2 Maccabees 2

2 Maccabees 2, Catholic Public Domain Version

1. Now it is found in the descriptions of the prophet Jeremiah that he ordered those who transmigrated to take the fire, just as it was signified and as he ordered, into the transmigration.†

   Invenitur autem in descriptionibus Jeremiæ prophetæ, quod jussit eos ignem accipere qui transmigrabant, ut significatum est, et ut mandavit transmigratis.

2. 2

   And he gave them the law, so that they would never forget the commandments of the Lord, and so that they would not go astray in their minds, seeing the idols of gold and silver, and their ornaments.

   Et dedit illis legem, ne obliviscerentur præcepta Domini, et non exerrarent mentibus, videntes simulacra aurea et argentea, et ornamenta eorum.

3. 3

   And in this manner, with other sayings, he exhorted them, lest they remove the law from their heart.

   Et alia hujusmodi dicens, hortabatur ne legem amoverent a corde suo.

4. 4

   Furthermore, it was in the same writing, how the prophet, by divine response, ordered that the tabernacle and the ark be made to accompany him, until he exited from the mountain, where Moses ascended and saw the inheritance of God.

   Erat autem in ipsa scriptura, quomodo tabernaculum et arcam jussit propheta divino responso ad se facto comitari secum, usquequo exiit in montem in quo Moyses ascendit, et vidit Dei hæreditatem.

5. 5

   And arriving there, Jeremiah found a place in a cave. And he brought both the tabernacle, and the ark, and the altar of incense into that place, and he obstructed the opening.

   Et veniens ibi Jeremias, invenit locum speluncæ: et tabernaculum, et arcam, et altare incensi intulit illuc, et ostium obstruxit.

6. 6

   And certain ones of those who followed him, approached to make note of the location, but they were not able to find it.

   Et accesserunt quidam simul, qui sequebantur, ut notarent sibi locum: et non potuerunt invenire.

7. 7

   But when Jeremiah knew of it, he blamed them, saying: “The place shall be unknown, until God shall gather together the congregation of the people, and until he may be favorably inclined.

   Ut autem cognovit Jeremias, culpans illos dixit: Quod ignotus erit locus donec congreget Deus congregationem populi, et propitius fiat:

8. 8

   And then the Lord will reveal these things, and the majesty of the Lord shall appear, and there will be a cloud, just as it was also manifested to Moses, and just as he manifested these when Solomon petitioned that the place should be sanctified to the great God.

   et tunc Dominus ostendet hæc, et apparebit majestas Domini, et nubes erit, sicut et Moysi manifestabatur, et sicut cum Salomon petiit ut locus sanctificaretur magno Deo, manifestabat hæc.

9. 9

   For he also drew upon wisdom magnificently, and so, having wisdom, he offered the sacrifice of the dedication and the consummation of the temple.

   Magnifice etenim sapientiam tractabat: et ut sapientiam habens, obtulit sacrificium dedicationis et consummationis templi.

10. 10

    And, just as Moses prayed to the Lord, and fire descended from heaven and consumed the holocaust, so also Solomon prayed and fire descended from heaven and consumed the holocaust.

    Sicut et Moyses orabat ad Dominum, et descendit ignis de cælo et consumpsit holocaustum, sic et Salomon oravit, et descendit ignis de cælo et consumpsit holocaustum.

11. 11

    And Moses said that it was consumed because the sin offering was not eaten.

    Et dixit Moyses: Eo quod non sit comestum quod erat pro peccato, consumptum est.

12. 12

    And similarly, Solomon also celebrated the eight days of the dedication.

    Similiter et Salomon octo diebus celebravit dedicationem.

13. 13

    Moreover, these same things were put into the descriptions and commentaries of Nehemiah, including how, when constructing a library, he gathered together from the regions the books of the Prophets, and of David, and the epistles of the kings, and from the holy gifts.

    Inferebantur autem in descriptionibus et commentariis Nehemiæ hæc eadem: et ut construens bibliothecam congregavit de regionibus libros et prophetarum et David, et epistolas regum, et de donariis.

14. 14

    And, similarly, Judas also gathered together all the things that were destroyed by the war that befell us, and these are with us.

    Similiter autem et Judas ea quæ deciderant per bellum quod nobis acciderat, congregavit omnia, et sunt apud nos.

15. 15

    Therefore, if you desire these things, send those who may carry them to you.

    Si ergo desideratis hæc, mittite qui perferant vobis.

16. 16

    And so, since we will be celebrating the purification, we wrote to you. Therefore, you will do well, if you keep these days.†

    Acturi itaque purificationem scripsimus vobis: bene ergo facietis, si egeritis hos dies.

