Secondo libro dei Maccabei 9

NOVA VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Eodem autem tempore Anti ochus inhoneste revertebatur de regionibus circaPersidem.	1 About that time Antiochus retreated in disgrace from the region of Persia.
2 Intraverat enim in eam, quae dicitur Persepolis, et tentavitexspoliare templum et civitatem opprimere; quapropter, multitudine ad armorumauxilium concurrente, in fugam versi sunt; et contigit ut Antiochus in fugamversus ab indigenis turpiter rediret.	2 He had entered the city called Persepolis and attempted to rob the temple and gain control of the city. Thereupon the people had swift recourse to arms, and Antiochus' men were routed, so that in the end Antiochus was put to flight by the natives and forced to beat a shameful retreat.
3 Et cum esset circa Ecbatana, nuntiatasunt ea, quae erga Nicanorem et Timotheum gesta sunt.	3 On his arrival in Ecbatana, he learned what had happened to Nicanor and to Timothy's forces.
4 Elatus autem iraarbitrabatur se etiam iniuriam illorum, qui se fugaverant, in Iudaeosretorquere; ideoque iussit, ut auriga sine intermissione iter perficeret,caelesti iam eum comitante iudicio. Ita enim superbe locutus erat: “ Congeriemsepulcri Iudaeorum Hierosolymam faciam, cum venero illo ”.	4 Overcome with anger, he planned to make the Jews suffer for the injury done by those who had put him to flight. Therefore he ordered his charioteer to drive without stopping until he finished the journey. Yet the condemnation of Heaven rode with him, since he said in his arrogance, "I will make Jerusalem the common graveyard of the Jews as soon as I arrive there."
5 Sed qui universa conspicit, Dominus, Deus Israel, percussit eum insanabili etinvisibili plaga; et continuo ut is finivit sermonem, apprehendit eum dolordirus viscerum et amara internorum tormenta,	5 So the all-seeing Lord, the God of Israel, struck him down with an unseen but incurable blow; for scarcely had he uttered those words when he was seized with excruciating pains in his bowels and sharp internal torment,
6 perquam iuste, quippe qui multiset novis cruciatibus aliorum torserat viscera.	6 a fit punishment for him who had tortured the bowels of others with many barbarous torments.
7 Ille vero nullo modo abarrogantia cessabat; super hoc autem superbia repletus erat, ignem spirans animoin Iudaeos et praecipiens iter accelerari. Contigit autem, ut et ille caderet decurru, qui ferebatur impetu, et gravi lapsu corruens in omnibus corporis membrisvexaretur.	7 Far from giving up his insolence, he was all the more filled with arrogance. Breathing fire in his rage against the Jews, he gave orders to drive even faster. As a result he hurtled from the dashing chariot, and every part of his body was racked by the violent fall.
8 Isque, qui nuper videbatur fluctibus maris imperare propter superhominem iactantiam et in statera montium altitudines appendere, humiliatus adterram in gestatorio portabatur manifestam Dei virtutem omnibus ostendens,	8 Thus he who previously, in his superhuman presumption, thought he could command the waves of the sea, and imagined he could weigh the mountaintops in his scales, was now thrown to the ground and had to be carried on a litter, clearly manifesting to all the power of God.
9 itaut de oculis impii vermes scaturirent, ac viventis in doloribus et maeroribuscarnes eius diffluerent, illiusque odore totus exercitus gravaretur propterputredinem.	9 The body of this impious man swarmed with worms, and while he was still alive in hideous torments, his flesh rotted off, so that the entire army was sickened by the stench of his corruption.
10 Et qui paulo ante sidera caeli contingere se arbitrabatur, eumnemo poterat propter intolerabilem foetoris gravitatem portare.	10 Shortly before, he had thought that he could reach the stars of heaven, and now, no one could endure to transport the man because of this intolerable stench.
11 Hinc igitur coepit multum superbiae deponere confractus et ad agnitionemvenire divina plaga, per momenta doloribus extensus.	11 At last, broken in spirit, he began to give up his excessive arrogance, and to gain some understanding, under the scourge of God, for he was racked with pain unceasingly.
12 Et, cum nec ipsefoetorem suum ferre posset, ita ait: “ Iustum est subditum esse Deo etmortalem non superbe sentire ”.	12 When he could no longer bear his own stench, he said, "It is right to be subject to God, and not to think one's mortal self divine."
