Secondus Machabaeorum 9

VULGATA	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Eodem tempore, Antiochus inhoneste revertebatur de Perside.	1 But Judas Machabeus, and they that were with him, went privately into the towns: and calling together their kinsmen and friends, and taking unto them such as continued in the Jews' religion, they assembled six thousand men.
2 Intraverat enim in eam quæ dicitur Persepolis, et tentavit expoliare templum, et civitatem opprimere : sed multitudine ad arma concurrente, in fugam versi sunt : et ita contigit ut Antiochus post fugam turpiter rediret.	2 And they called upon the Lord that he would look upon his people that was trodden down by all, and would have pity on the temple, that was defiled by the wicked:
3 Et cum venisset circa Ecbatanam, recognovit quæ erga Nicanorem et Timotheum gesta sunt.	3 That he would have pity also upon the city that was destroyed, that was ready to be made even with the ground, and would hear the voice of the blood that cried to him:
4 Elatus autem in ira, arbitrabatur se injuriam illorum qui se fugaverant posse in Judæos retorquere : ideoque jussit agitari currum suum sine intermissione agens iter, cælesti eum judicio perurgente, eo quod ita superbe locutus est se venturum Jerosolymam, et congeriem sepulchri Judæorum eam facturum.	4 That he would remember also the most unjust deaths of innocent children, and the blasphemies offered to his name, and would shew his indignation on this occasion.
5 Sed qui universa conspicit Dominus Deus Israël, percussit eum insanabili et invisibili plaga. Ut enim finivit hunc ipsum sermonem, apprehendit eum dolor dirus viscerum, et amara internorum tormenta :	5 Now when Machabeus had gathered a multitude, he could not be withstood by the heathens: for the wrath of the Lord was turned into mercy.
6 et quidem satis juste, quippe qui multis et novis cruciatibus aliorum torserat viscera, licet ille nullo modo a sua malitia cessaret.	6 So coming unawares upon the towns and cities, he set them on fire, and taking possession of the most commodious places, he made no small slaughter of the enemies
7 Super hoc autem superbia repletus, ignem spirans animo in Judæos, et præcipiens accelerari negotium, contigit illum impetu euntem de curru cadere, et gravi corporis collisione membra vexari.	7 And especially in the nights he went upon these expeditions, and the fame of his valour was spread abroad every where.
8 Isque qui sibi videbatur etiam fluctibus maris imperare, supra humanum modum superbia repletus, et montium altitudines in statera appendere, nunc humiliatus ad terram in gestatorio portabatur, manifestam Dei virtutem in semetipso contestans :	8 Then Philip, seeing that the man gained ground by little and little, and that things for the most part succeeded prosperously with him, wrote to Ptolemee the governor of Celesyria and Phenicia, to send aid to the king's affairs.
9 ita ut de corpore impii vermes scaturirent, ac viventis in doloribus carnes ejus effluerent, odore etiam illius et fœtore exercitus gravaretur :	9 And he with all speed sent Nicanor the son of Patroclus, one of his special friends, giving him no fewer than twenty thousand armed men of different nations, to root out the whole race of the Jews, joining also with him Gorgias, a good soldier, and of great experience in matters of war.
10 et qui paulo ante sidera cæli contingere se arbitrabatur, eum nemo poterat propter intolerantiam fœtoris portare.	10 And Nicanor purposed to raise for the king the tribute of two thousand talents, that was to be given to the Romans, by making so much money of the captive Jews:
11 Hinc igitur cœpit ex gravi superbia deductus ad agnitionem sui venire, divina admonitus plaga, per momenta singula doloribus suis augmenta capientibus.	11 Wherefore he sent immediately to the cities upon the sea coast, to invite men together to buy up the Jewish slaves, promising that they should have ninety slaves for one talent, not reflecting on the vengeance, which was to follow him from the Almighty.
12 Et cum nec ipse jam fœtorem suum ferre posset, ita ait : Justum est subditum esse Deo, et mortalem non paria Deo sentire.	12 Now when Judas found that Nicanor was coming, he imparted to the Jews that were with him, that the enemy was at hand.
13 Orabat autem hic scelestus Dominum, a quo non esset misericordiam consecuturus.	13 And some of them being afraid, and distrusting the justice of God, fled away:
14 Et civitatem, ad quam festinans veniebat ut eam ad solum deduceret ac sepulchrum congestorum faceret, nunc optat liberam reddere :	14 Others sold all that they had left, and withal besought the Lord, that he would deliver them from the wicked Nicanor, who had sold them before he came near them:
15 et Judæos, quos nec sepultura quidem se dignos habiturum, sed avibus ac feris diripiendos traditurum, et cum parvulis exterminaturum dixerat, æquales nunc Atheniensibus facturum pollicetur :	15 And if not for their sakes, yet for the covenant that he had made with their fathers, and for the sake of his holy and glorious name that was invoked upon them.
