| 1 ܒܗ ܕܝܢ ܒܗܘ ܙܒܢܐ ܓܕܫ ܕܢܗܦܘܟ ܘܢܣܩ ܐܢܛܝܟܘܣ ܡܠܟܐ ܡܢ ܦܪܣ ܒܒܗܬܬܐ ܘܒܬܚܡܨܬܐ ܣܓܝܐܬܐ | 1 At about the same time, Antiochus was beating a disorderly retreat from Persia. |
| 2 ܢܚܬ ܗܘܐ ܓܝܪ ܠܗܝ ܕܡܬܩܪܝܐ ܗܘܬ ܡܕܝܢܬ ܦܪܣ ܘܨܒܐ ܗܘܐ ܕܢܐܚܕܝܗ ܠܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܘܢܚܠܨ ܒܝܬ ܦܬܟܪ̈ܐ ܕܐܝܬ ܗܘܐ ܒܗ ܘܟܕ ܚܙܘ ܕܝܢ ܒܢ̈ܝ ܐܬܪܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܐܬܟܢܫܘ ܗܘܘ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܒܚܝܠܐ ܣܓܝܐܐ ܘܙܟܘܘܗܝ ܠܟܠܗ ܚܝܠܐ ܕܥܡܗ ܘܟܕ ܚܙܐ ܕܐܙܕܟܝ ܠܗ ܗܦܟ ܟܕ ܒܗܝܬ ܥܡ ܟܠܗ ܚܝܠܗ | 2 He had entered the city cal ed Persepolis, planning to rob the temple and occupy the city; but thepopulation at once sprang to arms to defend themselves, with the result that Antiochus was routed by theinhabitants and forced to beat a humiliating retreat. |
| 3 ܘܟܕ ܩܪܝܒ ܗܘܐ ܕܝܢ ܐܢܛܝܘܟܘܣ ܕܢܡܛܐ ܠܒܛܢܢ ܐܘܕܥܘܗܝ ܥܠ ܨܒܘ̈ܬܗ ܕܢܝܩܢܪ ܘܕܛܝܡܬܐܘܣ | 3 On his arrival in Ecbatana he learned what had happened to Nicanor and to Timotheus' forces. |
| 4 ܘܟܕ ܫܡܥ ܐܬܥܙܙ ܘܐܬܪܝܡ ܒܚܡܬܗ ܣܓܝ ܘܡܬܪܥܐ ܗܘܐ ܕܟܠ ܡܕܡ ܕܥܒܕܘ ܒܗ ܒܦܪܣ ܒܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ ܢܐܬܐ ܘܢܣܩܝܘܗܝ ܘܦܩܕ ܗܘܐ ܠܩܪܪܗ ܕܢܕܒܪ ܣܓܝ ܡܣܪܗܒܐܝܬ ܕܒܥܓܠ ܢܣܩ ܘܗܟܢܐ ܐܡܪ ܗܘܐ ܕܠܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܕܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ ܐܥܩܪܝܗ ܘܐܥܒܕܝܗ ܒܝܬ ܡܥܡܪܐ ܠܥܡ̈ܡܐ | 4 Flying into a passion, he resolved to make the Jews pay for the disgrace inflicted by those who hadrouted him, and with this in mind he ordered his charioteer to drive without stopping and get the journey over.But the sentence of Heaven was already hanging over him. In his pride, he had said, 'When I reach Jerusalem, Ishall turn it into a mass grave for the Jews.' |
| 5 ܘܒܪܫܥܬܗ ܕܝܢ ܩܕܡܗ ܕܝܢܐ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܐܠܗܐ ܚܝܠܬܢܐ ܕܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܘܡܚܝܗܝ ܡܚܘܬܐ ܡܪܝܪܬܐ ܕܠܐ ܡܬܚܙܝܐ ܘܥܕ ܒܥܝܐ ܗܘܬ ܕܬܦܘܩ ܟܠܗ ܡܠܬܗ ܐܚܕܗ ܟܐܒܐ ܡܪܝܪܐ ܘܩܫܝܐ ܒܪ̈ܚܡܘܗܝ ܘܒܡ̈ܥܘܗܝ | 5 But the al -seeing Lord, the God of Israel, struck him with an incurable and unseen complaint. Thewords were hardly out of his mouth when he was seized with an incurable pain in his bowels and withexcruciating internal torture; |
