1 Maccabees 1

1: And it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came out of the land of Chettiim, had smitten Darius king of the Persians and Medes, that he reigned in his stead, the first over Greece,

ΚΑΙ ἐγένετο μετὰ τὸ πατάξαι ᾿Αλέξανδρον τὸν Φιλίππου τὸν Μακεδόνα, ὃς ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τῆς γῆς Χεττειείμ, καὶ ἐπάταξε τὸν Δαρεῖον βασιλέα Περσῶν καὶ Μήδων καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ πρότερος ἐπὶ τὴν ῾Ελλάδα.

And made many wars, and won many strong holds, and slew the kings of the earth,

καὶ συνεστήσατο πολέμους πολλοὺς καὶ ἐκράτησεν ὀχυρωμάτων πολλῶν καὶ ἔσφαξε βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς·

And went through to the ends of the earth, and took spoils of many nations, insomuch that the earth was quiet before him; whereupon he was exalted and his heart was lifted up.

καὶ διῆλθεν ἕως ἄκρων τῆς γῆς καὶ ἔλαβε σκῦλα πλήθους ἐθνῶν. καὶ ἡσύχασεν ἡ γῆ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὑψώθη, καὶ ἐπήρθη ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ.

And he gathered a mighty strong host and ruled over countries, and nations, and kings, who became tributaries unto him.

καὶ συνήγαγε δύναμιν ἰσχυρὰν σφόδρα καὶ ἦρξε χωρῶν καὶ ἐθνῶν καὶ τυράννων, καὶ ἐγένοντο αὐτῷ εἰς φόρον.

And after these things he fell sick, and perceived that he should die.

καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν κοίτην καὶ ἔγνω ὅτι ἀποθνήσκει.

Wherefore he called his servants, such as were honourable, and had been brought up with him from his youth, and parted his kingdom among them, while he was yet alive.

καὶ ἐκάλεσε τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἐνδόξους τοὺς συντρόφους αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ νεότητος καὶ διεῖλεν αὐτοῖς τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ ἔτι ζῶντος αὐτοῦ.

So Alexander reigned twelve years, and then died.

καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ᾿Αλέξανδρος ἔτη δώδεκα καὶ ἀπέθανε.

And his servants bare rule every one in his place.

καὶ ἐπεκράτησαν οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ ἕκαστος ἐν τῷ τόπῳ αὐτοῦ.

And after his death they all put crowns upon themselves; so did their sons after them many years: and evils were multiplied in the earth.

καὶ ἐπέθεντο πάντες διαδήματα μετὰ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτῶν ὀπίσω αὐτῶν ἔτη πολλὰ καὶ ἐπλήθυναν κακὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ.

And there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been an hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.

καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐξ αὐτῶν ῥίζα ἁμαρτωλὸς ᾿Αντίοχος ᾿Επιφανής, υἱὸς ᾿Αντιόχου βασιλέως, ὃς ἦν ὅμηρα ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ· καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ἔτει ἑκατοστῷ καὶ τριακοστῷ καὶ ἑβδόμῳ βασιλείας ῾Ελλήνων.

In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow.

᾿Εν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐξῆλθον ἐξ ᾿Ισραὴλ υἱοὶ παράνομοι καὶ ἀνέπεισαν πολλοὺς λέγοντες· πορευθῶμεν καὶ διαθώμεθα διαθήκην μετὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν κύκλῳ ἡμῶν, ὅτι ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἐχωρίσθημεν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν, εὗρεν ἡμᾶς κακὰ πολλά.

So this device pleased them well.

καὶ ἠγαθύνθη ὁ λόγος ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτῶν,

Then certain of the people were so forward herein, that they went to the king, who gave them licence to do after the ordinances of the heathen:

καὶ προεθυμήθησάν τινες ἀπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν ποιῆσαι τὰ δικαιώματα τῶν ἐθνῶν.

Whereupon they built a place of exercise at Jerusalem according to the customs of the heathen:

καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν γυμνάσιον ἐν ῾Ιεροσολύμοις κατὰ τὰ νόμιμα τῶν ἐθνῶν

And made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathen, and were sold to do mischief.

καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς ἀκροβυστίας καὶ ἀπέστησαν ἀπὸ διαθήκης ἁγίας καὶ ἐζευγίσθησαν τοῖς ἔθνεσι καὶ ἐπράθησαν τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρόν.

Now when the kingdom was established before Antiochus, he thought to reign over Egypt that he might have the dominion of two realms.

