2 मक्काबियों 1

1To the brethren the Jews that are throughout Egypt, the brethren, the Jews that are in Jerusalem, and in the land of Judea, send health, and good peace.

2May God be gracious to you, and remember his covenant that he made with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, his faithful servants:

3And give you all a heart to worship him, and to do his will with a great heart, and a willing mind.

4May he open your heart in his law, and in his commandments, and send you peace.

5May he hear your prayers, and be reconciled unto you, and never forsake you in the evil time.

6And now here we are praying for you.

7When Demetrius reigned, in the year one hundred and sixty-nine, we Jews wrote to you, in the trouble, and violence, that came upon us in those years, after Jason withdrew himself from the holy land, and from the kingdom.

8They burnt the gate, and shed innocent blood: then we prayed to the Lord, and were heard, and we offered sacrifices, and fine flour, and lighted the lamps, and set forth the leaves.

9And now celebrate ye the days of Scenopegia in the month of Casleu.

10In the year Bone hundred and eighty-eight, the people that is at Jerusalem, and in Judea, and the senate, and Judas, to Aristobolus, the preceptor of king Ptolemee, who is of the stock of the anointed priests, and to the Jews that are in Egypt, health and welfare.

11Having been delivered by God out of great dangers, we give him great thanks, forasmuch as we have been in war with such a king.

12For he made numbers of men swarm out of Persia that have fought against us, and the holy city.

13For when the leader himself was in Persia, and with him a very great army, he fell in the temple of Nanea, being deceived by the counsel of the priests of Nanea.

14For Antiochus, with his friends, came to the place as though he would marry her, and that he might receive great sums of money under the title of a dowry.

15And when the priests of Nanea had set it forth, and he with a small company had entered into the compass of the temple, they shut the temple,

16When Antiochus was came in: and opening a secret entrance of the temple, they cast stones and slew the leader, and them that were with him, and hewed them in pieces, and cutting off their heads they threw them forth.

17Blessed be God in all things, who hath delivered up the wicked.

18Therefore whereas we purpose to keep the purification of the temple on the five and twentieth day of the month of Casleu, we thought it necessary to signify it to you: that you also may keep the day of Scenopegia, and the day of the fire, that was given when Nehemias offered sacrifice, after the temple and the altar was built.

19For when our fathers were led in Persia, the priests that then were worshippers of God took privately the fire from the altar, and hid it in a valley where there was a deep pit without water, and there they kept it safe, so that the place was unknown to all men.

20But when many years had passed, and it pleased God that Nehemias should be sent by the king of Persia, he sent some of the posterity of those priests that had hid it, to seek for the fire: and as they told us, they found no fire, but thick water.

21Then he bade them draw it up, and bring it to him: and the priest Nehemias commanded the sacrifices that were laid on, to be sprinkled with the same water, both the wood, and the things that were laid upon it.

22And when this was done, and the time came that the sun shone out, which before was in a cloud, there was a great fire kindled, so that all wondered.

23And all the priests made prayer, while the sacrifice was consuming, Jonathan beginning, and the rest answering.

24And the prayer of Nehemias was after this manner: O Lord God, Creator of all things, dreadful and strong, just and merciful, who alone art the goad king,

25Who alone art gracious, who alone art just, and almighty, and eternal, who deliverest Israel from all evil, who didst choose the fathers and didst sanctify them:

26Receive the sacrifice for all thy people Israel, and preserve thy own portion, and sanctify it.

27Gather together our scattered people, deliver them that are slaves to the Gentiles, and look upon them that are despised and abhorred: that the Gentiles may know that thou art our God.

28Punish them that oppress us, and that treat us injuriously with pride.

29Establish thy people in thy holy place, as Moses hath spoken.

30And the priests sung hymns till the sacrifice was consumed.

31And when the sacrifice was consumed, Nehemias commanded the water that was left to be poured out upon the great stones.

32Which being done, there was kindled a dame from them: but it was consumed by the light that shined from the altar.

33And when this matter became public, it was told to the king of Persia, that in the place where the priests that were led away, had hid the fire, there appeared water, with which Nehemias and they that were with him had purified the sacrifices.

34And the king considering, and diligently examining the matter, made a temple for it, that he might prove what had happened.

35And when he had proved it, he gave the priests many goods, and divers presents, and he took and distributed them to them with his own hand.

36And Nehemias called this place Nephthar, which is interpreted purification. But many call it Nephi.

1Fratribus qui sunt per Ægyptum Judæis, salutem dicunt fratres qui sunt in Jerosolymis Judæi, et qui in regione Judææ, et pacem bonam.

2Benefaciat vobis Deus, et meminerit testamenti sui, quod locutus est ad Abraham, et Isaac, et Jacob servorum suorum fidelium:

3et det vobis cor omnibus ut colatis eum, et faciatis ejus voluntatem, corde magno et animo volenti.

