| 1 ܘܡܢ ܒܬܪ ܕܝܢ ܙܒܢܐ ܩܠܝܠ ܫܕܪ ܡܠܟܐ ܠܓܒܪܐ ܐܚܪܢܐ ܐܬܢܝܐ ܕܢܐܠܘܨ ܠܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ ܕܢܥܒܪܘܢ ܢܡܘ̈ܣܐ ܘܦܘܩ̈ܕܢܐ ܕܐܒܗ̈ܝܗܘܢ ܘܕܠܐ ܢܬܕܒܪܘܢ ܒܢܡܘ̈ܣܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ | 1 Shortly afterwards, the king sent Gerontes the Athenian to force the Jews to violate their ancestralcustoms and live no longer by the laws of God; |
| 2 ܘܕܢܣܝܒܘܢ ܠܗܝܟܠܐ ܕܒܐܪܫܠܡ ܘܕܢܫܡܗܘܢܝܗܝ ܒܝܬ ܒܥܠܫܡܝܢ ܐܠܘܡܦܣ ܘܠܗܘ ܕܒܓܙܪܝܢ ܐܝܟ ܕܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ ܗܘܘ ܥܡܘܪ̈ܘܗܝ ܕܐܬܪܐ ܒܝܬ ܒܥܠܫܡܝܢ ܟܣܢܝܘܣ | 2 and to profane the Temple in Jerusalem and dedicate it to Olympian Zeus, and the one on MountGerizim to Zeus, Patron of Strangers, as the inhabitants of the latter place had requested. |
| 3 ܒܝܫܐ ܗܘܬ ܕܝܢ ܘܡܪܝܪܐ ܥܩܬܐ ܘܐܘܠܨܢܐ ܕܐܝܬ ܗܘܐ ܠܟܠܗܘܢ | 3 The advent of these evils was painful y hard for al the people to bear. |
| 4 ܗܝܟܠܐ ܓܝܪ ܡܠܐ ܗܘܐ ܒܣܡܐ ܘܙܡܪܐ ܘܚܕܘܬܐ ܕܥܡ̈ܡܐ ܘܒܣܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܣܓܝ ܐܦ ܥܡ ܢܫ̈ܐ ܡܫܬܘܬܦܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܒܟܠܗ ܚܕܪܗ ܘܬܘܒ ܕܝܢ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܠܐ ܙܕܩ̈ܢ ܗ̈ܘܝ ܡܥܠܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܓܘ ܗܝܟܠܐ | 4 The Temple was fil ed with revel ing and debauchery by the gentiles, who took their pleasure withprostitutes and had intercourse with women in the sacred precincts, introducing other indecencies besides. |
| 5 ܘܡܕܒܚܐ ܕܡܬܩܢ ܗܘܐ ܠܦܘܪ̈ܫܢܐ ܕܒܢܡܘܣܐ ܡܠܐ ܗܘܐ ܟܠܗ ܣܘܝܒܐ ܘܛܡܐܘܬܐ | 5 The altar of sacrifice was loaded with victims proscribed by the law as profane. |
| 6 ܗܟܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܩܐܡ ܗܘܐ ܐܘܠܨܢܐ ܕܠܐ ܕܢܫܒܬ ܐܢܫ ܡܫܟܚ ܗܘܐ ܘܠܐ ܕܢܥܒܕ ܘܢܛܪ ܥܕܥܕܐ ܕܐܒܗ̈ܬܐ ܐܦܠܐ ܕܐܢܫ ܢܘܕܐ ܘܢܐܡܪ ܐܦܢ ܕܝܗܘܕܝܐ ܗܘ | 6 No one might either keep the Sabbath or observe the traditional feasts, or so much as admit to being aJew. |
| 7 ܡܝܬܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܗܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܒܩܛܝܪܐ ܡܪܝܪܐ ܒܟܘܠ ܝܪܚܐ ܒܝܘܡ̈ܬܐ ܕܒܝܬ ܝܠܕܗ ܕܡܠܟܐ ܕܢܕܒܚܘܢ ܗܘܐ ܕܝܢ ܬܘܒ ܥܕܥܕܐ ܕܕܝܘܢܣܘܣ ܘܐܠܨܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܗܘܢ ܕܢܣܒܘܢ ܣܘ̈ܟܐ ܘܢܬܟܪܟܘܢ ܘܢܫܬܥܘܢ ܒܝܘܡܗ ܕܕܝܘܢܣܘܣ | 7 People were driven by harsh compulsion to take part in the monthly ritual meal commemorating theking's birthday; and when a feast of Dionysus occurred, they were forced to wear ivy wreaths and walk in theDionysiac procession. |
