7 — 1 Machabees

1In the hundred and fifty-first year, Demetrius, the son of Seleucus, departed from the city of Rome, and came up with few men into a city of the sea coast, and reigned there.L'anno cento cinquant'uno, Demetrio figliuolo di Seleuco partì da Roma, e giunse con poca comitiva ad una città marittima, e ivi cominciò a regnare.IN the yeare an hundreth fiftie first went forth Demetrius the sonne of Seleucus from the citie of Rome, and he ascended with few men into a citie by the sea side, and reigned there.Anno centesimo quinquagesimo primo, exiit Demetrius Seleuci filius ab urbe Roma, et ascendit cum paucis viris in civitatem maritimam, et regnavit illic. 2And it came to pass as he entered into the house of the kingdom of his fathers, that the army seized upon Antiochus, and Lysias, to bring them unto him.E appena fu egli entrato nel regno dei padri suoi, l'esercito messe le mani addosso ad Antioco e a Lisia, e li menarono a lui.And it came to passe, as he entered into the house of the kingdom of his fathers, the armie tooke Antiochus, and Lysias, to bring them vnto him.Et factum est, ut ingressus est domum regni patrum suorum, comprehendit exercitus Antiochum et Lysiam, ut adducerent eos ad eum. 3And when he knew it, he said: Let me not see their face.Lo che avendo egli inteso, disse: Fate che io non li vegga in faccia.And the king was knowne to him: and he sayd: Shew me not their face.Et res ei innotuit, et ait: Nolite mihi ostendere faciem eorum. 4So the army slew them. And Demetrius sat upon the throne of his kingdom:E i soldati gli uccisero, e Demetrio si assise sul trono del suo regno.And the armie slew them. And Demetrius sate vpon the seate of his kingdom:Et occidit eos exercitus. Et sedit Demetrius super sedem regni sui. 5And there came to him the wicked and ungodly men of Israel: and Alcimus was at the head of them, who desired to be made high priest.E alcuni uomini malvagi ed empi d'Israele andarono a lui, capo de' quali era Alcimo, che voleva essere sommo Sacerdote.and there came to him the wicked and impious men of Israel: & Alcimus the captaine of them, who would be made the priest.Et venerunt ad eum viri iniqui et impii ex Israël: et Alcimus dux eorum, qui volebat fieri sacerdos. 6And they accused the people to the king, saying: Judas and his brethren have destroyed all thy friends, and he hath driven us out of our land.E accusarono la loro nazione presso al re dicendo: Giuda e i suoi fratelli hanno strapazzati tutti i tuoi amici, e noi hanno discacciati dal nostro paese.And they accused the people to the king, saying: Iudas and his bretheren haue destroyed al thy freindes, and vs he hath destroyed out of our land.Et accusaverunt populum apud regem, dicentes: Perdidit Judas et fratres ejus omnes amicos tuos, et nos dispersit de terra nostra.

