Secondus Machabaeorum 15

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Nicanor autem, ut comperit Judam esse in locis Samariæ, cogitavit cum omni impetu die sabbati committere bellum.	1 When Nicanor learned that Judas and his companions were in the territory of Samaria, he decided to attack them in all safety on the day of rest.
2 Judæis vero qui illum per necessitatem sequebantur, dicentibus : Ne ita ferociter et barbare feceris, sed honorem tribue diei sanctificationis, et honora eum qui universa conspicit :	2 The Jews who were forced to follow him pleaded, "Do not massacre them in that way, like a savage barbarian, but show respect for the day which the All-seeing has exalted with holiness above all other days."
3 ille infelix interrogavit si est potens in cælo, qui imperavit agi diem sabbatorum.	3 At this the thrice-sinful wretch asked if there was a ruler in heaven who prescribed the keeping of the sabbath day.
4 Et respondentibus illis : Est Dominus vivus ipse in cælo potens, qui jussit agi septimam diem :	4 When they replied that there was indeed such a ruler in heaven, the living LORD himself, who commanded the observance of the sabbath day,
5 at ille ait : Et ego potens sum super terram qui impero sumi arma, et negotia regis impleri. Tamen non obtinuit ut consilium perficeret.	5 he said, "I, on my part, am ruler on earth, and my orders are that you take up arms and carry out the king's business." Nevertheless he did not succeed in carrying out his cruel plan.
6 Et Nicanor quidem cum summa superbia erectus, cogitaverat commune trophæum statuere de Juda.	6 In his utter boastfulness and arrogance Nicanor had determined to erect a public monument of victory over Judas and his men.
7 Machabæus autem semper confidebat cum omni spe auxilium sibi a Deo affuturum :	7 But Maccabeus remained confident, fully convinced that he would receive help from the LORD.
8 et hortabatur suos ne formidarent ad adventum nationum, sed in mente haberent adjutoria sibi facta de cælo, et nunc sperarent ab Omnipotente sibi affuturam victoriam.	8 He urged his men not to fear the enemy, but mindful of the help they had received from Heaven in the past, to expect that now, too, victory would be given them by the Almighty.
9 Et allocutus eos de lege et prophetis, admonens etiam certamina quæ fecerant prius, promptiores constituit eos :	9 By encouraging them with words from the law and the prophets, and by reminding them of the battles they had already won, he filled them with fresh enthusiasm.
10 et ita animis eorum erectis simul ostendebat gentium fallaciam, et juramentorum prævaricationem.	10 Having stirred up their courage, he gave his orders and pointed out at the same time the perfidy of the Gentiles and their violation of oaths.
11 Singulos autem illorum armavit, non clypei et hastæ munitione, sed sermonibus optimis et exhortationibus, exposito digno fide somnio, per quod universos lætificavit.	11 When he had armed each of them, not so much with the safety of shield and spear as with the encouragement of noble words, he cheered them all by relating a dream, a kind of vision, worthy of belief.
12 Erat autem hujuscemodi visus : Oniam, qui fuerat summus sacerdos, virum bonum et benignum, verecundum visu, modestum moribus, et eloquio decorum, et qui a puero in virtutibus exercitatus sit, manus protendentem orare pro omni populo Judæorum.	12 What he saw was this: Onias, the former high priest, a good and virtuous man, modest in appearance, gentle in manners, distinguished in speech, and trained from childhood in every virtuous practice, was praying with outstretched arms for the whole Jewish community.
13 Post hoc apparuisse et alium virum ætate et gloria mirabilem, et magni decoris habitudine circa illum.	13 Then in the same way another man appeared, distinguished by his white hair and dignity, and with an air about him of extraordinary, majestic authority.
14 Respondentem vero Oniam dixisse : Hic est fratrum amator, et populi Israël : hic est qui multum orat pro populo et universa sancta civitate, Jeremias propheta Dei.	14 Onias then said of him, "This is God's prophet Jeremiah, who loves his brethren and fervently prays for his people and their holy city."
15 Extendisse autem Jeremiam dextram, et dedisse Judæ gladium aureum, dicentem :	15 Stretching out his right hand, Jeremiah presented a gold sword to Judas. As he gave it to him he said,
16 Accipe sanctum gladium munus a Deo, in quo dejicies adversarios populi mei Israël.	16 "Accept this holy sword as a gift from God; with it you shall crush your adversaries."
17 Exhortati itaque Judæ sermonibus bonis valde, de quibus extolli posset impetus, et animi juvenum confortari, statuerunt dimicare et confligere fortiter : ut virtus de negotiis judicaret, eo quod civitas sancta et templum periclitarentur.	17 Encouraged by Judas' noble words, which had power to instill valor and stir young hearts to courage, the Jews determined not to delay, but to charge gallantly and decide the issue by hand-to-hand combat with the utmost courage, since their city and its temple with the sacred vessels were in danger.
18 Erat enim pro uxoribus et filiis, itemque pro fratribus et cognatis, minor sollicitudo : maximus vero et primus pro sanctitate timor erat templi.	18 They were not so much concerned about their wives and children or their brothers and kinsmen; their first and foremost fear was for the consecrated sanctuary.
19 Sed et eos qui in civitate erant, non minima sollicitudo habebat pro his qui congressuri erant.	19 Those who remained in the city suffered a like agony, anxious as they were about the battle in the open country.