| 8 ܘܫܕܪ ܦܘܩܕܢܐ ܐܦ ܠܡܕܝ̈ܢܬܐ ܕܥܡ̈ܡܐ ܕܩܪ̈ܝܒܢ ܠܗܘܢ ܘܠܦܛܠܡܐܘܣ ܕܗܟܘܬ ܗܘܘ ܐܠܨܝܢ ܠܗܘܢ ܠܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ ܘܠܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܡܫܬܡܥܝܢ ܠܗܘܢ ܘܥܒܕܝܢ ܨܒܝܢܗܘܢ ܢܥܒܕܘܢ ܥܠܝܗܘܢ ܪ̈ܚܡܐ | 8 A decree was issued at the instance of the people of Ptolemais for the neighbouring Greek cities,enforcing the same conduct on the Jews there, obliging them to share in the sacrificial meals, |
| 9 ܘܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܠܐ ܨܒܝܢ ܕܢܗܦܟܘܢ ܠܪܥܝܢܐ ܕܚܢܦܘܬܐ ܢܗܘܘܢ ܡܩܛܠܝܢ ܕܐܢܫ ܕܝܢ ܢܚܙܐ ܗܘܐ ܘܢܬܬܒܪ ܕܐܘܢܗ ܘܡܘܟܟܗ ܕܥܡܐ | 9 and ordering the execution of those who would not voluntarily conform to Greek customs. So it becameclear that disaster was imminent. |
| 10 ܐܝܬܝܘ ܗܘܘ ܓܝܪ ܬܪ̈ܬܝܢ ܢܫ̈ܝܢ ܕܓܙܪ ܒܢܝ̈ܗܝܢ ܘܬܠܘ ܒܢܝ̈ܗܝܢ ܒܬܕܝ̈ܗܝܢ ܘܐܟܪܟܘ ܐ̈ܢܝܢ ܒܟܘܠܗ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܘܠܚܪܬܐ ܣܠܩܘ ܘܫܕܘ ܐ̈ܢܝܢ ܡܢ ܫܘܪܐ | 10 For example, two women were charged with having circumcised their children. They were paradedpublicly round the town, with their babies hung at their breasts, and then hurled over the city wal . |
| 11 ܘܐܚܪ̈ܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܥܪܩܘ ܘܐܙܠܘ ܠܡܥܪ̈ܐ ܒܛܘܫܝܐ ܕܢܫܒܬܘܢ ܬܡܢ ܘܐܬܘ ܘܐܘܕܥܘ ܠܦܝܠܝܦܘܣ ܘܐܙܠܘ ܘܐܘܩܕܘ ܐܢܘܢ ܡܛܠ ܕܕܚܠܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܕܒܝܘܡܐ ܫܒܝܚܐ ܕܫܒܬܐ ܢܥܕܪܘܢ ܢܦܫܗܘܢ | 11 Other people, who had assembled in some near-by caves to keep the seventh day without attractingattention, were denounced to Philip, and were then al burnt to death together, since their consciences would notal ow them to defend themselves, out of respect for the holiness of the day. |
| 12 ܒܥܐ ܐܢܐ ܗܟܝܠ ܡܢ ܟܠ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܩܪܝܢ ܒܗܢܐ ܟܬܒܐ ܕܠܐ ܬܕܚܠܘܢ ܘܬܬܪܗܒܘܢ ܘܬܬܙܝܥܘܢ ܥܠ ܡܕܡ ܕܓܕܫܢ ܐܠܐ ܐܬܪܥܘ ܕܕܝܢܐ ܕܐܬܐ ܥܠܝܢ ܠܐ ܗܘܐ ܐܝܟ ܕܠܐܒܕܢܐ ܐܠܐ ܠܡܪܕܘܬܗ ܕܥܡܢ | 12 Now, I urge anyone who may read this book not to be dismayed at these calamities, but to reflect thatsuch visitations are intended not to destroy our race but to discipline it. |
