II Livro dos Macabeus 9

SAGRADA BIBLIA	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Por essa mesma ocasião, voltava Antíoco da Pérsia, coberto de vergonha.	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 Pois, entrando na cidade que se chamava Persépolis, ele havia tentado saquear o templo e ocupar a cidade, mas o povo se revoltou e pegou em armas, para defender-se; com isso, Antíoco viu-se forçado pelos	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 Achando-se perto de Ecbátana, soube da derrota de Nicanor e do exército de Timóteo.	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 Num arroubo de cólera, resolveu desforrar imediatamente nos judeus o mal que lhe haviam feito os que o tinham obrigado a fugir, e deu ordem ao condutor de seu carro de prosseguir sem parar, a fim de conseguir o mais depressa possível seu intento: na realidade, a sentença do céu já havia caído sobre ele. Exclamava com presunção: Assim que chegar, farei de Jerusalém o sepulcro dos judeus.	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 Mas o Senhor Deus de Israel, que tudo vê, feriu-o com um mal implacável e misterioso. Mal acabara de pronunciar essas palavras, aconteceu que ele foi assaltado por atrozes dores nas entranhas e agudos tormentos no interior;	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 e era muito justo, pois ele mesmo havia rasgado as entranhas aos outros por inauditos tormentos!	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 Todavia, em nada desistiu da sua arrogância; pelo contrário, sempre cheio de soberba, exalava contra os judeus o fogo de sua cólera e ordenava que se apressasse a caminhada, quando repentinamente caiu da carroça, arrancado pela violência da corrida e, na queda fatal, quebrou todos os membros.	7 And especially in the nights he went upon these expeditions, and the fame of his valour was spread abroad every where.
8 O homem que, pouco antes, julgando-se acima da natureza humana, pensava poder dominar as frotas do mar e pesar as montanhas nos pratos de sua balança, ei-lo agora estendido sobre a terra, em seguida levado numa liteira, provando assim aos olhos de todos a manifesta potência de Deus.	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 Chegou a tal ponto que o corpo vivo do ímpio fervilhava de vermes e as carnes se soltavam em pedaços entre atrozes dores: o mau cheiro da podridão, que enchia o ar, empestava todo o campo.	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 Aquele que até há pouco tempo sonhava tocar os astros do céu, agora ninguém podia suportá-lo por causa do mau cheiro que dele saía!	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 Foi então que, derribado, ele começou a perder o orgulho excessivo e a compreender melhor, torturado sob os castigos de Deus pelos constantes sofrimentos.	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 Incapaz de suportar sua própria infecção: É justo, dizia ele, submeter-se a Deus, e, como simples mortal, não se querer igualar a ele.	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 O celerado rezava ao Senhor, de quem não haveria de receber compaixão,	13 And some of them being afraid, and distrusting the justice of God, fled away:
14 e prometia dar a liberdade à cidade santa, para a qual ele se encaminhava, a fim de arrasá-la e fazer dela um sepulcro.	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 Dizia ele que tornaria iguais aos atenienses todos os judeus que havia julgado indignos de sepultura e bons para serem atirados com seus filhos às aves do céu e aos animais selvagens como pasto.	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 Ornaria com ricas prendas aquele templo que havia despojado antes, devolver-lhe-ia multiplicados os vasos sagrados, proveria com suas próprias rendas todas as despesas necessárias para os sacrifícios.	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 Além disso, ele mesmo se tornaria judeu e percorreria todos os lugares habitados, proclamando o poder de Deus!	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 Mas suas dores não se atenuavam porque o justo castigo de Deus pesava sobre ele. Então, desesperado em vista de seu estado, escreveu aos judeus a seguinte carta, verdadeira súplica, assim exarada:	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 Aos dedicados súditos judeus, saúde, bem-estar e felicidade, da parte de Antíoco, rei e chefe do exército.	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 Se vós e vossos filhos passais bem e se vos sucedem todas as coisas como desejais, agradeço a Deus, em quem ponho minha esperança;	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 pois quanto a mim, estou prostrado pela doença, mas me lembro com prazer dos vossos sentimentos de respeito e da benevolência para comigo. Ao voltar da Pérsia, surpreendido por um mal cruel, julguei necessário providenciar a segurança de todos.	21 With these words they were greatly encouraged, and disposed even to die for the laws and their country.
22 Não que me desespere de meu estado, ao contrário, tenho a firme esperança de escapar dessa doença -	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 mas me lembro de que meu pai designava seu sucessor cada vez que partia em expedição às províncias superiores.	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 Ele queria que no caso de uma desgraça ou má notícia os habitantes do país não se perturbassem, uma vez que soubessem a quem confiar os negócios.	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 Eu sei, ademais, que os príncipes que me rodeiam e os vizinhos do meu reino estão de atalaia e espreitam os acontecimentos; por isso, já designei meu filho Antíoco para rei, a quem, em outras ocasiões, confiei e recomendei a maior parte de vós, quando partia para outras terras. A ele escrevi a carta abaixo:	25 And they took the money of them that came to buy them, and they pursued them on every side.
26 Rogo-vos, portanto, e peço que, em memória de meus benefícios para convosco, tanto gerais, como	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 pois estou convencido de que ele seguirá minhas intenções e agirá convosco com moderação e humanidade.	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 Assim esse carrasco e blasfemador pereceu miseravelmente, distante, nas montanhas, em meio àqueles sofrimentos que ele mesmo havia infligido aos outros.	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 Filipe, seu amigo de infância, levou seu corpo, e em seguida partiu para o Egito, para junto de Ptolomeu Filometor, para escapar ao filho de Antíoco.	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.