7Now, therefore, send some men whom thou trustest, and let him go, and see all the havoc he hath made amongst us, and in the king’s lands: and let him punish all his friends and their helpers.Ora tu manda una persona fidata, che vada a riconoscere tutti gli strapazzi, che quegli ha fatto a noi e alle provincie del re, e punisca tutti gli amici di lui e i loro fautori.Now therfore send a man, whom thou doest credite, that he may goe, and see al the destruction, that he hath done to vs, and to the kings countries: and let him punish al his freinds, and their ayders.Nunc ergo mitte virum, cui credis, ut eat, et videat exterminium omne quod fecit nobis, et regionibus regis: et puniat omnes amicos ejus, et adjutores eorum. 8Then the king chose Bacchides, one of his friends, that ruled beyond the great river in the kingdom, and was faithful to the king: and he sent him,E il re scelse tra' suoi amici Bacchide, il quale governava la parte del regno di la dal fiume grande, e di cui il re si fidava, e lui spedì,And the king chose of his freinds Bacchides, that ruled beyond the great riuer in the kingdom, and was faythful to the king: and he sent him,Et elegit rex ex amicis suis Bacchidem, qui dominabatur trans flumen magnum in regno, et fidelem regi: et misit eum, 9To see the havoc that Judas had made: and the wicked Alcimus he made high priest, and commanded him to take revenge upon the children of Israel.A riconoscere le vessazioni fatte da Giuda: e oltre a ciò all'empio Alcimo diede il sommo pontificato, e comandogli che gastigasse i figliuoli d'Israele.to see the destruction that Iudas hath made: and Alcimus the impious man he appointed to the priesthood, and gaue him in commandment to make reuenge vpon the children of Israel.ut videret exterminium quod fecit Judas: sed et Alcimum impium constituit in sacerdotium, et mandavit ei facere ultionem in filios Israël. 10And they arose, and came with a great army into the land of Juda: and they sent messengers, and spoke to Judas and his brethren with peaceable words, deceitfully.Ed ei si mossero, ed entraron con grande esercito nella terra di Giuda, e mandarono ambasciadori a Giuda e ai suoi fratelli con buone parole per ingannarli.And they arose, and came with a great armie into the land of Iuda: and they sent messengers, and spake to Iudas, & his brethren with peaceable wordes in guile.Et surrexerunt, et venerunt cum exercitu magno in terram Juda: et miserunt nuntios, et locuti sunt ad Judam et ad fratres ejus verbis pacificis in dolo. 11But they gave no heed to their words: for they saw that they were come with a great army.Ma questi non dieder orecchio ai loro discorsi, perché vedevano, che eran venuti con grand'esercito.And they attended not to their wordes: for they saw that they came with a great armie.Et non intenderunt sermonibus eorum: viderunt enim quia venerunt cum exercitu magno.

12Then there assembled to Alcimus and Bacchides a company of the scribes, to require things that are just:E una schiera di Scribi si presentarono ad Alcimo e a Bacchide per domandar loro quel che era di giustizia:And there assembled to Alcimus & Bacchides a congregation of the scribes to require the thinges that are iust:Et convenerunt ad Alcimum et Bacchidem congregatio scribarum requirere quæ justa sunt: 13And first the Assideans, that were among the children of Israel, and they sought peace of them.E alla testa di questi figliuoli d'Israele erano gli Assidei, e chiedevano la pace.and first, the Assideans that were in the children of Israel, and they sought peace of them.et primi, Assidæi qui erant in filiis Israël: et exquirebant ab eis pacem. 14For they said: One that is a priest of the seed of Aaron is come, he will not deceive us.Perocchè dicevano: Viene uno, che è sacerdote della stirpe d'Aronne, egli non ci gabberà.for they sayd: A man that is a priest of the seede of Aaron is come, he wil not deceiue vs.Dixerunt enim: Homo sacerdos de semine Aaron venit; non decipiet nos: 15And he spoke to them peaceably: and he swore to them, saying: We will do you no harm, nor your friends.Ed egli fece loro buone parole, e giurò, e disse: Non farem male a voi, ne ai vostri amici.And he spake with-them peaceable wordes: and he sware to them, saying: We wil doe you no harme, nor your freindes.et locutus est cum eis verba pacifica, et juravit illis, dicens: Non inferemus vobis malum, neque amicis vestris. 16And they believed him. And he took threescore of them, and slew them in one day, according to the word that is written:E quegli si fidarono. Ma egli fece prendere sessanta uomini de' loro, e gli uccise in un medesimo giorno secondo quella parola, che sta scritta:And they beleued him. And he tooke of them threescore men, and slew them in one day according to the word, that is written:Et crediderunt ei: et comprehendit ex eis sexaginta viros, et occidit eos in una die, secundum verbum quod scriptum est: 17The flesh of thy saints, and the blood of them they have shed round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them.Le carni de'santi tuoi, e il loro sangue gettarono intorno a Gerusalemme, nè vi fù chi desse loro sepoltura.The flesh of thy saincts, and the bloud of them they haue shed round about Ierusalem, and there was none to burie them.Carnes sanctorum tuorum, et sanguinem ipsorum effuderunt in circuitu Jerusalem, et non erat qui sepeliret. 18Then fear and trembling fell upon all the people: for they said: There is no truth, nor justice among them: for they have broken the covenant, and the oath which they made.E il popolo fa sorpreso da timore e tremore, perocchè dicevano: Non è verità, nè giustizia in costoro, dappoichè hanno violati i patti e il giuramento, che han fatto.And there fel feare, and trembling vpon al the people, because they sayd: There is no truth, & iudgement in them: for they haue transgressed the appointment, and the othe which they sware.Et incubuit timor et tremor in omnem populum: quia dixerunt: Non est veritas, et judicium in eis: transgressi sunt enim constitutum, et jusjurandum quod juraverunt.