| 6 ܘܦܪܥܗ ܒܟܐܢܘܬܐ ܠܗܘ ܕܒܟܐ̈ܒܐ ܘܒܐܘ̈ܠܨܢܐ ܘܒܫ̈ܢܕܐ ܣܓܝܐ̈ܐ ܫܢܩ ܘܢܓܕ ܪ̈ܚܡܐ ܕܐܚܪ̈ܢܐ | 6 and this was only right, since he had inflicted many barbaric tortures on the bowels of others. |
| 7 ܘܟܕ ܗܠܝܢ ܟܠܗܝܢ ܓܕܫܝܗܝ ܥܕܟܝܠ ܡܬܥܙܙ ܗܘܐ ܘܡܬܬܪܝܡ ܒܪܥܝܢܗ ܘܡܠܐ ܗܘܐ ܒܚܡܬܐ ܕܡܬܓܘܙܠܐ ܗܘܬ ܐܝܟ ܢܘܪܐ ܥܠ ܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ ܘܦܩܕ ܗܘܐ ܕܝܬܝܪܐܝܬ ܘܚܪܝܦܐܝܬ ܢܪܕܘܦ ܩܪܪܗ ܘܒܚܐܦܐ ܕܪܗܛܐ ܕܡܪܟܒܬܗ ܐܫܬܕܝ ܘܢܦܠ ܡܢܗ ܡܦܘܠܬܐ ܩܫܝܬܐ ܘܡܪܝܪܬܐ ܘܐܬܬܒܪܘ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܗܕܡܘܗܝ | 7 Even so, he in no way diminished his arrogance; stil bursting with pride, breathing fire in his wrathagainst the Jews, he was in the act of ordering an even keener pace when the chariot gave a sudden lurch andout he fel and, in this serious fal , was dragged along, every joint of his body wrenched out of place. |
| 8 ܗܘ ܕܝܢ ܕܡܢ ܩܕܡ ܩܠܝܠ ܣܒܪ ܗܘܐ ܕܢܦܩܘܕ ܐܦ ܠܓܠܠܘ̈ܗܝ ܕܝܡܐ ܡܛܠ ܫܘܒܗܪܗ ܕܝܬܝܪ ܗܘܐ ܡܢ ܕܟܠܗܘܢ ܒܢܝܢ̈ܫܐ ܘܕܢܡܟܟ ܠܟܘܠܗܘܢ ܛܘܪ̈ܐ ܪ̈ܡܐ ܫܕܐ ܗܘܐ ܥܠ ܐܪܥܐ ܘܡܚܘܐ ܗܘܐ ܓܠܝܐܝܬ ܠܟܠ ܐܢܫ ܚܝܠܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ | 8 He who only a little while before had thought in his superhuman boastfulness he could command thewaves of the sea, he who had imagined he could weigh mountain peaks in a balance, found himself flat on theground and then being carried in a litter, a visible demonstration to al of the power of God, |
| 9 ܗܟܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܩܫܐ ܗܘܐ ܚܫܗ ܕܪܫܝܥܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܕܐܦ ܬܘ̈ܠܥܐ ܪ̈ܦܬܢ ܗ̈ܘܝ ܡܢ ܦܓܪܗ ܘܟܕ ܚܝ ܗܘܐ ܢܬܪ ܗܘܐ ܒܣܪܗ ܘܢܦܠ ܡܢܗ ܘܣܪܝ ܗܘܐ ܪܝܚ ܦܓܪܗ ܕܐܢܫ ܡܢ ܚܝ̈ܠܘܗܝ ܠܐ ܡܫܟܚ ܗܘܐ ܕܢܣܝܒܪ | 9 in that the very eyes of this godless man teemed with worms and his flesh rotted away while helingered on in agonising pain, and the stench of his decay sickened the whole army. |
