2 Maccabees · Clementine Vulgate
2 Maccabees 15 Clementine Vulgate
1 Nicanor autem, ut comperit Judam esse in locis Samariæ, cogitavit cum omni impetu die sabbati committere bellum.
1 But Nicanor, hearing that Judas and his company were in the region of Samaria, resolved to attack them with complete safety on the day of rest.
2 Judæis vero qui illum per necessitatem sequebantur, dicentibus: Ne ita ferociter et barbare feceris, sed honorem tribue diei sanctificationis, et honora eum qui universa conspicit:
2 When the Jews who were compelled to follow him said, “Don’t destroy so savagely and barbarously, but give due glory to the day which he who sees all things has honored and hallowed above other days.”
3 ille infelix interrogavit si est potens in cælo, qui imperavit agi diem sabbatorum.
3 Then the thrice-accursed wretch asked if there were a Sovereign in heaven who had commanded to keep the Sabbath day.
4 Et respondentibus illis: Est Dominus vivus ipse in cælo potens, qui jussit agi septimam diem:
4 When they declared, “There is the Lord, living himself as Sovereign in heaven, who told us observe the seventh day.”
5 at ille ait: Et ego potens sum super terram qui impero sumi arma, et negotia regis impleri. Tamen non obtinuit ut consilium perficeret.
5 He replied, “I also am a sovereign on the earth, who commands you to take up weapons and execute the king’s business.” Nevertheless he didn’t prevail to execute his cruel plan.
6 Et Nicanor quidem cum summa superbia erectus, cogitaverat commune trophæum statuere de Juda.
6 And Nicanor, in his utter boastfulness and arrogance, had determined to set up a monument of complete victory over Judas and all those who were with him.
7 Machabæus autem semper confidebat cum omni spe auxilium sibi a Deo affuturum:
7 But Maccabaeus still trusted unceasingly, with all hope that he should obtain help from the Lord.
8 et hortabatur suos ne formidarent ad adventum nationum, sed in mente haberent adjutoria sibi facta de cælo, et nunc sperarent ab Omnipotente sibi affuturam victoriam.
8 He exhorted his company not to be fearful at the assault of the heathen, but keeping in mind the help which in former times they had often received from heaven, so now also to look for the victory which would come to them from the Almighty,
9 Et allocutus eos de lege et prophetis, admonens etiam certamina quæ fecerant prius, promptiores constituit eos:
9 and encouraging them out of the law and the prophets, and reminding them of the conflicts that they had won, he made them more eager.
10 et ita animis eorum erectis simul ostendebat gentium fallaciam, et juramentorum prævaricationem.
10 And when he had aroused their courage, he gave them orders, at the same time pointing out the faithlessness of the heathen and their breach of their oaths.
11 Singulos autem illorum armavit, non clypei et hastæ munitione, sed sermonibus optimis et exhortationibus, exposito digno fide somnio, per quod universos lætificavit.
11 Arming each one of them, not so much with the sure defense of shields and spears as with the encouragement of good words, and moreover relating to them a dream worthy to be believed, he made them all exceedingly glad.
12 Erat autem hujuscemodi visus: Oniam, qui fuerat summus sacerdos, virum bonum et benignum, verecundum visu, modestum moribus, et eloquio decorum, et qui a puero in virtutibus exercitatus sit, manus protendentem orare pro omni populo Judæorum.
12 The vision of that dream was this: Onias, he who had been high priest, a noble and good man, modest in bearing, yet gentle in manner and well-spoken, and trained from a child in all points of virtue, with outstretched hands invoking blessings on the whole body of the Jews.
13 Post hoc apparuisse et alium virum ætate et gloria mirabilem, et magni decoris habitudine circa illum.
13 Then he saw a man appear, of venerable age and exceeding glory, and the dignity around him was wonderful and most majestic.
14 Respondentem vero Oniam dixisse: Hic est fratrum amator, et populi Israël: hic est qui multum orat pro populo et universa sancta civitate, Jeremias propheta Dei.
14 Onias answered and said, “This is the lover of the kindred, he who prays much for the people and the holy city: Jeremiah the prophet of God.
15 Extendisse autem Jeremiam dextram, et dedisse Judæ gladium aureum, dicentem:
15 Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and delivered to Judas a gold sword, and in giving it addressed him thus:
16 Accipe sanctum gladium munus a Deo, in quo dejicies adversarios populi mei Israël.
16 “Take this holy sword, a gift from God, with which you shall strike down the adversaries.”
17 Exhortati itaque Judæ sermonibus bonis valde, de quibus extolli posset impetus, et animi juvenum confortari, statuerunt dimicare et confligere fortiter: ut virtus de negotiis judicaret, eo quod civitas sancta et templum periclitarentur.
17 Being encouraged by the words of Judas, which were noble and effective, and able to incite to virtue and to stir the souls of the young to manly courage, they determined not to carry on a campaign, but nobly to bear down upon the enemy, and fighting hand to hand with all courage bring the matter to a conclusion, because the city, the sanctuary, and the temple were in danger.
18 Erat enim pro uxoribus et filiis, itemque pro fratribus et cognatis, minor sollicitudo: maximus vero et primus pro sanctitate timor erat templi.
18 For their fear for wives and children, and furthermore for family and relatives, was less important to them; but greatest and first was their fear for the consecrated sanctuary.
19 Sed et eos qui in civitate erant, non minima sollicitudo habebat pro his qui congressuri erant.
19 Also those who were shut up in the city were in no light distress, being troubled because of the encounter in the open country.