13 Orabat autem hic scelestus Dominum, ei nonamplius miserturum, ita dicens:	13 Then this vile man vowed to the Lord, who would no longer have mercy on him,
14 sanctam quidem civitatem, ad quam festinansveniebat, ut eam solo aequalem faceret ac sepulcrum congestorum strueret,liberam ostendere;	14 that he would set free the holy city, toward which he had been hurrying with the intention of leveling it to the ground and making it a common graveyard;
15 Iudaeos autem, quos decreverat nec sepultura quidem sedignos habiturum, sed avibus devorandos cum parvulis se feris proiecturum, omneshos aequales Atheniensibus facturum;	15 he would put on perfect equality with the Athenians all the Jews, whom he had judged not even worthy of burial, but fit only to be thrown out with their children to be eaten by vultures and wild animals;
16 templum vero sanctum, quod priusexspoliaverat, pulcherrimis donis ornaturum et sacra vasa multiplicia cuncta seredditurum, et pertinentes ad sacrificia sumptus de redditibus suispraestaturum;	16 he would adorn with the finest offerings the holy temple which he had previously despoiled; he would restore all the sacred vessels many times over; and would provide from his own revenues the expenses required for the sacrifices.
17 super haec autem et Iudaeum se futurum et omnem locumhabitabilem perambulaturum praedicantem Dei potestatem.	17 Besides all this, he would become a Jew himself and visit every inhabited place to proclaim there the power of God.
18 Sed omnino non cessantibus doloribus — supervenerat enim in eum iustum Deiiudicium — semetipsum desperans scripsit ad Iudaeos hanc infra rescriptamepistulam modum deprecationis habentem, haec continentem:	18 But since God's punishment had justly come upon him, his sufferings were not lessened, so he lost hope for himself and wrote the following letter to the Jews in the form of a supplication. It read thus: Death of Antiochus
19 “ Optimis civibusIudaeis plurimam salutem et bene valere et esse felices, rex et dux Antiochus.	19 "To my esteemed Jewish citizens, Antiochus, their king and general, sends hearty greetings and best wishes for their health and happiness.
20 Si bene valetis et filii vestri, et res vestrae ex sententia sunt vobis,precans refero quidem Deo maximam gratiam, in caelum spem habens;	20 If you and your children are well and your affairs are going as you wish, I thank God very much, for my hopes are in heaven.
21 ego vero ininfirmitate constitutus eram, vestri autem honoris et benevolentiae memineramcum affectione. Reversus de Persidis locis et in infirmitatem incidens molestiamhabentem, necessarium duxi pro communi omnium securitate curam habere.	21 Now that I am ill, I recall with affection the esteem and good will you bear me. On returning from the regions of Persia, I fell victim to a troublesome illness; so I thought it necessary to form plans for the general welfare of all.
22 Nondesperans memetipsum, sed spem multam habens effugiendi infirmitatem,	22 Actually, I do not despair about my health, since I have great hopes of recovering from my illness.
23 respiciens autem quod et pater meus, quibus temporibus in superiora loca duxitexercitum, ostendit, qui susciperet principatum;	23 Nevertheless, I know that my father, whenever he went on campaigns in the hinterland, would name his successor,
24 ut, si quid contrariumaccideret aut etiam quid difficile nuntiaretur, scientes hi, qui circa regionemerant, cui esset rerum summa derelicta, non turbarentur.	24 so that, if anything unexpected happened or any unwelcome news came, the people throughout the realm would know to whom the government had been entrusted, and so not be disturbed.
25 Ad haec autemconsiderans de proximo potentes et vicinos regno temporibus insidiantes eteventum exspectantes, designavi filium Antiochum regem, quem saepe recurrens insuperiora regna plurimis vestrum committebam et commendabam; et scripsi ad eum,quae subiecta sunt.	25 I am also bearing in mind that the neighboring rulers, especially those on the borders of our kingdom, are on the watch for opportunities and waiting to see what will happen. I have therefore appointed as king my son Antiochus, whom I have often before entrusted and commended to most of you, when I made hurried visits to the outlying provinces. I have written to him the letter copied below.
26 Oro itaque vos et peto memores beneficiorum publice etprivatim, ut unusquisque conservet hanc, quam habetis benevolentiam in me et infilium.	26 Therefore I beg and entreat each of you to remember the general and individual benefits you have received, and to continue to show good will toward me and my son.
27 Confido enim eum modeste et humane, sequentem propositum meum,vobiscum acturum ”.	27 I am confident that, following my policy, he will treat you with mildness and kindness in his relations with you."
28 Igitur homicida et blasphemus pessima perpessus, ut ipse alios tractaverat,peregre in montibus miserabili obitu vita functus est.	28 So this murderer and blasphemer, after extreme sufferings, such as he had inflicted on others, died a miserable death in the mountains of a foreign land.
29 Transferebat autemcorpus Philippus collactaneus eius, qui etiam metuens filium Antiochi adPtolemaeum Philometorem in Aegyptum se contulit.	29 His foster brother Philip brought the body home; but fearing Antiochus' son, he later withdrew into Egypt, to Ptolemy Philometor.