I Maccabees 2

¹In tho daies Matatias, the sone of Joon, sone of Symeon, and he was prest of the sones of Joarym, roos fro Jerusalem, and sat in the hil Modyn.

²And he hadde fyue sones; Joon, that was named Gaddis; and Symount, that was named Thasi;

³and Judas, that was clepid Machabeus;

⁴and Eleasarus, that was named Abaron;

⁵and Jonathas, that was clepid Apphus.

⁶These siyen the yuels that weren don in the puple of Juda and in Jerusalem.

⁷And Matatias seide, Wo to me! wher to am Y borun, for to se the distriyng `of my puple, and the defoulyng of the hooli citee, and for to sitte there, whanne it is youun in to the hondis of enemyes?

⁸Hooli thingis ben maad in the hond of straungeris; the temple therof as a man vnnoble;

⁹vessels of glorie therof ben led awei caitif. Elde men therof ben slayn in stretis, and yonge men therof fellen doun bi swerd of enemyes.

¹⁰What folc enheritide not the kingdom therof, and weldide not preies therof?

¹¹Al ournyng therof is borun awei; sche that was fre, is maad handmaidun.

¹²And lo! oure hooli thing, and oure fairnesse, and oure clerete, is desolat, and hethene men defouliden it.

¹³What therfor is yit to vs for to lyue?

¹⁴And Matatias and his sones to-renten her clothis, and hiliden hem with heiris, and weiliden greetli.

¹⁵And thei that weren sent of kyng Antiok, camen thidur, for to constreyne hem that fledden togidere in to the cite of Modyn, for to offre and brenne encensis, and for to departe fro the lawe of God.

¹⁶And many of the puple of Israel consentiden, and camen to hem; but Matatias and his sones stoden stidefastli.

¹⁷And thei answeriden, that weren sent of Antiok, and seiden to Matatias, Thou art prince, and moost clere, and greet in this citee, and ourned with sones and britheren.

¹⁸Therfor go thou the formere, and do the maundement of the kyng, as alle folkis han don, and men of Juda, and thei that leften in Jerusalem. And thou schalt be, and thi sones, among frendis of the king, and maad large in siluer and gold, and many yiftis.

¹⁹And Matatias answeride, and seide with greet vois, Thouy alle folkis obeien to kyng Antiok, that thei go awei ech man fro seruice of the lawe of his fadris, and consenten to his maundementis,

²⁰Y, and my sones, and my britheren schulen obeie to the lawe of oure fadris.

²¹God be helpful to vs; it is not profitable to vs for to forsake the lawe and riytwisnesses of God.

²²We schulen not here the wordis of kyng Antiok, nether schulen make sacrifice to idols, and breke the maundementis of oure lawe, that we go bi anothir weie.

²³And as he ceesside for to speke these wordis, sum Jew wente to, bifore the iyen of alle men, for to sacrifice to idols on the auter, in the citee Modyn, bi comaundement of the kyng.

²⁴And Matatias siy, and sorewide, and his reynes trembliden togidere, and his woodnesse was kyndlid bi doom of the lawe; and he skippide in, and slow hym on the auter.

²⁵But and he slow in that tyme the man whom king Antiok sente, which compellide for to offre, and he distriede the auter.

²⁶And he louyde feruentli the lawe, as Fynees dide to Sambri, sone of Salomy.

²⁷And Matatias criede with greet vois in the citee, and seide, Ech man that hath feruent loue of the lawe, ordeyne a testament, `that is, a couenaunt, and go out after me.

²⁸And he flei, and hise sones, in to munteyns, and leften what euere thingis thei hadden in the citee.

²⁹Thanne many sekynge dom and riytwisnesse, wenten doun in to desert, that thei schulden sitte there,

³⁰thei, and the sones of hem, and wymmen of hem, and beestis of hem, for yuels weren hard on hem.

³¹And it was teld to men of the kyng, and to the oost, that weren in Jerusalem, the citee of Dauid, that summen wenten awei, that distrieden maundement of the kyng, in to priuy places in desert; and many hadden go after hem.