| 13 ܐܦ ܗܕܐ ܓܝܪ ܕܠܐ ܐܫܬܒܩܘ ܙܒܢܐ ܣܓܝܐܐ ܕܢܪܫܥܘܢ ܐܠܐ ܢܦܠܘ ܠܚܘܝܒ̈ܐ ܣܓܝܐ̈ܐ ܐܬܐ ܗܝ ܕܛܝܒܘܬܐ ܪܒܬܐ | 13 Indeed, when evil-doers are not left for long to their own devices but incur swift retribution, it is a signof great benevolence. |
| 14 ܠܐ ܗܘܐ ܓܝܪ ܐܝܟ ܕܠܥܡ̈ܡܐ ܐܚܪ̈ܢܐ ܕܡܓܪ ܪܘܚܗ ܡܪܝܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܕܢܫܠܡܘܢ ܚܛܗ̈ܝܗܘܢ ܘܠܚܪܬܐ ܢܦܪܘܥ ܐܢܘܢ ܒܬܫܢܝܩܐ ܗܟܢܐ ܐܦ ܨܐܕܝܢ ܥܒܕ | 14 In the case of other nations, the Master waits patiently for them to attain the ful measure of their sinsbefore he punishes them, but with us he has decided to deal differently, |
| 15 ܐܠܐ ܡܢ ܗܫܐ ܦܪܥܢ ܕܠܐ ܠܐܚܪܝܬܐ ܢܫܢܩܢ | 15 rather than have to punish us later, when our sins come to ful measure. |
| 16 ܡܛܠ ܗܢܐ ܠܐ ܡܢ ܡܬܘܡ ܐܪܚܩ ܡܢܢ ܪ̈ܚܡܘܗܝ ܡܪܕܐ ܓܝܪ ܪܕܐ ܒܚܘܝ̈ܒܐ ܐܠܐ ܠܐ ܫܒܩ ܠܥܡܗ | 16 And so he never entirely withdraws his mercy from us; he may discipline us by some disaster, but hedoes not desert his own people. |
| 17 ܒܪܡ ܕܝܢ ܗܠܝܢ ܐܝܟ ܕܠܥܘܗܕܢܐ ܣܦܩ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܗܪܟܐ ܢܐܬܐ ܠܢ ܕܝܢ ܡܟܝܠ ܥܠ ܬܫܥܝܬܐ | 17 Let this be said simply by way of reminder; we must return to our story without more ado. |
| 18 ܐܠܝܥܙܪ ܪܫܐ ܕܣܦܪ̈ܐ ܓܒܪܐ ܣܒܐ ܕܚܙܘܐ ܕܐ̈ܦܘܗܝ ܪܓܝܓ ܗܘܐ ܘܫܦܝܪ ܣܓܝ ܡܬܐܠܨ ܗܘܐ ܕܢܐܟܘܠ ܒܣܪܐ ܕܚܙܝܪܐ | 18 Eleazar, one of the foremost teachers of the Law, a man already advanced in years and of most nobleappearance, had his mouth forced open, to make him eat a piece of pork. |
| 19 ܗܘ ܕܝܢ ܐܨܛܒܝ ܒܡܘܬܐ ܕܐܘܠܨܢܐ ܕܡܠܐ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܘܠܐ ܕܙܒܢܐ ܙܥܘܪܐ ܢܚܐ ܒܒܗܬܬܐ ܘܚܕܝܐܝܬ ܩܪܒ ܘܐܫܠܡ ܢܦܫܗ ܠܐܘܠܨܢ̈ܐ ܘܠܫܢ̈ܕܐ | 19 But he, resolving to die with honour rather than to live disgraced, walked of his own accord to thetorture of the wheel, |
| 20 ܐܝܟ ܡܐ ܕܙܕܩ ܕܢܫܠܡܘܢ ܢܦܫܗܘܢ ܐܢܫܐ ܡܣܝܒܪ̈ܢܐ ܕܠܐ ܢܬܛܘܫܘܢ ܘܢܐܟܠܘܢ ܡܕܡ ܕܠܐ ܙܕܩ ܡܛܠ ܚ̈ܝܐ ܘܣܒܪܐ ܕܥܬܝܕ ܠܗܘܢ | 20 having spat the stuff out, as befits those with the courage to reject what is not lawful to taste, ratherthan live. |
