Et surrexit Judas, qui vocabatur Machabæus, filius ejus, pro eo:

Then his son Judas, called Machabeus, rose up in his stead.

And now his son Judas, that was called Machabaeus, came forward to succeed him;

et adjuvabant eum omnes fratres ejus, et universi qui se conjunxerant patri ejus, et præliabantur prælium Israël cum lætitia.

And all his brethren helped him, and all they that had joined themselves to his father, and they fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel.

nor any of Judas’ clan, nor any that had taken his father’s part, but lent him their aid still; right merrily they fought Israel’s battle.

Et dilatavit gloriam populo suo, et induit se loricam sicut gigas, et succinxit se arma bellica sua in præliis, et protegebat castra gladio suo.

And he got his people great honour, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and girt his warlike armour about him in battles, and protected the camp with his sword.

Here was one that brought his race renown; as great a warrior as ever donned breastplate, or armed himself for the fight, or drew sword to save his camp from peril;

Similis factus est leoni in operibus suis, et sicut catulus leonis rugiens in venatione.

In his acts he was like a lion, and like a lion’s whelp roaring for his prey.

lion-hearted his deeds, not lion itself more relentless in pursuit.

Et persecutus est iniquos perscrutans eos: et qui conturbabant populum suum, eos succendit flammis:

And he pursued the wicked and sought them out, and them that troubled his people he burnt with fire:

Traitors he ever sought out and hunted down, ever with fire-brand the oppressors of his people dislodged,

et repulsi sunt inimici ejus præ timore ejus, et omnes operarii iniquitatis conturbati sunt: et directa est salus in manu ejus.

And his enemies were driven away for fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled: and salvation prospered in his hand.

till enemy was none but was daunted by the fear of him, traitor was none but fled in confusion, so well sped he the work of deliverance.

Et exacerbabat reges multos, et lætificabat Jacob in operibus suis, et in sæculum memoria ejus in benedictione.

And he grieved many kings, and made Jacob glad with his works, and his memory is blessed for ever.

Great deeds, that kings rued bitterly, Jacob with exultation heard, posterity holds blessed evermore!

Et perambulavit civitates Juda, et perdidit impios ex eis, et avertit iram ab Israël.

And he went through the cities of Juda, and destroyed the wicked out of them, and turned away wrath from Israel.

From city to city he went, ridding Juda of its law-breakers, averting the vengeance guilt of theirs had deserved;

Et nominatus est usque ad novissimum terræ, et congregavit pereuntes.

And he was renowned even to the utmost part of the earth, and he gathered them that were perishing.

no corner of earth but he was renowned there, for one that had been able to rally a doomed people.

Et congregavit Apollonius gentes, et a Samaria virtutem multam et magnam ad bellandum contra Israël.

And Apollonius gathered together the Gentiles, and a numerous and great army from Samaria, to make war against Israel.

How sped Apollonius, that mustered a great force, of Gentiles and Samaritans both, to fight against Israel?

Et cognovit Judas, et exiit obviam illi: et percussit, et occidit illum: et ceciderunt vulnerati multi, et reliqui fugerunt.

And Judas understood it, and went forth to meet him: and he overthrew him, and killed him: and many fell down slain, and the rest fled away.

No sooner Judas heard of it, than he met and routed and slew him; fell many and fled more,

Et accepit spolia eorum: et gladium Apollonii abstulit Judas, et erat pugnans in eo omnibus diebus.

And he took their spoils, and Judas took the sword of Apollonius, and fought with it all his lifetime.

leaving their spoils behind them. The sword of Apollonius Judas himself carried away; and this it was he evermore used in battle.

Et audivit Seron princeps exercitus Syriæ, quod congregavit Judas congregationem fidelium, et ecclesiam secum,

And Seron captain of the army of Syria heard that Judas had assembled a company of the faithful, and a congregation with him,

And next it was Seron, captain of the armies in Syria, heard what a great retinue and faithful following Judas had;

et ait: Faciam mihi nomen, et glorificabor in regno, et debellabo Judam, et eos qui cum ipso sunt, qui spernebant verbum regis.

