Primus Machabaeorum 7

VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Anno centesimo quinquagesimo primo, exiit Demetrius Seleuci filius ab urbe 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 Et factum est, ut ingressus est domum regni patrum suorum, comprehendit exercitus Antiochum et Lysiam, ut adducerent 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 faciem eorum.	3 On hearing this, he said, 'Keep them out of my sight.'
4 Et occidit eos exercitus. Et sedit Demetrius 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 ex Israël : et Alcimus dux 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 accusaverunt populum apud regem, dicentes : Perdidit Judas et fratres ejus omnes amicos tuos, 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, ut eat, et videat exterminium omne quod fecit nobis, et regionibus regis : et puniat omnes amicos ejus, et adjutores 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 magnum in 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 ut videret exterminium quod fecit Judas : sed et Alcimum impium constituit in sacerdotium, et mandavit ei facere ultionem in filios Israël.	9 He sent him with the godless Alcimus, whom he confirmed in the high priesthood, with orders to exactretribution from the Israelites.
10 Et surrexerunt, et venerunt cum exercitu magno in terram Juda : et miserunt nuntios, et locuti sunt ad Judam et ad fratres ejus 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 et Bacchidem congregatio scribarum requirere quæ justa sunt :	12 Nevertheless, a commission of scribes presented themselves before Alcimus and Bacchides, to suefor just terms.
13 et primi, Assidæi qui erant in filiis Israël : et exquirebant ab eis pacem.	13 The first among the Israelites to ask them for peace terms were the Hasidaeans,
14 Dixerunt enim : Homo sacerdos de semine Aaron venit ; 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 verba pacifica, et juravit illis, dicens : Non inferemus vobis malum, neque amicis vestris.	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, et occidit eos in una die, secundum verbum quod scriptum est :	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 circuitu Jerusalem, 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 et tremor in omnem populum : quia dixerunt : Non est veritas, et judicium in eis : transgressi sunt enim constitutum, et jusjurandum quod juraverunt.	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 castra ab Jerusalem, et applicuit in Bethzecha : et misit, et comprehendit multos ex eis qui a se effugerant : et quosdam de populo mactavit, et in puteum magnum projecit.	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 commisit regionem Alcimo, et reliquit cum eo auxilium in adjutorium ipsi. Et abiit Bacchides 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 satis agebat Alcimus pro principatu sacerdotii sui :	21 Alcimus continued his struggle to become high priest,
22 et convenerunt ad eum omnes, qui perturbabant populum suum, et obtinuerunt terram Juda, et fecerunt plagam magnam in Israël.	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 Judas omnia mala quæ fecit Alcimus et qui cum eo erant filiis Israël, 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 exiit in omnes fines Judææ in circuitu, et fecit vindictam in viros desertores, et cessaverunt 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 Vidit autem Alcimus quod prævaluit Judas et qui cum eo erant, et cognovit quia non potest sustinere eos : et regressus est ad regem, et accusavit eos multis 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 erat inimicitias exercens contra Israël : 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 Et venit Nicanor in Jerusalem cum exercitu magno, et misit ad Judam et ad fratres ejus 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 ad Judam, et salutaverunt se invicem pacifice : et hostes parati erant rapere Judam.	29 He met Judas and they exchanged friendly greetings; the enemy, however, had made preparations toabduct Judas.
30 Et innotuit sermo Judæ quoniam cum dolo venerat ad eum : et conterritus est ab eo, et amplius noluit videre faciem ejus.	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 quoniam denudatum est consilium ejus : et exivit obviam Judæ in pugnam juxta Capharsalama.	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 quinque millia viri, et fugerunt in civitatem David.	32 About five hundred of Nicanor's men fell; the rest took refuge in the City of David.
33 Et post hæc verba ascendit Nicanor in montem Sion : et exierunt de sacerdotibus populi salutare eum in pace, et demonstrare ei holocautomata, quæ offerebantur pro rege.	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 : et locutus est superbe,	34 But he ridiculed them, laughed at them, defiled them and used insolent language, swearing in hisrage,
35 et juravit cum ira, dicens : Nisi traditus fuerit Judas et exercitus ejus in manus meas, continuo cum 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 ante faciem 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, Domine, elegisti domum istam ad invocandum nomen tuum in ea, ut esset domus orationis et obsecrationis populo 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 ejus, et cadant in gladio : memento blasphemias eorum, et ne dederis eis ut permaneant.	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 Jerusalem, et castra applicuit ad Bethoron : et occurrit illi exercitus Syriæ.	39 Nicanor left Jerusalem and encamped at Beth-Horon, where he was joined by an army from Syria.
40 Et Judas applicuit in Adarsa cum tribus millibus viris : et oravit Judas, et dixit :	40 Judas, meanwhile, camped at Adasa with three thousand men, and offered this prayer,
41 Qui missi erant a rege Sennacherib, Domine, quia blasphemaverunt te, exiit angelus, et percussit ex eis centum octoginta quinque millia :	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 contere exercitum istum in conspectu nostro hodie : et sciant ceteri quia male locutus est super sancta tua : et judica 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 Et commiserunt exercitus prælium tertiadecima die mensis Adar : et contrita sunt castra Nicanoris, et cecidit ipse primus in prælio.	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 exercitus ejus quia cecidisset Nicanor, projecerunt arma sua, et fugerunt :	44 When Nicanor's soldiers saw him fal , they threw down their arms and fled.
45 et persecuti sunt eos viam unius diei ab Adazer usquequo veniatur in Gazara, et tubis cecinerunt post 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 Judææ in circuitu, et ventilabant eos cornibus, et convertebantur iterum 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 in prædam : et caput Nicanoris amputaverunt, et dexteram ejus, quam extenderat superbe, et attulerunt, et suspenderunt contra Jerusalem.	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 lætatus est populus valde, et egerunt diem illam in lætitia magna.	48 The people were overjoyed and kept that day as a great holiday:
49 Et constituit agi omnibus annis diem istam tertiadecima die mensis Adar.	49 indeed they decided to celebrate it annual y on the thirteenth of Adar.
50 Et siluit terra Juda dies paucos.	50 For a short while Judaea enjoyed peace.