| 10 ܘܗܘ ܕܡܢ ܩܕܡ ܩܠܝܠ ܣܒܪ ܗܘܐ ܕܢܦܩܘ ܕܐܦ ܠܟܘܟ̈ܒܐ ܕܫܡܝܐ ܐܢܫ ܠܐ ܡܫܟܚ ܗܘܐ ܕܢܬܩܪܒ ܠܘܬܗ ܡܛܠ ܪܝܚܗ ܣܪܝܐ | 10 A short while before, he had thought to grasp the stars of heaven; now no one could bring himself toact as his bearer, for the stench was intolerable. |
| 11 ܡܢ ܗܪܟܐ ܕܝܢ ܫܪܝ ܕܢܬܒܨܪ ܡܢ ܣܘܓܐܐ ܕܫܘܒܗܪܗ ܘܟܕ ܐܬܡܟܟ ܐܬܦܢܝ ܠܘܬ ܐܝܕܥܬܐ ܕܫܪܪܐ ܡܛܘܠ ܕܡܫܬܢܩ ܗܘܐ ܘܡܬܐܠܨ ܒܟܠ ܢܓܕ̈ܝܢ ܕܡܢ ܫܡܝܐ | 11 Then and there, as a consequence, in his shattered state, he began to shed his excessive pride andcome to his senses under the divine lash, spasms of pain overtaking him. |
| 12 ܘܟܕ ܠܐ ܡܫܟܚ ܕܢܣܝܒܪ ܠܪܝܚܗ ܥܢܐ ܘܐܡܪ ܗܟܢܐ ܙܕܩܐ ܗܝ ܗܕܐ ܕܐܢܫ ܢܫܬܥܒܕ ܠܐܠܗܐ ܘܠܐ ܕܟܕ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܡܝܘܬܐ ܢܬܪܥܐ ܬܪܥܝܬܐ ܠܘܩܒܠ ܐܠܗܐ | 12 His stench being unbearable even to himself, he exclaimed, 'It is right to submit to God; no mortalshould aspire to equality with the Godhead.' |
| 13 ܡܨܠܐ ܗܘܐ ܕܝܢ ܪܫܝܥܐ ܘܒܥܐ ܡܢ ܡܪܝܐ ܗܘ ܕܬܘܒ ܠܐ ܐܬܪܚܡ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܘܐܡܪ ܗܘܐ ܗܟܢܐ | 13 The wretch began to pray to the Master, who would never take pity on him now, declaring |
| 14 ܕܠܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܗܝ ܕܡܣܪܗܒ ܗܘܝܬ ܕܐܙܠ ܘܐܣܚܦܝܗ ܘܐܥܒܕܝܗ ܒܝܬ ܡܥܡܪܐ ܠܟܠ ܥܡ̈ܡܝܢ ܐܒܢܝܗ ܘܐܚܕܪܝܗ | 14 that the holy city, towards which he had been speeding to rase it to the ground and turn it into a massgrave, should be declared free; |
| 15 ܘܥܠ ܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ ܕܝܢ ܐܡܪ ܗܘܐ ܕܡܬܪܥܐ ܗܘܝܬ ܥܠܝܗܘܢ ܕܐܦ ܠܐ ܡܬܩܒܪܘ ܢܬܩܒܪܘܢ ܐܠܐ ܕܢܗܘܘܢ ܡܐܟܘܠܬܐ ܠܦܪܚܬܐ ܕܫܡܝܐ ܘܠܚܝܘܬܐ ܕܐܪܥܐ ܥܡ ܢܝܫܝ̈ܗܘܢ ܘܒܢܝ̈ܗܘܢ ܠܟܠܗܘܢ ܐܥܒܕ ܐܢܘܢ ܐܬܢܝ̈ܐ | 15 as for the Jews, whom he had considered as not even worth burying, so much carrion to be thrownout with their children for birds and beasts to prey on, he would give them al equal rights with the Athenians; |
| 16 ܘܠܗܝܟܠܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ ܗܘ ܕܡܢ ܩܕܝܡ ܒܙܬ ܗܘܝܬ ܐܟܠܠܝܘܗܝ ܘܐܨܒܬܝܘܗܝ ܒܟܠ ܬܨ̈ܒܝܬܐ ܘܡܐ̈ܢܝ ܩܘܕܫܐ ܐܬܠ ܒܐܥ̈ܦܐ ܣܓ̈ܝܐܐ ܘܟܘܠ ܢܦܩܬܐ ܕܐܙܠܐ ܠܕܒ̈ܚܐ ܘܠܩܘܪ̈ܒܢܐ ܡܢ ܕܝܠܝ ܐܬܠ | 16 the holy Temple which he had once plundered he would now adorn with the finest offerings; he wouldrestore al the sacred vessels many times over; he would defray from his personal revenue the expensesincurred for the sacrifices; |
