1 Nicanor autem, ut comperit Judam esse in locis Samariæ, cogitavit cum omni impetu die sabbati committere bellum.

But when Nicanor understood that Judas was in the places of Samaria, he purposed to set upon him with all violence on the sabbath day.

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:

And when the Jews that were constrained to follow him, said: Do not act so fiercely and barbarously, but give honour to the day that is sanctified: and reverence him that beholdeth all things:

3 ille infelix interrogavit, si est potens in cælo, qui imperavit agi diem sabbatorum.

That unhappy man asked, if there were a mighty One in heaven, that had commanded the sabbath day to be kept.

4 Et respondentibus illis: Est Dominus vivus ipse in cælo potens, qui jussit agi septimam diem.

And when they answered: There is the living Lord himself in heaven, the mighty One, that commanded the seventh day to be kept,

5 At ille ait: Et ego potens sum super terram qui impero sumi arma, et negotia regis impleri. Tamen non obtinuit ut consilium perficeret.

Then he said: And I am mighty upon the earth, and I command to take arms, and to do the king' s business. Nevertheless he prevailed not to accomplish his design.

6 Et Nicanor quidem cum summa superbia erectus, cogitaverat commune trophæum statuere de Juda.

So Nicanor being puffed up with exceeding great pride, thought to set up a public monument of his victory over Judas.

7 Machabæus autem semper confidebat cum omni spe auxilium sibi a Deo affuturum:

But Machabeus ever trusted with all hope that God would help them.

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.

And he exhorted his people not to fear the coming of the nations, but to remember the help they had before received from heaven, and now to hope for victory from the Almighty.

9 Et allocutus eos de lege et prophetis, admonens etiam certamina quæ fecerant prius, promptiores constituit eos:

And speaking to them out of the law, and the prophets, and withal putting them in mind of the battles they had fought before, he made them more cheerful:

10 et ita animis eorum erectis simul ostendebat gentium fallaciam, et juramentorum prævaricationem.

Then after he had encouraged them, he shewed withal the falsehood of the Gentiles, and their breach of oaths.

11 Singulos autem illorum armavit, non clypei et hastæ munitione, sed sermonibus optimis, et exhortationibus, exposito digno fide somnio, per quod universos lætificavit.

So he armed every one of them, not with defence of shield and spear, but with very good speeches and exhortations, and told them a dream worthy to be believed, whereby he rejoiced them all.

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.

Now the vision was in this manner: Onias who had been high priest, a good and virtuous man, modest in his looks, gentle in his manners, and graceful in his speech, and who from a child was exercised in virtues, holding up his hands, prayed for all the people of the Jews:

13 Post hoc apparuisse et alium virum ætate et gloria mirabilem, et magni decoris habitudine circa illum.

After this there appeared also another man, admirable for age, and glory, and environed with great beauty and majesty:

14 Respondentem vero Oniam dixisse: Hic est fratrum amator, et populi Isræl: hic est qui multum orat pro populo, et universa sancta civitate, Jeremias propheta Dei.

Then Onias answering, said: This is a lover of his brethren, and of the people of Israel: this is he that prayeth much for the people, and for all the holy city, Jeremias the prophet of God.

15 Extendisse autem Jeremiam dextram, et dedisse Judæ gladium aureum, dicentem:

Whereupon Jeremias stretched forth his right hand, and gave to Judas a sword of gold, saying:

16 Accipe sanctum gladium munus a Deo, in quo dejicies adversarios populi mei Isræl.

Take this holy sword a gift from God, wherewith thou shalt overthrow the adversaries of my people Israel.

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.

Thus being exhorted with the words of Judas, which were very good, and proper to stir up the courage, and strengthen the hearts of the young men, they resolved to fight, and to set upon them manfully: that valour might decide the matter, because the holy city 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.

For their concern was less for their wives, and children, and for their brethren, and kinsfolks: but their greatest and principal fear was for the holiness of the temple.

19 Sed et eos qui in civitate erant, non minima sollicitudo habebat pro his qui congressuri erant.

And they also that were in the city, had no little concern for them that were to be engaged in battle.

20 Et cum jam omnes sperarent judicium futurum, hostesque adessent, atque exercitus esset ordinatus, bestiæ equitesque opportuno in loco compositi,

And now when all expected what judgment would be given, and the enemies were at hand, and the army was set in array, the beasts and the horsemen ranged in convenient places,

21 considerans Machabæus adventum multitudinis, et apparatum variam armorum, et ferocitatem bestiarum, extendens manus in cælum, prodigia facientem Dominum invocavit, qui non secundum armorum potentiam, sed prout ipsi placet, dat dignis victoriam.