³²And anoon thei wenten to hem, and ordeineden ayens hem batel, in the dai of sabatis;

³³and seiden to hem, Ayenstonde ye also now yit? go ye out, and do ye after the word of kyng Antiok, and ye schulen lyue.

³⁴And thei seiden, We schulen not go out, nether schulen do the word of the king, that we defoule the dai of sabatis.

³⁵And thei stiriden batel ayens hem.

³⁶And thei answeriden not to hem, nether threwen stoon to hem, nether stoppiden priuy places,

³⁷and seiden, Die we alle in oure simplenesse, and heuene and erthe schulen be witnessis on vs, that vniustli ye lesen vs.

³⁸And thei yauen to hem batel in sabatis, and thei weren deed, and wyues of hem, and sones of hem, and beestis of hem, til to a thousande persoones of men.

³⁹And Matatias knew, and his frendis; and thei hadden mournyng on hem greetli.

⁴⁰And a man seide to his neiybore, If we alle shulen do as oure britheren diden, and schulen not fiyte ayens hethene men, for oure lyues, and oure iustifiyngis, sunnere thei schulen distrie vs fro erthe.

⁴¹And thei thouyten in that dai, and seiden, Ech man who euere cometh to vs in batel, in dai of sabotis, fiyte we ayens hym, and die we not alle, as oure britheren ben deed in priuy places.

⁴²Thanne the synagoge of Jewis, strong in myytis of Israel, was gaderid to hem. Euery wilful man in the lawe,

⁴³and alle that fledden fro yuels, weren addid to hem, and thei weren maad to hem to stidfastnesse.

⁴⁴And thei gaderiden an oost, and smytiden synneris in her wraththe, and wickid men in her indignacioun; and the tother fledden to naciouns, for to ascape.

⁴⁵And Matatias enuyrownede, and hise frendis, and distrieden auteris,

⁴⁶and circumcididen children vncircumcided, hou many euere thei founden in the coostis of Israel, `in strengthe.

⁴⁷And thei pursueden the sones of pride, and the werk hadde prosperite in her hondis.

⁴⁸And thei gaten the lawe fro hondis of hethene men, and fro hondis of kyngis, and yauen not strengthe to the synnere.

⁴⁹And daies of Matatias of diynge neiyiden, and he seide to hise sones, Now pride is coumfortid, and chastisyng, and tyme of distruccioun, and the wraththe of indignacioun.

⁵⁰Now therfor, sones, be ye sueris, `ether louyeris, of the lawe, and yyue ye youre lyues for the testament of fadris.

⁵¹And bithenke ye on werkis of fadris, whiche thei diden in her generaciouns, and ye schulen resseyue greet glorie, and euerlastynge name.

⁵²Whether in temptacioun Abraham was not founden trewe, and it was arettid to hym to riytwisnes?

⁵³Joseph in time of his angwisch kepte comaundement, and was maad lord of Egipt.

⁵⁴Fynees, oure fadir, in feruentli louynge the feruent loue of God, took testament of euerlastynge preesthod.

⁵⁵Jhesus, `ether Josue, while he fillide the word, was maad duyk in Israel.

⁵⁶Caleph, while he witnesside in the chirche, took eritage.

⁵⁷Dauid in his merci gat the sete of kyngdom, in to worldis.

⁵⁸Elie, while he feruentli louyde the feruent loue of the lawe, was resseyued in to heuene.

⁵⁹Ananyas, Azarias, Misael, bileuyden, and weren delyuered fro flawme.

⁶⁰Danyel in his symplenesse was delyuered fro the mouth of liouns.

⁶¹And thus bithenke ye bi generacioun and generacioun, for alle that hopen in to hym ben not maad vnstidefast.

⁶²And drede ye not of the wordis of a man synnere, for the glorie of hym is tord and worm;

⁶³to dai he is enhaunsid, and to morewe he schal not be foundun, for he is turned in to his erthe, and his thouyt schal perische.

