Secondus Machabaeorum 2

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Invenitur autem in descriptionibus Jeremiæ prophetæ, quod jussit eos ignem accipere qui transmigrabant, ut significatum est, et ut mandavit transmigratis.	1 You will find in the records, not only that Jeremiah the prophet ordered the deportees to take some of the aforementioned fire with them,
2 Et dedit illis legem, ne obliviscerentur præcepta Domini, et non exerrarent mentibus, videntes simulacra aurea et argentea, et ornamenta eorum.	2 but also that the prophet, in giving them the law, admonished them not to forget the commandments of the Lord or be led astray in their thoughts, when seeing the gold and silver idols and their ornaments.
3 Et alia hujusmodi dicens, hortabatur ne legem amoverent a corde suo.	3 With other similar words he urged them not to let the law depart from their hearts.
4 Erat autem in ipsa scriptura, quomodo tabernaculum et arcam jussit propheta divino responso ad se facto comitari secum, usquequo exiit in montem in quo Moyses ascendit, et vidit Dei hæreditatem.	4 The same document also tells how the prophet, following a divine revelation, ordered that the tent and the ark should accompany him and how he went off to the mountain which Moses climbed to see God's inheritance.
5 Et veniens ibi Jeremias, invenit locum speluncæ : et tabernaculum, et arcam, et altare incensi intulit illuc, et ostium obstruxit.	5 When Jeremiah arrived there, he found a room in a cave in which he put the tent, the ark, and the altar of incense; then he blocked up the entrance.
6 Et accesserunt quidam simul, qui sequebantur, ut notarent sibi locum : et non potuerunt invenire.	6 Some of those who followed him came up intending to mark the path, but they could not find it.
7 Ut autem cognovit Jeremias, culpans illos dixit : Quod ignotus erit locus donec congreget Deus congregationem populi, et propitius fiat :	7 When Jeremiah heard of this, he reproved them: "The place is to remain unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows them mercy.
8 et tunc Dominus ostendet hæc, et apparebit majestas Domini, et nubes erit, sicut et Moysi manifestabatur, et sicut cum Salomon petiit ut locus sanctificaretur magno Deo, manifestabat hæc.	8 Then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord will be seen in the cloud, just as it appeared in the time of Moses and when Solomon prayed that the Place might be gloriously sanctified."
9 Magnifice etenim sapientiam tractabat : et ut sapientiam habens, obtulit sacrificium dedicationis et consummationis templi.	9 It is also related how Solomon in his wisdom offered a sacrifice at the dedication and the completion of the temple.
10 Sicut et Moyses orabat ad Dominum, et descendit ignis de cælo et consumpsit holocaustum, sic et Salomon oravit, et descendit ignis de cælo et consumpsit holocaustum.	10 Just as Moses prayed to the Lord and fire descended from the sky and consumed the sacrifices, so Solomon also prayed and fire came down and burned up the holocausts.
11 Et dixit Moyses : Eo quod non sit comestum quod erat pro peccato, consumptum est.	11 Moses had said, "Because it had not been eaten, the sin offering was burned up."
12 Similiter et Salomon octo diebus celebravit dedicationem.	12 Solomon also celebrated the feast in the same way for eight days.
13 Inferebantur autem in descriptionibus et commentariis Nehemiæ hæc eadem : et ut construens bibliothecam congregavit de regionibus libros et prophetarum et David, et epistolas regum, et de donariis.	13 Besides these things, it is also told in the records and in Nehemiah's Memoirs how he collected the books about the kings, the writings of the prophets and of David, and the royal letters about sacred offerings.
14 Similiter autem et Judas ea quæ deciderant per bellum quod nobis acciderat, congregavit omnia, et sunt apud nos.	14 In like manner Judas also collected for us the books that had been scattered because of the war, and we now have them in our possession.
15 Si ergo desideratis hæc, mittite qui perferant vobis.	15 If you need them, send messengers to get them for you.
16 Acturi itaque purificationem scripsimus vobis : bene ergo facietis, si egeritis hos dies.	16 As we are about to celebrate the feast of the purification of the temple, we are writing to you requesting you also to please celebrate the feast.