| 17 ܘܡܢ ܒܬܪ ܗܠܝܢ ܬܘܒ ܐܦ ܝܗܘܕܝܐ ܐܗܘܐ ܘܒܟܘܠ ܐܬܪ ܕܐܙܠ ܠܗ ܐܟܪܙ ܪ̈ܒܘܬܐ ܕܐܘܚܕܢܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ | 17 and, to crown al , he would himself turn Jew and visit every inhabited place, proclaiming the power ofGod. |
| 18 ܘܒܗܠܝܢ ܟܠܗܝܢ ܠܐ ܢܐܚ ܗܘܐ ܡܢ ܟܐܒܘ̈ܗܝ ܐܕܪܟܗ ܗܘܐ ܓܝܪ ܕܝܢܗ ܟܐܢܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܘܟܕ ܐܘܚܠ ܥܠ ܢܦܫܗ ܟܬܒ ܠܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ ܐܓܪܬܐ ܕܒܥܘܬܐ ܗܟܢܐ | 18 Finding no respite at al from his suffering, God's just sentence having overtaken him, he abandonedal hope for himself and wrote the Jews the letter transcribed below, which takes the form of an appeal in theseterms: |
| 19 ܐܢܛܝܟܘܣ ܡܠܟܐ ܘܡܕܒܪܢܐ ܠܝܗܘ̈ܕܝܐ ܒܣܝܡ̈ܐ ܒܢ̈ܝ ܡܕܝܢܬܝ ܫܠܡܐ ܘܫܝܢܐ | 19 'To the excel ent Jews, to the citizens, Antiochus, king and commander-in-chief, sends heartygreetings, wishing them al health and prosperity. |
| 20 ܘܚܘܠܡܢܐ ܢܗܘܐ ܠܟܘܢ ܘܠܒܢ̈ܝܟܘܢ ܡܨܠܐ ܐܢܐ ܘܒܥܐ ܐܢܐ ܡܢ ܐܠܗܐ ܕܒܫܡܝܐ ܗܘ ܕܣܒܪܝ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܗܘ ܥܠ ܛܝܒܘܬܗ ܪܒܬܐ | 20 'If you and your children are wel and your affairs as you would wish, we are profoundly thankful. |
| 21 ܕܟܕ ܐܬܟܪܗܬ ܕܝܠܟܘܢ ܥܗܝܕ ܗܘܝܬ ܕܐܥܒܕ ܠܟܘܢ ܐܝܩܪܐ ܘܢܝܚܐ ܣܓܝܐܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܪܬܚ ܗܘܐ ܪܥܝܢܝ ܒܚܘܒܐ ܕܠܘܬܟܘܢ ܡܢ ܟܕ ܣܠܩ ܐܢܐ ܡܢ ܐܪܥܐ ܕܦܪܣ ܘܟܕ ܩܪܝܒ ܐܢܐ ܕܐܡܛܐ ܢܦܠܬ ܒܟܘܪܗܢܐ ܩܫܝܐ ܘܡܪܝܪܐ ܘܫܦܪ ܩܕܡ ܥܝ̈ܢܝ ܕܝܬܝܪ ܡܢ ܟܘܠ ܡܕܡ ܕܝܠܟܘܢ ܐܨܦ | 21 For my part, I cherish affectionate memories of you. 'On my return from the country of Persia I felseriously il , and thought it necessary to make provision for the common security of al . |
| 22 ܡܛܘܠ ܕܠܐ ܝܕܥ ܐܢܐ ܡܢܐ ܓܕܫ ܠܝ ܣܒܪܐ ܕܝܢ ܐܝܬ ܠܝ ܕܐܬܦܨܐ ܡܢ ܗܢܐ ܟܘܪܗܢܐ | 22 Not that I despair of my condition, for I have great hope of shaking off the malady, |
| 23 ܚܙܝܬ ܕܝܢ ܕܐܦ ܐܒܝ ܒܙܒ̈ܢܐ ܕܣܠܩ ܗܘܐ ܠܐܬܪ̈ܘܬܐ ܥ̈ܠܝܐ ܐܘܕܥ ܗܘܐ ܠܐܝܢܐ ܕܢܩܘܡ ܡܢ ܒܬܪܗ | 23 but considering how my father, whenever he was making an expedition into the uplands, woulddesignate his successor |