4Adaperiat cor vestrum in lege sua, et in præceptis suis, et faciat pacem.

5Exaudiat orationes vestras, et reconcilietur vobis, nec vos deserat in tempore malo.

6Et nunc hic sumus orantes pro vobis.

7Regnante Demetrio, anno centesimo sexagesimo nono, nos Judæi scripsimus vobis in tribulatione et impetu qui supervenit nobis in istis annis, ex quo recessit Jason a sancta terra, et a regno.

8Portam succenderunt, et effuderunt sanguinem innocentem: et oravimus ad Dominum, et exauditi sumus, et obtulimus sacrificium et similaginem, et accendimus lucernas, et proposuimus panes.

9Et nunc frequentate dies scenopegiæ mensis Casleu.

10Anno centesimo octogesimo octavo, populus qui est Jerosolymis et in Judæa, senatusque et Judas, Aristobolo magistro Ptolemæi regis, qui est de genere christorum sacerdotum, et his qui in Ægypto sunt Judæis, salutem et sanitatem.

11De magnis periculis a Deo liberati, magnifice gratias agimus ipsi, utpote qui adversus talem regem dimicavimus.

12Ipse enim ebullire fecit de Perside eos qui pugnaverunt contra nos et sanctam civitatem.

13Nam cum in Perside esset dux ipse, et cum ipso immensus exercitus, cecidit in templo Naneæ, consilio deceptus sacerdotum Naneæ.

14Etenim cum ea habitaturus venit ad locum Antiochus et amici ejus, et ut acciperet pecunias multas dotis nomine.

15Cumque proposuissent eas sacerdotes Naneæ, et ipse cum paucis ingressus esset intra ambitum fani, clauserunt templum,

16cum intrasset Antiochus: apertoque occulto aditu templi, mittentes lapides percusserunt ducem et eos qui cum eo erant: et diviserunt membratim, et capitibus amputatis foras projecerunt.

17Per omnia benedictus Deus, qui tradidit impios.

18Facturi igitur quinta et vigesima die mensis Casleu purificationem templi, necessarium duximus significare vobis: ut et vos quoque agatis diem scenopegiæ, et diem ignis, qui datus est quando Nehemias ædificato templo et altari obtulit sacrificia.

19Nam cum in Persidem ducerentur patres nostri, sacerdotes qui tunc cultores Dei erant, acceptum ignem de altari occulte absconderunt in valle, ubi erat puteus altus et siccus, et in eo contutati sunt eum, ita ut omnibus ignotus esset locus.

20Cum autem præterissent anni multi, et placuit Deo ut mitteretur Nehemias a rege Persidis, nepotes sacerdotum illorum qui absconderant, misit ad requirendum ignem: et sicut narraverunt nobis, non invenerunt ignem, sed aquam crassam.

21Et jussit eos haurire, et afferre sibi: et sacrificia quæ imposita erant, jussit sacerdos Nehemias aspergi ipsa aqua: et ligna, et quæ erant superposita.

22Utque hoc factum est, et tempus affuit quo sol refulsit, qui prius erat in nubilo, accensus est ignis magnus, ita ut omnes mirarentur.

23Orationem autem faciebant omnes sacerdotes, dum consummaretur sacrificium, Jonatha inchoante, ceteris autem respondentibus.

24Et Nehemiæ erat oratio hunc habens modum: Domine Deus omnium creator, terribilis et fortis, justus et misericors, qui solus est bonus rex,

25solus præstans, solus justus et omnipotens et æternus, qui liberas Israël de omni malo; qui fecisti patres electos, et sanctificasti eos:

26accipe sacrificium pro universo populo tuo Israël, et custodi partem tuam, et sanctifica.

27Congrega dispersionem nostram, libera eos qui serviunt gentibus, et contemptos et abominatos respice, ut sciant gentes quia tu es Deus noster.

28Afflige opprimentes nos, et contumeliam facientes in superbia.

29Constitue populum tuum in loco sancto tuo, sicut dixit Moyses.

30Sacerdotes autem psallebant hymnos usquequo consumptum esset sacrificium.

31Cum autem consumptum esset sacrificium, ex residua aqua Nehemias jussit lapides majores perfundi.

32Quod ut factum est, ex eis flamma accensa est: sed ex lumine quod refulsit ab altari, consumpta est.

33Ut vero manifestata est res, renuntiatum est regi Persarum quod in loco in quo ignem absconderent hi qui translati fuerant sacerdotes, aqua apparuit, de qua Nehemias, et qui cum eo erant, purificaverunt sacrificia.

34Considerans autem rex, et rem diligenter examinans, fecit ei templum, ut probaret quod factum erat:

35et cum probasset, sacerdotibus donavit multa bona, et alia atque alia munera: et accipiens manu sua, tribuebat eis.

