1 Maccabees 14

1Then in the one hundred and seventy-second year, King Demetrius gathered his troops and went into Media to enlist help for himself to wage war against Trypho.

καὶ ἐν ἔτει δευτέρῳ καὶ ἑβδομηκοστῷ καὶ ἑκατοστῷ συνήγαγεν Δημήτριος ὁ βασιλεὺς τὰς δυνάμεις αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπορεύθη εἰς Μηδίαν τοῦ ἐπισπάσασθαι βοήθειαν ἑαυτῷ ὅπως πολεμήσῃ τὸν Τρύφωνα

2When Arsaces, king of Persia and Media, learned that Demetrius had entered his borders, he sent one of his officers to capture him alive.

καὶ ἤκουσεν Ἀρσάκης ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς Περσίδος καὶ Μηδίας ὅτι εἰσῆλθεν Δημήτριος εἰς τὰ ὅρια αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἕνα τῶν ἀρχόντων αὐτοῦ συλλαβεῖν αὐτὸν ζῶντα

3So he set out and attacked the camp of Demetrius, and captured him and brought him to Arsaces, who put him in prison.

καὶ ἐπορεύθη καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὴν παρεμβολὴν Δημητρίου καὶ συνέλαβεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἤγαγεν αὐτὸν πρὸς Ἀρσάκην καὶ ἔθετο αὐτὸν ἐν φυλακῇ

4The land of Judah was peaceful all the days of Simon, And he sought the good of his nation, And his leadership and his glory pleased them all his days.

καὶ ἡσύχασεν ἡ γῆ Ιουδα πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας Σιμωνος καὶ ἐζήτησεν ἀγαθὰ τῷ ἔθνει αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤρεσεν αὐτοῖς ἡ ἐξουσία αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ δόξα αὐτοῦ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας

5Then in all his glory he took Joppa for a harbor And made an entrance to the islands of the sea.

καὶ μετὰ πάσης τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ ἔλαβεν τὴν Ιοππην εἰς λιμένα καὶ ἐποίησεν εἴσοδον ταῖς νήσοις τῆς θαλάσσης

6He enlarged his nation's borders And gained control of his country.

καὶ ἐπλάτυνεν τὰ ὅρια τῷ ἔθνει αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκράτησεν τῆς χώρας

7He also gathered many captives And ruled Gazara and Beth-zur and the citadel.

καὶ συνήγαγεν αἰχμαλωσίαν πολλὴν καὶ ἐκυρίευσεν Γαζαρων καὶ Βαιθσουρων καὶ τῆς ἄκρας καὶ ἐξῆρεν τὰς ἀκαθαρσίας ἐξ αὐτῆς καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ ἀντικείμενος αὐτῷ

8When he removed from it the uncleanness, No one opposed him. They farmed their land in peace, And the land gave forth its produce, And the trees of the plain their fruit.

καὶ ἦσαν γεωργοῦντες τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν μετ᾿ εἰρήνης καὶ ἡ γῆ ἐδίδου τὰ γενήματα αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ ξύλα τῶν πεδίων τὸν καρπὸν αὐτῶν

9Elders sat in the streets, Talking together of good things; And the young men wore the glories and apparel of war.

πρεσβύτεροι ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις ἐκάθηντο πάντες περὶ ἀγαθῶν ἐκοινολογοῦντο καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ἐνεδύσαντο δόξας καὶ στολὰς πολέμου

10He supplied the cities with food And furnished them with weapons of defense, Until his fame spread to the ends of the earth.

ταῖς πόλεσιν ἐχορήγησεν βρώματα καὶ ἔταξεν αὐτὰς ἐν σκεύεσιν ὀχυρώσεως ἕως ὅτου ὠνομάσθη τὸ ὄνομα τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ ἕως ἄκρου γῆς

11He established peace in the land, And Israel rejoiced with great delight.

