Secondus Machabaeorum 1

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Fratribus qui sunt per Ægyptum Judæis, salutem dicunt fratres qui sunt in Jerosolymis Judæi, et qui in regione Judææ, et pacem bonam.	1 The Jews in Jerusalem and in the land of Judea send greetings to their brethren, the Jews in Egypt, and wish them true peace!
2 Benefaciat vobis Deus, et meminerit testamenti sui, quod locutus est ad Abraham, et Isaac, et Jacob servorum suorum fidelium :	2 May God bless you and remember his covenant with his faithful servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
3 et det vobis cor omnibus ut colatis eum, et faciatis ejus voluntatem, corde magno et animo volenti.	3 May he give to all of you a heart to worship him and to do his will readily and generously.
4 Adaperiat cor vestrum in lege sua, et in præceptis suis, et faciat pacem.	4 May he open your heart to his law and his commandments and grant you peace.
5 Exaudiat orationes vestras, et reconcilietur vobis, nec vos deserat in tempore malo.	5 May he hear your prayers, and be reconciled to you, and never forsake you in time of adversity.
6 Et nunc hic sumus orantes pro vobis.	6 Even now we are praying for you here.
7 Regnante Demetrio, anno centesimo sexagesimo nono, nos Judæi scripsimus vobis in tribulatione et impetu qui supervenit nobis in istis annis, ex quo recessit Jason a sancta terra, et a regno.	7 In the reign of Demetrius, the year one hundred and sixty-nine, we Jews wrote to you during the trouble and violence that overtook us in those years after Jason and his followers had revolted against the holy land and the kingdom,
8 Portam succenderunt, et effuderunt sanguinem innocentem : et oravimus ad Dominum, et exauditi sumus, et obtulimus sacrificium et similaginem, et accendimus lucernas, et proposuimus panes.	8 setting fire to the gatehouse and shedding innocent blood. But we prayed to the Lord, and our prayer was heard; we offered sacrifices and fine flour; we lighted the lamps and set out the loaves of bread.
9 Et nunc frequentate dies scenopegiæ mensis Casleu.	9 We are now reminding you to celebrate the feast of Booths in the month of Chislev.
10 Anno centesimo octogesimo octavo, populus qui est Jerosolymis et in Judæa, senatusque et Judas, Aristobolo magistro Ptolemæi regis, qui est de genere christorum sacerdotum, et his qui in Ægypto sunt Judæis, salutem et sanitatem.	10 Dated in the year one hundred and eighty-eight. The people of Jerusalem and Judea, the senate, and Judas send greetings and good wishes to Aristobulus, counselor of King Ptolemy and member of the family of the anointed priests, and to the Jews in Egypt.
11 De magnis periculis a Deo liberati, magnifice gratias agimus ipsi, utpote qui adversus talem regem dimicavimus.	11 Since we have been saved by God from grave dangers, we give him great thanks for having fought on our side against the king;
12 Ipse enim ebullire fecit de Perside eos qui pugnaverunt contra nos et sanctam civitatem.	12 it was he who drove out those who fought against the holy city.
13 Nam cum in Perside esset dux ipse, et cum ipso immensus exercitus, cecidit in templo Naneæ, consilio deceptus sacerdotum Naneæ.	13 When their leader arrived in Persia with his seemingly irresistible army, they were cut to pieces in the temple of the goddess Nanea through a deceitful stratagem employed by Nanea's priests.
14 Etenim cum ea habitaturus venit ad locum Antiochus et amici ejus, et ut acciperet pecunias multas dotis nomine.	14 On the pretext of marrying the goddess, Antiochus with his Friends had come to the place to get its great treasures by way of dowry.
15 Cumque proposuissent eas sacerdotes Naneæ, et ipse cum paucis ingressus esset intra ambitum fani, clauserunt templum,	15 When the priests of the Nanaeon had displayed the treasures, Antiochus with a few attendants came to the temple precincts. As soon as he entered the temple, the priests locked the doors.
16 cum intrasset Antiochus : apertoque occulto aditu templi, mittentes lapides percusserunt ducem et eos qui cum eo erant : et diviserunt membratim, et capitibus amputatis foras projecerunt.	16 Then they opened a hidden trapdoor in the ceiling, hurled stones at the leader and his companions and struck them down. They dismembered the bodies, cut off their heads and tossed them to the people outside.
17 Per omnia benedictus Deus, qui tradidit impios.	17 Forever blessed be our God, who has thus punished the wicked!
18 Facturi igitur quinta et vigesima die mensis Casleu purificationem templi, necessarium duximus significare vobis : ut et vos quoque agatis diem scenopegiæ, et diem ignis, qui datus est quando Nehemias ædificato templo et altari obtulit sacrificia.	18 We shall be celebrating the purification of the temple on the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev, so we thought it right to inform you, that you too may celebrate the feast of Booths and of the fire that appeared when Nehemiah, the rebuilder of the temple and the altar, offered sacrifices.
