Secondus Machabaeorum 6

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Sed non post multum temporis, misit rex senem quemdam Antiochenum, qui compelleret Judæos ut se transferrent a patriis et Dei legibus :	1 Not long after this the king sent an Athenian senator to force the Jews to abandon the customs of their ancestors and live no longer by the laws of God;
2 contaminare etiam quod in Jerosolymis erat templum, et cognominare Jovis Olympii : et in Garizim, prout erant hi qui locum inhabitabant, Jovis hospitalis.	2 also to profane the temple in Jerusalem and dedicate it to Olympian Zeus, and that on Mount Gerizim to Zeus the Hospitable, as the inhabitants of the place requested.
3 Pessima autem et universis gravis erat malorum incursio :	3 This intensified the evil in an intolerable and utterly disgusting way.
4 nam templum luxuria et comessationibus gentium erat plenum, et scortantium cum meretricibus : sacratisque ædibus mulieres se ultro ingerebant, intro ferentes ea quæ non licebat.	4 The Gentiles filled the temple with debauchery and revelry; they amused themselves with prostitutes and had intercourse with women even in the sacred court. They also brought into the temple things that were forbidden,
5 Altare etiam plenum erat illicitis, quæ legibus prohibebantur.	5 so that the altar was covered with abominable offerings prohibited by the laws.
6 Neque autem sabbata custodiebantur, neque dies solemnes patrii servabantur, nec simpliciter Judæum se esse quisquam confitebatur.	6 A man could not keep the sabbath or celebrate the traditional feasts, nor even admit that he was a Jew.
7 Ducebantur autem cum amara necessitate in die natalis regis ad sacrificia : et cum Liberi sacra celebrarentur, cogebantur hedera coronati Libero circuire.	7 Moreover, at the monthly celebration of the king's birthday the Jews had, from bitter necessity, to partake of the sacrifices, and when the festival of Dionysus was celebrated, they were compelled to march in his procession, wearing wreaths of ivy.
8 Decretum autem exiit in proximas gentilium civitates, suggerentibus Ptolemæis, ut pari modo et ipsi adversus Judæos agerent, ut sacrificarent :	8 At the suggestion of the citizens of Ptolemais, a decree was issued ordering the neighboring Greek cities to act in the same way against the Jews: oblige them to partake of the sacrifices,
9 eos autem qui nollent transire ad instituta gentium, interficerent : erat ergo videre miseriam.	9 and put to death those who would not consent to adopt the customs of the Greeks. It was obvious, therefore, that disaster impended.
10 Duæ enim mulieres delatæ sunt natos suos circumcidisse : quas, infantibus ad ubera suspensis, cum publice per civitatem circumduxissent, per muros præcipitaverunt.	10 Thus, two women who were arrested for having circumcised their children were publicly paraded about the city with their babies hanging at their breasts and then thrown down from the top of the city wall.
11 Alii vero, ad proximas coëuntes speluncas, et latenter sabbati diem celebrantes, cum indicati essent Philippo, flammis succensi sunt, eo quod verebantur propter religionem et observantiam manu sibimet auxilium ferre.	11 Others, who had assembled in nearby caves to observe the sabbath in secret, were betrayed to Philip and all burned to death. In their respect for the holiness of that day, they had scruples about defending themselves.
12 Obsecro autem eos qui hunc librum lecturi sunt, ne abhorrescant propter adversos casus : sed reputent ea quæ acciderunt, non ad interitum, sed ad correptionem esse generis nostri.	12 Now I beg those who read this book not to be disheartened by these misfortunes, but to consider that these chastisements were meant not for the ruin but for the correction of our nation.
13 Etenim multo tempore non sinere peccatoribus ex sententia agere, sed statim ultiones adhibere, magni beneficii est indicium.	13 It is, in fact, a sign of great kindness to punish sinners promptly instead of letting them go for long.
14 Non enim, sicut in aliis nationibus, Dominus patienter exspectat, ut eas cum judicii dies advenerit, in plenitudine peccatorum puniat :	14 Thus, in dealing with other nations, the Lord patiently waits until they reach the full measure of their sins before he punishes them; but with us he has decided to deal differently,
15 ita et in nobis statuit ut, peccatis nostris in finem devolutis, ita demum in nos vindicet.	15 in order that he may not have to punish us more severely later, when our sins have reached their fullness.
16 Propter quod numquam quidem a nobis misericordiam suam amovet : corripiens vero in adversis, populum suum non dereliquit.	16 He never withdraws his mercy from us. Although he disciplines us with misfortunes, he does not abandon his own people.