| 24 ܕܐܢ ܗܘ ܕܢܓܕܫ ܡܕܡ ܕܣܢܐ ܢܕܥܘܢ ܒܢ̈ܝ ܐܬܪܐ ܠܗܘ ܕܡܩܡ ܘܠܐ ܢܗܘܘܢ ܡܬܟܬܫܝܢ ܚܕ ܥܡ ܚܕ | 24 so that, in case of any unforeseen event or disquieting rumour, the people of the provinces mightknow to whom he had left the conduct of affairs, and thus remain undisturbed; |
| 25 ܐܦ ܐܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܟܕ ܚܙܝܬ ܠܪ̈ܘܪܒܢܐ ܕܡܠܟܘܬܝ ܕܡܛܝܒܝܢ ܘܩܝܡܝܢ ܥܠ ܡܠܟܘܬܐ ܘܡܣܟܝܢ ܕܡܢܐ ܢܓܕܫ ܐܘܕܥܬ ܘܐܩܝܡܬ ܠܒܪܝ ܐܢܛܝܟܘܣ ܡܠܟܐ ܠܗܘ ܕܟܕ ܣܠܩ ܗܘܝܬ ܠܐܬܪ̈ܘܬܐ ܥ̈ܠܝܐ ܙܒܢ̈ܬܐ ܣܓܝܐ̈ܬܐ ܐܓܥܠܬܗ ܠܟܘܢ ܟܬܒܬ ܕܝܢ ܐܦ ܠܗ ܗܠܝܢ ܕܟܬܝ̈ܒܢ | 25 furthermore, being wel aware that the sovereigns on our frontiers and the neighbours of our realm arewatching for opportunities and waiting to see what wil happen, I have designated as king my son Antiochus,whom I have more than once entrusted and commended to most of you when I was setting out for the uplandsatrapies; a transcript of my letter to him is appended hereto. |
| 26 ܘܒܥܐ ܐܢܐ ܡܢܟܘܢ ܘܡܦܝܣ ܐܢܐ ܠܟܘܢ ܕܬܗܘܘܢ ܥܗܝܕܝܢ ܠܛܝܒܘܬܝ ܕܥܡܟܘܢ ܘܟܠܟܘܢ ܐܟܚܕܐ ܘܚܕ ܚܕ ܡܢܟܘܢ ܬܛܪܘܢ ܪܚܡܘܬܐ ܘܐܚܘܬܐ ܥܡ ܒܪܝ | 26 I therefore urge and require you, being mindful of the benefits both public and personal received fromme, that you each persist in those sentiments of goodwil that you harbour towards me. |
| 27 ܝܕܥ ܐܢܐ ܓܝܪ ܕܒܟܠܡܕܡ ܫܠܡ ܗܘ ܠܬܪܥܝܬܝ ܘܒܡܟܝܟܘܬܐ ܘܒܪܚܡܘܬܐ ܢܗܘܐ ܨܐܕܝܟܘܢ | 27 I am confident that he wil pursue my own policy with benevolence and humanity, and wil proveaccommodating to your interests.' |
| 28 ܗܘ ܕܝܢ ܐܢܛܝܟܣ ܩܛܘܠܐ ܘܪܫܝܥܐ ܘܡܓܕܦܢܐ ܡܝܬ ܒܝܬ ܛܘܪ̈ܐ ܒܐܪܥܐ ܢܘܟܪܝܬܐ ܒܐܘܠܨ̈ܢܐ ܘܒܢ̈ܓܕܐ ܘܒܫ̈ܢܕܐ ܣܓܝܐ̈ܐ ܐܝܟ ܡܐ ܕܐܦ ܗܘ ܐܫܬܢܕ ܒܐܚܪ̈ܢܐ | 28 And so this murderer and blasphemer, having endured sufferings as terrible as those which he hadmade others endure, met his pitiable fate, and ended his life in the mountains far from his home. |
| 29 ܘܢܣܒ ܗܘܐ ܦܝܠܝܦܘܣ ܒܪ ܡܪ̈ܒܝܢܘܗܝ ܦܓܪܗ ܕܢܝܬܐ ܥܡܗ ܘܟܕ ܡܛܝ ܕܢܐܬܐ ܕܚܠ ܡܢ ܒܪܗ ܐܢܛܝܟܘܣ ܘܥܪܩ ܘܐܙܠ ܠܘܬ ܦܛܠܡܘܣ ܒܪ ܦܝܠܡܛܘܪ ܠܡܨܪܝܢ | 29 His comrade Philip brought back his body, and then, fearing Antiochus' son, withdrew to Egypt, to thecourt of Ptolemy Philometor. |