ἐποίησεν εἰρήνην ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ εὐφράνθη Ισραηλ εὐφροσύνην μεγάλην

12Each one sat under his vine and fig tree, And no one made them afraid.

καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἕκαστος ὑπὸ τὴν ἄμπελον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν συκῆν αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ ἐκφοβῶν αὐτούς

13He caused war to cease in the land, And kings were defeated in those days.

καὶ ἐξέλιπεν πολεμῶν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ οἱ βασιλεῖς συνετρίβησαν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις

14He fortified all the humble among his people; He demanded adherence to the law And removed all the lawless and evil men.

καὶ ἐστήρισεν πάντας τοὺς ταπεινοὺς τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ τὸν νόμον ἐξεζήτησεν καὶ ἐξῆρεν πάντα ἄνομον καὶ πονηρόν

15He beautified the sanctuary And multiplied the vessels of the sanctuary.

τὰ ἅγια ἐδόξασεν καὶ ἐπλήθυνεν τὰ σκεύη τῶν ἁγίων

16When it was heard in Rome and as far away as Sparta that Jonathan had died, they were in great sorrow.

καὶ ἠκούσθη ἐν Ῥώμῃ ὅτι ἀπέθανεν Ιωναθαν καὶ ἕως Σπάρτης καὶ ἐλυπήθησαν σφόδρα

17But when they heard that his brother Simon had been made high priest in his place and was ruling over the land and the cities in it,

ὡς δὲ ἤκουσαν ὅτι Σιμων ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ γέγονεν ἀρχιερεὺς ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπικρατεῖ τῆς χώρας καὶ τῶν πόλεων τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ

18they wrote to him on bronze plaques to renew the friendship and alliance they had built with him and with his brothers Judas and Jonathan.

ἔγραψαν πρὸς αὐτὸν δέλτοις χαλκαῖς τοῦ ἀνανεώσασθαι πρὸς αὐτὸν φιλίαν καὶ συμμαχίαν ἣν ἔστησαν πρὸς Ιουδαν καὶ Ιωναθαν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ

19These tablets were read before all the people gathered in Jerusalem.

καὶ ἀνεγνώσθησαν ἐνώπιον τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐν Ιερουσαλημ

20This is a copy of the letters the Spartans sent: 'The leaders and the city of the Spartans, to Simon, the high priest, and the elders and the priests, and to all the Jewish people, our brothers, greetings.

καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἀντίγραφον τῶν ἐπιστολῶν ὧν ἀπέστειλαν οἱ Σπαρτιᾶται Σπαρτιατῶν ἄρχοντες καὶ ἡ πόλις Σιμωνι ἱερεῖ μεγάλῳ καὶ τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν καὶ τῷ λοιπῷ δήμῳ τῶν Ιουδαίων ἀδελφοῖς χαίρειν

21The ambassadors who were sent by you to our people told us about your glory and honor, and we were overjoyed at their coming.

οἱ πρεσβευταὶ οἱ ἀποσταλέντες πρὸς τὸν δῆμον ἡμῶν ἀπήγγειλαν ἡμῖν περὶ τῆς δόξης ὑμῶν καὶ τιμῆς καὶ ηὐφράνθημεν ἐπὶ τῇ ἐφόδῳ αὐτῶν

22So we recorded what was said by them in our public decrees as follows: 'Numenius, son of Antiochus, and Antipater, the son of Jason, ambassadors of the Jews, came to renew their friendship with us.