19And Bacchides removed the camp from Jerusalem, and pitched in Bethzecha: and he sent, and took many of them that were fled away from him, and some of the people he killed, and threw them into a great pit.E Bacchide mosse il campo verso Gerusalemme, e si avvicinò a Bethzeca, e fece mettere le mani addosso a molti, che si eran ritirati dal suo partito: e alcuni del popolo uccise, e li fe' gettare in un pozzo profondo.And Bacchides remoued the campe from Ierusalem, and approched to Bethzecha: and he sent, & tooke manie of them that were fled from him, and certaine of the people he killed, and threw them into a great pitte.Et movit Bacchides castra ab Jerusalem, et applicuit in Bethzecha: et misit, et comprehendit multos ex eis qui a se effugerant: et quosdam de populo mactavit, et in puteum magnum projecit. 20Then he committed the country to Alcimus, and left with him troops to help him. So Bacchides went away to the king.E diede il paese nelle mani di Alcimo, e lasciò a lui de' soldati per sostenersi: ed ei se ne andò a trovare il re.And he committed the countrie to Alcimus, and left with him ayde to helpe him. And Bacchides went away to the king:Et commisit regionem Alcimo, et reliquit cum eo auxilium in adjutorium ipsi. Et abiit Bacchides ad regem: 21But Alcimus did what he could to maintain his chief priesthood.E Alcimo facea di tutto per istabilire il suo pontificato.and Alcimus did what he could for the principalitie of his priesthood:et satis agebat Alcimus pro principatu sacerdotii sui: 22And they that disturbed the people resorted to him, and they got the land of Juda into their power, and did much hurt in Israel.E si raunarono intorno a lui tutti i perturbatori del popolo, e padroneggiavano nella terra di Giuda, e fecero mali grandi ad Israele.and there gathered together vnto him al that disturbed their people, and the obteyned the land of Iuda, & made a great plague in Israel.et convenerunt ad eum omnes, qui perturbabant populum suum, et obtinuerunt terram Juda, et fecerunt plagam magnam in Israël. 23And Judas saw all the evils that Alcimus, and they that were with him, did to the children of Israel, much more than the Gentiles.Ma Giuda, riflettendo a tutte le vessazioni fatte da Alcimo e da quelli, che erano con lui contro i figliuoli d'Israele, le quali erano molto peggiori, che quelle fatte dalle nazioni,And Iudas saw al the euils that Alcimus did, and they that were with him, to the children of Israel, much more then the Gentils.Et vidit Judas omnia mala quæ fecit Alcimus et qui cum eo erant filiis Israël, multo plus quam gentes: 24And he went out into all the coasts of Judea round about, and took vengeance upon the men that had revolted, and they ceased to go forth any more into the country.Andò in giro per tutte le parti della Giudea, e gastigava quei disertori, e finirono di scorrere quel paese.And he went out into al the coasts of Iurie round about, and did vengeance vpon the men that reuolted, and they ceased to goe forth any more into the countrie.et exiit in omnes fines Judææ in circuitu, et fecit vindictam in viros desertores, et cessaverunt ultra exire in regionem.