36Appellavit autem Nehemias hunc locum Nephthar, quod interpretatur Purificatio: vocatur autem apud plures Nephi.

1To the brothers, the Jews, who are throughout Egypt: the brothers, the Jews, who are in Jerusalem and in the region of Judea, send greetings and good peace.

2May God be gracious to you, and may he remember his covenant, which was spoken to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, his faithful servants.

3And may he give all of you the heart to worship him, and to do his will, with a great heart and a willing soul.

4May he throw open your heart with his law and with his precepts, and may he create peace.

5May he heed your prayers and be reconciled to you, and may he not forsake you in the evil time.

6And now, in this place, we are praying for you.

7When Demetrius reigned, in the one hundred and sixty-ninth year, we Jews wrote to you during the tribulation and assaults which overcame us in those years, from the time that Jason withdrew from the holy land and from the kingdom.

8They burnt the gate, and they shed innocent blood. And we prayed to the Lord and were heard, and we brought forth sacrifices and fine wheat flour, and we kindled the lamps and set forth the loaves.

9And now, celebrate the days of shelters in the month of Kislev.

10In the one hundred and eighty-eighth year, from the people who are at Jerusalem and in Judea, and from the Senate and Judas: to Aristobulus, the magistrate of king Ptolemy, who is of the ancestry of anointed priests, and to those Jews who are in Egypt: greetings and good health.

11Having been freed by God from great peril, we give thanks to him greatly, in as much as we have been struggling against so great a king.

12For he caused those who fought against us and against the holy city to burst forth from Persia.

13For when the commander himself was in Persia, and with him an immense army, he fell in the temple of Nanea, having been deceived by the counsel of the priests of Nanea.

14For Antiochus also came to the place with his friends, as if to live with her, and so that he would receive much money in the name of a dowry.

15And when the priests of Nanea had made the proposal, and he had entered with a few men into the vestibule of the shrine, they closed the temple,

16after Antiochus had entered. And throwing open a hidden entrance to the temple, they cast stones, and they struck the leader and those who were with him. And, having severed their limbs and cut off their heads, they threw them outside.

17Blessed be God through all things, who has delivered up the impious.

18Therefore, establishing the purification of the temple on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev, we considered it necessary to signify this to you, so that you, likewise, may keep the day of shelters, and the day of the fire that was given when Nehemiah offered sacrifice, after the temple and the altar had been built.

19For when our fathers were led into Persia, the priests, who at that time were worshippers of God, secretly took the fire from the altar, and they kept it hidden in a valley, where there was a deep and dry pit, and they kept it safe in that place, in such a way that the place would be unknown to all.

20But when many years had passed, and it pleased God that Nehemiah should be sent by the king of Persia, he sent some of the posterity of those priests who had hidden it to seek the fire. And, just as they told us, they did not find fire, but only deep water.

21Then he ordered them to draw it up and to carry it to him. And the priest, Nehemiah, ordered the sacrifices, which had been set out, to be sprinkled with the same water, both the wood and those things that were placed on it.

22And when this was done, and the time came when the sun shined brightly, which before was in a cloud, there was kindled a great fire, so much so that all were filled with wonder.

23But all the priests were reciting prayer, while the sacrifice was being consumed, with Jonathan beginning and the rest answering.

24And the prayer of Nehemiah was held in this way: “O Lord God, Creator of all, terrible and strong, just and merciful, you alone are the good King.

25You alone are excellent, you alone are just, and all-powerful, and eternal, who frees Israel from all evil, who created the chosen fathers and sanctified them.

26Receive the sacrifice on behalf of all of your people Israel, and preserve and sanctify your portion.

27Gather together our dispersion, free those who are in servitude to the Gentiles, and respect those who are despised and abhorred, so that the Gentiles may know that you are our God.

28Afflict those who, in their arrogance, are oppressing us and treating us abusively.

29Establish your people in your holy place, just as Moses said.”

30And so the priests sang hymns until the sacrifice had been consumed.

31But when the sacrifice had been consumed, Nehemiah ordered the remainder of the water to be poured upon the great stones.

32When this had been done, a flame was kindled from them, but it was consumed by the light that shined brightly from the altar.

33In truth, when this thing became known, it was reported to the king of Persia that in the place where the fire had been hidden by those priests who had been led away, water appeared, by which Nehemiah, and those who were with him, purified the sacrifices.

34But the king, considering and examining the matter diligently, made a temple for it, so that he might study what had happened.

35And when he had studied it, he gave the priests many goods and presents, of one kind or another, and using his own hands, he distributed these.

36And Nehemiah called this place Nephthar, which is interpreted as Purification. But with many it is called Nephi.