| 21 ܗܢܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܕܥܒܝܕܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܡܢ ܡܠܟܐ ܥܠ ܫܘܐ̈ܘܠܐ ܘܢܓ̈ܕܐ ܕܥܘܠܐ ܕܒܪܘܗܝ ܠܐܠܝܥܙܪ ܡܝܩܪܐ ܒܝܢܬ ܠܗ ܘܠܗܘܢ ܡܛܠ ܕܝܕܥܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܗ ܡܢ ܩܕܡ ܙܒܢܐ ܣܓܝܐܐ ܘܒܥܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܡܢܗ ܕܢܝܬܐ ܒܣܪܐ ܕܕܒܚܐ ܐܝܢܐ ܕܚܫܚ ܠܗ ܕܠܗ ܡܬܩܢ ܘܢܐܟܘܠ ܘܢܬܪܡܐ ܕܝܢ ܘܢܬܪܟܢ ܒܡܠܬܐ ܕܐܝܟ ܕܡܢ ܦܘܩܕܢܗ ܕܡܠܟܐ ܐܟܠ ܒܣܪܐ ܕܕܒܚܐ | 21 The people supervising the ritual meal, forbidden by the Law, because of the length of time for whichthey had known him, took him aside and privately urged him to have meat brought of a kind he could properlyuse, prepared by himself, and only pretend to eat the portions of sacrificial meat as prescribed by the king; |
| 22 ܕܟܕ ܢܥܒܕ ܗܟܢܐ ܢܫܬܪܐ ܡܢ ܡܘܬܐ ܘܡܛܠ ܪܚܡܘܬܗܘܢ ܕܥܡܗ ܕܡܢ ܩܕܝܡ ܬܗܘܐ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܡܪܚܡܢܘܬܐ | 22 this action would enable him to escape death, by availing himself of an act of kindness prompted bytheir long friendship. |
| 23 ܗܘ ܕܝܢ ܐܬܪܥܝ ܬܪܥܝܬܐ ܚܝܠܬܢܝܬܐ ܘܫܒܝܚܬܐ ܕܫܘܝܐ ܠܣܝܒܘܬܗ ܘܠܫܢ̈ܘܗܝ ܡܝܩܪ̈ܬܐ ܘܠܝܘܠܦܢܗ ܘܠܡܪܕܘܬܗ ܐܠܗܝܬܐ ܕܡܢ ܛܠܝܘܬܗ ܘܥܢܐ ܘܐܡܪ ܥܓܠ ܘܡܣܪܗܒܐܝܬ ܠܘܐܘܢܢܝ ܘܫܕܪܘܢܢܝ ܠܫܝܘܠ | 23 But having taken a noble decision worthy of his years and the dignity of his great age and the wel -earned distinction of his grey hairs, worthy too of his impeccable conduct from boyhood, and above al of theholy legislation established by God himself, he answered accordingly, telling them to send him at once to Hades. |
| 24 ܠܐ ܗܘܬ ܓܝܪ ܙܕܩܐ ܗܕܐ ܠܫ̈ܢܝ ܕܐܬܪܡܐ ܘܐܣܒ ܒܐ̈ܦܐ ܘܣܓܝܐ̈ܐ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܛܠܝܢ ܢܐܡܪܘܢ ܕܐܠܝܥܙܪ ܓܒܪܐ ܒܪ ܬܫܥܝܢ ܫܢ̈ܝܢ ܗܦܟ ܠܚܢܦܘܬܐ | 24 'Pretence', he said, 'does not befit our time of life; many young people would suppose that Eleazar atthe age of ninety had conformed to the foreigners' way of life |
| 25 ܘܗܢܘܢ ܡܛܠ ܡܣܒ ܒܐ̈ܦܐ ܕܝܠܝ ܘܡܛܠ ܚܝ̈ܝ ܕܙܒܢܐ ܙܥܘܪܐ ܢܛܥܘܢ ܘܢܐܒܕܘܢ ܘܐܢܐ ܐܗܘܐ ܚܣܕܐ ܘܓܘܚܟܐ ܘܒܘܙܚܐ ܘܡܣܠܝܐ ܒܣܝܒܘܬܝ | 25 and, because I had played this part for the sake of a paltry brief spel of life, might themselves be ledastray on my account; I should only bring defilement and disgrace on my old age. |
| 26 ܘܐܢ ܡܢ ܡܘܬܐ ܗܢܐ ܕܙܒܢܐ ܕܡܢ ܒܢܝ̈ܢܫܐ ܐܨܒܐ ܠܡܥܪܩ ܐܠܐ ܡܢ ܐܝ̈ܕܘܗܝ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܠܐ ܒܚ̈ܝܝ ܘܠܐ ܒܡܘܬܝ ܡܫܟܚ ܐܢܐ ܠܡܥܪܩ | 26 Even though for the moment I avoid execution by man, I can never, living or dead, elude the grasp ofthe Almighty. |