And he said: I will get me a name, and will be glorified in the kingdom, and will overthrow Judas, and those that are with him, that have despised the edict of the king.

and nothing would serve, but he must win renown and high favour at court by crushing Judas, and all other his companions that defied the king’s edict.

Et præparavit se: et ascenderunt cum eo castra impiorum fortes auxiliarii ut facerent vindictam in filios Israël.

And he made himself ready: and the host of the wicked went up with him, strong succours, to be revenged of the children of Israel.

So he made all ready, and marched in with a strong muster of the ungodly at his heels, to be even with the men of Israel.

Et appropinquaverunt usque ad Bethoron: et exivit Judas obviam illi cum paucis.

And they approached even as far as Bethoron: and Judas went forth to meet him, with a small company.

As far as Bethoron pass they reached, and there Judas met them with his company, no better than a handful.

Ut autem viderunt exercitum venientem sibi obviam, dixerunt Judæ: Quomodo poterimus pauci pugnare contra multitudinem tantam, et tam fortem, et nos fatigati sumus jejunio hodie?

But when they saw the army coming to meet them, they said to Judas: How shall we, being few, be able to fight against so great a multitude and so strong, and we are ready to faint with fasting to day?

These, when they saw such a host facing them, were for counsels of prudence; What, they said to Judas, should we offer battle to foes so many and so strong, faint as we be from a day of hungry marching?

Et ait Judas: Facile est concludi multos in manus paucorum: et non est differentia in conspectu Dei cæli liberare in multis, et in paucis:

And Judas said: It is an easy matter for many to be shut up in the hands of a few: and there is no difference in the sight of the God of heaven to deliver with a great multitude, or with a small company:

Nay, said Judas, nothing forbids great numbers should be at the mercy of small; what matter makes it to the God of heaven, few be his soldiers or many when he grants deliverance?

quoniam non in multitudine exercitus victoria belli, sed de cælo fortitudo est.

For the success of war is not in the multitude of the army, but strength cometh from heaven.

Armed might avails not to win the day; victory is from above.

Ipsi veniunt ad nos in multitudine contumaci, et superbia, ut disperdant nos, et uxores nostras, et filios nostros, et ut spolient nos:

They come against us with an insolent multitude, and with pride, to destroy us, and our wives, and our children, and to take our spoils.

What though they come to meet us in the proud confidence of superior strength, and think it an easy matter to slay us, slay our wives and children, plunder our goods?

nos vero pugnabimus pro animabus nostris, et legibus nostris:

But we will fight for our lives and our laws:

Life and loyalty at stake, we will offer battle none the less;

et ipse Dominus conteret eos ante faciem nostram: vos autem ne timueritis eos.

And the Lord himself will overthrow them before our face: but as for you, fear them not.

and he, the Lord, will crush them to earth at our coming; never be afraid.

Ut cessavit autem loqui, insiluit in eos subito: et contritus est Seron et exercitus ejus in conspectu ipsius:

And as soon as he had made an end of speaking, he rushed suddenly upon them: and Seron and his host were overthrown before him:

And with that, all unawares, he fell upon Seron and his army, that were crushed, sure enough, by his onslaught;

et persecutus est eum in descensu Bethoron usque in campum, et ceciderunt ex eis octingenti viri, reliqui autem fugerunt in terram Philisthiim.

And he pursued him by the descent of Bethoron even to the plain, and there fell of them eight hundred men, and the rest fled into the land of the Philistines.

all down the pass of Bethoron he gave them chase, down into the plain, and eight hundred of them had fallen before ever they took refuge in the country of the Philistines.

Et cecidit timor Judæ ac fratrum ejus, et formido super omnes gentes in circuitu eorum:

And the fear of Judas and of his brethren, and the dread of them fell upon all the nations round about them.

By this, the neighbouring peoples had begun to take alarm, so formidable did Judas and his brethren appear to them,

et pervenit ad regem nomen ejus, et de præliis Judæ narrabant omnes gentes.

And his fame came to the king, and all nations told of the battles of Judas.

and the renown of him reached the king’s court; all the world was talking of Judas and his victories.