⁶⁴Therfor, ye sones, be coumfortid, and do ye manli in the lawe; for whanne ye schulen do tho thingis that ben bodun to you in the lawe of youre Lord God, in it ye schulen be gloriouse.

⁶⁵And lo! Symount, youre brother; Y woot, that he is a man of councel, here ye hym eueremore, and he schal be fadir to you.

⁶⁶And Judas Machabeus, stronge in miytis fro his yongthe, be to you a prince in knyythod, and he schal do batel of the puple.

⁶⁷And ye schulen brynge to you alle doeris of the lawe, and venge ye the veniaunce of youre puple.

⁶⁸Yelde ye yeldyng to hethene men, and take ye tent to the heeste of the lawe.

⁶⁹And he blesside hem, and was put to hise fadris.

⁷⁰And he was deed in the hundrid and `sixe and fourti yeer, and was biried of hise sones in to sepulcre of hise fadris in Modyn; and al Israel weiliden hym with greet weilyng.

I Maccabees 2

¹In those days arose Mattathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem, and dwelt in Modin.

²And he had five sons, Joannan, called Caddis:

³Simon; called Thassi:

⁴Judas, who was called Maccabeus:

⁵Eleazar, called Avaran: and Jonathan, whose surname was Apphus.

⁶And when he saw the blasphemies that were committed in Juda and Jerusalem,

⁷He said, Woe is me! wherefore was I born to see this misery of my people, and of the holy city, and to dwell there, when it was delivered into the hand of the enemy, and the sanctuary into the hand of strangers?

⁸Her temple is become as a man without glory.

⁹Her glorious vessels are carried away into captivity, her infants are slain in the streets, her young men with the sword of the enemy.

¹⁰What nation hath not had a part in her kingdom and gotten of her spoils?

¹¹All her ornaments are taken away; of a free woman she is become a bondslave.

¹²And, behold, our sanctuary, even our beauty and our glory, is laid waste, and the Gentiles have profaned it.

¹³To what end therefore shall we live any longer?

¹⁴Then Mattathias and his sons rent their clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourned very sore.

¹⁵In the mean while the king’s officers, such as compelled the people to revolt, came into the city Modin, to make them sacrifice.

¹⁶And when many of Israel came unto them, Mattathias also and his sons came together.

¹⁷Then answered the king’s officers, and said to Mattathias on this wise, Thou art a ruler, and an honourable and great man in this city, and strengthened with sons and brethren:

¹⁸Now therefore come thou first, and fulfil the king’s commandment, like as all the heathen have done, yea, and the men of Juda also, and such as remain at Jerusalem: so shalt thou and thy house be in the number of the king’s friends, and thou and thy children shall be honoured with silver and gold, and many rewards.

¹⁹Then Mattathias answered and spake with a loud voice, Though all the nations that are under the king’s dominion obey him, and fall away every one from the religion of their fathers, and give consent to his commandments:

²⁰Yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers.

²¹God forbid that we should forsake the law and the ordinances.

²²We will not hearken to the king’s words, to go from our religion, either on the right hand, or the left.

²³Now when he had left speaking these words, there came one of the Jews in the sight of all to sacrifice on the altar which was at Modin, according to the king’s commandment.

²⁴Which thing when Mattathias saw, he was inflamed with zeal, and his reins trembled, neither could he forbear to shew his anger according to judgment: wherefore he ran, and slew him upon the altar.

²⁵Also the king’s commissioner, who compelled men to sacrifice, he killed at that time, and the altar he pulled down.

²⁶Thus dealt he zealously for the law of God like as Phinees did unto Zambri the son of Salom.

²⁷And Mattathias cried throughout the city with a loud voice, saying, Whosoever is zealous of the law, and maintaineth the covenant, let him follow me.

²⁸So he and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that ever they had in the city.

²⁹Then many that sought after justice and judgment went down into the wilderness, to dwell there:

³⁰Both they, and their children, and their wives; and their cattle; because afflictions increased sore upon them.