16 templum etiam sanctum, quod prius expoliaverat, optimis donis ornaturum, et sancta vasa multiplicaturum, et pertinentes ad sacrificia sumptus de redditibus suis præstaturum :	16 But Machabeus calling together seven thousand that were with him, exhorted them not to be reconciled to the enemies, nor to fear the multitude of the enemies who came wrongfully against them, but to fight manfully:
17 super hæc, et Judæum se futurum, et omnem locum terræ perambulaturum, et prædicaturum Dei potestatem.	17 Setting before their eyes the injury they had unjustly done the holy place, and also the injury they had done to the city, which had been shamefully abused, besides their destroying the ordinances of the fathers.
18 Sed non cessantibus doloribus (supervenerat enim in eum justum Dei judicium), desperans scripsit ad Judæos in modum deprecationis epistolam hæc continentem :	18 For, said he, they trust in their weapons, and in their boldness: but we trust in the Almighty Lord, who at a beck can utterly destroy both them that come against us, and the whole world.
19 Optimis civibus Judæis plurimam salutem, et bene valere, et esse felices, rex et principes Antiochus.	19 Moreover he put them in mind also of the helps their fathers had received from God: and how under Sennacherib a hundred and eighty-five thousand had been destroyed.
20 Si bene valetis, et filii vestri, et ex sententia vobis cuncta sunt, maximas agimus gratias.	20 And of the battle that they had fought against the Galatians in Babylonia, how they, being in all but six thousand, when it came to the point, and Macedonians their companions were a stand, slew a hundred and twenty thousand, because of the help they had from heaven, and for this they received many favours.
21 Et ego in infirmitate constitutus, vestri autem memor benigne reversus de Persidis locis, et infirmitate gravi apprehensus, necessarium duxi pro communi utilitate curam habere :	21 With these words they were greatly encouraged, and disposed even to die for the laws and their country.
22 non desperans memetipsum, sed spem multam habens effugiendi infirmitatem.	22 So he appointed his brethren cap over each division of his army, Simon, and Joseph, and Jonathan, giving to one fifteen hundred men.
23 Respiciens autem quod et pater meus, quibus temporibus in locis superioribus ducebat exercitum, ostendit qui post se susciperet principatum :	23 And after the holy Book had been read to them by Esdras, and he had given them for a watchword, The help of God: himself leading the first band, he joined battle with Nicanor:
24 ut si quid contrarium accideret, aut difficile nuntiaretur, scientes hi qui in regionibus erant, cui esset rerum summa derelicta, non turbarentur.	24 And the Almighty being their helper, they slew above nine thousand men: and having wounded and disabled the greater part of Nicanor's army, they obliged them to fly.
25 Ad hæc, considerans de proximo potentes quosque et vicinos temporibus insidiantes, et eventum exspectantes, designavi filium meum Antiochum regem, quem sæpe recurrens in superiora regna multis vestrum commendabam : et scripsi ad eum quæ subjecta sunt.	25 And they took the money of them that came to buy them, and they pursued them on every side.
26 Ora itaque vos, et peto memores beneficiorum publice et privatim, ut unusquisque conservet fidem ad me et ad filium meum.	26 But they came back for want of time: for it was the day before the sabbath: and therefore they did not continue the pursuit.
27 Confido enim eum modeste et humane acturum, et sequentem propositum meum, et communem vobis fore.	27 But when they had gathered together their arms and their spoils, they kept the sabbath: blessing the Lord who had delivered them that day, distilling the beginning of mercy upon them.
28 Igitur homicida et blasphemus pessime percussus, et ut ipse alios tractaverat, peregre in montibus miserabili obitu vita functus est.	28 Then after the sabbath they divided the spoils to the feeble and the orphans, and the widows: and the rest they took for themselves and their servants.
29 Transferebat autem corpus Philippus collactaneus ejus : qui, metuens filium Antiochi, ad Ptolemæum Philometorem in Ægyptum abiit.	29 When this was done, and they had all made a common supplication, they besought the merciful Lord to be reconciled to his servants unto the end.
	30 Moreover they slew above twenty thousand of them that were with Timotheus and Bacchides who fought them, and they made themselves masters of the high strong holds: and they divided amongst them many spoils, giving equal portions to the feeble, the fatherless and the widows, yea and the aged also.
	31 And when they had carefully gathered together their arms, they laid them all up in convenient places, and the residue of their spoils they carried to Jerusalem :
	32 They slew also Philarches who was with Timotheus, a wicked man, who had many ways afflicted the Jews.
	33 And when they kept the feast of the victory at Jerusalem, they burnt Callisthenes, that had set fire to the holy gates, who had taken refuge in a certain house, rendering to him a worthy reward for his impieties:
	34 But as for that most wicked man Nicanor, who had brought a thousand merchants to the sale of the Jews,
	35 Being through the help of the Lord brought down by them, of whom he had made no account, laying; aside his garment of glory, fleeing through the midland country, he came alone to Antioch, being rendered very unhappy by the destruction of his army.
	36 And he that had promised to levy the tribute for the Romans by the means of the captives of Jerusalem, now professed that the Jews had God for their protector, and therefore they could not be hurt, because they followed the laws appointed by him.