Ut audivit autem rex Antiochus sermones istos, iratus est animo: et misit, et congregavit exercitum universi regni sui, castra fortia valde:

Now when king Antiochus heard these words, he was angry in his mind: and he sent and gathered the forces of all his kingdom, an exceeding strong army.

An angry man was king Antiochus when the news came to him; he sent word round, and had all his army summoned together, a brave array, be sure of it.

et aperuit ærarium suum, et dedit stipendia exercitui in annum: et mandavit illis ut essent parati ad omnia.

And he opened his treasury, and gave out pay to the army for a year: and he commanded them, that they should be ready for all things.

The treasury must be opened, to provide the troops with a whole year’s pay, and keep them in readiness for every need.

Et vidit quod defecit pecunia de thesauris suis, et tributa regionis modica propter dissensionem et plagam quam fecit in terra, ut tolleret legitima, quæ erant a primis diebus:

And he perceived that the money of his treasures failed, and that the tributes of the country were small because of the dissension, and the evil that he had brought upon the land, that he might take away the laws of old times:

Why, what was this? So heavily had Juda suffered, so great the discord he had aroused by the abolishing of its ancient usages, that scant revenue had come in from it, and the treasury was in default!

et timuit ne non haberet ut semel et bis, in sumptus et donaria, quæ dederat ante larga manu: et abundaverat super reges qui ante eum fuerant.

And he feared that he should not have as formerly enough, for charges and gifts, which he had given before with a liberal hand: for he had abounded more than the kings that had been before him.

Whence, now, to defray the cost of that largesse he had made so often, and with so lavish a hand? Never was king before him could rival his munificence.

Et consternatus erat animo valde, et cogitavit ire in Persidem, et accipere tributa regionum, et congregare argentum multum.

And he was greatly perplexed in mind, and purposed to go into Persia, and to take tributes of the countries, and to gather much money.

Here was the king in great confusion of mind; and his thought was, to march into Persia and take toll of those countries; great store of money he might there amass.

Et reliquit Lysiam hominem nobilem de genere regali, super negotia regia, a flumine Euphrate usque ad flumen Ægypti,

And he left Lysias, a nobleman of the blood royal, to oversee the affairs of the kingdom, from the river Euphrates even to the river of Egypt:

He left Lysias behind, that was a man of high rank and royal blood; he was to administer all the business of the kingdom, from Euphrates down to the Brook of Egypt,

et ut nutriret Antiochum filium suum, donec rediret.

And to bring up his son Antiochus, till he came again.

and have charge of the young prince Antiochus, until the king’s return.

Et tradidit ei medium exercitum, et elephantos: et mandavit ei de omnibus quæ volebat, et de inhabitantibus Judæam, et Jerusalem:

And he delivered to him half the army, and the elephants: and he gave him charge concerning all that he would have done, and concerning the inhabitants of Judea, and Jerusalem:

Half his army he entrusted to Lysias, and the elephants besides; and he signified all that he would have done, concerning Juda and Jerusalem particularly.

et ut mitteret ad eos exercitum ad conterendam et extirpandam virtutem Israël, et reliquias Jerusalem, et auferendam memoriam eorum de loco:

And that he should send an army against them, to destroy and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away the memory of them from that place:

A force must be sent to overpower all that fought for Israel, or were yet left in Jerusalem, and make a clean riddance of them; no trace of these must be left;

et ut constitueret habitatores filios alienigenas in omnibus finibus eorum, et sorte distribueret terram eorum.

And that he should settle strangers to dwell in all their coasts, and divide their land by lot.

all through the country settlers must be brought in from abroad, and the lands allotted between them.

Et rex assumpsit partem exercitus residui, et exivit ab Antiochia civitate regni sui anno centesimo et quadragesimo septimo: et transfretavit Euphraten flumen, et perambulabat superiores regiones.

So the king took the half of the army that remained, and went forth from Antioch the chief city of his kingdom, in the hundred and forty-seventh year: and he passed over the river Euphrates, and went through the higher countries.

With that, the king left his capital of Antioch, taking the remainder of his army with him; it was the hundred and forty-seventh year of the empire. Soon he was across Euphrates river, and on the march through the high countries.