Καὶ ἡτοιμάσθη ἡ βασιλεία ἐναντίον ᾿Αντιόχου, καὶ ὑπέβαλε βασιλεῦσαι τῆς Αἰγύπτου, ὅπως βασιλεύσῃ ἐπὶ τὰς δύο βασιλείας.

Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great navy,

καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἐν ὄχλῳ βαρεῖ, ἐν ἅρμασι καὶ ἐν ἐλέφασι καὶ ἐν ἱππεῦσι καὶ ἐν στόλῳ μεγάλῳ

And made war against Ptolemee king of Egypt: but Ptolemee was afraid of him, and fled; and many were wounded to death.

καὶ συνεστήσαντο πόλεμον πρὸς Πτολεμαῖον βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου· καὶ ἐνετράπη Πτολεμαῖος ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔφυγε, καὶ ἔπεσον τραυματίαι πολλοί.

Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt and he took the spoils thereof.

καὶ κατελάβοντο τὰς πόλεις τὰς ὀχυρὰς ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ ἔλαβε τὰ σκῦλα γῆς Αἰγύπτου.

And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned again in the hundred forty and third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude,

καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν ᾿Αντίοχος μετὰ τὸ πατάξαι Αἴγυπτον ἐν τῷ ἑκατοστῷ καὶ τεσσαρακοστῷ καὶ τρίτῳ ἔτει καὶ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἀνέβη εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἐν ὄχλῳ βαρεῖ.

And entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof,

καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὸ ἁγίασμα ἐν ὑπερηφανίᾳ καὶ ἔλαβε τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ χρυσοῦν καὶ τὴν λυχνίαν τοῦ φωτὸς καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη αὐτῆς

And the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and the vials. and the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were before the temple, all which he pulled off.

καὶ τὴν τράπεζαν τῆς προθέσεως καὶ τὰ σπονδεῖα καὶ τὰς φιάλας καὶ τὰς θυΐσκας τὰς χρυσᾶς καὶ τὸ καταπέτασμα καὶ τοὺς στεφάνους καὶ τὸν κόσμον τὸν χρυσοῦν τὸν κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ ἐλέπισε πάντα.

He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels: also he took the hidden treasures which he found.

καὶ ἔλαβε τὸ ἀργύριον καὶ τὸ χρυσίον καὶ τὰ σκεύη τὰ ἐπιθυμητὰ καὶ ἔλαβε τοὺς θησαυροὺς τοὺς ἀποκρύφους, οὓς εὗρε·

And when he had taken all away, he went into his own land, having made a great massacre, and spoken very proudly.

καὶ λαβὼν πάντα ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν γῆν αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐποίησε φονοκτονίαν καὶ ἐλάλησεν ὑπερηφανίαν μεγάλην.

Therefore there was a great mourning in Israel, in every place where they were;

καὶ ἐγένετο πένθος μέγα ἐπὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ αὐτῶν.

So that the princes and elders mourned, the virgins and young men were made feeble, and the beauty of women was changed.

καὶ ἐστέναξαν ἄρχοντες καὶ πρεσβύτεροι, παρθένοι καὶ νεανίσκοι ἠσθένησαν, καὶ τὸ κάλλος τῶν γυναικῶν ἠλλοιώθη.

Every bridegroom took up lamentation, and she that sat in the marriage chamber was in heaviness,

πᾶς νυμφίος ἀνέλαβε θρῆνον, καὶ καθημένη ἐν παστῷ ἐγένετο ἐν πένθει.

The land also was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Jacob was covered with confusion.

καὶ ἐσείσθη ἡ γῆ ἐπὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας αὐτήν, καὶ πᾶς ὁ οἶκος ᾿Ιακὼβ ἐνεδύσατο αἰσχύνην.

And after two years fully expired the king sent his chief collector of tribute unto the cities of Juda, who came unto Jerusalem with a great multitude,

Καὶ μετὰ δύο ἔτη ἡμερῶν ἀπέστειλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἄρχοντα φορολογίας εἰς τὰς πόλεις ᾿Ιούδα, καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἐν ὄχλῳ βαρεῖ.

And spake peaceable words unto them, but all was deceit: for when they had given him credence, he fell suddenly upon the city, and smote it very sore, and destroyed much people of Israel.