καὶ ἀνεγράψαμεν τὰ ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν εἰρημένα ἐν ταῖς βουλαῖς τοῦ δήμου οὕτως Νουμήνιος Ἀντιόχου καὶ Ἀντίπατρος Ἰάσονος πρεσβευταὶ Ιουδαίων ἦλθον πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀνανεούμενοι τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς φιλίαν

23Our citizens were pleased to receive them honorably and to place a copy of their words in the public archives, so the people of the Spartans might have a record of them. They also sent a copy of this to Simon the high priest.' '

καὶ ἤρεσεν τῷ δήμῳ ἐπιδέξασθαι τοὺς ἄνδρας ἐνδόξως καὶ τοῦ θέσθαι τὸ ἀντίγραφον τῶν λόγων αὐτῶν ἐν τοῖς ἀποδεδειγμένοις τῷ δήμῳ βιβλίοις τοῦ μνημόσυνον ἔχειν τὸν δῆμον τῶν Σπαρτιατῶν τὸ δὲ ἀντίγραφον τούτων ἔγραψαν Σιμωνι τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ

24Later, Simon dispatched Numenius to Rome with a large gold shield that weighed a thousand minas, to verify the alliance with them.

μετὰ ταῦτα ἀπέστειλεν Σιμων τὸν Νουμήνιον εἰς Ῥώμην ἔχοντα ἀσπίδα χρυσῆν μεγάλην ὁλκὴν μνῶν χιλίων εἰς τὸ στῆσαι πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὴν συμμαχίαν

25The people heard these words and they said, 'How can we show our gratitude to Simon and his sons?

ὡς δὲ ἤκουσεν ὁ δῆμος τῶν λόγων τούτων εἶπαν τίνα χάριν ἀποδώσομεν Σιμωνι καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ

26For he, his brothers, and his father's house stood strong and waged war with the enemies of Israel by themselves, and secured her freedom.' So they wrote these words on bronze tablets and put them on the pillars on Mount Zion,

ἐστήρισεν γὰρ αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ οἶκος τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπολέμησεν τοὺς ἐχθροὺς Ισραηλ ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν καὶ ἔστησαν αὐτῷ ἐλευθερίαν καὶ κατέγραψαν ἐν δέλτοις χαλκαῖς καὶ ἔθεντο ἐν στήλαις ἐν ὄρει Σιων

27and this is a copy of what they wrote: 'On the eighteenth day of Elul, in the hundred and seventy-second year, which is the third year of the great high priest Simon in the court of God's people,

καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἀντίγραφον τῆς γραφῆς ὀκτωκαιδεκάτῃ Ελουλ ἔτους δευτέρου καὶ ἑβδομηκοστοῦ καὶ ἑκατοστοῦ καὶ τοῦτο τρίτον ἔτος ἐπὶ Σιμωνος ἀρχιερέως μεγάλου ἐν ασαραμελ

28at the large gathering of the priests and people and the rulers of the nation and the elders of the land, the following was made known to us:

ἐπὶ συναγωγῆς μεγάλης ἱερέων καὶ λαοῦ καὶ ἀρχόντων ἔθνους καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τῆς χώρας ἐγνώρισεν ἡμῖν

29'Since there have often been wars in the country, Simon the son of Mattathias, priest of the sons of Joarib, with his brothers, placed themselves at risk and opposed their nation's adversaries, so their sanctuary and the law would be protected; and they honored their nation with great glory.

ἐπεὶ πολλάκις ἐγενήθησαν πόλεμοι ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ Σιμων δὲ υἱὸς Ματταθιου ἱερεὺς τῶν υἱῶν Ιωαριβ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ ἔδωκαν αὑτοὺς τῷ κινδύνῳ καὶ ἀντέστησαν τοῖς ὑπεναντίοις τοῦ ἔθνους αὐτῶν ὅπως σταθῇ τὰ ἅγια αὐτῶν καὶ ὁ νόμος καὶ δόξῃ μεγάλῃ ἐδόξασαν τὸ ἔθνος αὐτῶν

30Jonathan also rallied their nation, was made their high priest, and was brought before his people.