25And Alcimus saw that Judas and they that were with him, prevailed: and he knew that he could not stand against them, and he went back to the king, and accused them of many crimes.Ma vedendo Alcimo, che Giuda e i suoi partigiani erano superiori di forze, e conoscendo di non poter ad essi far testa, se ne tornò al re, e gli accusò di molti delitti.But Alcimus saw that Iudas preuailed, and they that were with him: and he knew that he could not stand with them, and he went backe to the king, and accused them of manie crimes.Vidit autem Alcimus quod prævaluit Judas et qui cum eo erant, et cognovit quia non potest sustinere eos: et regressus est ad regem, et accusavit eos multis criminibus. 26And the king sent Nicanor, one of his principal lords, who was a great enemy to Israel: and he commanded him to destroy the people.E il re mandò Nicanore uno de' suoi grandi di prima sfera, il quale era nemico dichiarato d'Israele, e gli diede commissione di distrugger quel popolo.And the king sent Nicanor, one of his nobler princes: that practised emnities against Israel: and he commanded him to destroy the people.Et misit rex Nicanorem, unum ex principibus suis nobilioribus, qui erat inimicitias exercens contra Israël: et mandavit ei evertere populum. 27And Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a great army, and he sent to Judas and to his brethren deceitfully, with friendly words,E Nicanore si portò a Gerusalemme con grande esercito, e mandò gente a parlare di pace con Giuda, e co' suoi fratelli per ingannarli,And Nicanor came into Ierusalem with a great armie, and he sent to Iudas and to his bretheren in peaceable wordes with guile,Et venit Nicanor in Jerusalem cum exercitu magno, et misit ad Judam et ad fratres ejus verbis pacificis cum dolo, 28Saying: Let there be no fighting between me and you: I will come with a few men, to see your faces with peace.Dicendo: Non sia guerra tra me e voi; io verrò con poca comitiva a vedervi amichevolmente.saying: Let there be no fighting betwen me and you: I wil come with few men, to see your faces with peace.dicens: Non sit pugna inter me et vos: veniam cum viris paucis, ut videam facies vestras cum pace. 29And he came to Judas, and they saluted one another peaceably: and the enemies were prepared to take away Judas by force.E andò a trovar Giuda, e si salutarono scambievolmente con cortesia, ma i nemici stavano pronti per metter le mani addosso a Giuda.And he came to Iudas, and they saluted one an other peaceably: and the enemies were readie to catch Iudas.Et venit ad Judam, et salutaverunt se invicem pacifice: et hostes parati erant rapere Judam.

30And the thing was known to Judas that he was come to him with deceit: and he was much afraid of him, and would not see his face any more.E Giuda riseppe come quegli eran venuti a lui con cattive intenzioni, e n'ebbe paura, e non volte più vederlo in viso.And the thing was knowne to Iudas that he was come with guile: and he was sore afrayd of him, & would not see his face any more.Et innotuit sermo Judæ quoniam cum dolo venerat ad eum: et conterritus est ab eo, et amplius noluit videre faciem ejus. 31And Nicanor knew that his counsel was discovered: and he went out to fight against Judas, near Capharsalama.E il Nicanore avendo inteso come erano state scoperte le sue trame, andò incontro a Giuda per combatterla presso a Caphar-Salama.And Nicanor knew that his counsel was disclosed: and he went forth to Iudas into battel beside Capharsalama.Et cognovit Nicanor quoniam denudatum est consilium ejus: et exivit obviam Judæ in pugnam juxta Capharsalama. 32And there fell of Nicanor’s army almost five thousand men, and they fled into the city of David.E dell'esercito di Nicanore restaron morti circa cinque mila uomini. E quelli si ritirarono nella città di David.And there fel of Nicanors armie almost fiue thousand men, and they fled into the citie of Dauid.Et ceciderunt de Nicanoris exercitu fere quinque millia viri, et fugerunt in civitatem David. 33And after this Nicanor went up into mount Sion: and some of the priests and the people came out to salute him peaceably, and to shew him the holocausts that were offered for the king.E dopo questo Nicanore salì al monte di Sion; e venner fuori un numero di sacerdoti a salutarlo bonariamente, e a fargli vedere gli olocausti, che si offerivano per il re.And after these wordes Nicanor went vp into mount Sion: & there went forth of the priests of the people to salute him in peace, and to shew him the holocausts, that were offered for the king.Et post hæc verba ascendit Nicanor in montem Sion: et exierunt de sacerdotibus populi salutare eum in pace, et demonstrare ei holocautomata, quæ offerebantur pro rege. 34But he mocked and despised them, and abused them: and he spoke proudly,Ma egli li derise e li sprezzo e trattolli come profani, e parlò arrogantemente,And scorning he contemned them, and polluted them: and he spake proudly,Et irridens sprevit eos, et polluit: et locutus est superbe, 35And swore in anger, saying: Unless Judas and his army be delivered into my hands, as soon as ever I return in peace, I will burn this house. And he went out in a great rage.E giurò con ira, e disse: Se non mi sarà dato nelle mani Giuda e il sua esercito, subito che io tornerò colla vittoria metterò il fuoco a questa casa. E se n'andò fieramente sdegnato:and sware with anger, saying: Vnles Iudas be deliuered, and his armie into my handes, incontinent when Ishal returne in peace, I wil burne this house. And he went out with great anger:et juravit cum ira, dicens: Nisi traditus fuerit Judas et exercitus ejus in manus meas, continuo cum regressus fuero in pace, succendam domum istam. Et exiit cum ira magna.