Et elegit Lysias Ptolemæum filium Dorymini, et Nicanorem, et Gorgiam, viros potentes ex amicis regis:

Then Lysias chose Ptolemee the son of Dorymenus, and Nicanor, and Gorgias, mighty men of the king’s friends.

Three generals Lysias appointed for the task; Ptolemy son of Dorymenes, Nicanor and Gorgias, nobles all that were high in the royal favour;

et misit cum eis quadraginta millia virorum, et septem millia equitum, ut venirent in terram Juda, et disperderent eam secundum verbum regis.

And he sent with them forty thousand men, and seven thousand horsemen: to go into the land of Juda, and to destroy it according to the king’s orders.

with forty thousand foot and seven thousand horse they were to march on Juda and make an end of it, as the king had ordered.

Et processerunt cum universa virtute sua, et venerunt, et applicuerunt Emmaum in terra campestri.

So they went forth with all their power, and came, and pitched near Emmaus in the plain country.

So out they went, with all this army at their back, marched in, and pitched their tents near Emmaus, down in the valley.

Et audierunt mercatores regionum nomen eorum: et acceperunt argentum, et aurum multum valde, et pueros, et venerunt in castra ut acciperent filios Israël in servos, et additi sunt ad eos exercitus Syriæ, et terræ alienigenarum.

And the merchants of the countries heard the fame of them: and they took silver and gold in abundance, and servants: and they came into the camp, to buy the children of Israel for slaves: and there were joined to them the forces of Syria, and of the land of the strangers.

Be sure the traders all about were apprised of their coming, and made their way into the camp with great sums of silver and gold, and a retinue of servants besides, thinking to buy Israelite slaves; levies, too, from Syria and Philistia made common cause with the invader.

Et vidit Judas et fratres ejus, quia multiplicata sunt mala, et exercitus applicabant ad fines eorum: et cognoverunt verba regis, quæ mandavit populo facere in interitum et consummationem:

And Judas and his brethren saw that evils were multiplied, and that the armies approached to their borders: and they knew the orders the king had given to destroy the people and utterly abolish them.

Judas, then, and his brethren found that matters had gone from bad to worse; here were the enemy encamped within their frontiers; they heard, besides, what orders the king had given for the destruction and taking away of their people.

et dixerunt unusquisque ad proximum suum: Erigamus dejectionem populi nostri, et pugnemus pro populo nostro, et sanctis nostris.

And they said every man to his neighbour: Let us raise up the low condition of our people, and let us fight for our people, and our sanctuary.

And the word went round among them, Now to restore the lost fortunes of our race; now to do battle for people of ours, sanctuary of ours!

Et congregatus est conventus ut essent parati in prælium, et ut orarent et peterent misericordiam et miserationes.

And the assembly was gathered that they might be ready for battle: and that they might pray, and ask mercy and compassion.

So a general assembly was called; they must make ready for the fight, and pray besides, to win mercy and pardon.

Et Jerusalem non habitabatur, sed erat sicut desertum: non erat qui ingrederetur et egrederetur de natis ejus. Et sanctum conculcabatur: et filii alienigenarum erant in arce; ibi erat habitatio gentium: et ablata est voluptas a Jacob, et defecit ibi tibia et cithara.

Now Jerusalem was not inhabited, but was like a desert: there was none of her children that went in or out: and the sanctuary was trodden down: and the children of strangers were in the castle, there was the habitation of the Gentiles: and joy was taken away from Jacob, and the pipe and harp ceased there.

Not at Jerusalem; Jerusalem lay there, no city but a desert waste, nor any of her sons came and went; her sanctuary defiled, her citadel garrisoned by the alien, she was but a haunt of the Gentiles. Sad days for the men of Jacob; pipe nor harp sounded there now.

Et congregati sunt, et venerunt in Maspha contra Jerusalem, quia locus orationis erat in Maspha ante in Israël.

And they assembled together, and came to Maspha over against Jerusalem: for in Maspha was a place of prayer heretofore in Israel.