17 Deus autem, qui liberavit populum suum, et reddidit hæreditatem omnibus, et regnum, et sacerdotium, et sanctificationem,	17 It is God who has saved all his people and has restored to all of them their heritage, the kingdom, the priesthood, and the sacred rites,
18 sicut promisit in lege, speramus quod cito nostri miserebitur, et congregavit de sub cælo in locum sanctum.	18 as he promised through the law. We trust in God, that he will soon have mercy on us and gather us together from everywhere under the heavens to his holy Place, for he has rescued us from great perils and has purified his Place.
19 Eripuit enim nos de magnis periculis, et locum purgavit.	19 This is the story of Judas Maccabeus and his brothers, of the purification of the great temple, the dedication of the altar,
20 De Juda vero Machabæo, et fratribus ejus, et de templi magni purificatione, et de aræ dedicatione,	20 the campaigns against Antiochus Epiphanes and his son Eupator,
21 sed et de præliis quæ pertinent ad Antiochum Nobilem et filium ejus Eupatorem,	21 and of the heavenly manifestations accorded to the heroes who fought bravely for Judaism, so that, few as they were, they seized the whole land, put to flight the barbarian hordes,
22 et de illuminationibus quæ de cælo factæ sunt ad eos qui pro Judæis fortiter fecerunt, ita ut universam regionem, cum pauci essent, vindicarent, et barbaram multitudinem fugarent,	22 regained possession of the world-famous temple, liberated the city, and reestablished the laws that were in danger of being abolished, while the Lord favored them with all his generous assistance.
23 et famosissimum in toto orbe templum recuperarent, et civitatem liberarent, et leges quæ abolitæ erant, restituerentur, Domino cum omni tranquillitate propitio facto illis.	23 All this, which Jason of Cyrene set forth in detail in five volumes, we will try to condense into a single book.
24 Itemque ab Jasone Cyrenæo quinque libris comprehensa tentavimus nos uno volumine breviare.	24 In view of the flood of statistics, and the difficulties encountered by those who wish to plunge into historical narratives where the material is abundant,
25 Considerantes enim multitudinem librorum, et difficultatem volentibus aggredi narrationes historiarum propter multitudinem rerum,	25 we have aimed to please those who prefer simple reading, as well as to make it easy for the studious who wish to commit things to memory, and to be helpful to all.
26 curavimus volentibus quidem legere, ut esset animi oblectatio : studiosis vero, ut facilius possint memoriæ commendare : omnibus autem legentibus utilitas conferatur.	26 For us who have taken upon ourselves the labor of making this digest, the task, far from being easy, is one of sweat and of sleepless nights,
27 Et nobis quidem ipsis, qui hoc opus breviandi causa suscepimus, non facilem laborem, immo vero negotium plenum vigiliarum et sudoris assumpsimus.	27 just as the preparation of a festive banquet is no light matter for one who thus seeks to give enjoyment to others. Similarly, to win the gratitude of many we will gladly endure these inconveniences,
28 Sicut hi qui præparant convivium, et quærunt aliorum voluntati parere propter multorum gratiam, libenter laborem sustinemus.	28 while we leave the responsibility for exact details to the original author, and confine our efforts to giving only a summary outline.
29 Veritatem quidem de singulis auctoribus concedentes, ipsi autem secundum datam formam brevitati studentes.	29 As the architect of a new house must give his attention to the whole structure, while the man who undertakes the decoration and the frescoes has only to concern himself with what is needed for ornamentation, so I think it is with us.
30 Sicut enim novæ domus architecto de universa structura curandum est ; ei vero qui pingere curat, quæ apta sunt ad ornatum exquirenda sunt : ita æstimandum est et in nobis.	30 To enter into questions and examine them thoroughly from all sides is the task of the professional historian;
31 Etenim intellectum colligere, et ordinare sermonem, et curiosius partes singulas quasque disquirere, historiæ congruit auctori :	31 but the man who is making an adaptation should be allowed to aim at brevity of expression and to omit detailed treatment of the matter.
32 brevitatem vero dictionis sectari, et executiones rerum vitare, brevianti concedendum est.	32 Here, then, we shall begin our account without further ado; it would be nonsense to write a long preface to a story and then abbreviate the story itself.
33 Hinc ergo narrationem incipiemus : de præfatione tantum dixisse sufficiat. Stultum etenim est ante historiam effluere, in ipsa autem historia succingi.