36And the priests went in, and stood before the face of the altar and the temple: and weeping, they said:E i sacerdoti andarono a presentarsi davanti all'altare e al tempio, e dissero piangendo:and the priests entered in, and stood before the face of the altar and the temple: and weeping they sayd:Et intraverunt sacerdotes, et steterunt ante faciem altaris et templi, et flentes dixerunt: 37Thou, O Lord, hast chosen this house for thy name to be called upon therein, that it might be a house of prayer and supplication for thy people.Tu, Signore, eleggesti questa casa, affinché in essa fosse invocato il tuo nome, ed ella fosse casa di orazione e di preghiera pel popolo tuo:Thou ô Lord hast chosen this house for thy name to be inuocated therin, that it might be a house of prayer, and obsecration for thy people.Tu, Domine, elegisti domum istam ad invocandum nomen tuum in ea, ut esset domus orationis et obsecrationis populo tuo: 38Be avenged of this man, and his army, and let them fall by the sword: remember their blasphemies, and suffer them not to continue any longer.Gastiga quest'uomo e il suo esercito, e periscano di spada: ricordati delle loro bestemmie, e non permettere ch'ei sussistano.Take vengeance vpon this man, and his armie, and let them fal by the sword: remember their blasphemies, and grant not vnto them to be permanent.fac vindictam in homine isto et exercitu ejus, et cadant in gladio: memento blasphemias eorum, et ne dederis eis ut permaneant. 39Then Nicanor went out from Jerusalem, and encamped near to Bethoron: and an army of Syria joined him.E Nicanore parti da Gerusalemme, e si accampò vicino a Bethoron, e gli venner incontra le milizie della Siria.And Nicanor went out from Ierusalem, and moued the campe neere to Bethhoron: and the armie of Syria mette him.Et exiit Nicanor ab Jerusalem, et castra applicuit ad Bethoron: et occurrit illi exercitus Syriæ. 40But Judas pitched in Adarsa with three thousand men: and Judas prayed, and said:E Giuda si avvicinò ad Adarsa con tre mila uomini; e fece orazione Giuda, e disse:And Iudas approched in Adarsa with three thousand men: and Iudas prayed, and sayd:Et Judas applicuit in Adarsa cum tribus millibus viris: et oravit Judas, et dixit: 41O Lord, when they that were sent by king Sennacherib blasphemed thee, an angel went out, and slew of them a hundred and eighty-five thousand:Perché i nunzi mandati da Sennacherib bestemmiaron contro di te, o Signore, venne un Angelo, il quale uccise cento ottantacinque mila de' loro.They that were sent by king Sennacherib, ô Lord, because they blasphemed thee, an angel came forth, and stroke of them an hundred eightie fiue thousand:Qui missi erant a rege Sennacherib, Domine, quia blasphemaverunt te, exiit angelus, et percussit ex eis centum octoginta quinque millia:

42Even so destroy this army in our sight today and let the rest know that he hath spoken ill against thy sanctuary: and judge thou him according to his wickedness.Stermina nella stessa guisa in quest'oggi dinanzi a noi quest'esercito, e tutti gli altri conoscano, come indegnamente egli ha parlato del tuo santuario; e giudicalo tu secondo la sua malvagità.so destroy this armie in our sight to day, and let the rest know that he hath spoken il vpon the holy places: and iudge thou him according to his malice.sic contere exercitum istum in conspectu nostro hodie: et sciant ceteri quia male locutus est super sancta tua: et judica illum secundum malitiam illius. 