17. 17

    But we hope that God, who has freed his people and has rendered to all the inheritance, and the kingdom, and the priesthood, and sanctification,

    Deus autem, qui liberavit populum suum, et reddidit hæreditatem omnibus, et regnum, et sacerdotium, et sanctificationem,

18. 18

    just as he promised in the law, will quickly have mercy on us and will gather us together from under heaven into the holy place.

    sicut promisit in lege, speramus quod cito nostri miserebitur, et congregavit de sub cælo in locum sanctum.

19. 19

    For he has rescued us from great perils, and he has purged the place.

    Eripuit enim nos de magnis periculis, et locum purgavit.

20. 20

    The truth about Judas Maccabeus, and his brothers, and the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar,

    De Juda vero Machabæo, et fratribus ejus, et de templi magni purificatione, et de aræ dedicatione,

21. 21

    and also about the battles, which pertain to Antiochus the illustrious, and his son, Eupator,

    sed et de præliis quæ pertinent ad Antiochum Nobilem et filium ejus Eupatorem,

22. 22

    and about the illuminations, which came from heaven to those who acted on behalf of the Jews with fortitude, was such that they, though few, vindicated the entire region and put to flight a multitude of the barbarous,

    et de illuminationibus quæ de cælo factæ sunt ad eos qui pro Judæis fortiter fecerunt, ita ut universam regionem, cum pauci essent, vindicarent, et barbaram multitudinem fugarent,

23. 23

    and recovered the most famous temple in the whole world, and freed the city, and restored the laws that were abolished. For the Lord, with all tranquility, was acting favorably toward them.

    et famosissimum in toto orbe templum recuperarent, et civitatem liberarent, et leges quæ abolitæ erant, restituerentur, Domino cum omni tranquillitate propitio facto illis.

24. 24

    And similar things as have been comprised in five books by Jason the Cyrenean, we have attempted to abridge into one volume.

    Itemque ab Jasone Cyrenæo quinque libris comprehensa tentavimus nos uno volumine breviare.

25. 25

    For, considering the multitude of the books, and the difficulty that those who are willing to undertake the narrations of histories find, due to the multitude of events,

    Considerantes enim multitudinem librorum, et difficultatem volentibus aggredi narrationes historiarum propter multitudinem rerum,

26. 26

    we have taken care, so that, indeed, those who are willing to read may have delights of the mind, and so that, in truth, the studious may more easily be able to commit it to memory, and also so that all readers may find it useful.

    curavimus volentibus quidem legere, ut esset animi oblectatio: studiosis vero, ut facilius possint memoriæ commendare: omnibus autem legentibus utilitas conferatur.

27. 27

    And indeed, we ourselves, who have taken up the task of abridging this work, have no easy labor. For, in truth, more correctly, we have assumed an activity full of vigilance and sweat.†

    Et nobis quidem ipsis, qui hoc opus breviandi causa suscepimus, non facilem laborem, immo vero negotium plenum vigiliarum et sudoris assumpsimus.

28. 28

    Just as those who prepare a feast also seek to be attentive to the will of others, for the sake of the gratitude of many, we willingly undertake the labor.

    Sicut hi qui præparant convivium, et quærunt aliorum voluntati parere propter multorum gratiam, libenter laborem sustinemus.

29. 29

    Indeed, leaving to the authors the truths about particular details, we instead have been devoted to this form, striving to be brief.

    Veritatem quidem de singulis auctoribus concedentes, ipsi autem secundum datam formam brevitati studentes.

30. 30

    For, just as the architect of a new house will have concern for the entire structure, and, in truth, he who takes care to paint it will seek out what is fitting to adorn it, so also should such things be considered by us.

    Sicut enim novæ domus architecto de universa structura curandum est; ei vero qui pingere curat, quæ apta sunt ad ornatum exquirenda sunt: ita æstimandum est et in nobis.

31. 31

    Moreover, to collect knowledge, and to order words, and to discuss every particular point attentively, is the duty of the author of a history.

    Etenim intellectum colligere, et ordinare sermonem, et curiosius partes singulas quasque disquirere, historiæ congruit auctori:

32. 32

    Yet truly, to pursue brevity of speech, and to shun the extension of matters, is conceded to an abbreviator.

    brevitatem vero dictionis sectari, et executiones rerum vitare, brevianti concedendum est.

33. 33

    Therefore, here we will begin the narration. Let so much be sufficient to say in preface. For it is foolish to go on and on before the account, when the account itself is succinct.

    Hinc ergo narrationem incipiemus: de præfatione tantum dixisse sufficiat. Stultum etenim est ante historiam effluere, in ipsa autem historia succingi.

Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain · Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592)