καὶ ἤθροισεν Ιωναθαν τὸ ἔθνος αὐτῶν καὶ ἐγενήθη αὐτοῖς ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ προσετέθη πρὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ

31When their adversaries chose to invade their country and seize their sanctuary,

καὶ ἐβουλήθησαν οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτῶν ἐμβατεῦσαι εἰς τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐκτεῖναι χεῖρας ἐπὶ τὰ ἅγια αὐτῶν

32Simon set out to wage war for his country. He spent large amounts of his own money, and supplied weapons to the soldiers in his nation's army, and paid them wages.

τότε ἀντέστη Σιμων καὶ ἐπολέμησε περὶ τοῦ ἔθνους αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐδαπάνησεν χρήματα πολλὰ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ὁπλοδότησεν τοὺς ἄνδρας τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ ἔθνους αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ὀψώνια

33Thus he strengthened the cities of Judea, and Beth-zur on the boundary of Judea, where the weapons of the enemy were kept; and he established there a garrison of Jews.

καὶ ὠχύρωσεν τὰς πόλεις τῆς Ιουδαίας καὶ τὴν Βαιθσουραν τὴν ἐπὶ τῶν ὁρίων τῆς Ιουδαίας οὗ ἦν τὰ ὅπλα τῶν πολεμίων τὸ πρότερον καὶ ἔθετο ἐκεῖ φρουρὰν ἄνδρας Ιουδαίους

34He also strengthened Joppa by the sea and Gazara on the boundary of Azotus, where the enemy had previously lived. He moved the Jews there and supplied them with whatever they needed for their welfare.

καὶ Ιοππην ὠχύρωσεν τὴν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τὴν Γαζαραν τὴν ἐπὶ τῶν ὁρίων Ἀζώτου ἐν ᾗ ᾤκουν οἱ πολέμιοι τὸ πρότερον καὶ κατῴκισεν ἐκεῖ Ιουδαίους καὶ ὅσα ἐπιτήδεια ἦν πρὸς τῇ τούτων ἐπανορθώσει ἔθετο ἐν αὐτοῖς

35'When the people saw Simon's dependability and the glory he was committed to bring to his nation, they chose him as their ruler and high priest, because he did all these things and because of the righteousness and good faith he kept toward his nation. In every way he tried to honor his people.

καὶ εἶδεν ὁ λαὸς τὴν πίστιν τοῦ Σιμωνος καὶ τὴν δόξαν ἣν ἐβουλεύσατο ποιῆσαι τῷ ἔθνει αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔθεντο αὐτὸν ἡγούμενον αὐτῶν καὶ ἀρχιερέα διὰ τὸ αὐτὸν πεποιηκέναι πάντα ταῦτα καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην καὶ τὴν πίστιν ἣν συνετήρησεν τῷ ἔθνει αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξεζήτησεν παντὶ τρόπῳ ὑψῶσαι τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ

36Under his rule, everything he touched prospered, and he drove out the Gentiles from the land. The men in the city of David in Jerusalem had made a citadel for themselves, from which they went out and defiled the vicinity of the sanctuary and caused great harm to its purity.

καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ εὐοδώθη ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἐξαρθῆναι τὰ ἔθνη ἐκ τῆς χώρας αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει Δαυιδ τοὺς ἐν Ιερουσαλημ οἳ ἐποίησαν αὑτοῖς ἄκραν ἐξ ἧς ἐξεπορεύοντο καὶ ἐμίαινον κύκλῳ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ ἐποίουν πληγὴν μεγάλην ἐν τῇ ἁγνείᾳ

37Then he settled Jews in it and strengthened it for the security of the country and the city, and built up the walls of Jerusalem to greater heights.

καὶ κατῴκισεν ἐν αὐτῇ ἄνδρας Ιουδαίους καὶ ὠχύρωσεν αὐτὴν πρὸς ἀσφάλειαν τῆς χώρας καὶ τῆς πόλεως καὶ ὕψωσεν τὰ τείχη τῆς Ιερουσαλημ

38'In light of these accomplishments, King Demetrius established him in the high priesthood.

καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Δημήτριος ἔστησεν αὐτῷ τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην κατὰ ταῦτα

39He also made him one of his friends and showed him great honor.

καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν τῶν φίλων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐδόξασεν αὐτὸν δόξῃ μεγάλῃ

40For he heard the Jews were called friends, allies, and brothers by the Romans and that they had received Simon's ambassadors with honor.

ἤκουσεν γὰρ ὅτι προσηγόρευνται οἱ Ιουδαῖοι ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων φίλοι καὶ σύμμαχοι καὶ ἀδελφοί καὶ ὅτι ἀπήντησαν τοῖς πρεσβευταῖς Σιμωνος ἐνδόξως

41'Thus the Jews and the priests were pleased that Simon should be their ruler and high priest forever, until a faithful prophet should arise.

καὶ ὅτι οἱ Ιουδαῖοι καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς εὐδόκησαν τοῦ εἶναι αὐτῶν Σιμωνα ἡγούμενον καὶ ἀρχιερέα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἕως τοῦ ἀναστῆναι προφήτην πιστὸν

42They were also pleased that he should be their governor, and take responsibility for the sanctuary and choose workers to meet its needs, and to look after the country, the weapons and the fortresses.

καὶ τοῦ εἶναι ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν στρατηγόν καὶ ὅπως μέλῃ αὐτῷ περὶ τῶν ἁγίων καθιστάναι δι᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς χώρας καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ὅπλων καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ὀχυρωμάτων

43Indeed they decided he should look after the sanctuary and be obeyed by all, that all the contracts of the nation should be drafted with his signature, and that he should be vested in purple and gold.

καὶ ὅπως μέλῃ αὐτῷ περὶ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ ὅπως ἀκούηται ὑπὸ πάντων καὶ ὅπως γράφωνται ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ πᾶσαι συγγραφαὶ ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ καὶ ὅπως περιβάλληται πορφύραν καὶ χρυσοφορῇ

44'None of the people or the priests were to be allowed to repeal any of these things, or say anything in opposition to him, or hold an assembly of the people without him, or be clothed in purple, or wear a gold buckle.

καὶ οὐκ ἐξέσται οὐθενὶ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ τῶν ἱερέων ἀθετῆσαί τι τούτων καὶ ἀντειπεῖν τοῖς ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ῥηθησομένοις καὶ ἐπισυστρέψαι συστροφὴν ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ ἄνευ αὐτοῦ καὶ περιβάλλεσθαι πορφύραν καὶ ἐμπορποῦσθαι πόρπην χρυσῆν

45Anyone who should do anything contrary to these decisions or nullify any of them was to be held liable.

ὃς δ᾿ ἂν παρὰ ταῦτα ποιήσῃ ἢ ἀθετήσῃ τι τούτων ἔνοχος ἔσται

46'All the people resolved that Simon should act according to these decisions.

καὶ εὐδόκησεν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς θέσθαι Σιμωνι ποιῆσαι κατὰ τοὺς λόγους τούτους

47So Simon consented, agreeing to become high priest, and to be the governor and ethnarch of the Jews and priests and the guardian of all.'

καὶ ἐπεδέξατο Σιμων καὶ εὐδόκησεν ἀρχιερατεύειν καὶ εἶναι στρατηγὸς καὶ ἐθνάρχης τῶν Ιουδαίων καὶ ἱερέων καὶ τοῦ προστατῆσαι πάντων

48They commanded that this decree be inscribed on bronze tablets and be put in a public place near the sanctuary.

καὶ τὴν γραφὴν ταύτην εἶπον θέσθαι ἐν δέλτοις χαλκαῖς καὶ στῆσαι αὐτὰς ἐν περιβόλῳ τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τόπῳ ἐπισήμῳ

49Copies were also placed in the treasury, accessible to Simon and his sons.

τὰ δὲ ἀντίγραφα αὐτῶν θέσθαι ἐν τῷ γαζοφυλακίῳ ὅπως ἔχῃ Σιμων καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