Book of Maccabbees - Translation Installment 1

ב''ה

It came to pass after Alexander the son of Pilipos the Macedonian, who came from the land of Kitim, conquered Daryavesh the king of Persia and Madai and become king in his place, ruling from Greece. He fought many wars and conquered fortified cities and slaughtered the kings of the earth. He reached to the edges of the earth and took the bounty of many nations. The earth was silent before him and became exalted and haughty. He gathered a very mighty army,  he ruled over the lands of nations and princes and they paid tribute to him.

After all this, he fell ill and knew that he would die. He called to his distinguished servants that grew up together with him since childhood and he split amongst them his kingdom while he was still alive. Alexander ruled 12 years and then died. His servants each ruled their own realm. They all placed crowns of kingship on their heads after he died and passed on to their sons after them for many years. They multiplied the evil on the earth.

From them came the root of wickedness, Antiochus Apipha'nes the son of Antiochus the king who was mixed on in Rome. He ruled in the 137th year of the Greek kingdoms.

In those days, there came out from Israel a group wild people who pushed many people saying, "let us go and form a covenant with the nations that are around us, for from the day that we strayed from them we have found much ill." This found favor in the eyes of many. People from the nation volunteered and went to the king. The king gave them free reign to act as the other nations do. They built a gymnasium, like the other nations have, in Jerusalem. They left their foreskins and forsook the holy covenant. They cozied up to the nations and were estranged themselves by doing evil.

The kingship became well established for Antiochus and he deaned rule over Egypt so he could rule over both kingdoms. He came to Egypt with great numbers, with chariots, elephants, calvarly and with a great ship. There he battled with Talmai, the king of Egypt and Talmai retreated from him and ran. Many were slain. Egypt's fortified cities were conquered and the wealth of Egypt was taken. Antiochus returned after hitting Egypt in the one hundred and forty third year. He then came up to Israel and Jerusalem with great numbers. He haughtily entered the Temple and took the golden alter and the luminous menorah and all of its vessels. He also took the table of bread offering, the golden staves, cups and spoons. He took the curtain, the crowns and the bejeweled decorations that were at the front of the sanctuary and peeled off everything. He took the silver and the gold and all the beautiful vessels, he took the storehouses of hidden treasures that he found. After taking this all, he returned to his land, slew many and spoke with great bravado. There was a great mourning in Israel and in all their places.

[...] - and the leaders and elderly sighed.
Virgins and young men were sorrowful - the beauty of women had turned.
Every groom cries a eulogy - she who sits under the canopy is mourning.
The earth is sick for its inhabitants - and all of the house of Yakov wore embarrassment.

After two years time the king sent his tax collector the cities of Yehuda and he came to Jerusalem with a great army. He duplicitely spoke words of peace to them and they believed him. He fell on the city suddenly and wounded it greatly, many people of Israel perished. He took the wealth of the city and burned it in fire, he destroyed its houses and its surrounding walls. He took captive the women and children and stole away the animals. They built up the city of David with a great, strong wall and fortified towers and it became a citadel for them.  A sinful nation dwelt there, people of iniquity, there they made their stronghold. They gathered weapons and food, and in their pillaging the wealth of Jerusalem, they placed it all there. It became a place of great pain.

It was a place of ambush towards the Temple - a bad accuser towards Israel constantly.
They poured out blood of the innocent all around the Temple - and made the Temple impure.
Because of them, the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled - it became a dwelling place for strangers.
It became a strange women to her children - her sons abandoned her.
The Temple was silent as a desert - its holidays had turned to mourning.
Shabbat there turned to embarrassment - its honor turned to shame.
In accordance with its glory, so was its derision - its greatness changed to mourning.

The king then wrote a command to all of his kingship that they should all be one nation. Each man should abandon their statutes and all people should accept on themselves to act in accordance with king. Many from Israel wanted to serve the king and brought sacrifices to idols and desecrated Shabbat. The king sent letters in the hand of his messengers to Jerusalem and to the cities of Yehuda to follow customs that were strange to the land. To forsake bringing burnt offerings, animal slaughter and libations  from the Temple and to desecrate Shabbat and the Holidays. To make the Temple and the all that is holy impure. To build alters and palaces and idols and to offer up pigs and impure animal sacrifice. To leave sons uncircumcised and to contaminate their souls with all types of impurity and bad intentions. To forget the Torah, to change all the statutes. However does not do as the king commanded will die.

The king sent words including all of this to his kingdoms and appointed ministers over the nation and commanded to the cities of Yehuda to bring his offerings in every city. All those who forsook the Torah from within the nation joined him and did evil in the land. They made it so Israel would hide in crevices in all of their efforts to escape.

On the fifteenth day of Kislev in the one hundred forty fifth year they built a silent disgrace (an idol) the alter and in the cities of Yehuda they built large stones to offer to their idols all around. They brought offerings in the entrance to the houses and in the streets. They tore the Books of Torah that they found and burnt them. The king commanded to put to death, without exception,  anyone who was caught holding a book of the covenant or anyone who desired Torah. In their subjugation of all of Israel there was they did this, month in month out in all the cities. On the 25 of the month the brought an offering on the large stone they had placed on the alter (in the temple.) The women who had circumcised their sons they killed in accordance with the kings command. They hung the infants by the neck as well as their family members and anyone who performed the act of circumcision on them. However, many of Israel were mighty and held strong not to eat impure. They chose death so as not to defile themselves with foods and so as not to forsake the holy covenant, they died. There was a very great wrath upon Israel.

In those days, Matisyahu the son of Yochanan the son of Shimon the Kohen, from the sons of Yehoyariv from Yerushalayim, living in Modi'im. He had five sons, Yochanan, who was known as Gadi. Shimon, who was know as Tarsi. Yehuda, who was known as Makabi. Elazar, who was known as Choran and Yonatan was known as Chafus.

They saw the horrible things that were done in Yerushalayim and said:

Oy to me, why was I born to witness the flesh of my nation - and the pillaging of the holy city.


(still working on it...)
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Translation by yours truly. 

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