20 Et cum jam omnes sperarent judicium futurum, hostesque adessent atque exercitus esset ordinatus, bestiæ equitesque opportuno in loco compositi,	20 Everyone now awaited the decisive moment. The enemy were already drawing near with their troops drawn up in battle line, their elephants placed in strategic positions, and their cavalry stationed on the flanks.
21 considerans Machabæus adventum multitudinis, et apparatum varium armorum, et ferocitatem bestiarum, extendens manus in cælum, prodigia facientem Dominum invocavit, qui non secundum armorum potentiam, sed prout ipsi placet, dat dignis victoriam.	21 Maccabeus, contemplating the hosts before him, their elaborate equipment, and the fierceness of their elephants, stretched out his hands toward heaven and called upon the LORD who works miracles; for he knew that it is not through arms but through the LORD'S decision that victory is won by those who deserve it.
22 Dixit autem invocans hoc modo : Tu Domine, qui misisti angelum tuum sub Ezechia rege Juda, et interfecisti de castris Sennacherib centum octoginta quinque millia :	22 He prayed to him thus: "You, O LORD, sent your angel in the days of King Hezekiah of Judea, and he slew a hundred and eighty-five thousand men of Sennacherib's army.
23 et nunc, dominator cælorum, mitte angelum tuum bonum ante nos in timore et tremore magnitudinis brachii tui,	23 Sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel now to spread fear and dread before us.
24 ut metuant qui cum blasphemia veniunt adversus sanctum populum tuum. Et hic quidem ita peroravit.	24 By the might of your arm may those be struck down who have blasphemously come against your holy people!" With this he ended his prayer.
25 Nicanor autem et qui cum ipso erant, cum tubis et canticis admovebant.	25 Nicanor and his men advanced to the sound of trumpets and battle songs.
26 Judas vero et qui cum eo erant, invocato Deo, per orationes congressi sunt :	26 But Judas and his men met the army with supplication and prayers.
27 manu quidem pugnantes, sed Dominum cordibus orantes, prostraverunt non minus triginta quinque millia, præsentia Dei magnifice delectati.	27 Fighting with their hands and praying to God with their hearts, they laid low at least thirty-five thousand, and rejoiced greatly over this manifestation of God's power.
28 Cumque cessassent, et cum gaudio redirent, cognoverunt Nicanorem ruisse cum armis suis.	28 When the battle was over and they were joyfully departing, they discovered Nicanor lying there in all his armor;
29 Facto itaque clamore, et perturbatione excitata, patria voce omnipotentem Dominum benedicebant.	29 so they raised tumultuous shouts in their native tongue in praise of the divine Sovereign.
30 Præcepit autem Judas, qui per omnia corpore et animo mori pro civibus paratus erat, caput Nicanoris, et manum cum humero abscissam, Jerosolymam perferri.	30 Then Judas, who was ever in body and soul the chief defender of his fellow citizens, and had maintained from youth his affection for his countrymen, ordered Nicanor's head and whole right arm to be cut off and taken to Jerusalem.
31 Quo cum pervenisset, convocatis contribulibus et sacerdotibus ad altare, accersiit et eos qui in arce erant.	31 When he arrived there, he assembled his countrymen, stationed the priests before the altar, and sent for those in the citadel.
32 Et ostenso capite Nicanoris, et manu nefaria quam extendens contra domum sanctam omnipotentis Dei magnifice gloriatus est.	32 He showed them the vile Nicanor's head and the wretched blasphemer's arm that had been boastfully stretched out against the holy dwelling of the Almighty.
33 Linguam etiam impii Nicanoris præcisam jussit particulatim avibus dari : manum autem dementis contra templum suspendi.	33 He cut out the tongue of the godless Nicanor, saying he would feed it piecemeal to the birds and would hang up the other wages of his folly opposite the temple.
34 Omnes igitur cæli benedixerunt Dominum, dicentes : Benedictus qui locum suum incontaminatum servavit.	34 At this, everyone looked toward heaven and praised the Lord who manifests his divine power, saying, "Blessed be he who has kept his own Place undefiled!"
35 Suspendit autem Nicanoris caput in summa arce, ut evidens esset, et manifestum signum auxilii Dei.	35 Judas hung up Nicanor's head on the wall of the citadel, a clear and evident proof to all of the Lord's help.
36 Itaque omnes communi consilio decreverunt nullo modo diem istum absque celebritate præterire :	36 By public vote it was unanimously decreed never to let this day pass unobserved, but to celebrate it on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, called Adar in Aramaic, the eve of Mordecai's Day.
37 habere autem celebritatem tertiadecima die mensis Adar, quod dicitur voce syriaca, pridie Mardochæi diei.	37 Since Nicanor's doings ended in this way, with the city remaining in possession of the Hebrews from that time on, I will bring my own story to an end here too.
38 Igitur his erga Nicanorem gestis, et ex illis temporibus ab Hebræis civitate possessa, ego quoque in his faciam finem sermonis.	38 If it is well written and to the point, that is what I wanted; if it is poorly done and mediocre, that is the best I could do.
39 Et si quidem bene, et ut historiæ competit, hoc et ipse velim : sin autem minus digne, concedendum est mihi.	39 Just as it is harmful to drink wine alone or water alone, whereas mixing wine with water makes a more pleasant drink that increases delight, so a skillfully composed story delights the ears of those who read the work. Let this, then, be the end.
40 Sicut enim vinum semper bibere, aut semper aquam, contrarium est ; alternis autem uti, delectabile : ita legentibus si semper exactus sit sermo, non erit gratus. Hic ergo erit consummatus.