17 Sed hæc nobis ad commonitionem legentium dicta sint paucis. Jam enim veniendum est ad narrationem.	17 Let these words suffice for recalling this truth. Without further ado we must go on with our story.
18 Igitur Eleazarus, unus de primoribus scribarum, vir ætate provectus, et vultu decorus, aperto ore hians compellebatur carnem porcinam manducare.	18 Eleazar, one of the foremost scribes, a man of advanced age and noble appearance, was being forced to open his mouth to eat pork.
19 At ille gloriosissimam mortem magis quam odibilem vitam complectens, voluntarie præibat ad supplicium.	19 But preferring a glorious death to a life of defilement, he spat out the meat, and went forward of his own accord to the instrument of torture,
20 Intuens autem quemadmodum oporteret accedere, patienter sustinens, destinavit non admittere illicita propter vitæ amorem.	20 as men ought to do who have the courage to reject the food which it is unlawful to taste even for love of life.
21 Hi autem qui astabant, iniqua miseratione commoti propter antiquam viri amicitiam, tollentes eum secreto rogabant afferri carnes quibus vesci ei licebat, ut simularetur manducasse sicut rex imperaverat de sacrificii carnibus,	21 Those in charge of that unlawful ritual meal took the man aside privately, because of their long acquaintance with him, and urged him to bring meat of his own providing, such as he could legitimately eat, and to pretend to be eating some of the meat of the sacrifice prescribed by the king;
22 ut hoc facto, a morte liberaretur : et propter veterem viri amicitiam, hanc in eo faciebant humanitatem.	22 in this way he would escape the death penalty, and be treated kindly because of their old friendship with him.
23 At ille cogitare cœpit ætatis ac senectutis suæ eminentiam dignam, et ingenitæ nobilitatis canitiem, atque a puero optimæ conversationis actus : et secundum sanctæ et a Deo conditæ legis constituta, respondit cito, dicens præmitti se velle in infernum.	23 But he made up his mind in a noble manner, worthy of his years, the dignity of his advanced age, the merited distinction of his gray hair, and of the admirable life he had lived from childhood; and so he declared that above all he would be loyal to the holy laws given by God. He told them to send him at once to the abode of the dead, explaining:
24 Non enim ætati nostræ dignum est, inquit, fingere : ut multi adolescentium, arbitrantes Eleazarum nonaginta annorum transisse ad vitam alienigenarum,	24 "At our age it would be unbecoming to make such a pretense; many young men would think the ninety-year-old Eleazar had gone over to an alien religion.
25 et ipsi propter meam simulationem, et propter modicum corruptibilis vitæ tempus decipiantur, et per hoc maculam atque execrationem meæ senectuti conquiram.	25 Should I thus dissimulate for the sake of a brief moment of life, they would be led astray by me, while I would bring shame and dishonor on my old age.
26 Nam etsi in præsenti tempore suppliciis hominum eripiar, sed manum Omnipotentis nec vivus, nec defunctus, effugiam.	26 Even if, for the time being, I avoid the punishment of men, I shall never, whether alive or dead, escape the hands of the Almighty.
27 Quam ob rem fortiter vita excedendo, senectute quidem dignus apparebo :	27 Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now, I will prove myself worthy of my old age,
28 adolescentibus autem exemplum forte relinquam, si prompto animo ac fortiter pro gravissimis ac sanctissimis legibus honesta morte perfungar. His dictis, confestim ad supplicium trahebatur.	28 and I will leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and generously for the revered and holy laws." He spoke thus, and went immediately to the instrument of torture.
29 Hi autem qui eum ducebant, et paulo ante fuerant mitiores, in iram conversi sunt propter sermones ab eo dictos, quos illi per arrogantiam prolatos arbitrabantur.	29 Those who shortly before had been kindly disposed, now became hostile toward him because what he had said seemed to them utter madness.
30 Sed cum plagis perimeretur, ingemuit, et dixit : Domine, qui habes sanctam scientiam, manifeste tu scis quia cum a morte possem liberari, duros corporis sustineo dolores : secundum animam vero propter timorem tuum libenter hæc patior.	30 When he was about to die under the blows, he groaned and said: "The Lord in his holy knowledge knows full well that, although I could have escaped death, I am not only enduring terrible pain in my body from this scourging, but also suffering it with joy in my soul because of my devotion to him."
31 Et iste quidem hoc modo vita decessit, non solum juvenibus, sed et universæ genti memoriam mortis suæ ad exemplum virtutis et fortitudinis derelinquens.	31 This is how he died, leaving in his death a model of courage and an unforgettable example of virtue not only for the young but for the whole nation.