitandos; tibi enim resurrectio ad vitam non erit ”.	14 When he was near death, he said, "It is my choice to die at the hands of men with the God-given hope of being restored to life by him; but for you, there will be no resurrection to life."
15 Etdeinceps quintum, cum admovissent, vexabant;	15 They next brought forward the fifth brother and maltreated him. Looking at the king,
16 at ille respiciens in eum dixit:“ Potestatem inter homines habens, cum sis corruptibilis, facis, quod vis;noli autem putare genus nostrum a Deo esse derelictum;	16 he said: "Since you have power among men, mortal though you are, do what you please. But do not think that our nation is forsaken by God.
17 tu autem patientersustine et videbis maiestatem virtutis ipsius, qualiter te et semen tuumtorquebit ”.	17 Only wait, and you will see how his great power will torment you and your descendants."
18 Post hunc ducebant sextum, et is mori incipiens ait: “ Nolifrustra errare; nos enim propter nosmetipsos haec patimur peccantes in Deumnostrum, et digna admiratione facta sunt in nobis:	18 After him they brought the sixth brother. When he was about to die, he said: "Have no vain illusions. We suffer these things on our own account, because we have sinned against our God; that is why such astonishing things have happened to us.
19 tu autem ne existimes tibiimpune futurum, quod contra Deum pugnare tentaveris ”.	19 Do not think, then, that you will go unpunished for having dared to fight against God."
20 Supra modum autem mater mirabilis et bona memoria digna, quae pereuntesseptem filios sub unius diei tempore conspiciens bono animo ferebat propterspem, quam in Dominum habebat.	20 Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother, who saw her seven sons perish in a single day, yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord.
21 Singulos illorum hortabatur voce patria, fortirepleta sensu et femineam cogitationem masculino excitans animo, dicens ad eos:	21 Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage, she exhorted each of them in the language of their forefathers with these words:
22 “ Nescio qualiter in utero meo apparuistis neque ego spiritum et vitamdonavi vobis et singulorum vestrorum compagem non sum ego modulata;	22 "I do not know how you came into existence in my womb; it was not I who gave you the breath of life, nor was it I who set in order the elements of which each of you is composed.
23 sed enimmundi creator, qui formavit hominis nativitatem quique omnium invenit originem,et spiritum et vitam vobis iterum cum misericordia reddet, sicut nuncvosmetipsos despicitis propter leges eius ”.	23 Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe who shapes each man's beginning, as he brings about the origin of everything, he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law." Martyrdom of Mother and Sons
24 Antiochus autem contemni searbitratus, simul et exprobrantem dedignans vocem, cum adhuc adulescentiorsuperesset, non solum verbis hortabatur, sed et cum iuramento affirmabat sedivitem simul et beatum facturum, translatum a patriis legibus, et amicumhabiturum et officia ei crediturum.	24 Antiochus, suspecting insult in her words, thought he was being ridiculed. As the youngest brother was still alive, the king appealed to him, not with mere words, but with promises on oath, to make him rich and happy if he would abandon his ancestral customs: he would make him his Friend and entrust him with high office.
25 Sed ad haec cum adulescens nequaquamintenderet, vocavit rex matrem et suadebat ei, ut adulescenti fieret suasor insalutem.	25 When the youth paid no attention to him at all, the king appealed to the mother, urging her to advise her boy to save his life.
26 Cum autem multis eam verbis esset hortatus, promisit suasuram sefilio.	26 After he had urged her for a long time, she went through the motions of persuading her son.
27 Itaque inclinata ad illum, irridens crudelem tyrannum sic ait patriavoce: “ Fili, miserere mei, quae te in utero novem mensibus portavi et lactriennio dedi et alui et in aetatem istam perduxi et nutricem me tibi exhibui.	27 In derision of the cruel tyrant, she leaned over close to her son and said in their native language: "Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months, nursed you for three years, brought you up, educated and supported you to your present age.
28 Peto, nate, ut aspicias ad caelum et terram et quae in ipsis sunt, universavidens intellegas quia non ex his, quae erant, fecit illa Deus; et hominum genusita fit.	28 I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earth and see all that is in them; then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things; and in the same way the human race came into existence.
29 Ne timeas carnificem istum, sed dignus fratribus tuis effectussuscipe mortem, ut in illa miseratione cum fratribus tuis te recipiam ”.	29 Do not be afraid of this executioner, but be worthy of your brothers and accept death, so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them."
30 Cum haec illa adhuc diceret, ait adulescens: “ Quem sustinetis? Non oboediopraecepto regis, sed obtempero praecepto legis, quae data est patribus nostrisper Moysen.	30 She had scarcely finished speaking when the youth said: "What are you waiting for? I will not obey the king's command. I obey the command of the law given to our forefathers through Moses.
31 Tu vero, qui inventor omnis malitiae factus es in Hebraeos, noneffugies manus Dei.	31 But you, who have contrived every kind of affliction for the Hebrews, will not escape the hands of God.
32 Nos enim pro peccatis nostris haec patimur;	32 We, indeed, are suffering because of our sins.
33 et sinobis propter increpationem et correptionem ille vivens Dominus noster modicumiratus est, sed iterum reconciliabitur servis suis.	33 Though our living Lord treats us harshly for a little while to correct us with chastisements, he will again be reconciled with his servants.
34 Tu autem, o sceleste etomnium hominum flagitiosissime, noli frustra extolli elatus vanis spebus, infilios caeli levata manu;	34 But you, wretch, vilest of all men! do not, in your insolence, concern yourself with unfounded hopes, as you raise your hand against the children of Heaven.
35 nondum enim omnipotentis atque intuitoris Deiiudicium effugisti.	35 You have not yet escaped the judgment of the almighty and all-seeing God.
36 Nam fratres nostri, modico nunc dolore sustentato, subDei testamentum aeternae vitae reciderunt; tu vero iudicio Dei iustas superbiaetuae poenas exsolves.	36 My brothers, after enduring brief pain, have drunk of never-failing life, under God's covenant, but you, by the judgment of God, shall receive just punishments for your arrogance.
37 Ego autem, sicut et fratres mei, et corpus et animamtrado pro patriis legibus, invocans Deum maturius genti nostrae propitium fieri,teque cum tormentis et verberibus confiteri quod ipse est Deus solus;	37 Like my brothers, I offer up my body and my life for our ancestral laws, imploring God to show mercy soon to our nation, and by afflictions and blows to make you confess that he alone is God.
38 in mevero et in fratribus meis restitit Omnipotentis ira, quae super omne genusnostrum iuste superducta est ”.	38 Through me and my brothers, may there be an end to the wrath of the Almighty that has justly fallen on our whole nation."
39 Tunc rex accensus ira in hunc super omnescrudelius desaevit, indigne ferens se derisum.	39 At that, the king became enraged and treated him even worse than the others, since he bitterly resented the boy's contempt.
40 Et hic itaque mundus obiit peromnia in Domino confidens.	40 Thus he too died undefiled, putting all his trust in the Lord.
41 Novissima autem post filios et mater consumptaest.	41 The mother was last to die, after her sons.
42 Igitur de sacrificiis et de nimiis crudelitatibus satis sit dictum.	42 Enough has been said about the sacrificial meals and the excessive cruelties.