καὶ ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς λόγους εἰρηνικοὺς ἐν δόλῳ, καὶ ἐνεπίστευσαν αὐτῷ. καὶ ἐπέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν ἐξάπινα καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτὴν πληγὴν μεγάλην καὶ ἀπώλεσε λαὸν πολὺν ἐξ ᾿Ισραήλ.

And when he had taken the spoils of the city, he set it on fire, and pulled down the houses and walls thereof on every side.

καὶ ἔλαβε τὰ σκῦλα τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἐνεπύρισεν αὐτὴν πυρὶ καὶ καθεῖλε τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ τείχη αὐτῆς κύκλῳ.

But the women and children took they captive, and possessed the cattle.

καὶ ᾐχμαλώτευσαν τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα, καὶ τὰ κτήνη ἐκληρονόμησαν.

Then builded they the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with mighty towers, and made it a strong hold for them.

καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν τὴν πόλιν Δαυὶδ τείχει μεγάλῳ καὶ ἰσχυρῷ, πύργοις ὀχυροῖς, καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτοῖς εἰς ἄκραν.

And they put therein a sinful nation, wicked men, and fortified themselves therein.

καὶ ἔθηκαν ἐκεῖ ἔθνος ἁμαρτωλόν, ἄνδρας παρανόμους, καὶ ἐνίσχυσαν ἐν αὐτῇ.

They stored it also with armour and victuals, and when they had gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem, they laid them up there, and so they became a sore snare:

καὶ παρέθεντο ὅπλα καὶ τροφὰς καὶ συναγαγόντες τὰ σκῦλα ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἀπέθεντο ἐκεῖ, καὶ ἐγένοντο εἰς μεγάλην παγίδα.

For it was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil adversary to Israel.

καὶ ἐγένετο εἰς ἔνεδρον τῷ ἁγιάσματι καὶ εἰς διάβολον πονηρὸν τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ διαπαντός.

Thus they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled it:

καὶ ἐξέχεαν αἷμα ἀθῷον κύκλῳ τοῦ ἁγιάσματος καὶ ἐμόλυναν τὸ ἁγίασμα.

Insomuch that the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them: whereupon the city was made an habitation of strangers, and became strange to those that were born in her; and her own children left her.

καὶ ἔφυγον οἱ κάτοικοι ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ δι᾿ αὐτούς, καὶ ἐγένετο κατοικία ἀλλοτρίων· καὶ ἐγένετο ἀλλοτρία τοῖς γενήμασιν αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς ἐγκατέλιπον αὐτήν.

Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness, her feasts were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into reproach her honour into contempt.

τὸ ἁγίασμα αὐτῆς ἠρημώθη ὡς ἔρημος, αἱ ἑορταὶ αὐτῆς ἐστράφησαν εἰς πένθος, τὰ σάββατα αὐτῆς εἰς ὀνειδισμόν, ἡ τιμὴ αὐτῆς εἰς ἐξουδένωσιν.

As had been her glory, so was her dishonour increased, and her excellency was turned into mourning.

κατὰ τὴν δόξαν αὐτῆς ἐπληθύνθη ἡ ἀτιμία αὐτῆς, καὶ τὸ ὕψος αὐτῆς ἐστράφη εἰς πένθος.

Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people,

Καὶ ἔγραψεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Αντίοχος πάσῃ τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ εἷναι πάντας εἰς λαὸν ἕνα

And every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king.

καὶ ἐγκαταλιπεῖν ἕκαστον τὰ νόμιμα αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐπεδέξατο πάντα τὰ ἔθνη κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως.

Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath.

καὶ πολλοὶ ἀπὸ ᾿Ισραὴλ εὐδόκησαν τῇ λατρείᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔθυσαν τοῖς εἰδώλοις καὶ ἐβεβήλωσαν τὸ σάββατον.

For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws of the land,

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς βιβλία ἐν χειρὶ ἀγγέλων εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ τὰς πόλεις ᾿Ιούδα πορευθῆναι ὀπίσω νομίμων ἀλλοτρίων τῆς γῆς

And forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the sabbaths and festival days:

καὶ κωλῦσαι ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ θυσίαν καὶ σπονδὴν ἐκ τοῦ ἁγιάσματος καὶ βεβηλῶσαι σάββατα καὶ ἑορτὰς

And pollute the sanctuary and holy people:

καὶ μιᾶναι ἁγίασμα καὶ ἁγίους,

Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine’s flesh, and unclean beasts:

καὶ οἰκοδομῆσαι βωμοὺς καὶ τεμένη καὶ εἰδωλεῖα καὶ θύειν ὕεια καὶ κτήνη κοινὰ

That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation:

καὶ ἀφιέναι τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν ἀπεριτμήτους, βδελύξαι τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ἐν παντὶ ἀκαθάρτῳ καὶ βεβηλώσει,

To the end they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances.