| 27 ܡܛܠ ܗܢܐ ܗܟܝܠ ܟܕ ܐܦܘܩ ܚܝܠܬܢܐܝܬ ܘܓܢܒܪܐܝܬ ܡܢ ܥܠܡܐ ܐܥܒܕ ܠܣܝܒܘܬܝ ܐܝܩܪܐ ܐܝܢܐ ܕܫܘܐ ܠܗ | 27 Therefore if I am man enough to quit this life here and now, I shal prove myself worthy of my old age, |
| 28 ܘܠܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܛ̈ܠܝܢ ܐܫܒܘܩ ܬܚܘܝܬܐ ܕܓܢܒܪܘܬܐ ܘܕܚܝܠܐ ܘܐܬܠ ܠܗܘܢ ܠܘܒܒܐ ܕܚܕܝܐܝܬ ܢܫܠܡܘܢ ܢܦܫܗܘܢ ܠܐܘ̈ܠܨܢܐ ܘܠܫܢ̈ܕܐ ܘܠܡܘܬܐ ܥܠ ܐ̈ܦܝ ܢܡܘܣܐ ܢܟܦܐ ܘܩܕܝܫܐ ܘܫܒܝܚܐ ܘܟܕ ܗܠܝܢ ܐܡܪ ܒܪܫܥܬܗ ܕܒܪܘ ܘܐܝܬܝܘܗܝ ܠܫܢ̈ܕܐ ܘܠܐܘܠܨ̈ܢܐ | 28 and I shal have left the young a noble example of how to make a good death, eagerly andgenerously, for the venerable and holy laws.' So saying, he walked straight to the wheel, |
| 29 ܗܢܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܕܡܢ ܩܕܡ ܩܠܝܠ ܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ ܗܘܘ ܐܝܟ ܪ̈ܚܡܘܗܝ ܐܬܗܦܟܘ ܠܒܥܠܕܒܒܘܬܐ ܡܛܠ ܡ̈ܠܐ ܗܠܝܢ ܕܐܡܪ ܡܬܪܥܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܓܝܪ ܕܒܪܡܘܬܐ ܘܒܫܘܒܗܪܐ ܡܠܠ ܐ̈ܢܝܢ ܘܫܪܝܘ ܡܢܓܕܝܢ ܠܗ | 29 while those who were escorting him, recently so wel disposed towards him, turned against him afterthis declaration, which they regarded as sheer madness. |
| 30 ܘܟܕ ܩܪܝܒ ܕܢܡܘܬ ܒܢܓ̈ܕܘܗܝ ܐܬܬܢܚ ܘܐܡܪ ܓܠܝܐ ܗܝ ܗܕܐ ܩܕܡ ܡܪܝܐ ܗܘ ܕܐܝܬ ܠܗ ܐܝܕܥܬܐ ܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܕܟܕ ܡܫܟܚ ܐܢܐ ܕܐܫܬܪܐ ܡܢ ܗܢܐ ܡܘܬܐ ܗܐ ܡܣܝܒܪ ܐܢܐ ܐܘܠܨ̈ܢܐ ܘܢܓ̈ܕܐ ܘܟܐ̈ܒܐ ܒܦܓܪܝ ܒܢܦܫܝ ܕܝܢ ܚܕܐ ܐܢܐ ܕܡܛܠ ܢܡܘܣܗ ܘܕܚܠܬܗ ܡܣܝܒܪ ܐܢܐ ܗܠܝܢ | 30 He for his part, just before he died under the blows, gave a sigh and said, 'The Lord whose knowledgeis holy sees clearly that, though I might have escaped death, from awe of him I gladly endure these agonies ofbody under the lash, and that in my soul I am glad to suffer.' |
| 31 ܘܗܟܢܐ ܟܕ ܐܡܪ ܗܠܝܢ ܢܦܩ ܡܢ ܥܠܡܐ ܕܠܐ ܗܘܐ ܒܠܚܘܕ ܠܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܛܠܝܢ ܐܠܐ ܠܣܓ̈ܝܐܐ ܡܢ ܥܡܐ ܫܒܩ ܒܡܘܬܗ ܕܡܘܬܐ ܘܬܚܘܝܬܐ ܕܓܢܒܪܘܬܐ ܘܕܚܝܠܐ ܘܕܘܟܪܢܐ ܘܥܘܗܕܢܐ ܕܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ | 31 This was how he died, leaving his death as an example of nobility and a record of virtue not only forthe young but for the greater part of the nation. |