³¹Now when it was told the king’s servants, and the host that was at Jerusalem, in the city of David, that certain men, who had broken the king’s commandment, were gone down into the secret places in the wilderness,

³²They pursued after them a great number, and having overtaken them, they camped against them, and made war against them on the sabbath day.

³³And they said unto them, Let that which ye have done hitherto suffice; come forth, and do according to the commandment of the king, and ye shall live.

³⁴But they said, We will not come forth, neither will we do the king’s commandment, to profane the sabbath day.

³⁵So then they gave them the battle with all speed.

³⁶Howbeit they answered them not, neither cast they a stone at them, nor stopped the places where they lay hid;

³⁷But said, Let us die all in our innocency: heaven and earth will testify for us, that ye put us to death wrongfully.

³⁸So they rose up against them in battle on the sabbath, and they slew them, with their wives and children and their cattle, to the number of a thousand people.

³⁹Now when Mattathias and his friends understood hereof, they mourned for them right sore.

⁴⁰And one of them said to another, If we all do as our brethren have done, and fight not for our lives and laws against the heathen, they will now quickly root us out of the earth.

⁴¹At that time therefore they decreed, saying, Whosoever shall come to make battle with us on the sabbath day, we will fight against him; neither will we die all, as our brethren that were murdered in the secret places.

⁴²Then came there unto him a company of Assideans who were mighty men of Israel, even all such as were voluntarily devoted unto the law.

⁴³Also all they that fled for persecution joined themselves unto them, and were a stay unto them.

⁴⁴So they joined their forces, and smote sinful men in their anger, and wicked men in their wrath: but the rest fled to the heathen for succour.

⁴⁵Then Mattathias and his friends went round about, and pulled down the altars:

⁴⁶And what children soever they found within the coast of Israel uncircumcised, those they circumcised valiantly.

⁴⁷They pursued also after the proud men, and the work prospered in their hand.

⁴⁸So they recovered the law out of the hand of the Gentiles, and out of the hand of kings, neither suffered they the sinner to triumph.

⁴⁹Now when the time drew near that Mattathias should die, he said unto his sons, Now hath pride and rebuke gotten strength, and the time of destruction, and the wrath of indignation:

⁵⁰Now therefore, my sons, be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers.

⁵¹Call to remembrance what acts our fathers did in their time; so shall ye receive great honour and an everlasting name.

⁵²Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness?

⁵³Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment and was made lord of Egypt.

⁵⁴Phinees our father in being zealous and fervent obtained the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.

⁵⁵Jesus for fulfilling the word was made a judge in Israel.

⁵⁶Caleb for bearing witness before the congregation received the heritage of the land.

⁵⁷David for being merciful possessed the throne of an everlasting kingdom.

⁵⁸Elias for being zealous and fervent for the law was taken up into heaven.

⁵⁹Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, by believing were saved out of the flame.

⁶⁰Daniel for his innocency was delivered from the mouth of lions.

⁶¹And thus consider ye throughout all ages, that none that put their trust in him shall be overcome.

⁶²Fear not then the words of a sinful man: for his glory shall be dung and worms.

⁶³To day he shall be lifted up and to morrow he shall not be found, because he is returned into his dust, and his thought is come to nothing.

⁶⁴Wherefore, ye my sons, be valiant and shew yourselves men in the behalf of the law; for by it shall ye obtain glory.

⁶⁵And behold, I know that your brother Simon is a man of counsel, give ear unto him alway: he shall be a father unto you.

⁶⁶As for Judas Maccabeus, he hath been mighty and strong, even from his youth up: let him be your captain, and fight the battle of the people.

⁶⁷Take also unto you all those that observe the law, and avenge ye the wrong of your people.

⁶⁸Recompense fully the heathen, and take heed to the commandments of the law.

⁶⁹So he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers.

⁷⁰And he died in the hundred forty and sixth year, and his sons buried him in the sepulchres of his fathers at Modin, and all Israel made great lamentation for him.