At Maspha, then, they gathered, looking across towards Jerusalem; time was when Maspha, too, had its place of prayer.

Et jejunaverunt illa die, et induerunt se ciliciis, et cinerem imposuerunt capiti suo, et disciderunt vestimenta sua:

And they fasted that day, and put on haircloth, and put ashes upon their heads: and they rent their garments:

All that day they fasted, and wore sackcloth, and covered their heads with ashes, and tore their garments about them.

et expanderunt libros legis, de quibus scrutabantur gentes similitudinem simulacrorum suorum:

And they laid open the books of the law, in which the Gentiles searched for the likeness of their idols:

What sights were these? Here, lying open, was a copy of the law, such as the heathen were ever making search for, … the counterpart of their own images.

et attulerunt ornamenta sacerdotalia, et primitias, et decimas: et suscitaverunt Nazaræos, qui impleverant dies,

And they brought the priestly ornaments, and the firstfruits and tithes, and stirred up the Nazarites that had fulfilled their days:

Here they had brought priestly vestments, and offering of first-fruits and tithes; here Nazirites were gathered, ripe and ready for the payment of their vows.

et clamaverunt voce magna in cælum, dicentes: Quid faciemus istis, et quo eos ducemus?

And they cried with a loud voice toward heaven, saying: What shall we do with these, and whither shall we carry them?

And a loud cry rose to heaven, What shall we do for these, thy votaries? Whither escort them now?

et sancta tua conculcata sunt, et contaminata sunt, et sacerdotes tui facti sunt in luctum, et in humilitatem:

For thy holies are trodden down, and are profaned, and thy priests are in mourning, and are brought low.

Sanctuary of thine is all profanation and defilement, priesthood of thine all misery and despair.

et ecce nationes convenerunt adversum nos ut nos disperdant: tu scis quæ cogitant in nos.

And behold the nations are come together against us to destroy us: thou knowest what they intend against us.

And now, see where the heathen muster their armies to destroy us! Needs not we should tell thee, how murderous their intent.

Quomodo poterimus subsistere ante faciem eorum, nisi tu, Deus, adjuves nos?

How shall we be able to stand before their face, unless thou, O God, help us?

Lord, but for thy aid, how shall we resist their onslaught?

Et tubis exclamaverunt voce magna.

Then they sounded with trumpets, and cried out with a loud voice.

Loudly their voices, and loud the trumpets rang.

Et post hæc constituit Judas duces populi, tribunos, et centuriones, et pentacontarchos, et decuriones.

And after this Judas appointed captains over the people, over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.

Thereupon Judas chose out who should be their leaders, one with a thousand, one with a hundred, one with fifty, one with ten men to follow him;

Et dixit his, qui ædificabant domos, et sponsabant uxores, et plantabant vineas, et formidolosis, ut redirent unusquisque in domum suam secundum legem.

And he said to them that were building houses, or had betrothed wives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful, that they should return every man to his house, according to the law.

he sent home, too, all such as the law holds exempt; all that had but just built house, or married wife, or planted vineyard, and whoever had no stomach to the fight.

Et moverunt castra, et collocaverunt ad austrum Emmaum.

So they removed the camp, and pitched on the south side of Emmaus.

Then they moved camp, and pitched their tents southward of Emmaus.

Et ait Judas: Accingimini, et estote filii potentes, et estote parati in mane, ut pugnetis adversus nationes has quæ convenerunt adversus nos disperdere nos, et sancta nostra:

And Judas said: Gird yourselves, and be valiant men, and be ready against the morning, that you may fight with these nations that are assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary.

Now for girded loins, cried Judas, and brave hearts! By to-morrow’s light, you must engage yonder heathen, sworn enemies to us, and to the ground we hold sacred.

quoniam melius est nos mori in bello, quam videre mala gentis nostræ, et sanctorum.

For it is better for us to die in battle, than to see the evils of our nation, and of the holies:

Better die in battle, than live to see our race and our sanctuary overpowered.

Sicut autem fuerit voluntas in cælo, sic fiat.

Nevertheless as it shall be the will of God in heaven so be it done.

Be it what it may, heaven’s will be done!