Machabeus considering the coming of the multitude, and the divers preparations of armour, and the fierceness of the beasts, stretching out his hands to heaven, called upon the Lord, that worketh wonders, who giveth victory to them that are worthy, not according to the power of their arms, but according as it seemeth good to him.

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:

And in his prayer he said after this manner: Thou, O Lord, who didst send thy angel in the time of Ezechias king of Juda, and didst kill a hundred and eighty-five thousand of the army of Sennacherib:

23 et nunc, dominator cælorum, mitte angelum tuum bonum ante nos in timore et tremore magnitudinis brachii tui,

Send now also, O Lord of heaven, thy good angel before us, for the fear and dread of the greatness of thy arm,

24 ut metuant qui cum blasphemia veniunt adversus sanctum populum tuum. Et hic quidem ita peroravit.

That they may be afraid, who come with blasphemy against thy holy people. And thus he concluded his prayer.

25 Nicanor autem, et qui cum ipso erant, cum tubis et canticis admovebant.

But Nicanor, and they that were with him came forward, with trumpets and songs.

26 Judas vero, et qui cum eo erant, invocato Deo, per orationes congressi sunt:

But Judas, and they that were with him, encountered them, calling upon God by prayers:

27 manu quidem pugnantes, sed Dominum cordibus orantes, prostraverunt non minus triginta quinque millia, præsentia Dei magnifice delectati.

So fighting with their hands, but praying to the Lord with their hearts, they slew no less than five and thirty thousand, being greatly cheered with the presence of God.

28 Cumque cessassent, et cum gaudio redirent, cognoverunt Nicanorem ruisse cum armis suis.

And when the battle was over, and they were returning with joy, they understood that Nicanor was slain in his armour.

29 Facto itaque clamore, et perturbatione excitata, patria voce omnipotentem Dominum benedicebant.

Then making a shout, and a great noise, they blessed the Almighty Lord in their own language.

30 Præcepit autem Judas, qui per omnia corpore et animo mori pro civibus paratus erat, caput Nicanoris, et manum cum humero abscissam, Jerosolymam perferri.

And Judas, who was altogether ready, in body and mind, to die for his countrymen, commanded that Nicanor' s head, and his hand with the shoulder should be cut off, and carried to Jerusalem.

31 Quo cum pervenisset, convocatis contribulibus et sacerdotibus ad altare, accersiit et eos qui in arce erant.

And when he was come thither, having called together his countrymen, and the priests to the altar, he sent also for them that were in the castle,

32 Et ostenso capite Nicanoris, et manu nefaria, quam extendens contra domum sanctam omnipotentis Dei, magnifice gloriatus est.

And shewing them the head of Nicanor, and the wicked hand, which he had stretched out, with proud boasts, against the holy house of the Almighty God,

33 Linguam etiam impii Nicanoris præcisam jussit particulatim avibus dari: manum autem dementis contra templum suspendi.

He commanded also, that the tongue of the wicked Nicanor, should be cut out and given by pieces to birds, and the hand of the furious man to be hanged up over against the temple.

34 Omnes igitur cæli benedixerunt Dominum, dicentes: Benedictus, qui locum suum incontaminatum servavit.

Then all blessed the Lord of heaven, saying: Blessed be he that hath kept his own place undefiled.

35 Suspendit autem Nicanoris caput in summa arce, ut evidens esset, et manifestum signum auxilii Dei.

And he hung up Nicanor' s head in the top of the castle, that it might be an evident and manifest sign of the help of God.

36 Itaque omnes communi consilio decreverunt nullo modo diem istum absque celebritate præterire:

And they all ordained by a common decree, by no means to let this day pass without solemnity:

37 habere autem celebritatem tertiadecima die mensis Adar, quod dicitur voce syriaca, pridie Mardochæi diei.

But to celebrate the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, called, in the Syrian language, the day before Mardochias' day.

38 Igitur his erga Nicanorem gestis, et ex illis temporibus ab Hebræis civitate possessa, ego quoque in his faciam finem sermonis.

So these things being done with relation to Nicanor, and from that time the city being possessed by the Hebrews, I also will here make an end of my narration.

39 Et si quidem bene, et ut historiæ competit, hoc et ipse velim: sin autem minus digne, concedendum est mihi.

Which if I have done well, and as it becometh the history, it is what I desired: but if not so perfectly, it must be pardoned me.

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.

For as it is hurtful to drink always wine, or always water, but pleasant to use sometimes the one, and sometimes the other: so if the speech be always nicely framed, it will not be grateful to the readers. But here it shall be ended.