ὥστε ἐπιλαθέσθαι τοῦ νόμου καὶ ἀλλάξαι πάντα τὰ δικαιώματα·

And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the king, he said, he should die.

καὶ ὃς ἂν μὴ ποιήσῃ κατὰ τὸ ρῆμα τοῦ βασιλέως, ἀποθανεῖται.

In the selfsame manner wrote he to his whole kingdom, and appointed overseers over all the people, commanding the cities of Juda to sacrifice, city by city.

κατὰ πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους ἔγραψε πάσῃ τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐποίησεν ἐπισκόπους ἐπὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν καὶ ἐνετείλατο ταῖς πόλεσιν ᾿Ιούδα θυσιάζειν κατὰ πόλιν καὶ πόλιν.

Then many of the people were gathered unto them, to wit every one that forsook the law; and so they committed evils in the land;

καὶ συνηθροίσθησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ πρὸς αὐτοὺς πολλοί, πᾶς ὁ ἐγκαταλιπὼν τὸν νόμον, καὶ ἐποίησαν κακὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ

And drove the Israelites into secret places, even wheresoever they could flee for succour.

καὶ ἔθεντο τὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν κρύφοις ἐν παντὶ φυγαδευτηρίῳ αὐτῶν.

Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side;

καὶ τῇ πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ Χασελεῦ τῷ πέμπτῳ καὶ τεσσαρακοστῷ καὶ ἑκατοστῷ ἔτει ᾠκοδόμησαν βδέλυγμα ἐρημώσεως ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον καὶ ἐν πόλεσιν ᾿Ιούδα κύκλῳ ᾠκοδόμησαν βωμούς·

And burnt incense at the doors of their houses, and in the streets.

καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν θυρῶν τῶν οἰκιῶν καὶ ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις ἐθυμίων.

And when they had rent in pieces the books of the law which they found, they burnt them with fire.

καὶ τὰ βιβλία τοῦ νόμου, ἃ εὗρον, ἐνεπύρισαν πυρὶ κατασχίσαντες.

And whosoever was found with any the book of the testament, or if any committed to the law, the king’s commandment was, that they should put him to death.

καὶ ὅπου εὑρίσκετο παρά τινι βιβλίον διαθήκης, καὶ εἴ τις συνευδόκει τῷ νόμῳ, τὸ σύγκριμα τοῦ βασιλέως ἐθανάτου αὐτόν.

Thus did they by their authority unto the Israelites every month, to as many as were found in the cities.

ἐν ἰσχύϊ αὐτῶν ἐποίουν οὕτως τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ τοῖς εὑρισκομένοις ἐν παντὶ μηνὶ καὶ μηνὶ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι.

Now the five and twentieth day of the month they did sacrifice upon the idol altar, which was upon the altar of God.

καὶ τῇ πέμπτῃ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ μηνὸς θυσιάζοντες ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν, ὃς ἦν ἐπὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου.

At which time according to the commandment they put to death certain women, that had caused their children to be circumcised.

καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας τὰς περιτετμηκυίας τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν ἐθανάτωσαν κατὰ τὸ πρόσταγμα

And they hanged the infants about their necks, and rifled their houses, and slew them that had circumcised them.

καὶ ἐκρέμασαν τὰ βρέφη ἐκ τῶν τραχήλων αὐτῶν, καὶ τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν προενόμευσαν καὶ τοὺς περιτετμηκότας αὐτοὺς ἐθανάτωσαν.

Howbeit many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat any unclean thing.

καὶ πολλοὶ ἐν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐκραταιώθησαν καὶ ὠχυρώθησαν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τοῦ μὴ φαγεῖν κοινὰ

Wherefore they chose rather to die, that they might not be defiled with meats, and that they might not profane the holy covenant: so then they died.

καὶ ἐπελέξαντο ἀποθανεῖν, ἵνα μὴ μιανθῶσι τοῖς βρώμασι καὶ μὴ βεβηλώσωσι διαθήκην ἁγίαν, καὶ ἀπέθανον.

And there was very great wrath upon Israel.

καὶ ἐγένετο ὀργὴ μεγάλη ἐπὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ σφόδρα.