19 Nam cum in Persidem ducerentur patres nostri, sacerdotes qui tunc cultores Dei erant, acceptum ignem de altari occulte absconderunt in valle, ubi erat puteus altus et siccus, et in eo contutati sunt eum, ita ut omnibus ignotus esset locus.	19 When our fathers were being exiled to Persia, devout priests of the time took some of the fire from the altar and hid it secretly in the hollow of a dry cistern, making sure that the place would be unknown to anyone.
20 Cum autem præterissent anni multi, et placuit Deo ut mitteretur Nehemias a rege Persidis, nepotes sacerdotum illorum qui absconderant, misit ad requirendum ignem : et sicut narraverunt nobis, non invenerunt ignem, sed aquam crassam.	20 Many years later, when it so pleased God, Nehemiah, commissioned by the king of Persia, sent the descendants of the priests who had hidden the fire to look for it.
21 Et jussit eos haurire, et afferre sibi : et sacrificia quæ imposita erant, jussit sacerdos Nehemias aspergi ipsa aqua : et ligna, et quæ erant superposita.	21 When they informed us that they could not find any fire, but only muddy water, he ordered them to scoop some out and bring it. After the material for the sacrifices had been prepared, Nehemiah ordered the priests to sprinkle with the water the wood and what lay on it.
22 Utque hoc factum est, et tempus affuit quo sol refulsit, qui prius erat in nubilo, accensus est ignis magnus, ita ut omnes mirarentur.	22 When this was done and in time the sun, which had been clouded over, began to shine, a great fire blazed up, so that everyone marveled.
23 Orationem autem faciebant omnes sacerdotes, dum consummaretur sacrificium, Jonatha inchoante, ceteris autem respondentibus.	23 While the sacrifice was being burned, the priests recited a prayer, and all present joined in with them, Jonathan leading and the rest responding with Nehemiah.
24 Et Nehemiæ erat oratio hunc habens modum : Domine Deus omnium creator, terribilis et fortis, justus et misericors, qui solus est bonus rex,	24 The prayer was as follows: "Lord, Lord God, creator of all things, awesome and strong, just and merciful, the only king and benefactor,
25 solus præstans, solus justus et omnipotens et æternus, qui liberas Israël de omni malo ; qui fecisti patres electos, et sanctificasti eos :	25 who alone are gracious, just, almighty, and eternal, Israel's savior from all evil, who chose our forefathers and sanctified them:
26 accipe sacrificium pro universo populo tuo Israël, et custodi partem tuam, et sanctifica.	26 accept this sacrifice on behalf of all your people Israel and guard and sanctify your heritage.
27 Congrega dispersionem nostram, libera eos qui serviunt gentibus, et contemptos et abominatos respice, ut sciant gentes quia tu es Deus noster.	27 Gather together our scattered people, free those who are the slaves of the Gentiles, look kindly on those who are despised and detested, and let the Gentiles know that you are our God.
28 Afflige opprimentes nos, et contumeliam facientes in superbia.	28 Punish those who tyrannize over us and arrogantly mistreat us.
29 Constitue populum tuum in loco sancto tuo, sicut dixit Moyses.	29 Plant your people in your holy place, as Moses promised."
30 Sacerdotes autem psallebant hymnos usquequo consumptum esset sacrificium.	30 Then the priests began to sing hymns.
31 Cum autem consumptum esset sacrificium, ex residua aqua Nehemias jussit lapides majores perfundi.	31 After the sacrifice was burned, Nehemiah ordered the rest of the liquid to be poured upon large stones.
32 Quod ut factum est, ex eis flamma accensa est : sed ex lumine quod refulsit ab altari, consumpta est.	32 As soon as this was done, a flame blazed up, but its light was lost in the brilliance cast from a light on the altar.
33 Ut vero manifestata est res, renuntiatum est regi Persarum quod in loco in quo ignem absconderent hi qui translati fuerant sacerdotes, aqua apparuit, de qua Nehemias, et qui cum eo erant, purificaverunt sacrificia.	33 When the event became known and the king of the Persians was told that, in the very place where the exiled priests had hidden the fire, a liquid was found with which Nehemiah and his people had burned the sacrifices,
34 Considerans autem rex, et rem diligenter examinans, fecit ei templum, ut probaret quod factum erat :	34 the king, after verifying the fact, fenced the place off and declared it sacred.
35 et cum probasset, sacerdotibus donavit multa bona, et alia atque alia munera : et accipiens manu sua, tribuebat eis.	35 To those on whom the king wished to bestow favors he distributed the large revenues he received there.
36 Appellavit autem Nehemias hunc locum Nephthar, quod interpretatur Purificatio : vocatur autem apud plures Nephi.	36 Nehemiah and his companions called the liquid nephthar, meaning purification, but most people named it naphtha.