20 Et cum jam omnes sperarent judicium futurum, hostesque adessent atque exercitus esset ordinatus, bestiæ equitesque opportuno in loco compositi,
20 When all were now waiting for the decision of the issue, and the enemy had already joined battle, and the army had been set in array, and the elephants brought back to a convenient post, and the cavalry deployed on the flanks,
21 considerans Machabæus adventum multitudinis, et apparatum varium armorum, et ferocitatem bestiarum, extendens manus in cælum, prodigia facientem Dominum invocavit, qui non secundum armorum potentiam, sed prout ipsi placet, dat dignis victoriam.
21 Maccabaeus, perceiving the presence of the troops, and the various weapons with which they were equipped, and the savageness of the elephants, holding up his hands to heaven called upon the Lord who works wonders, knowing that success comes not by weapons, but that, according to how the Lord judges, he gains the victory for those who are worthy.
22 Dixit autem invocans hoc modo: Tu Domine, qui misisti angelum tuum sub Ezechia rege Juda, et interfecisti de castris Sennacherib centum octoginta quinque millia:
22 And calling upon God, he said this: “You, O Sovereign Lord, sent your angel in the time of King Hezekiah of Judea, and he killed of the army of Sennacherib as many as one hundred eighty-five thousand.
23 et nunc, dominator cælorum, mitte angelum tuum bonum ante nos in timore et tremore magnitudinis brachii tui,
23 So now also, O Sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel before us to bring terror and trembling.
24 ut metuant qui cum blasphemia veniunt adversus sanctum populum tuum. Et hic quidem ita peroravit.
24 Through the greatness of your arm let them be stricken with dismay who with blasphemy have come here against your holy people.” As he finished these words,
25 Nicanor autem et qui cum ipso erant, cum tubis et canticis admovebant.
25 Nicanor and his company advanced with trumpets and victory songs;
26 Judas vero et qui cum eo erant, invocato Deo, per orationes congressi sunt:
26 but Judas and his company joined battle with the enemy with invocation and prayers.
27 manu quidem pugnantes, sed Dominum cordibus orantes, prostraverunt non minus triginta quinque millia, præsentia Dei magnifice delectati.
27 Fighting with their hands and praying to God with their hearts, they killed no less than thirty-five thousand men, being made exceedingly glad by the manifestation of God.
28 Cumque cessassent, et cum gaudio redirent, cognoverunt Nicanorem ruisse cum armis suis.
28 When the engagement was over and they were returning again with joy, they recognized Nicanor lying dead in full armor.
29 Facto itaque clamore, et perturbatione excitata, patria voce omnipotentem Dominum benedicebant.
29 Then there was shouting and noise, and they blessed the Sovereign Lord in the language of their ancestors.
30 Præcepit autem Judas, qui per omnia corpore et animo mori pro civibus paratus erat, caput Nicanoris, et manum cum humero abscissam, Jerosolymam perferri.
30 He who in all things was in body and soul the foremost champion of his fellow citizens, he who kept through life the good will of his youth toward his countrymen, ordered that Nicanor’s head be cut off with his hand and arm, and that they be brought to Jerusalem.
31 Quo cum pervenisset, convocatis contribulibus et sacerdotibus ad altare, accersiit et eos qui in arce erant.
31 When he had arrived there and had called his countrymen together and set the priests before the altar, he sent for those who were in the citadel.
32 Et ostenso capite Nicanoris, et manu nefaria quam extendens contra domum sanctam omnipotentis Dei magnifice gloriatus est.
32 Showing the head of the vile Nicanor and the hand of that profane man, which with proud brags he had stretched out against the holy house of the Almighty,
33 Linguam etiam impii Nicanoris præcisam jussit particulatim avibus dari: manum autem dementis contra templum suspendi.
33 and cutting out the tongue of the impious Nicanor, he said that he would give it in pieces to the birds, and hang up these rewards of his folly near the sanctuary.
34 Omnes igitur cæli benedixerunt Dominum, dicentes: Benedictus qui locum suum incontaminatum servavit.
34 They all, looking up to heaven, blessed the Lord who had manifested himself, saying, “Blessed is he who has preserved his own place undefiled!”
35 Suspendit autem Nicanoris caput in summa arce, ut evidens esset, et manifestum signum auxilii Dei.
35 He hung Nicanor’s head and shoulder from the citadel, a clear sign evident to all of the help of the Lord.
36 Itaque omnes communi consilio decreverunt nullo modo diem istum absque celebritate præterire:
36 They all ordained with a common decree to in no way let this day pass undistinguished, but to mark with honor the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (it is called Adar in the Syrian language), the day before the day of Mordecai.
37 habere autem celebritatem tertiadecima die mensis Adar, quod dicitur voce syriaca, pridie Mardochæi diei.
37 This then having been the account of the attempt of Nicanor, and the city having from those times been held by the Hebrews, I also will here make an end of my book.
38 Igitur his erga Nicanorem gestis, et ex illis temporibus ab Hebræis civitate possessa, ego quoque in his faciam finem sermonis.
38 If I have written well and to the point in my story, this is what I myself desired; but if its poorly done and mediocre, this is the best I could do.
39 Et si quidem bene, et ut historiæ competit, hoc et ipse velim: sin autem minus digne, concedendum est mihi.
39 For as it is distasteful to drink wine alone and likewise to drink water alone, while the mingling of wine with water at once gives full pleasantness to the flavor; so also the fashioning of the language delights the ears of those who read the story. Here is the end.
40 Sicut enim vinum semper bibere, aut semper aquam, contrarium est; alternis autem uti, delectabile: ita legentibus si semper exactus sit sermo, non erit gratus. Hic ergo erit consummatus.
40 Not in this translation