43And the armies joined battle on the thirteenth day of the month, Adar: and the army of Nicanor was defeated, and he himself was first slain in the battle.E gli eserciti vennero alle mani ai tredici del mese di Adar, e le schiere di Nicanore furon rotte, ed egli il primo morì nella zuffa.And the armies ioyned battel the thirtenth day of the moneth Adar: and the campe of Nicanor was discomfited, and himself was slaine first in the battel.Et commiserunt exercitus prælium tertiadecima die mensis Adar: et contrita sunt castra Nicanoris, et cecidit ipse primus in prælio. 44And when his army saw that Nicanor was slain they threw away their weapons, and fled:E quando l'esercito di Nicanore vide, che questi era morto, gettaron l'armi, e fuggirono.And as his armie saw that Nicanor was slaine, they threw away their weapons, & fled:Ut autem vidit exercitus ejus quia cecidisset Nicanor, projecerunt arma sua, et fugerunt: 45And they pursued after them one day’s journey from Adazer, even till ye come to Gazara, and they sounded the trumpets after them with signals.E i Giudei gl'inseguirono un'intera giornata da Adazer fino a Gazara, e tenevan lor dietro sonando le trombe per avviso di tutti.and they pursewed them one dayes iorney from Adazer, euen til ye come into Gazara, and with trumpets they sounded after them with significations.et persecuti sunt eos viam unius diei ab Adazer usquequo veniatur in Gazara, et tubis cecinerunt post eos cum significationibus: 46And they went forth out of all the towns of Judea round about, and they pushed them with the horns, and they turned again to them, and they were all slain with the sword, and there was not left of them so much as one.E usciva gente da tutti i castelli della Giudea, che erano all'intorno, e davano loro addosso, onde quelli tornavano a voltar faccia ai vincitori, e tutti quanti perirono di spada, e non ne restò neppur uno.And they went forth out of al the townes of Iurie round about, and they pushed them with the hornes, and they turned againe to them, and they were al slaine with the sword, and there was not left of them so much as one.et exierunt de omnibus castellis Judææ in circuitu, et ventilabant eos cornibus, et convertebantur iterum ad eos, et ceciderunt omnes gladio, et non est relictus ex eis nec unus.

47And they took the spoils of them for a booty, and they cut off Nicanor’s head, and his right hand, which he had proudly stretched out, and they brought it, and hung it up over against Jerusalem.E quelli presero le loro spoglie, e troncaron la testa e la mano di Nicanore, la quale egli aveva alzata arrogantemente, e le portarono, e le appesero in vista di Gerusalemme.And they tooke the spoiles of them for a praye: and Nicanors head they cut of, and his right hand, which he had proudly stretched forth, and they brought it, and hung it vp against Ierusalem.Et acceperunt spolia eorum in prædam: et caput Nicanoris amputaverunt, et dexteram ejus, quam extenderat superbe, et attulerunt, et suspenderunt contra Jerusalem. 48And the people rejoiced exceedingly, and they spent that day with great joy.Il popolo si rallegrò sommamente, e passaron quel giorno in gran festa.And the people reioyced excedingly, and they spent that day in great gladnes.Et lætatus est populus valde, et egerunt diem illam in lætitia magna. 49And he ordained that this day should be kept every year, being the thirteenth of the month of Adar.E Giuda ordinò, che si celebrasse tutti gli anni quella solennità ai tredici del mese di Adar.And he ordayned that this day should be kept euerie yeare the thirtenth of the moneth Adar.Et constituit agi omnibus annis diem istam tertiadecima die mensis Adar. 50And the land of Juda was quiet for a short time.E la terra di Giuda fu in pace per pochi giorni.And the land of Iuda was quiet for a few dayes.Et siluit terra Juda dies paucos.